14 CHRISTMAS IN SWITZERLAND.

«Who is it that eats bread and potatoes for dinner on
Christmas eve?”

Marie and her grandfather both looked up, but could see
nothing but a pretty brown squirrel munching a nut in the
boughs above them; so they looked at each other and stared ;
and then each thought that it must have been a mistake, and
the grandfather put out his hand to take a potato. But, wonder
of wonders! the potato, which, to all appearances, was a vege-

 

table of unblemished character, duly baked, and only wanting
to be eaten, deliberately rolled away of its own accord, and
was immediately followed by all the others.

Marie and her grandfather were too much astonished to
try and prevent them, but the old man, being uncommonly
hungry after his work, made a rapid snatch at the bread. Back,
however, he drew his hand more quickly than he had put it
out, for, instead of the brown loaf, there was only a hedgehog,
who scuttled off as fast as he could towards a neighbouring
rabbit hole, while, at the same time, the identical voice again
exclaimed :

“Not bread and potatoes on Christmas eve, / think /” and
both Marie and her grandfather jumped up in the greatest