Page:The disobedient kids and other Czecho-Slovak fairy tales.pdf/40

 "Oh, no, Grandfather. It is the wind", said Mary, her childish voice trembling with fear. With this the old man was satisfied, as he went back into the house.

The children had eaten enough, and they nestled to sleep in each others arms, under the window of the house of candy. In the morning, John climbed up on the roof to get another piece of candy. Again the old woman sent the man out to see what was going on.

Mary thought to get rid ot the old man once more, but this time, he saw two children. Then he went back to tell the old woman.

"Quick, quick, dear John", called Mary, "we must run away at once, or something terrible will happen to us," for she had heard the old woman command the man to catch the children, so that she could roast them for her dinner. John leaped down from the roof, Mary snatched his hand and they ran away as fast as they could.

Suddenly John and Mary came upon a woman in a field of flax. Panting and out of breath, "Tell us please, mother, where we can hide. A bad old man from the house of candy is trying to catch us. He wants to take us home, so that they can roast us for their dinner, because we have taken a piece of candy from their roof."

The woman in the field was a good fairy and loved all little children. She determined to help John and Mary, so she said, "Go this way a little distance into the woods. I will see what I can do with the old man." Then she showed the children the path, along which they ran as fast as their little legs could take them.