I ordered at Toledo." Thus saying, he rang a gold bell which stood on a table next the pope.

The door opened without delay, and the Moorish servant came in. The pope looked round, and found himself in the subterraneous study under the Tagus. "Desire the cook," said Don Julian to the maid, "to put but one partridge to roast; for I will not throw away the other on the dean of Santiago!"-NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

ONCE upon a time, there lived a king and queen whose union was perfect; they loved each other tenderly, and were adored by their subjects; but unhappily they had no children. This, as may be guessed, was a sad grief to the queen, and often and earnestly did she wish that Heaven would bless her with a child. At last her desires were granted.

One day as the queen was taking a solitary walk in a neighbouring forest, she espied a path that not a little sur

prised her; for, though she had been there thousands of times before, she had never discovered it. Curiosity, however, impelled her to pursue it, and after walking on for some time, what was her surprise when she beheld the unparalleled lustre of a palace built entirely of diamonds; the walls, roof, ceilings, floors, staircases, balconies, and even the terraces, all were composed of that precious material. In the excess of her astonishment, she could not forbear an exclamation of wonder; when, as she spoke, the doors of the palace opened, and six fairies came out of it, the most beautiful and most magnificent that ever were seen. They approached the queen, and saluting her in the most affable manner, presented her with a bouquet, containing a rose, a tulip, an anemone, a hyacinth, a pink, and an auricula. "Madam," said one of the fairies, addressing the queen, 66 we cannot show you a greater mark of our respect, than by permitting you to visit us in our palace; and we are most happy to announce to you, that you will soon have a beautiful princess whom you must christen Welcome, which we are sure she will be to you. Fail not, when she is born, to call us to you, for we intend to endow her with all kinds of good qualities: you have only to take the bouquet we have given you, and name each of the six flowers, and be assured you will soon see us in your chamber."

To describe the queen's transport-how much she spoke of the little princess Welcome—and how many times she thanked the amiable persons who had announced such agreeable news -would be impossible. She was asked to remain until the evening in the palace; and as her majesty was fond of music, her hosts, by their delightful singing, completed her enchantment; after which, loaded with presents, she returned home.

Meanwhile the king and all his household were dreadfully alarmed at the queen's absence, and a rigorous search was made, which of course ended unsuccessfully. As she was young and beautiful, it was feared that some audacious strangers had carried her off. Every body about the court was therefore overjoyed to see her return; and, as she was herself in excellent spirits at the promises which had just been made to her, her conversation was so brilliant and agreeable, that she charmed more than ever.

In due time, the queen became the mother of a princess, who was accordingly christened Welcome; then, taking the bouquet that had been given to her, she repeated the names of the flowers one by one, and the six fairies immediately arrived. They came in chariots, each constructed in a different style and of different materials; one was of ebony, drawn by white pigeons; another of ivory, drawn by small ravens; the rest of cedar, and other valuable woods.

They entered the queen's chamber with a pleased and majestic air, followed by male and female dwarfs, all bearing presents. After they had embraced the queen, and kissed the infant princess, they displayed the baby linen, the delicate material of which was spun by the fairies in their leisure hours, and although fine as a web, was yet so good that it might have been used for a century; while the lace with which it was trimmed surpassed in quality, if possible, that of the web itself, and on it was worked the history of the whole world. The swaddling clothes and coverlets, which they had embroidered expressly for little Welcome, were worked, in the most lively colours, with thousands of different games at which children amuse themselves. Never, since embroidery was

first practised, was seen such perfect work; but when the fairies produced the cradle, the queen exclaimed again with admiration, for it surpassed all they had as yet shown her. It was made of so beautiful and uncommon a kind of wood, inlaid with mother of pearl, that its worth could not be estimated.

It now only remained for them to endow the child, which the fairies proceeded to do. One gifted her with virtue, another with wit, the third with more than mortal beauty, the fourth with good fortune, the fifth promised her a long and healthy life, and the last that she should do well whatever she attempted.

The overjoyed queen was expressing her thanks for the favours which the fairies so liberally showered on her infant princess, when an old woman, with a furious visage, entered the room. This was a fairy who had taken affront at some real or imaginary offence that the king and queen had committed against her many years before, and who now came determined to bestow some ill luck upon the young princess, and to thwart the benevolent designs of the others. They knowing that their offended sister meant to endow Welcome with some misfortune, seconded the queen's endeavours to soften her. "Permit us," they said, "to entreat your highness not to be angry with a queen who never intentionally offended you; pray lay aside your frightful figure, that we may see you again in all your charms."

These praises, which her sisters bestowed on the old fairy, partly dissipated her anger. "Well," said she, "I will not inflict upon little Welcome all the evil that I had resolved, for it was my intention effectually to mar all your good gifts: but I give you warning, that if she see the light of day before she