. Happy holidays . e kettle put on to boil. But the little man would have slipped quietlyaway. He never waited to be thanked. Itseemed just as if everybody had wishing-caps,for people had only to wish, and the work wasdone. And the village was not lonely, oh, no! Peoplecame from everywhere to see if they could catcha glimpse of the strange little visitor. But they never saw Aiken-Drum again. Onecould go to the millers barn twenty times aday; and twenty times a day one would findnothing but a little heap of hay. The bowlthat held his food was always empty in themorning, but no one ever saw the
. Happy holidays . e kettle put on to boil. But the little man would have slipped quietlyaway. He never waited to be thanked. Itseemed just as if everybody had wishing-caps,for people had only to wish, and the work wasdone. And the village was not lonely, oh, no! Peoplecame from everywhere to see if they could catcha glimpse of the strange little visitor. But they never saw Aiken-Drum again. Onecould go to the millers barn twenty times aday; and twenty times a day one would findnothing but a little heap of hay. The bowlthat held his food was always empty in themorning, but no one ever saw the brownie suppingthe broth. Little children were the only ones who eversaw him; and oh! how he loved them! Justbefore bedtime, they would gather around himin some quiet corner by the old mill. Then the villagers would hear wonderful, low,sweet music. It was Aiken-Drum, singing thesongs of his own land to the happy children. 22 Happy Holidays WHY AIKEN-DRUM LEFT BLEDNOCKAnd he might be there yet, gathering the harvest. Just bfore bedtime, the little children wouldgather around him and helping tired people with their work; butsome one forgot what the little man had said, Labor Day 23 over and over again, in his strange little song: A bite to eat, a bed on hay,You may give; but nothing pay. You see, a brownie loves to give; he will notwork for pay. But some one forgot this. I must make something for Aiken-Drum,said a poor woman whom he had helped. Henever will stay to let me thank him. Winter iscoming on, and he will be cold in his old wornsuit. I will make him a warm coat. So she cut and sewed and pressed and made alittle coat for the brownie. She told no one whatshe was doing; but one night she put the laststitch in the pretty little garment. Then shewent softly to the millers barn and laid it downbeside the bowl of broth. The villagers of Blednock never saw Aiken-Drum again. For a true brownie must workwithout reward; he cannot stay where he is strange little man was obl
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