hung chained an
apple, which hangs there to this day. And when the egg shakes the city
quakes, and when the egg shall be broken the city shall be destroyed.
And the city Virgilius filled full of wonders, such as never were seen
before, and he called its name Naples.

(Adapted from 'Virgilius the Sorcerer.')

MOGARZEA AND HIS SON

There was once a little boy, whose father and mother, when they were
dying, left him to the care of a guardian. But the guardian whom they
chose turned out to be a wicked man, and spent all the money, so the boy
determined to go away and strike out a path for himself.

So one day he set off, and walked and walked through woods and meadows
till when evening came he was very tired, and did not know where to
sleep. He climbed a hill and looked about him to see if there was no
light shining from a window. At first all seemed dark, but at length he
noticed a tiny spark far, far off, and, plucking up his spirits, he at
once went in search of it.

The night was nearly half over before he reached the spark, which turned
out to be a big fire, and by the fire a man was sleeping who was so
tall he might have been a giant. The boy hesitated for a moment what he
should do; then he crept close up to the man, and lay down by his legs.

When the man awoke in the morning he was much surprised to find the boy
nestling up close to him.

'Dear me! where do you come from?' said he.

'I am your son, born in the night,' replied the boy.

'If that is true,' said the man, 'you shall take care of my sheep, and I
will give you food. But take care you never cross the border of my land,
or you will repent it.' Then he pointed out where the border of his land
lay, and bade the boy begin his work at once.

The young shepherd led his flock out to the richest meadows and stayed
with them till evening, when he brought them back, and helped the man to
milk them. When this was done, they both sat down to supper, and while
they were eating the boy asked the big man: 'What is your name, father?'

'Mogarzea,' answered he.

'I wonder you are not tired of living by yourself in this lonely place.'

'There is no reason you should wonder! Don't you know that there was
never a bear yet who danced of his own free will?'

'Yes, that is true,' replied the boy. 'But why is it you are always so
sad? Tell me your history, father.'

'What is the use of my telling you things that would only make you sad
too?'

'Oh, never