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It happened that soon afterwards the mother sent the two children

to the town to buy needles and thread, and laces and ribbons. The

road led them across a heath upon which huge pieces of rock lay

strewn about. There they noticed a large bird hovering in the

air, flying slowly round and round above them; it sank lower and

lower, and at last settled near a rock not far away. Immediately

they heard a loud, piteous cry. They ran up and saw with horror

that the eagle had seized their old acquaintance the dwarf, and

was going to carry him off.