billows. When the waves had covered the children's legs they
repented their careless behaviour, and cried out: ‘The cursed
little black pony is bewitched. If we had only listened to old
Peggy's advice we shouldn't have been lost.'

The further the pony advanced, the higher rose the sea; at last
the waves covered the children's heads and they were all drowned.

Towards morning old Peggy went out, for she was anxious about the
fate of her grandchildren. She sought them high and low, but
could not find them anywhere. She asked all the neighbours if
they had seen the children, but no one knew anything about them,
except that the eldest had not been with the blue-eyed daughter
of Jacob the rope-maker.

As she was going home, bowed with grief, she saw a little black
pony coming towards her, springing and curveting in every
direction. When it got quite near her it neighed loudly, and
galloped past her so quickly that in a moment it was out of her
sight.

[From the French, Kletke.]





An Impossible Enchantment