she would and he would give
it to her. At first she was silent; but, when he pressed her, she
answered:

'Give me the magic lute.'

The rajah, when he heard this, was displeased with himself for having
made so rash a promise, because this lute he valued above all his
possessions. But as he had promised, so he must perform, and with an
ill grace he handed it to her.

'You must never come here again,' said he, 'for, once having asked so
much, how will you in future be content with smaller gifts?'

Dorani bowed her head silently as she took the lute, and passed with
the fairy out of the great gate, where the stool awaited them. More
unsteadily than before, it flew back to earth.

When Dorani got to the palace that morning she asked the prince
whether he had dreamt again. He laughed with happiness, for this time
she had spoken to him of her own free will; and he replied:

'No; but I begin to dream now--not of what _has_ happened in the past,
but of what _may_ happen in the future.'

That day Dorani sat very quietly, but she answered the prince when he
spoke to her; and when evening fell, and with it the time for her
departure, she still sat on. Then the prince came close to her and
said softly:

'Are you not going to your house, Dorani?'

At that she rose and threw herself weeping into his arms, whispering
gently:

'Never again, my lord, never again would I leave thee!'

So the prince won his beautiful bride; and though they neither of them
dealt any further with fairies and their magic, they learnt more daily
of the magic of Love, which one may still learn, although fairy magic
has fled away.

(Punjabi Story, Major Campbell, Feroshepore.)

_THE SATIN SURGEON_

Once upon a time there was a very rich and powerful king who, in spite
of having been married several times, had only two daughters.

The elder was extremely plain--she squinted and was hunchbacked; but
at the same time she was very clever and amusing, so, though at heart
both spiteful and untruthful, she was her father's favourite.

The younger princess, on the other hand, was both lovely and
sweet-tempered, and those who knew her well could hardly say whether
her charming face or pleasant manners was the more attractive.

The neighbouring country was governed by a young emperor, who, though
not much over twenty years of age, had shown great courage in battle,
and, had he wished it, might very likely have conquered the whole
world. Luc