` There must be some thing you could take , if you would only say what it is , ' implored his wife . ` No , nothing , nothing ; except , perhaps -- but of course that is impossible ! ' ` No , I am sure it is not , ' replied she ; ` you shall have it , I promise -- only tell me what it is . ' ' I think -- but I could not ask you to do such a thing . Leave me alone , and let me die quietly . ' ` You shall not die , ' cried the girl , who was very fond of her husband , for he did not beat her as most girls ' husbands did . ` Whatever it is , I will manage to get it for you . ' ` Well , then , I think , if I had that -- redbreast , nicely roasted , I could eat a little bit of his wing ! ' The wife started back in horror at such a request ; but the man turned his face to the wall , and took no notice , as he thought it was better to leave her to herself for a little . Weeping and wringing her hands , the girl went down to her mother . The brothers were very angry when they heard the story , and declared that , if any one were to die , it certainly should not be the robin . But all that night the man seemed getting weaker and weaker , and at last , quite early , the wife crept out , and stealing to the hut , killed the bird , and brought him home to her husband . Just as she was going to cook it her two brothers came in . They cried out in horror at the sight , and , rushing out of the hut , declared they would never see her any more . And the poor girl , with a heavy heart , took the body of the redbreast up to her husband . But directly she entered the room the man told her that he felt a great deal better , and that he would rather have a piece of bear 's flesh , well boiled , than any bird , however tender . His wife felt very miserable to think that their beloved redbreast had been sacrificed for nothing , and begged him to try a little bit . ` You felt so sure that it would do you good before , ' said she , ` that I ca n't help thinking it would quite cure you now . ' But the man only flew into a rage , and flung the bird out of the window . Then he got up and went out .
Now all this while the ball had been rolling , rolling , rolling XXXXX the old grandmother 's hut on the other side of the world , and directly it rolled into her hut she knew that her grandson must be dead .
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