BROTHER took sister by the hand and said: `Look here; we
haven't had one single happy hour since our mother died.
That stepmother of ours beats us regularly every day, and if we
dare go near her she kicks us away. We never get anything but
hard dry crusts to eat--why, the dog under the table is better off
than we are. She does throw him a good morsel or two now and
then. Oh dear! if our own dear mother only knew all about it!
Come along, and let us go forth into the wide world together.'

So off they started through fields and meadows, over hedges and
ditches, and walked the whole day long, and when it rained sister
said:

`Heaven and our hearts are weeping together.'

Towards evening they came to a large forest, and were so tired
out with hunger and their long walk, as well as all their trouble,
that they crept into a hollow tree and soon fell fast asleep.

Next morning, when they woke up, the sun was already high in
the heavens and was shining down bright and warm into the tree.
Then said brother:

`I'm so thirsty, sister; if I did but know where to find a little
stream, I'd go and have a drink. I do believe I hear one.' He
jumped up, took sister by the hand, and they set off to hunt for the
brook.

Now their cruel stepmother was in reality a witch, and she
knew perfectly well that the two children had run away. She had
crept secretly after them, and had cast her spells over all the
streams in the forest.

Presently the children found a little brook dancing and glittering
over the stones, and brother was eager to drink of it, but as it
rushed past sister heard it murmmuring:

`Who drinks of me will be a tiger! who drinks of me will be a

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