Walter beat his drum, Caro crept out, and when Walter
ran away, Caro ran after him, as he so often does when Walter wants to
romp and play.

'Down, Caro, you ought to be rather ashamed to have put such a great
hero to flight!'

Walter got up feeling very foolish.

'Down, Caro!' he said, both relieved and annoyed.

'It was only a dog, then if it had been a wolf I certainly should have
killed him. . . .'

'If Walter would listen to my advice, and boast a little less, and do a
little more,' said Jonas, consolingly. 'Walter is not a coward is he?'

'I! You shall see Jonas when we next meet a bear. You see I like so much
better to fight with bears.'

'Indeed!' laughed Jonas. 'Are you at it again?'

'Dear Walter, remember that it is only cowards who boast; a really brave
man never talks of his bravery.'

From Z. Topelius.

_THE KING OF THE WATERFALLS_

WHEN the young king of Easaidh Ruadh came into his kingdom, the first
thing he thought of was how he could amuse himself best. The sports that
all his life had pleased him best suddenly seemed to have grown dull,
and he wanted to do something he had never done before. At last his face
brightened.

'I know!' he said, 'I will go and play a game with the Gruagach. Now the
Gruagach was a kind of wicked fairy, with long curly brown hair, and his
house was not very far from the king's house.

But though the king was young and eager, he was also prudent, and his
father had told him on his deathbed to be very careful in his dealings
with the 'good people,' as the fairies were called. Therefore before
going to the Gruagach, the king sought out a wise man of the country
side.

'I am wanting to play a game with the curly-haired Gruagach,' said he.

'Are you, indeed?' replied the wizard. 'If you will take my counsel, you
will play with someone else.'

'No; I will play with the Gruagach,' persisted the king.

'Well, if you must, you must, I suppose,' answered the wizard; 'but if
you win that game, ask as a prize the ugly crop-headed girl that stands
behind the door.'

'I will,' said the king.

So before the sun rose he got up and went to the house of the Gruagach,
who was sitting outside.

'O king, what has brought you here to-day?' asked the Gruagach. 'But
right welcome you are, and more welcome will you be still if you will
play a game with me.'

'That is just what I want,' said the king, and they played; and
sometimes it seemed as if one would