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diff --git a/old/grgos10.txt b/old/grgos10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f20a767 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/grgos10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1909 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gray Goose's Story, by Amy Prentice + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Gray Goose's Story + +Author: Amy Prentice + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7897] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 31, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GRAY GOOSE'S STORY *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +[Illustration: "Good Morning, Mr. Rabbit. Can you tell me where I'll +find two or three fat fish?"] + + +Aunt Amy's Animal Stories + +THE GRAY GOOSE'S STORY + +By AMY PRENTICE + +[Illustration] + +With Thirty-Two Illustrations and a Frontispiece in Colors +By +J. WATSON DAVIS + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE GRAY GOOSE'S STORY. + +BY AMY PRENTICE. + + +On pleasant afternoons your Aunt Amy dearly loves to wander down by the +side of the pond, which lies just beyond the apple orchard, and there +meet her bird or animal friends, of whom she has many, and all of them +are ready to tell her stories. + +[Illustration: The Gray Goose.] + +There it is she sees Mr. Frisky Squirrel, old Mr. Plodding Turtle, Mr. +Bunny Rabbit, and many others; but never until yesterday did she make +the acquaintance of the gray goose, and then it was owing to Master +Teddy's mischief that she found a new friend among the dwellers on the +farm. + +Your Aunt Amy was walking slowly along on the lookout for some bird or +animal who might be in the mood for story-telling, when she heard an +angry hissing, which caused her to start in alarm, thinking a snake was +in her path, and, to her surprise, she saw two geese who were scolding +violently in their own peculiar fashion. + +One was the gray goose, who afterward became very friendly, and the +other, a white gander from the farm on the opposite side of the road. + +[Illustration: An Angry Pair.] + +"What is the matter?" your Aunt Amy asked, as the geese continued to +hiss angrily without giving any heed to her, and Mrs. Gray Goose ceased +her scolding sufficiently long to say sharply: + +"It's that Mr. Man's boy Teddy; he never comes into the farm-yard +without raising a disturbance of some kind, and I for one am sick of so +much nonsense." + +Your Aunt Amy looked quickly around; but without seeing any signs of the +boy who had tried Mrs. Goose's temper so sadly, and, quite naturally, +she asked: + +"What has he been doing now, and where is he?" + +"Down in the meadow, or, he was there when Mr. Gander and I were driven +out by his foolish actions," and Mrs. Goose continued to hiss at the +full strength of her lungs. + +[Illustration: Mr. Crow.] + +"If he is so far away your scolding will do no good, because he can't +hear it," your Aunt Amy said, finding it difficult to prevent herself +from actually laughing in the angry bird's face. + +"Some of the other people on this farm can hear me, and thus know that I +do not approve of such actions," Mrs. Goose replied sharply. "Since Mr. +Crow began to write poetry about Young Teddy, the boy thinks he can +chase us around whenever he pleases. He'll kill Mrs. Cow's baby, if he +isn't careful." + +"Do you know Mr. Crow?" your Aunt Amy asked in surprise, for every bird +or animal she had met seemed to be on friendly terms with the old fellow +who spent the greater portion of his time in the big oak tree near the +pond. + +"Of course I know him," Mrs. Goose replied as she ceased scolding and +came nearer your Aunt Amy, while Mr. Gander sat down close at hand as if +listening to what was said. "Teddy has been trying for nearly a week to +use that poor calf as if the baby was a horse--that's what he's doing +now, and Mr. Crow wrote some poetry about it. Of course old Mamma +Speckle must run straight to Teddy Boy with it, and since then he has +been carrying on worse than ever." + + + + +TEDDY AND THE CALF. + + +"Oh yes, I'll repeat it if you like; but I'd rather you didn't tell +Teddy that you heard it, for he is already much too proud. This is the +way it goes: + + Young Ted was a rider bold, + Who never did things by half, + And so he hitched to his cart one day + A strong and frolicsome calf. + + Away he went, and on behind + Came a troop of merry boys, + Who tossed their caps, and screamed aloud, + Till the woods rang with the noise. + + But the steed was like his driver,-- + He wouldn't do things by half,-- + And never had Ted a drive like that + He had with his frolicsome calf. + +[Illustration: The Bold Bare-Back Rider.] + + Then Ted tried another game, + And mounted his sturdy steed; + But the calf resolved he wouldn't bear that, + So he ran with all his speed. + + Ted learned to his great dismay, + That it wouldn't do by half, + When he wanted fun, to tamper with + A strong and frolicsome calf. + +"That is exactly what he was doing with Mrs. Cow's baby when Mr. Gander +and I were just the same as driven out of the meadow," Mrs. Goose said +as she finished the verses. "What I'm hoping is, that Mr. Towser Dog +will help young Calf out of his trouble." + +Mrs. Goose had hardly more than ceased speaking when Mrs. Cow's baby and +Mr. Towser appeared in sight, walking slowly as if talking earnestly. + +Mr. Gander jumped up at once and went toward them, coming back a moment +later as he said to Mrs. Goose: + +"Young Calf has given Teddy Boy a good tumble, and hopes he struck the +little rascal with his left hind foot; but of that he can't be certain, +because of being in such a hurry when he came away. Mamma Speckle has +gone over to the pasture believing she may find Mr. Donkey there, and if +she does, Teddy Boy and his friends will be glad to get away quickly." + +"I suppose Young Calf and Mr. Towser Dog are waiting to hear what Mr. +Donkey has to say about it," Mrs. Goose added, as she nodded to the dog +and the calf, who were standing with their noses very near together, as +if talking the matter over. + +"Does Mr. Donkey often interfere when the animals of the farm get into +trouble?" your Aunt Amy asked, and Mrs. Goose replied: + +[Illustration: Waiting to Hear from Mr. Donkey.] + +"Yes indeed; he's a very good friend to us all, but doesn't often have +time to look after such matters, because Mr. Man seems to delight in +finding work for him to do. He once actually killed a Mr. Weasel who was +sneaking up to murder some of the chickens, and that proves him to be a +very able fellow, for even Mr. Man himself believes it's a big thing to +get the best of a weasel. + +"Mr. Towser Dog is another good friend to all of us. He thinks very much +of Mr. Man and his boy Teddy; but at the same time he looks after all +the animals and birds on the farm. I've got a piece of poetry about him +that perhaps you'd like to hear?" + +"Who wrote it, Mrs. Goose?" your Aunt Amy asked, and Mr. Gander spoke up +quickly: + +"That's what none of us know; but Mr. Crow said he had nothing whatever +to do with it. He don't like Mr. Towser Dog, on account of some trouble +the two of them had about Mr. Crow's digging up the corn just after Mr. +Man had planted it. Hello! there comes Mr. Donkey, and now you may be +sure Teddy Boy won't worry Mrs. Cow's baby for quite a while." + +As Mr. Gander spoke a small, friendly looking donkey trotted up to where +the dog and the calf were talking together, and old Mr. Gander seemed to +think it necessary he should waddle over to hear what might be said. + +[Illustration: Mr. Donkey comes trotting up to give advice.] + +"They'll spend a good half hour talking matters over," Mrs. Goose said +as if displeased because of what she evidently believed was a waste of +time. "If you want to hear the verses about Mr. Towser, I may as well +read them to you now," and she drew out from beneath her wing a much +soiled piece of paper, on which was printed the following lines: + + He was just a common dog, you see, + With no particular line + Of ancestry to mark him out + As a well-bred creature fine. + +[Illustration: Mr. Towser Dog.] + + He bayed at the moon as dogs do, + And vented his gruff bow-wows, + As he tagged my heels in the good old times + When we went after the cows. + + He'd roll in the grass with the babies, + Or carry them on his back; + He'd catch the ball the youngsters tossed, + And follow the rabbit's track. + A boy's own dog, and a friendly + Companion in peace or rows, + As he tagged my heels in the good old times + When we went after the cows. + + He could talk with a doggish lingo + In his own peculiar way, + And I could understand it all-- + Whatever he had to say. + He'd jump to my call at the moment, + And utter his gruff bow-wows, + As he tagged my heels in the good old times + When we went after the cows. + + I told him all of my secrets, + And he kept them without fail, + With never a sign that he knew them + But a wag of his short, stump tail. + Long years have passed since I heard them.