He said that there was once a man who had a wonderful salve, which, when put on a person’s eyes, would make him see all the silver, and gold, and diamonds, and other precious stones in the world.
“Is that true, Rupert?” asked Alfred.
“True? No, I do not suppose it is true.”
“Then I do not like it as well as that story papa told me the other day about the blind man, on whose eyes Jesus put the eye-salve; for that is true,” said Alfred.
“I will tell you another story, then,” said Rupert, laughing.
“A fairy once gave a cap to a man whose name was Fortunatus. Whenever Fortunatus wished to be anywhere, he had only to put the cap upon his head, and he was in the place where he wished to be, in less than a minute.”
“Is not that true either?” said Alfred.
“No; fairy tales are never true.”
“I do not think it is as pretty as the story of Elijah, which papa has often told me, nor any more wonderful either. Elijah was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. There is a great deal about Elijah in the Bible.”
“Well,” said Rupert, “I think you pair my stories pretty well. See if you can match this.