forest, I came upon a grave covered with flowers. Above them all stood a reed. I cut off the reed and made this pipe of it. It plays of itself, and you have heard what it says."
The father of Little Simpleton happened to be present. He took the pipe into his own hand, and it began to play:—
"Play, oh pipe, play! Comfort my poor father and mother. I was killed for the sake of my little silver plate and my little apple." The peasant asked the shepherd to take him to the place where he had cut the reed. They all went into the forest, saw the grave, and were astonished at the sight of the lovely flowers which grew there. They opened the grave, and there discovered the body of a girl, which the poor man recognised as that of his youngest daughter. There she lay, murdered—but by whom no one could tell. The people asked one another who it was that had killed the poor girl. Suddenly the pipe began to play,—
"Oh, my dearest father! my sisters brought me to this forest, and here killed me for the sake of my little plate and my little apple. You will not bring me to life until you fetch some of the water from the czar's well."
Then the wicked sisters confessed it all. They were seized and cast into a dark prison, to await the pleasure
