The messenger looked at them. The little girl had eyes like stars and
her hair, blowing in the November wind, was like a cloud made golden
by the sunset. She held her head so high, and smiled so bravely that
no one would have noticed her old dress and the holes in her coat. The
messenger stood in the road in front of her and spoke to her.
"Are you ready to keep the thanksgiving day as the King would like you
to?" he asked.
The little girl looked up in the messenger's face in surprise.
"No, I am not ready," she said, "but this child is. I am bringing him
because he is lame, and because he is hungry. Will you take him?" she
asked.
"Yes," said the messenger, "and you, too. There is room at the King's
table for both."
WINTER
THE GRAY HARE
A gray hare lived during the winter near a village. When night came,
he would prick up one ear and listen, then he would prick up the
other, jerk his whiskers, snuff, and sit up on his hind legs.
Then he would give one leap, two leaps, through the snow, and sit up
again on his hind legs and look all around.
On all sides nothing was to be seen except snow. The snow lay in
billows and glittered like silver. Above the hare was frosty vapor,
and through this vapor glistened the big white stars.
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