74 The Origin of the Woodpecker. 



But when it was done, she thought this one 

 was too nice and brown for a beggar. 



So she baked a smaller one, and then a smaller 

 one, but still each was as nice and as brown as 

 the first. 



At last, she took a piece of dough only as 

 big as the head of a pin, yet even this, when 

 it was baked, looked as large and fine as the 

 others. 



So the old lady put all the cakes on the shelf, 

 and offered the old man a dry crust of bread. 



But the poor man only looked at her, and 

 before the old lady could wink her eye, he was 

 gone. 



Then the old lady thought a good deal about 

 it, and knew that she had done wrong. 



" Oh, I wish I were a bird," said she, " I would 

 fly to him with the largest cake on the shelf." 



As she spoke, she felt herself growing smaller 

 and smaller, until the wind picked her up and 

 carried her up the chimney. 



When she came out, she still had on her red 

 bonnet and black dress. You could still see her 

 large white apron with the big bows behind. 



But she was no longer an old lady, but a bird, 

 just as she had wished to be. 



