At last one day the little old man
said that he must take his leave and return home.
``Wait a bit,'' said the sparrow.
And it went into the house and brought out
two wicker baskets. One was very heavy and the
other light.
``Take the one you wish,'' said the sparrow,
``and good fortune go with you.''
``I am very feeble,'' answered the little old man,
``so I will take the light one.''
He thanked the sparrow, and, shouldering the
basket, said good-bye. Then he trudged off
leaving the sparrow family sad and lonely.
When he reached home the little old woman
was very angry, and began to scold him, saying:--
``Well, and pray where have you been all these
days? A pretty thing, indeed, for you to be
gadding about like this!''
``Oh,'' he replied, ``I have been on a visit to the
tongue-cut sparrow, and when I came away it
gave me this wicker basket as a parting gift.''
Then they opened the basket to see what was
inside, and lo and behold! it was full of gold,
silver, and other precious things!
The little old woman was as greedy as she was
cross, and when she saw all the riches spread
before her, she could not contain herself for joy.
``Ho! Ho!'' cried she. ``Now I'll go and call on
the sparrow, and get a pretty present, too!''
She asked the old man the way to the sparrow's
house and set forth on her journey.
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