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256 "Ah, do not go," cried his wife, "I feel as if the whole house were in flames."

But the man went out and looked at the bird.

With that the bird let fall the gold chain, and it fell just round the man's neck, so that it fitted him exactly.

He went inside, and said, "See, what a splendid bird that is, he has given me this beautiful gold chain, and looks so beautiful himself."

But the wife was in such fear and trouble, that she fell on the floor, and her cap fell from her head.

Then the bird began again—

"Ah me!" cried the wife, "if I were but a thousand feet beneath the earth, that I might not hear that song."

then the woman fell down again as if dead.

"Well," said little Marleen, "I will go out too and see if the bird will give me anything."

So she went out.

and he threw down the shoes to her,