Atondido Stories
which her feet danced of themselves.
They danced from noon till sundown. Then the maiden
paused and the music ceased. Betushka looked around. The sun
was already set behind the woods. She clasped her hands to her
head and looking down at the unfilled spindle she burst into
tears.
“Oh, what will my mother say?” she cried.
“Give me your little basket,” the maiden said, “and I will put
something in it that will more than make up for today’s stint.”
Betushka handed her the basket and the maiden took it and van-
ished. In a moment she was back. She returned the basket and
said:
“Lo o k no t insid e until yo u’re ho m e! Look not inside until you’re
home!”
As she said these words she was gone as if a wind had blown
her away.
Betushka wanted awfully to peep inside but she was afraid
to. The basket was so light that she wondered whether there was
anything at all in it. Was the lovely lady only fooling her? Half-
way home she peeped in to see.
Imagine her feelings when she found the basket was full of
birch leaves! Then indeed did Betushka burst into tears and re-
proach herself for being so simple. In her vexation she threw out
a handful of leaves and was going to empty the basket when she
thought to herself:
“No, I’ll keep what’s left as litter for the goats.”
She was almost afraid to go home. She was so quiet that
again the little goats wondered what ailed their shepherdess.
Her mother was waiting for her in great excitement.
“For heaven’s sake, Betushka, what kind of a spool did you
bring home yesterday?”
278