THE　WITCH　＇28＇
  ＇28＇　From　the　Russian。
  Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　peasant　whose　wife　died；　leaving　him
  with　two　childrentwinsa　boy　and　a　girl。　　For　some　years　the
  poor　man　lived　on　alone　with　the　children；　caring　for　them　as
  best　he　could；　but　everything　in　the　house　seemed　to　go　wrong
  without　a　woman　to　look　after　it；　and　at　last　he　made　up　his　mind
  to　marry　again；　feeling　that　a　wife　would　bring　peace　and　order
  to　his　household　and　take　care　of　his　motherless　children。　　So　he
  married；　and　in　the　following　years　several　children　were　born　to
  him；　but　peace　and　order　did　not　come　to　the　household。　　For　the
  step…mother　was　very　cruel　to　the　twins；　and　beat　them；　and
  half…starved　them；　and　constantly　drove　them　out　of　the　house；
  for　her　one　idea　was　to　get　them　out　of　the　way。　　All　day　she
  thought　of　nothing　but　how　she　should　get　rid　of　them；　and　at
  last　an　evil　idea　came　into　her　head；　and　she　determined　to　send
  them　out　into　the　great　gloomy　wood　where　a　wicked　witch　lived。
  And　so　one　morning　she　spoke　to　them；　saying：
  'You　have　been　such　good　children　that　I　am　going　to　send　you　to
  visit　my　granny；　who　lives　in　a　dear　little　hut　in　the　wood。　　You
  will　have　to　wait　upon　her　and　serve　her；　but　you　will　be　well
  rewarded；　for　she　will　give　you　the　best　of　everything。'
  So　the　children　left　the　house　together；　and　the　little　sister；
  who　was　very　wise　for　her　years；　said　to　the　brother：
  'We　will　first　go　and　see　our　own　dear　grandmother；　and　tell　her
  where　our　step…mother　is　sending　us。'
  And　when　the　grandmother　heard　where　they　were　going；　she　cried
  and　said：
  'You　poor　motherless　children！　　How　I　pity　you；　and　yet　I　can　do
  nothing　to　help　you！　　Your　step…mother　is　not　sending　you　to　her
  granny；　but　to　a　wicked　witch　who　lives　in　that　great　gloomy
  wood。　　Now　listen　to　me；　children。　　You　must　be　civil　and　kind　to
  everyone；　and　never　say　a　cross　word　to　anyone；　and　never　touch　a
  crumb　belonging　to　anyone　else。　　Who　knows　if；　after　all；　help
  may　not　be　sent　to　you？'
  And　she　gave　her　grandchildren　a　bottle　of　milk　and　a　piece　of
  ham　and　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　they　set　out　for　the　great　gloomy
  wood。　　When　they　reached　it　they　saw　in　front　of　them；　in　the
  thickest　of　the　trees；　a　queer　little　hut；　and　when　they　looked
  into　it；　there　lay　the　witch；　with　her　head　on　the　threshold　of
  the　door；　with　one　foot　in　one　corner　and　the　other　in　the　other
  corner；　and　her　knees　cocked　up；　almost　touching　the　ceiling。
  'Who's　there？'　she　snarled；　in　an　awful　voice；　when　she　saw　the
  children。
  And　they　answered　civilly；　though　they　were　so　terrified　that
  they　hid　behind　one　another；　and　said：
  'Good…morning；　granny；　our　step…mother　has　sent　us　to　wait　upon
  you；　and　serve　you。'
  'See　that　you　do　it　well；　then；'　growled　the　witch。　　'If　I　am
  pleased　with　you；　I'll　reward　you；　but　if　I　am　not；　I'll　put　you
  in　a　pan　and　fry　you　in　the　oventhat's　what　I'll　do　with　you；
  my　pretty　dears！　　You　have　been　gently　reared；　but　you'll　find　my
  work　hard　enough。　　See　if　you　don't。'
  And；　so　saying；　she　set　the　girl　down　to　spin　yarn；　and　she　gave
  the　boy　a　sieve　in　which　to　carry　water　from　the　well；　and　she
  herself　went　out　into　the　wood。　　Now；　as　the　girl　was　sitting　at
  her　distaff；　weeping　bitterly　because　she　could　not　spin；　she
  heard　the　sound　of　hundreds　of　little　feet；　and　from　every　hole
  and　corner　in　the　hut　mice　came　pattering　along　the　floor；
  squeaking　and　saying：
  'Little　girl；　why　are　your　eyes　so　red？
  If　you　want　help；　then　give　us　some　bread。'
  And　the　girl　gave　them　the　bread　that　her　grandmother　had　given
  her。　　Then　the　mice　told　her　that　the　witch　had　a　cat；　and　the
  cat　was　very　fond　of　ham；　if　she　would　give　the　cat　her　ham；　it
  would　show　her　the　way　out　of　the　wood；　and　in　the　meantime　they
  would　spin　the　yarn　for　her。　　So　the　girl　set　out　to　look　for　the
  cat；　and；　as　she　was　hunting　about；　she　met　her　brother；　in　great
  trouble　because　he　could　not　carry　water　from　the　well　in　a
  sieve；　as　it　came　pouring　out　as　fast　as　he　put　it　in。　　And　as
  she　was　trying　to　comfort　him　they　heard　a　rustling　of　wings；　and
  a　flight　of　wrens　alighted　on　the　ground　beside　them。　　And　the
  wrens　said：
  'Give　us　some　crumbs；　then　you　need　not　grieve。
  For　you'll　find　that　water　will　stay　in　the　sieve。'
  Then　the　twins　crumbled　their　bread　on　the　ground；　and　the　wrens
