forsheknewthestrangerbyhishornycoat.

"youarebothquiteright,"saidhe;sotheybeggedhimtowalkin,thatistocomeasfarashecouldunderthebrokenpieceofearthenware.

"nowyoushallalsoseemylittleearwigs,"saidathirdandafourthmother,"theyarelovelylittlethings,andhighlyyareneverill-behaved,exceptwhentheyareuncomfortableintheirinside,whichunfortunatelyoftenhappensattheirage."

thuseachmotherspokeofherbaby,andtheirbabiestalkedaftertheirownfashion,andmadeuseofthelittlenipperstheyhaveintheirtailstonipthebeardofthebeetle.

"theyarealwaysbusyaboutsomething,thelittlerogues,"saidthemother,beamingwithmaternalpride;butthebeetlefeltitabore,andhethereforeinquiredthewaytothenearestdung-heap.

"thatisquiteoutinthegreatworld,ontheothersideoftheditch,"answeredanearwig,"ihopenoneofmychildrenwillevergosofar,itwouldbethedeathofme."

"butishalltrytogetsofar,"saidthebeetle,andhewalkedoffwithouttakinganyformalleave,whichisconsideredapolitethingtodo.

whenhearrivedattheditch,hemetseveralfriends,allthembeetles;"welivehere,"theysaid,"andweareveryyweaskyoutostepdownintothisrichmud,youmustbefatiguedafteryourjourney."

"certainly,"saidthebeetle,"ishallbemosthappy;ihavebeenexposedtotherain,andhavehadtolieuponlinen,andcleanlinessisathingthatgreatlyexhaustsme;ihavealsopainsinoneofmywingsfromstandinginthedraughtunderapieceofbrokencrockery.itisreallyquiterefreshingtobewithone'sownkindredagain."

"perhapsyoucamefromadung-heap,"observedtheoldestofthem.

"no,indeed,icamefromamuchgranderplace,"repliedthebeetle;"icamefromtheemperor'sstable,whereiwasborn,withgoldenshoesonmyfeet.iamtravellingonasecretembassy,butyoumustnotaskmeanyquestions,foricannotbetraymysecret."

thenthebeetlesteppeddownintotherichmud,wheresatthreeyoung-ladybeetles,whotittered,becausetheydidnotknowwhattosay.

"noneofthemareengagedyet,"saidtheirmother,andthebeetlemaidenstitteredagain,thistimequiteinconfusion.

"ihaveneverseengreaterbeauties,evenintheroyalstables,"exclaimedthebeetle,whowasnowrestinghimself.

"don'tspoilmygirls,"saidthemother;"anddon'ttalktothem,pray,unlessyouhaveseriousintentions."

butofcoursethebeetle'sintentionswereserious,andafterawhileourfriendwasengaged.themothergavethemherblessing,andalltheotherbeetlescried"hurrah."

immediatelyafterthebetrothalcamethemarriage,fortherewasnoreasontodelay.thefollowingdaypassedverypleasantly,andthenextwastolerablycomfortable;butonthethirditbecamenecessaryforhimtothinkofgettingfoodforhiswife,and,perhaps,forchildren.

"ihaveallowedmyselftobetakenin,"saidourbeetletohimself,"andnowthere'snothingtobedonebuttotakethemin,inreturn."

nosoonersaidthandone.awayhewent,andstayedawayalldayandallnight,andhiswiferemainedbehindaforsakenwidow.

"oh,"saidtheotherbeetles,"thisfellowthatwehavereceivedintoourfamilyisnothingbutacompletevagabond.hehasgoneawayandlefthiswifeaburdenuponourhands."

"well,shecanbeunmarriedagain,andremainherewithmyotherdaughters,"saidthemother."fieonthevillainthatforsookher!"