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opened. It is summer. Thousands of white stars covered the surf, then they changed into strawberries which shone like rubies in the middle of diamonds. Quickly, my child, gather the strawberries, said June. Mary filled her apron, thanked the twelve months and ran joyously home. Her mother and sister are much surprised.. Where did you find these beautiful things? asked Henrietta in a disdainful tone. Up there, on the mountain, answered the sister.
Henrietta and her mother ate the strawberries and did not even say thank you to the poor child. VII. The third day, the naughty sister wanted apples. The same threats, the same insults, the same violences. Mary ran again to the
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mountain. She is enough fortunate in finding the twelve months, who are still seated about the five, motionless and silent.
You again, my child? said January to her making room at the fire. And Mary, told him crying that if she did not bring back red apples her mother and sister would beat her without mercy.
Good January rose as the day before and gave the stick to a man with a gray beard, in a purple hood.
My brother September, said he, you look after this.
September rose in his turn and stirred the fire with the stick. All at once the flame rose, the snow melted, the trees grew yellow leaves which fell one by one at the breath of the wind. It is autumn. Mary
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IX Mother said Henrietta, give me my cloak hood. I wish to go to the woods, I wish to find this tree and I wish to shake it so well that all the apples will be ours.
Her mother tried to prevent her ,but a child Henrietta wrapped herself in her cloak hood and ran to woods. All was covered with snow, there was not even a path. Henrietta saw a light in the distance. She ran she mounted and found the twelve months seated each one on his stone, all motionless and silent.
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Without asking their pardon, she approached the fire.
What did you come to ask here? What do you wish ? Where are you going? said old January harshly.
, old crazy! answered Henrietta you have no need to know where I came, nor where I go.
And she plunged into the woods.
January frowned and lifted his stick above his head. In the twinkling of an eye the sky grew dark, the fire blackened, the snow fell, the wind blew. Henrietta no longer saw before her, she she lost her way and searched in vain to (come back) retrace her steps. The snow fell, the wind blew. She called her mother, she cursed her sister. The snow fell, the wind blew. Henrietta is frozen, her limbs get still, she falls. The snow falls, the wind still blows.
XI The mother goes constantly from the
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window to the door, from the door to the window; the hours pass, but Henrietta does not come back. Finally the mother mother sezies her cloak and runs to the montains . All is covered with snow, there was not even a path. She plunges into the woods, she call her daughter. The snow fell, the wind blew. She walks with the anxiety of fever, she cries (shouts/in the distance. The snow falls, the wind still blows.
Mary waited untl evening and all night, but no one came back. , the sun shone, the snow covered the earth. Henrietta and mother still People never see them again. In the spring come one finds the two bodies in the woods.
Mary remaine alone the mistress of the house, of the cow, of the garden and meadow which is in front of the house. But, when a good and
