Page:Turkish fairy tales and folk tales (1901).djvu/217

 and more terrified than ever at these words, but her mother comforted her again: "To-morrow," said she, "close fast the door and the window, and get into the cupboard. There light a candle, and go on with thy work!"

Scarcely had her mother departed with the dawn than the girl closed up everything, lit a candle, and locked herself in the cupboard with her work-table. But scarcely had she stitched two stitches when the bird stood before her again, and said: "Oh, little damsel, poor little damsel! death is thy Kismet!" and whirr-r-r-r! it flew away again. The damsel was in such distress that she scarce knew where she was. She threw her work aside, and began tormenting herself as to what this saying might mean. Her mother, too, could not get to the bottom of the matter, so she remained at home the next day, that she also might see the bird, but the bird did not come again.

So their sorrow was perpetual, and all the joy of their life was gone. They never stirred from the house but watched and waited continually, if perchance the bird might come again. One day the damsels of their neighbour came to them and asked the woman to let her daughter go with them. "If she went for a little outing," said they, "she might forget her trouble." The woman did not like to let