Once upon a time there lived a man and his wife, their daughter and a little son.
“Daughter, daughter”, said the mother, “We have to go to town to the market. Look after your brother, don’t let the wild geese take him and we will bring you presents”.
The parents went to town. The girl went out to play with her friends. She brought her brother with her and left him alone in the street. The wild geese came and took the little boy. When the girl came back, she could not find her brother. She ran to the field and saw the wild geese flying far away carrying her brother.
She ran after them. She ran and ran and saw a big stove in the field. She asked the stove:
“Stove, stove! Tell me where the wild geese took my brother.”
“Eat my brown scone and I will tell you”.
“Oh, no”, said the girl, “We do not eat scones at home, we only eat cakes and I will not eat your brown scone!”
So the stove did not tell her anything and the girl had to run further. She ran and ran and saw an apple tree.
“Apple tree, apple tree. Tell me where the wild geese took my brother.”
“Eat my apple and I will tell you”.
“Oh, no”, said the girl, “Your apples all small and sour. We only eat big sweet apples at home and I will not eat yours.”
So the apple tree did not tell her anything and the girl had to run further. She ran and ran and saw a river full of milk.
“River, river. Tell me where the wild geese took my brother.”
“Drink my milk and I will tell you.”
“Oh, no”, said the girl, “We only take cream at home and I will not drink your milk”.
So the river did not tell her anything and the girl had to run further. She ran and ran and saw a forest and in the forest she saw a little hut. The hut had big chicken legs and could turn around. The girl looked in and saw a witch and her brother sitting on the bench.
She waited for the moment when the witch went to the kitchen, went into the hut, took her brother and ran away. But the witch saw the little boy missing and sent the wild geese to get him back.
The girl ran and ran and the wild geese followed her. She saw the river full of milk.
“River, river. Hide me please from the wild geese.”
“Drink my milk and I will hide you.”
The girl drank a glass of milk and the river hid them under the river bank. The wild geese did not see them and flew by.
The girl ran further, but the wild geese saw her and her brother and followed them.
The girl ran and ran and saw the apple tree.
“Apple tree, apple tree. Hide me please from the wild geese.”
“Eat my apple and I will hide you”.
The girl ate the apple and the apple tree spread its branches and covered the girl and her brother. The wild geese did not see them and flew by.
The girl ran further, but the wild geese saw her and her brother and followed them.
The girl ran and ran and saw the stove.
“Stove, stove! Hide me please from the wild geese”.
“Eat my brown scone and I will hide you”.
The girl ate the brown scone and the stove hid the girl and her little brother inside. The wild geese did not see them and flew by.
The home was very close and the girl and her little brother came home safely. The wild geese saw them, but could not get them and had to go back with nothing. Shortly after their parents came home. They had a lot of presents for everybody!
