t
Messenger gave her the Prince's message, she smiled and said she would
come. "The Prince need not play to me on a jews-harp if he does not
want to," she said.

So they packed her clothes in ten trunks, and she rode in a gold
chariot to the palace of the Prince. The doors were opened wide to
greet her, and through them came the sound of the merriest music. The
Princess clasped her hands in happiness.

"_Who_ is playing the jews-harp?" she asked. "I am _so_ fond of one."

Just then the Prince came in. It had been he who was playing. He had
learned how for her pleasure.

"What are you carrying in that basket?" he asked of the little
Princess.

"Some molasses pop-corn balls that I made for you," she said. "And I
will make you some to-morrow, dear Prince."

THE STAR-CHILD

Once upon a time a poor Woodcutter was making his way through a pine
forest. It was winter, and a night of bitter weather. So cold was it
that even the animals and the birds did not know what to make of it.
The little Squirrels who lived inside the tall fir tree kept rubbing
each other's noses to keep warm, and the Rabbits curled themselves up
in their holes and did not even look out of doors.

And as the Woodcutter pressed on toward home, bewailing his lot, there
fell from heaven a very bright and beautiful star. It slipped down the
side of the sky, passing by the other stars, and it seemed to sink
behind a clump of willow trees no more than a stone's throw away.

"Why, there is a crock of gold for whoever finds it," he said, and he
hastened toward it. Stooping down, he placed his hands upon a thing of
gold lying on the white snow. It was a cloak of golden tissue,
curiously wrought with stars, and wrapped in many folds. There was no
gold in it, but only a little child who was asleep.

Very tenderly the Woodcutter took up the child and wrapped the cloak
around it to shield it from the harsh cold, and he made his way down
the hill to the village.

"I have found something in the forest," he said to his wife when he
reached the poor house where they lived.

"What is it?" she cried. "The house is bare and we have need of many
things." So he drew the cloak back and showed her the sleeping child.

"It is a Star-Child," he said, and told her of the strange manner of
finding it.

"But our children lack bread; can we feed another?" she asked.

"God careth for the sparrows even," he answered.

So after a time she turned round and looke