kly put a big stone in the bag
in her place.

As Papa Fox kept on up the hill, he thought the bag was pretty heavy,
but he said, "Never mind, she is a fat little red hen."

Mamma Fox met him at the front door with all the baby foxes.

"The water is boiling," said she. "What have you in your bag?" asked the
Baby Foxes.

"A fat little red hen," said Papa Fox.

As he held the bag over the pot, he said to Mamma Fox, "When I drop her
in, you clap on the lid." So he opened the bag. Splash! went the boiling
water. It spilled all over Papa Fox and Mamma Fox and the Baby Foxes.
Never again did they try to catch the Little Red Hen.

THE SHOEMAKER AND THE LITTLE ELVES

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM

There was once a shoemaker, who, from no fault of his own, had become so
poor that at last he had nothing left, but just sufficient leather for
one pair of shoes. In the evening he cut out the leather, intending to
make it up in the morning; and, as he had a good conscience, he lay
quietly down to sleep, first commending himself to God. In the morning
he said his prayers, and then sat down to work; but, behold, the pair of
shoes were already made, and there they stood upon his board. The poor
man was amazed, and knew not what to think; but he took the shoes into
his hand to look at them more closely, and they were so neatly worked,
that not a stitch was wrong; just as if they had been made for a prize.
Presently a customer came in; and as the shoes pleased him very much, he
paid down more than was usual; and so much that the shoemaker was able
to buy with it leather for two pairs. By the evening he had got his
leather shaped out; and when he arose the next morning, he prepared to
work with fresh spirit; but there was no need--for the shoes stood all
perfect on his board. He did not want either for customers; for two came
who paid him so liberally for the shoes, that he bought with the money
material for four pairs more. These also--when he awoke--he found all
ready-made, and so it continued; what he cut out overnight was, in the
morning, turned into the neatest shoes possible. This went on until he
had regained his former appearance, and was becoming prosperous.

One evening--not long before Christmas--as he had cut out the usual
quantity, he said to his wife before going to bed, "What say you to
stopping up this night, to see who it is that helps us so kindly?" His
wife was satisfied, and fastened up a light; and then they hid
th