Seite 268 von 626

Now all this time the ale was running too, for Catherine had not

turned the cock; and when the jug was full the liquor ran upon

the floor till the cask was empty. When she got to the cellar

stairs she saw what had happened. 'My stars!' said she, 'what

shall I do to keep Frederick from seeing all this slopping

about?' So she thought a while; and at last remembered that there

was a sack of fine meal bought at the last fair, and that if she

sprinkled this over the floor it would suck up the ale nicely.

'What a lucky thing,' said she, 'that we kept that meal! we have

now a good use for it.' So away she went for it: but she managed

to set it down just upon the great jug full of beer, and upset

it; and thus all the ale that had been saved was set swimming on

the floor also. 'Ah! well,' said she, 'when one goes another may

as well follow.' Then she strewed the meal all about the cellar,

and was quite pleased with her cleverness, and said, 'How very

neat and clean it looks!'