Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/216

210 blinds, the pitch pine cracked in the stove, in the middle of the room a large wooden candlestick was placed, in whose iron arms were burning faggots, around it were benches for the spinners, for whom Grandmother always had ready a basket of dried apples and prunes, "just for a bite," as she said. With what impatience the children waited to hear the click of the door latch in the hall when the spinners entered the room. During this time Grandmother would not begin to tell anything, but waited until all the spinners were present. In the day time she sang Advent hymns.

When, as yet, the children did not know her well, her good and ill humor, they thought they could tease her till she told them a story. But she disposed of them quickly. Sometimes she began to tell them about the shepherd who had three hundred sheep, and who, driving them to pasture, came to a footbridge over which only one could go at a time; "Now we must wait till they cross," she said, and became silent. In a little while the children asked: "Are they over?" She replied: "What are you thinking of? it will take at least two hours." They knew what that meant. Another time she said: "You think I have seventy-seven pockets and a story in each. Very well, out of which pocket do you want one?" "Perhaps from the tenth," said the children. "Very well. In the the tenth pocket is this story

"There was once a king, who had a ring, in which he rolled a tomcat bold. Now listen, for it will be very long," and that was the end of that story.