HERE was once upon a time a couple of needy folk who lived in a
wretched hut, in which there was nothing but black want; so they had
neither food to eat nor wood to burn. But if they had next to nothing of
all else they had the blessing of God so far as children were concerned,
and every year brought them one more. The man was not overpleased at
this. He was always going about grumbling and growling, and saying that
it seemed to him that there might be such a thing as having too many of
these good gifts; so shortly before another baby was born he went away
into the wood for some firewood, saying that he did not want to see the
new child; he would hear him quite soon enough when he began to squall
for some food.

As soon as this baby was born it began to look about the room. 'Ah, my
dear mother!' said he, 'give me some of my brothers' old clothes, and
food enough for a few days, and I will go out into the world and seek my
fortune, for, so far as I can see, you have children enough.'

'Heaven help thee, my son!' said the mother, 'that will never do; thou
art still far too little.'

But the little creature was determined to do it, and begged and prayed
so long that the mother was forced to let him have some old rags, and
tie up a little food for him, and then gaily and happily he went out
into the world.

But almost before he was out of the house another boy was born, and he
too looked about him, and said, 'Ah, my dear mother! give me some of my
brothers' old clothes, and food for some days, and then I will go out
into the world and find my twin brother, for you have children enough.'

'Heaven help thee, little creature! thou art far too little for that,'
said the woman; 'it would never do.'

But she spoke to no purpose, for the boy begged and prayed until he
had got some old rags and a bundle of provisions, and then he set out
manfully into the world to find his twin brother.

When the younger had walked for some time he caught sight of his brother
a short distance in front of him, and called to him and bade him to
stop.

'Wait a minute,' he said; 'you are walking as if for a wager, but you
ought to have stayed to see your younger brother before you hurried off
into the world.'

So the elder stood still and looked back, and when the younger had got
up to him, and had told him that he was his brother, he said: 'But now,
let us sit down and see what kind of food our mother has given us,' and
that they did.

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