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once lived a poor man. One morning he left his home in search of bread for his children and wife. As he was walking along the road he saw a beautiful little bird clapping its wings and looking at him; he caught it and returned home with it. He put the little bird under a sieve, so that it might not escape, and then went out again in search of bread, but not being able to get any anywhere, he returned home dispirited and sorrowful.

As soon as the man had come in, his hungry children rushed up to him and told him that the bird had laid two little eggs; one of them asked him to take the eggs to market, sell them and buy some bread with the produce. The man smiled at this proposal, and said, sighing,—