Stranica 29 [29]
HERE was once a cook called Grethel,
who wore shoes with red heels, and
when she went out in them she gave
herself great airs, and thought herself
very fine indeed. When she came
home again, she would take a drink of
wine to refresh herself, and as that
gave her an appetite, she would take
some of the best of whatever she was
cooking, until she had had enough ;—“ for,” said she, “a cook
must know how things taste.”
Now it happened that one day her master said to her,—
‘“‘Grethel, I expect a guest this evening; you must make
ready a pair of fowls.”
6 Certainly, sir, I will,” answered Grethel. So she killed
the fowls, cleaned them, and plucked them, and put them on the
spit, and then, as evening drew near, placed them before the
fire to roast. And they began to be brown, and were nearly
done, but the guest had not come.
‘If he does not make haste,” cried Grethel to her master, “I
must take them away from the fire ; it’s a pity and a shame not
to eat them now, just when they are done to a turn.” And
the master said he would run himself and fetch the guest. As
soon as he had turned his back, Grethel took the fowls from
before the fire.
‘Standing so long before the fire,” said she, " makes one
hot and thirsty,—and who knows when they will come! in the
meanwhile I will go to the cellar and have a drink.” So down