rruping overhead. Kong Hia Chiang at once replied that those
on the roof were hailing those that were flying past, and saying:

"Call a halt; call a halt;
Here is rice fresh and white;
Half is sweet, half is salt;
Stop a bit; take a bite."

The jailer was at once convinced that the prisoner understood the
speech of birds, and therefore hastened to the magistrate to report
the warning and the test. The magistrate sent a swift courier to
notify the military officers, and a scout was sent out to the west. He
soon confirmed the message of Kong Hia Chiang, and troops were
dispatched to strengthen the garrison at the pass, the invaders
thereby being successfully repelled. The great service rendered to the
country by Kong Hia Chiang was acknowledged by his sovereign, who
afterward made use of his remarkable talent, invited him to study with
the princes, and eventually raised him to a high rank among the nobles
of the empire.

_The Smith and the Fairies_

Years ago there lived in Crossbrig a smith of the name of MacEachern.
This man had an only child, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years
of age, cheerful, strong, and healthy. All of a sudden he fell ill;
took to his bed and moped whole days away. No one could tell what was
the matter with him, and the boy himself could not, or would not, tell
how he felt. He was wasting away fast; getting thin, old, and yellow;
and his father and all his friends were afraid that he would die.

At last one day, after the boy had been lying in this condition for a
long time, getting neither better nor worse, always confined to bed,
but with an extraordinary appetite--one day, while sadly revolving
these things, and standing idly at his forge, with no heart to work,
the smith was agreeably surprised to see an old man, well known for
his sagacity and knowledge of out-of-the-way things, walk into his
workshop. Forthwith he told him the occurrence which had clouded his
life.

The old man looked grave as he listened; and after sitting a long time
pondering over all he had heard, gave his opinion thus: "It is not
your son you have got. The boy has been carried away by the '_Daione
Sith_,' and they have left a _Sibhreach_ in his place."

"Alas! and what then am I to do?" said the smith. "How am I ever to
see my own son again?"

"I will tell you how," answered the old man. "But, first, to make sure
that it is not your own son you have got, take as many empty
e