The cow liked it right well up there on the roof and was soon munching away with a will,so Fritzl hurried back to his churning.
But Hulla!Hui!What did he see there under the tree?Kinndli was climbing up on the churn—the churn was tipping!
Spilling!
Falling!
And now,there on the grass lay Kinndli,all covered with half-churned cream and butter.
"So that's the end of our butter,"said Fritzl,and blinked and blinked his blue eyes.Then he shrugged his shoulders and said,"Na,na!What's gone is gone."
He picked up his dripping Kinndli and set her in the sun to dry.But the sun,now!It had climbed high up into the heavens.Noontime it was,no dinner made,and Liesi would soon be home for a bite to eat.
With big fast steps Fritzl hurried off to the garden.He gathered potatoes and onions,carrots and cabbages,beets and beans,turnips,parsley and celery.
"A little of everything,that will make a good soup,"said Fritzl as he went back to the house,his arms so full of vegetables that he could not even close the garden gate behind him.
He sat on a bench in the kitchen and began cutting and paring away.How the man did work,and how the peelings and parings did fly!
But now there was a great noise above him.Fritzl jumped to his feet.
"That cow,"he said,"she's sliding around right much up there on the roof.She might slip off and break her neck."
Up on the roof went Fritzl once more,this time with loops of heavy rope.Now listen carefully,and I will tell you what he did with it.He took one end of the rope and tied it around the cow's middle.The other end of the rope he dropped down the chimney and this he pulled through the fireplace in the kitchen below.
And then?And then he took the end of the rope which was hanging out of the fireplace and tied it around his own middle with a good tight knot.That's what he did.
"Oh yo!Oh ho!"he chuckled.
"That will keep the cow from falling off the roof."And he began to whistle as he went on with his work.
He heaped some sticks on the fireplace and set a big kettle of water over it.
"Na,na!"he said."Things are going as they should at last,and we'll soon have a good big soup!"
"Now I'll put the vegetables in the kettle—"
And that he did.
"And now I'll put in the bacon—"
And that he did too.
"And now I'll light the fire—"
But that he never did,for just then,with a bump and a thump,the cow slipped over the edge of the roof after all;and Fritzl—well,he was whisked up into thechimney and there he dangled,poor man,and couldn't get up and couldn't get down.
Before long,there came Liesi home from the fields with the water jug in her hand and the scythe over her shoulder.
But Hulla!Hui!What was that hanging over the edge of the roof?
The cow?Yes,the cow,and half-choked she was,too,with her eyes bulging and her tongue hanging out.
Liesi lost no time.She took her scythe—and ritsch!Rotsch!—the rope was cut,and there was the cow wobbling on her four legs,but alive and well,heaven be praised!
Now Liesi saw the garden with its gate wide open.There were the pigs and the goats and all the geese too.They were full to bursting,but the garden,alas!was empty.
Liesi walked on,and now what did she see?The churn upturned,and Kinndli there in the sun,stiff and sticky with dried cream and butter.
Liesi hurried on.There was Spitz-dog on the grass.He was full of sausages and looked none too well.
Liesi looked at the cellar.There was the cider all over the floor and halfway up the stairs besides.
Liesi looked in the kitchen.The floor!It was piled high with peelings and parings,and littered with dishes and pans.
At last Liesi saw the fireplace.Hu!Hulla!Hui!What was that in the soupkettle?Two arms were waving,two legs were kicking,and a gurgle,bubbly and weak-like,was coming up out of the water.
"Na,na!What can this mean?"cried Liesi.She did not know (but we do—yes?)that when she saved the cow outside,something happened to Fritzl inside.Yes,yes,as soon as the cow's rope was cut,Fritzl,poor man,he dropped down the chimney and crash!Splash!fell right into the kettle of soup in the fireplace.
Liesi lost no time.She pulled at the two arms and tugged at the two legs—and there,dripping and spluttering,with a cabbage-leaf in his hair,celery in his pocket,and a sprig of parsley over one ear,was her Fritzl.
"Na,na,my man!"said Liesi."Is that the way you keep house—yes?"
"Oh Liesi,Liesi!"sputtered Fritzl."You're right—that work of yours,'tis none too easy."
"'Tis a little hard at first,"said Liesi,"but tomorrow,maybe,you'll do better."
"Nay,nay!"cried Fritzl."What's gone is gone,and so is my housework from this day on.Please,please,my Liesi—let me go back to my work in the fields,and never more will I say that my work is harder than yours."
"Well then,"said Liesi,"if that's how it is,we surely can live in peace and happiness for ever and ever."
And that they did.
