ed
Fet-Fruners to run. And as for the vase of holy water, she thought that,
in common politeness, her suitor ought to have fetched it himself, which
he could have done without any risk at all.

So she ordered the great bath to be filled with the milk of her mares,
and begged the emperor to clothe himself in white robes, and enter the
bath with her, an invitation he accepted with joy. Then, when both were
standing with the milk reaching to their necks, she sent for the horse
which had fought Sunlight, and made a secret sign to him. The horse
understood what he was to do, and from one nostril he breathed fresh
air over Iliane, and from the other, he snorted a burning wind which
shrivelled up the emperor where he stood, leaving only a little heap of
ashes.

His strange death, which no one could explain, made a great sensation
throughout the country, and the funeral his people gave him was the
most splendid ever known. When it was over, Iliane summoned Fet-Fruners
before her, and addressed him thus:

'Fet-Fruners! it is you who brought me and have saved my life, and
obeyed my wishes. It is you who gave me back my stud; you who killed the
genius, and the old witch his mother; you who brought me the holy water.
And you, and none other, shall be my husband.'

'Yes, I will marry you,' said the young man, with a voice almost as soft
as when he was a princess. 'But know that in OUR house, it will be the
cock who sings and not the hen!'

(From Sept Contes Roumains, Jules Brun and Leo Bachelin.)

THE STORY OF HALFMAN

In a certain town there lived a judge who was married but had no
children. One day he was standing lost in thought before his house, when
an old man passed by.

'What is the matter, sir, said he, 'you look troubled?'

'Oh, leave me alone, my good man!'

'But what is it?' persisted the other.

'Well, I am successful in my profession and a person of importance, but
I care nothing for it all, as I have no children.'

Then the old man said, 'Here are twelve apples. If your wife eats them,
she will have twelve sons.'

The judge thanked him joyfully as he took the apples, and went to seek
his wife. 'Eat these apples at once,' he cried, 'and you will have
twelve sons.'

So she sat down and ate eleven of them, but just as she was in the
middle of the twelfth her sister came in, and she gave her the half that
was left.

The eleven sons came into the world, strong and handsome boys; but when
the twelf