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tree in the forest, which the enchanted princess had pointed out to him. He struck it with the stick she had given him, and instantly she was at his side, and asked him what he desired. "I have to build myself a palace," said Frank, "but want money for the purpose.' Thereupon the princess gave him a small purse, saying: "Only take from it and disburse; it will never be empty." Frank then returned to the king, and said: I have now got money, so we will begin to build." But the old king answered: My good son, that will not go far towards building a palace; for that, sums of a very different kind will be required." But Frank said: " I believe this will suffice, and that in this purse there is more money than in all your treasury." The king now ordered the money to be counted, and the longer they counted the more there was in the purse. At last the king was forced to acknowledge that his son-in-law was richer than himself; and now the building proceeded, and proved a structure more beautiful and splendid than any other in the world.

When the palace was ready, Frank invited his father-inlaw and his betrothed to view it. They were perfectly astounded at the magnificence and splendour everywhere displayed. But the old king said: "All this is, indeed, noble and sumptuous; but, my son, I am apprehensive that we shall soon be afflicted by war. Until that is ended no marriage can be thought of." The old king appeared troubled and sad; his foreboding did not deceive him; for within a few days certain powerful foes declared war against him. But Frank was, nevertheless, of good courage, and said: "We have nothing to fear, although we are unprepared and less numerous than our adversaries. Leave all to me, dear father, I will soon be in readiness." He then rode again to the forest, knocked on the hollow tree, and when the princess of Russia appeared, he said: "I am now again in difficulty; our country is being devastated by war, the number of our people is too small to resist the enemy; I pray thee, help me, if thou canst.” The princess thereupon gave him a sword, saying: When thou strikest with this on a tree, soldiers will march out of it in multitudes, as many as thou requirest."

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On his return Frank found that during his absence the

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king had raised the whole male population of the country, and that old and young, rich and poor, cripples and sound, married and unmarried, were all ready to march. But Frank asked what it all meant. It means," answered the king," that we have not yet enough by many." But Frank answered: " We have already by far too many; let, therefore, all who have wives and children bewailing their absence return home; the aged and the lame we will also leave behind." But to this proposal the king would not assent. Frank then said: These neither can nor should fight. Only allow me to act, and we will soon overcome the enemy."

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The army now broke up, and after a short march, came in sight of the enemy, whose number was so great, that as far as the eye could reach nothing but soldiers could be seen. The whole field glittered and shone with arms, and the air resounded with the sounds of military music. Now," said Frank, "it is time for us also to make preparations and fetch more soldiers." Whence are they to be obtained?" inquired the king. Frank answered: Step aside for a moment, dear father; they shall march up instantly. How many do we require?" The king thought he was joking, and paid no attention to his words, but Frank cried out: "I pray you to step aside, that my soldiers may not tread you under foot." He then struck with his sword on an oak, and instantly there came forth, first six regiments of foot, then eight regiments of cavalry, next ten regiments of heavy-armed troops. The battle now began; but as the enemy did not immediately give ground, Frank again struck on the tree, and out came twelve regiments more. The enemy would now have fled, but were annihilated by the soldiers of Frank to the last man.

The old king had now no objection to the celebration of the marriage, but rather rejoiced at having such a son-in-law as Frank. So the marriage took place accordingly with great pomp and splendour. It may be added, that they always lived happily together, and that the princess was not deceived in Frank.

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THE BLUE RIBAND.

From Marne.

THERE was once a man, who was very poor, and sick into the bargain. When he felt that his end was drawing nigh, he summoned his wife to his bedside, and said to her: My dear wife, I feel that my end approaches, but I should die tranquil and free from solicitude, if I only knew that all would go well with thee and our Hans, when I shall be no more. I can leave you nothing to protect you from want; but when I am dead, go with our son to my brother, who dwells in a village on the other side of the great forest. He is wealthy and has always cherished brotherly feelings towards me, and will, I doubt not, provide for you." He then died. After his burial, the widow and her son set out on their way to her brother-in-law, as her husband had recommended. Now it must be observed that the mother hated her son, and was hostile to him in every way possible, though Hans was a good youth and approaching to manhood. When they had been journeying for some time, they observed a blue riband lying in the path. Hans stooped to take it up, but his mother said: "Let the old riband lie; what dost thou want with it?" But Hans thought within himself: "Who knows what it may be good for? It would be a real pity to let so pretty a riband lie here;" so he took it up, and bound it, without his mother's knowledge, under his jacket round his arm. He now became so strong, that no one, as long as he wore that riband, could prevail against him, and every one must stand in awe of him.

