` This is worse than the sieve , ' thought she , and was about to give up in despair when there came a rush of wings through the air , and on every twig of the birch trees which grew by the bank was perched a sparrow . ` The black to the east , the white to the west ! ' they sang , all at once ; and the girl dried her tears and felt brave again . Picking up the black yarn , she stood facing the east and dipped it in the river , and in an instant it grew white as snow , then turning to the west , she held the white yarn in the water , and it became as black as a crow 's wing . She looked back at the sparrows and smiled and nodded to them , and flapping their wings in reply they flew swiftly away . At the sight of the yarn the old woman was struck dumb ; but when at length she found her voice she asked the girl what magician had helped her to do what no one had done before . But she got no answer , for the maiden was afraid of bringing trouble on her little friends . For many weeks the mistress shut herself up in her room , and the girl went about her work as usual . She hoped that there was an end to the difficult tasks which had been set her ; but in this she was mistaken , for one day the old woman appeared suddenly in the kitchen , and said to her : ` There is one more trial to which I must put you , and if you do not fail in that you will be left in peace for evermore . Here are the yarns which you washed . Take them and weave them into a web that is as smooth as a king 's robe , and see that it is spun by the time that the sun sets . ' ` This is the easiest thing I have been set to do , ' thought the girl , who was a good spinner . But when she began she found that the skein tangled and broke every moment . ` Oh , I can never do it ! ' she cried at last , and leaned her head against the loom and wept ; but at that instant the door opened , and there entered , one behind another , a procession of cats . ` What is the matter , fair maiden ? ' asked they . And the girl answered : ` My mistress has given me this yarn to weave into a piece of cloth , which must be finished by sunset , and I have not even begun yet , for the yarn breaks whenever I touch it . ' ` If that is all , dry your eyes , ' said the cats ; ` we will manage it for you . ' And they jumped on the loom , and wove so fast and so skilfully that in a very short time the cloth was ready and was as fine as any king ever wore .
The girl was so delighted at the sight of it that she gave each cat a kiss on his forehead as they left the room XXXXX one the other as they had come .
At as behind by for if in on that to