TWILIGHT LAND

because he did not know. He took the hair and stroked
it between his thumb and finger, and, when he had done,
it curled more than ever. Then he looked serious, and
slapped it between his palms, and that did not better
matters, for it curled as much as ever. Then he frowned,
and began beating the hair with his palm upon his knees,
and that only made it worse. All that day he laboured
and strove at his task trying to make that one little hair
Straight, and, when the sun set, there was the hair just as
crooked as ever. Then, as the great round sun sank red
behind the trees, the Demon knew that he was beaten.
“T am conquered! I am conquered!” he howled,
and flew away, bellowing so dreadfully that all the
world trembled.

So ends the story, with only this to say :

Where man’s strength fails, woman’s wit prevails.

For, to my mind, the princess—not to speak of her
husband the little Tailor—did more with a_ single

little hair and her mother wit than King Solomon with
all his wisdom.

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