The Irish standard., 1898-05-28
with beautiful red roses that filled the
dir with their frapruncc

And even as he spoke, a boy came along
carrying thorny stick. Creeping be-
meath the sun horse, he pricked it with
his stick. The next moment the seer
lay on the ground, and the boy, who had
mounted the animal, was galloping
away swift as an arrow. "Did not say
SOP" exclaimed the seer.
"Whut boy was that?" asked the
servant. "Who could have suspected
such trick? Let us try to overtake
him"
Nay" replied the seer, II will over
take him alone. You must return Is
the borders of your own country. 1
shall be there to meetyou."
Taking the form of an ordinary trav-
eler, the seer fastened after the little
magician, and soon came up with him.
Whence came you, my friend?" said
the magician, looking round.
"From the far distance"
"And whittier SO you?"
II seek SERVICE"
You seek service? Can you tend
horses?"
every we'll, indeed"
AACA COAAc Will me ana Ge0Q this
horse. I will pay you WE'LL"
And thus the seer became the ma
gician's servant.
Arrived at the magician's home, the
seer tended the sun horse SO carefully
that his master was well satisfied: but
1t vexed the seer that, owing to the ma
gician's art, he could find no opportuni-
ty of escaping with 1t.
One day the magician called his serv-
ant.
"Listen!" said he. "In the midst of
yonderseai an en- ormous poplar; on the
top of this poplar is castle; in this
castle dwells princess. This princess
I desire for my wife. Many efforts have
been made to gain possession of her,
but in vain. Bring her to me, and I
will reward you handsomely; fail, and
it will be the worse for YOU"
"The lord commands, the servant
must perform, OF at least try" replied
the seer.
Procuring a boat, he filed it with
ribbons and stufrs of divers colors, and
sailed, disguised as merchant, to the
castle on the summit of the poplar.
Arrived at the tree, he hung out the
most beautiful of his wares, so that
they could be seen from the castle.
They soon attracted the attention of
the princess.
Go down to yoAder boat" said she,
addressing her handmaiden, land see
it you cannot purchase some of those
beautiful ribbons and stutfs."
The maid obcyed.
II sell nothing" said the merchant.
sunless the princess comes herself to
choose"
The maiden repeated the merchants
words. The princess came, turned over
the beautiful merchandise, and chose
and bargained, never noticing that the
boat had been. pushed off, and was
sailing toward the shore. 1t was only
when, her business ended, she turned
to leave the boat, that she discovered
what had happened.
Il know where we are going" said
she. "You are taking me to the wicked
magician. Now may Heaven have
mercy on mel"
When the seer found the princess did
not wish to marry the magician, he con-
versed with her softly, and said that if
she would ascertain wherein the ma
gician's strength lay, and conflde the
secret to him, he would help her to OBJ
tain her liberty.
When the seer returned with the
princess the magician was delighted,
and when she appeared to return his
love, he was beside himself with ioy.
He would have given her everything.
done anything to please her. What
wonder, then, that he yconfided to her
the secret of his great strength.
I'm yonder Forest" said he, islands
great tree. Beneath this tree a stag
feeds, in this stag is duck, in the duck
golden egg, and in the egg is my
strength, for there, my love, is my
heart"
The princess ut once repeated this
secret to the seer.
Then the seer took bow and arrow.
fastened to the forest, and found the
tree with the stag feeding beneath. He
shot an arrow, and the stag fell to the
earth. springing forward he took the
duck out of the stag, and the egg out of
the duck. lie broke the egg, and the
magician's strength was gone forever:
1t had passed to the seer, leaving ut
once the mighty magician weak and
helpless as child. Then, having freed
the princess, the seer mounted the sun
horse and hastened with it to the king
to whom it belonged.
He had to travel over great part of
the world ere he reached the borders of
the dark Kingdom and met the servant
he had sent on before him. As he
crossed the borders the rays from the
sun horse shone forth, illuminating the
land that had SO long been yelled in
impenctrable gloom, and rejoicing the
hearts Of the distressed Inhabitants.
Everything lived again; the fields
laughed in their spring dress, and the
people hastened from all parts to thank
their kind benefactor. The king knew
not how to reward him, but offered
him half of his kingdom. But the seer
refused.
II desire no reward" said he, "least
Of all do desire the half of your king
dom. Be yeu king and reign, us is meet.
I will return to my solitary hut
Standard Maoazine.
American girl.
1.-THE Polish girls who have titles are