The Gray Gooses Story | Page 2

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