aid the king; 'that is something, but the tub isn't full yet.'
To the queen he whispered, 'I didn't think you would be such a fool.'

'What did YOU do?' she whispered in return.

'Do you suppose I would do anything for HIM?' said the king, and then
hurriedly ordered Jesper to go on.

'In the next place,' said Jesper, 'there came a fat old fellow on the
same errand. He was very proud and dignified, but in order to get the
hare he actually stood on his head, whacked his heels together, and
cried "Hurrah"; and that old fellow was the----'

'Stop, stop,' shouted the king; 'you needn't say another word; the tub
is full.' Then all the court applauded, and the king and queen accepted
Jesper as their son-in-law, and the princess was very well pleased, for
by this time she had quite fallen in love with him, because he was so
handsome and so clever. When the old king got time to think over it, he
was quite convinced that his kingdom would be safe in Jesper's hands if
he looked after the people as well as he herded the hares.

(Scandinavian.)

THE UNDERGROUND WORKERS

On a bitter night somewhere between Christmas and the New Year, a man
set out to walk to the neighbouring village. It was not many miles off,
but the snow was so thick that there were no roads, or walls, or hedges
left to guide him, and very soon he lost his way altogether, and was
glad to get shelter from the wind behind a thick juniper tree. Here he
resolved to spend the night, thinking that when the sun rose he would be
able to see his path again.

So he tucked his legs snugly under him like a hedgehog, rolled himself
up in his sheepskin, and went to sleep. How long he slept, I cannot tell
you, but after awhile he became aware that some one was gently shaking
him, while a stranger whispered, 'My good man, get up! If you lie there
any more, you will be buried in the snow, and no one will ever know what
became of you.'

The sleeper slowly raised his head from his furs, and opened his heavy
eyes. Near him stood a long thin man, holding in his hand a young fir
tree taller than himself. 'Come with me,' said the man, 'a little way
off we have made a large fire, and you will rest far better there than
out upon this moor.' The sleeper did not wait to be asked twice, but
rose at once and followed the stranger. The snow was falling so fast
that he could not see three steps in front of him, till the stranger
waved his staff, when the drifts parted before them