r gnats,
had thrown itself quite out of the water, and now lay dying on the
greensward. Avenant took pity on it, and though he was very hungry,
and the fish was very fat, and he would well enough have liked it for
his breakfast, still he lifted it gently and put it back into the
stream. No sooner had the carp touched the fresh cool water than it
revived and swam away; but shortly returning, it spoke to him from the
water in this wise:--

"Avenant, I thank you for your good deed. I was dying, and you have
saved me: I will recompense you for this one day."

After this pretty little speech, the fish popped down to the bottom of
the stream, according to the habit of carp, leaving Avenant very much
astonished, as was natural.

Another day he met with a raven that was in great distress, being
pursued by an eagle, which would have swallowed him up in no time.
"See," thought Avenant, "how the stronger oppress the weaker! What
right has an eagle to eat up a raven?" So taking his bow and arrow,
which he always carried, he shot the eagle dead, and the raven,
delighted, perched in safety on an opposite tree.

"Avenant," screeched he, though not in the sweetest voice in the
world; "you have generously succoured me, a poor miserable raven. I
am not ungrateful, and I will recompense you one day.

"Thank you," said Avenant, and continued his road.

Entering in a thick wood, so dark with the shadows of early morning
that he could scarcely find his way, he heard an owl hooting, like an
owl in great tribulation. She had been caught by the nets spread by
birdcatchers to entrap finches, larks, and other small birds. "What a
pity," thought Avenant, "that men must always torment poor birds and
beasts who have done them no harm!" So he took out his knife, cut the
net, and let the owl go free. She went sailing up into the air, but
immediately returned hovering over his head on her brown wings.

"Avenant," said she, "at daylight the birdcatchers would have been
here, and I should have been caught and killed. I have a grateful
heart; I will recompense you one day."

These were the three principal adventures that befell Avenant on his
way to the kingdom of the Fair One with Golden Locks. Arrived there,
he dressed himself with the greatest care, in a habit of silver
brocade, and a hat adorned with plumes of scarlet and white. He threw
over all a rich mantle, and carried a little basket, in which was a
lovely little dog, an offering of res