me forward, but he was clad in shining white, and not in
the robes of the emperor. The king bowed his head before him.

"I am thy angel," said the man. "Thou wert proud, and made thyself to be
set on high. Therefore thou hast been brought low. I have watched over
thy kingdom. Now I give it back to thee, for thou art once again humble,
and the humble only are fit to rule."

Then the angel disappeared. No one else heard his voice, and the nobles
thought the king had bowed to them. So the king once more sat on the
throne, and ruled wisely and humbly ever after.

413

Eva March Tappan (1854--) has compiled many
books for children, including the popular
collection in ten volumes called _The
Children's Hour_. Among her most delightful
books is _Robin Hood: His Book_, from which the
following story is taken, (by permission of the
publishers, Little, Brown & Co., Boston). Some
few moralists have been distressed about giving
stories of an outlaw to children, but Robin
Hood was really the champion of the people
against tyrannous oppression and injustice.
This is the fact that children never miss, and
the thing that endears Robin and his followers
in Lincoln green. There is, of course, the
further interesting fact that these stories
take place out in the open and have the charm
that comes from adventures and wanderings
through the secrecies of ancient Sherwood
Forest. Against this outdoor background are
displayed the good old "virtues of courage,
forbearance, gentleness, courtesy, justice, and
championship."

ROBIN AND THE MERRY LITTLE OLD WOMAN

EVA MARCH TAPPAN

"Monday I wash and Tuesday I iron,
Wednesday I cook and I mend;
Thursday I brew and Friday I sweep,
And baking day brings the end."

So sang the merry little old woman as she sat at her wheel and spun; but
when she came to the last line she really could not help pushing back
the flax-wheel and springing to her feet. Then she held out her skirt
and danced a gay little jig as she sang,--

"Hey down, down, an a down!"

She curtseyed to one side of the room and then to another, and before
she knew it she was curtseying to a man who stood in the open door.

"Oh, oh, oh!" cried the merry little old woman. "Whatever shall I do? An
old w