that a fox in a hole near by was up in an instant thinking: “What a funny thing for a cock to be crowing in the forest! I expect he's lost his way and can't get out again!”

And he began to look for the cock, and after a bit he saw him sitting upon the branch of the tree. “Oho!” thought the fox, “he'd make a fine meal! How can I get him to come down from there?”

So he went up to the tree and said to the cock: “What a splendid cock you are! I've never seen such a fine one all my days! What lovely feathers, just as if they were covered with gold! And your tail! nobody could describe it in words or on paper, it's so beautiful! And what a sweet voice you've got! I could listen to it all day and all night. Do fly down a little closer and let's get to know each other a little better. That reminds me, I've got a christening on at my place to-day, and I shall have plenty of food and drink to offer such a welcome guest. Let's go along to my home.”

“Right you are,” answered the cock, “I'll certainly come, only you must ask my companion too. We always go about together.” “And where is your companion?” asked the fox. “Down below in the tree hollow,” answered the cock. And the fox poked his head into the hole, thinking there was another cock there, when the dog popped his head out and caught Mr. Fox by the nose!

KING FROST.

Once upon a time there lived an old man and his wife. She had one daughter of her own, and he had one of his own. And the old woman took a dislike to her step-daughter. Whatever her own daughter did, she praised her for everything and stroked her head, but whatever her step-daughter did, she grumbled at her and scolded her for everything; it was simply dreadful.

And the old woman began to want to drive her step-daughter off the face of the earth, and she said to her husband: “Take her away into the dark forest, and let the frost freeze her to death.” So there was nothing for the old man to do but harness his horse to the sledge, put his daughter in it, and drive her off into the forest. And he brought her right into the middle of the forest, set her down on the snow, and drove off home.

And there the little girl sat in the forest all alone, shivering with the cold. When lo and behold! there was old King Frost coming towards her, and he said: “Hullo, little girl, are you warm?” And she answered: “Yes, King Frost.” Then he blew a cold breath on to her and again asked: “Are you warm, little girl?” And she answered: “Yes, King Frost!” Then he began to make it still colder; he made the branches crack, and covered them with hoar-frost, and let loose such cold, that you could hear the air creaking.

Then he asked her again: “Well, little girl, are you warm now?” And she answered: “Yes, King Frost!”

And when he saw that she was a good girl, he felt sorry for her. So he put on her a fur coat, with trimmings of beaver, and made her warm, and said to her: “You're a good girl, and so I'll stop. Here's a little present for you from King Frost.”

And he brought her a trunk full of all sorts of things, silver and gold, and bright-coloured stones.

Meanwhile her step-mother was saying to the old man at home: “I expect your daughter's frozen by now. Go into the forest and bring her back.” So he harnessed his horse to the sledge, and set out to fetch his daughter.

Then his wife began to watch at the window, and at last she saw her husband driving towards home, and she said to herself: “That's all right, there come the old man's daughter's bones back in the sledge.”

But the doggie outside said: “Bow, wow,