18 English Fairy Tales “My wicked mother slew me, My dear father ate me, My little brother whom I love Sits below, and I sing above Stick, stock, stone dead.” “Oh, the beautiful song! sing it again, sweet bird,” asked the watchmaker. “If you will give me first that gold watch and chain in your hand.” The jeweller gave the watch and chain. The bird took it in one foot, the shoes in the other, and, after having repeated the song, flew away to where three millers were picking a millstone. The bird perched on a tree and sang: “My wicked mother slew me, My dear father ate me, My little brother whom I love Sits below, and I sing above Stick!” Then one of the men put down his tool and looked up from his work, “Stock!” Then the second miller’s man laid aside his tool and looked up, “Stone!” Then the third miller’s man laid down his tool and looked up, “Dead!” Then all three cried out with one voice: “Oh, what a beau- tiful song! Sing it, sweet bird, again.” “If you will put the millstone round my neck,” said the bird. The men did what the bird wanted and away to the tree it flew with the mill- stone round its neck, the red shoes in one foot, and the gold watch and chain in the other. It sang the song and then flew home. It rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house, and the stepmother said: “It thunders.” Then the little boy ran out to see the thunder, and down dropped the red shoes at his feet. It rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house once more, and the stepmother said again: “It thun- ders.” Then the father ran out and down fell the chain about his neck.