"Only one wish is closed to you," resumed the fairy; "you may not wish to have any more wishes." "That's a pity," said the woodcutter, "especially as I'd only just thought of; it." "An obvious precaution that we were obliged to take in our own interests. We lost heavily in that way at one time. But consider well. You have the choice of wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. You can become the most powerful monarch in the world. Beauty can be yours, or wisdom or piety. You can--" "I wonder," asked the woodcutter, "if you'd mind not talking for a moment? This is a delicate crisis and demands concentration. I think that first of all," he continued thoughtfully, "I will suggest that you endow me with perfect and unalterable self-esteem for ever, so that in case I make a fool of myself over the other two wishes I shall not have the misery of perceiving it." "It is done," said the fairy, and at once the woodcutter was sensible of an inward elation like the effect of good champagne, only more so. "I'm really managing this rather well," he thought with a smile. "I wish the foreman of the lumber works, who called me a fool yesterday, could see me now!" And immediately there was the foreman, blinking and rubbing his eyes, and gazing with irritation at the fairy and the woodcutter. The latter laughed pleasantly. "That," he said to the fairy, "is distinctly one up to you! If it wasn't for the gift of self-esteem I should be calling myself every kind of idiot. But the best of us are liable to error!" "You have now," the fairy reminded him, "one wish left. Will you desire that your task-master here be returned to the place whence he came?" "I will not," said the woodcutter. "If it amuses him to stay, he is quite welcome. If not, I imagine him to be capable of walking. Let me see. At the present moment the only wants I can suggest are both few and simple; a million pounds invested in Government stock, the constitution of a gladiator, and to be as wise as the greatest fool on earth imagines himself--these are the lot. But no doubt I shall recollect others presently." "One wish only," the fairy repeated a little sharply, "and that without delay, for time presses." "You needn't rub it in," said the woodcutter. "I have already made my choice. Are you ready? Go! I wish to have everything I really want in the world." He paused expectantly, and even a little apprehensively. "It is done," said the fairy; but nothing happened. "That's all right!" said the woodcutter with obvious relief. "I will now, as an extra, wish both you and the foreman good evening." Whereupon he bowed them politely out of the hut and returned chuckling to his hygienic diet. Which appears to show that even in the year Once men were not always the fools that they are usually represented. * * * * * AIDS TO ADVERTISERS.