it
was; and being a very large fish, the fisherman thought it would make a
good present for his beloved King Arthur. So he took it to the palace
and begged the king to accept it.

King Arthur was pleased with the poor man's affection, and ordered the
fish to be carried to the kitchen and cooked for his own dinner. The
fisherman took it to the cook, who admired it very much, but said it was
very heavy. Then he laid it on a table and began to cut it open. You may
imagine how he jumped with fear and wonder when Tom Thumb slipped out of
the fish!

The cook's cries brought the other servants, and soon everybody near ran
to behold this wonder--the tiny man who came out of the fish.

Tom begged for some water to wash himself, and when he was clean, the
courtiers thought him so pretty and such a marvel that they ran to tell
the king about him.

[Illustration: TOM COMES OUT OF THE FISH.]

Arthur was very much surprised; but he desired them to send the little
man up after dinner to see him, and the Court tailor made haste at once
to get ready a Court suit for Tom, which did not take him long to
make; there were so few stitches in it!

[Illustration: KING ARTHUR RECEIVING TOM THUMB.]

As soon as the king's great punch-bowl was set on the royal table, Tom
Thumb was carried to see the monarch, who was delighted with the little
man. Tom walked on the King's hand, and danced on the Queen's. He became
a great favourite with Arthur, who made him a knight. Such is the
wonderful history of Tom Thumb, who did much good when he grew older,
and thus proved that however small people are, they may be of use in the
world. He was good and kind to his parents, and to everybody; and the
old ballad says,--

"Such were his deeds and noble acts
In Arthur's court there shone,
As like in all the world beside
Was hardly seen or known."

CINDERELLA.

Cinderella's mother died while she was a very little child, leaving her
to the care of her father and her step-sisters, who were very much older
than herself; for Cinderella's father had been twice married, and her
mother was his second wife. Now, Cinderella's sisters did not love her,
and were very unkind to her. As she grew older they made her work as a
servant, and even sift the cinders; on which account they used to call
her in mockery "Cinderella." It was not her real name, but she became
afterwards so well known by it that her proper one has been forgotten.

She