It was then decided by the dwarfs that the giants should lay aside their swords, clubs, and spears, and should become peaceable citizens. That they should thenceforth work for what they ate, and wore, and not seize it by plunder. That they should learn the useful arts of farming, housework, and stable-cleaning. In short that they should become like the kobolds themselves. [Illustration: THE DESPAIR OF KRUGE.] The giants served the dwarfs in these ways for a long time, but it was very distasteful work. They felt so ashamed and so degraded at serving these tiny creatures that they shunned all living beings as much as possible, and hid in the depths of the forest. They knew they were a laughing-stock to all men, and fairies, and water-spirits, and wood-nymphs. Kruge fared worst of all. All these people when they saw him would point at him, and say: “There goes the giant whose head was turned by a pigmy!” He would sit for hours, when he was not at work, holding his head, tearing his hair, and grinding his teeth with rage. It would have been a grievous thing to him to have been conquered by another giant, but to have been vanquished by a pigmy was too humiliating! He finally proposed to the giants that they should all quit that country. This they did. Thus the king was happily rid of these wicked and troublesome subjects; and not a giant has been seen on the banks of the Rhine from that time to the present. THE MIRAGE. The small caravan slowly wound its way over the burning sands of the desert. Fifteen days of unbroken desert travel had greatly weakened the little band which had left the last oasis in such gay spirits. The Syrian merchant, Ahmed, was the leader of this band, and with him was Calvert, a European, and several Arabs. On some of the camels Ahmed had merchandise that would bring high prices in Damascus. Calvert was traveling for pleasure. By some unaccountable means the caravan had wandered from the regular route, and Ahmed had no idea where they were. The compass told them in what direction to go, but how were they ever to find any particular spot in this trackless waste? Eight days from the last oasis should have brought them to the next on the regular route. Now it was the fifteenth day. The twelfth day found their supply of water reduced so low that only a very small quantity could be given to each individual, Ahmed and Calvert, (to their praise be it told) taking no more than the others. As for the camels they had nothing to drink, but they would not suffer for a long time, as they had an internal arrangement of water-sacks from which to refresh themselves. And now, on the fifteenth day, there was not a drop of water. Ahmed would have given all his merchandise for a pint of the precious fluid. Death stared them in the face.