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.”
[Illustration]
PRINTED AT THE COMPLETE PRESS
WEST NORWOOD
LONDON, S.E.