But the woodcutter was a kindly man; so he promised the little elf that he would not cut down the thorn bush. In return for this kindness the elf said that he would grant the woodman and his 5 wife three wishes. They might ask for anything they wanted, and it would be given to them.

The man cut his firewood very quickly that day, and hurried home to his wife to tell her what the elf had promised. He was hungry and tired

10 when he reached the hut, and for a moment he forgot all about the three wishes. "Is supper

ready?" he asked his wife as soon as he entered the kitchen.

"No," she answered, "the fire is out and the 15 supper will not be ready for an hour."

"I

"Oh my, how hungry I am," said the man; wish I had a big thick oatcake this very minute." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than flap, flap, flap, came a sound at the door, and into 20 the house flapped a big thick oatcake.

"Goodness me, what's this?" cried the wife in astonishment. Then the woodcutter told her about the elf and the thorn bush and the three

wishes. "Well, well," she exclaimed, when she heard the story, "what a great piece of luck that was. But now you have wasted one of the wishes on this wretched oatcake. How could

you be so stupid?" And she began to fuss and 5 scold, and got more and more angry as she thought of all the gold she might have had for their first wish. "O dear, O dear," she grumbled, "why must we have this horrid oatcake instead of

money. I wish it would stick fast to your nose!" 10 No sooner were these words spoken than flap, flap, flap, went the oatcake up from the table, and fastened itself on the end of the woodcutter's nose. What a time there was then to get the oatcake off! The man pulled and his wife pulled, 15

but it was all of no use.

would not come off.

66

The cake stuck fast, and

Well," said the wife, "at least we have one wish left, and we can wish for so much money

5 that you won't mind if the cake is on your nose. Shall I ask for a barrel of gold?

66

Never," cried the man. "I wish that the cake may drop off my nose this minute." And

flap, flap, flap there it was on the floor.

10 The woodcutter and his wife looked at it a long time, for they knew that they had already had all their three wishes. As they were wise people, they didn't grumble long about it, but sat down and ate the oatcake for their supper.

OLD ENGLISH FAIRY TALE.

already (al red'ỹ)

horrid (hor'rid)

astonishment (as ton'ish ment) peaked (pēkt)

flapped (flapt)

1. Many of these old stories tell how things might work out if we got the things for which we wished. 2. Most of us have thought how fine it would be to have whatever we asked for. How did it come out in this story? 3. Do you think we might be just as thoughtless? 4. Do you know any other stories about "three wishes"?

I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER

I remember, I remember

The house where I was born,
The little window where the sun
Came peeping in at morn;
He never came a wink too soon,
Nor brought too long a day;
But now, I often wish the night
Had borne my breath away.

I remember, I remember,

The roses, red and white,
The violets, and the lily-cups —
Those flowers made of light!
The lilacs where the robin built,
And where my brother set
The laburnum, on his birthday,-
The tree is living yet!

I remember, I remember

Where I was used to swing,

And thought the air must rush as fresh

To swallows on the wing;

5

10

15

20

5

10

My spirit flew in feathers then
That is so heavy now,

The summer pools could hardly cool
The fever on my brow.

I remember, I remember

The fir-trees dark and high;

I used to think their slender tops
Were close against the sky.
It was a childish ignorance,

But now 'tis little joy

To know I'm farther off from Heaven

Than when I was a boy.

1. What does the poet remember, in the first stanza? 2. What in the second? 3. What in the third, and in the fourth? 4. What do the last two lines of the first stanza mean? 5. Is the poet unhappy, do you think?