صفحة 270 من 626

The husband thought to himself, 'If my wife manages matters thus,

I must look sharp myself.' Now he had a good deal of gold in the

house: so he said to Catherine, 'What pretty yellow buttons these

are! I shall put them into a box and bury them in the garden; but

take care that you never go near or meddle with them.' 'No,

Frederick,' said she, 'that I never will.' As soon as he was

gone, there came by some pedlars with earthenware plates and

dishes, and they asked her whether she would buy. 'Oh dear me, I

should like to buy very much, but I have no money: if you had any

use for yellow buttons, I might deal with you.' 'Yellow buttons!'

said they: 'let us have a look at them.' 'Go into the garden and

dig where I tell you, and you will find the yellow buttons: I

dare not go myself.' So the rogues went: and when they found what

these yellow buttons were, they took them all away, and left her

plenty of plates and dishes.