Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-28
The House In the Woods.


From Grimm's Fairy Tail3 (Ginn Coz
There was a poor wppGfutter. who lived
with his wife ami thEe daughters in little
hut at the edge OFF, Rrge forest. One
morning, when he 3kttyput to his usual
work, lie said 20 hissN1ff .tLet my dinner
be brought by cur 1t1esf daughter, for
shall not be ready o5Epms home until even
ing. That she may pft lose her way I will
take with me bag oEsseas and strew them
il my PATH
When the sun was9iseS4to the center of
tie heavens. the :aaidfn sSl out on her way,
carrying jug of soup But the field and
wood-sparrows. the &rksrblackbirds. gold
lnches and green inEhss Had picked up the
seeds, SO that the maiden could find no trace
OF the way But she walked on, trusting to
fortune, till the sun set and night came on.
The Trees rustled in the darkness. the owls
hooted and the girl began to feel afraid.
All at once she saw a shining light at q
distance among the trees. People must
dwell there she thought, who will keep
me during the night" and she walked to-
ward the light.
In short time she came to a cottage
where the windows were all lighted up, and
, when :hs knocked at the door hoarse
The girl opened the door and saw hoary
old man sitting at a table with his face
buried In his: hands, and his white beard
flowing over thu table down to the ground
On the hearth lay three animals-a hen,
cock and brindled cow. The girl told the
old man her adventures. and begged for a
nights Lodging. The man said:
Pretty Hen. pretty Cock,
And pretty brindied Cow,
What have you to say to thatT'
"Cluck!" said the fowls. and that
meant they were satisfied. the old man said
to the maiden, Here is abundance, and to
spare; go into the kitchen and cook some
supper for U.s..
The girl found plenty of everything in tho
kitchen and cooked a good meal, but
thought nothing about the animals. When
the supper was ready she carried a full dish
into the room, and sitting down opposite the
old man, ate, till her hunger was satisfied.
This done, she said. Il am very tired;
where shall I sleep?" The animals replied:
You have eaten with him,
You have drunk, too, with him;
And yet you lave not thought of US;
Still you may pass the night here
Thereupon the old man said, "Step down
the stairs and you will come to room con-
them with white sheets, and then will
come and lie down to sleep myself"
The maiden stepped down the stairs. and
as soon as she had shaken up the beds and
covered them afresh she laid herself down
Ii: one. After some time the old man came,
and, looking at the girl, shook his head
when he saw she was fast asleep; and then,
opening a trap door he dropped her down
Late in the evening the wood-cutter went
home, and scolded his wife because she had
let him hunger all day long. 1T is not my
fault she replied: the girl was sent out
With your dinner; she must have lost her
way; but tomorrow. no doubt, she will re-
turn
At jaybreak the next morning the wood
cutter got up to go into the forest, and told
bis dinner this time II will take a bag of
peas" be said; they are larger than corn
seed. and the girl will therefore see them
better, and not lose my track"
At monday the girl set out with her faith
er's dinner; but the peas had all disappear
ed. for the wood-birds had picked them up
as they had picked up the seeds on the day
before So the poor Cir. wandered about in
she also arrived at the old mans hut. was
invited in, and begged food and a nights
lodging -.
The man of the white beard asked his ami
mails again: d 70
Pretty Hen, prettynCock,
Aud pretty brindled Cow.
What have you stoi say to that?'
They answered, "Cluckiss and everything
happened the same as on 4he previous day.
The girl cooked good meal, ate and
drank With the old man, but never once
thought of the animals: and when she asked
for her bed. they made apswer:
You have eaten with, him,
{ You have drunk, too, with him; go
And yet you haye1noty thought Of US; 81
Still you may pass theqnight here .t..
AS soon as she had some to sleep the old
man came. and, aftez.siooking at her and
shaking his head rs before he dropped her
into The cellar below.
On the third morning. the wood-cutter told
his wife to send their youngest child with
his dinner for said he, 'she Is always
ObedieEt and good; she will keep in the right
path. and not run about like her sisters!"
But the mother refused and said, Shall
lose my youngest child too?" . =.
BE not afraid OF that" said her husband;
1.-THE gicl will not miss her way, she Is too
steady end prudent; bus will take beans to
strew; they are larger than peas, and will
show her the way better" -
By-and-by. when the girl went out with
her basket on her arm, she found that the