ime had passed away, Queen Helen, the mother of the
Emperor Constantine, began to think greatly of the bodies of these three
kings, and she arrayed herself, and, accompanied by many attendants,
went into the Land of Ind.

And you shall understand that after she had found the bodies of
Melchior, Balthazar, and Jasper, Queen Helen put them into one chest
and ornamented it with great riches, and she brought them into
Constantinople, with joy and reverence, and laid them in a church that
is called Saint Sophia; and this church the Emperor Constantine did
make,--he alone, with a little child, set up all the marble pillars
thereof.

Now, after the death of the Emperor Constantine a persecution against
the Christian faith arose, and in this persecution the bodies of
the three worshipful kings were set at naught. Then came the Emperor
Mauricius of Rome, and, through his counsel, the bodies of these three
kings were carried to Italy, and there they were laid in a fair church
in the city of Milan.

Then afterward, in the process of time, the city of Milan rebelled
against the Emperor Frederick the First, and he, being sore beset, sent
to Rainald, Archbishop of Cologne, asking for help.

This Archbishop with his army did take the city of Milan, and delivered
it to the Emperor. And for this service did the Emperor grant, at the
Archbishop's great entreaty, that he should carry forth to Cologne the
bodies of the three blessed kings.

Then the Archbishop, with great solemnity and in procession, did carry
forth from the city of Milan the bodies of the three kings, and brought
them unto Cologne and there placed them in the fair church of Saint
Peter. And all the people of the country roundabout, with all the
reverence they might, received these relics, and there in the city of
Cologne they are kept and beholden of all manner of nations unto this
day.

Thus endeth the legend of these three blessed kings,--Melchior,
Balthazar, and Jasper.

ARBOR DAY

THE LITTLE TREE THAT LONGED FOR OTHER LEAVES

BY FRIEDRICH RUCHERT (TRANSLATED)

There was a little tree that stood in the woods through both good and
stormy weather, and it was covered from top to bottom with needles
instead of leaves. The needles were sharp and prickly, so the little
tree said to itself:--

"All my tree comrades have beautiful green leaves, and I have only sharp
needles. No one will touch me. If I could have a wish I would ask for
leaves of