he　door　a　kick；　then　in　they　rushed；　and；　taking　the　skin；　flung　it　into　the　fire　and　burned　it。
  When　the　youth　saw　this；　he　cried；　〃Ah；　fools；　what　have　you　done！〃　and　instantly　he　was　turned　into　a　dove　and　flew　at　the　window；　where；　as　he　struck　his　head　through　the　panes；　he　cut　himself　sorely。
  Grannonia；　who　thus　saw　herself　at　the　same　moment　happy　and　unhappy；　joyful　and　miserable；　rich　and　poor；　tore　her　hair　and　bewailed　her　fate；　reproaching　her　father　and　mother；　but　they　excused　themselves；　declaring　that　they　had　not　meant　to　do　harm。　But　she　went　on　weeping　and　wailing　until　Night　came　forth　to　drape　the　canopy　of　the　sky　for　the　funeral　of　the　Sun；　and　when　they　were　all　in　bed；　she　took　her　jewels；　which　were　in　a　　writing…desk；　and　went　out　by　the　back…door；　to　search　everywhere　for　the　treasure　she　had　lost。
  She　went　out　of　the　city；　guided　by　the　light　of　the　moon；　and　on　her　way　she　met　a　fox；　who　asked　her　if　she　wished　for　company。　〃Of　all　things；　my　friend；〃　replied　Grannonia。　〃I　should　be　delighted；　for　I　am　not　over　well　acquainted　with　the　country。〃　So　they　travelled　along　together　till　they　came　to　a　wood；　where　the　trees；　at　play　like　children；　were　making　baby…houses　for　the　shadows　to　lie　in。　And　as　they　were　now　tired　and　wished　to　rest；　they　sheltered　under　the　leaves　where　a　fountain　was　playing　tricks　with　the　grass；　throwing　water　on　it　by　the　dishful。　There　they　stretched　themselves　on　a　mattress　of　tender　soft　grass；　and　paid　the　duty　of　repose　which　they　owed　to　Nature　for　the　merchandise　of　life。
  They　did　not　awake　till　the　Sun；　with　his　usual　fire；　gave　the　signal　to　sailors　and　travellers　to　set　out　on　their　road；　and；　after　they　awoke；　they　still　stayed　for　some　time　listening　to　the　songs　of　the　birds；　in　which　Grannonia　took　great　delight。　The　fox；　seeing　this；　said　to　her；　〃You　would　feel　twice　as　much　pleasure　if；　like　me；　you　understood　what　they　are　saying。〃　At　these　words　　Grannoniafor　women　are　by　nature　as　curious　as　they　are　talkativebegged　the　fox　to　tell　her　what　he　had　heard　the　birds　saying。　So；　after　having　let　her　entreat　him　for　a　long　time；　to　raise　her　curiosity　about　what　he　was　going　to　relate；　he　told　her　that　the　birds　were　talking　to　each　other　about　what　had　lately　befallen　the　King's　son；　who　was　as　beautiful　as　a　jay。　Because　he　had　offended　a　wicked　ogress；　she　had　laid　him　under　a　spell　to　pass　seven　years　in　the　form　of　a　serpent；　and　when　he　had　nearly　ended　the　seven　years；　he　fell　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　a　King；　and　being　one　day　in　a　room　with　the　maiden；　he　had　cast　his　skin　on　the　ground；　when　her　father　and　mother　rushed　in　and　burned　it。　Then；　when　the　Prince　was　flying　away　in　the　shape　of　a　dove；　he　broke　a　pane　in　the　window　to　escape；　and　hurt　his　head　so　severely　that　he　was　given　over　by　the　doctors。
