have dreamed of saving the rest by the sacrifice of the one. But what do you think happened? Why, a few days later, Michael the fox might have been seen sitting under the very same tree, and a dreadful pang shot through the heart of the magpie as he peeped at him from a hole in the nest.
鈥榃hat are you looking at?鈥�he asked in a trembling voice.
鈥楢t this tree. I was just thinking what good snowshoes it would make,鈥�answered the fox in an absent voice, as if he was not thinking of what he was saying.
鈥極h, my brother, my dear little brother, don鈥檛 do that,鈥�cried the magpie, hopping about in his anguish. 鈥榊ou know you promised only a few days ago that you would get your snow-shoes elsewhere.鈥�
鈥楽o I did; but though I have searched through the whole forest, there is not a single tree that is as good as this. I am very sorry to put you out, but really it is not my fault. The only thing I can do for you is to offer to give up my snow-shoes altogether if you will throw me down one of your young ones in exchange.鈥�
And the
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