96 THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN.

out the foolish boy’s consent, even if the knot were un-
tied.” |

It might have been better for Pandora if she had hada
little work to do, or anything to employ her mind upon,
so as not to be-so constantly thinking of this one subject.
But children led so easy a life, before any Troubles came
into the world, that they had really a great deal too much
leisure. They could not be forever playing at hide-and:
seek among the flower-shrubs, or at blind-man’s-buff with
garlands over their eyes, or at whatever other games had
been found out, while Mother Earth was in her babyhood.
When life is all sport, toil is the real play. There was
absolutely nothing to do. A little sweeping and dusting
about the cottage, [ suppose, and the gathering of fresh
flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and
arranging them in vases,— and poor little Pandora’s day’s
work was over. And then, for the rest of the day, there
was the box!

After all, [ am not quite sure that the box was not a
blessing to. her in its way. It supplied her with such a
variety of ideas to think of, and to talk about, whenever
she had anybody to listen! When she was in good-
humor, she could admire the bright polish of its sides,
and the rich border of beautiful faces and foliage that ran
all around it. Or, if she chanced to be ill-tempered, she
could give it a push, or kick it with her naughty little
foot. And many a kick did the box — (but it was a
mischievous box, as we shall see, and deserved all it got)
——many a kick did it receive. But, certain it is, if it had
not been for the box, our active-minded little Pandora