A PIECE OF GOOD LUCK

“ All this is yours,” said Jacob Stuck to the princess ;
and he was that fond of her, he would have given her
still more if he could have thought of anything else.

Jacob Stuck and the princess, and the king and the
prime-minister, all went into the palace, and there was a
splendid feast spread in plates of pure gold and silver,
and they all four sat down together.

But the prime-minister was as sour about it all as a
crab-apple. All the time they were feasting he kept
whispering and whispering in the king’s ear. “It is all
stuff and nonsense,” said he, “ for such a man as Jacob
Stuck to do all this by himself. I tell you, it is alla
piece of good luck, and not a bit of merit in it.”

He whispered and whispered, until at last the king up
and spoke. ‘Tell me, Jacob Stuck,” he said, ‘where do
you get all these fine things ?”

“Tt all comes of a piece of good luck,” said Jacob
Stuck.

“That is what I told you,” said the prime-minister.

“A piece of good luck!” said the king. ‘‘ Where did
you come across such a piece of good luck ?”

“T found it,” said Jacob Stuck.

“Found it!” said the king; ‘and have you got it with
you now ?”

“Yes, I have,” said Jacob Stuck ; ‘I always carry it
about with me ;” and he thrust his hand into his pocket
and brought out his piece of blue crystal.

“That!” said the king. ‘Why, that is nothing but a
piece of blue glass!”

“That,” said Jacob Stuck, “is just what I thought till
I found out better. It is no common piece of glass, I
can tell you. You just breathe upon it so, and rub your

Igl