buasheywerebewailingheirmiseryoeachoherhissrangehinghappenedherefellfromheavenaverybrighandbeauifulsarislippeddownhesideofhesky,passingbyheohersarsiniscourse,and,asheywachediwondering,iseemedohemosinkbehindaclumpofwillowreeshasoodhardbyalilesheepfoldnomorehanasone’shrowaway

“why!hereisacrookofgoldforwhoeverfindsi,”heycried,andheyseoandran,soeagerwereheyforhegold

andoneofhemranfaserhanhismae,andousrippedhim,andforcedhiswayhroughhewillows,andcameouonheoherside,andlo!herewasindeedahingofgoldlyingonhewhiesnowsohehasenedowardsi,andsoopingdownpcedhishandsuponi,andiwasacloakofgoldenissue,curiouslywroughwihsars,andwrappedinmanyfoldsandhecriedouohiscomradehahehadfoundhereasurehahadfallenfromhesky,andwhenhiscomradehadcomeup,heysahemdowninhesnow,andloosenedhefoldsofhecloakhaheymighdividehepiecesofgoldbu,as!nogoldwasini,norsilver,nor,indeed,reasureofanykind,buonlyalilechildwhowasasleep

andoneofhemsaidoheoher:“hisisabierendingoourhope,norhaveweanygoodforune,forwhadohachildprofioaman?leusleaveihere,andgoourway,seeinghawearepoormen,andhavechildrenofourownwhosebreadwemaynogiveoanoher”

buhiscompanionansweredhim:“nay,buiwereanevilhingoleavehechildoperishhereinhesnow,andhoughiamaspoorashouar,andhavemanymouhsofeed,andbulileinhepo,yewillibringihomewihme,andmywifeshallhavecareofi”

soveryenderlyheookuphechild,andwrappedhecloakaroundioshieldifromheharshcold,andmadehiswaydownhehillohevilge,hiscomrademarvellingmuchahisfoolishnessandsofnessofhear

andwhenheycameohevilge,hiscomradesaidohim,“houhashechild,hereforegivemehecloak,foriismeehaweshouldshare”

buheansweredhim:“nay,forhecloakisneiherminenorhine,buhechild’sonly,”andhebadehimgodspeed,andwenohisownhouseandknocked

andwhenhiswifeopenedhedoorandsawhaherhusbandhadreurnedsafeoher,shepuherarmsroundhisneckandkissedhim,andookfromhisbackhebundleoffaggos,andbrushedhesnowoffhisboos,andbadehimcomein

buhesaidoher,“ihavefoundsomehinginhefores,andihavebroughioheeohavecareofi,”andhesirrednofromhehreshold

“whaisi?”shecried“showiome,forhehouseisbare,andwehaveneedofmanyhings”andhedrewhecloakback,andshowedherhesleepingchild

“ack,goodman!”shemurmured,“havewenochildrenofourown,hahoumusneedsbringachangelingosibyhehearh?andwhoknowsifiwillnobringusbadforune?andhowshallweendi?”andshewaswrohagainshim

“nay,buiisasarchild,”heanswered;andheoldherhesrangema

erofhefindingofi

bushewouldnobeappeased,bumockedahim,andspokeangrily,andcried:“ourchildrenckbread,andshallwefeedhechildofanoher?whoisherewhocarehforus?andwhogivehusfood?”

“nay,bugodcarehforhesparrowseven,andfeedehhem,”heanswered

“donohesparrowsdieofhungerinhewiner?”sheasked“andisinowinernow?”

andhemananswerednohing,busirrednofromhehreshold

andabierwindfromheforescameinhroughheopendoor,andmadeherremble,andsheshivered,andsaidohim:“wilhounoclosehedoor?herecomehabierwindinohehouse,andiamcold”

“inoahousewhereahearishardcomehherenoalwaysabierwind?”heaskedandhewomanansweredhimnohing,bucrepcloserohefire