eside the other, and bent himself down to
drink, but by an accident he gave them a little push, and both stones
went splashing down.

Hans, when he saw them sinking in the depths of the well, jumped up
with joy, kneeled down and thanked God, with tears in his eyes, that
He had shown him this grace and, without troubling him to think what
to do with them, had relieved him of the heavy stones which would have
been such a hindrance to him.

"There is no man under the sun," he cried out, "so lucky as I."

With a bright heart and free from all care, he sprang upon his way,
until he was home at his mother's.

* * * * *

MASTER OF ALL MASTERS

A girl once went to the fair to hire herself for a servant. At last
a funny-looking old gentleman engaged her, and took her home to his
house. When she got there, he told her that he had something to teach
her, for that in his house he had his own names for things.

He said to her: "What will you call me?"

"Master or mister, or whatever you please, sir," says she.

He said: "You must call me 'Master of all Masters.' And what would you
call this?" pointing to his bed.

"Bed or couch, or whatever you please, sir."

"No, that's my 'barnacle.' And what do you call these?" said he,
pointing to his pantaloons.

"Breeches or trousers, or whatever you please, sir."

"You must call them 'squibs and crackers,' And what would you call
her?" pointing to the cat.

"Cat or kit, or whatever you please, sir."

"You must call her 'white-faced simminy.' And this, now," showing the
fire, "what would you call this?"

"Fire or flame, or whatever you please, sir."

"You must call it 'hot cockalorum.' And what, this?" he went on,
pointing to the water.

"Water or wet, or whatever you please, sir."

"No, 'pondalorum' is its name. And what do you call all this?" asked
he, as he pointed to the house.

"House or cottage, or whatever you please, sir."

"You must call it 'high topper mountain.'"

That very night the servant woke her master up in a fright and said:
"Master of all Masters, get out of your barnacle and put on your
squibs and crackers. For white-faced simminy has got a spark of hot
cockalorum on its tail, and unless you get some pondalorum, high
topper mountain will be all on hot cockalorum."... That's all.

* * * * *

BELLING THE CAT

Once upon a time the mice sat in council and talked of how