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THE ALMOND TREE. 193 3 “Nay,” said the mother, “I feel very low, just as if a great . storm were coming.” Hi . —— But Marjory sat weeping; and the bird came flying, and . perched on the roof. “Oh,” said the father, "I feel so joyful, and the sun is . shining so bright ; it is as if I were going to meet with an old . friend." “Nay,” said the wife, "[ am terrified, my teeth chatter, . and there is fire in my veifis,” and she tore open her dress to get air; and Marjory sat in a corner and wept, with her plate before her, until it was quite full of tears. Then the bird “perched on the almond tree, and sang, ‘It was my mother who murdered me ;” And the mother stopped her ears and hid her eyes, and would neither see nor hear; nevertheless, the noise of a fearfu! storm was in her ears, and in her eyes a quivering and burning as of lightning. ‘* Tt was my father who ate of me ;”’ “© mother!” said the father, "there is a beautiful bird singing so finely, and the sun shines, and everything smells as ‘sweet as cinnamon. Tr (c [t was my sister Marjory " Marjory hid her face in her lap and wept, and the father said, “T must go out to see the bird.” “Oh do not go!” said the wife, “I feel as if the house ‘were on fire.” But the man went out and looked at the bird. "c Who all my bones in pieces found ies Them in a handkerchief she bound, And laid them under the almond tree. Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, Oh what a beautiful bird am I!” . With that the bird-let fall the gold chain upon his father’s neck, and it fitted him exactly. So he went indoors and said, " Look what a beautiful chain the bird has given me.” O
