Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-15

nothing else TO be done but to let Peter marry
the Princess. SO the King asked him in tC
supper, and they all three sat down together,
the King and the Princess and Peter.
After a while the King began to question
Peter how he came by all these fine things
the precious stones, the silver bird, and the
golden sword But no. Peter would not tell.
Then the King and the Princess begged and
begged him, until at last Peter lost his wits
and told all about the bottle Then the King
said nothing more, and presently, it being
nine o'clock, Peter went to bed. After I've
had gone, the King and the Princess put
their heads together, and the end of the mat
ter was that the wicked King went to Peters
room and stole the bottle from under his pill
low and put an empty one in its place.
When the next morning had come, and
they were all sitting at their breakfast togeth-
er, the King said, ''Now, Lord Peter let us
see what your bottle will do; give us such
and such kind of wine"
''Nothing easier" said Peter. Then he
uncorked the bottle, but not so much as a
single dead fly came out of it.
''But where is the wine2" said the King.
81 do not know, D." said Peter.
AT this the King called him hard names,
and turned him out of the palace, neck and
heels. So back poor Peter went to his moth
er with flea in his ear, as the saying is.
''Never mind, said his mother, ''Here is
another basket of eggs from the speckled
hen"
So Peter set off with these to the market
town, as he had done with the others before.
When he had come to the great stone at the
forking Of the road, whom should he meet
but the same little gentleman he had met the
first time "Will you strike a bargain ~
said he. Yes, Peter would strike bargain,
and gladly. Thereupon the little old man
brought out another black bottle
1.-TWO men are in this bottle, said the 1t
tie old man. "When they have done all that
you want them to do, say 'Brikket-ligg, and
they will go back again. Will you trade
with met"
So the trade was made, and Peter started
home. "Now," said he to himself, 81 will
ride little, ;" and he drew the cork out of
the bottle. Popl popl Out came two men
from the bottle; but this time they were ugly
and black, and each held a stout stick in his
hand. They said not a word, but without
more ado fell upon Peter, and began thrash
ing him as though he was wheat on the barn
floor. ''Stop! stop" cried Peter, and he
went hopping and skipping up and down,
and here and there; but it seemed as though
the two ugly black men did not hear him,
for the blows fell as thick as hail on the roof.
At last he gathered his wits together like a
flock of pigeons, and cried, "Brkket-ligg
Then, whisk popl and they went back
into the bottle again, and Peter corked it up
tightly.
The next day he started off to the palace
once more.
Presently the King came in, in dressing
gown and slippers. "Whatl are you back
againl" said he.
eyes, am back again, said Peter.
'What do you wantl" said the King.
81 want to marry the Princess, said Pc
ter.
"What have you brought this timer said
the King.
81 have brought another bottle, =" said Pc
ter.
''My dear, said the King to the Princess,
''the Lord Peter has brought another bottle
with him
Thereat the Princess was very polite also.
Would Lord Peter let them see the bottle 7
Oh yes, Peter would do that; so he drew it
out of his pocket and set it down upon the
table. And then Peter opened the bottle.
Hui what a hubbub there wasl The
King hoped about until his slippers flew off,
his dressing -gowp fluttered like great wings,
and his crown rolled off from his head and
across the floor like quot at the fair. As
for the Princess, she never danced in all her
life as she danced that morning.
ooh, Peter, dear Lord Peter, cork up your
men again."
"Will you give me back my bottle!n said
Peter
"Yes, yes" cried the King
"Will you marry mel" said Peter.
''Yes, yes, cried the Princess.
Then Peter said ''Brikket-ligg, and the
two tall men popped back into the bottle
again. So the King gave him back his other
bottle, and the minister was called in and
married him to the Princess. -Harper' s
Young People.