按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Father and Seppi appeared with the bundles； and then there was
the clatter of many little hoofs on the hard earth of the door…
yard； and round the corner of the old gray farm…house came big
brother Fritz with the goats。 With Fritz came Bello； his faithful
dog； barking and wagging his tail for joy at getting home again。
Bello ran at once to Leneli and licked her hand； nearly upsetting
the bowl of milk in his noisy greeting； and the baby crowed with
delight and seized him by his long； silky ears。
〃Down； Bello； down；〃 cried Leneli； holding the bowl high out of
reach； 〃you'll spill the baby's supper！〃 And Bello； thinking she
meant that he should beg for it； sat up on his hind legs with his
front paws crossed and barked three times； as Fritz had taught
him to do。
〃He must have a bite or he'll forget his manners；〃 laughed Fritz；
and Leneli broke off a crumb of bread and tossed it to him。 Bello
caught it before it fell； swallowed it at one gulp； and begged
for more。
〃No； no；〃 said Leneli； 〃good old Bello； go now with Fritz and
help him drive the goats to the milking…shed； and by and by you
shall have your supper。〃
Fritz whistled； and instantly Bello was off like a shot after
Nanni； the brown goat； who was already on her way to the garden
to eat the young green carrot…tops she saw peeping out of the
ground。
〃It's time that child was in bed；〃 said the cuckoo to himself；
and out he came from his little house and called 〃cuckoo〃 seven
times so reproachfully that Leneli hastened upstairs with the
baby and put her down in her crib at once。
Baby Roseli did not agree with the cuckoo。 She wanted to stay up
and play with Bello； and hear the robin sing； but Leneli sat down
beside the crib； and while Mother Adolf milked the goats she sang
over and over again an old song。
〃Sleep； baby； sleep！
Thy father watches the sheep；
Thy mother is shaking the dreamland tree
And down falls a little dream on thee。
Sleep； baby； sleep！〃
〃Sleep； baby； sleep！
The large stars are the sheep；
The little stars are the lambs； I guess；
And the silver moon is the shepherdess。
Sleep； baby； sleep！〃
Over and over she sang it； until at last the heavy lids closed
over the blue eyes。 Then she crept quietly down the creaking
stairs in the dark； and ate her bread and cheese and drank her
soup by candle…light with her father and mother； Seppi and Fritz；
all seated about the kitchen table。
By nine o'clock the room was once more silent and deserted； the
little mouse was creeping quietly from his hole in the wall； and
Bello lay by the door asleep with his nose on his paws。 High over
Mt。 Pilatus the moon sailed through the star…lit sky； bathing the
old gray farm…house in silver light and playing hide and seek
with shadows on the snow…capped peaks。
〃Cuckoo；〃 called the tiny wooden cuckoo nine times； and at once
the bells in the village steeple answered him。 〃That's as it
should be；〃 ticked the cuckoo。 〃That church…bell is really very
intelligent。 Let me see； to…morrow morning I must wake the
roosters at three； and the sun at four； and the family must be up
by five。 I'll just turn in and get a wink of sleep myself while I
can；〃 and he popped into the clock ones more and shut the door。
II。 THE TWINS LEARN A NEW TRADE
THE TWINS LEARN A NEW TRADE
At five o'clock the next morning Father and Mother Adolf were
already up； and the cuckoo woke Fritz； but though he shouted five
times with all his might and main； neither Seppi nor Leneli
stirred in their sleep。
〃Fritz； go wake the Twins；〃 said Mother Adolf； when he came to
the door of the shed where she was milking the goats。 〃Only don't
wake the baby。 I want her to sleep as long as she will。〃
〃Yes； Mother；〃 said Fritz dutifully； and he was off at once；
leaping up the creaky stairs three steps at a time。
He went first to Leneli's bed and tickled her toes。 She drew up
her knees and slept on。 Then he went to Seppi's bed； and when
shaking and rolling over failed to rouse him； he took him by one
leg and pulled him out of bed。 Seppi woke up with a roar and cast
himself upon Fritz； and in a moment the two boys were rolling
about on the floor； yelling like Indians。 The uproar woke Leneli；
and the baby too； and Mother Adolf； hearing the noise； came
running from the goat…shed just in time to find Seppi sitting on
top of Fritz beating time on his stomach to a tune which he was
singing at the top of his lungs。 The baby was crowing with
delight as she watched the scuffle from Leneli's arms。
Mother Adolf gazed upon this lively scene with dismay。 Then she
picked Seppi off Fritz's stomach and gazed sternly at her oldest
son。 〃Fritz；〃 said she； 〃I told you to be quiet and not wake the
baby。〃
〃I was quiet；〃 said Fritz； sitting up。 〃I was just as quiet as I
could be； but they wouldn't wake up that way； so I had to pull
Seppi out of bed； there was no other way to get him up。〃 He
looked up at his mother with such honest eyes that in spite of
herself her lips twitched and then she smiled outright。
〃I should have known better than to send such a great overgrown
pup of a boy as you on such an errand；〃 she said。 〃Bello would
have done it better。 Next time I shall send him。
〃And now； since you are all awake； I will tell you the great news
that Father told me last night。 He has been chosen by the commune
to take the herds of the village up to the high alps to be gone
all summer。 He will take Fritz with him to guard the cattle while
he makes the cheese。 There is no better cheese…maker in all the
mountains than your father； and that is why the commune chose
him；〃 she finished proudly。
More than anything else in the world； every boy in that part of
Switzerland longs to go with the herds to the high mountain
pastures for the summer； and Fritz was so delighted that he
turned a somersault at once to express his feelings。 When he was
right side up again； a puzzled look came over his face； and he
said； 〃Who will take care of our own goats？〃
〃Ah；〃 answered his mother； and she sighed a little。 〃There is no
one but Seppi and Leneli。 Together they must fill your place； and
you； Fritz； must take them with you to…day up the mountain to
learn the way and begin their work。〃
〃To…day！ This very day？〃 screamed the Twins。 They had never been
up to the goat…pastures in their lives； and it was a most
exciting event。
Then Leneli thought of her mother。 She flung her arms about her
neck。 〃But who will stay with you； dear Mother？〃 she cried。 〃All
day you will be alone； with everything to do and no one to speak
to but the baby。〃
〃Yes；〃 sighed the mother； 〃that is true。 It will be a long；
lonely summer for me； but there is no other way； so we must each
do our part bravely and not complain。 It is good fortune that
Father and Fritz will both be earning money in the alps； and；
with wise old Bello to help you； you will soon be as good
goatherds as your brother。 Come； now； hurry and eat your
breakfasts； for the goats are already milked and impatient to be
gone。〃
She took Roseli in her arms and disappeared down the stairs； and
when； a few moments later； the Twins and Fritz came into the
kitchen； she