When the marriage was over, Kisa suddenly stood before them, and Ingibjorg rushed forward and clasped her in her arms. “I have come to claim my reward,” said the cat. “Let me sleep for this night at the foot of your bed.” “Is that ALL?” asked Ingibjorg, much disappointed. “It is enough,” answered the cat. And when the morning dawned, it was no cat that lay upon the bed, but a beautiful princess. “My mother and I were both enchanted by a spiteful fairy,” said she, “we could not free ourselves till we had done some kindly deed that had never been wrought before. My mother died without ever finding a chance of doing anything new, but I took advantage of the evil act of the giant to make you as whole as ever.” Then they were all more delighted than before, and the princess lived in the court until she, too, married, and went away to govern one of her own. [Adapted from Neuislandischen Volksmärchen.] The Lion and the Cat Far away on the other side of the world there lived, long ago, a lion and his younger brother, the wild cat, who were so fond of each other that they shared the same hut. The lion was much the bigger and stronger of the two—indeed, he was much bigger and stronger than any of the beasts that dwelt in the forest; and, besides, he could jump father and run faster than all the rest. If strength and swiftness could gain him a dinner he was sure never to be without one, but when it came to cunning, both the grizzly bear and the serpent could get the better of him, and he was forced to call in the help of the wild cat. Now the young wild cat had a lovely golden ball, so beautiful that you could hardly look at it except through a piece of smoked glass, and he kept it hidden in the thick fur muff that went round his neck. A very large old animal, since dead, had given it to him when he was hardly more than a baby, and had told him never to part with it, for as long as he kept it no harm could ever come near him. In general the wild cat did not need to use his ball, for the lion was fond of hunting, and could kill all the food that they needed; but now and then his life would have been in danger had it not been for the golden ball. One day the two brothers started to hunt at daybreak, but as the cat could not run nearly as fast as the lion, he had quite a long start. At least he THOUGHT it was a long one, but in a very few bounds and springs the lion reached his side. “There is a bear sitting on that tree,” he whispered softly. “He is only waiting for us to pass, to drop down on my back.” “Ah, you are so big that he does not see I am behind you,” answered the wild cat. And, touching the ball, he just said: “Bear, die!” And the bear tumbled dead out of the tree, and rolled over just in front of them. For some time they trotted on without any adventures, till just as they were about to cross a strip of long grass on the edge of the forest, the lion’s quick ears detected a faint rustling noise.