Page:Grimm's Fairy Tales.djvu/44

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26
THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, THE SAUSAGE

dog of this bare-faced robbery, but nothing he said was of any avail, for the dog answered that he had found false credentials on the sausage, and that was the reason his life had been forfeited.

The bird picked up the wood, and flew sadly home, and told the mouse all he had seen and heard. They were both very unhappy but agreed to make the best of things and to remain with one another.

So now the bird set the table, and the mouse looked after the food, and wishing to prepare it in the same way as the sausage, by rolling in and out among the vegetables to salt and butter them, she jumped into the pot; but she stopped short long before she reached the bottom, having already parted not only with her skin and hair, but also with life.

Presently the bird came in and wanted to serve up the dinner, but he could nowhere see the cook. In his alarm and flurry, he threw the wood here and there about the floor, called and searched, but no cook was to be found. Then some of the wood that had been carelessly thrown down, caught fire and began to blaze. The bird hastened to fetch some water, but his pail fell into the well, and he after it, and as he was unable to recover himself, he was drowned.