you must sit well back, and then you will not fall
forward."

"And pray take care
Of my red wheels there;
And wheels be steady,
And mice be ready
On Mr. Korbes a call to pay,
For that is where we go to-day!"

Then there came up a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin,
and lastly a needle, who all got up on the carriage, and were driven
along. But when they came to Mr. Korbes's house he was not at home. So
the mice drew the carriage into the barn, the cock and the hen flew up
and perched on a beam, the cat sat by the fireside, the duck settled on
the water; but the egg wrapped itself in the towel, the pin stuck itself
in the chair cushion, the needle jumped into the bed among the pillows,
and the millstone laid itself by the door. Then Mr. Korbes came home,
and went to the hearth to make a fire, but the cat threw ashes in his
eyes. Then he ran quickly into the kitchen to wash himself, but the duck
splashed water in his face. Then he was going to wipe it with the towel,
but the egg broke in it, and stuck his eyelids together. In order to get
a little peace he sat down in his chair, but the pin ran into him, and,
starting up, in his vexation he threw himself on the bed, but as his
head fell on the pillow, in went the needle, so that he called out with
the pain, and madly rushed out. But when he reached the housedoor the
mill-stone jumped up and struck him dead.

What a bad man Mr. Korbes must have been!

TOM THUMB'S TRAVELS

THERE was once a tailor who had a son no higher than a thumb, so he was
called Tom Thumb. Notwithstanding his small size, he had plenty of
spirit, and one day he said to his father,

"Father, go out into the world I must and will."

"Very well, my son," said the old man, and taking a long darning needle,
he put a knob of sealing-wax on the end, saying,

"Here is a sword to take with you on your journey."

Now the little tailor wanted to have one more meal first, and so he
trotted into the kitchen to see what sort of a farewell feast his mother
had cooked for him. It was all ready, and the dish was standing on the
hearth. Then said he,

"Mother, what is the fare to-day?"

"You can see for yourself," said the mother. Then Tom Thumb ran to the
hearth and peeped into the dish, but as he stretched his neck too far
over it, the steam caught him and carried him up the chimney. For a time
he floated with the steam about in the air, but at last he sank d