uch a noise that the ogress
awoke, and, seeing that Parsley had run away, she descended by the same
ladder, which was still fastened to the window, and set off after the
couple, who, when they saw her coming at their heels faster than a
horse let loose, gave themselves up for lost. But Parsley, recollecting
the gall-nuts, quickly threw one of the ground, and lo, instantly a
Corsican bulldog started up--O, mother, such a terrible beast!--which,
with open jaws and barking loud, flew at the ogress as if to swallow
her at a mouthful. But the old woman, who was more cunning and spiteful
than ever, put her hand into her pocket, and pulling out a piece of
bread gave it to the dog, which made him hang his tail and allay his
fury.

Then she turned to run after the fugitives again, but Parsley, seeing
her approach, threw the second gall-nut on the ground, and lo, a fierce
lion arose, who, lashing the earth with his tail, and shaking his mane
and opening wide his jaws a yard apart, was just preparing to make a
slaughter of the ogress, when, turning quickly back, she stripped the
skin off an ass which was grazing in the middle of a meadow and ran at
the lion, who, fancying it a real jackass, was so frightened that he
bounded away as fast as he could.

The ogress having leaped over this second ditch turned again to pursue
the poor lovers, who, hearing the clatter of her heels, and seeing
clouds of dust that rose up to the sky, knew that she was coming again.
But the old woman, who was every moment in dread lest the lion should
pursue her, had not taken off the ass's skin, and when Parsley now
threw down the third gall-nut there sprang up a wolf, who, without
giving the ogress time to play any new trick, gobbled her up just as
she was in the shape of a jackass. So Parsley and the Prince, now freed
from danger, went their way leisurely and quietly to the Prince's
kingdom, where, with his father's free consent, they were married.
Thus, after all these storms of fate, they experienced the truth that--

"One hour in port, the sailor, freed from fears,
Forgets the tempests of a hundred years."

XI

THE THREE SISTERS

It is a great truth that from the same wood are formed the statues of
idols and the rafters of gallows, kings' thrones and cobblers' stalls;
and another strange thing is that from the same rags are made the paper
on which the wisdom of sages is recorded, and the crown which is placed
on the head of a fo