  pecked　it；　and　chirruped　and　chirped。　　And　when　they　had　eaten
  the　last　crumb　they　told　the　boy　to　fill　up　the　holes　of　the
  sieve　with　clay；　and　then　to　draw　water　from　the　well。　　So　he　did
  what　they　said；　and　carried　the　sieve　full　of　water　into　the　hut
  without　spilling　a　drop。　　When　they　entered　the　hut　the　cat　was
  curled　up　on　the　floor。　　So　they　stroked　her；　and　fed　her　with
  ham；　and　said　to　her：
  'Pussy；　grey　pussy；　tell　us　how　we　are　to　get　away　from　the
  witch？'
  Then　the　cat　thanked　them　for　the　ham；　and　gave　them　a　pocket…
  handkerchief　and　a　comb；　and　told　them　that　when　the　witch
  pursued　them；　as　she　certainly　would；　all　they　had　to　do　was　to
  throw　the　handkerchief　on　the　ground　and　run　as　fast　as　they
  could。　　As　soon　as　the　handkerchief　touched　the　ground　a　deep；
  broad　river　would　spring　up；　which　would　hinder　the　witch's
  progress。　　If　she　managed　to　get　across　it；　they　must　throw　the
  comb　behind　them　and　run　for　their　lives；　for　where　the　comb　fell
  a　dense　forest　would　start　up；　which　would　delay　the　witch　so
  long　that　they　would　be　able　to　get　safely　away。
  The　cat　had　scarcely　finished　speaking　when　the　witch　returned　to
  see　if　the　children　had　fulfilled　their　tasks。
  'Well；　you　have　done　well　enough　for　to…day；'　she　grumbled；　'but
  to…morrow　you'll　have　something　more　difficult　to　do；　and　if　you
  don't　do　it　well；　you　pampered　brats；　straight　into　the　oven　you
  go。'
  Half…dead　with　fright；　and　trembling　in　every　limb；　the　poor
  children　lay　down　to　sleep　on　a　heap　of　straw　in　the　corner　of
  the　hut；　but　they　dared　not　close　their　eyes；　and　scarcely
  ventured　to　breathe。　　In　the　morning　the　witch　gave　the　girl　two
  pieces　of　linen　to　weave　before　night；　and　the　boy　a　pile　of　wood
  to　cut　into　chips。　　Then　the　witch　left　them　to　their　tasks；　and
  went　out　into　the　wood。　　As　soon　as　she　had　gone　out　of　sight　the
  children　took　the　comb　and　the　handkerchief；　and；　taking　one
  another　by　the　hand；　they　started　and　ran；　and　ran；　and　ran。　　And
  first　they　met　the　watch…dog；　who　was　going　to　leap　on　them　and
  tear　them　to　pieces；　but　they　threw　the　remains　of　their　bread　to
  him；　and　he　ate　them　and　wagged　his　tail。　　Then　they　were
  hindered　by　the　birch…trees；　whose　branches　almost　put　their　eyes
  out。　　But　the　little　sister　tied　the　twigs　together　with　a　piece
  of　ribbon；　and　they　got　past　safely；　and；　after　running　through
  the　wood；　came　out　on　to　the　open　fields。
  In　the　meantime　in　the　hut　the　cat　was　busy　weaving　the　linen　and
  tangling　the　threads　as　it　wove。　　And　the　witch　returned　to　see
  how　the　children　were　getting　on；　and　she　crept　up　to　the　window；
  and　whispered：
  'Are　you　weaving；　my　little　dear？'
  'Yes；　granny；　I　am　weaving；'　answered　the　cat。
  When　the　witch　saw　that　the　children　had　escaped　her；　she　was
  furious；　and；　hitting　the　cat　with　a　porringer；　she　said：　'Why
  did　you　let　the　children　leave　the　hut？　　Why　did　you　not　scratch
  their　eyes　out？'
  But　the　cat　curled　up　its　tail　and　put　its　back　up；　and　answered：
  'I　have　served　you　all　these　years　and　you　never　even　threw　me　a
  bone；　but　the　dear　children　gave　me　their　own　piece　of　ham。'
  Then　the　witch　was　furious　with　the　watch…dog　and　with　the
  birch…trees；　because　they　had　let　the　children　pass。　　But　the　dog
  answered：
  'I　have　served　you　all　these　years　and　you　never　gave　me　so　much
  as　a　hard　crust；　but　the　dear　children　gave　me　their　own　loaf　of
  bread。'
  And　the　birch　rustled　its　leaves；　and　said：　'I　have　served　you
  longer　than　I　can　say；　and　you　never　tied　a　bit　of　twine　even
  round　my　branches；　and　the　dear　children　bound　them　up　with　their
  brightest　ribbons。'
  So　the　witch　saw　there　was　no　help　to　be　got　from　her　old
  servants；　and　that　the　best　thing　she　could　do　was　to　mount　on
  her　broom　and　set　off　in　pursuit　of　the　children。　　And　as　the
  children　ran　they　heard　the　sound　of　the　broom　sweeping　the
  ground　close　behind　them；　so　instantly　they　threw　the
  handkerchief　down　over　their　shoulder；　and　in　a　moment　a　deep；
  broad　river　flowed　behind　them。
  When　the　witch　came　up　to　it；　it　took　her　a　long　time　before　she
  found　a　place　which　she　could　ford　over　on　her　broom…stick；　but
  at　last　she　got　across；　and　continued　the　chase　faster　than
  before。　　And　as　the　children　ran　they　heard　a　sound；　and　the
  little　sister　put　her　ear　to　the　ground；　and　heard　the　broom
  sweeping　the　earth　close　behind　them；　so；　quick　as　thought；　she
  threw　the　comb　down　on　the　ground；　and　i