the old woman had never loved the sparrow, and had often quarreled with her husband for keeping what she called a dirty bird about the house, saying that it only made extra work for her. now she was only too delighted to have some cause of complaint against the pet. she scolded and even cursed the poor little bird for her bad behavior, and not content with using these harsh, unfeeling words, in a fit of rage she seized the sparrow who all this time had spread out her wings and bowed her head before the old woman, to show how sorry she was and fetched the scissors and cut off the poor little bird's tongue.