arriage on the
top of his head, and to carry the wedded pair back to the palace. This
is an incident worth noting, because it doesn't happen every day.

At night there was a splendid feast at the palace, with suppers,
orations, poems, fireworks, illuminations, and everything. Nothing was
wanting, and the joy was universal. Everybody in the palace laughed,
sung, ate, or drank, save one man, who, seated sullenly alone in a dark
corner, amused himself in a very different way from everybody else. It
was the surly Paul, who rejoiced that his ears had been cut off, because
he had become deaf, and consequently couldn't hear the praises all were
showering on his brother. On the other hand, he was unhappy, because he
couldn't help seeing the happiness of the bride and bridegroom. So he
rushed out into the forest, where the bears speedily made an end of him;
and I wish a like punishment to all envious people like him.

Thumbling was such a little fellow that it was hard work for his
subjects to respect him; but he was so wise, so affable, and so kind,
that he very soon conquered the love of his wife, and the affection of
all his people.

After the death of his father-in-law, he succeeded to the throne, which
he occupied fifty-two years, without anybody ever having thought of a
revolution; a fact that would be incredible, if it were not attested by
the official records of his reign. He was so wise, says history, that he
always divined what could best serve or please the humblest of his
subjects, while he was so good, that the pleasures of others constituted
his greatest happiness. He only lived for others.

But why praise his goodness? Is not that the virtue of all men of
intelligence and wit? Whatever others may say, _I_ don't believe there
are such things as good brutes here on earth; I speak now of featherless
brutes that go on two legs. When a man is brutal, he cannot be kind and
good; when a man is good, he cannot be brutal;--believe my long
experience, which has learned it. If all blockheads are not
vicious,--and I think they are,--all wicked men are necessarily foolish.
And that is the moral of this story, if you can't find a better one. If
you will find me a better, I will go and tell it to the Pope of Rome
himself.

_From the Finnish._

[Illustration]

THE RED-COATS.

There was commotion in Leafland. All the cities of the Great Republic
were smitten with sudden dismay. Oakwich, Mapleton, Ashby, Elmthorpe