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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 be