Father grant thy blessing,
May we rest in Thee.”
He sang with clear pure tones, and a thought suddenly came to the mother.
“Barty,” said the mother, “perhaps you can do something for me.”
“Oh, yes, I will,” he said eagerly, jumping out of bed.
“No, No! Go back again, you will be cold,” and she tucked him again into his warm nest. “To-morrow I will teach you a song for the New Year; perhaps you can sing it in the village and get bread, possibly nuts.”
Barty thought over the wonderful plan and was too excited to sleep for a long time. At last he called out, “Mother, is it almost morning?” But, finding it was not, he quietly settled himself for the slumber which soon came.
Early in the morning he was ready for his lesson, but his mother told him he must wait until she could sit down with her knitting, so in the mean time, he told Franzelie what he intended to do.
When the mother was ready she said, “I will sing the first verse twice, then you must try to sing it with me.”
Barty caught the air very quickly. “Now try it alone,” she said.