happiness. So Matilda welcomed her guests as cheerily as Katrinka had
done the evening before and the laughter lasted until 'way in the night.

And when the last guest had left, Matilda took Katrinka in her arms and
said, "I will not need to change places with you again, Katrinka, for I
have found that there is far more pleasure in being happy than in being
unhappy!" "Of course there is, Matilda!" Katrinka replied. "You see, in
order to be happy ourselves we must reflect happiness to others, and the
more cheer we give to others the more joy we receive ourselves, so we
must continue to change from one house to another every other day so
that no one will know which of us is Matilda and which is Katrinka and
we will share our happiness with each other."

So Matilda's house was soon surrounded with beautiful flowers and her
house echoed with the fun and laughter of happy children.

And the two sisters who looked alike now acted alike and could not be
told apart, and they changed about so often people never knew whether
they were visiting Katrinka or whether they were visiting Matilda, for
one was as cheery as the other and was as happy in the love of all the
people in the little village.

And, as they could not be told apart, everyone called Matilda or
Katrinka the Cheery Twins whenever they spoke of either.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]