THE Days of the Week once resolved to get freefrom work，meet together，and have a social party．Everyday，however，was so occupied，that all the year roundthey had no free time at their disposal；they must have awhole day to themselves，and this they really had everyfourth year，—the day that is put into February to keepthe reckoning of time correct．

On that day therefore they decided to have theirmeeting；and as Shrove Tuesday falls in February，theywould come in carnival dress，each according to his tasteand usual character；they would eat well，drink well，make speeches，and say pleasant and unpleasant things toeach other in the most unconstrained good fellowship．Theheroes of old times，when at their meals，threw at eachother's heads the bones from which they had gnawed thebeef，but the Days of the Week would overwhelm eachother with showers of wit and satire—all in innocentShrove Tuesday merry-making．

So the extra day came，and they all met together．

Sunday，the leader of the days，appeared in a blacksilk gown；pious people would have supposed that he wasdressed as a clergyman about to go to church，but thechildren of the world saw that he was in domino in orderto go and enjoy himself，and that the blushing carnationhe had in his button－hole was the little red lantern at thetheatre，which announced"All tickets sold；see that youenjoy yourselves．" Monday，a young fellow，a relative of Sunday andespecially given to enjoyment，came next．He left theworkshop，he said，when the guard-parade took place．

"I must go out and hear Offenbach's music．It doesnot affect my head nor my heart，but it tickles the mus- cles of my legs．I must dance and enjoy myself，get ablack eye，and begin work again next day．I am the new－moon of the week．"

Tuesday takes its name from Tiw，the old god ofstrength and power．"Yes，I am the day of that，"saidTuesday．"I set to work，fasten the wings of Mercury tothe boots of the merchant，and see whether the factorywheels are oiled and spinning properly；I insist that thetailor shall be on his board and the paviour on the street．Let each attend to his own work：I keep an eye on thewhole．"

"Now I come，"said Wednesday．"I stand in themiddle of the week．The Germans call me Mr．Midweek．I stand like the shopman in the shop，like a flower in themidst of all the other respected days of the week．If weall march together，I have three days before and three be－hind，like a guard of honour．I must suppose that I amthe most distinguished day in the week．"

Thursday came dressed as a coppersmith with ahammer and a copper kettle；these were the marks of hisnobility．"I am of the highest birth，"he said，"heathenand divine．In the northern lands I am named after Thor，and in the southern after Jupiter，who both knew how tothunder and lighten．That has remained in the family．"And then he beat on the copper kettle and demonstratedhis high birth．

Friday was dressed like a young girl，and calledherself Freia，and by way of change also Venus；it de－pended on the language of the country in which she ap- peared．She was usually of a quiet happy nature，shesaid，but today she was dashing and free，for it was leap－year's day，and that brings freedom to woman；by oldcustom she may then woo for herself，and need not wait tobe wooed．

Saturday appeared as an old housekeeper with broomand cleaning－things．Her favourite dish was a broth madeof the week's bread－crusts，but she did not demand thaton this festive occasion it should be set on the table for allof them，but only that she herself might have it；and shegot it．

And so the Days of the Week took their places at thetable．

Here they are now described，all the seven，readyfor use in tableaux for the family circle．In these theymight be presented in the most amusing manner possible；we give them here only as a playful jest for February，theonly month that gets an extra day given to it．

一星期的日子

忽然有一天，一星期中的七个日子个个想停止工作，集到一起，开一个联欢会。不过每一个日子都是很忙的；一年到头，他们腾不出一点时间来，他们必须有一整天的闲空才成，而这只能每隔四年才碰到一�............