Part 10 (2/2)

You can wait a little longer.”

So the poor bear waited until it was almost morning.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Just then some dogs began to bark on the bank of the river.

The bear was so afraid that he jumped up quickly and pulled with all his might, but his tail was frozen fast in the ice.

He pulled and pulled until at length the tail was broken short off.

Mr. Fox ran away laughing and laughing at the trick he had played upon Mr. Bear.

Bears' tails have been short ever since.

_German Folk Tale_

[Ill.u.s.tration]

RUMPELSTILTSKIN--I

glistened guess mourn chamber

Once upon a time there lived a miller who had a beautiful daughter.

Now the miller had to visit the king's castle and, while there, he happened to meet the king face to face.

The king stopped and spoke to the miller. The miller, wis.h.i.+ng the king to think that he was very rich, told him that he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold.

”Ah,” said the king, ”that is indeed a wonderful gift. To-morrow you must bring your daughter to my castle, that she may spin some gold for me.”

Then the miller was afraid and wished he had not spoken, but he had to do as the king ordered.

The next day he brought his daughter to the castle.

Now it happened that the king loved gold above all things. So taking the poor girl by the hand, he led her into one of the great rooms of the castle.

There, in the middle of the room, stood a spinning wheel, and near it was a great heap of straw.

The king turned to the miller's daughter, and said:

”There is your spinning wheel, and here is the straw. If you do not spin all of it into gold by morning, your head shall be cut off.”

Then the king left the room and locked the door behind him.

The poor girl could only sit and weep, for she had not the least idea how to spin straw into gold.

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