-- + The sound of his gruff bow-wows, + As he tagged my heels in the good old days + When we went after the cows. + +"Those are very good verses, Mrs. Goose," your Aunt Amy said when the +last line had been read, and she replied as she plumed her feathers: + +"So I think, although Mr. Crow says they are foolish; but that's because +he doesn't like Mr. Towser Dog. What I admire about them is that they +show what a good friend to a boy an animal can be. Now if Sammy Boy had +made friends with the calf, he wouldn't be in the house this very minute +waiting for his broken arm to get mended." + + + + +WHEN SAMMY TEASED THE CALF. + + +"How was that, Mrs. Goose?" your Aunt Amy asked. + +"It was something that began a long time ago on the next farm; but +wasn't finished till last week. You see a little boy calf was born over +there once upon a time, and no sooner did the poor little thing come +into this world than Sammy Boy thought it great fun to drive him from +his mother, beat him with a stick, pull his tail, and do all kinds of +mean things. + +"'You're a mean, selfish, cruel boy,' the calf said to himself, when he +was forced to put up with whatever Sammy felt like doing to him. 'I'll +get even with you if it takes me years to do it--You think I can't +remember, because I don't talk the same way you do; but just wait and +see!' + +"Of course Sammy didn't understand what the calf said, and he poked him +all the harder with a big stick, laughing as if he thought it great fun. +Well, the years went on, and Mr. Calf grew to be big and strong. Sammy +also grew, but not as fast as the calf did, and the time came when he +didn't dare pull his tail, or poke him with a stick. + +"One day when Mr. Calf was three years old, and the folks called him Mr. +Bull, Sammy went out to look at his pigeons, which he wickedly keeps +shut up in a little box, and some one had left the pasture bars down. + +"Mr. Bull was standing near-by, and when he saw Sammy he said to +himself, as he lowered his head and stuck his tail straight up in the +air: + +"'Now's my chance! I'll show that boy how good it is to have those who +are stronger try to be cruel.' + +"Sammy had forgotten all about tormenting the calf; but I'm thinking he +remembered it when he picked himself up on the other side of the +farmyard fence, where Mr. Bull had tossed him. His arm was broken, and +his clothes torn; but with all that he wasn't hurt any worse than the +poor little calf was when Sammy poked him with a stick, or pulled his +tail." + +[Illustration: Mr. Bull Pays Off Old Scores.] + +Just at this time Mr. Gander came back to say that Mr. Donkey had +promised to teach the boys, who had been riding Mrs. Cow's baby as if it +was a horse, such a lesson that they wouldn't forget it very quickly. + +"He's going down into the meadow," Mr. Gander said, "and if those little +rascals are yet there, he'll chase them from one end to the other, +flinging up his heels, and making believe he is trying to kick them. By +the time he gets through, I'll promise you they won't be so eager to +pick upon a poor little youngster who isn't large enough to take care of +himself." + + + + +WHERE MR. CROW HID HIS APPLES. + + +"They'll soon find out what a mistake they made, same as Mr. Crow did +when he put his apples away for the winter," Mrs. Gray Goose said in a +tone of satisfaction, and it seemed only natural that your Aunt Amy +should ask for an explanation. + +"Mr. Crow is a good deal like Mr. Fox," Mrs. Goose said in reply. "He +thinks he's the wisest bird in this neighborhood, and that he can do +whatever he pleases, just because he makes poetry. Now this is one of +Mamma Speckle's stories, and although she does dearly love to talk about +other people, I have no doubt but it is true. + +[Illustration: Mr. Crow picked up the best looking apples and dropped +them in the pitcher.] + +"It seems that last fall, when the apples on the tree that stands near +the well were ripening, Mr. Crow made up his mind that the best thing he +could do would be to lay in a supply for the winter, as Mr. Bunny Rabbit +and Mr. Frisky Squirrel were doing. He went over to the well early in +the morning, before Mr. Man was out of bed, and saw the squirrels and +rabbits carrying away one at a time. + +"'That's no way to do your harvesting,' he said, as if he knew just how +everything should be done. 'Before you've taken two apples to your nest +Mr. Man will be out here, and pick up all that are on the ground.' + +"'More will fall to-night, and to-morrow morning we can get another +lot,' Mr. Bunny Rabbit said, as he hopped off with a juicy apple in his +mouth, and Mr. Frisky Squirrel added with a laugh: + +"'It's better to make sure of two, than run the chances of not getting +any.' + +"'Watch me, and you'll see how to do the work in proper shape,' Mr. Crow +said as if there was no one in all the world as wise as he. + +"One of the children had left a pitcher on the ground near the well, and +Mr. Crow hopped around wonderfully lively, picking up the best looking +apples and dropping them into the pitcher. + +"'Why are you doing that?' Mr. Squirrel asked. + +"I'm going to pick up all the best apples, and put them in this pitcher. +Then I can come back at any time, when Mr. Man's family are not around, +and carry them off. That will be much better than waiting a whole night +just for two.' + +"Well, Mr. Crow kept on picking up apples and dropping them in the +pitcher as fast as ever he could, while Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Squirrel were +well satisfied at getting safely off with two or three, and when Mr. Man +came out to the well, the pitcher was almost full of the best looking +apples, while Mr. Crow was all tired out with working so fast. + +"'Hello!" Mr. Man said as he spied the pitcher of apples, and of course +Mr. Crow had hidden himself when he saw the farmer coming. "Some of my +family have been busy this morning, and I thought I was the first one +out of doors. This will save me a lot of work,' and he carried the +pitcher into the house. + +"'I'm almost afraid I was too greedy,' Mr. Crow said with a flirt of his +tail as Mr. Man walked away. 