Gathering courage from queen took her child by

ing her, with his sword drawn. the desperation of her case, the the hand, and presenting him to the ruffian she said, "Here is the son of your king, my friend-save his life!" A few words now explained to Margaret that the outlaw before her was a gentleman ruined in her husband's cause. He took the prince in his arms, and led the queen to his own retreat, a cave in Hexham Forest, still known by the name of "Queen Margaret's Cave," where the royal fugitives received such comfort and refreshment as the outlawed gentleman's wife could furnish.-STORIES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY (HALL).

FABLE-THE WOLF AND THE MASTIFF.

A lean, hungry, half-starved wolf happened one moonshiny night to meet with a jolly, plump, well-fed mastiff; and, after the first compliments were passed, says the wolf, "You look extremely well, I protest, I think I never saw a more graceful, comely person: but how comes it about, I beseech you, that you should live so much better than I? I may say, without vanity, that I venture fifty times more than you do; and yet I am almost ready to perish with hunger." The dog answered very bluntly, "Why, you may live as well, if you will do the same for it that I do." "Indeed! what is that?" says he. "Why," says the dog, "only to guard the house a-nights, and keep it from thieves." "With all my heart," replies the wolf: "for at present I have a sorry time of it, and I think to change my hard lodgings in the woods, where I endure rain, frost, and snow, for a warm roof over my head, and a bellyful of good victuals, will be no bad bargain." "True," says the dog, "therefore you have nothing more to do than to follow me." Now, as they were jogging on together the wolf espied a crease in

the dog's neck, and, having a strange curiosity, could not forbear asking him what it meant. "Pugh! nothing," says the dog. "Nay, but pray," says the wolf. "Why," says the dog, "if you must know, I am tied up in the day-time, because I am a little fierce, for fear I should bite people, and am only let loose at night. But this is done. with the design to make me sleep a-days, more than anything else, and that I may watch the better in the nighttime; for, as soon as ever the twilight appears, out I am turned, and may go where I please. Then my master brings me plates of bones from the table with his own hands; and whatever scraps are left by any of the family, all fall to my share; for you must know I am a favourite with everybody. So, you see how you are to live. Come, come along; what is the matter with you?" "No," replied the wolf, "I beg your pardon, keep your happiness all to yourself. Liberty is the word with me, and I would not be a king on the terms you mention."-Esop's FABLES.

A RAVEN THAT WENT TO A FAIR.

There was, some years ago, a cunning, mischievous raven, named Ralph, kept at a lonesome farm-house in Derbyshire. He was a great favourite with all the family, though he often created much annoyance and trouble by his thievish tricks. Whatever came in his way, which was not too heavy for him to lift, he carried off; yet, though everyone knew who was the thief, he seldom came in for punishment, the servants and different members of the family being blamed instead, for leaving things in his way. Notwithstanding the care, however, which everybody took to put things in their places, Ralph found many a little article, of which he made a prize, and many a one which was never missed at the time.

After Ralph had practised his thievery, and indulged his habit of secretiveness for some years, all his hoard came one day suddenly to light. He had buried it in, as he had thought, a cunning hole, that he had made in the thatched roof of a barn. His treasure grew and grew, and the hole had been deepened and deepened, till it was deep as the thatch itself, and then all his accumulations fell through upon the barn floor. And what a wonderful accumulation there was! There was a world of amusement in the owning of Ralph's treasury, and many an old forgotten thing was brought to light, and many another was found of which nobody could give an account.

The winter after this event poor Ralph came to an untimely end. The travelling tailor who used to come now and then to the house to make and mend the clothes of the family, had made him, of scarlet cloth, a comb like a cock, which the creature allowed to be put on, and seemed to wear with as much pride as a young soldier wears his new uniform. Not long after being thus decked, there chanced to be a fair in the neighbourhood, and, as several of the members of the family went to it, Ralph saw no reason why he might not go also. Off, therefore, he flew after them, and arriving in the middle of the fair, perched upon the roof of a house, which stood in the centre of the place. The poor fellow, gaily decked, was immediately descried, everybody taking him for some wonderful bird, and everybody being desirous of securing him.

Unfortunately, a man with a gun was at hand, and to make sure of so strange a creature while he was within reach, fired at him, and poor Ralph fell mortally wounded. Hardly had he reached the ground, when his old friends. of the farm came up with a crowd that had been drawn to the spot by the firing of the gun, and in the strange

creature they instantly recognized their old favourite. Great was the lamentation that was made over him, and loud and vehement their indignation against the culprit who had thus ended his days. His sagacity was an endless theme of discourse; story after story was told of him, and so great was the sympathy of all the people, that for some time they forgot the amusements that surrounded them, to condole over the unfortunate raven that came to the fair in all his finery, to meet so tragic an end.— M. HOWITT..

FABLE-THE FOOLISH YOUNG COCK.

As an old hen led forth her train,
And seemed to peck to shew the grain,
She raked the chaff, she scratched the ground,
And gleaned the spacious yard around.

A giddy chick, to try her wings,

On the well's narrow margin springs,

And prone she drops. The mother's breast
All day with sorrow was possest.

A cock she met; her son she knew;
And in her heart affection grew.

"My son," says she, "I grant your years
Have reached beyond a mother's cares.
I see you vigorous, strong, and bold;
I hear with joy your triumphs told.
"Tis not from cocks thy fate I dread,
But let thy ever wary tread
Avoid yon well; that fatal place
Is the sure ruin of our race."

He thanked her care, yet day by day
His bosom burned to disobey,

And every time the well he saw,

Scorned in his heart the foolish law.
Near and more near each day he drew,
And longed to try the dangerous view.
"Why was this idle charge?" he cries:
"Let courage female fears despise.
Or did she doubt my heart was brave,
And therefore this injunction gave?
Or does her harvest store the place,
A treasure for her younger race?"
And would she thus my search prevent?
I stand resolved, and dare the event."
Thus said, he mounts the margin's round,
And peers into the depth profound.
He stretched his neck; and from below
With stretching neck advanced a foe;
With wrath his ruffled plumes he rears,
The foe with ruffled plumes appears:
Threat answered threat; his fury grew;
Headlong to meet the war he flew;
But, when the watery death he found,

He thus lamented as he drowned:

But for my mother's prohibition."-GAY'S FABLES.

ANECDOTE OF A CAT.

A favourite cat that was accustomed from day to day to take her station quietly at my elbow, or the writing table, sometimes for hour after hour, whilst I was engaged in study, became at length less constant in her attendance, as she had a kitten to take care of. One morning she placed herself in the same spot, but seemed unquiet, and, instead of seating herself as usual, continued to rub her furry sides