"
The little goslings cried, "Show us your paws first, that we may see
whether you are indeed our mother." So he laid his paws on the
window-sill, and when the goslings saw that they were white, they
believed it was all right, and opened the door; and who should come in
but the wolf!
They screamed out and tried to hide themselves; one jumped under the
table, another into the bed, the third into the oven; the fourth ran
into the kitchen, the fifth hopped into a chest, the sixth under the
wash-tub, and the seventh got into the clock-case. But the wolf seized
them, and stood on no ceremony with them; one after another he gobbled
them all up, except the youngest, who being in the clock-case he
couldn't find. When the wolf had eaten his fill, he strolled forth,
laid himself down in the green meadow under a tree, and went fast
asleep.
Not long after, back came the old goose home from the wood; but what,
alas! did she see? The house-door stood wide open; table, chairs,
benches, were all overthrown; the wash-tub lay in the ashes; blankets
and pillows were torn off the bed. She looked for her children, but
nowhere could she find them; she called them each by name, but nobody
answered. At last, when she came to the youngest, a little squeaking
voice answered, "Dear mother, I am in the clock-case." She pulled him
out, and he told her how the wolf had come and had eaten up all the
others.
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