'Perhaps it would have been wiser if I had +been content to carry away a few at a time, as Mr. Rabbit and Mr. +Squirrel did,' and away he flew to the oak tree without so much as a +taste of apple after picking up so many." + + + + +THE SECOND TRAGEDY IN THE FROG FAMILY. + + +[Illustration: Old Mr. Frog's Grandson.] + +"There goes that dandified young Frog again, and this time I believe it +is my duty to teach him that the wisest course any one can pursue, is to +stay at home and attend to his own business, rather than roaming around +to show his good clothes," Mr. Gander said, starting off as rapidly as +his short legs would carry him, and, looking up, your Aunt Amy saw young +Mr. Frog, dressed in his best, just coming out of his house. + +"Well, did you ever?" Mrs. Goose exclaimed as Mr. Gander hurried away in +pursuit of the frog. "Wouldn't it be strange if Mr. Gander caught him?" + +"Why would it be strange?" your Aunt Amy asked, knowing full well that +geese often ate frogs, and Mrs. Goose replied: + +"It would be at least odd, because it was his own grandfather who was +swallowed up by the lily-white duck, just after the cat and her kittens +came tumbling into Mrs. Mouse's hall, although Mr. Crow says, in some +poetry I've got of his, that one animal is always like others of his +kind. If old Mr. Frog went down the throat of a duck, I don't know why +his grandson shouldn't feel proud of being taken in by one of the goose +family." + +While Mrs. Gray Goose was talking, Mr. Gander had been running at full +speed in pursuit of Mr. Frog, who was so busy trying to keep his hat on +that he didn't pay any attention to what was happening behind him. + +A moment later Mr. Gander had overtaken the foppish young Frog, and your +Aunt Amy did not have time to call Mrs. Goose's attention to what was +going on, before Mr. Frog disappeared down Mr. Gander's throat. + +[Illustration: How Young Mr. Frog Disappeared.] + +"Well, I never before believed that Mr. Gander would be so piggish!" +Mrs. Goose exclaimed as her friend's bill closed upon the end of Mr. +Frog. "To think that he hadn't the politeness to offer me a taste!" + +"He really didn't have the time," your Aunt Amy said laughingly, and +then, to take Mrs. Goose's attention from what was really a greedy act, +she asked about Mr. Crow's poetry concerning the likeness of one animal +to another of its kind. + + + + +SEARCHING FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE. + + +"It's only a nonsense rhyme," Mrs. Goose replied with a sigh as she +turned her eyes from Mr. Gander, who was twisting and squirming as if he +had something inside of him which caused considerable pain. "I'll repeat +it if you wish, and it wouldn't make me feel badly if old Mr. Gander +came within an inch of dying. A whole frog is far too big a mouthful for +a goose of his age." + +"It's certain he is being punished for his greediness," your Aunt Amy +replied; "but it isn't well to rejoice while others are in trouble, even +when they brought it upon themselves, as did Mr. Gander. Suppose you +repeat Mr. Crow's poetry?" + +Mrs. Goose snapped her bill together sharply as she turned her back on +the suffering gander, and recited the following jingle: + + I'd love a goose that wears a shawl, + Or a gander in coat and hat; + I'd just adore a tamed giraffe, + Or a literary cat. + I'd like a goat with graceful curves, + Or a bear with manners neat; + A chimpanzee in a cutaway, + I think would be just sweet. + +[Illustration: What Would be Hard to Find.] + + I'd appreciate a gentle snake, + Or a dove whose ways were wild. + A bluefish draped in petticoats, + Or a tiger nice and mild. + A mackintosh upon an owl + To me would be just fine. + I'd like to know a kangaroo + Who'd ask me out to dine. + + An elk dressed up in uniform, + I'd love beyond compare. + I'd even like a flying lynx, + Or an educated hare. + There's many more I'd love to have, + But never can I find + An animal but what he's like + The others of his kind. + +"There's a deal of truth in the last three lines of that poetry," Mrs. +Goose said with a sigh, casting one more reproachful glance at the +suffering Mr. Gander. "I was up near Mr. Man's barn the other day, and +there I saw two kittens making a most disgraceful spectacle of +themselves; but yet they were exactly like all other cats I have ever +seen. + +"It seems that their mother had caught a nice fat rat, and instead of +eating it all herself, as Mr. Gander did the frog, she brought it to her +kittens. Now there was plenty of meat for both, and neither could have +devoured the whole of it, yet those two youngsters stood there and +snarled, and spit, and scratched at each other, instead of enjoying +themselves in a friendly manner. + +"They made a most dreadful noise, therefore, of course, everybody oil +the farm knew what was being done, and then the foolish things began to +fight. Just then, Mr. Brown Owl, who spends a good deal of his time on +our shed watching for mice, flew down and picked up the rat. + +[Illustration: The Selfish Kittens.] + +"When the kittens made up their minds that it might be better to eat +dinner than tear each other to pieces, Mr. Owl was eating the rat, and +they were obliged to go hungry for that day at least. If a person is not +only a glutton, but has beside a bad temper, he is very likely to miss +many good things which he might enjoy without much labor. Yet I don't +like to see people too soft, and smiling too sweetly, for then I always +think of the time when Mr. Wolf called on Mrs. Hog, professing to be +such a great friend." + + + + +A SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING VISITOR. + + +"That is a story I have never heard," your Aunt Amy said, and Mrs. Goose +looked up in surprise, as she replied: + +"Why, it's as old as the hills, almost; I'll tell it because it may do +you some good. Once upon a time Mrs. Hog had seven of the dearest little +babies you ever saw, and they were as fat as butter, for Mr. Man gave +them all they wanted to eat. The family lived over on the north side of +the farm, a long distance from the house, and the fence to Mrs. Hog's +yard wasn't what it should have been when she had so many little ones to +look after. Every one, even Mr. Man himself said it ought to be mended; +but it seems that what's everybody's business is nobody's business, +therefore nothing was done. + +"One afternoon, when supper had been eaten and Mrs. Hog was clearing up +the sty, Mr. Wolf poked his nose between the boards of the fence, and +said sweet as honey: + +"'I am surprised, Mrs. Hog, to see that Mr. Man doesn't look after you +better. The first thing you know some bad person will come along, and +then one of the babies will be missing.' + +"'There's little fear of that, Mr. Wolf, while I'm around,' and Mrs. Hog +showed her teeth. + +[Illustration: Mr. Wolf wants to live with Mrs. Hog.] + +"'Oh yes, I understand what you mean,' Mr. Wolf said, smiling all over +his face as if he was the best friend Mrs. Hog ever had. 'What I'm +afraid of is that the little ones may get into trouble while you are out +calling, and that would come near to breaking my heart, for I am very +fond of them. Now suppose I come here to live with you until they are +large enough to take care of themselves?' + +"Mrs. Hog knew that if Mr. Wolf should try real hard to make trouble for +her, he might be able to do it, so she didn't dare tell him just what +she thought; but, going a little nearer him, to where one of the boards +had been slipped aside at the top, she said: + +"'I'm afraid we haven't got room enough for you, Mr. Wolf. You can't +even get your head between these boards.' + +"'Indeed I can,' Mr. Wolf said, laughing to think how easily he was +fooling Mrs. Hog, and he stuck his head through where the board was +loose. + +"That was just what Mrs. Hog wanted him to do, and before he knew what +had happened, she jammed the two boards together with her nose, holding +Mr. Wolf by the neck in such a way that he couldn't do anything but +howl, till one of the babies ran and told Mr. Towser Dog to come and +look after the visitor. + +"The next time you want to fool anybody you'd better find a foolish +little pig, instead of an old hog like me, who knows that there's some +mischief in the air when the wolves get to acting like one's best +friends,' Mrs. Hog said, as Mr. Towser took Mr. Wolf by the throat to +teach him better manners. + +"I think myself that it is better to be suspicious, as was the colored +minister's rooster, than believe everything you are told, and make +friends with the first one who holds out his hand." + +"Tell me the story about the rooster," your Aunt Amy said as Mrs. Goose +ceased speaking and turned to look at Mr. Gander, who still appeared to +be in pain. + + + + +WHEN MR. BOOSTER WAS SUSPICIOUS. + + +"It is one of Mr. Crow's stories," Mrs. Gray Goose said after another +long look at the suffering gander; "but it agrees with what I said about +the wisdom of being suspicious now and then. + +"It seems that once upon a time a colored man raised a nice flock of +fowls; but his neighbors, who dearly loved stewed chickens or roasted +turkey, came to dinner so often, that very soon one thin turkey and an +old rooster, were all he had left. + +"Just then two friends of the man's wife came to dinner, and, because he +hadn't any meat in the house, there was nothing to do but catch and cook +one of the lonesome looking pair. + +"Mr. Turkey Gobbler saw the man coming, and flew up on the top of the +barn, as he cried: + +"'I've got other business, and can't go to dinner with you, no matter +how much you want me.' + +"'Now he's after me!' Mr. Rooster cried, growing suspicious when the +man caught him by the end of the tail and pulled nearly half the +feathers out. + +"'Get under the barn! Get under the barn!' Mr. Turkey screamed, and Mr. +Rooster shouted while he went across the yard as fast as his legs could +carry him: + +"'Give me a little time, and I'll win the race; but he's dangerously +near.' + +"Well, Mr. Rooster got under the barn nearly a minute before the man +did, and there he stayed, paying no attention to the coaxing or threats, +and, finally, discouraged and with his coat torn in two places, the man +went into the house to tell his visitors that he couldn't have company +to dinner that day. + +[Illustration: A Race for Life.] + +"When he had got inside the house Mr. Rooster crept out from under the +barn, and crowed up to Mr. Turkey: 'Do you-think-he's-gone-for +goo-o-o-d?' + +"And the suspicious Mr. Turkey gobbled back: + +"'Doubtful! Doubtful! Doubtful! Doubtful!' + +"That Mr. Rooster had a good deal more sense than our Mr. Dorking, who +made such a fool of himself last summer. It isn't much of a story; but +it shows how silly some people are," and once more Mrs. Goose looked at +Mr. Gander. + + + + +WHEN THE ROOSTER FOUND THE MOON. + + +"I would like very much to hear the story," your Aunt Amy said, and she +spoke the truth, for thus far Mrs. Goose had been most entertaining. + +"It's kind of you to say so," Mrs. Goose replied with a smirk. "If I +keep on at this rate you'll think I like to talk as well as Mamma +Speckle does; but I've heard of you so often from our people around +here, that it seemed as if I must have a whole lot of stories to tell, +else you'd say I wasn't much of anybody after all. But about Mr. Dorking +Rooster: it seems that one night he couldn't sleep, on account of having +eaten too much, and for the first time in his life he saw the moon and +the stars. + +"The next day, when he was going across the front yard, he saw one of +those large rubber balls, painted in bright colors, such as Mr. Man's +children use to play with in the house, and after looking it over +carefully he decided that he knew what it was. + +[Illustration: Mr. Dorking Finds the Moon.] + +"'This must be the moon I saw last night,' he said to himself; 'but it +don't seem to shine as it did then. Perhaps it doesn't give out any +light till after sunset, so I'll wait till then to see it.' + +"So Mr. Dorking sat down and waited. The sun set, and black clouds +covered the sky, but, yet the ball did not shine. All the other chickens +had gone to roost hours before; but Mr. Dorking kept on watching. It +began to rain; the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled. The rooster +was wet to the skin, and terribly frightened. + +"'I'll save the moon,' he cried, and picking up the ball in his beak, +which wasn't an easy task, he ran as fast as he could to the hen-house; +but when he got there the storm had cleared away. Looking up, Mr. +Dorking saw the moon in the sky, and throwing the ball into the house, +he cried out to his wife: + +"'What kind of a thing is this, anyway? I've been lugging it around for +an hour or more, and now there's another moon come to take its place.' + +"'Come straight up here to your roost, you foolish old thing.' Mrs. +Dorking said angrily. 'If you had half as much sense as Mr. Monkey, you +could have taken the children and me on a picnic, instead of fooling +your time away with a rubber ball.' + +"What did she mean by 'having as much sense as Mr. Monkey,'" your Aunt +Amy asked, and Mrs. Goose replied: + + + + +WHEN MRS. MONKEY WAS DISSATISFIED. + + +"Oh, it was an idea she got from some of Mr. Crow's poetry. All the +fowls on our farm have laughed at it time and time again. This is the +way it goes: + + Said old Mrs. Monk one morning, "Look at me. + I am tired of living in this cocoa tree, + You have got to go to work and rent a flat, + For I'll not live in this manner, mind you that." + + Then when Mister Monkey heard all that she said, + He thought of many trades, and scratched his head + What on earth could monkeys do to bring in gold + So a loving monkey wifey wouldn't scold? + + Now what do you suppose the Monkey did? + Do you think he climbed the cocoa tree and hid? + No; upon a jungle trolley he is there + Hanging by his legs and tail collecting fare." + +Mrs. Goose would have been blind if she had not seen that your Aunt Amy +thought the jingle was very foolish, and she hastened to say: + +[Illustration: Mr. Monkey listening to his Wife.] + + + + +HOW BUNNY RABBIT FOOLED GRANDFATHER STORK. + + +"I guess you think the same as does Grandfather Stork about some of Mr. +Crow's verses. He says that nobody but foolish geese would listen to +them, and yet there isn't anybody around here who doesn't like them. +Grandfather Stork don't know everything there is to be learned in this +world, else Mr. Bunny Rabbit couldn't have fooled him the way he did." + +"I have never heard that Mr. Bunny Rabbit fooled Grandfather Stork," your +Aunt Amy said, and Mrs. Goose almost laughed when she replied: + +"Then you haven't seen the old fellow lately, for he spends all his time +running around the neighborhood telling of it. He thinks he was very +smart, and I'm not saying but that it was more than one would have +expected of him, for Mr. Bunny Rabbit isn't the wisest animal living +near the pond, by a good deal. Poor old Grandfather Stork was the most +harmless bird that ever lived. He had carried babies from one place to +another till he was all worn out, and hadn't more than six feathers left +on his head. + +"He hadn't a tooth to his bill, and seemed to have forgotten how to hunt +for his dinner, so one day when he met Bunny Rabbit, he said to him as +polite as could be: + +"'Good morning, Mr. Rabbit. Can you tell me where I'll find two or three +fat fish near about here?' + +[Illustration: Grandfather Stork waiting for his dinner.] + +"Bunny scratched his nose as if he was doing a terrible lot of thinking, +and then said, solemn as ever was Squire Owl: + +"'Why, of course, Mr. Stork, and I always like to help a neighbor along. +But times have changed since you were a young fellow. Then you had to +catch your own fish, or go without; but now the law is that after a bird +has stood on one foot half an hour, two fish jump down his throat, and +three more go the same way at the end of an hour. Mr. Robin Red-Breast +forgot all about the new law the other day, and, because his left foot +was sore, he stood on the right one till two big pickerel made a leap +for his mouth. Either of them was seven times as big as he is, and it's +a wonder he wasn't killed.' + +"'Dear me, is that so, Mr. Rabbit? Now I really can't catch fish as I +used to; but it comes quite natural for me to stand on one foot. I'll +try to do you a favor some day, Mr. Rabbit.' + +"Then Grandfather Stork stood up in the sun waiting for the fish to jump +down his throat, and Bunny Rabbit ran off into the bushes, laughing till +there was danger of splitting his sides; but he didn't keep it up very +long, for just then down swooped Mr. Hawk, and Bunny Rabbit came very +near taking an excursion in the air. + +"As it was, Mr. Hawk dug a great hole in his back, and nipped off a +piece of his tail, before Bunny could get under a wild-rose bush where +he was safe. It was Mr. Crow who told Grandfather Stork that he had been +fooled, and