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 THE KING OF THE FAIRIES.

the old days there lived a man, who one day as he journeyed found waoi, a jungle plant, which is good to eat. But it was still young and tender, so he tied a knot of grass upon it to show that it was his, and in order that no man should touch it. Then he departed, and made up his mind to return when the waoi should be ripe.

Not many days after, the King of the Fairies chanced to pass that way. He also saw the waoi, and desired that it should be his. So he took the knot from off the stalk, and hid it in the grass. Then he caught an earth worm and tied it in a knot round the waoi, and went his way.

Presently the man said in his heart, "Now are the days of the waoi fulfilled. I will go and dig it up, and eat it this night." So he journeyed until he reached the jungle, and there he found that the waoi was indeed ripe, for some of its leaves had become pale, and others had fallen to the ground. He therefore began to dig, and was about to raise the waoi from the earth when he saw the King of the Fairies standing by with angry face.

"What doest thou here. O man?" quoth he. "Didst thou not see the knot on my waoi that thou hast laid hands on it?"