So the girl thanked her , and set out for a farm at a little distance , where she was engaged to milk the cows and sift the corn . As soon as it was light next morning the girl got up and went into the cow-house . ` I 'm sure you must be hungry , ' said she , patting each in turn . And then she fetched hay from the barn , and while they were eating it , she swept out the cow-house , and strewed clean straw upon the floor . The cows were so pleased with the care she took of them that they stood quite still while she milked them , and did not play any of the tricks on her that they had played on other dairymaids who were rough and rude . And when she had done , and was going to get up from her stool , she found sitting round her a whole circle of cats , black and white , tabby and tortoise-shell , who all cried with one voice : ` We are very thirsty , please give us some milk ! ' ` My poor little pussies , ' said she , ` of course you shall have some . ' And she went into the dairy , followed by all the cats , and gave each one a little red saucerful . But before they drank they all rubbed themselves against her knees and purred by way of thanks . The next thing the girl had to do was to go to the storehouse , and to sift the corn through a sieve . While she was busy rubbing the corn she heard a whirr of wings , and a flock of sparrows flew in at the window . ` We are hungry ; give us some corn ! give us some corn ! ' cried they ; and the girl answered : ` You poor little birds , of course you shall have some ! ' and scattered a fine handful over the floor . When they had finished they flew on her shoulders and flapped their wings by way of thanks . Time went by , and no cows in the whole country-side were so fat and well tended as hers , and no dairy had so much milk to show . The farmer 's wife was so well satisfied that she gave her higher wages , and treated her like her own daughter . At length , one day , the girl was bidden by her mistress to come into the kitchen , and when there , the old woman said to her : ' I know you can tend cows and keep a diary ; now let me see what you can do besides . Take this sieve to the well , and fill it with water , and bring it home to me without spilling one drop by the way . '
The girl 's heart sank at this order ; XXXXX how was it possible for her to do her mistress 's bidding ?
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