THE LITTLE GLASS SHOE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1535, 19 December 1873, Page 53

THE LITTLE GLASS SHOE.

A NOTHERN FAIRY TALE. " Ho! ho! ha! ha !—what is it I view ?" Juhu Wilde, the ploughman, cried, And lie hit his foot on a little glass shoe That lay on the mountain side. " Some fay has lost it, there's .never a doubt, And ah ! how lucky for me ! The owner will soon he roaming about. To find where his shoe may he, And so," said Johu, ' : I'll carry it home. That's just what I will do, And he will pay me a pretty sum Who buys this little glass shoe ! *' And he spread the slory far and near, For many a mile around, For that the fairy might surely hear Who the little glass shoe had found, And soon to John a merchant came, Who said he had heard the news; And would the ploughman sell the same To a dealer in little glass shoes 1 And he offered John a pretty price For the shoe that he had found ; Cut Johu replied it was much too nice To go for a hundred pound. Then the merchant offered a hundred more, But the ploughman still said " Nay ; The man who buys my shoe," he swore, " Will dearly have to pay. There's not so pretty a shoe on earth To cover a lady's toes; And then 1 happen to know its worth Far better than you suppose. That shoe is one of woudrous price, (That nobody cau deny) And yet, perchance there's sonic device May serve the shoe to buy. If you arc able to show me now, When I am ploughing my field, That every furrow behind my plough A shining ducat may yield, Why, then, to you the shoe I'll give, Else I will keep it myself For an ornament as long as I live, To grace my mautel shelf 1 " Ami so it was the the fairy bought ("I'was he in a merchant's guifcc) His own glass shoe, and, quick ab thought. Away to his home he hies. And off went John, with much delight, As fast as he could go, By trial to prove that very night If the charm would work or no, And he found the fairy's word was true As he promised in the trade ; For a shining ducat came to view In every furrow he made ! Aud again next morniug off he went— Nor scarce to eat could stop— To plough again—he was so intent To gather his golden crop, And so he ploughed, and ploughed, and ploughed. Aud scarce for slumber ceased : No wonder John was growing proud, So fast his wealth iucreased ! And still he ploughed by day aud night, When none were looking on, Till he seemed, indeed, a sorry wight. He grew so lean and wan I And still, while none his work might view, He ploughed by night and day : And still the more his riches grew, The more he pined away, Until at last his work was stopt, And the ploughman, where was he ? Down in the furrow, alas I he dropt, As dead as dead could be ! IUORAL. Though gold is good, to have aud hold, My story makes it clear ; Whe sells himself for sordid pelf, Has bought it much too dear ! — John G. Saxc