He 'pushed through hedges, hopped over ditches, and presently came to a field, which the farmer had tried to set on fire so as to burn off the stubble. But it did not burn well; only one thin little column of smoke was to be seen. Jacquot hopped up to look at the smoke, and saw a faint little Spark of fire among the ashes. " Oh, if you are a friend," said the Spark, V come and help me. Bring me a few straws, please, to keep me alive," "Well, that's a good joke ! What do I care whether you live or die ? What good are you to me, pray ?" "We can all help or hinder one another in the world,'* said the poor little Spark. "An old. aunt of mine, who lives in the kitchen of the farm-house yonder, and with whom I was living till the farmer brought me out here to die—my old aunt told me a story of a little mouse who saved the life of a great lion. I may some day be able to show my gratitude if you save my life now." " Oh, hold your tongue l r cried the ugly rooster, whose heart seemed to have been altogether left out of his one-sided body. "I sha'n't help you at all. Take that!" With this he scratched and kicked a heap of ashes over the poor little Spark, and hopped away, crowing loudly. After travelling some time longer, he at last reached the capital city, and very soon arrived at the palace of the Emperor and Empress. He was hopping boldly in, but the sentinels poked at him with their bayonets, and he was glad to hop out again. Still, determined to enter somehow, he hopped around to the back door, and passed into a large room, where a great many per sons were hurrying to and fro." "Who are all those common-looking creatures ?" he inquired of a guinea-fowl " They are his Majesty's cooks," said she. " Beware of them. Come back ! Come back!" " Oh, cock-a-doodle-do! nobody cares for them," said the silly rooster, and entirely forgetting his mother's warning, he raised his red comb, stuck his beak high in the air, made an elegant arch of his tail, and hopped into the very midst of them. 