he three little dogs hid their heads
under a sack because Black Caroline was so ugly--but she was also very
good.

And their mother, in her heart, could not stand that, so she said:

'_White Caroline must die, cost what it will!_'

She thought and thought during seven days how she could rid herself of
White Caroline. At last she went to an old witch, and bought the most
violent poison that could be got.

On arriving home she called Black Caroline and said:

'Pay attention, Black Caroline; when at dinner to-day, do not eat of the
little meat-balls. Say you have a pain in your head; because I am going
to put this poison in the meat, and then White Caroline will eat it, and
she will die; and then you will be more than ever the pet of your
mother!'

_And Black Caroline said, 'Very well!'_

But, at dinner time, when White Caroline was about to eat from her
plate, she took her by the arm and said:

'White Caroline, I love you very much, but you must not tell mother; she
wishes your death, and she has put poison in your meat. Tell her that we
will eat our dinner outside the house, so that the cat may not eat the
birds and so that the crows may not eat the grain. Then you can throw
your portion away.'

Then White Caroline, full of joy, took Black Caroline in her little arms
and they went out together.

A little while after they heard a rat-a-tat at the garden door.

'Here! Black Caroline! Are you there?'

It was their mother calling from the inside of the house.

'Yes, my dear little mother, I am here!' said White Caroline.

And their mother was in a great rage because White Caroline was not
dead. Then she went out to see if Black Caroline was still alive. And
she had still her plate full of meat, and she was shedding tears of
blood, because she had such a bad headache. And their mother could not
understand how it was that White Caroline was not dead, and she boiled
with rage.

And one day it happened that a tradesman was passing the house with
sweets and cakes in his van, and when he saw White Caroline, he showed
her all the sweets and cakes and nuts. White Caroline was so happy,
because the tradesman gave her nuts and sweets for nothing, just because
she was so pretty. But Black Caroline, who was coming down the winding
stairs, came out to see.

As soon as the man saw Black Caroline, he mounted his van and drove away
at full gallop, because she was so ugly--but she was good all the same.

And her mother