Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/94

78 On ran the little girl and the creatures after her. Fortunately her home was not very far off now. The birds were very close upon her; this time, in fact, their wings actually touched her face! They even tried to take away the little boy! But still on ran the little girl, tired though she was. At last she managed to get inside the house, and after shutting the doors and windows very quickly, she dropped down on the nearest chair to rest. Meanwhile the flamingoes flew round, trying their hardest to get in; but, finding that they could not succeed, they screamed and screamed till they became quite hoarse, and were obliged to return to the old gipsy without the child.

When the peasant and his wife came back from market, and saw that their little boy was quite safe and happy, they gave the little girl the handkerchief and the cake, which they had promised her, and also a little lecture on obedience when they heard the story. Of course, the little girl never forgot the lecture, and still less the flamingoes. From that day she never went out to play in the road when told to look after her little baby brother, but lived happily with her parents many years after.