Chapter 31
The Girl Who Trod on the LoafTHERE was once a girl who trod on a loaf to avoid soiling
her shoes, and the misfortunes that happened to her in consequence
are well known. Her name was Inge; she was a poor child, but proud
and presuming, and with a bad and cruel disposition. When quite a
little child she would delight in catching flies, and tearing off
their wings, so as to make creeping things of them. When older, she
would take cockchafers and beetles, and stick pins through them.
Then she pushed a green leaf, or a little scrap of paper towards
their feet, and when the poor creatures would seize it and hold it
fast, and turn over and over in their struggles to get free from
the pin, she would say, "The cockchafer is reading; see how he
turns over the leaf." She grew
