and Fern, who was always in a sort of dream, sat in the shade, and listened to him, and looked at him through her half - shut eyes, and thought him, in his blue coat shot with green and trimmed with silver, the handsomest lad that had ever been. But Fire had been reared by his uncle, Sultan Sol, at the other end of the world, and Fern was grown up when she saw him first. She thought she must have fainted at his appearance, she was so frightened, for Fire had red hair to begin with, and the most angry-looking eyes.

"Oh! don't come near me; pray don't!" cried poor Fern, "or I shall die."

"Wait, my dear," said Fire, taking a pair of blue spectacles out of his pocket and putting them on; "my uncle Sultan Sol gave me these for fear of accidents."

"Yes; but don't come near me," still cried Fern, shrinking in horror. "You wear a scarlet coat, and scarlet is a colour I never could bear."

Fire did wear a scarlet coat lined with gold, and he thought it very fine; but he wished to please Fern, so he said again:

"Wait, my dear, my uncle Sultan Sol gave me a cloak, that is the very thing. Just see."

So saying, he took a brown cloak out of his pocket; for it was so soft and so fine that he could make it

up ever so small, and spreading it out, he put it around him.

That is my smoke cloak," he said; "but to tell you the truth I only put it on when I am out of temper. So pray do not ask me to wear it often. Well, now that it is on, you do not see my scarlet coat, do you?" "Oh! yes, yes, I do," replied Fern, shuddering, "pray get another cloak, this is too thin.".

"Oh! I can make it as thick as I like," replied Fire; "only, the thicker it is, the more ill-tempered I feel."

"Never mind," said Fern, "I cannot bear the sight of scarlet.”

Fire frowned and looked quite angry; but he did thicken his cloak, and so it thickened and thickened till it looked almost black.

"Well, I suppose you will let me kiss you now," said he, going up to Fern. But she uttered a little cry.

"Kiss me!" she said; "do you mean to scorch me up?" Fire, who was always ill-tempered when he had his brown smoke cloak on, did not mind her a bit, and was going to take her up in his arms and kiss her, when Water leaped on his back,—he liked a practical joke,— and clapped his arms around his neck. Now, Water was always cool, and if there was a thing Fire hated,

it was cold, besides people so rarely took liberties with him that he now got angry with his own brother.

"Let me go, will you," he cried, foaming and hissing with rage, "let me go, or I shall make you repent it."

"I am not afraid of you, old fellow," said Water, laughing, and giving him a sly kick in the ribs. "You cannot do anything to me, you know."

Fire tried to shake him off, but he could not; then he thought to take off his spectacles and burn him up with his angry eyes; but Water had a little squirt ready for him, and Fire put his spectacles on again in a hurry. Then he attempted to pull off his cloak, but Water breathed upon it so that the cloak grew thicker and thicker, and Fire had scarcely breath left to cry out :

"I say, do you mean to smother me?"

This sobered Water, who let Fire go, and declared he meant it all as fun. The brothers became friends again, but Fern would not let Fire come near her, and though she agreed to love him, she informed him that it must be at a distance.

"Well, then," said Fire, "I think I shall travel, and see the world a bit."

"So will I," said Water. "You will not mind my leaving you, Fern, will you?"

"Oh no," answered Fern, "I shall not."

To say

the truth, she was rather pleased that both her brothers should go away for a while. She could not help being afraid of Fire in her heart, and Water had become troublesome of late, he had such high spirits.

The two brothers agreed to travel together, and Fern, still sitting in the shade, wished them a happy journey, and promised to wait for them there, and not marry till they came back.

66

Suppose we get you a husband, Fern," said Fire, who was good-natured, and liked his sister, "a fine bright young fellow, ever so lively?"

"No, no," said Water; "Fern wants a cool, steady man; don't you, Fern?"

"You know nothing about it, either of you," said Fern saucily; "I want the Wise Man."

"What makes you want him, Fern?" asked Water. "Well, I want him because he is wise, and I am foolish," replied Fern; "besides, I have heard that he lives in a wonderful place, and I have a fancy for a house of my own. It is very pleasant, no doubt, to live as I do; but I should like shelter in winter, and shade in summer."

"And when we have got the Wise Man, Fern," said are we to bring him to you, or to take you

Fire,

to him?"