  Grannonia；　who　thus　heard　her　own　onions　spoken　of；　asked　if　there　was　any　cure　for　this　injury。　The　fox　replied　that　there　was　none　other　than　by　anointing　his　wounds　with　the　blood　of　those　very　birds　that　had　been　telling　the　story。　When　Grannonia　heard　this；　she　fell　down　on　her　knees　to　the　fox；　entreating　him　to　catch　those　birds　for　her；　that　she　might　get　their　blood；　adding　that；　like　honest　comrades；　they　would　share　the　gain。　〃Fair　and　softly；〃　said　the　fox；　〃let　us　wait　till　night；　and　when　the　birds　are　gone　to　bed；　trust　me　to　climb　the　tree　and　capture　them；　one　after　the　other。〃
  So　they　waited　till　Day　was　gone；　and　Earth　had　spread　out　her　great　black　board　to　catch　the　wax　that　might　drop　from　the　tapers　of　Night。　Then　the　fox；　as　soon　as　he　saw　all　the　birds　fast　asleep　on　the　branches；　stole　up　quite　softly；　and　one　after　another；　throttled　all　the　linnets；　larks；　tomtits；　blackbirds；　woodpeckers；　thrushes；　jays；　fly…catchers；　little　owls；　goldfinches；　bullfinches；　chaffinches；　and　redbreasts　that　were　on　the　trees。　And　when　he　had　killed　them　all　they　put　the　blood　in　a　little　bottle；　which　the　fox　carried　with　him；　to　refresh　himself　on　the　road。
  Grannonia　was　so　overjoyed　that　she　hardly　touched　the　ground；　but　the　fox　said　to　her；　〃What　fine　joy　in　a　dream　is　this；　my　daughter！　You　have　done　nothing；　unless　you　mix　my　blood　also　with　that　of　the　birds〃；　and　so　saying　he　set　off　to　run　away。　Grannonia；　who　saw　all　her　hopes　likely　to　be　destroyed；　had　recourse　to　woman's　artflattery；　and　she　said　to　him；　〃Gossip　fox；　there　would　be　some　reason　for　your　saving　your　hide　if　I　were　not　under　so　many　obligations　to　you；　and　if　there　were　no　other　foxes　in　the　world。　But　you　know　how　much　I　owe　you；　and　that　there　is　no　scarcity　of　the　likes　of　you　on　these　plains。　Rely　on　my　good　faith。　Don't　act　like　the　cow　that　kicks　over　the　pail　which　she　has　just　filled　with　milk。　You　have　done　the　chief　part；　and　now　you　fail　at　the　last。　Do　stop！　Believe　me；　and　come　with　me　to　the　city　of　this　King；　where　you　may　sell　me　for　a　slave　if　you　will！〃
  The　fox　never　dreamed　that　he　could　be　out…forced　by　a　woman；　so　he　agreed　to　travel　on　with　her。　But　they　had　hardly　gone　fifty　paces；　when　she　lifted　up　the　stick　she　carried　and　gave　him　such　a　neat　rap　that　he　forthwith　stretched　his　legs。　Then　she　put　his　blood　into　the　little　bottle；　and　setting　off　again　she　stayed　not　till　she　came　to　Big　Valley；　where　she　went　straightway　to　the　royal　palace；　and　sent　word　that　she　was　come　to　cure　the　Prince。
  Then　the　King　ordered　her　to　be　brought　before　him；　and　he　was　astonished　at　seeing　a　girl　undertake　a　thing　which　the　best　doctors　in　his　kingdom　had　failed　to　do。　However；　a　trial　could　do　no　harm；　and　so　he　said　he　wished　greatly　to　see　the　experiment　made。　But　Grannonia　answered；　〃If　I　succeed；　you　must　promise　to　give　him　to　me　for　a　husband。〃　The　King；　who　looked　on　his　son　to　be　even　as　already　dead；　answered　her；　〃If　you　give　him　to　me　safe　and　sound；　I　will　give　him　to　you　sound　and　safe；　for　it　is　no　great　matter　to　give　a　husband　to　her　that　gives　me　a　son。〃
