t back before the wolf came; but he
had further to go, and had to climb the tree, so that just as he was
coming down from it he saw the wolf coming, which, as you may
suppose, frightened him very much. When the wolf came up he said,
"Little pig, what; are you here before me? Are they nice apples?"

"Yes, very," said the little pig, "I will throw you down one." And he
threw it so far that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the
little pig jumped down and ran home. The next day the wolf came
again, and said "Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin this
afternoon, will you go?" Oh, yes," said the pig, "I will go: what
time shall you be ready?" "At three," said the wolf.

So the little pig went off before the time as usual, got to the fair,
and bought a butter-churn, which he was going home with, when he saw
the wolf coming. Then he could not tell what to do. So he got into
the churn to hide, and by doing so turned it around, and it rolled
down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf so much
that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to the little
pig's house and told him how frightened he had been by a great round
thing which came down the hill past him.

Then the little pig said "Ha! I frightened you, then. I had been to
the fair and bought a butter-churn, and when I saw you I got into it
and rolled down the hill." Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and
declared he would eat up the little pig, and that he would get down
the chimney after him.

When the little pig saw what he was about, he hung onto the pot full
of water, and made up a blazing fire, and just as the wolf was coming
down, took off the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put
on the cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate him for
supper, and lived happy ever afterwards.

[Page 178--Rabbit Land]

[Illustration: Gentlemen Rabbits.]

The Wild Rabbits

Among the sand-hills,
Near by the sea,
Wild young rabbits
Were seen by me.

They live in burrows
With winding-ways,
And there they shelter
On rainy days.

The mother rabbits
Make cosy nests,
With hairy linings
From their breasts.

The tender young ones
Are nursed and fed,
And safely hidden
In this warm bed.

And when they are older,
They all come out
Upon the sand-hills
And frisk about.

They play and nibble
The long, dry grass,
But scamper away
Whenever yo