hunger, De Levis refused to partake of it. As for the Baron with the Bloody Hand, he also tasted not a morsel, for nothing was placed before him at each change but a bloody hand, newly cut off, and served up on a rich cushion. When this ominous repast was concluded, Philippe's companion at table rose up and withdrew, casting a look of pain and despair at him, and preceded by the same esquire, who bore before him another bloody hand. Philippe looked around, and saw that the walls were adorned with the same dreadful trophy No person now remained in the room; Philippe's guide took him by the hand, and leading him where his steed was standing, made a sign for him to mount it. When they had ridden a short distance in the forest, Philippe made some inquiries respecting the strange scene which they had just witnessed. The following was the reply:

"It is now seven years since Jean Petit began to undergo the punishment due to his crimes. He, and all who were associated with him in crime, are condemned to be constantly present with their victims. This is their punishment; and the curse of Heaven must remain too upon the scene of their crimes, until a legitimate owner of the castle and town of Mirepoix builds a house of prayer, for his honour and service. So saying, the spectral visitant disappeared.

On his arrival at Mirepoix, Philippe assembled the members of the town council, and having told them what he had seen and heard, they unanimously agreed, that, since the Almighty had mercifully promised to avert the fearful consequences of these wicked deeds, it would be impious not to comply with the conditions. The same year (1370) a church was commenced, which was finished in 1402. Philippe de

Levis's munificence was not limited to a church. He also added a magnificent spire to it, and built a fine episcopal palace, the architecture of which vies with that of the church. These three structures are all that now remain to attest the ancient importance of Mirepoix.

DAME HOLLE.

THERE was once a widow who had two daughters; one of them was a nice looking, diligent girl, but the other was disagreeable and idle.

She loved the idle one, however, much the best, so the other must do all the work, and be the drudge of the whole house. The poor maiden had to sit every day and spin by a well on the side of the highroad, and she spun so much, that

the blood would come from her fingers. Now it happened once that her fingers bled a great deal, and when the spindle was quite bloody, she dipped it into the well, and tried to wash it, but it dropped out of her hand and fell into the water. She wept and ran to her mother, and told her of her misfortune, but she scolded her sharply, and was so cruel as to say, "If you have let the spindle fall in, then you must just get it out again." So the little maid went back to the well, and knew not how to set about getting the spindle, but in her sorrow she fell into the water, and sunk to the bottom. When she came

to herself again, she opened her eyes, and found herself in a beautiful meadow, where the sun shone brightly, and thousands of flowers were round about her.

out.

So she walked along the meadow, and at last came to an oven which was full of bread, and the bread said, "Pull me out! pull me out! or I shall be all burnt, I have been baked long enough." So she stepped up nimbly, and took the bread Then she went on further, and came to a tree which hung full of apples, and the tree said to her, "Oh shake me! shake me! we apples are every one of us ripe!" So she shook the tree, and the apples fell down as if it rained, until there were no more left; so she went on again. At last she came to a little house, where a little old woman looked out of the door; but the old woman had a row of great teeth, which so frightened the poor maiden, that she would have run away, but she called after her, "Don't be frightened, dear child! stay with me; if you will do the work of my house neatly, I will be good to you, only you must be sure to make my bed well, and shake it carefully every morning, so that the feathers may fly, for then the folks below say it snows. I am Dame Holle!"*

As the old lady spoke so pleasantly to her, the maid agreed to her offer, and she betook herself to her work. She took great care to do every thing to please her, and always shook the bed well, so that she led a very happy life with her; not an angry word, and every day roast and boiled meat for dinner and supper.

*It is a saying in some parts of Germany, when it snows, "Mother Holle is making her bed."

Now, when she had been a long time with Dame Holle, she became sorrowful in her heart, and although she was a thousand times better off than she had been before, she yet had a longing after home. At length she said to her mistress, "Though I have often grieved over my troubles at home, and though it fares so well with me here, yet I cannot stay any longer." Then Dame Holle said, "I am pleased to think that you long for your home; and as you have served me faithfully, I will myself conduct you back again." Then she took the maid by the hand and led her to a large door, and as it opened and the girl stood underneath, ready to set out, there fell a golden shower, and all the gold remained hanging about her, so that she was covered with it over and over. "All this," said she, “shall be yours, because you have been so diligent;" and she gave her back the spindle, too, which had fallen into the well. After this, the door was shut behind her, and the maiden looked round and found herself not far from her mother's house; and as she went into the court-yard, the cock sat upon the well-head and cried,

"Kikerikikeriki,

Our golden young lady's come back again."

Then she went into the house to her mother, and as she was all over gold, she was made welcome. When her mother heard how she had come by these riches, she wished to have the same luck for her other daughter; she must therefore go and sit by the well and spin likewise. In order that her spindle might be bloody, she pricked her fingers with it, and thrust her hand also into a thorn-bush. Then she threw the spindle into the well, and sprung in after it. Like her sister, she came to a beautiful meadow, and walked on in the same path. When

she came to the baking oven, the bread cried out, "Oh take me out! take me out! or I shall be all burnt, I have been baked long enough." But the idle girl said, "A nice affair, indeed! to dirty myself for you!" and on she went. Soon she came to the apple-tree, which cried, "Shake me! shake me! for we apples are all quite ripe!" But she answered, "You have a good deal of impudence, truly; suppose some of you were to fall upon my head ;" and so she walked away. At length she came to Dame Holle's house; and as she had heard already of her row of large teeth, she was not afraid, and willingly engaged herself to her. The first day she behaved herself very well, was very diligent, and did what the old lady told her; for she thought of the gold she would give her ; but the second day she began to be lazy, and the third still more so, for she would not get up betimes in the morning. She made Dame Holle's bed, too, very badly, and did not shake it so that the feathers might fly out. This soon vexed Dame Holle, and she turned her off; but the girl was well pleased at this, and thought to herself, that the golden shower would soon Then Dame Holle took her to the door; but when she stood under it, instead of gold, a great kettle full of pitch came showering down upon her. "That is the reward of your service," said Dame Holle; and clapped the door to upon her. So the idle girl came home quite covered with the pitch; and the cock on the well, when he saw her, cried out

come.

"Kikerikikeriki,

Our dirty young lady's come back again!"

But the pitch stuck fast to her, so that nobody could get it off.