The first son nodded, but kept his eyes fixed anxiously on the Old Woman. She was glaring at a girl ascending the ladder. "Look sharp where you put those things, now," she was saying. "I'll be inside in a minute, and if you haven't put them away properly I'll know the reason why!"
Everychild felt that he was fully justified in saying (to the first son) "She seems to be pretty bad, doesn't she!"
The first son fairly jumped. "Not so loud!" he whispered. "She might hear you."
The Old Woman really had heard. She stared at her first son in a terrible manner. "So you've come, have you?" she exclaimed. "And I suppose you'll tell me you've been working hard all day?"
"Yes, mother," replied the first son, "We've carried more fagots than you ever saw. Such fine fagots! Didn't we?" He turned to the second son to have his report verified.
"You wouldn't believe how many fine fagots we carried," declared the second son.
The other sons began to appear one by one, now that the first shock of battle was over. They all stared up at the Old Woman as if they were prepared to run if she so much as sneezed.
"Well, you know what's coming to you now," said the Old Woman. "Come on, all of you!"
They all began to make wry faces. "If we could only have some bread with it, mother!" pleaded the first son.
"You'll take what's offered you!" exclaimed the Old Woman grimly.