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72 answered him, that it was of no consequence; that they saw clearly the hideous little dwarf was out of temper. The king was greatly chagrined, that the ugliness and folly of his son had occasioned such a mistake.

As soon as Furibon was left alone with Leander he seized him by the hair and tore out two or three handfuls. He would have strangled him if he had had the power, and forbade him ever to appear again in his presence. Leander's father, offended at Furibon's conduct, sent his son to a château he had in the country. He was not at a loss for amusement. He was fond of hunting, fishing, and walking; he could draw from nature, read much, and played on several instruments. He rejoiced he was no longer obliged to pay court to a capricious prince; and, notwithstanding the solitude in which he lived, never knew a moment's dulness.

One day, after walking a long time in his gardens, as the heat increased, he entered a little wood, the trees of which were so high and so leafy that they afforded a very agreeable shade. He began to divert himself by playing on the flute, when he felt something twine itself about his leg very tightly; and on looking down, discovered to his surprise a large adder. He took out his handkerchief, and catching the reptile by its head he was about to kill it; but it twisted itself round his arm, and, fixing its eyes upon him, seemed to crave for mercy. One of his gardeners coming up at the time, no sooner saw the adder than he called out to his master, "Hold it fast, my lord, I have been hunting it for an hour, in order to kill it. It is the most cunning creature in the world, and does desperate mischief in the flower-beds." Leander looked again on the adder, which was spotted with a thousand extraordinary colours, and still gazed at him earnestly without making any effort to defend itself. "As you would have killed it (said he to the gardener) and it ran to me for protection, I forbid you to do it any injury. I shall feed it, and when it has cast its beautiful skin, I shall let it go." He returned to the château and put the adder into a large room, of which he kept the key, and had bran, milk, flowers and herbs provided for it, to feed on and sport with.

Here was a happy adder for you. Occasionally he paid it a visit. The moment it perceived him it crept to meet him, with all the pretty airs and graces that an adder is capable