X. THE UNLUCKY DOG AND FORTUNE'S IN FAVOURITE. N the little town near which I live, there resided, once upon a time, a young man with whom everything went wrong. His father was called the Unlucky Dog, and so he came also to be known by the same name. Both father and mother had died early, and left him to the care of a hard-favoured, angular old aunt, who brought him up by giving him a good flogging regularly every time she came from church; and, as she went to church every day, so every day the poor boy had his flogging. The poor little fellow really was very unlucky, for if he happened to be sent to fetch a glass, he was sure to let it fall, and when he tried to pieces he was certain to cut his fingers. just the same in everything. To be sure the old aunt died at last, and he planted so many shrubs and bushes round her grave, that one really was inclined to think he had tried to plant all the sticks she had broken across his shoulders. Nevertheless, with this exception, his pick up the And it was unlucky star seemed to grow brighter every year. At last he became so miserably unhappy, that he determined upon seeing the world; "for," said he, "worse it never can be, and perhaps it may be better." So putting all his fortune into his pocket, he wandered away out through the gates of the town. Now just outside stood a stone bridge, over which he had to pass. Here he rested a little, and, leaning against the parapet, he watched the tiny waves as they beat themselves into foam against the arches, and something felt very heavy about his heart, and he almost began to think he was very foolish to leave the town in which he had lived so many years; and so, perhaps, he would have stood thinking for long, if a sudden gust of wind had not seized his hat and blown it into the river beneath; then he awoke from his dreams, but his hat was already under the bridge, and dancing off into the middle of the stream, Each time as it rose on the crest of the wave it seemed to mock him and say, "Adieu, Unlucky Dog, I'm off: you stay at home, if you like." So Unlucky Dog, without his hat, trudged forth on his travels. Many a joyous band of comrades could he have joined, but when he was asked to be of the party, he only shook his head and said, "No, no, I should bring you bad luck; besides which, I am called Unlucky Dog." No sooner had they heard the name, than the |