The King of Loch Lein looked puzzled, but he answered promptly:
"Keep the old one by all means, for it will fit better and you are more accustomed to it."
"I thank you for your sound advice," continued the prince with a smile. "Yellow Lily, the daughter of the Giant of Loch Lein, is the old key to my heart, and I will wed no other girl. Your daughter, the princess, is the new key that has never been tried. She is only my father's guest, and no more; but she will be better for having attended my happy wedding in Erin."
Great astonishment of both royal families and their guests when the prince took Yellow Lily by the hand and led her to a seat beside him. But when the musicians began to play a brilliant air, the palace re-echoed from tower to dungeon with joyous shouts of "Long live the Prince of Erin and his future bride, Yellow Lily of Loch Lein!"
THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, AND THE SAUSAGE
Once upon a time, a Mouse, a Bird, and a Sausage, entered into partnership and set up house together. For a long time all went well; they lived in great comfort, and prospered so far as to be able to add considerably to their stores. The Bird's duty was to fly daily into the wood and bring in fuel; the Mouse fetched the water, and the Sausage saw to the cooking.
When people are too well off they always begin to long for something new. And so it came to pass, that the Bird while out one day, met a fellow-bird, to whom he told of the excellence of his household arrangements. But the other Bird sneered at him for being a poor simpleton, who did all the hard work while the other two stayed at home and had a good time of it. For, when the Mouse had made the fire and fetched in the water, she could retire into her little room and rest until it was time to set the table. The Sausage had only to watch the pot to see that the food was properly cooked, and when it was near dinnertime, he just threw himself into the broth, or rolled in and out among the vegetables three or four times, and there they were, buttered and salted, and ready to be served. Then, when the Bird came home and had laid aside his burden, they sat down to table, and when they had finished their meal, they could sleep their fill till the following morning: and that was really a very delightful life.
