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garlands of flowers, at sight of whom he stopped, being loath to destroy so much beauty; when he heard a voice say, "Strike! strike! or you will lose your princess for ever!" upon which he threw himself in the midst of them, and soon dispersed them. He now came in view of All-fair, and, hastening to her, exclaimed, "O my princess, behold your faithful lover!" But she, drawing back, replied, "Faithful lover! Did I not see you passing through the air with a beautiful nymph? Were you faithful then?" "Yes," replied the king, "I was. That was the detested Desert Fairy, who was carrying me to a place where I must have languished out all my days, had it not been for a kind Mermaid, by whose assistance it is that I am now come to release you." So saying, he cast himself at her feet; but, catching hold of her gown, unfortunately let go the magic sword; which the Yellow Dwarf no sooner discovered, than, leaping from behind a shrub where he had been concealed, he ran and seized it. By two cabalistical words, he then conjured up two giants, who laid the king in irons. "Now," said the dwarf, "my rival's fate is in my own hands; however, if he will consent to my marriage, he shall have his life and liberty." "No," said the king, "I scorn thy favour on such terms which so provoked the dwarf, that he instantly stabbed him to the heart. The disconsolate princess, aggravated to the last degree at such barbarity, thus vented her grief:—"Thou hideous creature, since entreaties could not avail thee, perhaps thou now reliest upon force; but thou shalt be disappointed, and thy brutal soul shall know perpetual mortification from the moment I tell thee I die for the love I have for the King of the Golden Mines!" And so saying, she sunk down upon his body, and expired without a sigh. Thus ended the fate of these two faithful lovers, which the Mermaid very much regretted; but, all her power lying in the sword, she could only change them into two palm-trees; which, preserving a constant mutual affection for each, other, caress and unite their branches together.
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THE THREE WISHES.
There was once a man, not very rich, who had a very pretty woman to his wife. One winter's evening, as they sat by the fire, they talked of the happiness of their neighbours who were richer than they. . Said the wife, "If it were in my power to have what I wish, I should soon be happier than all
