This was a sad disappointment, but Rudolph had often been to the city
with his mother, and he resolved to take Theresa and go himself. As the
food was out, the parents could not refuse, and the two children climbed
up on the donkey and set out. It was a wearisome and anxious day to the
parents. At last, when evening came, there came no returning children.
But an hour after dark the donkey stopped before the door, and Rudolph
and his sister came joyfully in to tell the day's adventures. Very happy
were the parents to learn of their complete success. And now the children
went regularly to the weekly markets or fairs, and had a stall of their
own. Their constant whittling made them more and more skilful, and their
trinkets were soon much sought after. They were able to buy a little gold
and silver, and soon learned to inlay their nut-shell snuff-boxes and
wooden jewel-cases, so as to make them very beautiful. And as the
wood-chopper grew better he was able to do the rougher work of preparing
the wood for them. And the money they realized was more than the
wood-chopper was ever able to make in his best days. After a while some
wood-carver's tools helped Rudolph to do still more curious work. And he
now has a shop in town.
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