orrected.Atdiwasreadtotheassembledfamily,whoweresurprisedthatIcouldwritesowell.SomeoneaskedmeifIhadreaditinabook.

    Thisquestionsurprisedmeverymuch;forIhadnotthefairecolleofhavinghaditreadtome.Ispokeupandsaid,"Oh,no,itismystory,andIhavewrittenitforMr.Anagnos.”

    AcclyIcopiedthestoryatohimforhisbirthday.ItwassuggestedthatIshouldgethetitlefrom"AutumnLeaves"to"TheFrostKing,"whichIdid.Icarriedthelittlestorytothepost-officemyself,feelingasifIwerewalkingonair.IlittledreamedhowcruellyIshouldpayforthatbirthdaygift.

    Mr.Anagnoswasdelightedwith"TheFrostKing,"andpublisheditihePerkinsInstitutios.

    Thiswasthepinnayhappiness,fromwhichIwasinalittlewhiledashedtoearth.IhadbeeninBostononlyashorttimewhenitwasdiscoveredthatastorysimilarto"TheFrostKing,"called"TheFrostFairies"byMissMargaretT.by,hadappearedbeforeIwasborninabookcalled"BirdieandHisFriends."ThetwostoriesweresomuchalikeinthoughtandlanguagethatitwasevidentMissbysstoryhadbeeome,andthatminewas--aplagiarism.Itwasdifficulttomakemeuandthis;butwhenIdiduandIwasastonishedandgrieved.NochildeverdrankdeeperofthecupofbitterhanIdid.Ihaddisgracedmyself;IhadbroughtsuspiuponthoseIlovedbest.Ahowcoulditpossiblyhavehappened?IrackedmybrainuntilIwaswearytorecallanythingaboutthefrostthatIhadreadbeforeIwrote"TheFrostKing";butIcouldremembernothing,excepttheonrefereoJackFrost,andapoemforchildren,"TheFreaksoftheFrost,"andIknewIhadnotusedthatinmyposition.