St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-08-02

THE CLEVER ONE.

Fontainbleau, there was born to a
charcoal burner and his wife little
boy, whom they named Pierre, and
who was so,small that one-half OF a
walnut shell served him as cradle.
When his parents, who were very
cruel people, saw how small he was
they began to despise him, and after
few weeks, seeing that he did not
grow very fast, the father one night
took the walnut shell cradle contain
ing the tiny boy and placed both
deep IN the forest, exposed to the
wind and weather and any wild
beasts that might happen to come
along.
Now a good and very powerful
fairy had her home in the trunk of
great oak near the spot where little
Pierre and his little era lie lay, and
she saw the father abandon his son.
So she took him into her home and
made him a warm bed with moss
and leaves and took so good care of
him that when he was two years
old he was almost as big a a kitten.
The fairy also taught him many
clever and useful things, and so
smart did he become under her teach
ing, that the other fairies, with whom
he mingled freely, called him, not
Pierre, bpt The Clever One, because
of his knowledge, and he became in
time their counselor in all matters.
1t was seldom that the fairies al
lowed anything to puzzle or vex
them, but when these things did oc-
cur they Immediately consulted little
Pierre, who was always able to set
them right.
When Pierre was six years old he
began to consider himself quite a lit
tie man, though he was only foot
in height, and wanted to leave the
fairy and go forth to see some of the
wonders of the world that she had
told him of. 1t was at this time
that the fairy first told him how he
had been cast off by his parents, and
Pierre It once made up his mind to
visit them and find out why they
had treated him so badly.
One fine spring morning, when the
woods were full of music OF the birds,
he set out on his journey. He did
not tell the fairies of his intention to
leave them-fearing they would not
willingly let him go-so placing his
little bundle, which was almost as
big as an apple, but not SO heavy,
on his stick, which was nearly as
thick and long as a lead pencil, he
took his cap, which was made of the
half of a big acorn and lined with
dry moss, and putting it on his head
he started off whistling merry tune
that the fairies had taught him.
Pierre jOurneyed on until midday
without meeting anyone except a
squirrel, which gazed curiously at
his acorn cap, and coming to fallen
log he sat down upon it and I'M
shouldering his bundle, prepared to
eat the lunch he had brought with |
him.
After he had finished eating he
walked little way until he came to
a raging river-that is what Pierre |
thought it was, but it was only
brook-and lying down close to it's
edge he quenched his thirst from its
sparkling waters. Just as he quit |
drinking, his acorn cap fell into the
water and hoated out to the middle |
of the stream, where it lodged |
against a rock.
Pierre was at a great loss how to |
regain his cap. He could not swim
and was, therefore, afraid to venture
out into the stream, thinking he
might be swept against the rocks |
and killed. AS he was planning what
to do he heard a noise in the dis |
lance, which gradually increased, as
if some monster animal were coming
towards him. shaking the earth with
its steps. Pierre looked 1t the trees |
l. -
bled with each mighty football. What |
ever this thing might be he felt that |
it was something to hide from, so he
quickly climbed the nearest tree, seat |
ing himself among the branches, |
which hid him from view, and awaited |
its coming.
Presently Pierre saw that the
branches Of the trees near him were |
beinglpushed roughly apart and then,
IN the avenue thus laid open, there |
appeared an immense giant. He was
not bad fellow to look at, and Just |
now he mnst have had very
pleasant thoughts, for there was a
smile on his face. He came almost |
to the foot of the tree in which Pierre
was hiding and then the little fellow
saw that he had a big milk can on
his back, and he knew that this must |
be the famous giant Drinkwater,
who, the fairy had told him, always
carried a can of water because he
was all the time thirsty.
Not knowing what kind of recep- |
ton he might meet with if he came
down from the tree, Pierre thought |
he would try his cleverness by getting
the giant to recover his cap, and to
do this without letting himself be |
seen. The giant was now resting by |
the side of the brook. Pierre began
RI SiuO-