is ears with the pillows and fell asleep again.

For nearly three days the heifer refused to eat a morsel; but at last
she grew accustomed to the other cattle in the stable, and ate quietly
like the rest. But a new trouble arose when the claws of her fore-feet
came off. She was only used to walk on soft pasture, but not to travel
so much on hard roads as was necessary in passing between the stable
and the fields.

Ivo often helped Nat to bind up the heifer's hoofs, and gave the
greatest proofs of sympathy and tenderness; nor did she fail to return
his kindness as far as she could, and Nat, who knew all about cows and
their ways, used to say, "The herdsboy that minded her before must have
looked like you, Ivo; be sure of that."

While the cow gave him so much pleasure, the wooden horse became a
source of grief. It had become quite soiled. So, one morning, without
saying a word about it to anybody, he ran down to the pond and gave it
a good scouring, but returned home with loud wailing, for he found that
all the color came out of it. Thus early did he discover how little
artificial favorites are to be trusted.

But fate soon gave him ample compensation for his loss. Once more, late
in the night, the whole house was astir on account of the heifer: she
was calving. Ivo was not allowed to go into the stable: he only heard a
low, distant wail,--for the curse is on animals also, and they must
"bring forth with pain."

At dawn of day Ivo hurried into the stable. A fine brindled calf was
lying at the dam's feet, and she kissed and licked it with her tongue.
No one could go near it without setting the cow into a storm of rage;
only when Ivo stepped up and timidly touched the calf she was quiet.
Her first-born was a son, and Ivo never ceased to beseech his father to
raise the calf until he consented.

From this time on Ivo was always in the kitchen when warm food or drink
was being prepared for the mother, and no one but he had leave to hold
the pail for her to drink.

But Ivo was destined to find that no pleasure is to be enjoyed without
interruption. One day, coming home from school, he saw a large dog on
the threshold. Passing him carefully, he went on to the stable. There
he found a man in a blue smock and red and yellow checked neckcloth,
which hung in a loose knot to his neck. In his hand he held a hawthorn
stick with a handle of brass thread.

Ivo saw at once that he was a butcher. His father, who stood by him,
wa