it to me himself. Now I will make a great jump and try to get out of the basket.'

   "So it jumped and opened the lid. The Fisherman stirred in his sleep and put out his hand vaguely to close it again, but he was too sleepy to fasten the catch, and with less noise the Fish bounced up again and succeeded in floundering upon the grass. It lay panting and in great distress, but it looked at the beautiful Angler with regret. He was so beautiful and so desirable. 'I could almost stay

   now,' the Fish sighed. Then it braced itself up and gave one more bound, and this time reached the rock at the edge of the stream.

   "Again the Fisherman awoke, and now casually, with his eyes still closed, fastened up the basket before he slept again; but the Fish with its third bound reached the river, and darted out into the middle of the stream.

   "'Good-bye, Beautiful Angler!' it said, sadly. 'You were sweet, but you have taught me a lesson, and freedom is sweeter.'

   "The splash of its reaching the water fully awakened the Fisherman, but he saw the basket with the lid shut, and had no anxieties until his eye caught the pink of the water where the Fish sheltered under the rock. Its gill was still

   bleeding from the hook wound, and colored a circle round it. Then he opened the lid and found the basket empty.

   "'Good-bye,' said the Fish. 'Your wish has been granted, and your pleasure can begin all over again!'

   "But the Fisherman suddenly realized that his rod, while he slept, had fallen into the river, and was floating away down the stream.

   "'Good-bye again,' said the Fish; 'I have suffered, but I have now experience, and I am grateful to you, and my gill will heal up, and I will smile at you sometimes from just under the surface of the water, and so all is well!' And it flashed its glittering scales in the sun before it darted away out of sight in the strong current."

   And the Damsel folded her hands and looked into distance.

   "Thank you, Damsel," said the Sage, gently for him; "but the Fisherman could procure another rod—rods are not rarities. What then?"

   "That would be for another day," said the Damsel; "and—for another Fish!" And she tripped away down the hill, and was deaf to 

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