It is my father 's axe you are sitting on , and I must take it back as fast as I can , or I shall get a terrible scolding from my stepmother . ' She then crumbled the bread on the ground , and was pleased to see the doves flutter quite cheerfully towards it . ` Good-bye , ' she said , picking up the axe , and went her way homewards . By the time they had finished all the crumbs the doves felt must better , and were able to fly back to their nest in the top of a tree . ` That is a good girl , ' said one ; ' I really was too weak to stretch out a wing before she came . I should like to do something to show how grateful I am . ' ` Well , let us give her a wreath of flowers that will never fade as long as she wears it , ' cried another . ` And let the tiniest singing birds in the world sit amongst the flowers , ' rejoined the third . ` Yes , that will do beautifully , ' said the first . And when the girl stepped into her cottage a wreath of rosebuds was on her head , and a crowd of little birds were singing unseen . The father , who was sitting by the fire , thought that , in spite of her muddy clothes , he had never seen his daughter looking so lovely ; but the stepmother and the other girl grew wild with envy . ` How absurd to walk about on such a pouring night , dressed up like that , ' she remarked crossly , and roughly pulled off the wreath as she spoke , to place it on her own daughter . As she did so the roses became withered and brown , and the birds flew out of the window . ` See what a trumpery thing it is ! ' cried the stepmother ; ` and now take your supper and go to bed , for it is near upon midnight . ' But though she pretended to despise the wreath , she longed none the less for her daughter to have one like it . Now it happened that the next evening the father , who had been alone in the forest , came back a second time without his axe . The stepmother 's heart was glad when she saw this , and she said quite mildly : ` Why , you have forgotten your axe again , you careless man ! But now your daughter shall stay at home , and mine shall go and bring it back ' ; and throwing a cloak over the girl 's shoulders , she bade her hasten to the forest . With a very ill grace the damsel set forth , grumbling to herself as she went ; for though she wished for the wreath , she did not at all want the trouble of getting it .
By the time she reached the spot where her stepfather had been cutting the wood the girl was in a very bad temper indeed , and when she caught sight of the axe , there were the three little doves , with drooping heads and soiled , bedraggled feathers , XXXXX on the handle .
See dressed flew getting picking rejoined seen sitting walk went