Three Goats In The Ryefield
: LITTLE STORIES that GROW BIG: Boys And Girls Bookshelf
ADAPTED BY CECILIA FARWELL
Once upon a time there was a little boy whose task it was to drive the
goats to and from the hills. One morning, as they went along the road,
the first goat saw a hole in the fence which shut off a field of rye.
"Oh," said the first goat, "here is a chance to get into that field. I
do not think that we want to eat rye--there is plenty of grass on the
hill. But we c
With that he turned aside from the road and went through the hole into
the ryefield, and the others followed after him.
"Here," cried the boy, "come out of that!"
But the goats did not come out, so the boy climbed over the fence and
started after them to chase them out. But the goats just ran round and
round in the field, until at last the little boy was so tired that he
sat down by the fence and cried.
By-and-by a dog came down the road. "Why, little boy," he said, "what
are you crying for?"
"I am crying because the goats will not come out of the ryefield. I was
driving them along the road to the hills and they went through the
fence, and I have chased them and chased them, and they will not come
out."
"Well," said the dog, "that is nothing to cry about. Just you wait here
and I will go into the field and chase them out for you."
So the dog ran through the hole and started after the goats, barking
loudly. When the goats saw him coming they started to run, and ran round
and round in the field until at last the dog was so tired that he sat
down by the fence and cried.
By-and-by a fox came trotting down the road. "Why, dog," he said, "what
are you crying for?"
"I am crying because little boy is crying," said the dog.
"And what are you crying for, little boy?" asked the fox.
"I am crying because the goats will not come out of the ryefield. I was
driving them along the road to the hills and they went through the
fence, and I have chased them and chased them and they will not come
out."
"Well," said the fox, "that is nothing to cry about. Just you wait here
and I will go into the field and chase them out for you."
So the fox ran through the hole and started after the goats, barking
shrilly. And when they saw him coming they started to run, and ran
round and round in the field until at last the fox was so tired that he
sat down by the fence and cried.
By-and-by a bee came flying lightly overhead.
"Why, fox," he said, "why are you crying?"
"I am crying because dog is crying," said the fox.
"And why are you crying, dog?" asked the bee.
"I am crying because little boy is crying," said the dog.
"And why are you crying, little boy?" asked the bee.
"I am crying because the goats will not come out of the ryefield. I was
driving them along the road to the hills, and they went through the
fence, and I have chased them and chased them and they will not come
out!"
"Oh," said the bee, "that is nothing to cry about. Just you wait here
and I will go into the field and chase them out for you."
So he flew over the fence and flew straight to the first goat and began
to buzz in his ear. The first goat lifted up his head and said: "Ho!
What is this?" and he looked all around him, but could see nothing from
which to run.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" said the bee, and he lighted on the ear of the goat.
"Now here is someone that means business," said the goat, and he shook
his head to shake off the bee, but the bee only clung the tighter.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" he said. Then he stung the first goat in the ear.
"Now," said the first goat, "this is a serious matter. Ouch!" he added,
as the bee stung him again. "Come on, you," he called to the others, "it
is time to get out of here!" With that he led them straight to the hole
in the fence, and they ran through it, all three of them, and out into
the road where the little boy sat with the dog and the fox.
"Oh," said the dog, "the bee can do something that I cannot, even if he
is so small."
"Yes," said the fox, "the bee didn't make much noise, but the noise that
he did make counted more than all of our barking."
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