XVII.

Now from his spoken purpose
The King departed not;
He built the royal dwelling
Upon the chosen spot,
And there they stood together,
The palace and the cot!

XVIII.

Sure such unseemly neighbors
Were never seen before;
"His Majesty is doting,"

His silly courtiers swore ;

But all true loyal subjects,

They loved the King the more.

XIX.

Long, long he ruled his kingdom In honor and renown;

But danger ever threatens

The head that wears a crown,

And Fortune, tired of smiling,
For once put on a frown.

XXI.

And so two wicked courtiers,
Who long had strove in vain,
By craft and evil counsels,

To mar the monarch's reign,
Contrived a scheme infernal
Whereby he should be slain !

To plan their wicked treason,
They sought a lonely spot
Behind the royal palace,

Hard by the widow's cot,
Who heard their machinations,

And straight revealed the plot !

XXIV.

"I see," exclaimed the Persian, "The just are wise alone; Who spares the rights of others

May chance to guard his own; The widow's humble cottage

Has propped a monarch's throne!"

THE YOUTH AND THE NORTHWIND.

A TALE OF NORWAY.

NCE on a time - 't was long ago

ONCE

There lived a worthy dame

Who sent her son to fetch some flour,
For she was old and lame.

But while he loitered on the road,
The Northwind chanced to stray
Across the careless younker's path,
And stole the flour away.

"Alas! what shall we do for bread?"

Exclaimed the weeping lad;

"The flour is gone! - the flour is gone!And it was all we had!"

And so he sought the Northwind's cave,
Beside the distant main;

"Good Mister Boreas!" said the lad,
"I want my flour again!”

"'T was all we had to live upon,

My mother old and I;

O give us back the flour again,

Or we shall surely die!"

"I have it not," the Northwind growled ; "But, for your lack of bread,

I give to you this table-cloth;

'T will serve you well instead;

“For you have but to spread it out,
And every costly dish

Will straight appear at your command,
Whatever you may wish."

The lad received the magic cloth,
With wonder and delight,
And thanked the donor heartily,
As well, indeed, he might.

Returning homeward, at an inn
Just half his journey through,
He fain must show his table-cloth,
And what the cloth could do.

So while he slept, the knavish host
Went slyly to his bed,

And stole the cloth, but shrewdly placed

Another in its stead.

Unknowing what the rogue had done,

The lad went on his way,

And came unto his journey's end

Just at the close of day.

He showed the dame his table-cloth,

And told her of its power;

"Good sooth!" he cried, "'t was well for us The Northwind stole the flour!"

"Perhaps," exclaimed the cautious crone,

"The story may be true;

'T is mighty little good, I ween,

Your table-cloth can do!"

And now the younker spread it forth,

And tried the spell

alas!

'T was but a common table-cloth,

And nothing came to pass.

Then to the Northwind, far away,
He sped with might and main ;
"Your table-cloth is good for naught;
I want my flour again!"

"I have it not," the Northwind growled, "But, for your lack of bread,

I give to you this little goat,

'T will serve you well instead

;

"For you have but to tell him this: 'Make money! Master Bill!' And he will give you golden coins, As many as you will!"

The lad received the magic-goat,
With wonder and delight,
And thanked the donor heartily,
As well indeed he might.

Returning homeward, at the inn
Just half his journey through,
He fain must show his little goat,
And what the goat could do.

So while he slept, the knavish host
Went slyly to the shed,

And stole the goat,

Another in his stead.

but shrewdly placed