But here is a duck instead, only you had better not kill her!"
A fine fat duck tumbled at the poor man's feet. The hearth-fairy vanished in the smoke. Oh! how the poor couple longed to kill and eat that duck. Their mouths watered as they thought of onion-sauce, and of breadcrumbs, and of sage. Faint and starving, they fell asleep in a corner of the hut. When day broke the poor man rose up, and went to the door. The storm had ceased and the duck was quacking on the door-sill. She waddled away, and left behind her a large egg of purest gold. Just then the lord of the forest rode by with his huntsman. They saw the shining prize in the poor man's hand, and offered to buy it of him.
"I will give it for a loaf of brown bread and a sausage," he said, "for my wife lies starving, within."
The huntsman gave him food and drink; and the lord of the forest, after hearing his story, had the poor couple taken to a nice empty cottage near by, and told them they should have it for their own. The golden egg was sold, and the man and his wife lived in comfort all their days from the money it fetched. They never saw either the hearth-fairy or the magic duck again, but the good wife soon went to bee-keeping, which made her very happy.
ROSY'S STAY-AT-HOME PARTIES.
OH! dear, oh! dear," sighed Rosy, "I'm the most unhappy little girl in all the world."