صفحة 252 من 626

There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his

ears dull of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at

table he could hardly hold the spoon, and spilt the broth upon

the table-cloth or let it run out of his mouth. His son and his

son's wife were disgusted at this, so the old grandfather at last

had to sit in the corner behind the stove, and they gave him his

food in an earthenware bowl, and not even enough of it. And he

used to look towards the table with his eyes full of tears. Once,

too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl, and it fell to

the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he said

nothing and only sighed. Then they brought him a wooden bowl for

a few half-pence, out of which he had to eat.