es. Four courtiers, his
wicked companions, had wished to divide his throne between them; but
the people had risen up against them, and offered the crown to
Suliman, the old tutor whom Cherry had ordered to be arrested.

All this the poor monster heard. He even saw Suliman sitting upon his
own throne, and trying to calm the populace by representing to them
that it was not certain Prince Cherry was dead, that he might return
one day to re-assume with honour the crown which Suliman only
consented to wear as a sort of viceroy.

"I know his heart," said the honest and faithful old man; "it is
tainted, but not corrupt. If alive, he may reform yet, and be all his
father over again to you, his people, whom he has caused to suffer so
much."

These words touched the poor beast so deeply, that he ceased to beat
himself against the iron bars of the cage in which the hunters carried
him about, became gentle as a lamb, and suffered himself to be taken
quietly to a menagerie, where were kept all sorts of strange and
ferocious animals--a place which he had himself often visited as a
boy, but never thought he should be shut up there himself.

However, he owned he had deserved it all, and began to make amends by
showing himself very obedient to his keeper. This man was almost as
great a brute as the animals he had charge of, and when he was in ill
humour he used to beat them without rhyme or reason. One day, while he
was sleeping, a tiger broke loose, and leaped upon him, eager to
devour him. Cherry at first felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought
of being revenged; then, seeing how helpless the man was, he wished
himself free, that he might defend him. Immediately the doors of his
cage opened. The keeper, waking up, saw the strange beast leap out,
and imagined, of course, that he was going to be slain at once.
Instead, he saw the tiger lying dead, and the strange beast creeping
up, and laying itself at his feet to be caressed. But as he lifted up
his hand to stroke it, a voice was heard saying, "Good actions never
go unrewarded;" and, instead of the frightful monster, there crouched
on the ground nothing but a pretty little dog.

Cherry, delighted to find himself thus metamorphosed, caressed the
keeper in every possible way, till at last the man took him up into
his arms and carried him to the king, to whom he related this
wonderful story, from beginning to end. The queen wished to have the
charming little dog; and Cherry would h