Then she thanked the Months
politely, bade them good-bye, and hurried home.

Just imagine again Holena and the stepmother's surprise as they saw
Marushka coming through the snow with an apronful of strawberries!

They opened the door and instantly the fragrance of the berries filled
the house.

"Where did you get them?" Holena demanded rudely.

"High up in the mountain," Marushka answered, "under the beech trees."

Holena took the strawberries and gobbled and gobbled and gobbled. Then
the stepmother ate all she wanted. But it never occurred to either of
them to say:

"Here, Marushka, you take one."

The next day when Holena was sitting idle, as usual, in the chimney
corner, the notion took her that she must have some red apples. So she
called Marushka and said:

"Here you, Marushka, go out to the forest and get me some red apples."

"But, my dear sister," Marushka gasped, "where can I find red apples in
winter?"

[Illustration: _Marushka reached up and picked one apple_]

"What, you lazy little slattern, you dare to argue with me! You go this
minute and if you come back without red apples I'll kill you!"

For the third time the stepmother sided with Holena and, taking Marushka
roughly by the shoulder, pushed her out of the house and slammed the
door.

So again the poor child went out to the forest. All around the snow lay
deep with no track of man or beast in any direction. This time Marushka
hurried straight to the mountain top. She found the Months still seated
about their fire with Great January still on the high stone.

Marushka bowed politely and said:

"Kind sirs, may I warm myself at your fire? I am shaking with cold."

Great January nodded and Marushka reached her stiff fingers towards the
flames.

"Why are you here again, Marushka?" Great January asked. "What are you
looking for now?"

"Red apples," Marushka answered. "My sister, Holena, says I must bring
her some red apples from the forest or she will kill me, and my mother
says so, too. Please, sir, won't you tell me where I can find some?"

Great January slowly stood up and walked over to one of the older
Months. He handed him the long staff and said:

"Here, September, you take the high seat."

So September took the high seat and began waving the staff over the
fire. The fire burned and glowed. Instantly the snow disappeared. The
fields about looked brown and yellow and dry. From the trees the leaves
dropped one by one and a cool