As soon as she entered, Kurt broke out into a frightened cry. "Oh,
mother, we have forgotten all about the poor people whose houses burnt
down and we were supposed to take the things with us this morning."

"Yes, the teacher told us twice that we must not forget it," Lippo
complained, "but I didn't forget it."

"Don't worry, children, I have attended to it," said the mother. "Kathy
has just gone to the school with a basket full of things. It was too
heavy for you to carry."

"Oh, how nice and convenient it is to have a mother," Kurt said quite
relieved.

The mother sat down at the piano.

"Come, let us sing our morning song, now," she said. "We can't wait for
uncle, because he might come back too late from his walk." Opening the
book, she began to sing "The golden sun--with joy and fun."

The children taking up the melody sang it briskly, for they knew it well.
Mäzli was singing full of zeal, too, and wherever she had forgotten the
words, she did not stop, but made up some of her own.

Two stanzas had been sung when Kurt said, "We must stop now or it will
get too late. After breakfast it is time to go to school."

The mother, assenting, rose and went to the table to fill their cups.