stay in this sty?"

"No, that I do not," said the Pig. "But I am very glad to get the good
food and plenty of it, which they have been bringing to me since I was
shut up."

"Ho, there is reason for that," said the Sheep. "Many a flask empties
the cask. They want to make you very fat, for their purpose is to eat
you at the winter's feasting."

"May they not forget to say grace after meat," said the Pig. "I can do
naught to hinder their eating."

"If you will do as I do we will go off together into the woods and build
a house and set up housekeeping," said the Sheep. "A home is a home, be
it ever so homely."

So the Sheep and the Pig together butted down the pigsty, and started
off on the big road together. "Good company is good comfort," said the
Pig, as they trotted along.

As they entered the big woods they met a Goose, who had come out on the
common.

"Good day, and thanks for our last merry meeting," said the Goose,
"where are you going so fast?"

"You must know that we were too well off at home, and so we have set
off into the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping," said the
Sheep, "for, Every man's house is his castle, if he build it but big and
strong enough."

"As for that," said the Goose, "all places are alike to me, but I should
like to build a house; so if you like I will go with you, for, It's but
child's play when three share the day."

"With gossip and gabble is built neither house nor stable!" said the
Pig. "What can you do to help build the house?"

"By cunning and skill a cripple can do what he will," said the Goose. "I
can gather moss to put into the crevices and cracks, and so make the
house warm and comfortable."

Now, Piggy wanted above everything else to be warm and comfortable, so
he said that the Goose might come along.

As the three journeyed on they met a Hare.

"Good day, and thanks for our last merry meeting," said the Hare; "where
are you hurrying to so fast?"

Then the Sheep explained how they were too well off at home, and were
going into the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping, "For," he
said, "You may travel the world around, but there is no place like
home."

"Oh," said the Hare, "for the matter of that, I have a home in every
bush. But I have always thought that some day I would build a house, and
I will go with you if you like."

"We could use you to scare away the dogs," said the Pig, "but you would
be no good for anything else."

"He wh