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met Goosey-poosey. "Where are you going to, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
and Ducky-daddles?" says Goosey-poosey. "Oh! we're going to tell the
king the sky's a-falling," says Henny-penny, and Cocky-locky and
Ducky-daddles. "May I come with you?" says Goosey-poosey. "Certainly,"
says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles. So Henny-penny,
Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey went to tell the king the
sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they
met Turkey-lurkey. "Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?" says Turkey-lurkey. "Oh! we're going
to tell the king the sky's a-falling," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey. "May I come with you, Henny-penny,
Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?" says Turkey-lurkey. "Oh,
certainly, Turkey-lurkey," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies,
and Goosey-poosey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies,
Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey all went to tell the king the sky was
a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they
met Foxy-woxy, and Foxy-woxy says to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "Where are you going,
Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey?" And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles,
Goosey-Poosey, and Turkey-lurkey says to Foxy-woxy: "We're going to tell
the king the sky's a-falling." "Oh! but this is not the way to the king,
Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey," says Foxy-woxy; "I know the proper way; shall I show it
you?" "Oh, certainly, Foxy-woxy," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So Henny-penny,
Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, Turkey-lurkey, and Foxy-woxy
all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they
came to a narrow and dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy's
cave. But Foxy-woxy says to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies,
Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "This is the short way to the king's
palace; you'll soon get there if you follow me. I will go first and you
come after, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey," "Why, of course, certainly, without doubt, why not?"
says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey.

So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, and he didn't go very far, but turned
round to wait for Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles,
Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So at last Turkey-lurkey went through
the dark hole into the cave. He hadn't got far when "Hrumph!" Foxy-woxy
snapped off Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his body over his left
shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in, and "Hrumph!" off went her head
and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then Ducky-daddles
waddled down, and "Hrumph!" snapped Foxy-woxy, and Ducky-daddles's head
was off, and Ducky-daddles was thrown alongside Turkey-lurkey and
Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky strutted down into the cave, and he
hadn't gone far when "Snap, Hrumph!" went Foxy-woxy, and Cocky-locky was
thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, Goosey-poosey, and Ducky-daddles.

 [Illustration: "THIS IS THE SHORT WAY"]

But Foxy-woxy had made two bites at Cocky-locky, and when the first snap
only hurt Cocky-locky, but didn't kill him, he called out to
Henny-penny. But she turned tail and off she ran home, so she never told
the king the sky was a-falling.

 [K] From "English Fairy Tales," collected by Joseph Jacobs; used by
 permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons.

THREE GOATS IN THE RYEFIELD

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 can go in and see what it is like, just the same."

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!

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