Year: 1869

From Once A Week.


Once upon a time a king and his
queen had an only child, daughter, Of
whom they were dotingly fond. But it
happened that she was lost, and though
the king ordered the whole country to
be searched, no one could find her
Thereupon he made a vow that whoever
should find her, and bring her home,
should get her hand in marriage.


Now close by the kings palace lived
an old man who had three sons. He
was very fond of the two eldest ones );
but the youngest one was treated very
unkindly by his parents, and by his
brothers.


Father" said the eldest son one day,
" l wish to go out into the world to
gain wealth and honor" So his father
let him go.


Next morning ho set off on his jour
ney, y,and after he had walked long dis
tance, sat down on hiIlock, to rest him.
self. Presently he espied little dwarf
coming towards him.


Pray give me something to eat,
said the dwarf But the young man
refused. When he had rested himself
he set out again, and toward evening,
feeling very hungry, he sat down under
a tree to eat his supper.


"Oh! pray give me piece Of bread, "
said little tiny woman, with red
cloak, coming up to him 1 am so
very hungry" But the young man got
very angry, and drove the little old
woman away.


1t soon got dark, so the young man
crept into a hole in a rock which he saw,
and laid himself down to sleep. Pres
emily the enchantress who lived there
came in, and the young man earnestly
begged her to allow him to sleep there.


"0h yes; on condition that you per-
form whatever l tell you tomorrow.


So the next morning she set him to
sweep out the cave; and if it is not
done by evening, shall kill you; " and
SO saying she went away.


The young man now took the broom
which she had given him, and began to
sweep; but no sooner did it touch the
floor than it stuck so fast to it that he
could not move it. So when the enchan-
tress returned home in the evening she
found the cave unswept, and immedi-
ately killed the young man and hung
him up.


Meanwhile the old peasants second
son set out from home, to try ana make
his way in the world. But as he acted
like his elder brother, and was killed
and hung up by the enchantress, it is
needless to speak Of him further


The old people now had only their
youngest son left to them. But as they
hated him even more than ever, they
readily gave him leave to go and seek
his fortune.


d" l dare say my brothers rested here"
he said, coming to the first hillock and
he seated himself down and began to
eat little piece Of bread.


"Oh, pray give me little piece, am
so hungry" said the same little dwarf
And the young man spoke kindly to
him, and invited him to come and sit
down beside him, and eat as much as he
wished.


When he had eaten as much as be re.
quired, the little dwarf said, My name
is Tritill whenever you want me, call
me-" and he tripped away.


And the young man walked on and
on, till he came to another hillock.
" Yes my brothers surely rested here !;
l will sit down and eat my supper"
But no sooner had he began to sat, than
a tiny, little woman in red cloak came
up and asked for some TODD; and the
young man spoke kindly to her, and
gave her all she wanted. When they
had both eaten as much as they wished,
his companion said " My name is Litil /;
if ever you want help call me and
she tripped a way. The young man
walked on till it began to get dark.
Z" Yes my brothers have rested here !"
and he sat down under large tree, and
began to eat his last bit of bread But
a large 6ock of birds few up to where he
was sitting; and they looked so very
hungry, that he threw them a good
handful of crumbs. To his great sur
prise, when they had eaten them, one Of
them said Mind and call for US if
you want anything; i" and they few
away.


Close by be espied hole in rock,
and, as he was very tired, he crept in
and lay down to sleep; but presently he
espied the dead bodies of his two broth
ers hanging up. he was very much
frightened, and be was going to run
away, but at that instant the enchantress
came in, and told him he should stop
there that night.


Next morning she bade him sweep
out the cave for her. And mind and
have it done by night, or | will kill
you" When she had gone, he took
the broom, but no sooner did it touch
the floor, than it stuck SO fast to it that,
do what he would, he could not move it.
So be began to be frightened, but
presently he thought Of what had hap
pened to him yesterday.


"Tritill," he cried, oh come to
me T. and at the same instant the little
dwarf entered the cave, and asked him
what be wanted. So he told him. Then
! Tritill bade the broom to sweep the HoorI