Stranica 311 [311]
E _ stl ltal MESS - ERT a Tt
—_— ae he Sie: dre = Eo
FRED AND KATE. 251
“All the better for me,” said she, "for when we turn back
I shall have so much the less distance to go.”
And they came to a mountain, where, on both sides of the
road, there were deep cart-ruts. And Kate said to herself,
‘How sad to see the poor earth torn, and vexed, and
oppressed in this way! it will never be healed again in all its
life.”
And with a compassionate heart, she took out her butter
and smeared the cart-ruts right and left, so that they might not
be so cut by the wheels; and as she was stooping to perform
this merciful act a cheese fell out of her pocket and rolled
down the mountain. And Kate said,
“Tl have walked over the ground once, and I am not
going to do it again, but another shall run after that cheese,
and bring it back.” So saying, she took another cheese, and
coming back again, she sent a third racing after them, think¬
ing, “Perhaps they are waiting for company, and are not
used to travelling alone.” But when they all three delayed
coming, she said,
“T can’t think what this means! perhaps it is that the third
one has lost his way, so I will send a fourth that he may call
out to him as he goes by.” But it went no better with the
fourth than with the third. And Kate lost all patience and
threw down the fifth and sixth, and that was all. Along while
she stood and waited for them to come up, but as still they
did not come, she said,
‘Oh, it’s like sending good money after bad; there is no
getting you back again. If you suppose I am going to wait for
you any longer, you are very much mistaken: I shall go on
my way and you may overtake me; your legs are younger than
mine.” Kate then went on until she overtook Fred, who was
standing still and waiting, as he wanted something to eat.
“Now, be quick,” he said, "and hand over what you have
brought.” And she handed him the dry bread.
‘“* Now for the butter and the cheese,” said the man.
6 O Fred,” said Kate, "I anointed the cart-ruts with the
butter, and the cheeses will soon be here, they are upon the
road ; one of them ran away, and I sent the others to fetch it
back.”