xcellent health and spirits。 Primrose is now almost a young lady； and； Eustace tells me； is just as saucy as ever。 She pretends to consider herself quite beyond the age to be interested by such idle stories as these； but； for all that； whenever a story is to be told； Primrose never fails to be one of the listeners； and to make fun of it when finished。 Periwinkle is very much grown； and is expected to shut up her baby house and throw away her doll in a month or two more。 Sweet Fern has learned to read and write； and has put on a jacket and pair of pantaloonsall of which improvements I am sorry for。 Squash Blossom； Blue Eye； Plantain； and Buttercup have had the scarlet fever； but came easily through it。 Huckleberry； Milkweed； and Dandelion were attacked with the whooping cough； but bore it bravely； and kept out of doors whenever the sun shone。 Cowslip； during the autumn； had either the measles； or some eruption that looked very much like it； but was hardly sick a day。 Poor Clover has been a good deal troubled with her second teeth； which have made her meagre in aspect and rather fractious in temper； nor； even when she smiles； is the matter much mended； since it discloses a gap just within her lips； almost as wide as the barn door。 But all this will pass over； and it is predicted that she will turn out a very pretty girl。
As for Mr。 Bright himself； he is now in his senior year at Williams College； and has a prospect of graduating with some degree of honorable distinction at the next Commencement。 In his oration for the bachelor's degree； he gives me to understand； he will treat of the classical myths； viewed in the aspect of baby stories； and has a great mind to discuss the expediency of using up the whole of ancient history； for the same purpose。 I do not know what he means to do with himself after leaving college； but trust that； by dabbling so early with the dangerous and seductive business of authorship； he will not bc tempted to become an author by profession。 If so I shall be very sorry for the little that I have had to do with the matter； in encouraging these first beginnings。
I wish there were any likelihood of my soon seeing Primrose； Periwinkle； Dandelion； Sweet Fern； Clover Plantain； Huckleberry； Milkweed； Cowslip； Buttercup； Blue Eye； and Squash Blossom again。 But as I do not know when I shall re…visit Tanglewood； and as Eustace Bright probably will not ask me to edit a third 〃WonderBook；〃 the public of little folks must not expect to hear any more about those dear children from me。 Heaven bless them； and everybody else； whether grown people or children！
THE MINOTAUR。
In the old city of Troezene； at the foot of a lofty mountain； there lived； a very long time ago； a little boy named Theseus。 His grandfather； King Pittheus； was the sovereign of that country； and was reckoned a very wise man； so that Theseus； being brought up in the royal palace； and being naturally a bright lad； could hardly fail of profiting by the old king's instructions。 His mother's name was Aethra。 As for his father； the boy had never seen him。 But； from his earliest remembrance； Aethra used to go with little Theseus into a wood； and sit down upon a moss…grown rock； which was deeply sunken into the earth。 Here she often talked with her son about his father； and said that he was called Aegeus； and that he was a great king； and ruled over Attica； and dwelt at Athens； which was as famous a city as any in the world。 Theseus was very fond of hearing about King Aegeus； and often asked his good mother Aethra why he did not come and live with them at Troezene。
〃Ah； my dear son；〃 answered Aethra； with a sigh； 〃a monarch has his people to take care of。 The men and women over whom he rules are in the place of children to him； and he can seldom spare time to love his own children as other parents do。 Your father will never be able to leave his kingdom for the sake of seeing his little boy。〃
〃Well； but； dear mother；〃 asked the boy； 〃why cannot I go to this famous city of Athens； and tell King Aegeus that I am his son？〃
〃That may happen by and by；〃 said Aethra。 〃Be patient； and we shall see。 You are not yet big and strong enough to set out on such an errand。〃
〃And how soon shall I be strong enough？〃 Theseus persisted in inquiring。
〃You are but a tiny boy as yet；〃 replied his mother。 〃See if you can lift this rock on which we are sitting？〃
The little fellow had a great opinion of his own strength。 So； grasping the rough protuberances of the rock； he tugged and toiled amain； and got himself quite out of breath； without being able to stir the heavy stone。 It seemed to be rooted into the ground。 No wonder he could not move it； for it would have taken all the force of a very strong man to lift it out of its earthy bed。
His mother stood looking on； with a sad kind of a smile on her lips and in her eyes； to see the zealous and yet puny efforts of her little boy。 She could not help being sorrowful at finding him already so impatient to begin his adventures in the world。
