Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/62

56 it, and the lady would not eat it; so they gave it to us, and we had meat for several days and lard for along time." Here the girl's story was interrupted by the miller's wife, who said: "Go, Go, I feel the cold chills creeping over me. Mary, you godless child, don't you ever dare eat meat at Kuderna's again! Go quickly and wash yourself, and don't touch anything.”" Going on like this, she pushed Celia out of doors.

Manchinka cried, and assured her mother that the hare was good; the mother said nothing more, but showed her disgust by spitting. The miller came, and hearing what had happened turned his snuff box and said: "Well wife, what are you scowling for? who knows on what the girl may thrive! Tastes differ; I don't know but I should like to invite myself to Kuderna's for a good squirrel dinner."

"You'd better keep such stuff to yourself!" scolded the wife. The miller closed his eyes, and a mischievous smile played about his lips.

Not only the miller's wife, but other people also had a feeling of repulsion toward the Kudernas, and all because they ate cats and squirrels, which nobody else ate. But to the Proshek children it was all the same whether their friends from the flax mill had crow pie or pheasants for dinner, if only they came to play with them behind the barn; and they willingly shared with them their food, glad to see them happy. Celia, who was ten years old and had the care of the baby, placed a bun in its chubby fists, laid it down in the grass, and went to play with the rest; or she sat down and braided from plaintain stalks little caps for the boys and baskets