Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-08-06

You see M. Seguin's Blanquette was not
afraid Of anything.
She cleared with one bound some great
torrents, which splashed her in the cross
ing with spray and foam. Then all drip
ping she went to large, smooth rock and,
stretching herself out upon it, dried her
self In the sunshine. Once, in advancing
toward the edge of plateau, with a wild
flower between her teeth, she saw down
below her, way down ON the plain the house
of M. Seguin, with the little field back of
II. This made her laugh till she cried
"Oh how small - she said; chow was
able to stay there S''
Poor little thing. Seeing herself perched
80 high she thought she was at least as
great as the world.
Take 1t all in ALL 1t was a great day for
M. Seguin's goat. Toward noontime, in
running about in different directions, she
fell in with troop Of channels beginning
with good appetites to devour wild vine.
Our little gadabout in white made q
great sensation. They gave her the best
place at the vine and all the gentlemen
were very gallant. 1t would seem, also
this is between ourselves, Gringoire), that
there was young chamois In black fur
that had the good fortune to please Blan-
quette. The two lovers wandered off by
themselves for an hour or two, and IL you
wish to know what they said to each other
ask the gossiping streams that run unseen
among the MOSES.
All at once the wind freshened. The
mountain took on a violent tint; it was
evening. $50 soon ~ said the little goat,
and she stopped astonished.
Down below the fields were covered with
mist. The inclosure of NJ. Seguin had dis
appeared in the fog, and only the roof of
his house, with thread Of smoke rising
from it, was visible; she heard the bells of
returning flock sound, and she felt a sad
ness seize her. A falcon flying home
brushed her with his wing In passing. She
trembled. Then there came a long howl
from the mountain-"Howl HOwp'
She thought of the wolf; all day long
the foolish one had never thought Of him.
At the same time a horn sounded from
away down below in the valley. IL was
the good NJ Seguin trying TO call her
home.
Howl Howl' cried the wolf
"Returnl ReturnP' sounded the trum-
pet.
Blanquette had n good mind to return,
but when she remembered the stake, the
cord, the feed In the inclosure, she thought
that now she would never be able TO en-
dure that life, and IL would be better TO
stay on the mountain.
The horn did not sound again
The goat heard behind her a rustling of
leaves, and she saw in the dim light two
short, erect ears and two glittering eyes.
IL was the wolf.
Enormous, motionless, seated with his
tail behind, there he was watching the
little white goat and tasting her In imagi-
nation. As he well knew that he should
eat her, the wolf was not in a hurry; only
when she turned away he would laugh
wickedly, "Hai ha! that little goat Of NJ.
Seguin'sp' and he licked his chops with
his coarse, red tongue
Blanquette felt that she was lost. For
a moment, In recalling the story Of the old
Renande who had fought all night to be
eaten in the morning, she said TO herself
that IL would be better to be eaten at once;
then changing her mind, she turned and
charged the enemy, with lowered head
and aggressive horns, like the courageous
goat of NJ. SegIIin that she was. Not that
she had any hope Of killing the wolf
goats do not kill wolves-but only to see
IL she could hold out as long as Renande
did.
BY this time the monster came toward
her and the little horns began their dane
ing.
All, the brave goatl how courageously
she Fought More than ten times-I do
not exaggerate, Gringoire-she forced the
wolf to draw away and take breath. Dur
ing these respites Of a minute the little
gourmand picked blade Of her dear grass,
then she returned 10 the combat with her
mouth full. This lasted all through the
night. From time to time NJ. Seguin's
goat would look at the stars twinkling in
the clear sky and say TO herself, "Oh, If
can hold out until daylightP'
One after another the stars grew dim.
Blanquette redoubled her butting, the
wolf his biting A pale light appeared on
the horizon. The hoarse Growing Of a
rooster rose to them from n farm below.
"At last" said the poor beast, who had
only waited until morning to die; and then
she fell upon the ground with her beauti.
full white fur all spotted with blood.
Then the wolf sprang upon the little
goat and ate her.
Adieu Gringoire.
The story that you have heard is not a
tale Of my invention. II you ever 90 into
Provence, our farmers will often tell you
Of NJ. Seguin's goat that fought all night
with the wolf and then the wolf ate her In
the morning. -Translated from the French
Of Alphonse Daudet for the Boston Tran.
script by Mary Simonds