Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/189

Rh NCE upon a time there were two sisters, who lived together; but while the elder, Beansie by name, was a hard quarrelsome creature, apt to disagree with everybody, Peasie, the younger, was soft and most agreeable.

Now, one day, Peasie, who was for every trying to please somebody, said to her sister, 'Beansie, my dear! don't you think we ought to pay a visit to out poor old father?He must be dull nowIt is harvest time, and he is left alone in the house.'

'I don't care if he is!' replied Beansie.'Go yourself!I'm not going to walk about in the heat to please any old man!'

So kind Peasie set off alone, and on the way she met a plum-tree.'Oh, Peasie!' cried the tree, 'stop a bit, there's a good soul, and tidy up my thorns a little; they are scattered about so that I feel quite uncomfortable!'

'So they are, I declare!' returned Peasie, and forthwith set to work with such a will that ere long the tree was as neat as a new pin.