a cruel and wicked thing, that I wonder the mere
thought did not turn him into a wild beast in
shape, as he already was in his nature.

"This troublesome and impertinent little fow],'?
said he, "would make a delicate titbit to begin
dinner with. Just one plump morsel, melting
away between the teeth. If he comes within
my reach, I'll catch him, and give him to the
palace cook to be roasted on a skewer."

The words were hardly out of his mouth, be
iore the purple bird flew away, crying, "Peep?
peep, pe weep," more dolorously than ever.

"That bird," remarked Eurylochus, "knows
more than we do about what awaits us at the
palace."

"Come on, then," cried his comrades, "and
we'll soon know as much as he does."

The party, accordingly, went onward through
the green and pleasant wood. Every little while
they caught new glimpses of the marble pal-
ace, which looked more and more beautiful the
nearer they approached it. They soon entered
a broad pathway, which seemed to be very neat-
ly kept, and which went winding along, with
streaks of sunshine falling across it, and specks

[[174]]

p173 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p174w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p175

v?