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Granny’s Wonderful Chair.

wheels, were seen by every hearth, and no more in the deserted cottage. Everybody praised Merrymind and his fiddle; and when news of his wonderful playing came to the king’s ears, he commanded the iron gate to be taken away; he made the captive soldier a free man; and promoted Merrymind to be his first fiddler, which, under that wise monarch, was the highest post in his kingdom.

“As soon as Merrymind’s family and neighbours heard of the high preferment his fiddle had gained for him, they thought music must be a good thing, and man, woman, and child took to fiddling. It is said that none of them ever learned to play a single tune except Merrymind’s mother, on whom her son bestowed great presents.”


Here the voice ceased, and one clothed in green and russet-coloured velvet rose up with a golden fiddle in his hand, and said—

“That’s my story.”

“Excepting yesterday's tale, and the five that went before it,” said King Winwealth, “I have not heard such a story as that since my brother Wisewit went from me, and was lost in the forest. Fairfortune, the first of my pages, go and bring this maiden a golden girdle. And since her grand-

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