Three good giants

Then it was that Friar John - - holding his staff high in the air — swept down upon the scattered Bunmakers like a hurricane ! It was "first come, first served" with Friar John. The first thwack crashed through the crown of a big-headed bun-man, and brought him down. Then the staff, with just a little blood on it now, went spinning around to the right and left — up and down, first on one, then another — in fact, everywhere. It broke the legs of this one, the arms of that one, and the neck of still another. It gouged the eyes, drove teeth down throats, smashed in ribs, and made jaws crack. If any one wanted to hide between the thick vines, Friar John was sure to spy him out and bring him to the ground with a broken back. If any one wanted to run away, the terrible staff would reach him, and he would fall, shout-ino-: " I surrender ! " When the slaughter had gone on for some time, Friar John stopped, and for good reason; for, looking around him, he could no longer see a single Bunmaker standing on his feet, and he was onlv giving wild blows in the air. Then he rested, and it was found that he had, with his single arm, killed the whole army which had remained behind in the vineyards of the convent, numbering thirteen thousand six hundred and twenty-two men. But Friar John had struck down some other things besides the army, and these were the purple vines loaded with the rich and juicy grapes, which made the delicious convent wine famous throughout all the laud.

After all, the rascal Bunmakers had spoiled the vintage !

FRIAK JOHN TO THE RESCUE.

CHAPTER XV. HOW OLD KING GRANDGOUSIER RECEIVED THE NEWS.

WHILE Friar John was cracking skulls, and breaking limbs, and flattening noses, and ramming teeth clown throats, Picrochole, King of Lerne, had, with his Bunmak-ers and in the greatest haste, crossed the Ford of Vede and ordered the town of Roche-Clermaud to surrender, which did not make him wait long before opening its gates to him. We shall leave him there while we see how King Grand-gousier had received the news of this sudden war.

One rainy evening, the fine old gentleman happened to be in a very good humor. He was, as usual after supper, seated warming his knees, which were somewhat rheumatic, before a blazing fire ; and, while waiting for the chestnuts to be roasted to a turn, was passing the time by writing on the red hearth with a burnt stick and making Queen Gargamelle laugh by telling his funny stories of old times. While he was in the very midst of one of these funny old stories, and the chestnuts were smelling as if they wanted to be eaten, here comes a servant to tell King Grandgousier that one of his Shepherds was down in the court-yard begging to see him.

T What does the varlet want ? " asked the old King. He didn't mean to be angry, but his surprise made his big voice sound very loud and very gruff.

"To see Your Majesty."

" And what does he want to see My Majesty for ? But bring him up. I shan't know any sooner by waiting for thee to tell me."

Who should it be but one of the very Shepherds, who had been

PICROCHOLE'S ARMY.

watching the vines and the rich purple grapes when the trouble began ? He was full of it, — so brimming full that he could hardly speak for his eagerness to tell all he knew. At last, he managed to let the King know what the bad Bun makers of Lerne had done with his subjects' vineyards ; how the wicked King Picrochole had been running over his lands, doing pretty much what he liked in the way of burning houses, sacking towns, and tramping down vines ; and how he was, just at this time, shutting the gates of Roche-Clermaud against His Majesty. It was sad to see how the old Giant received this bad news. He was the kindest and friendliest of neighbors to all the Kings around him. He had never been known to go to war with any of them, and no neighbor had ever once thought before of going to war with him. What the good old man liked was peace, so that he could, every day after supper, eat roasted chestnuts, and tell fine stories of old times, while writing with a burnt stick on the red hearth.

"Holos! holos!" cried Grandgousier; ''what is all this, good people ? Am I dreaming ? Or is this really true that I hear ? Can Picrochole, the dear friend of my youth, close to me in blood and alliance, mean to war against me and my people? Who leads him on ? Who has induced him to do this? Ho! ho! ho I ho ! ho ! May he believe me when I say that I have never done any harm to him or his people ! On the contrary, I have helped him whenever he wanted money ; and that was very often. Ho ! ho ho! my good people, my friends, and all my faithful servants, I cannot

GRANDGOUSIER WRITES TO GARGANTUA.

prevent your coming to my aid. Las! I am getting old. All my life I have worked for peace. Now I must have war. Las! Las!"