IX.

THE LITTLE MAGICIAN

While Joseph Haydn was still a young man, struggling to make a living in Vienna, a boy named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born at Salzburg. You know that Vienna is the capital of Austria.

Salzburg is a little

Austrian city many miles from Vienna. It is beautifully situated on a small river. Wooded hills enclose it, and snow-capped mountains rise in the distance. An old castle stands on a steep height overlooking the town.

In Mozart's day a Prince-bishop lived in this castle. He was the ruler of Salzburg. Wolfgang's father was a musician in the service of this Prince-bishop.

Little Mozart was called "Woferl" by his family. He soon showed himself very quick at all his lessons, but arithmetic was his especial delight. Sometimes he covered the chairs, tables, walls and floor with figures. But even better than arithmetic he loved music.

Woferl had an elder sister, Maria Anna, whose pet name was "Nannerl." When she was only eight years old she was considered a wonderful player on the harpsichord, which was an instrument something like the piano. The baby brother used to listen and watch during his sister's music lessons. Then, when he got a chance, he dropped his playthings and trotted over to the harpsichord to play what he could remember of Nannerl's lesson.

Herr Mozart soon saw that his son was very musical, and so began to give Woferl lessons when the boy was but four years old. Woferl made such remarkable progress that soon he could play well. He also composed little pieces which his father wrote down for him.

After two years of study and practice, Woferl and Nannerl were taken on a concert tour by their father. They played at Vienna for the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor found it hard to believe that a child of six could play so wonderfully. He was sure that there must be a trick somewhere. So he tested the boy musician.

Little Woferl did not hesitate a moment. He played with only one finger, to show the Emperor what he could do. Then a cloth was stretched over the keyboard so that the keys were hidden from sight. But Woferl's baby fingers found the right keys under the cloth, and he played without a single mistake. The Emperor called him "the little magician."

Woferl and Nannerl were given beautiful clothes and jewels and many costly toys by the great people whom they met at court, but they were not at all spoiled by so much attention. Woferl was a a charming, sweettempered little boy. He treated everyone like a friend; he was not afraid even of the royal family. He used to climb into the lap of the Empress, throw his arms around her neck, and kiss her.

The children of the Emperor and Empress studied