Then the carter exclaimed : ` Oh ! what an unlucky fellow I am ! ' ` You 've not got to the end of your bad luck yet , ' sang the sparrow ; and , perching on the head of the third horse , she pecked out its eyes . The carter , blind with rage , let his axe fly at the bird ; but once more she escaped the blow , which fell on the only remaining horse , and killed it . And again the carter called out : ` Oh ! what an unlucky fellow I am ! ' ` You 'll have worse luck yet , ' said the sparrow , ` for now I mean to make your home desolate . ' The carter had to leave his waggon on the road , and he went home in a towering passion . As soon as he saw his wife , he called out : ` Oh ! what bad luck I have had ! all my wine is spilt , and my horses are all three dead . ' ` My dear husband , ' replied his wife , ` your bad luck pursues you , for a wicked little sparrow has assembled all the other birds in the world , and they are in our barn eating everything up . ' The carter went out to the barn where he kept his corn and found it was just as his wife had said . Thousands and thousands of birds were eating up the grain , and in the middle of them sat the little sparrow . When he saw his old enemy , the carter cried out : ` Oh ! what an unlucky fellow I am ! ' ` Not unlucky enough yet , ' answered the sparrow , ` for , mark my words , carter , your cruel conduct will cost you your life ; ' and with these words she flew into the air . The carter was much depressed by the loss of all his worldly goods , and sat down at the fire plotting vengeance on the sparrow , while the little bird sat on the window ledge and sang in mocking tones : ` Yes , carter , your cruel conduct will cost you your life . ' Then the carter seized his axe and threw it at the sparrow , but he only broke the window panes , and did not do the bird a bit of harm . She hopped in through the broken window and , perching on the mantelpiece , she called out : ` Yes , carter , it will cost you your life . '
The carter , quite beside himself with rage , flew at the XXXXX again with his axe , but the little creature always eluded his blows , and he only succeeded in destroying all his furniture .
barn carter eyes fellow fire home mantelpiece sparrow third waggon