Whereupon St. George took upon himself the government of Persia, and gave the six other Champions the six viceroyalties.

So, attired in a beautiful green robe, richly embroidered, over which was flung a scarlet mantle bordered with white fur and decorated with ornaments of pure gold, he took his seat on the throne which was supported by elephants of translucent alabaster.  And the Heralds at arms, amid the shouting of the people, cried: 

“Long live St. George of Merrie England, Emperor of Morocco, King of Egypt, and Sultan of Persia!”

Now, after that he had established good and just laws to such effect that innumerable companies of pagans flocked to become Christians, St. George, leaving the Government in the hands of his trusted counsellors, took truce with the world and returned to England, where, at Coventry, he lived for many years with the Egyptian Princess Sabia, who bore him three stalwart sons.  So here endeth the tale of St. George of Merrie England, first and greatest of the Seven Champions.

THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS

Once upon a time there were three Bears, who lived together in a house of their own, in a wood.  One of them was a Little Wee Bear, and one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great Big Bear.  They had each a bowl for their porridge; a little bowl for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bowl for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bowl for the Great Big Bear.  And they had each a chair to sit in; a little chair for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great chair for the Great Big Bear.  And they had each a bed to sleep in; a little bed for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bed for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bed for the Great Big Bear.

One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and poured it into their porridge-bowls, they walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths by beginning too soon, for they were polite, well-brought-up Bears.  And while they were away a little girl called Goldilocks, who lived at the other side of the wood and had been sent on an errand by her mother, passed by the house, and looked in at the window.  And then she peeped in at the keyhole, for she was not at all a well-brought-up little girl.  Then seeing nobody in the house she lifted the latch.  The door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody would harm them.  So Goldilocks opened the door and went in; and well pleased was she when she saw the porridge on the table.  If she had been a well-brought-up little girl she would have waited till the Bears came home, and then, perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they were good Bears—­a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very good-natured and hospitable.  But she was an impudent, rude little girl, and so she set about helping herself.