"Where is our little Mary?" said the father.W "She is playing out upon the green there with our neighbour's boy,"replied the mother."I wish they may not run away and lose themselves," said he; "they are sothoughtless."The mother looked for the little ones, and brought them their eveningluncheon. "It is warm," said the boy; "and Mary had a longing for the redcherries.""Have a care, children," said the mother, "and do not run too far fromhome, and not into the wood; Father and I are going to the fields."Little Andres answered: "Never fear, the wood frightens us; we shall sithere by the house, where there are people near us."The mother went in, and soon came out again with her husband. They lockedthe door, and turned towards the fields to look after their labourers,and see their hay-harvest in the meadow. Their house lay upon a. littlegreen height, encircled by a pretty ring of paling, which likewiseenclosed their fruit and flower garden. The hamlet stretched somewhatdeeper down, and on the other side lay the castle of the Count. Martinrented the large farm from this nobleman; and was living in contentmentwith his wife and only child; for he yearly saved some money, and had theprospect of becoming a man of substance by his industry, for the groundwas productive, and the Count not illiberal.