Page:Hansel and Gretel and other stories.djvu/234

THE THREE MAGIC GIFTS The father, however, wanted to convince himself, so he went to the stable, stroked his pet, and asked, "Goat, are you full?"

The goat replied:

"What do I hear?" cried the tailor; and he ran out and said to the boy, "You wicked boy! you said the goat was full, and instead you have let her starve." And in his wrath he took the yard measure, and with a shower of blows drove him out.

The next day it was the second son's turn to take the goat out. He sought a place in the garden hedge where there were some tasty herbs and weeds; the goat stripped the hedge, and when it was evening and time to go home, he asked, "Goat, are you full?"

The goat answered:

"So come home, then," said the boy. He led him away, and tied him up in the stable.

"Now, then," asked the old tailor, "has the goat had its proper food?"

"Oh," answered the son, "she is so full she couldn't eat another leaf." 230