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THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK. |
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take my advice—which won't cost you anything—and remember that it is always more economical to buy fruit with stones on this account."
Celandine, absorbed in her own sad thoughts, did not even hear this prudent counsel, and quite forgot to eat her share of the plum, which delighted the old woman, who put it by carefully for her breakfast, saying:
"I am very much pleased with you, and if you go on as you have begun we shall do very well, and I can teach you many useful things which people donl; generally know. For instance, look at my house! It is built entirely of the seeds of all the pears I have eaten in my life. Now, most people throw them away, and that only shows what a number of things are wasted for want of a little patience and ingenuity."
But Celandine did not find it possible to be interested in this and similar pieces of advice. And the old woman soon sent her to bed, for fear the night air might give her an appetite. She passed a sleepless night, but in the morning the old dame remarked:
"I heard how well you slept. After such a night you cannot want any breakfast, so while I do my household tasks you had better stay in bed, since the more one sleeps the less one need eat; and as it is market-day I will go to town and buy a pennyworth of bread for the week's eating."
And so she chattered on, but poor Celandine did not hear or heed her; she wandered out into the desolate country to think over her sad fate. However, the good fairy of the beech woods did not want her to be starved, so she sent her an unlooked-for relief in the shape of a beautiful white cow, which followed her back to the tiny house. When the old woman saw it her joy knew no bounds.
"Now we can have milk and cheese and butter!" cried she. "Ah! how good milk is! What a pity it is so ruinously expensive!"
So they made a little shelter of branches for the beautiful creature, which was quite gentle and followed Celandine about like a dog when she took it out every day to
grnze, .0ne morning as she sat by a little brook, thinking sadly, she suddenly saw a young stranger approaching, and got up quickly, intending to avoid him. But Prince |
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