itisgold!"criedthey,rushingforward,andseizingthehorses.thentheystruckthelittlejockeys,thecoachman,andthefootmandead,andpulledlittlegerdaoutofthecarriage.

"sheisfatandpretty,andshehasbeenfedwiththekernelsofnuts,"saidtheoldrobber-woman,whohadalongbeardandeyebrowsthathungoverhereyes."sheisasgoodasalittlelamb;howniceshewilltaste!"andasshesaidthis,shedrewforthashiningknife,thatglitteredhorribly."oh!"screamedtheoldwomanthesamemoment;forherowndaughter,whoheldherback,hadbittenherintheear.shewasawildandnaughtygirl,andthemothercalledheranuglything,andhadnottimetokillgerda.

"sheshallplaywithme,"saidthelittlerobber-girl;"sheshallgivemehermuffandherprettydress,andsleepwithmeinmybed."andthenshebithermotheragain,andmadeherspringintheair,andjumpabout;andalltherobberslaughed,andsaid,"seehowsheisdancingwithheryoungcub."

"iwillhavearideinthecoach,"saidthelittlerobber-girl;andshewouldhaveherownway;forshewassoself-willedandobstinate.

sheandgerdaseatedthemselvesinthecoach,anddroveaway,overstumpsandstones,intothedepthsoftheforest.thelittlerobber-girlwasaboutthesamesizeasgerda,butstronger;shehadbroadershouldersandadarkerskin;hereyeswerequiteblack,andshehadamournfullook.sheclaspedlittlegerdaroundthewaist,andsaid,-

"theyshallnotkillyouaslongasyoudon'tmakeusvexedwithyou.isupposeyouareaprincess."

"no,"saidgerda;andthenshetoldherallherhistory,andhowfondshewasoflittlekay.

therobber-girllookedearnestlyather,noddedherheadslightly,andsaid,"theysha'ntkillyou,evenifidogetangrywithyou;foriwilldoitmyself."andthenshewipedgerda'seyes,andstuckherownhandsinthebeautifulmuffwhichwassosoftandwarm.

thecoachstoppedinthecourtyardofarobber'scastle,thewallsofwhichwerecrackedfromtoptobottom.ravensandcrowsflewinandoutoftheholesandcrevices,whilegreatbulldogs,eitherofwhichlookedasifitcouldswallowaman,werejumpingabout;buttheywerenotallowedtobark.inthelargeandsmokyhallabrightfirewasburningonthestonefloor.therewasnochimney;sothesmokewentuptotheceiling,andfoundawayoutforitself.soupwasboilinginalargecauldron,andharesandrabbitswereroastingonthespit.

"youshallsleepwithmeandallmylittleanimalsto-night,"saidtherobber-girl,aftertheyhadhadsomethingtoeatanddrink.soshetookgerdatoacornerofthehall,wheresomestrawandcarpetswerelaiddown.abovethem,onlathsandperches,weremorethanahundredpigeons,whoallseemedtobeasleep,althoughtheymovedslightlywhenthetwolittlegirlscamenearthem."theseallbelongtome,"saidtherobber-girl;andsheseizedthenearesttoher,helditbythefeet,andshookittillitflappeditswings."kissit,"criedshe,flappingitingerda'sface."theresitthewood-pigeons,"continuedshe,pointingtoanumberoflathsandacagewhichhadbeenfixedintothewalls,nearoneoftheopenings."bothrascalswouldflyawaydirectly,iftheywerenotcloselylockeddhereismyoldsweetheart'ba;'andshedraggedoutareindeerbythehorn;heworeabrightcopperringroundhisneck,andwastiedup."weareobligedtoholdhimtighttoo,orelsehewouldrunawayfromusalso.iticklehisneckeveryeveningwithmysharpknife,whichfrightenshimverymuch."andthentherobber-girldrewalongknifefromachinkinthewall,andletitslidegentlyoverthereindeer'sneck.thepooranimalbegantokick,andthelittlerobber-girllaughed,andpulleddowngerdaintobedwithher.

"willyouhavethatknifewithyouwhileyouareasleep?"