"
But Margery sat, and cried and cried.
Then there came the bird flying, and as he perched himself on the
roof, "Oh," said the father, "I feel so happy, and the sun shines out
of doors so beautifully! It is just as if I were going to see an old
friend.
"No," said the wife; "I am so frightened, my teeth chatter, and it
feels as if there was a fire in my veins;" and she tore open her
dress. But Margery sat in a corner, and cried, holding her apron
before her eyes, till the apron was quite wet through.
The bird perched upon the Juniper-tree, and sang--
"My mother, she killed me;"
Then the mother stopped up her ears, and shut her eyes tight, and did
not want to see or hear; but there was a roaring in her ears like the
loudest thunder, and her eyes burned and flashed like lightning--
"My father, he ate me;"
"Oh, wife," said the man, "look at that beautiful bird!--he sings so
splendidly. And the sun shines so warm, and there is a smell like
real cinnamon!"
"My sister, little Margery,"
Then Margery laid her head on her knee, and sobbed out loud; but the
man said, "I shall go out--I must look at the bird quite close."
"Oh, do not go," said the wife; "it seems to me as if the whole house
shook, and was in flames."
But the man went out and watched the bird, which still went on
singing--
"Gathered up all my bones,
Tied them in a silk handkerchief,
And laid them under the Juniper-tree:
Kywitt! Kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!"
After that, the bird let the gold chain fall, and it fell right on to
the man's neck, fitting exactly round it.
Pages:
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463