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Windmills and wooden shoes

Chapter 19: SELLING THE MILK
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About This Book

The narrative follows Dutch siblings Jan and Katrina and their friends as they carry out everyday life in a small Dutch community: chores like milking cows, churning butter, selling milk; play and games; visits to windmills and barges; cultural details such as wooden shoes, storks' nests, blue-and-white dishes, dikes and canals; seasonal events including sleigh rides, St. Nicholas and Christmas; songs and simple illustrated scenes intended for classroom use. Episodes are short and episodic, combining practical descriptions of customs and landscape with domestic scenes to familiarize young readers with Holland's rhythms and material culture.


SELLING THE MILK

“O mother,” said Katrina one day, “there goes Jan to town with the milk cart! May I go with him and Rink? Please let me go, mother?”

“Yes, Katrina,” said mother, “you may go, but you must take your knitting with you. You can knit as you walk along with Jan beside the milk cart, and when the milk is sold, you may ride home in the cart.”

So Katrina ran for her knitting, and soon she was walking along by the side of Jan and Rink.

Her ball of yarn was in the big pocket of her apron, and she knit busily as she walked. She was careful not to drop any stitches.

When they came to the town, Katrina helped Jan sell the milk. Soon all the milk was sold and the big cans were empty.

“Get in the cart, Katrina,” said Jan, “and have a ride home.” “No,” said Katrina, “it is such a warm day, and poor Rink is tired. Just think! He pulled all these heavy milk cans to town!”