When they had proceeded some way further, and had entered the large forest, after having wandered about for a long time, they came to a cave, in which stood a covered table, loaded with a profusion of the daintiest viands in silver dishes. Hans said: "We are come just in the right I have been hungry a long while; I will now make a hearty meal," So they sat down and ate and drank to their hearts' content. They had scarcely finished when the giant, to whom the cave belonged, returned home; but

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he was quite friendly, and said: "You were right to help yourselves and not wait for me; if you find it pleasant, you can remain always here in the cave with me." To the woman he said that she might be his wife. To his proposal they both agreed, and now for a while lived content in the cave with the giant.

From day to day the giant became more and more attached to Hans; but his mother's hatred to him increased every hour, and when she observed how strong he was become, she was still more embittered, and said one day to the giant: "Dost thou notice how strong Hans is? He may become dangerous to us the older he grows and the more he increases in strength, and may one day easily strike us both dead, that he may possess the cave alone; or he may drive us from it. It would be well and prudent on thy part, if thou wert to provide in time, and take an opportunity of getting rid of him." But the giant answered: "Never again speak to me in that strain. Hans is a good youth, and will do us no harm; I will not hurt a hair of his head."

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When the woman found that the giant would not lend himself to her purpose, she lay in bed on the following day and pretended to be ill. She then called her son, and said: My dear Hans, I am so ill that I shall certainly die. There is, nevertheless, one remedy that may save me. I dreamed that if I could get a draught of the milk of the lioness that has her den not far from here, I should surely recover. If thou lovest me, thou canst help me; thou art so strong and fearest nothing; thou couldst go and fetch me some of the milk." "6 Certainly, dear mother," answered Hans; "that I will most readily do, if I only knew that it! would do you good." So he took a bowl and went to the den of the lioness. There she lay suckling her young ones; but Hans, laying the young ones aside, began to milk, which the lioness allowed quite quietly; but then in came the old lion roaring, and attacked Hans from behind, who, turning round, took the lion's neck under his arm and squeezed him so firmly that he began to whine most piteously, and became quite tame. Hans then released him, and he went and lay in the corner, and Hans proceeded with his milking, until the basin was full. When

he left the den, the lioness sprang after him with her young ones, and were soon followed by the old lion. Hans then carried the milk to his mother, who was so terrified at the sight of the lions that she cried: "Hans, send the savage beasts away, or I shall die of fright." The lions thereupon went away of their own accord and lay down before the door, and when Hans came out they ran to him and appeared glad.

When this attempt of the wicked mother had thus failed, she again said to the giant: "If thou hadst directly followed my counsel, we should now have nothing more to fear; but now it is worse than before, and as he has got the wild beasts we cannot so easily do anything to harm him." The giant answered: "I know not why we should do anything to injure him. Hans is a good youth, and the animals are tame. I would on no account lay a hand on him." To this the mother replied: "It may, notwithstanding, easily enter his mind either to drive us from the cave, or even destroy us outright, in order to become its master. I cannot feel happy so long as I must live in fear."

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"

After a time the woman again lay in bed, saying she was sick, and again called to her son and said: "I have had another dream, that if I could get a few of the apples that grow in the garden of the three giants, I should again be well; otherwise I feel that I must die." Hans said : 'My dear mother, as you have such great need of them, I will go to the giants and fetch you some." So, taking a sack, he was instantly on his way, and the lions after him. But the wicked mother thought that this time he would surely never return. Hans went straight into the garden and gathered a sackful of apples; and having so done, ate a few himself; immediately after which he fell into a deep sleep and sank down under one of the trees. This was caused by the apples, which possessed that property. Had the faithful lions now not been with him, he must have perished; for instantly there rushed a huge giant through the garden, crying: "Who has stolen our apples?" But Hans slept on and answered not. On perceiving Hans, the giant ran fiercely at him, and would have finished him, but then up sprang the lions, fell upon the giant, and in a short time tore him in pieces. Now came the second giant, also

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