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OF course you know what is meant by a magnifying glass—one of those round spectacle-glasses that make everything look a hundred times bigger than it is?

IN very hot climates, where the heat of the sun has great power, people are usually as brown as mahogany; and in the hottest countries they are negroes, with black skins.

Story the First,
Which Describes a Looking-Glass and the Broken Fragments.

FAR down in the forest, where the warm sun and the fresh air made a sweet resting-place, grew a pretty little fir-tree; and yet it was not happy, it wished so much to be tall like its companions— the

A WHIPPING TOP and a little ball lay together in a box, among other toys, and the top said to the ball, “Shall we be married, as we live in the same box?”

IT was lovely summer weather in the country, and the golden corn, the green oats, and the haystacks piled up in the meadows looked beautiful.

IN China, you know, the emperor is a Chinese, and all those about him are Chinamen also.

ONCE upon a time lived a poor prince; his kingdom was very small, but it was large enough to enable him to marry, and marry he would.

THERE is nobody in the world who knows so many stories as Ole-Luk-Oie, or who can relate them so nicely.

VERY often, after a violent thunder-storm, a field of buckwheat appears blackened and singed, as if a flame of fire had passed over it.

THERE was once a merchant who was so rich that he could have paved the whole street with gold, and would even then have had enough for a small alley.

THERE were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers, who were all brothers, for they had been made out of the same old tin spoon.

MANY, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his only ambition was to be always well dressed.

FAR out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, pile

POOR John was very sad; for his father was so ill, he had no hope of his recovery.

THERE was once a woman who wished very much to have a little child, but she could not obtain her wish.

MY poor flowers are quite dead,” said little Ida, “they were so pretty yesterday evening, and now all the leaves are hanging down quite withered.

ONCE upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she would have to be a real princess. He travelled all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted.

IN a village there once lived two men who had the same name. They were both called Claus.

A SOLDIER came marching along the high road: “Left, right—left, right.” He had his knapsack on his back, and a sword at his side; he had been to the wars, and was now returning home.

ONCE upon a time, there was a mighty baron in the North Countrie who was a great magician and knew everything that would come to pass.

Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme
And monkeys chewed tobacco,
And hens took snuff to make them tough,
And ducks went quack, quack, quack, O!

ONCE upon a time there was a king and a queen, as in many lands have been.

AT Hilton Hall, long years ago, there lived a Brownie that was the contrariest Brownie you ever knew.

A LAD named Jack was once so unhappy at home through his father's ill-treatment, that he made up his mind to run away and seek his fortune in the wide world.

DAME Goody was a nurse that looked after sick people, and minded babies.

ONCE upon a time, and a very good time it was, though it wasn't in my time, nor in your time, nor anyone else's time, there was a girl whose mother had died, and her father married again.

A GIRL once went to the fair to hire herself for servant. At last a funny-looking old gentleman engaged her, and took her home to his house.

LONG before Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, there reigned in the eastern part of England a king who kept his court at Colchester.

In the fable of Sadko, a man appearing to be a poor psaltery player, has talents which are neglected by the merchants of the City of Novgorod . However Sadko, was indeed a very talented person.