Hannah ran off in the direction of the path, not caring for the censure or for the threat, knowing well that they would result in nothing.

Her mother followed.  When they reached the pastures Hannah began running here and there over the grass.

“Hannah!” said her mother, speaking in a stern and reproachful tone; “what do you keep running about so for all the time, Hannah?  You’ll get tired out before we get to the village, and then you’ll be teasing me to let you stop and rest.  Come and walk along quietly with me.”

But Hannah paid no attention whatever to this injunction.  She ran to and fro among the rocks and clumps of bushes, and once or twice she brought to her mother flowers or other curious things that she found.

“Those things are not good for any thing, child,” said her mother.  “They are nothing but common weeds and trash.  Besides, I told you not to run about so much.  Why can’t you come and walk quietly along the path, like a sensible person?”

Hannah paid no attention to this reiteration of her mother’s command, but continued to run about as before.

“Hannah,” repeated her mother, “come back into the path.  I have told you again and again that you must come and walk with me, and you don’t pay the least heed to what I say.  By-and-by you will fall into some hole, or tear your clothes against the bushes, or get pricked with the briers.  You must not, at any rate, go a step farther from the path than you are now.”

Hannah walked on, looking for flowers and curiosities, and receding farther and farther from the path, for a time, and then returning towards it again, according to her own fancy or caprice, without paying any regard to her mother’s directions.

“Hannah,” said her mother, “you must not go so far away from the path.  Then, besides, you are coming to a tree where there is a wasps’ nest.  You must not go near that tree; if you do, you will get stung.”

Hannah went on, looking for flowers, and gradually drawing nearer to the tree.

“Hannah!” exclaimed her mother, “I tell you that you must not go near that tree.  You will certainly get stung.”

Hannah went on—­somewhat hesitatingly and cautiously, it is true—­towards the foot of the tree, and, seeing no signs of wasps there, she began gathering the flowers that grew at the foot of it.

“Hannah!  Hannah!” exclaimed her mother; “I told you not to go near that tree!  Get your flowers quick, if you must get them, and come away.”

Hannah went on gathering the flowers at her leisure.

“You will certainly get stung,” said her mother.

“I don’t believe there is any hornets’ nest here,” replied Hannah.

“Wasps’ nest,” said her mother; “it was a wasps’ nest.”

“Or wasps’ nest either,” said Hannah.

“Yes,” rejoined her mother, “the boys said there was.”

“That’s nothing,” said Hannah; “the boys think there are wasps’ nests in a great many places where there are not any.”