Daily Republican., 1883-06-06
LITTLE TKlOCHEN.
BY LESLIE THOR n f..

Il oppOsie Win IL SllCt VI CdhT. iHSl'
was but one slice of bread and one o
cake, so Trudchen, who always gav'
up in everything, said cheertully :
" The bread is very sweet and light
and had IA seed-cooky Yesterday. Gre
tel shall have the cake"
And, as they munched away at theil
supper, a little brown sparrow camt
and sat upon the outside ledge of the
window, with his feet in the cold sno"
and his feathers matted closely down
around him to keep him warm, and
eyed the two children with famished
bead like eyes.
ooh, look at that poor sparrow,
said Trudchen. g am sure he is starv
ing !"
AT this the sparrow began to twittel
softly:
81 am hungry, | am hungry, am
hungry !"
:" Let us give him something to eat,
said Truhchen,
60 You can do az you please" said
Grete. 81 want all my cake for my.
self"
Irudchen softly opened the window
and put crunb Of bread out upon the
ledge. Just then wolf looked out OF
the woods with savage eyes and the
sparrow flew away.
"There," said Gretel. You might
al well have kept your bread for your.
self"
81 will take it in" said gentle Trud.
chen, 'and give it to the next hungry
sparrow that flies down here.
So she opened the window to take in
the crumb of bread, 50 that the wolf
should not see it and devour it. And,
to her surprise, the crumb of bread was
no longer crumb Of bread, but a little
round pearl.
ooh, Gretel :" cried she "look here
See what the bread crumb has turned
intO!'
Pshaw!' said Gretel, sulkily.
Pretty soon they heard a footstep on
the frozen snow, and beggar girl ap.
peared tapping at the easement with a
nose blue with cold
"Let me in" cried she, "let me in,
or the wolf will eat me up. Keep me
until daylight, and then the wolf will
have to hide away in his den, ard can
20 out without fear"
"There's no room for her in our bed, y
said Gretel.
"She may have my place. said kind
little Trudchen, land | will sleep on
the floor in front of the fire for one
night
In the morning, the poor beggar asked
for penny.
eco along with you," said Gretel,
angrily. "Do you think that pennies
rain down from the skies in this part of
of the world 2"
81 have no money for you," said
Trudchen, pitifully, "but here is a
pearl !"
The beggar thanked Trudchen, and
went away. And afterward, when she
went to the table drawer to get her knit
ting work, there, in the place where
the pearl had been, glittered-a dia
mond as small and bright as drop of
dew
"Oh, look, Gretel, look !" exclaimed
Trudchen. And Gretel could scarcely
believe her own eyes.
Well these two little girls put on
their hoods and cloaks and started off
for school, And they had not proceed.
ed far through the snowy woods before
they came to the wolf lying by the side
of frozen stream.
son, am 50 thirsty" said the wolf.
$50 thirsty DO please, dear Trudchen
and Gretel, break the ice with your
sharp little work scissors, so that may
put my red tongue in, and get drink. -
"Indeed !" cried Gretel. "What do
tul. fnr ufplE
What do care if you do die of thirst ?
DO you think am going to break my
scissors-pont> for you 20
81 have got no scissors said Trud-
chen, looking pityngly at the dim eyes
and painting throat Of the wolf. But l
will throw stone and break the ice for
you. poor wolf.
She threw big stone at the ice it
cracked, and left little hole, out of
which the cold clear water spouted.
The wolf drank eagerly.
ooh, dear" said Trudchen, as they
walked on, 81 have lost my diamond
that the beggar girl left"
"And it serves you right - said
angry Gretel "You might know that
you would lose it. scampering around
the woods looking for big stones to break
the ice fora wolf to drink !"
Pretty soon they heard strange
sOund-patter, pat:er, patter, through
the woods behind them-and up came
the wolf once more.
Alas! alas - said the wolf, |
have sharp thorn in my foot and, do
what | will, cannot draw it out with
my teeth w
"Oh, poor wolf p said Trudcheu.-
~ will draw il out fo- you
Let him alone! let him alone - said
Gretel. " He only wants chance to
eat you up -
But Trudchen looked down at the
VOLTS paw and saw the ugly thorn
sticking in it. And she knelt down
and pulled it out.
"Oh oh oh !" cried the wolf,
" how it smarts y
"Poor wolf - said Trudchen, let
me kiss it for you.
And she put her lips to the VOLTS
cold and bleeding paw.
All in an instant he changed into a
brave young soldier, with Il shield in
one hand and sword in the other
soldier with cheeks like cherries and
eyes as black as sloes. But in one foot
there is a bleeding place where Trud-
chen had drawn out the thorn.
u" am Karl, til" Knight" said he.
" a wicked old fairy laid a cruel spell
upon me because | ventured into her
magic dominion one night when the
moon was at the full. She placed her
wand on me and told me that / should
h.. 4
or until some fair maiden should break
the charm with the touch of her lips.
You may fancy in what sore distress
was, for what fair maiden will kiss
lean and ravenous wolf" But now the
spell is partly dissolved, and am my
self again for awhile. And here IS II
jewel which leave with you, sweet
Trudchen, until come back again -
And he laid in her AIMS beau tiful
emerald, as large as II hens egg.
yNlnt eb,ll ln x,;th b,,,,.