do a service to a more deserving
man.'

"The old hermit sat down on a stone in silence, resting his chin on
his staff. He seemed lost in profound thought. At last he looked up,
and said slowly, pausing between each sentence,--

"'Beyond the border there is a famous country; in that country there
is a palace; near the palace there is a stable, and in that stable
there is a stately horse. That horse is the pride of the kingdom; the
man who would get possession of that horse, without the king's
knowledge, might exchange him for a province.'

"'Wonderful! wonderful! But--'

"'Near Striveling town there is a hill; on the hillside is a lot; in
the lot is a fine gray mare, and beside the gray mare is a foal.'

"'Yes, yes! wonderful! but--'

"'I must now reveal to you one of the secrets of Nature. Separate that
mare from the foal, though it be for hundreds of miles, and, as soon
as she is free, she will return to her foal again. Nature has taught
her how, just as she teaches the birds of passage the way to sunny
islands; or the dog to find the lost hunter; or--'

"'Yes, yes; all very wonderful, but--'

"'In your hand you carry a harp; in the harp lies the power to make
merry; a merry king makes a festive board, and festivity produces deep
sleep in the morning hours.'

"The jolly harper man saw it all in a twinkling; the way to fortune
lay before him clear as sunlight. Perhaps you, Tommy, do not get the
idea so suddenly. If not, I fear you are not gifted like the good
hermit with clearness of vision.

"The jolly harper man returned to Striveling the next day, after
spending the night with the hermit on the borders of Loch Lomond.

"The following night he was summoned to play before two famous
Scottish knights, Sir Charles and Sir Roger. They were very valiant,
very rich, and, when put into good humor, were very liberal.

"The jolly harper man played merrily. The great hall of the castle
seemed full of larks, nightingales, elves, and fairies.

"'Why, man,' said Sir Roger to Sir Charles, in a mellow mood, 'you and
I could no more harp like that than we could gallop out of Carlisle on
the horse of the king.'

"'Let me make a prophecy,' said the jolly harper man at this. 'I will
one day ride _into_ Carlisle on the horse of the king, and will
exchange the horse for an estate.'

"'And I will add to the estate five ploughs of land,' said Sir Roger;
'so that you never shall lack for a home in old Scotland.'

"'And