ack!' and the wedding garments fell to the
ground, to the great confusion of the wearer.

Not that the ceremony was put off for a little thing like that! Cloaks
in profusion were instantly offered to the young bride, but she was so
upset that she could hardly keep from tears. One of the guests, more
curious than the rest, stayed behind to examine the dress, determined,
if she could, to find out the cause of the disaster.

'The thread must have been rotten,' she said to herself. 'I will see if
I can break it.' But search as she would she could find none.

The thread had vanished!

From 'Litterature Orale de l'Auvergne,' par Paul Sebillot.

The Three Crowns

There was once a king who had three daughters. The two eldest were very
proud and quarrelsome, but the youngest was as good as they were bad.
Well, three princes came to court them, and two of them were exactly
like the eldest ladies, and one was just as lovable as the youngest. One
day they were all walking down to a lake that lay at the bottom of the
lawn when they met a poor beggar. The king wouldn't give him anything,
and the eldest princesses wouldn't give him anything, nor their
sweethearts; but the youngest daughter and her true love did give him
something, and kind words along with it, and that was better than all.

When they got to the edge of the lake what did they find but the
beautifullest boat you ever saw in your life; and says the eldest, 'I'll
take a sail in this fine boat'; and says the second eldest, 'I'll take a
sail in this fine boat'; and says the youngest, 'I won't take a sail in
that fine boat, for I am afraid it's an enchanted one.' But the others
persuaded her to go in, and her father was just going in after her, when
up sprung on the deck a little man only seven inches high, and ordered
him to stand back. Well, all the men put their hands to their swords;
and if the same swords were only playthings, they weren't able to draw
them, for all strength that was left their arms. Seven Inches loosened
the silver chain that fastened the boat, and pushed away, and after
grinning at the four men, says he to them. 'Bid your daughters and your
brides farewell for awhile. You,' says he to the youngest, 'needn't
fear, you'll recover your princess all in good time, and you and she
will be as happy as the day is long. Bad people, if they were rolling
stark naked in gold, would not be rich. Good-bye.' Away they sailed, and
the ladies stretched