〃You see how it is； my dear Theseus；〃 said she。 〃You must possess far more strength than now before I can trust you to go to Athens； and tell King Aegeus that you are his son。 But when you can lift this rock； and show me what is hidden beneath it； I promise you my permission to depart。〃
Often and often； after this； did Theseus ask his mother whether it was yet time for him to go to Athens； and still his mother pointed to the rock； and told him that； for years to come； he could not be strong enough to move it。 And again and again the rosy…checked and curly…headed boy would tug and strain at the huge mass of stone； striving； child as he was； to do what a giant could hardly have done without taking both of his great hands to the task。 Meanwhile the rock seemed to be sinking farther and farther into the ground。 The moss grew over it thicker and thicker； until at last it looked almost like a soft green seat； with only a few gray knobs of granite peeping out。 The overhanging trees； also； shed their brown leaves upon It； as often as the autumn came； and at its base grew ferns and wild flowers； some of which crept quite over its surface。 To all appearance； the rock was as firmly fastened as any other portion of the earth's substance。
But； difficult as the matter looked； Theseus was now growing up to be such a vigorous youth； that； in his own opinion； the time would quickly come when he might hope to get the upper hand of this ponderous lump of stone。
〃Mother； I do believe it has started！〃 cried he； after one of his attempts。 〃The earth around it is certainly a little cracked！〃
〃No； no； child！〃 his mother hastily answered。 〃It is not possible you can have moved it； such a boy as you still are！〃
Nor would she be convinced； although Theseus showed her the place where he fancied that the stem of a flower had been partly uprooted by the movement of the rock。 But Aethra sighed； and looked disquieted； for； no doubt； she began to be conscious that her son was no longer a child； and that； in a little while hence； she must send him forth among the perils and troubles of the world。
It was not more than a year afterwards when they were again sitting on the moss…covered stone。 Aethra had once more told him the oft…repeated story of his father； and how gladly he would receive Theseus at his stately palace； and how he would present him to his courtiers and the people； and tell them that here was the heir of his dominions。 The eyes of Theseus glowed with enthusiasm； and he would hardly sit still to hear his mother speak。
〃Dear mother Aethra；〃 he exclaimed； 〃I never felt half so strong as now！ I am no longer a child； nor a boy； nor a mere youth！ I feel myself a man！ It is now time to make one earnest trial to remove the stone。〃
〃Ah； my dearest Theseus；〃 replied his mother 〃not yet！ not yet！〃
〃Yes； mother；〃 said he； resolutely； 〃the time has come！〃
Then Theseus bent himself in good earnest to the task； and strained every sinew； with manly strength and resolution。 He put his whole brave heart into the effort。 He wrestled with the big and sluggish stone； as if it had been a living enemy。 He heaved； he lifted； he resolved now to succeed； or else to perish there； and let the rock be his monument forever！ Aethra stood gazing at him； and clasped her hands； partly with a mother's pride； and partly with a mother's sorrow。 The great rock stirred！ Yes； it was raised slowly from the bedded moss and earth； uprooting the shrubs and flowers along with it； and was turned upon its side。 Theseus had conquered！
While taking breath； he looked joyfully at his mother； and she smiled upon him through her tears。
〃Yes； Theseus；〃 she said； 〃the time has come； and you must stay no longer at my side！ See what King Aegeus； your royal father； left for you beneath the stone； when he lifted it in his mighty arms； and laid it on the spot whence you have now removed it。〃
Theseus looked； and saw that the rock had been placed over another slab of stone； containing a cavity within it； so that it somewhat resembled a roughly…made chest or coffer； of which the upper mass had served as the lid。 Within the cavity lay a sword； with a golden hilt； and a pair of sandals。
〃That was your father's sword；〃 said Aethra； 〃and those were his sandals。 When he went to be king of Athens； he bade me treat you as a child until you should prove yourself a man by lifting this heavy stone。 That task being accomplished； you are to put on his sandals； in order to follow in your father's footsteps； and to gird on his sword； so that you may fight giants and dragons； as King Aegeus did in his youth。〃
〃I will set out for Athens this very day！〃 cried Theseus。
But his mother persuaded him to stay a day or two longer； while she got ready some necessary articles for his journey。 When his grandfather； the wise King Pittheus； heard that Theseus intended to present himself at his father's palace； he earnestly advised him to get on board of a vessel； and go by sea； because he might thus arrive within fifteen miles of Athens； without either fatigue or danger。
〃The roads are very bad by land；〃 quoth the venerable king； 〃and they are terribly infested with robbers and monsters。 A mere lad； like Theseus； is not fit to be trusted o