"What!--I must positively kiss you for that," exclaimed the wife, "My dear, good husband! Now I'll tell you something. Do you know, you had hardly left me this morning, before I began thinking how I could give you something very nice this evening. I thought it should be pancakes with savory herbs. I had eggs, and bacon too; but I wanted herbs. So I went over to the schoolmaster's--they have herbs there, I know--but the schoolmistress is a mean woman, though she looks so sweet. I begged her to lend me a handful of herbs, 'Lend!' she answered me; 'nothing at all grows in our garden, not even a shriveled apple. I could not even lend you a shriveled apple, my dear woman.' But now _I_ can lend HER twenty, or a whole sackful. That I'm very glad of; that makes me laugh!" And with that she gave him a sounding kiss. "I like that!" exclaimed both the Englishmen together. "Always going downhill, and always merry; that's worth the money." So they paid a hundredweight of gold to the peasant, who was not scolded, but kissed. Yes, it always pays, when the wife sees and always asserts that her husband knows best, and that whatever he does is right. You see, that is my story. I heard it when I was a child; and now you have heard it too, and know that "What the old man does is always right." THE FAIRIES OF THE CALDON-LOW By Mary Howitt "And where have you been, my Mary, And where have you been from me?" "I've been to the top of the Caldon-Low, The midsummer night to see!" "And what did you see, my Mary, All up on the Caldon-Low?" "I saw the blithe sunshine come down, And I saw the merry winds blow." "And what did you hear, my Mary, All up on the Caldon-Hill?" "I heard the drops of water made, And I heard the corn-ears fill." "Oh, tell me all, my Mary-- All, all that ever you know; For you must have seen the fairies Last night on the Caldon-Low." "Then take me on your knee, mother, And listen, mother of mine: A hundred fairies danced last night, And the harpers they were nine; "And merry was the glee of the harp-strings, And their dancing feet so small; But, oh! the sound of their talking Was merrier far than all!" [Illustration] "And what were the words, my Mary, That you did hear them say?" "I'll tell you all, my mother, But let me have my way. "And some they played with the water, And rolled it down the hill; 'And this,' they said, 'shall speedily turn The poor old miller's mill; "'For there has been no water Ever since the first of May; And a busy man shall the miller be By the dawning of the day! "'Oh, the miller, how he will laugh, When he sees the milldam rise! The jolly old miller, how he will laugh, Till the tears fill both his eyes!' "'And some they seized the little winds, That sounded over the hill, And each put a horn into his mouth, And blew so sharp and shrill! [Illustration]