The Juniper Tree (part five)

And when he had done singing he flew away. The chain he had in the right claw, and the shoes in the left claw; and he flew far away to a mill; and the mill went clipp-clapp, clipp-clapp. And in the mill there sat twenty miller's men; they were shaping a stone, and chipped away hick-hack, hick-hack, hick-hack; and the mill went clipp-clapp, clipp-clapp, clipp-clapp.

Then the bird flew and sat on a lime tree that stood before the mill, and sang-

My mother killed me.

then one left off;

My father grieved for me;

then two more left off and heard it;

My sister,

then again four left off;

little Marline,

now there were only eight chipping away;

Wept under

now only five;

the juniper tree;

now only one;

Kwitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I.

Then the last left off, when he heard the last word. "Bird," said he, "how beautifully you sing! let me too hear that; sing me that again."Nay," said the bird (third time), "I don't sing twice for nothing. Give me the millstone, and I will sing it again." "Ay," said he, "if it belonged to me alone, you should have it." "Yes," said the others, " if he sings again he shall have it." Then the bird came down and all the twenty millers caught hold of a pole, and raised the stone up, hu, uh, upp, hu, uh, upp, hu, uh, upp! And the bird stuck his head through the hole, and took it round his neck like a collar, and flew back to the tree and sang--

My mother killed me;
My father grieved for me;
My sister, little Marline,
Wept under the juniper tree;
Kwitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I.

And when he had done singing he spread his wings, and had in his right claw, the gold chain, in his left the shoes, and round his neck the millstone, and he flew far away, to his father's house.