heard of
him,--was a creature well known (by hearsay, at least) to your
great-great-grandmother. It was currently reported that every forest had
one within its precincts, who ruled over the woodmen, and exacted
tribute from them in the shape of little blocks of wood ready hewn for
the fire of his underground palace,--such blocks as are bought at shops
in these degenerate days, and called in London "kindling."

It was said that he had a silver axe, with which he marked those trees
that he did not object to have cut down; moreover, he was supposed to
possess great riches, and to appear but seldom above ground, and when he
did to look like an old man in all respects but one, which was that he
always carried some green ash-keys about with him which he could not
conceal, and by which he might be known.

Do I hear you say that you don't believe he ever existed? It matters not
at all to my story whether you do or not. He certainly does not exist
now. The Commissioners of Woods and Forests have much to answer for, if
it was they who put an end to his reign; but I do not think they did; it
is more likely that the spelling-book used in woodland districts
disagreed with his constitution.

After this short preface please to listen while I tell you that once in
a little black-timbered cottage, at the skirts of a wood, a young woman
sat before the fire rocking her baby, and, as she did so, building a
castle in the air: "What a good thing it would be," she thought to
herself, "if we were rich!"

It had been a bright day, but the evening was chilly; and, as she
watched the glowing logs that were blazing on her hearth, she wished
that all the lighted part of them would turn to gold.

She was very much in the habit--this little wife--of building castles in
the air, particularly when she had nothing else to do, or her husband
was late in coming home to his supper. Just as she was thinking how late
he was there was a tap at the door, and an old man walked in, who said:

"Mistress, will you give a poor man a warm at your fire?"

"And welcome," said the young woman, setting him a chair.

So he sat down as close to the fire as he could, and spread out his
hands to the flames.

[Illustration: "SO HE SAT DOWN AS CLOSE TO THE FIRE AS HE COULD, AND
SPREAD OUT HIS HANDS TO THE FLAMES."]

He had a little knapsack on his back, and the young woman did not doubt
that he was an old soldier.

"Maybe you are used to the hot countries," she s