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 than ever to see Marushka coming through the snow with red apples in her hands. They let her in and grabbed the apples from her.

“Where did you get them?” Holena demanded.

“High up on the mountain,” Marushka answered. “There are plenty of them growing there.”

“Plenty of them! And you only brought us two!” Holena cried angrily. “Or did you pick more and eat them yourself on the way home?”

“No, no, my dear sister,” Marushka said. “I haven’t eaten any, truly I haven’t. They wouldn’t let me pick any more than two. They shouted to me not to pick any more.”

“I wish the lightning had struck you dead!” Holena sneered. “I’ve a good mind to beat you!”

After a time the greedy Holena left off her scolding to eat one of the apples. It had so delicious a flavor that she declared she had never in all her life tasted anything so good. Her mother said the same. When they had finished both apples they began to wish for more.

“Mother,” Holena said, “go get me my fur cloak. I’m going up the mountain myself. No use sending that lazy little slattern again, for she would only eat