The wife started back in horror at such a request; but the man
turned his face to the wall, and took no notice, as he thought it
was better to leave her to herself for a little.

Weeping and wringing her hands, the girl went down to her mother.
The brothers were very angry when they heard the story, and
declared that, if any one were to die, it certainly should not be
the robin. But all that night the man seemed getting weaker and
weaker, and at last, quite early, the wife crept out, and
stealing to the hut, killed the bird, and brought him home to her
husband.

Just as she was going to cook it her two brothers came in. They
cried out in horror at the sight, and, rushing out of the hut,
declared they would never see her any more. And the poor girl,
with a heavy heart, took the body of the redbreast up to her
husband.

But directly she entered the room the man told her that he felt a
great deal better, and that he would rather have a piece of
bear's flesh, well boiled, than any bird, however tender. His
wife felt very miserable to think that their beloved redbreast
had been sacrificed for nothing, and begged him to try a little
bit.

'You felt so sure that it would do you good before,' said she,
'that I can't help thinking it would quite cure you now.' But
the man only flew into a rage, and flung the bird out of the
window. Then he got up and went out.