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At noon Frederick came home. 'Now, wife,' cried he, 'what have

you for dinner?' 'O Frederick!' answered she, 'I was cooking you

a steak; but while I went down to draw the ale, the dog ran away

with it; and while I ran after him, the ale ran out; and when I

went to dry up the ale with the sack of meal that we got at the

fair, I upset the jug: but the cellar is now quite dry, and looks

so clean!' 'Kate, Kate,' said he, 'how could you do all this?'

Why did you leave the steak to fry, and the ale to run, and then

spoil all the meal?' 'Why, Frederick,' said she, 'I did not know

I was doing wrong; you should have told me before.'