  So　they　went　to　the　chamber　of　the　Prince；　and　hardly　had　she　anointed　him　with　the　blood；　when　he　found　himself　just　as　if　nothing　had　ever　ailed　him。　Grannonia；　when　she　saw　the　Prince　stout　and　hearty；　bade　the　King　keep　his　word；　whereupon　he；　turning　to　his　son；　said；　〃My　son；　a　moment　ago　you　were　all　but　dead；　and　now　I　see　you　alive；　and　can　hardly　believe　it。　Therefore；　as　I　have　promised　this　maiden　that　if　she　cured　you　she　should　have　you　for　a　husband；　now　enable　me　to　perform　my　promise；　by　all　the　love　you　bear　me；　since　gratitude　obliges　me　to　pay　this　debt。〃
  When　the　Prince　heard　these　words；　he　said；　〃Sir；　I　would　that　I　was　free　to　prove　to　you　the　love　I　bear　you。　But　as　I　have　already　pledged　my　faith　to　another　woman；　you　would　not　consent　that　I　should　break　my　word；　nor　would　this　maiden　wish　that　I　should　do　such　a　wrong　to　her　whom　I　love；　nor　can　I；　indeed；　alter　my　mind！〃
  Grannonia；　hearing　this；　felt　a　secret　pleasure　not　to　be　described　at　finding　herself　still　alive　in　the　memory　of　the　Prince。　Her　whole　face　became　crimson　as　she　said；　〃If　I　could　induce　this　maiden　to　resign　her　claims；　would　you　then　consent　to　my　wish？〃　〃Never；〃　replied　the　Prince；　〃will　I　banish　from　this　breast　the　fair　image　of　her　whom　I　love。　I　shall　ever　remain　of　the　same　mind　and　will；　and　I　would　sooner　see　myself　in　danger　of　losing　my　place　at　the　table　of　life　than　play　so　mean　a　trick！〃
  Grannonia　could　no　longer　disguise　herself；　and　discovered　to　the　Prince　who　she　was；　for；　the　chamber　having　been　darkened　on　account　of　the　wound　in　his　head；　he　had　not　known　her。　But　the　Prince；　now　that　he　recognised　her；　embraced　her　with　a　joy　that　would　amaze　you；　telling　his　father　what　he　had　done　and　suffered　for　her。　Then　they　sent　to　invite　her　parents；　the　King　and　Queen　of　Long　Field；　and　they　celebrated　the　wedding　with　wonderful　festivity；　making　great　sport　of　the　great　ninny　of　a　fox；　and　concluding　at　the　last　of　the　last　that
  〃Pain　doth　indeed　a　seasoning　prove　　　　　　Unto　the　joys　of　constant　love。〃
  XV
  THE　SHE…BEAR
  Truly　the　wise　man　said　well　that　a　command　of　gall　cannot　be　obeyed　like　one　of　sugar。　A　man　must　require　just　and　reasonable　things　if　he　would　see　the　scales　of　obedience　properly　trimmed。　》From　orders　which　are　improper　springs　resistance　which　is　not　easily　overcome；　as　happened　to　the　King　of　Rough…Rock；　who；　by　asking　what　he　ought　not　of　his　daughter；　caused　her　to　run　away　from　him；　at　the　risk　of　losing　both　honour　and　life。
  There　lived；　it　is　said；　once　upon　a　time　a　King　of　　Rough…Rock；　who　had　a　wife　the　very　mother　of　beauty；　but　in　the　full　career　of　her　years　she　fell　from　the　horse　of　health　and　broke　her　life。　Before　the　candle　of　life　went　out　at　the　auction　of　her　years　she　called　her　husband　and　said　to　him；　〃I　know　you　have　always　loved　me　tenderly；　show　me；　therefore；　at　the　close　of　my　days　the　completion　of　your　love　by　promising　me　never　to　marry　again；　unless　you　find　a　woman　as　beautiful　as　I　have　been；　otherwise　I　leave　you　my　curse；　and　shall　bear　you　hatred　even　in　the　other　world。〃
  The　King；　who　loved　his　wife　beyond　measure；　hearing　this　her　last　wish；　burst　into　tears；　and　for　some　time　could　not　answer　a　single　word。　At　last；　when　he　had　done　weeping；　he　said　t