FORTUNÉE.
There was once upon a time a poor husbandman, who, feeling himself at the point of death, did not wish to leave behind him any subjects of dispute between his son and daughter, whom he tenderly loved. So he said to them, "Your mother brought me as a wedding portion two joint-stools and a straw mattrass. There they are with my hen; also a pot of pinks, and a plain silver ring, which were given me by a great lady who once lived in my poor hut. She said to me at parting, 'My good man, there is a present I make you; be careful to well water the pinks and to lock up safely the ring. In addition to this, your daughter shall be incomparably beautiful. Name her Fortunée, and give her this ring and these pinks to console her for her poverty.' Thus, continued the good man, my dear Fortunée, you shall have both the one and the other; the rest shall be for your brother." The two children of the husbandman appeared contented; he died; they wept, and the division of property was made without an appeal to the law.
Fortunée thought that her brother loved her, but one day that she had taken one of the stools for a seat, he said with great fierceness, "Keep your pinks and your ring, but do not disarrange my stools; I like order in my house." Fortunée, who was very gentle, began to weep silently, and remained standing whilst Bedou (that was her brother's name) was seated in state like a judge. Supper time arrived. Bedou had an excellent new-laid egg from his only hen, and he threw the shell at his sister. "There," he said, "I have nothing else to give you; if that does not suit you, go and hunt for
