too much already."

Again he raised his arm. Just at this instant a loud knocking was
heard at the gates, which made Blue Beard wait for a moment to see
who it was. The gates were opened, and two officers entered with
their swords in their hands. Blue Beard, seeing they were his wife's
brothers, endeavored to escape, but they pursued and seized him
before he had got twenty steps, and, plunging their swords into
his body, laid him dead at their feet.

The poor wife, who was almost as dead as her husband, was unable at
first to rise and embrace her brothers, but she soon recovered.

As Blue Beard had no heirs, she found herself the possessor of his great
riches. She used part of her vast fortune in giving a marriage dowry to
her sister Ann, who soon after was married. With another part she bought
captains' commissions for her two brothers; and the rest she presented
to a most worthy gentleman whom she married soon after, and whose kind
treatment soon made her forget Blue Beard's cruelty.

LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD

[Illustration]

Once upon a time there lived a little girl, who was so sweet and pretty
and good that everybody loved her. Her old grandmother, who was very
fond of her, made her a little red cloak and hood, which suited her so
well that everyone called her "Little Red Riding-Hood."

One day, Little Red Riding-Hood's mother told her to take a basket with
some butter and eggs and fresh-baked cake to her grandmother, who was
ill. The little girl, who was always willing and obliging, ran at once
to fetch her red cloak, and, taking her basket, set out on her journey.

On her way she met a wolf, who wished very much to eat her up; but who
dared not do so because some wood-cutters were working close by. So he
only said:

"Good-morning, Little Red Riding-Hood; where are you off to so early?"

Little Red Riding-Hood, who did not know how dangerous it was to talk to
a wolf, replied:

"I am going to see my grandmother, who is ill in bed, to take her some
butter and eggs and a fresh-baked cake that my mother has made for her!"

"Where does your grandmother live?" asked the wolf.

"In the little white cottage at the other side of the wood," answered
Red Riding-Hood.

"Well," said the wolf, "I am going that way, too. If you will let me, I
will walk part of the way with you." So Little Red Riding-Hood, who
suspected no harm, set off with the wolf for her companion.

Presently Red Riding-Hood stopped t