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to and from school, as they did every day, laughed and said, “There go Siegfrid and his little wife.”

The forest near was full of birds and animals, and as the villagers never hunted or hurt them in any way, they had grown quite tame. The birds would fly down from the branches and sit upon the shoulders of the passers-by, or flutter round their heads singing. The squirrels sat still and let any one stroke them, and even the timid hares came and gently rubbed themselves against the children’s legs and feet, with no more fear of them than a pussy cat would have had; in fact, the animals in the forest were as peaceful and happy as the men and women in the village.

One day there came along the high road a queer little old man—an ugly-looking man—with small eyes and a peaked cap on his head. On his back he carried a heavy pack like a pedlar’s. When he got into the village he stopped and began to undo it, whilst all the children stood round him staring. Every one who passed stopped and looked at him, for it was very unusual for any stranger to come to the village. Then the old man took some poles and a board, which he had