and when she saw the poor little bird moult all its feathers, she
said: "Little bird, why do you moult all your feathers?" "Oh!" said
the little bird, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and
the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the old form
runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds its leaves, and so I moult
all my feathers."

"Then," said the little girl, "I'll spill the milk," so she dropt the
pitcher and spilt the milk. Now there was an old man just by on the
top of a ladder thatching a rick, and when he saw the little girl
spill the milk, he said: "Little girl, what do you mean by spilling
the milk, your little brothers and sisters must go without their
supper." Then said the little girl: "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps,
the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window
creaks, the old form runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds all
its leaves, the little bird moults all its feathers, and so I spill
the milk."

"Oh!" said the old man, "then I'll tumble off the ladder and break my
neck," so he tumbled off the ladder and broke his neck; and when the
old man broke his neck, the great walnut-tree fell down with a crash,
and upset the old form and house, and the house falling knocked the
window out, and the window knocked the door down, and the door upset
the broom, and the broom upset the stool, and poor little Tatty Mouse
was buried beneath the ruins.



JACK AND HIS GOLDEN SNUFF-BOX