So Hans mounted his horse and rode joyfully to his mother's home where
he stayed till the time came when he must return to the good king, his
master, which he did by another road.

He worked well and was happy serving his master faithfully, and making
friends with birds and beasts, all the days of his life; but never
again did he go to the wicked king's country. And I for one think he
showed his good sense by that.

THE GREAT WHITE BEAR

Once upon a time the tailor of Wraye and the tinker of Wraye went to
the king's fair together; and when they had seen all the sights that
were there they started home together well pleased with their day's
outing.

The sun was going down when they left the fair and when they came to
the Enchanted Wood through which they had to pass the moon was rising
over the hill. And a fine full moon it was, so bright that the night
was almost as light as day.

"There are some people who would not venture in this wood at night
even when the moon is shining," said the tinker; "but as for me I do
not know what fear is."

"Nor I," said the tailor. "I would that every one had as stout a heart
as mine."

And it was just then that Grandmother Grey's old white sheep that had
wandered into the wood that eve came plodding through the bushes.

"Goodness me! What is that?" said the tinker clutching his companion's
arm.

"A bear!" cried the tailor casting one frightened glance toward the
bushes. "A great white bear! Run, run for your life."

And run they did! The tailor was small and the tinker was tall, but it
was a close race between them, up hill and down hill, and into the
town.

"A bear, a great white bear!" they called as they ran; and everybody
they met took up the cry: "A bear, a bear!" till the whole town was
roused.

The mayor and his wife, the shoemaker and his daughter, the butcher,
the baker, the candlestick-maker, the blacksmith and the miller's
son--indeed, to make a long story short, everybody who was awake in
the town of Wraye--came hurrying out of their houses to hear what the
matter was. There was soon as large a crowd as went to church on
Sunday gathered about the two friends; and the tailor and the tinker
talked as fast as they had run, to tell their thrilling tale.

"We were just coming through the wood," said the tailor, "when there,
as close to us as the shoemaker is to the blacksmith, we saw----"

"A terrible creature," interrupted the tinker. "'Tis as large a