er
off, and glanced at one another with alarm.

"You look charming, my dear; it fits well!" screamed the old parrot in
answer. "A word in your ear; 'Share and share alike' is a fine
motto."

"What do you mean by all this?" said the gypsy, rising, and going with
slow steps to the cage, and speaking cautiously.

"Jack," said the parrot, "do they ever eat handkerchiefs in your part
of the country?"

"No, never," answered Jack.

"Hold your tongue and be reasonable," said the gypsy, trembling. "What
do you want? I'll do it, whatever it is."

"But do they never pick out the marks?" continued the parrot. "O
Jack! are you sure they never pick out the marks?"

"The marks?" said Jack, considering. "Yes, perhaps they do."

"Stop!" cried the gypsy, as the old parrot made a peck at the strange
letters. "Oh! you're hurting me. What do you want? I say again, tell
me what you want, and you shall have it."

"We want to get out," replied the parrot; "you must undo the spell."

"Then give me my handkerchief," answered the gypsy, "to bandage my
eyes. I dare not say the words with my eyes open. You had no business
to steal it. It was woven by human hands, so that nobody can see
through it; and if you don't give it to me, you'll never get out,--no,
never!"

"Then," said the old parrot, tossing his shawl off, "you may have
Jack's handkerchief; it will bandage your eyes just as well. It was
woven over the water, as yours was."

"It won't do!" cried the gypsy, in terror; "give me my own."

"I tell you," answered the parrot, "that you shall have Jack's
handkerchief; you can do no harm with that."

By this time the parrots all around had become perfectly silent, and
none of the people ventured to say a word, for they feared the malice
of the gypsy. She was trembling dreadfully, and her dark eyes, which
had been so bright and piercing, had become dull and almost dim; but
when she found there was no help for it, she said,--

"Well, pass out Jack's handkerchief. I will set you free if you will
bring out mine with you."

"Share and share alike," answered the parrot; "you must let all my
friends out too."

"Then I won't let you out," answered the gypsy. "You shall come out
first, and give me my handkerchief, or not one of their cages will I
undo. So take your choice."

"My friends, then," answered the brave old parrot; and he poked
Jack's handkerchief out to her through the wires.

The wondering crowd stood by to look, and th