I WAS PERCHED THERE ON THE TOP OF THE TREE
Oh, dear! it was so amusing! “Whip, whip,” in a huge semicircle over the top of a hundred trees behind me, then in a still wider semicircle in front as far as the first houses of the village. “Whip, whip,” backwards farther and farther, then “whoop, whoop,” in front as far as farmer Van den Eeckhoudt’s farm. Then a few yards farther and I was swaying out almost over my father’s house!
Should I dare, should I take the risk? Could I in leaning all my weight make the top of the tree bend so that the rebound would send me right over the house? “Whip, whip—whoop, whoop!” Before I had made up my mind I found myself where I wished to be.
I crossed myself, let go my hold, and landed on the edge of the large chimney-pot. I fell down the chimney into the stove.
My mother was making coffee. “My boy, my boy,” she cried, “what an anxiety you have been to us. Your father and I have been up all night.”
At that moment my father came in; he had been hunting round his land in search of me for the tenth time.
“My lad,” he said to me, when he succeeded in recognizing me, “where have you been and why are you so black?”
“Father,” I answered, “I am black because I have just fallen down the chimney into the house. I have come from the Aulnes wood, where I went to gather nuts yesterday. The Ogre has not eaten me and the wolf did not scent me out. Father, my pockets are full of lovely ripe nuts.”
