"That will keep the cow from falling off the roof."And he began to whistle as he went on with his work.
He heaped some sticks on the fireplace and set a big kettle of water over it.
"Na,na!"he said."Things are going as they should at last,and we'll soon have a good big soup!"
"Now I'll put the vegetables in the kettle--"
And that he did.
"And now I'll put in the bacon--"
And that he did too.
"And now I'll light the fire--"
But that he never did,for just then,with a bump and a thump,the cow slipped over the edge of the roof after all;and Fritzl--well,he was whisked up into thechimney and there he dangled,poor man,and couldn't get up and couldn't get down.
Before long,there came Liesi home from the fields with the water jug in her hand and the scythe over her shoulder.
But Hulla!Hui!What was that hanging over the edge of the roof?
The cow?Yes,the cow,and half-choked she was,too,with her eyes bulging and her tongue hanging out.
Liesi lost no time.She took her scythe--and ritsch!Rotsch!--the rope was cut,and there was the cow wobbling on her four legs,but alive and well,heaven be praised!