in my flight.' And the mother, who
did not trouble to conceal her wishes, turned at once to the wall.

Then something happened which was quite unexpected by everyone.

'I won't marry that ugly old wall, which is as old as my grandfather,'
sobbed the girl, who had not uttered one word all this time. 'I would
have married the sun, or the cloud, or the wind, because it was my
duty, although I love the handsome young rat, and him only. But that
horrid old wall--I would sooner die!'

And the wall, rather hurt in his feelings, declared that he had no
claim to be the husband of so beautiful a girl.

'It is quite true,' he said, 'that I can stop the wind who can part
the clouds who can cover the sun; but there is someone who can do more
than all these, and that is the rat. It is the rat who passes through
me, and can reduce me to powder, simply with his teeth. If, therefore,
you want a son-in-law who is greater than the whole world, seek him
among the rats.'

'Ah, what did I tell you?' cried the father. And his wife, though for
the moment angry at being beaten, soon thought that a rat son-in-law
was what she had always desired.

So all three returned happily home, and the wedding was celebrated
three days after.

[_Contes Populaires._]

_THE MERMAID AND THE BOY_

Long, long ago, there lived a king who ruled over a country by the
sea. When he had been married about a year, some of his subjects,
inhabiting a distant group of islands, revolted against his laws, and
it became needful for him to leave his wife and go in person to settle
their disputes. The queen feared that some ill would come of it, and
implored him to stay at home, but he told her that nobody could do his
work for him, and the next morning the sails were spread, and the king
started on his voyage.

The vessel had not gone very far when she ran upon a rock, and stuck
so fast in a cleft that the strength of the whole crew could not get
her off again. To make matters worse, the wind was rising too, and it
was quite plain that in a few hours the ship would be dashed to pieces
and everybody would be drowned, when suddenly the form of a mermaid
was seen dancing on the waves which threatened every moment to
overwhelm them.

'There is only one way to free yourselves,' she said to the king,
bobbing up and down in the water as she spoke, 'and that is to give me
your solemn word that you will deliver to me the first child that is
born to you.'

The