Page:Our Grandfather by Vítězslav Hálek (1887).pdf/12

 children, though it was something totally different from what we liked in grandmother. But now we have already had quite enough of indoors. Hurrah then for the farm yard!

Grandfather had a large farm, and in the farm yard was more than enough of things we were longing to have a look at. Here we crept into the stable and observed how that the white mare had got well; then again how that the dun cow had a little straw laid under her; immediately after this we visited the rabbits and chivied them all over the court; then we explored the pigeon cote, the granary, the hayloft, even the summer house, and before an hour had elapsed, we had made such friends with the grey haired dog Vorjech that he performed a quite unique somerset for our benefit, and at the same time we put him through tricks which no one on the whole farm had given a thought to all the past year. And now the rest of our relations also gathered together—uncles, aunts, their children, and so on. We kissed the hands of all our older relations: this ceremony being repeated at every fresh arrival and called forth from each uncle a few coppers for goodies. We took it for granted that we only kissed their hands to shew them that they must carry small change at festival time.

After this we young people immediately divided into two camps; the girls to themselves, that they might inspect one another’s dresses, and to see how they had their hair plaited; and we boys to ourselves, that we might take counsel about things of greater dignity.

Then began a comparing of notes as to who knew of any nests, how many eggs the chaffinch lays, how the partridge makes its nest, what nestlings hare yellow beaks,