ether or no. He would have flown away with me before
this, but I caught his tail in the crack of the door, and he howled
most horribly. There he is still, if you care to look, unless he has
vanished in a puff of smoke."

"Now it is my turn," said Boots, "and you may believe this or not, but
it's mostly true. The King came up on the hillside and kissed the old
white mare twenty-five times. I was there and I saw. He kissed her
twenty-five times, and he gave me five hundred dollars not to tell."

When Boots told this right out before every one, the King was so
ashamed he did not know which way to look. "There's not a word of it
true. It's the biggest story I ever heard," said he.

"Very well, then I have won the Princess," said Boots. "And when shall
we be married?"

And married they were that day week, for the King and Queen could no
longer refuse to give Boots the Princess for a wife.

The Princess was willing, too, for Boots was a handsome, fine-looking
lad. They had a great feast at the wedding, with plenty of cake and
ale flowing like water. I was there, and I ate and drank with the best
of them.

Pfst! There goes a mouse. Catch it and you may make a fine big cloak
of its skin,--and that's a story, too.

THE TRIUMPH OF TRUTH

A HINDU STORY

There was once a Rajah who was both young and handsome, and yet he had
never married. One time this Rajah, whose name was Chundun, found
himself obliged to make a long journey. He took with him attendants
and horsemen, and also his Wuzeer. This Wuzeer was a very wise
man,--so wise that nothing was hid from him.

In a certain far-off part of the kingdom the Rajah saw a fine garden,
and so beautiful was it that he stopped to admire it. He was surprised
to see growing in the midst of it a small bingal tree that bore a
number of fine bingals, but not a single leaf.

"This is a very curious thing, and I do not understand it," said
Chundun Rajah to his Wuzeer. "Why does this tree bear such fine and
perfect fruit, and yet it has not a single leaf?"

"I could tell you the meaning," said the Wuzeer, "but I fear that if I
did you would not believe me and would have me punished for telling a
lie."

"That could never be," answered the Rajah; "I know you to be a very
truthful man and wise above all others. Whatever you tell me I shall
believe."

"Then this is the meaning of it," said the Wuzeer. "The gardener who
ha