Pagina 271 di 626

Then she set them all about the house for a show: and when

Frederick came back, he cried out, 'Kate, what have you been

doing?' 'See,' said she, 'I have bought all these with your

yellow buttons: but I did not touch them myself; the pedlars went

themselves and dug them up.' 'Wife, wife,' said Frederick, 'what

a pretty piece of work you have made! those yellow buttons were

all my money: how came you to do such a thing?' 'Why,' answered

she, 'I did not know there was any harm in it; you should have

told me.'

Catherine stood musing for a while, and at last said to her

husband, 'Hark ye, Frederick, we will soon get the gold back: let

us run after the thieves.' 'Well, we will try,' answered he; 'but

take some butter and cheese with you, that we may have something

to eat by the way.' 'Very well,' said she; and they set out: and

as Frederick walked the fastest, he left his wife some way

behind. 'It does not matter,' thought she: 'when we turn back, I

shall be so much nearer home than he.'