content: you see from this that the sparrow was a truthful bird , and the old woman ought to have been willing to forgive her at once when she asked her pardon so nicely . but not so . the old woman had never loved the sparrow , and had often quarreled with her husband for keeping what she called a dirty bird about the house , saying that it only made extra work for her . now she was only too delighted to have some cause of complaint against the pet . she scolded and even cursed the poor little bird for her bad behavior , and not content with using these harsh , unfeeling words , in a fit of rage she seized the sparrow - who all this time had spread out her wings and bowed her head before the old woman , to show how sorry she was - and fetched the scissors and cut off the poor little bird 's tongue . the old man now wished that he had said nothing about the big box , but it was too late ; the greedy old woman , not contented with the good luck which had so unexpectedly befallen them and which she so little deserved , made up her mind , if possible , to get more . early the next morning she got up and made the old man describe the way to the sparrow 's house . when he saw what was in her mind he tried to keep her from going , but it was useless . she would not listen to one word he said . it is strange that the old woman did not feel ashamed of going to see the sparrow after the cruel way she had treated her in cutting off her tongue in a fit of rage . but her greed to get the big box made her forget everything else . it did not even enter her thoughts that the sparrows might be angry with her - as , indeed , they were - and might punish her for what she had done . 
answer: she was greedy and mean .
question: why did the old woman not deserve the good luck that had befallen them ?
target: why did the old woman not deserve the good luck that had befallen them ?
references: why did the old woman not deserve the good luck that had befallen them ?