f to a desert island, where you will stay till you
die.'

Then the ship was made ready and the wicked woman and her daughter were
placed in it, and it sailed away, and no more was heard of them. But
the prince and his wife lived together long and happily, and ruled their
people well.

The Foolish Weaver

[Adapted from Thorpe's Yule-Tide Stories.]

Once a weaver, who was in want of work, took service with a certain
farmer as a shepherd.

The farmer, knowing that the man was very slow-witted, gave him most
careful instructions as to everything that he was to do.

Finally he said: 'If a wolf or any wild animal attempts to hurt the
flock you should pick up a big stone like this' (suiting the action to
the word) 'and throw a few such at him, and he will be afraid and go
away.' The weaver said that he understood, and started with the flocks
to the hillsides where they grazed all day.

By chance in the afternoon a leopard appeared, and the weaver instantly
ran home as fast as he could to get the stones which the farmer had
shown him, to throw at the creature. When he came back all the flock
were scattered or killed, and when the farmer heard the tale he beat him
soundly. 'Were there no stones on the hillside that you should run back
to get them, you senseless one?' he cried; 'you are not fit to herd
sheep. To-day you shall stay at home and mind my old mother who is sick,
perhaps you will be able to drive flies off her face, if you can't drive
beasts away from sheep!'

So, the next day, the weaver was left at home to take care of the
farmer's old sick mother. Now as she lay outside on a bed, it turned out
that the flies became very troublesome, and the weaver looked round for
something to drive them away with; and as he had been told to pick up
the nearest stone to drive the beasts away from the flock, he thought he
would this time show how cleverly he could obey orders. Accordingly he
seized the nearest stone, which was a big, heavy one, and dashed it at
the flies; but, unhappily, he slew the poor old woman also; and then,
being afraid of the wrath of the farmer, he fled and was not seen again
in that neighbourhood.

All that day and all the next night he walked, and at length he came to
a village where a great many weavers lived together.

'You are welcome,' said they. 'Eat and sleep, for to-morrow six of us
start in search of fresh wool to weave, and we pray you to give us your
company.'

'Willingly,'