the poor old fellow looked so sorrowful when he hobbled away +without having had any dinner, that I made up my mind I never would try +to play such kind of jokes." + +"And you are right, Mrs. Goose," your Aunt Amy said decidedly. "It is a +very foolish practice, and often causes much trouble. Now Bunny Rabbit +really told Mr. Stork a lie, even if it was in sport, and we all know +how wrong that is." + +At this moment Mr. Grander came up, and when Mrs. Goose asked how he +felt, he said: + +"I'm better, thank you. That frog was tough, and, to make matters worse, +I accidentally swallowed his hat." + +"You were in too much of a hurry, Mr. Gander," Mrs. Goose said sharply. +"Perhaps you was afraid you might be asked to share him with some other +goose." + +"Well, there! I never stopped to think that you might like a piece," Mr. +Gander said, as if he felt terribly sorry because of having been so +selfish. "I'll spend all day to-morrow hunting for Mr. Frog's brother, +and if I catch the fellow, you shall have the whole of him." + +"I'll hunt for my own frogs, thank you," Mrs. Goose replied as she +straightened herself up angrily. "I never yet have asked others to find +food for me, and I hope I don't live simply for the sake of eating, as +does Mrs. Wild Goose, who visited us not long ago." + +Mr. Gander gazed at Mrs. Gray Goose sadly; but she refused even to look +at him, and after a time he waddled slowly away, stopping now and then +to snap at a grasshopper that jumped over his head. + +[Illustration: Mrs. Gray Goose is Angry.] + + + + +MRS. WILD GOOSE'S VISIT. + + +"What about Mrs. Wild Goose making you a visit?" Aunt Amy asked, when +she and the gray goose were alone once more. + +"It isn't what you might really call a story," Mrs. Goose replied. "I +only spoke of it to remind Mr. Gander how he himself talked about those +who think only of what can be eaten. Not more than a month ago Mrs. Wild +Goose flew down into our yard, and one would have thought that she owned +the entire farm, to hear her talk. + +"'This seems to be quite a comfortable place,' she said, walking around +and poking her bill into every corner before she had spoken to any of +us. 'I have seen better yards, of course; but a goose who has traveled +as much as I have, learns to make the best of everything. It looks as if +Mr. Man gave you all you wanted to eat.' + +"'So he does,' Mr. Dorking Rooster said, and we have nothing to do but +enjoy ourselves.' + +"'Indeed!' Mrs. Wild Goose cried. 'Then I'll stay right here. The doctor +says I mustn't move around very much, and the climate seems to agree +with me.' + +"Well, she was the greediest goose I ever saw. She would gobble up fully +half of all the food that was brought into the yard, before one of us +had time to swallow a single mouthful, and it did seem as if she +couldn't get enough. Even Mr. Gander, who has just shown how greedy he +can be, said that it really made him feel faint to see her show of +gluttony. + +"When Mrs. Wild Goose had been with us about two weeks, Betty, the +housemaid, came into the yard with a cloth over her head, and a big +apron on. All of us who lived there knew what it meant, and ran for dear +life, with Mrs. Wild Goose at our heels, as she shrieked: + +"'What is she going to do?' + +"'She's going to pull out our feathers with which to stuff pillows and +beds for Mr. Man to sleep on,' Mr. Gander said. + +[Illustration: Mrs. Wild Goose Goes Away in a Hurry.] + +"Dear me, dear me, I never will put up with such treatment as that! I +only came here for a change of air and food, and couldn't think of +parting with my feathers!' + +"Then, without stopping to thank us for the pleasant visit, off she flew +to find another place where she could make a glutton of herself without +having to pay or work. Some birds seem to think, as did Mrs. Pea-Hen, +that they have nothing to do in this world but enjoy themselves; but +I've lived long enough to know that we must do our full share of the +work, if we want to take part in the play." + +"What did Mrs. Pea-Hen believe," your Aunt Amy asked, and Mrs. Gray +Goose replied: + + + + +WHEN MRS. PEA-HEN ABANDONED THE ORPHANS. + + +"She always has looked, and always will look first after her own comfort +or pleasure, no matter how much others may suffer. Any other bird on +this farm would have been so ashamed, after doing what Mrs. Pea-Hen has, +that she'd never hold up her head again, and what I'm going to tell you +isn't the first selfish thing she has done. + +"About four weeks ago Mrs. Pea-Hen made a great fuss over wanting to +bring up a family, and began to set on anything and everything she could +find that looked like an egg. Well, Mr. Man made a nice nest for her, +and put in it thirteen white eggs. No hen could have asked for a better +place in which to show what she was able to do, and whenever any of us +went to call on her, Mrs. Pea-Hen had a great deal to say about what she +would do when her family came out of the shells. + +"I can't deny but that she sat there faithfully, and took proper care of +the eggs, and, of course, out came thirteen as pretty little chickens as +you could want to see. Mrs. Pea-Hen seemed to be real proud because she +had so many babies, and after the last one was hatched she called all of +them out for a walk. + +"They came from the nest with considerable noise, such as all youngsters +make, and no sooner did she hear the first peep than Mrs. Pea-Hen turned +around like a flash, looking at first one and then another until she had +seen the whole brood. + +"'Why, they are nothing but ordinary chickens!' she cried, and off she +walked, paying no heed to the poor little things when they called after +her for something to eat. + +"'Are you going away and leave those dear little babies with no one to +care for them?' Mamma Speckle asked angrily, and Mrs. Pea-Hen replied, +as if to say she didn't allow any one to meddle with her family affairs: + +"'Of course I am! Do you suppose a fowl of my standing in society would +spend her time looking after a lot of common chickens?' + +[Illustration: The Hard-Hearted Mrs. Pea-Hen.] + +"'But they'll starve to death!' Mamma Speckle cried, as if she was +almost heart-broken. + +"'That's no concern of mine. Mr. Man made me believe they were my own +eggs, else I'd never sat on them a single hour,' Mrs. Pea-Hen said, as +she kept on walking away with never a look at the poor little babies, +and Mamma Speckle called after her: + +"'You was so crazy to set that you would have tried to hatch out a nest +full of stones, if you couldn't have found anything better!' + +"Mrs. Pea-Hen tried to act as if she didn't hear what Mamma Speckle +said; but she couldn't help it, for you know how loud the speckled hen +talks. She never paid any attention to the babies, though, and the other +fowls took care of them as best they could with babies of their own." + + + + +ALICE QUESTIONS MR. TURTLE. + + +"Say, of course you know a good deal more than any bird or animal on +this farm, and I do wish you would tell me how long Mr. Turtle has +lived?" + +That was a question which your Aunt Amy could not answer, and when she +said as much, Mrs. Goose continued: + +"He claims to be very, very old, and to hear the stories he tells you'd +think he had lived in every part of the world. He started a kind of a +show last week, and calls it a 'zoo,' whatever that may be. A lot of +birds and animals sit around to show themselves, and say it is a +'wonderful exhibition.' Mr. Man's little girl Alice was out walking with +her doll yesterday, and saw Mr. Turtle near the old maple tree selling +tickets for the 'zoo.' This is what Mr. Crow declares she said to the +old fellow: + + "They tell me, Mr. Turtle, you + Were born long years ago-- + Five hundred years, the doctor says, + And doctors ought to know. + + "He says that every year you live + A scientist can tell + Because each birthday leaves a mark + Upon your rusty shell. + + "I've lots and lots of questions, then, + To ask if you're so old, + And if you will not answer them, + Please do not think me bold. + + "In