Year: 1874

There was once king, in whose do
minions iived no less than three magi-
clans.


When the kings eldest son was chris
teneo., the king invited the three magi-
cia'ls to the christening feast, and to
III AXE the compliment the greater, he
asked one Of them to stand godfather.
But the other two, who were not asked
to be godfathers, were so angry at what
they held to be slight, that they only
waited to see how they might best re.
venge themselves upon the infant prince.


When the moment came for present
ing the christening gifts, the godfather
magician advanced to the cradle, and
said:


My gift is this: Whatever he wishes
for he shall have. And only who give
shall be able to recall this gift"


For he perceived the jealousy of the
other magicians, and re knew that, if
possible, they would undo what he did.


But the second magician muttered in
his beard:


And yet will change it to curse :"
and coming up to the cradle, he said,
"The wishes that he has thus obtained
he shall not be able to revoke or change"


Then the third magician grumbled be-
meath his black robe:


eff he were very wise and prudent he
might yet be happy. But will secure
his punishment" So he also drew near
to the cradle, and said, "For my part, l
give him hasty temper"


After which the two dissatisfied magi-
clans withdrew together, saying:


Should we permit ourselves to be
sighted for nothing?"


But the king and his courtiers were
not at all disturbed


My son has only to be sure of what
he wants." said the king, "and then,
suppose, he will not desire to recall his
wishes"


And the courtiers added:


eff a prince may not have hasty
temper, who may, we should like to
know p


And everybody laughed, except the
godfather magician, who went out sigh
ing and shaking his head, and was seen
no more.


Whilst the kings son was yet child,
tho gift of the godfather magician began
to take effect. There was nothing so rare
and precious that he could not obtain
it, or SO difficult that it could not be ac-
complished by his mere wish. But, on
the other hand, no matter how incon-
siderately he spoke, or how often he
changed his mind, what he had once
wished must remain as he had wished it,
in spite of himself; and as he sften
wished for things that were bad for him.
and oftener still wished for a thing one
day, and regretted it the next, his power
was the source of quite as much pain as
pleasure 10 him. Then his temper was
10 hot, that he was apt hastily to wish
ill to those who had offended him. and
afterward bitterly to regret the mischief
that he could not undo. Thus, one after
another, the king appointed his trustiest
counselors to the charge of his son, who,
sooner or later, in the discharge of their
duty, were sure to be obliged to thwart
him; on which the inpatient prince
would cry, wish you were at the bot
tom of the sea with your rules and regu-
lations" and the counselors disappeared
accordingly, and returned no more.


When there was not wise man left
at court, and the king himself lived in
daily dread of being the next victim, he
said:


"Only one thing remains to be done:
TO find the godfather magician, and per-
suade him to withdraw his gift"


So the king offered rewards, and sent
out messengers in every direction, bat
the magician was not to be found. At
last one day he met blind beggar, who
said to him:


"Three nights ago / dreamed that /
went by the narrowest of seven roads to
seek what you are looking for, and was
successful"


When the king returned home, he
asked his courtiers:


"Where are there seven roads lying
near to each other, some broad and some
narrow.


And one Of them replied:


Twenty-one miles to the west of the
palace is four-cross road, where three
field-paths also diverge."


To this place the King made his way,
and taking the narrowest of the field
paths, went on and on till IL led him
straight into cave, where an cid woman
sat over fire.


"Does magician live here p said the
king.


"No one lives here but myself" said
the old woman "but as / am a wise
woman, ! may be able to help you II ysu
need it,"


The king then told her of his perplexi-
ties, and how he was desirous Of finding