Here we have a tale, which, in its language, well illustrates Stevenson's "pattern of style," especially as regards the harmony produced by the arrangement of letters. From the standpoint of style, this tale might be named, _The Adventure of the Letter E_; it illustrates the part the phonics of the tale may contribute to the effect of the setting. Follow the letter _e_ in the opening of the tale, both as to the eye and the ear:-- A Spid_e_r and a Fl_e_a dw_e_lt tog_e_th_e_r in on_e_ hous_e_ and br_e_w_e_d th_e_ir b_ee_r in an _e_gg-shell. On_e_ day wh_e_n th_e_ Spid_e_r was stirring it up sh_e_ f_e_ll in and burn_e_d h_e_rs_e_lf. Th_e_r_e_upon th_e_ Fl_e_a b_e_gan to scr_e_am. And th_e_n th_e_ Door ask_e_d, "Why ar_e_ you scr_e_aming, littl_e_ Fl_e_a?" If we follow the _e_ sound through the tale, we find it in _Flea, beer, scream, creak, weeps, sweep, reason, heap_, _Tree, leaves_, and _Streamlet_. This repetition of the one sound puts music into the tale and creates a center of the harmony of sound. But if we examine the next part of the tale we find a variety of sounds of _o_ in _thereupon, Door, Broom, stood_, and _corner_. Later, in connection with _Cart_, we have _began, fast, past_, and _Ashes_. Other phonic effects are crowded into the tale; such as the sound of _l_ in _violently, till, all, leaves_, and _fell_; the sound of _i_ in _little_ and _Girl_; of _p_ in _pitcher_ and _passing_; of _t_ in _little_ and _pitcher_; and of _ew_ in _threw_ and _drew_. Altogether this very effective use of sound is a fine employment of concrete language, words which present images that are clear-cut as a cameo. It also gives to the tale a poetical touch. _Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse_, an English tale, and a parallel of _The Spider and the Flea_, preserves the same beauty and sequence by means of its setting and illustrates the same very unusual contribution of the sounds of particular letters combined in the harmony of the whole. _The Phonics of the Fairy Tales_ is a subject which yields much interest and, as yet, has been almost untouched.