fourteen ninety-two, when Chris + Columbus westward sailed, + When he discovered Yankeeland, + Was he, then, later jailed? + + "Did Shakespeare write those dramas old, + Or did Lord Bacon's pen? + When Joan rambled in Lorraine, + Were you out crawling then? + + "You must have known the virgin queen, + And known Sir Walter, too; + You've heard that story of the ring, + What really did she do? + +[Illustration: Alice and Mr. Turtle.] + + "Did Pocahontas save the life + Of Captain Smith that day? + Did Cromwell take the reins of State, + As all the school-books say? + + "Did Washington cut down the tree + That time in early May, + And say 'I cannot tell a lie?' + Now answer me I pray." + + The Turtle only looked around, + And winked a lazy wink; + He seemed to say, "Don't bother me; + It hurts my brain to think." + +"Why is it that all of you who live near here, like Mr. Crow's poetry so +well?" your Aunt Amy asked, when Mrs. Goose had come to an end of the +lines, and she replied thoughtfully: + +"Well, really now, I can't say. Perhaps it's because he tells us it is +the best ever written. Why, I've even heard old Mr. Turtle repeating the +verses, and if he has lived five hundred years, surely he ought to know +whether they are good or bad. There's one thing I do know, though, which +is, that there's no person within two miles of this pond that can tell +as many good stories as Mr. Crow. He's got one about a lazy Mr. Horse +that means a good deal, if you take the trouble to think it over. Don't +you want to hear it?" + +Your Aunt Amy really enjoys hearing Mr. Crow's stories, and when she +made such a statement, Mrs. Goose began the tale without delay. + + + + +THE LAZY MR. HORSE. + + +"'I don't see why I should work all the time, and others have nothing +whatever to do,' said lazy Mr. Horse, one day. 'I would like to live a +life of idleness as well as they.' + +"Then he began to think it over, and decided to find some way to get rid +of hauling the farm wagon day after day. It wasn't easy to do this, but +after a time he hit upon a plan which seemed to be a good one. "'I'll +make believe that I am sick,' he said, 'and then my master won't call on +me for work.' + +"So he hung his head, leaned against the side of the stall, and tried to +look as if it hurt him to breathe. When his master came into the stable, +he said: + +"'Hello, what can be the matter with this horse? He was well when I fed +him yesterday; but now he seems to be nearly dead.' + +"Then the master went out of the stable, and Mr. Horse said to himself +with a grin: + +"'He has gone to get some medicine for me! The plan seems to be working +well.' + +"Soon the master came back, and with him was a great big black man, who +carried an axe over his shoulder. + +"'That horse is very sick,' said the master. + +"'He certainly is,' replied the man with the axe. + +[Illustration: Mr. Horse is Well Pleased.] + +"'And there's only one thing to be done,' said the master. + +"'Only one thing,' added the man with the axe. + +"'Well, Jim,' said the master, 'hit him squarely between the eyes, and +as hard as you can, for I don't want him flopping all around the place +before he dies.' + +"'All right, sir,' answered the man, as he raised the axe. + +"By that time Mr. Horse began to suspect that his plan wasn't working as +he thought it would, so he pricked up his ears, kicked up his heels, and +tried to look as if there never had been anything the matter with him. + +"'That horse has gone crazy,' the master cried. + +"'He has indeed,' replied the man with the axe. + +"'We'll have to kill him anyway,' said the master. 'Hit him quick before +he tears down the stable!' + +"The man with the axe hit Mr. Horse one blow, and that settled the +question, of his ever hauling the farm-wagon again. Surely he made a +fool of himself while trying to deceive others, and if the Goose family +had been punished as hard, there wouldn't be one of us alive to-day." + +"What do you mean by that?" your Aunt Amy asked in surprise, and Mrs. +Gray Goose replied softly, as if afraid others might hear her words: + + + + +WHEN THE GEESE CLAIMED TO BE CRANES. + + +"This is a story we geese don't often tell, and if Mr. Crow should get +hold of it everybody around here would know how foolish some of our +grandparents were. Our family prides itself on having saved Rome once +upon a time, and it would never do to let people know how silly a few of +us have been since then. Of course you won't whisper it to Bunny Rabbit, +or old Mr. Turtle! + +"One day a flock of geese, who had never seen a crane, were feeding in +the meadow when two strangers came up, and asked the way to the nearest +pond. They were fine-looking birds, and acted like strangers in our part +of the country; besides, they didn't speak exactly as we do. + +"The leader of the flock was an old, bald-headed gander, who believed he +knew more than all the rest of the world put together, so when the +strangers asked the question, some of the geese wanted to know how they +should answer. + +[Illustration: The Cranes asking the way to the nearest pond.] + +"'They look to be birds of importance,' Mr. Gander said, 'and may think +we are of little account if we show ourselves willing to talk with +strangers, so the best way is to hold our tongues. When the proper time +comes I will show them that we are no fools.' + +"So all the geese held their tongues, while Mr. Gander stood back a +little and looked wise. Then the strangers asked the question again, +without paying any attention to the inquisitive geese who were staring +at them from head to foot. This time Mr. Gander thought he might venture +to speak, and he said, talking way down in his throat as he had heard +Mr. Man: + +"'The nearest pond is our private property, and we do not care to have +strangers there until we know if they are birds of quality.' + +"'Indeed, sir,' one of the strangers said. 'May I ask whether you are +any one in particular?' + +"'We are Cranes,' Mr. Gander replied, 'and when I tell you so you will +understand that we like to be by ourselves.' + +"The strangers looked at each other in surprise a moment, and stepped +back as if not knowing what to do, which made old Mr. Gander think he +was wise in claiming to be something better than a common goose. Finally +one of the visitors asked: + +"'Are all the cranes in this country like you?' + +"'Why shouldn't they be?' Mr. Gander said gruffly. + +"'There is no reason that we know of, being strangers here; but the fact +is that we also are cranes, who have just come over from Africa, as you +can tell by our black faces, and it surprises us to find such a +different looking family here.' + +"Just then two real cranes, who had been feeding on the shore of the +pond, rose in the air, and, seeing the strangers, one of them cried: + +"'Hello, brothers, why are you spending your time with those silly +geese? Come over to the pond where you'll find decent company!' + +"The cranes from Africa didn't stay with the geese any longer, and, of +course, they told what old Mr. Gander had said. Since that time the +cranes and the swans won't let one of our family come anywhere near +them, even though the swans are our cousins, and all because that +foolish old Mr. Gander was willing to tell a lie in order to make it +appear that he was more important in the world than a common goose. I +have no patience with a bird who is always trying to make himself out a +little better than he really is. It's behavior that counts in this +world, and whether you come from one family or another, you'll be +treated well if you deserve it." + +"You are right, Mrs. Goose," your Aunt Amy said decidedly. "Be contented +in this world, and you are well off indeed." + +"So Mr. Pig thought," Mrs. Goose replied with a laugh. "If Mr. Man had +been satisfied with a little, Mr. Pig would most likely have been +killed." + + + + +WHEN MR. PIG DIDN'T GO TO MARKET. + + +"Tell me the story," your Aunt Amy said, knowing very well that Mrs. +Goose had one in mind, as indeed she had, for she told it as follows: + +"One day