people had tried to drive them away, but no one could manage it.
Thus some time went on, while the King was almost beside himself with
sorrow and care for the loss of his Queen, and because these monsters
destroyed all mirth in the hall.

One evening, however, while they all sat dull and down-hearted, in came
Hermod with a sword by his side, and saluted the King, who received
him with the greatest joy, as if he had come back from the dead. Before
Hermod sat down, however, he went to where the rat and the mouse were
fighting, and cut them in two with his sword. All were astonished then
by seeing two witches lying dead on the floor of the hall.

Hermod now told the whole story to the King, who was very glad to be rid
of such vile creatures. Next he asked for the hand of Hadvor, which the
King readily gave him, and being now an old man, gave the kingdom to him
as well; and so Hermod became King.

Olof married a good-looking nobleman, and that is the end of the story.

THE STEADFAST TIN-SOLDIER

There were once upon a time five-and twenty tin-soldiers--all brothers,
as they were made out of the same old tin spoon. Their uniform was red
and blue, and they shouldered their guns and looked straight in front of
them. The first words that they heard in this world, when the lid of the
box in which they lay was taken off, were: 'Hurrah, tin-soldiers!' This
was exclaimed by a little boy, clapping his hands; they had been given
to him because it was his birthday, and now he began setting them out on
the table. Each soldier was exactly like the other in shape, except just
one, who had been made last when the tin had run short; but there he
stood as firmly on his one leg as the others did on two, and he is the
one that became famous.

There were many other playthings on the table on which they were being
set out, but the nicest of all was a pretty little castle made of
cardboard, with windows through which you could see into the rooms. In
front of the castle stood some little trees surrounding a tiny mirror
which looked like a lake. Wax swans were floating about and reflecting
themselves in it. That was all very pretty; but the most beautiful thing
was a little lady, who stood in the open doorway. She was cut out of
paper, but she had on a dress of the finest muslin, with a scarf of
narrow blue ribbon round her shoulders, fastened in the middle with a
glittering rose made of gold paper, which was as large as her head. The