The Beacon Second Reader Part 12

He answered to each one, "No, that is not my name."

On the third day the queen's men began to come back from all parts of the kingdom. They had been far and wide to find new names.

One of these men said, "I could not find any new names, but going by some deep woods, I heard a fox wish good-night to a rabbit.

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Soon I came upon a little house, in front of which a fire was burning.

Around this fire danced a little man. He wore a pointed cap, and had a long nose and bandy legs. As he went hopping and jumping about, first on one leg and then on the other, he sang:

My baking and brewing I will do to-day, The queen's son to-morrow I will take away, No wise man can show the queen where to begin, For my name, to be sure, is Rumpelstiltskin."

The queen clapped her hands for joy. She knew that at last she had found the name.

She sent the servant away with a bag of gold, and waited for the queer little man to come to her. At sunset the little fellow came hopping and skipping up to the queen.

"Now, O queen," he said, "this is your last chance. Tell me my name."

The queen asked, "Is your name Conrad?"

"No."

"Henry?"

"No."

"Then your name is Rumpelstiltskin."

"The fairies have told you!" shouted the little man dancing about.

He became so angry that, in his rage, he stamped his right foot into the ground.

This made him more angry still, and taking hold of his left foot with both hands, he pulled so hard that he tore himself quite in two.

WILLIAM AND JACOB GRIMM

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BED IN SUMMER

In winter I get up at night And dress by yellow candle-light.

In summer, quite the other way, I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see The birds still hopping on the tree, Or hear the grown-up people's feet Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you, When all the sky is clear and blue, And I should like so much to play, To have to go to bed by day?

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

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THE GOLDEN TOUCH--I

touch slightest creature statue

Many years ago there lived a king named Midas.

King Midas had one little daughter, whose name was Marigold.

King Midas was very, very rich. It was said that he had more gold than any other king in the world.

One room of his great castle was almost filled with yellow gold pieces.

At last the king grew so fond of his gold that he loved it better than anything else in all the world.

He even loved it better than his own little daughter, dear little rosy-cheeked Marigold. His one great wish seemed to be for more and more gold.

One day while he was in his gold room counting his money, a beautiful fairy boy stood before him.

The boy's face shone with a wonderful light, and he had wings on his cap and wings on his feet. In his hand he carried a strange-looking wand, and the wand also had wings.

"Midas, you are the richest man in the world," said the fairy. "There is no king who has so much gold as you."

"That may be," said the king. "As you see, I have this room full of gold, but I should like much more; for gold is the best and the most wonderful thing in the world."

"Are you sure?" asked the fairy.

"I am very sure," answered the king.

"If I should grant you one wish," said the fairy, "would you ask for more gold?"

"If I could have but one wish," said the king, "I would ask that everything I touched should turn to beautiful yellow gold."

"Your wish shall be granted," said the fairy "At sunrise to-morrow morning your slightest touch will turn everything into gold. But warn you that your gift will not make you happy."

"I will take the risk," said the king.

THE GOLDEN TOUCH--II

The next morning King Midas awoke very early. He was eager to see if the fairy's promise had come true.