Mr. Man was taking Mr. Pig to market, when they came to a tree +on which hung hundreds and hundreds of apples. + +"'I'd like to have an apple,' Mr. Pig said, as he looked up wistfully. + +"'I'd like to have a whole barrel,' Mr. Man cried greedily. + +"A little further down the road they saw a pear tree. + +"'I'd like to have a pear,' said the hungry Mr. Pig. + +"'I'd like to have a wagon-load of pears,' Mr. Man added. + +"Presently they saw a grape-vine, and Mr. Pig sighed: + +"'I'd like to have a bunch of grapes.' + +[Illustration: The Two Pigs.] + +"'I'd like to have a wine-press full of them,' Mr. Man said. + +"The two walked on until they came to a field filled with ripe melons. + +"'Oh, how I wish I had one of those,' Mr. Pig whispered, and Mr. Man +growled: + +"'I'd like to have a car-load.' + +"'Look here, Mr. Man,' Mr. Pig cried, 'you're more of a hog than I am, +and I think we're at the wrong ends of this rope.' + +"Then Mr. Pig jumped suddenly, pulling the rope out of Mr. Man's hands, +and, dashing between his legs, threw him to the ground. Mr. Pig ran +right into the field, picked out a nice ripe melon and ate it, while Mr. +Man got up, brushed his clothes, and went home." + +Mrs. Goose ceased speaking, as if she was at an end of her +story-telling, and your Aunt Amy, unwilling to part with her new friend +so soon, was trying to think of some word which would provoke such a +remark as would give new life to the conversation, when she was really +startled by a loud hissing, as if an angry goose was near at hand. + +Much to her surprise, she saw that it was Mrs. Gray Goose herself who +was making the outcry, as she looked angrily toward the shore of the +pond, where could be seen a goose and a gander dressed in clothing of +the latest style. + +"What do you think of that?" Mrs. Gray Goose cried. "Isn't it really +very foolish?" + +"Indeed it is," your Aunt Amy replied emphatically. "When birds, +animals, or human beings appear dressed in anything likely to attract +attention, they show very poor taste, to speak mildly." + +[Illustration: A Foolish Pair.] + +"That foolish goose would willingly go hungry in order to get something +which would cause the ganders to look at her. Instead of raising +feathers and laying eggs, as is her work in this world, she goes +rambling all over the neighborhood in some ridiculous fashion, and, I am +sorry to say, she finds plenty of ganders who are ready to follow her. + +"She'll come to some such end as did young Mr. Rat, before many years +have gone by, else I'm very much mistaken. How strange it is that some +birds are never contented to do what nature intended should be their +duty!" + +"I know of a number of human beings who act just as silly," your Aunt +Amy replied. "Will you tell me what happened to Mr. Rat of whom you +spoke?" + + + + +THE DISOBEDIENT RAT. + + +"Surely I will," Mrs. Gray Goose replied promptly, "for the story is one +that teaches a lesson, even if it does come from Mr. Crow. It seems that +once upon a time a young Mr. Rat said to his father, speaking as if he +knew the ways of the world better than did those who had lived in it +many years before he was born: + +"Now that I'm of age, I'm going to take a partner, and go into business +for myself.' + +"'Very well,' his father replied mildly, for he was a wise old Rat. 'I +hope you will get an honest partner, and prosper in whatever you +undertake.' + +"'I suppose you think I am going into business with some common rat,' +the young fellow said with a sneer. 'I'm not going to choose my friends +from among such people. I intend to take a kitten as a partner, and in +such way get into the best society.' + +[Illustration: The Two Partners.] + +"Old Mr. Rat stroked his whiskers mournfully, as he looked tearfully at +his son, and said: + +"'Oh my son, my son! Kittens grow to be cats, and cats eat rats; it +would be much better for you to stay among your own kind.' + +"But the wilful young rat ran off with a flirt of his tail to a dear +little, fluffy kitten, who was not much larger than himself, and asked +if she would be his partner. + +"'I am willing,' little Miss Kitten said. 'What are we to do after we go +into business?' + +"'Why, when your mother takes you into the pantry to-night to teach you +rat-catching, you are to warn me. As soon as your mother has gone out, +you must call me with three mews, and I will come.' + +"Well, all this was done as young Mr. Rat planned, and when old Mrs. Cat +had gone out of the pantry, leaving Miss Kitten alone, young Mr. Rat +scampered from his hole. Without paying any attention to his partner, he +pulled a big piece of cheese down from the shelf, and began eating it +greedily. + +"'Where do I come in on this business?' Miss Kitten asked. 'I'm your +partner; but I don't like cheese.' + +"'Get what you want then,' young Mr. Rat said sharply. 'You can't expect +me to hunt around for things that I don't eat. Have anything you +please.' + +"'My mother once gave me a rat-tail to eat,' Miss Kitten replied +thoughtfully. 'I believe I would rather have that than anything else,' +and she looked longingly at young Mr. Rat's tail. + +"'Oh, no indeed, you can't have that! Perhaps I spoke too sharply about +the cheese; but you can't have my tail.' + +"'Yes, she can,' growled old Mrs. Cat from the door, where she had been +listening. Then she pounced upon young Mr. Rat and ate him, giving the +tail to her kitten. There is a good lesson in that story, old Mr. Turtle +says." + +"So there is, Mrs. Goose, and one needn't look long in order to find +it," your Aunt Amy replied, and then she asked that question which had +been in her mind ever since the bird began to talk. "Have you ever heard +about the Mrs. Goose who laid golden eggs?" + + + + +THE TRUE STORY OF THE GOLDEN EGGS. + + +"Indeed I have," Mrs. Goose replied quickly. "Surely I ought to know all +about her, for she was a great-great-grandmother of mine, and if I'm not +mistaken, some of our family have her picture which Mr. Ape painted, +when he set himself up as an artist. That is another case where +discontent, when matters were going on as well as ever could have been +expected, brought its punishment." + +"How can that be?" your Aunt Amy asked quickly. "The man killed the +goose which was bringing in so much gold, and it surely seems as if she +received the most severe punishment." + +"That would be right if the story, as Mr. Man tells it, was true," Mrs. +Goose said sharply; "but it is not, and however it got so twisted I +can't for the life of me understand. Now if that goose was my +great-great-grandmother, I ought to know all about it, and I do, for +I've heard Grandfather White Goose tell it more times than I've got +feathers in my left wing. + +"Would you like to know how it all really happened? Well, I'll tell you, +and remember that I'm the one among all others on this farm who should +know the exact truth. She was a gray goose, the one who laid the eggs, +and looked very much like me, so grandfather says. The Mr. Man where she +lived was very kind, and actually gave her a bedroom in his own house. +No matter what she wanted to eat, he bought it for her, and all the eggs +she laid he spread out on a kind of desk or table which had been built +especially for them. + +"Every morning when she had laid the egg, Mr. Man took her into the room +where they were all spread out, and let her see him put it safely away. + +"Now, so grandfather says, Mrs. Goose was petted so much, and had so +many good things to eat, that she began to believe she was something +wonderful, and I really suppose she was, being the only bird that ever +laid golden eggs. But she got all puffed up with pride, and thought she +ought to live without doing any kind of work, so one day while she was +watching Mr. Man take care of the eggs, she saw a big knife hanging up, +and asked why it was kept there. + +"'I did have it to kill geese with; but now, since you're the only goose +I want, it isn't used.' Mr. Man said, and Mrs. Goose asked: + +"'Is it sharp?' + +"'Oh dear, yes, just like a razor,' Mr. Man said, still looking at the +eggs. + +"'Well, do you know I'm tired of doing so much work,' foolish Mrs. Goose +said, 'and I've been thinking that you might fix things so I wouldn't be +tied down to this egg-laying every day. Surely _I_ ought to live in +comfort.' + +[Illustration: Mrs. Goose watches Mr. Man as he takes the golden eggs +out of the basket.] + +"'That is what I intend you shall be able to do,' Mr. Man answered, for +he wanted to keep her contented. 