go home in the morning. I will tell her,' she said."

"'Of course I will help you," said the Field Fairy. "I will change you
into anything you like. What shall it be?"

"There is another thing, good Field Fairy," said Brindle Cow. "This
poor boy will be punished if I am not carried to the butcher and the
money he gets carried back to Simon. This boy and his sister have been
very kind to me. They never forgot to bring me water and gave me salt
many times when their master did not know it. I should not like to get
them into trouble, even to save my life."

"Oh, please do not mind us," said Jack, who at last was able to speak.
"Nina and I will not mind being punished if only you can escape the
butcher."

"I have thought of a plan," said the Fairy, "that will save you from
the butcher, and will not cause your two friends the least harm,
either. It is this:

"Instead of changing you into some other shape, why not change your
master into a kind and good man?"

"Oh, that would be best of all," said Jack, "that is, if Brindle Cow
does not object to remaining a cow."

"I would rather be a cow if I can be sure I am going to live," replied
Brindle Cow. "But you can understand, of course, there can be no joy
in life for me with that butcher staring me in the face."

"Well, that is all settled, then," replied the Fairy, "and though the
sun is getting well up I think I can get to your master without letting
the old Sun Man see me, for it is cool and shady along the road to the
farm. You two wait here and see what happens."

Jack wondered what the Field Fairy intended to do, but he would not be
surprised now at anything, so he began to pick some berries, for he had
not had his breakfast, and now Brindle Cow was sure she was not going
to the butcher. So she began to eat the sweet grass by the stream.

Jack thought she might speak again and he patted her sides and nose,
but the only answer Brindle Cow made was to rub her nose against him
and moo.

After a while Jack heard some one calling his name and running down the
road. It was Nina. "Oh, I am so glad I have found you!" she said.
"Come quickly; something has happened to Simon."

Jack let Brindle Cow take care of herself and hurried after Nina,
wondering what the Fairy had done to Simon.

But it seemed that Simon had brought on his trouble himself by trying
to save the wood that morning when Nina told him she needed more wood
for the fire. Instead of givi