an orphan child was sitting on the town walls spinning, when she saw a snake coming out of a hole low down in the wall. swiftly she spread out beside this one of the blue silk handkerchiefs which snakes have such a strong liking for, and which are the only things they will creep on. as soon as the snake saw it, it went back, then returned, bringing with it a small golden crown, laid it on the handkerchief, and then went away again. the girl took up the crown, it glittered and was of delicate golden filagree work. it was not long before the snake came back for the second time, but when it no longer saw the crown, it crept up to the wall, and in its grief smote its little head against it as long as it had strength to do so, until at last it lay there dead. if the girl had but left the crown where it was, the snake would certainly have brought still more of its treasures out of the hole.