'Is there anything more you need, Mrs. +Goose?' + +"'I want to live without doing any kind of work,' Mrs. Goose said, as if +she was the most abused bird in the world. + +"'But then how could we get these beautiful eggs?' Mr. Man cried. +'Surely you take as much pleasure in them as I do! + +"'All that may be; but it is a great exertion to lay one every day, and +no sooner is the work finished than I think of the same task to be done +on the morrow, until I'm on the verge of nervous prostration,' and Mrs. +Goose waddled up and down the room as if she was a living skeleton, +instead of the fattest bird that ever walked. + +"'But what can I do, my dear creature?' Mr. Man cried in real distress, +for he was afraid she might refuse to lay any more golden eggs, and that +would have nearly broken his heart. + +"'Why not take that knife and cut through my feathers till you find an +egg. I am quite fat on my stomach, and it wouldn't do me the least +little bit of harm. Then all I'd have to do would be to come in here, +and let you take the egg out.' + +"Well, Mr. Man said everything he could think of to persuade the foolish +goose that it was best to let well enough alone; but she coaxed and +scolded, and finally declared flatly that unless he did as she wanted, +she'd go out of the egg business entirely. + +"Of course, after that, Mr. Man couldn't do any less than what she asked +for, and although he used the knife very carefully, Mrs. Goose died +before he found a single egg. Now that is the truth of the story, as my +grandfather tells it," Mrs. Gray Goose continued, "and there is no +question in my mind but that it is as true as the one you have heard so +many times." + +"It surely seems more reasonable," your Aunt Amy said thoughtfully, "for +nobody but a goose could have even dreamed that it would be best to cut +a bird open to get at the eggs more quickly." + +"That is very true," Mrs. Gray Goose replied; "but you must bear in mind +that we who wear feathers are not the only geese in the world. I could +point out a good many who would feel insulted if we claimed relationship +with them. Mr. Man's boy Johnny makes a bigger goose of himself than I +am, many a time, and it's no longer ago than yesterday, when Mr. Fido +Dog showed how near he came to being my cousin." + +"Tell me the story," your Aunt Amy suggested, and Mrs. Goose began +without delay: + + + + +THE RACE BETWEEN MR. FIDO AND MR. SHANGHAI. + + +"For a good many weeks the birds and animals on this farm have been +trying to decide whether the two-footed or the four-footed were the +swiftest, and last week, while we were talking the matter over, foolish +Mr. Fido Dog said, as he swelled his chest way out: + +"'It stands to reason that I could beat Mr. Shanghai in a race. I've got +four good feet with spring soles, and he has only two poor scratchers +that are all bones and claws. Why, I could easily run from here to the +pond, take a drink there, and be home again before he got as far as the +fence.' + +"'My, how big you talk, just because you're allowed to sleep in the +house!' Mr. Shanghai said. 'You forget my wings, Mr. Fido. Perhaps they +are worth just a little.' + +"'Nonsense!' Mr. Fido said, turning up his lip till he showed a fine set +of white teeth, and tilting his puggy nose. 'What good are your wings? +Why, I heard Mr. Man tell his boy Tommy last night that wings were of no +use to chickens, except to fly over the fence with.' + +"'Well,' said Mr. Shanghai, scratching his topknot with his left claw, +and looking wise, 'you see there are times when it's better to be on one +side of the fence than the other.' + +"'That's a wise remark, Mr. Shanghai,' Mr. Fido snapped. 'You must have +a great head; but what good will it do you in a race to the pond? Come +on! I'll show you what can be done. Here's where four feet beats two +feet--yes, and wings thrown in, if you want them.' + +"'What is the course?' Mr. Shanghai asked. + +"'A straight line to the pond. Are you ready?' + +"'All ready!' said Mr. Shanghai, and off they went. + +"It was a close race to the barn-yard fence. Mr. Shanghai ran hard with +his neck stretched out; but Mr. Fido went on easily, laughing to think +how easy it would be to win. + +"But when he came to the fence Mr. Fido stopped. He couldn't get over, +and it took quite a while to creep through. He wiggled and pushed +anxiously; but Mr. Shanghai, spreading his big wings, flew over, and was +at the pond a full minute before Mr. Fido got on the other side of the +fence. + +[Illustration: Mr. Shanghai Wins the Race] + +"When he went back Mr. Shanghai couldn't help laughing at Mr. Fido, and +saying: 'Now you can see that there are times when it is better to be +on one side of a fence than another. You're as much out of place in a +race with me, as the gosling was in the stork's nest.'" + + + + +WHEN MRS. GOOSE'S BABY WASN'T WELCOME. + + +"What did he mean by that?" your Aunt Amy asked, and Mrs. Goose really +laughed as she replied: + +"It was a silly trick Mr. Man's boy Tommy played on Mr. and Mrs. Stork, +who had built a nest on the top of the farm-house chimney. I had nine +babies, while the Storks only hatched out one, and they were all exactly +the same age. + +"Tommy Boy, who never has work enough to keep him out of mischief, +thought it would be very funny to put one of my babies in the Storks' +nest, and leave their little one with me, so he got a ladder, and came +very near breaking his bones in order to make the change while Mrs. +Stork was away looking for food. + +"When she came back, there was my dear little gosling sitting up on his +tail as if he expected to have his picture taken, trying to tell what +Tommy had done. + +"Of course Mrs. Stork couldn't understand a word my dear little gosling +said, because he didn't talk plain owing to having no teeth, and she +sent in a hurry for her husband to come and find out what had happened +to their baby. + +[Illustration: Baby Gosling Tries to Explain.] + +"I got so nervous while the Storks were trying to decide whether to kill +my poor little gosling by pecking him, or throwing him out of the nest, +that I nearly had a fit, and suppose I must have made a terrible noise, +for Mr. Man came running up to learn what the matter was. It didn't take +him many minutes to understand it all, when Johnny was forced to undo +the mischief, and take a sound whipping afterward, much to my delight +and satisfaction." + +At this moment Mr. Gander came into view, evidently very much excited, +and said something which your Aunt Amy could not understand. + +"I must go over to the oak tree, and you had better come too," Mrs. Gray +Goose said hurriedly. "Mr. Crow has just made up some new poetry, and is +going to read it. Can't you go with me?" + +Your Aunt Amy was not in the mood for hearing any more of Mr. Crow's +verses, after Mrs. Goose had recited so many, and she went slowly +homeward, while Mrs. Gray Goose followed Mr. Gander, hissing complaints +as she waddled along, because he had not invited her to have a portion +of the frog he swallowed whole. + +[Illustration: Mrs. Gray Goose Complains.] + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gray Goose's Story, by Amy Prentice + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GRAY GOOSE'S STORY *** + +This file should be named grgos10.txt or grgos10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, grgos11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, grgos10a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tonya Allen +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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