CHAPTER XXV 



SPIDERS 



ONE morning, Mother Ambroisine was chopping 

 herbs and cooked apples for a brood of little 

 chickens hatched not long before. A large gray 

 spider, letting itself slide the length of its thread, 

 descended from the ceiling to the 

 good woman's shoulders. At sight 

 of the creature with long velvety 

 legs, Mother Ambroisine could not 

 suppress a cry of fear, and, shak- 

 ing her shoulder, made the insect 

 fall, and crushed it under her foot. 

 "Spider in the morning stands for 

 mourning, " said she to herself. 

 At this instant Uncle Paul and 

 Claire entered. 

 Spider xo, sir, it is not right," said 



Mother Ambroisine, "that we poor mortals should 

 have so much useless trouble. Twelve little chickens 

 are hatched out for us, bright as gold ; and just as I 

 am preparing them something to eat, a villainous 

 spider falls on my shoulder." 



And Mother Ambroisine pointed with her finger 

 at the crushed insect with its legs still trembling. 



"I do not see that those little chickens have any- 

 thing to fear from the spider," remarked Uncle 

 Paul. 



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