Page:Household stories from the collection of the Bros Grimm (L & W Crane).djvu/222

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GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES.

Then his wife was so terrified that she fell all along on the floor, and her cap came off. Then the bird began again to sing,


"It was my mother who murdered me;"


"Oh," groaned the mother, "that I were a thousand fathoms under ground, so as not to be obliged to hear it."


"It was my father who ate of me;"


Then the woman lay as if she were dead.


"It was my sister Marjory"


"Oh," said Marjory, "I will go out, too, and see if the bird will give me anything." And so she went.


"Who all my bones in pieces found;
Them in a handkerchief she bound,"


Then he threw the shoes down to her.


"And laid them under the almond tree.
Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry,
Oh what a beautiful bird am I! "


And poor Marjory all at once felt happy and joyful, and put on her red shoes, and danced and jumped for joy.

"Oh dear," said she, "I felt so sad before I went outside, and now my heart is so light! He is a charming bird to have given me a pair of red shoes."

But the mother's hair stood on end, and looked like flame, and she said,

"Even if the world is coming to an end, I must go out for a little relief."

Just as she came outside the door, crash went the millstone on her head, and crushed her flat. The father and daughter rushed out, and saw smoke and flames of fire rise up; but when that had gone by, there stood the little brother; and he took his father and Marjory by the hand, and they felt very happy and content, and went indoors, and sat to the table, and had their dinner.