e first of them
was blind, the second was hunchbacked, and the third had a large thorn
in her throat. When the three witches beheld the chariot, with the
frog seated pompously among the cushions, they broke into such fits of
laughter that the eyelids of the blind one burst open, and she recovered
her sight; the hunchback rolled about on the ground in merriment till
her back became straight, and in a roar of laughter the thorn fell out
of the throat of the third witch. Their first thought was to reward
the frog, who had unconsciously been the means of curing them of their
misfortunes.

The first witch waved her magic wand over the frog, and changed her into
the loveliest girl that had ever been seen. The second witch waved
the wand over the tiny chariot and ponies, and they were turned into
a beautiful large carriage with prancing horses, and a coachman on the
seat. The third witch gave the girl a magic purse, filled with money.
Having done this, the witches disappeared, and the youth with his lovely
bride drove to his mother's home. Great was the delight of the mother at
her youngest son's good fortune. A beautiful house was built for them;
she was the favourite daughter-in-law; everything went well with them,
and they lived happily ever after.

(From the Italian.)

THE PRINCESS WHO WAS HIDDEN UNDERGROUND

Once there was a king who had great riches, which, when he died, he
divided among his three sons. The two eldest of these lived in rioting
and feasting, and thus wasted and squandered their father's wealth till
nothing remained, and they found themselves in want and misery. The
youngest of the three sons, on the contrary, made good use of his
portion. He married a wife and soon they had a most beautiful daughter,
for whom, when she was grown up, he caused a great palace to be built
underground, and then killed the architect who had built it. Next he
shut up his daughter inside, and then sent heralds all over the world to
make known that he who should find the king's daughter should have her
to wife. If he were not capable of finding her then he must die.

Many young men sought to discover her, but all perished in the attempt.

After many had met their death thus, there came a young man, beautiful
to behold, and as clever as he was beautiful, who had a great desire to
attempt the enterprise. First he went to a herdsman, and begged him to
hide him in a sheepskin, which had a golden fleece, and in this disgui