586 THE CHARMED FAWN.

pushes us away with her foot, Our food is only the hard
crusts which are left, and even the dog under the table fares
better, to whom you often throw a good morsel—and God pity
us if our mother knew that! Come, we will wander forth
into the wide world.”

They walked all day long over meadows, fields, and stones ;
and when it rained, the little sister said, “ It is Heaven which
weeps in unison with our hearts!” At evening time they
came to a lange forest, and were so weary with grief, hunger,
and their long journey, that they sat down in a hollow tree,
and went to sleep.

When they awoke the next morning, the sun had already
mounted high in the heavens, and shone brightly into the tree,
and the little brother said to his sister, “I am so thirsty; if I
knew where there was a brook, I would go and drink. I think
Thear one running.” And, standing up, he took his sister by
the hand, and went in search of it. But their bad stepmother
was a witch, who had remarked whither the two children had
wandered, and had slunk after them secretly, as witches do,
and bewitched all the springs in the forest. Presently they
found a spring which glanced clearly over the stones, and the
brother wished to drink of it; but the sister heard it say, as it
ran along, “ Whoever drinks of me will become a tiger-—who-
ever drinks of me will become a tiger!” So the sister ex-
claimed, “Dear brother, drink not here, I pray, or you will
become a wild beast and devour me.” ‘The brother did not
drink, although his thirst was very great, but said, “I will
wait till the next spring. When they came to the second, the
sister heard it saying, “Who drinks of me will become a wolf
—who drinks of me will become a wolf!” So she called to
her brother, “Do not drink here, or you will become a wolf,
and tear me in pieces.” The brother did not drink, saying,