spoon into the beautiful, deep mass, and when she drew it out long
threads hung from it on all sides. The frying-pan hissed and bubbled as
the batter was poured on to the brown butter around the slices of apple
which Nelle had carefully laid in first. When the pancake began to brown
at the edges it was tossed into the air by a clever twist of the arm.
Dolf and Tobias clapped their hands and Riekje admired Nelle's
dexterity.

"A plate, quick!" The first koekebakke was spread out, golden and juicy,
the color of a fried sole. Who would have this first one? It should be
for Tobias; Tobias passed it on to Riekje, and the young girl cut it in
pieces and shared it with Dolf.

Tobias watched them both eat it with pleasure, then said to Nelle: "Ah!
my wife, I see that the koekebakken are as good as when you made them
for me the first time."

In gratitude for these kindly words a big juicy pancake, round as a
quoit, fell on to his plate. "The sun shines on my plate just as I see
it shine on the water from the bridge," he cried out.

More batter was quickly poured into the frying-pan, the butter bubbled,
the fire roared, and round pancakes fell on the table as tench.

"Now it's my turn, mother," cried Dolf, when the bowl was almost empty.

Nelle sat down near Tobias and ate the two pancakes which she had kept
for herself, because they were not quite so perfect as the others. Dolf
poured the batter into the frying-pan, but not in a ring, as Nelle did,
for his idea was to make a mannikin such as are to be seen in the