seven years
had come. Then a sudden rushing sound was heard in the air, and twelve
ravens were seen flying overhead. They swooped downwards, and as soon
as they touched the ground they turned into her twelve brothers, and she
knew that she had freed them.

They quenched the flames and put out the fire, and, unbinding their dear
sister from the stake, they kissed and hugged her again and again. And
now that she was able to open her mouth and speak, she told the King why
she had been dumb and not able to laugh.

The King rejoiced greatly when he heard she was innocent, and they all
lived happily ever afterwards.(22)

(22) Grimm.

RAPUNZEL

ONCE upon a time there lived a man and his wife who were very unhappy
because they had no children. These good people had a little window at
the back of their house, which looked into the most lovely garden, full
of all manner of beautiful flowers and vegetables; but the garden was
surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to enter it, for it belonged
to a witch of great power, who was feared by the whole world. One day
the woman stood at the window overlooking the garden, and saw there a
bed full of the finest rampion: the leaves looked so fresh and green
that she longed to eat them. The desire grew day by day, and just
because she knew she couldn't possibly get any, she pined away and
became quite pale and wretched. Then her husband grew alarmed and said:

'What ails you, dear wife?'

'Oh,' she answered, 'if I don't get some rampion to eat out of the
garden behind the house, I know I shall die.'

The man, who loved her dearly, thought to himself, 'Come! rather than
let your wife die you shall fetch her some rampion, no matter the
cost.' So at dusk he climbed over the wall into the witch's garden, and,
hastily gathering a handful of rampion leaves, he returned with them
to his wife. She made them into a salad, which tasted so good that her
longing for the forbidden food was greater than ever. If she were to
know any peace of mind, there was nothing for it but that her husband
should climb over the garden wall again, and fetch her some more. So
at dusk over he got, but when he reached the other side he drew back in
terror, for there, standing before him, was the old witch.

'How dare you,' she said, with a wrathful glance, 'climb into my garden
and steal my rampion like a common thief? You shall suffer for your
foolhardiness.'

'Oh!' he implored, 'pardon my presump