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LABOULAYE’S FAIRY BOOK - What does this mean?” thought Yvon; -“‘there is some mystery here." He cut off a lock of his hair, dipped it into the pot, and took it out all coated with copper. “Oh, oh!" cried he, "this is a new kind of soup; anybody that swallows it must have an iron-clad stomach.” He went into the next room; there also a pot was suspended from a hook, and boiling without fire. Yvon dipped a lock of hair into it, and took it out all coated with silver. “The broth is not so rich as this in the Kerver kitchen,” thought he, "but it may have a better taste.” Upon this, he entered the third room. There also a pot was suspended from a hook, and boiling without fire. Yvon dipped a lock of hair into it, and took it out all coated with gold. It shone so brightly that it might have been mistaken for a sunbeam. “Good!” cried he. "In our country the old women have a saying, “Everything gets worse and worse’; here it is just the contrary—everything gets better and better. What shall I find in the fourth room, I wonder—diamond soup?” He pushed open the door and saw something rarer than precious stones. This was a young woman of such marvelous beauty that Yvon, dazzled, fell on his knees at the sight. ‘Unfortunate youth!” eried she, in a trembling voice, "what are you doing here?" 5
