ihadtorunroundandroundwithoutgettinganyfartherinadvance,andonlytomakeeverybodylaugh.thejailer'sgrand-daughterwasacharminglittlething.shehadcurlyhairlikethebrightestgold,merryeyes,andsuchasmilingmouth.

"'youpoorlittlemouse,'saidshe,onedayasshepeepedintomycage,'iwillsetyoufree.'shethendrewforththeironfastening,andisprangoutonthewindow-sill,andfromthencetotheroof.free!free!thatwasallicouldthinkof;notoftheobjectofmyjourney.itgrewdark,andasnightwascomingonifoundalodginginanoldtower,wheredweltawatchmanandanowl.ihadnoconfidenceineitherofthem,leastofallintheowl,whichislikeacat,andhasagreatfailing,forsheeatsmice.onemayhoweverbemistakensometimes;andsowasi,forthiswasarespectableandwell-educatedoldowl,whoknewmorethanthewatchman,andevenasmuchasididmyself.theyoungowlsmadeagreatfussabouteverything,buttheonlyroughwordsshewouldsaytothemwere,'youhadbettergoandmakesomesoupfromsausageskewers.'shewasveryindulgentandlovingtoherchildren.herconductgavemesuchconfidenceinher,thatfromthecrackwhereisaticalledout'squeak.'thisconfidenceofminepleasedhersomuchthatsheassuredmeshewouldtakemeunderherownprotection,andthatnotacreatureshoulddomeharm.thefactwas,shewickedlymeanttokeepmeinreserveforherowneatinginwinter,whenfoodwouldbescarce.yetshewasaverycleverlady-owl;sheexplainedtomethatthewatchmancouldonlyhootwiththehornthathunglooseathisside;andthenshesaidheissoterriblyproudofit,thatheimagineshimselfanowlinthetower;-wantstodogreatthings,butonlysucceedsinsmall;allsouponasausageskewer.thenibeggedtheowltogivemetherecipeforthissoup.'soupfromasausageskewer,'saidshe,'isonlyaproverbamongstmankind,andmaybeunderstoodinmanyways.eachbelieveshisownwaythebest,andafterall,theproverbsignifiesnothing.''nothing!'iexclaimed.iwasquitestruck.truthisnotalwaysagreeable,buttruthisaboveeverythingelse,astheoldowlsaid.ithoughtoverallthis,andsawquiteplainlythatiftruthwasreallysofaraboveeverythingelse,itmustbemuchmorevaluablethansoupfromasausageskewer.soihastenedtogetaway,thatimightbehomeintime,andbringwhatwashighestandbest,andaboveeverything-namely,thetruth.themiceareanenlightenedpeople,andthemouse-kingisabovethemall.heisthereforecapableofmakingmequeenforthesakeoftruth."

"yourtruthisafalsehood,"saidthemousewhohadnotyetspoken;"icanpreparethesoup,andimeantodoso."

howitwasprepared

"ididnottravel,"saidthethirdmouse;"istayedinthiscountry:thatwastherightway.onegainsnothingbytravelling-everythingcanbeacquiredherequiteaseasily;soistayedathome.ihavenotobtainedwhatiknowfromsupernaturalbeings.ihaveneitherswallowedit,norlearntitfromconversingwithowls.ihavegotitallfrommyreflectionsandthoughts.willyounowsetthekettleonthefire-so?nowpourthewaterin-quitefull-uptothebrim;placeitonthefire;makeupagoodblaze;keepitburning,thatthewatermayboil;itmustboiloverandover.there,nowithrowintheskewer.willthemouse-kingbepleasednowtodiphistailintotheboilingwater,andstiritroundwiththetail.thelongerthekingstirsit,thestrongerthesoupwillbecome.nothingmoreisnecessary,onlytostirit."

"cannooneelsedothis?"