with one peck took off the head of a red demon.

Then Peachling broke open the great gate and soon all the demons, red and black and blue, were dead. He found the gold that the demons had stolen. Then he went home with it.

You may be sure his father and mother were glad to see him again. All the people of Japan were glad, too, that he had killed the demons. They gave him a great feast.

Adapted.

JAPANESE LULLABY

BY EUGENE FIELD

Sleep, little pigeon, and fold your wings-
Little blue pigeon with velvet eyes;
Sleep to the singing of mother-bird swinging
Swinging the nest where her little one lies.

Away out yonder I see a star

Silvery star with a tinkling song;
To the soft dew falling I hear it calling-
Calling and tinkling the night along.

In through the window a moonbeam comesLittle gold moonbeam with misty wings; All silently creeping, it asks, "Is he sleeping

Sleeping and dreaming while mother sings?" But sleep, little pigeon, and fold your wings— Little blue pigeon with mournful eyes; Am I not singing?-see, I am swinging— Swinging the nest where my darling lies.

Abridged.

CINCINNATUS

A LEGEND OF EARLY ROME

Cincinnatus was a brave Roman who lived

many years ago.

Rome had a strong enemy, who made war upon her. A large Roman army was sent out against the enemy, but their general was not a brave man.

He was afraid to fight. The enemy soon found this out and surrounded his soldiers. When the Romans heard this they sent three men to ask Cincinnatus to come and help them. He lived on a little farm outside the city.

The men found Cincinnatus digging a ditch

on his farm. After he had greeted them he said, "Is all well in Rome?"

"The enemy has surrounded our army. The people have sent for you to come and save us," was the answer.

Then Cincinnatus washed the dust from him

self, put on his robe and went to Rome. There he was made ruler.

Now we shall win," cried the Romans.

By sunset Cincinnatus had raised a large army. They marched out to fight the enemy.

6.

Let us march faster," begged the soldiers. They were sure they could win.

Soon they had surrounded the enemy, who were around the first Roman army. Then they gave a great shout and began to fight.

The other Romans heard the shouts and began to fight, too. Then the enemy knew they were between two Roman armies. So they gave up and did not try to fight.

Cincinnatus was as kind as he was brave. "I do not wish to kill you," he said. "Give us your

swords, and then you may go home."

After the enemy had gone home, Cincinnatus marched back to Rome. The people wished to make him king.

"No," said he, "I am going back to my farm." He was ruler just sixteen days.