er husband had

    returned safe to  her arms round his neck and kissed

    ook from s, and brushe

    snow off s, and bade him come in.

    But o , and I

    it to to , and irred not

    from threshold.

    is it? s to me, for the house is bare,

    and we he cloak back, and

    she sleeping child.

    Alack, goodman! s children of our own,

    t t needs bring a co sit by th?  And

    bring us bad fortune?  And how shall we

    tend it?  And s him.

    Nay, but it is a Star-Cold he

    strange manner of t.

    But s be appeased, but mocked at him, and spoke

    angrily, and cried:  Our children lack bread, and shall we feed

    th for us?  And who

    giveth us food?

    Nay, but God carethem, he

    answered.

    Do not ter? she asked.  And

    is it not er now?

    And t stirred not from threshold.

    And a bitter  came in the open door,

    and made remble, and so

    t close tter o the

    house, and I am cold.

    Into a  is  always a

    bitter wind?

    crept closer to the fire.

    And after a time surned round and looked at him, and her eyes

    ears.  And ly, and placed the child

    in , and laid it in a little bed where

    t of the morrow

    tter took t in a

    great c, and a c he childs neck

    ook and set it in t also.

    So tar-C up he

    oodcutter, and sat at their

    playmate.  And every year iful to look at, so

    t all t in