be very careful not to
let the old wolf in.

You need not think of us at all, for we shall be quite safe."

So the old goat went on her way into the dark woods.

She had not been gone long when there came a loud rap at the door, and a
voice cried:

"Open the door, my dear children. I have something here for each of
you."

But the young kids knew by the rough voice that this was the old wolf.

So one of them said, "We shall not open the door. Our mother's voice is
soft and gentle. Your voice is rough. You are a wolf."

The old wolf ran away to a shop, where he ate a piece of white chalk to
make his voice soft.

Then he went back to the goat's hut and rapped at the door.

He spoke in a soft voice and said, "Open the door for me, my dear
children. I am your mother."

But the oldest little goat thought of what his mother had said.

"If you are our mother, put your foot on the window sill, that we may
see it."

When the wolf had done this, all the little goats cried out, "No, you
are not our mother. We shall not open the door. Our mother's feet, are
white and yours are black. Go away; you are the wolf."

[Illustration]

Then the wolf went to the miller's, and said to him, "Mr. Miller, put
some flour on my foot, for I have hurt it."

The miller was so afraid of the wolf that he did as he was told.

Then the wicked wolf went to the goat's house again and said, "Open the
door, dear children, for I am your mother."

"Show us your foot," said the little kids.

So the wolf put his one white foot on the window sill.

When the little kids saw that it was white, they thought this was really
their mother, and they opened the door.

In jumped the ugly old wolf, and all the little kids ran to hide
themselves.

The first hid under the table, the second in the bed, the third in the
oven, the fourth in the kitchen, the fifth in the cupboard, the sixth
under the washtub, and the seventh, who was the smallest of all, in the
tall clock.

The wolf quickly found and gobbled up all but the youngest, who was in
the clock.

Then the wolf, who felt sleepy, went out and lay down on the green
grass.

Soon he was fast asleep.

THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN YOUNG KIDS--II

Not long after this the old goat came home from the woods.

Ah, what did she see! The house door was wide open; the tables and
chairs were upset.

The washtub was broken in pieces, and the bed was tipped over.

"Where are my dear children?" cried t