that comes from it is poisoned." At the same time Cherie heard a voice saying: "You see again that a good action does not go unrewarded;" and he was immediately changed into a pretty little white pigeon. His first wish now was to go to Zelia; and, rising in the air, he flew all round the house. He saw with joy that there was a window open; but in vain did he fly all over the house, he could not find his Zelia there. He resolved, however, not to rest until he should meet with her. He flew onwards for many days; and having at last entered on a desert, he perceived a cavern, into which he entered, when, behold! Zelia was seated therein by the side of a venerable old woman, and was sharing her frugal meal. Cherie transported, flew on to the shoulder of the shepherdess, and expressed, by his caresses, the pleasure he felt at seeing her again. Zelia, who was charmed with the little bird's gentleness, softly stroked him with her hand, and although she thought he could not understand her, she told him that she accepted the gift that he made her of himself, and said she would always love him. “What have you done, Zelia?” said the hermit, "you have just pledged your faith.”—“ Yes, charming shepherdess," said Cherie to her, resuming at that moment his natural form, "the end of my enchantment then ̧ depended on your consent to our union. You have promised to love me always; confirm my happiness, or I will conjure the fairy Candid, my protectress, to restore to me that form under which I had the happiness to please you."-" You need not fear," said Candid, who, quitting the figure of the old woman, under which she had been concealed, appeared in her proper person. "The change that has taken place in your heart, allows her to give way to that tenderness which she has

long felt. Live, from henceforth, happily together, since your union will be founded on virtue."

Cherie and Zelia threw themselves at the fairy Candid's feet. The prince could not sufficiently thank her for her goodness; and Zelia, delighted to learn that the prince had abandoned his errors, confirmed to him the pleasing confession of her love. 66 Rise, my children," said the fairy to them, "I will transport you to your palace; I will restore to Cherie a crown of which his vices had rendered him unworthy." She ceased, and Cherie found himself with Zelia in the chamber of Suliman. This good man, charmed to see his master return, restored to himself and to virtue, joyfully gave up to him his throne; after which Cherie and Zelia enjoyed a long and prosperous reign.

THE LAIRD OF COLZEAN.

IN days of old, the proprietors of Colzean, in Ayrshire, were known in that country by the title of Lairds o' Co', a name bestowed on Colzean from some co's (or coves) in the rock underneath the castle.

One morning, a little fellow, carrying a small wooden can, addressed the laird near the castle gate, begging for a little ale for his mother, who was sick; the laird directed him to go to the butler and get his can filled; so away he went as ordered. The butler had a barrel of ale on tap, but about half full, out of which he proceeded to fill the boy's can; but to his extreme surprise he emptied the cask, and still the

little can was not nearly full. The butler was unwilling to broach another barrel, but the little fellow insisted on the fulfilment of the laird's order, and a reference was made to him by the butler, who stated the miraculously large capacity of the tiny can; but he received instant orders to fill it if all the ale in the cellar would suffice. Obedient to this command, he broached another cask, but had scarcely drawn a drop when the can was full, and the dwarf departed with expressions of gratitude.

Some years afterwards, the laird, being at the wars in Flanders, was taken prisoner, and for some reason or other (probably as a spy) condemned to die a felon's death. The night prior to the day appointed for his execution, being confined in a dungeon strongly barricaded, the doors suddenly flew open, and the dwarf re-appeared, saying,

"Laird o' Co',

Rise and go"

a summons too welcome to require repetition.

On emerging from prison, the dwarf caused him to mount on his shoulders, and in a short time set him down at his own gate, on the very spot where they had first met, saying,

"One good turn deserves another—

Take that for being kind to my poor mother,"

and then vanished.-Chambers' Rhymes, &c.

247

THE NORWEGIAN NECK AND THE TWO BOYS.

Two little boys were playing by the side of a river, and they saw the Strömkarl, or water spirit, (called also, "the Neck,") sitting on the shore and playing on his harp. Then the children called out to him, and said, "Strömkarl, why do you sit here playing? There is no salvation for you." Thereupon the Neck fell to weeping bitterly, threw his harp away, and sank in the deep waters. The boys related to their father, who was a godly man, what had happened. The father said, "You have done wrong to the Strömkarl; go back and comfort him with the hope of salvation." When they went back to the river, the Neck sat on the shore lamenting. And the children said, "Weep not so, Strömkarl; our father says that thy Redeemer also liveth." Then the Neck joyfully took his harp again, and played sweetly till sunset.-GRIMM (quoted in Austin's Fragments).

Long after the introduction of Christianity, the popular belief in supernatural beings continued to be tinged by the ancient notions as to their powers and characteristics. In old times, the water spirits were propitiated by the sacrifice of a lamb. This, of course, ceased with the light of Christianity; but the people still retained a certain degree of awe and reverence for them; thinking of them as unblessed beings, who might, however, at a future day, become partakers of the blessings of salvation. To this notion we may trace the touching legend that the Strömkarl, or Neck, requites those who promise him redemption with his enchanting music. I do not know, adds Miss Austin, that any legend contains a more striking expression of the need of Christianity to the heathen, or of the mild aspect under which it ought to approach them.

PINIS.

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