as you may believe; and his wife was almost beside herself with joy and wonder. Well, they had a capital supper; and after it was eaten, they ground out of the mill every possible thing to make their house and themselves comfortable. So they had a merry Christmas eve and morning.

SUMMARY.-In very ancient times there were two brothers, one of whom was rich and the other poor. At Christmas time, as the poor man had nothing ready for dinner, he went to ask a trifling gift from his brother. The rich man was ill-natured, and looked very surly when he heard his brother's request. At last, however, he flung a ham at him, and told him to be off for This ham was the beginning of great fortune to the brother, who exchanged it with the dwarfs for a little old mill which ground out everything he wished.

ever.

As-ton-ished, in great wonder.
Cap-it-al, first rate, very good.
En-trance, the road or way in.
Fra-grance, sweet smell.

Hewing, cutting down.
Re-quest', ask for.

Sur-ly, sour with a bad temper.
Tri-fling, very small.

QUESTIONS.

In what state was the two brothers? What did the rich one give to his poor brother? Where did the poor man go? Whom did he meet? What was he

advised to do? What happened after he entered the land of the dwarfs ? What bargain was made? What happened when he got home?

XXXVII. THE LITTLE OLD MILL; OR, WHY THE SEA IS SALT-PART II.

1. When the people went by the house to church, the next day, they could hardly believe their eyes. There was glass in the windows instead of a shutter, and the poor man and his wife, dressed in new clothes, were seen kneeling in the church.

66

2. There is something very strange in all this,” said every one. "Something very strange indeed," said the rich man, when three days afterwards he received a letter from his once poor brother asking him to a grand feast. And what a feast it was! The table was covered with a cloth as white as snow, and the dishes were all of silver or gold. The rich man could not, in his great house, and with all his wealth, set out such a table.

3. "Where did you get all these things?" said he. His brother told him all about the bargain he had made with the dwarfs, and putting the mill on the table, ground out boots and shoes, coats and cloaks, stockings, gowns, and blankets, and bade his wife give them to the poor people that had gathered about the house to get a sight of the grand feast the poor brother had made for the rich one.

4. The rich man was very envious of his brother's good fortune, and wanted to borrow the mill, intending for he was not an honest man-never to return it again. His brother would not lend it, for the old man with the white beard had told him never to sell or lend it to any one.

5. Some years went on, and, at last, the owner of the mill built himself a grand castle on a rock by the sea, facing the west. Its windows, throwing back the rays of the golden sunset, could be seen far out from the shore. It became a noted landmark for sailors. Strangers from other parts often came to see this castle and the wonderful mill, of which the strangest tales were told.

6. At length, a great foreign merchant came, and when he had seen the mill, inquired whether it would grind salt. Being told that it would, he wanted to buy it; for he traded in salt, and thought that if he owned it he could supply all his customers without taking long and risky

voyages.

7. The man would not sell it, of course.

He was

so rich now that he did not want to use it for himself; but every Christmas he ground out food and clothes and coal for the poor, and nice presents for the little children. So he refused all the offers of the rich merchant. The merchant, however, determined to have it; and he bribed one of the man's servants to let him go into the castle at night. He stole the mill and sailed away with it in triumph.

8. He had scarcely got out to sea, before he determined to set the mill to work. "Now, mill, grind salt," said he; "grind salt with all your might!—Salt, salt, and nothing but salt!" The mill began to grind and the sailors to fill the sacks; but these were soon full, and in spite of all that could be done, it began to fill the ship.

9. The dishonest merchant was now very much frightened. What was to be done? The mill would not stop grinding. At last the ship was overloaded, and down it went, making a great whirlpool where it sank.

to pieces; but the mill

The ship soon went still stands on the

bottom of the sea, and keeps grinding out "salt,

salt, nothing but salt!" That is the reason, say the peasants of Denmark and Norway, why the sea is salt.

SUMMARY.-The dishonest merchant sailed away in triumph. He had scarcely got to sea before he determined to set the mill to work. It began to grind, and the sailors filled the sacks; but these were soon full and the ship began to be filled. The merchant was very much frightened. The mill would not stop grinding. At last the ship was overloaded and down it went, making a great whirlpool where it sank. The mill went on grinding, and the peasants of Norway and Sweden declare that is the reason why the sea is salt.

En-vi-ous, wishing for what | Peas-ants, workers on the soil.

others have.

Sup-ply', give to, furnish.

In-quired', asked for.

Triumph, in great joy.

Kneeling, bending down.

Wealth, much money, riches.

QUESTIONS.

What change did the people | merchant do to get it into his see who came to look at the house? What did the rich brother wish to get? Who came to see the mill? What did the foreign

own hands? What did he say when he got to sea? How did the mill act? What happened to the ship?

1. Of all home

pets, the parrot is the most pleasing to us. Can you guess the reason? I am sure you will all be able to think why this bird is so much liked. The parrot is almost the only animal that can be taught to speak as we speak -to say little sentences, and to answer questions. She quickly learns any word or little speech that is

often repeated in her hearing. So, you see, "pretty Poll" does not learn out of books: she learns by word of mouth.

2. Did you ever hear of the parrot that played mother to a family of young sparrows? I will tell you about her. This bird was so tame that her master used to let her leave her cage, and walk and climb and fly about wherever she pleased. One day Poll found a nest of young sparrows in a hedge. What do you think she did then? You will laugh when I tell you.

3. She drove away the old sparrows from their home, and took charge of the young ones herself. You see, Poll had no family of her own; so she borrowed one. Back to her cage she would not go, but stayed patiently at the nest night and day, feeding the little orphans, and watching over them.

4. Poll gave the young sparrows a mother's care. When the little birds were old enough to leave the nest, but not yet bold enough to fly, the whole five of them would often perch on their parrot-mother's back and head-four on her back and the smallest on her head.

5. Then Poll would walk gravely up and down the lawn, and sometimes even fly a short distance, with her strange family. It was a very droll sight, and I think the sparrows thought it was great fun to ride up and down on Mother Poll's back.

6. Parrots are sly birds, and they have a very great love of fun. They seem to enjoy mischief quite as much as monkeys do. And, indeed, the