The Brownies and Prince Florimel

STANI

leasure manifested itself in broad smiles upon smug faces, the nodding of round little heads, the sl

wringing his hand in congratulation. Not

t was just like the ordinary bow of any archer, and its wood and gut presented n

of his garments, replacing them with skin-tight trousers that with the greatest difficulty they drew over his legs, long, tape

re were a large number, he was rejoiced at the eagerness they now displayed to transform him to a Brownie, and make him one of t

h that parted in a smile so evident of inward satisfaction. He was as fair and sightly as one co

nds of the Brownies too, for they seemed p

ddenly diverted to two ordinary Brownies rolling a watermelon up the steep hill. The melon was

of the hill almost reached, they stopped to take their br

nd all the rest followed its erratic course down the hill-bumpety-bumpety!-with leaps and bounds-bumpety-bumpety!-first to one side, then to another, bumpety-bumpety!-till it finished with an extra high bound and squashed all to pieces right in their very midst. Little

nies, and the little old fellow stood up,

d rathe

he leadership of the Dude,

'rah!

-is-

-boo

owledged His Majesty, add

his waterm

treacherou

ame to his face as his eye

manded. "You're not trying to m

t here was the king himself, whose word wa

in his behalf, all the hopes that had sprung u

they would not have brought displeasur

indly but august monarch, his little companions made bold to extol his virtues real and imaginary til

earnestly that it was Florimel's accomplishment, and the sudden start King Sta

explaining that it was there they first saw the stranger, after which

not displeased, and o

wolves," said the monarch, with great deliberation, "then

made the welkin ring, for they realized that not only had King Stanis

throne! "See that he is properly attired," was the royal command, and

hing little prince as pert and pretty a sprig of royalty as one could see in many a long journey over lands where there were kings

and he expressed his thanks as best he could feeling that the words he used were poor at b

er pensive tone. "A few short years-a couple of thousands or so-and I shall have passed away. When I am gone I shall le

y to their prince, and Florimel smiled back

orimel good-humoredly refused it, and waved him aside. The Sailor ca

n, and much touched was he by their expressions of good will. But the most he would accept was an eagle'

utine, and, noticing that the Polic

what's t

ast night, Your Majesty, when

you fall

fairy guards mistook me for an enemy

press a c

thdrew th

off the well-informed Dude was instil

our peas with a knife," he told them

was growling

ubber! A dog-watch

awk came running to King Stanislaus, an

all the door-knobs, and the

e of his

know, You

which looks t

slaus in disposing of all matters great and small, and he

ontrol, and in arguments that sometimes rose between them o

the first rays of the morning sun could strike them, and

they did, in which Florimel took hearty part, and

dered, it was not surprising, which was that all dumb creatures, whe

these good-natured little goblings were at hand, for

and neither they nor the Brownies showed the slightest fear of each other. The beasts grove

nimals went on with their task of gathering bones w

ld and mountainous, till there were emerald fields, green copses, and flowers bloo

e pouring their hearts out in gladness, piercing screams suddenly rent the air, and caused all gre

ck. "Have a care, Florimel!" he warned. "It may be a dec

rom which the terrifying sounds still came. The Brownies looked at each other in great dismay. Into what