Page:Stories and story-telling (1915).djvu/99

 "If she had only known of my love," thought he, "she would have kept together a little longer."

"And that is their story, and here they are, both of them," said the baker, for it was he who was telling the story. "They are remarkable for their curious history, and for their silent love, which never came to anything. There they are for you." So saying, he gave the man, who was yet whole, to Joanna, and the broken maiden to Knud.

But the children were so impressed with the story that they could only look at them, they could not eat them up just yet.

—

HOW THE ROOSTER BUILT A HOUSE OF HIS OWN

One spring day a young rooster set out on his two stout legs to build a house of his own. On he went, a long, long way, and a long, long way farther, and a long, long way farther than that.

Then he lifted up his voice and flapped his wings and crowed,

"Cock-a-doodle-doo. I want a dame, I do."

At this out from somewhere stepped a bonny, wee white hen and fared along beside him.