,' she said in a silvery voice to the man who
was watching the roast.

'Good-morning, lovely golden bird,' replied the chief of the scullions,
who had been well brought up.

'I pray that Heaven may send you to sleep,' said the golden bird, 'and
that the goose may burn, so that there may be none left for Titty.'

And instantly the chief of the scullions fell fast asleep, and the goose
was burnt to a cinder.

When he awoke he was horrified, and gave orders to pluck another goose,
to stuff it with chestnuts, and put it on the spit.

While it was browning at the fire, Tubby inquired for his goose a second
time. The Master Cook himself mounted to the hall to make his excuses,
and to beg his lord to have a little patience. Tubby showed his patience
by abusing his son.

'As if it wasn't enough,' he grumbled between his teeth, 'that the boy
should pick up a hag without a penny, but the goose must go and burn
now. It isn't a wife he has brought me, it is Famine herself.'

XIV

While the Master Cook was upstairs, the golden bird came again to perch
on the window-sill, and called in his clear voice to the head scullion,
who was watching the spit:

'Good-morning, my fine Scullion!'

'Good-morning, lovely Golden Bird,' replied the Scullion, whom the
Master Cook had forgotten in his excitement to warn.

'I pray Heaven,' went on the Canary, 'that it will send you to sleep,
and that the goose may burn, so that there may be none left for Titty.'

And the Scullion fell fast asleep, and when the Master Cook came back he
found the goose as black as the chimney.

In a fury he woke the Scullion, who in order to save himself from blame
told the whole story.

'That accursed bird,' said the Cook; 'it will end by getting me sent
away. Come, some of you, and hide yourselves, and if it comes again,
catch it and wring its neck.'

He spitted a third goose, lit a huge fire, and seated himself by it.

The bird appeared a third time, and said: 'Good-morning, my fine Cook.'

'Good-morning, lovely Golden Bird,' replied the Cook, as if nothing
had happened, and at the moment that the Canary was beginning, 'I pray
Heaven that it may send,' a scullion who was hidden outside rushed out
and shut the shutters. The bird flew into the kitchen. Then all the
cooks and scullions sprang after it, knocking at it with their aprons.
At length one of them caught it just at the very moment that Tubby
entered the kitchen, waving his sceptre. He ha