Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/321

304 praise the goat he carved on the very day he left us? See, Hansel—here it is, and a right pretty bit of work, too, I say—let who can turn out a better!" So saying, the good soul ran to her corner dresser, and took down the wooden goat, and set it on the table before him.

"What a queer old thing!" the youth said, laughing, as he took it up and examined it. "Did I really do such bad work then? I will carve you a better goat now, if you will give me a bit of wood, little Mother."

And so he set to work straightway, and when he had finished, the parents were obliged to confess that the new goat was finer than the old.

But Gretel's was a faithful heart, and she kissed the clumsy old carving before she set it back on the shelf. She had taken pride in it so long, and it had comforted her when Hansel was far away.