Mother Goose in Prose | Page 9

reply. He rode on a way and now discovered

that the sheep were deep within the meadows, and that made him more
angry still.
"Here, Isaac," he said to a farmer's lad who chanced to pass by, "where
is Little Boy Blue?"
"He 's under the haystack, your honor, fast asleep!" replied Isaac with a
grin, for he had passed that way and seen that the boy was lying asleep.
"Will you go and wake him?" asked the Squire; "for he must drive out
the sheep and the cows before they do more damage."
"Not I," replied Isaac, "if I wake him he 'll surely cry, for he is but a
baby, and not fit to mind the sheep. But I myself will drive them out for
your honor," and away he ran to do so, thinking that now the Squire
would give him Little Boy Blue's place, and make him the shepherd
boy, for Isaac had long coveted the position.
The Squire's daughter, hearing the angry tones of her father's voice,
now came out to see what was amiss, and when she heard that Little
Boy Blue had failed in his trust she was deeply grieved, for she had
loved the child for his pretty ways.
The Squire dismounted from his horse and came to where the boy was
lying.
"Awake!" said he, shaking him by the shoulder, "and depart from my
lands, for you have betrayed my trust, and let the sheep and the cows
stray into the fields and meadows!"
Little Boy Blue started up at once and rubbed his eyes; and then he did
as Isaac prophesied, and began to weep bitterly, for his heart was sore
that he had failed in his duty to the good Squire and so forfeited his
confidence.
But the Squire's daughter was moved by the child's tears, so she took
him upon her lap and comforted him, asking,

"Why did you sleep, Little Boy Blue, when you should have watched
the cows and the sheep?"
"My mother has broken her leg," answered the boy, between his sobs,
"and I did not sleep all last night, but sat by her bedside nursing her.
And I tried hard not to fall asleep, but could not help myself; and oh,
Squire! I hope you will forgive me this once, for my poor mother's
sake!"
"Where does your mother live?" asked the Squire, in a kindly tone, for
he had already forgiven Little Boy Blue.
"In the cottage down by the river," answered the child; "and she is all
alone, for there is no one near to help us in our trouble."
"Come," said Mistress Madge, rising to her feet and taking his hand;
"lead us to your home, and we will see if we cannot assist your poor
mother."
So the Squire and his daughter and Little Boy Blue all walked down to
the little cottage, and the Squire had a long talk with the poor widow.
And that same day a big basket of dainties was sent to the cottage, and
Mistress Madge bade her own maid go to the widow and nurse her
carefully until she recovered.
So that after all Little Boy Blue did more for his dear mother by falling
asleep than he could had he kept wide awake; for after his mother was
well again the Squire gave them a pretty cottage to live in very near to
the great house itself, and the Squire's daughter was ever afterward
their good friend, and saw that they wanted for no comforts of life.
And Little Boy Blue did not fall asleep again at his post, but watched
the cows and the sheep faithfully for many years, until he grew up to
manhood and had a farm of his own.
He always said his mother's accident had brought him good luck, but I
think it was rather his own loving heart and his devotion to his mother
that made him friends. For no one is afraid to trust a boy who loves to

serve and care for his mother.

The Cat and the Fiddle
The Cat and the Fiddle
Hey, diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the
moon! The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran off
with the spoon!
Perhaps you think this verse is all nonsense, and that the things it
mentions could never have happened; but they did happen, as you will
understand when I have explained them all to you clearly.
Little Bobby was the only son of a small farmer who lived out of town
upon a country road. Bobby's mother looked after the house and
Bobby's father took care of the farm, and Bobby himself, who was not
very big, helped them both as much as he