, passingbytheotherstarsinitscourse, and, astheywatcheditwondering, itseemedtothemtosinkbehindaclumpofwillow-treesthatstoodhardbyalittlesheepfoldnomorethanastone’s-throwaway.“Why! thereisacrookofgoldforwhoeverfindsit,” theycried, andtheysettoandran, , andoutstrippedhim, andforcedhiswaythroughthewillows, andcameoutontheotherside, andlo! , andstoopingdownplacedhishandsuponit, anditwasacloakofgoldentissue, curiouslywroughtwithstars, , andwhenhiscomradehadcomeup, theysatthemdowninthesnow, , alas! nogoldwasinit, norsilver, nor, indeed, treasureofanykind, : “Thisisabitterendingtoourhope, norhaveweanygoodfortune, forwhatdothachildprofittoaman? Letusleaveithere, andgoourway, seeingthatwearepoormen, andhavechildrenofourownwhosebreadwemaynotgivetoanother.”
Buthiscompanionansweredhim: “Nay, butitwereanevilthingtoleavethechildtoperishhereinthesnow, andthoughIamaspoorasthouart, andhavemanymouthstofeed, andbutlittleinthepot, yetwillIbringithomewithme, andmywifeshallhavecareofit.”
Soverytenderlyhetookupthechild, andwrappedthecloakaroundittoshielditfromtheharshcold, andmadehiswaydownthehilltothevillage, , hiscomradesaidtohim, “Thouhastthechild, thereforegivemethecloak, foritismeetthatweshouldshare.”
