"It was extremely fortunate for him that he remembered this detail. "He hastened to pick up his head, and he jumped off the scaffold holding it under his arm." "Dear me," said Smaly and Redy. The Mother of the Crow continued her story imperturbably: "When the crowd saw this man in such a peculiar condition they began to fly in all directions. An indescribable panic followed. The square rapidly emptied. Soon there was no one left saving a few people who had been knocked down. The crowd ran and ran; but the beheaded Prisoner ran harder still. Soon he was running by himself; all the townspeople had taken shelter. "Djorak and his head had a very precise end in view in running thus. It was important both for the head and for Djorak to arrive as soon as possible at the house of a certain Magician whom he knew. "He arrived, rushed in and banged the door behind him. The Magician, unfortunately, was out, only his young son was there, and although this youth understood perfectly how urgent it was that Djorak's head should be fastened on again as soon as possible, he could do nothing to help him. "'Let's consult the Brindled Rabbit,' suggested the Head. "The Brindled Rabbit being questioned played several strains on a harp of silver and crystal, then he withdrew into an old comfit-box and shut the lid down on himself. "After a few seconds he opened the lid again, his eye became visible, and his little paw shoved a folded slip of paper through the opening. [Illustration: HIS YOUNG SON WAS THERE] "The Son of the Magician read as follows: "1 Three. "2 Three. "3 Three. [Illustration: THE BRINDLED RABBIT] "He at once tore up to the third story of the house. There he counted three shelves, and from the third shelf he took the third little bottle and ran downstairs again. [Illustration: HIS LITTLE PAW SHOVED A FOLDED SLIP OF PAPER THROUGH THE OPENING] "'What must he do with it?' asked the youth, of the Rabbit; but the box remained shut; there was no answer. "'I must drink it,' replied the Head. [Illustration: THEN THEY SANG A COMIC DUET] "'But you've no stomach,' cried the Son of the Magician. "'Put my head back on my neck,' suggested Djorak, 'then there will at least be a stomach beneath my head.' "The Son of the Magician at once placed Djorak's head back in its proper place with one hand, while with the other he tipped the little bottle between its lips. "The effect was immediate. "Directly the liquor trickled down his throat Djorak felt himself as well as ever. He danced about with joy. He even played a game of leapfrog with the Son of the Magician, then they sang a comic duet, of which I cannot remember the words. The first lines went something like this: Every one who has lost his head, Must have had a jolly bad memory. "But Djorak had a good memory, and so he had kept his head. [Illustration: Then they questioned a Black Toad]