te waists were fresh
and stiff.

Their shoes were coarse and heavy, and made a good deal of noise as
the children played the different games. But they were all so plump
and rosy, it was good to look at them.

"They are a pretty sight," said one of the neighbours, as she poured
out the coffee.

"They deserve to have a good time," said another woman with a kind,
motherly face. "They will soon grow up, and then they will have to
work hard to get a living."

The coffee and cakes were a great treat to these village children.
They did not get such a feast every day in the year. Their mothers
made cakes only for festivals and holidays, and coffee was seldom
seen on their tables oftener than once a week.

In the great cities and fine castles, where the rich people of
Germany had their homes, they could eat sweet dainties and drink
coffee as often as they liked. But in the villages of the Black
Forest, it was quite different.

"Good night, good night," said Hans and Bertha, as they left their
friends and trudged off on a path through the woods. It was the
shortest way home, and they knew their mother must be looking for
them by this time.

It was just sunset, but the children could not see the beautiful
colours of the evening sky, after they had gone a short distance into
the thick woods.

"Do you suppose there are any bears around?" whispered Bertha.

The trees looked very black. It seemed to the little girl as though
she kept seeing the shadow of some big animal hiding behind them.

"No, indeed," answered Hans, quite scornfully. "Too many people go
along this path for bears to be willing to stay around here. You
would have to go farther up into the forest to find them. But look
quickly, Bertha. Do you see that rabbit jumping along? Isn't he a
big fellow?"

"See! Hans, he has noticed us. There he goes as fast as his legs
can carry him."

By this time, the children had reached the top of a hill. The trees
grew very thick and close. On one side a torrent came rushing down
over the rocks and stones. It seemed to say:

"I cannot stop for any one. But come with me, come with me, and I
will take you to the beautiful Rhine. I will show you the way to
pretty bridges, and great stone castles, and rare old cities. Oh,
this is a wonderful world, and you children of the Black Forest have
a great deal to see yet."

"I love to listen to running water," said Bertha. "It always has a
story to tell us."