Pagina 470 de 626

At last the third also came with the like intent, and the others

screamed out: 'Keep away; for goodness' sake keep away!' But she

did not understand why she was to keep away. 'The others are

there,' she thought, 'I may as well be there too,' and ran to

them; but as soon as she had touched her sister, she remained

sticking fast to her. So they had to spend the night with the

goose.

The next morning Dummling took the goose under his arm and set

out, without troubling himself about the three girls who were

hanging on to it. They were obliged to run after him continually,

now left, now right, wherever his legs took him.

In the middle of the fields the parson met them, and when he saw

the procession he said: 'For shame, you good-for-nothing girls,

why are you running across the fields after this young man? Is

that seemly?' At the same time he seized the youngest by the hand

in order to pull her away, but as soon as he touched her he

likewise stuck fast, and was himself obliged to run behind.