Atondido Stories
"High up in the mountain," Marushka answered, "under the
beech trees."
Holena took the strawberries and gobbled and gobbled and
gobbled. Then the stepmother ate all she wanted. But it never oc-
curred to either of them to say:
"Here, Marushka, you take one."
The next day when Holena was sitting idle, as usual, in the
chimney corner, the notion took her that she must have some red
apples. So she called Marushka and said:
"Here you, Marushka, go out to the forest and get me some
red apples."
"But, my dear sister," Marushka gasped, "where can I find
red apples in winter?"
"What, you lazy little slattern, you dare to argue with me!
You go this minute and if you come back without red apples I'll
kill you!"
For the third time the stepmother sided with Holena and,
taking Marushka roughly by the shoulder, pushed her out of the
house and slammed the door.
So again the poor child went out to the forest. All around the
snow lay deep with no track of man or beast in any direction.
This time Marushka hurried straight to the mountain top. She
found the Months still seated about their fire with Great January
still on the high stone.
Marushka bowed politely and said:
"Kind sirs, may I warm myself at your fire? I am shaking
with cold."
Great January nodded and Marushka reached her stiff fin-
gers towards the flames.
"Why are you here again, Marushka?" Great January asked.
"What are you looking for now?"
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