in the midst of lightning one may see right into heaven; but the sight strikes even human beings blind, and what would not happen to us, the produce of the earth, if we ventured on such a thing, so much humbler as we are?”

"Humbler, indeed!" said the buckwheat. "Now I happen to have a mind to take a peep into heaven." And in his pride and arrogance he dared to do so. The flashes of lightning were so awful that it seemed as if the whole world were in flames.

When this dreadful storm was quite over, both the flowers and the corn felt refreshed by the rain, as they stood in the pure, quiet air; but the buckwheat was burnt black by the lightning, and was like a dead weed upon the field.

And the old willow's branches rustled in the wind, and large drops fell from his green leaves, just as though he were shedding tears.

Then the sparrow inquired: "Why are you weeping, when all around seems blest? Look how the sun shines, and how the clouds are moving! Do you not smell the sweet perfume of flowers and bushes? Wherefore do you weep, aged willow?"

And the willow told of the buckwheat's pride, of his stubbornness, and of the punishment which is sure to follow. ANDERSEN'S TALES.

ANECDOTE OF BARON CUVIER.

The young tutor of the children of Count Hérig, residing in an old château, was accustomed early in the morning to inhale the fresh air of the garden into which his window opened. One morning he observed two swallows building a nest in the outer angle of his small casement; the male bringing moist clay in his beak, which the hen mixed with straws and bits of hay to form their

home. As soon as the framework was completed, the pair hastened to line the interior with feathers, wool, and dried leaves; and and then flying to a neighbouring wood, they continued absent for several days.

As, however, the nest was in the course of building, two sparrows looked on with great curiosity, and no sooner had the swallows departed, than they took possession of the vacant domicile, always leaving one on the watch with his stout bill protruding through the entrance.

At length the swallows returned, when the cock made an indignant attack on the intruders, only alas! to endure a bleeding head and ruffled feathers; and so, after a short colloquy with his mate perched on a green bough, they withdrew again together. On the return of the hen sparrow, the young tutor thought that her husband gave her an account of the attack and the repulse, over which they rejoiced; and then saw them issue forth and store up a large stock of provisions, with two beaks ready to defend the entrance.

But now cries resounded in the air; crowds of swallows began to assemble on the roof; in the midst he perceived the expelled builders, recounting their wrongs to each fresh arrival; and before long two hundred of these birds were assembled. Suddenly a host of them flew against the nest-still defended by the two stout beaks— each having his bill filled with mud, which he discharged against the entrance, and then gave place to another to follow up the assault: while doing this, they so managed to accomplish, as to keep at a short distance from the nest, and be out of the reach of the besieged sparrows. The swallows now heaped mud on the nest till it was completely covered, and but for the desperate efforts of the sparrows, who contrived to shake off some of the pellets, the opening

would have been soon quite choked up. But brief indeed was the interval! for a party of the swallows perched on the nest, smoothed and pressed down the clay over the opening, and soon closed it up, when loud cries arose of vengeance and victory.

Another work was yet to be done. The swallows hurried away for fresh materials; of these they constructed a nest over the blocked-up entrance, and in two hours it was occupied by the ejected swallows. No wonder the young tutor looked on with increasing interest: he observed the development of the young brood; the male bird teaching them how to seize their prey in the air-how to fly high when all was still, and the flies sported aloft-and how to keep near the ground when a storm was coming, for then all insects seek a shelter. So passed the summer, and autumn came.

Crowds of swallows once more assembled on the roof of the chateau-the little birds were placed with other little birds in the midst of the troop-and ere long they all took a flight towards the east.

Spring came, and two swallows, lean and with ruffled feathers, came with it, and were recognised as the parents of the last year's brood; they repaired and re-lined the nest, and then set out on an excursion, as in the previous season. The morning after their return, a hawk pounced suddenly on the cock, and would have borne him away had not the young tutor mortally wounded the assailant with a gun. The swallow was seriously wounded by the talons of the hawk, and a grain or two of shot had grazed his breast and broken one wing, but the kind young man dressed his wounds and replaced him in the nest, while the poor hen fluttered sadly around her mate, uttering piercing cries of distress. In spite of every attention, he soon died; from that moment the hen never left her nest, refused the food that was con

stantly offered her, and expired five days after her beloved mate. These passages in a bird's history awakened in the mind of that young man an inextinguishable interest in Natural History; and often did he relate them when he had attained a world-wide fame as Baron Cuvier.-CASSELL'S NATURAL HISTORY.

THE THIEVES AND THE PEASANT.

A peasant was taking a goat to Baghdad. He was mounted on a donkey, and the goat, with a bell tied round its neck, was following him. Three rogues saw this little company go past, and desired to enrich themselves.

66

Said the one, May I carry off that fellow's goat in such a way that he shall never be able to ask it again of me!” And the other cried, "Grant me the wit to rob him of the ass on which he is mounted."

"Oh, truly, what an exploit!" exclaimed the third. "What would you say if I meant so to despoil him of his clothes that he will actually be obliged to me?" The first rascal, following the traveller softly, by stealth took the bell from the goat's neck, fastened it to the ass' tail, and made off with his booty.

The man still riding the ass, heard the sound of the bell constantly behind him, and never for one instant imagined that the goat was no longer there, till bye-and-bye he happened to turn round. Picture to yourself his astonishment when he could not see the animal that he had been taking to market to sell! Of everyone who passed he asked news of his goat; presently the second rogue met him, who answered,

"At the corner of yonder lane I saw a man running off, dragging a goat along with him."

The countryman jumped from his ass, saying,

"Please take charge of my donkey," and ran after the thief in the direction he supposed him to have taken.

When he had been running hither and thither for some time, he came back to find that neither ass nor keeper were to be seen. Our two rascals had already got far away, both well content with their booty; the third leaning against a well by which the simple fellow must pass, now awaited his arrival. Then, with loud wails, he began to lament so bitterly, that the loser of the ass and goat was led to accost a person who seemed thus afflicted. Approaching him he said.

'What are you distressed about? I am sure you cannot have had as much ill-luck as I have had; I have lost two animals, the price of which would have made my fortune." Oh, but think what a loss is mine!" exclaimed the thief. Have you, like me, ever let a casket full of diamonds fall into a well when you were told to carry them to the judge? I shall, perhaps, be hanged for theft."

66

"But why do you not go down into the well?" asked the countryman; "it is not very deep.”

66

"Alas! I am not clever enough," answered the rogue. I would rather run the risk of being hanged than drown myself, which I should certainly do; but if there were anyone willing to do me this service, I would gladly give him ten pieces of gold."

Promise me those ten pieces of gold," cried the poor dupe, thinking the sum would more than repay him for the loss of his animals, "and I will get you your casket back."

No sooner said than done; he threw off his clothes with such rapidity, and descended into the well so quickly, that the robber saw at once that he would scarcely have time to possess himself of his spoil. The countryman having reached the bottom of the well without finding any casket there,