‘Oh! I could not eat any food,’ he answered every time, and at each answer his voice grew fainter and [!-- illustration - WAKE UP, MY GRANDSON, etc. --] [!-- blank page --] fainter, till they thought he would die from weakness before their eyes.
‘There must be some thing you could take, if you would only say what it is,’ implored his wife.
‘No, nothing, nothing; except, perhaps—but of course that is impossible!’
‘No, I am sure it is not,’ replied she; ‘you shall have it, I promise—only tell me what it is.’
‘I think—but I could not ask you to do such a thing. Leave me alone, and let me die quietly.’
‘You shall not die,’ cried the girl, who was very fond of her husband, for he did not beat her as most girls’ husbands did. ‘Whatever it is, I will manage to get it for you.’
‘Well, then, I think, if I had that—redbreast, nicely roasted, I could eat a little bit of his wing!’
The wife started back in horror at such a request; but the man turned his face to the wall, and took no notice, as he thought it was better to leave her to herself for a little.