Part 11 (1/2)

”Not at all, dear G.o.dchild,” said the kind St. Anthony when he had heard about the king's new command.

Anthony climbed quietly up the wall as before and crept in through the window. Then he rolled the king of the Moors up in the bedclothes and tossed him out of the window. By the time the king was really awakened from his sleep he was in the boat ready to sail away.

When Anthony returned to the palace with his captive, the king said:

”My best and bravest page, you are worthy indeed of any honor. You shall wed my sister.”

”I can't marry her,” said Anthony. ”My name is Antonia.”

”In that case,” said the king, ”I'll marry you myself.”

TROUBLE WHEN ONE'S YOUNG

_The Story of a Maid's Choice_

Long ago there lived a beautiful maiden whose name was Clarinha. She had been betrothed to a prince whom she had never seen. When at last he should be old enough to receive the rule of the kingdom he was coming to claim her as his bride.

Clarinha lived in a magnificent palace surrounded by a beautiful garden. Every day she spent many hours among the lovely flowers and trees.

One day an eagle alighted on the tallest tree in the garden.

”Good morning, fair Clarinha,” he said to her.

”Good morning,” she replied in surprise. Never before had an eagle spoken to her.

”Which do you prefer, trouble when you are young or when you are old?”

asked the eagle.

Clarinha did not know what to say. That night she asked her mother which would be better to choose.

”Choose trouble when you're young, dear child,” advised her mother.

”When you are young it is easy to bear anything, but when you are old you can endure nothing.”

She remembered her mother's words. Next day when the eagle again addressed the same question to her, she answered: ”Trouble when I'm young.”

Clarinha had hardly said these words when the eagle lifted her up by the pink skirt she was wearing and carried her away. On he flew over seas and mountains. Clarinha was frightened nearly to death.

At last the eagle set her down in a strange land. She was hungry, and, accordingly, hired out in a bakeshop to earn her living. She would have been happier if the eagle had flown away, but he remained in a nearby tree-top.

The baker went out, leaving Clarinha to bake the dough which he had left ready to put into the oven. The little maid carefully closed the door and all the windows so that the eagle would not be able to get inside. As soon as the baker was out of sight, however, he flew down the chimney. He tore about the bakeshop, spilling all the dough on the floor and breaking the dishes. Then he went back up the chimney when he had completed all the damage there was to be done.

When the baker returned he flew into a terrible rage. He gave poor Clarinha a beating and turned her out into the street.

She walked about the city and at last found work as shopkeeper in a little shop on a corner. The owner of the business went away next day, leaving her in charge of everything. As soon as he was gone she shut the door and all the windows, but the eagle flew down the chimney and broke the cups and gla.s.ses and plates which were set out for sale in neat rows upon the shelf.

”What have you been doing in my shop?” cried the owner in anger when he returned and saw the destruction which the eagle had left behind.

He didn't give the poor girl a chance to reply, but seized her roughly and threw her out into the street.