70 THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER.

taste my pork-fat as much as you like. I give you full leave
to do so.”

Dame Mousey accord- “til
ingly leapt upon the hearth, "
quite gay and happy, and pi
took with her little paws the
pieces of fat which the queen
gave her. \

But, behold! the mur-
murs of joy which escaped
the mouth of Dame Mousey,
and the delicious smell of the
morsels of fat on the grid-
iron, reached her seven sons,
then her relations, and next
her friends, all of whom were terribly addicted to gour-
mandising, and who now fell upon the fat with such fury,
that the queen was obliged, hospitable as she was, to remind
them that if they contmued at that rate only five minutes
more, there would not be enough fat left for the black
puddings. But, in spite of the justice of this remonstrance,
the seven sons of Dame Mousey took no heed of them; .

   

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