Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-12-08
THE FOX AND THE GOAT.

~ 1890 - ~~S>J $500 20 -
che went out to find something TO-
herself and her baby foxes to eat. Al
she was very sly and quick, she a
most always brought back fowl O
some kind, or little lamb or pig, OF
hare or rabbit. However, the farm
ers soon found out that she wa,
catching their lambs, pigs and fowls
90 they set traps for her, chased hel
with dogs and hunted her with guns
She came so near being caught OF
killed several times that she became
afraid to hunt around so much, anG
her little foxes often missed theil
supper.
One night her babies were very
hungry, indeed, SO she determined t6
find something for them. She trOtted
for many, many miles, but the farm
ers had put their lambs and pigs in
their folds, and all of the fowls were
either in houses or in trees where the
fox could not reach them. At last
she came to a barnyard. the gate Of
which was open. She crept in and
looked around, but could find moth.
ing to eat. However, she saw a: bucket
hanging over the well, and, as sht
was very thirsty, she went to it, hop
ing ITO get a drink. She put her paws
into the bucket and reached down te
lap up the little water in the bottom
but she was so heavy that her weigh,
made that bucket 60 down, as the
other came up, so down went 'botf
fox and bucket to the bottom of tht
we'll.
The poor fox was scared almost tt
death, and, oh! the water was so cold
She sat in the bucket, up to her neck
in water shiverng with cold and fear
She knew that when the farmer came
to draw water he would find and kill
her unless she could get out, and sht
did not see any way ITO do that. Al
last she became so very cold and *
frightened that she began to cry.
AN old nanny-goat heard her and
looked down in the well. why, Mate
Fox" she said, what are you doing
in the well?"
Then the sly fox said: "Hoy-d'ye
do, Matte Goat. Don't you see that ]
am eating fine cheese?"
Now, the moon was up in the sky
just over the well, and shining down
into the water, where it looked like
big cheese with a piece off one side;
so the goat believed the fox, and
thought there was a cheese in the
well, and that the fox was down there
eating it.
'Oh, Mate Fox" she said, 81 dearly
love cheese. DO let ME have some of
it,"
Certainly said the fox, "but you
must come down at once. 1t is SO
good that l can't stop eating for
moment"
"But how am to come down, Mate
Fox?"
Nothing easier Jump into that
bucket up there, and you'll come
down. That is what did. You will
have to hurry, or the cheese will all
be gone"
"Please wait for me, Mate Fox;
don't eat it ALL"
So nanny-goat jumped into the
bucket, and, as she was much heavier
than the fox, down she went, and up
came the fox, who jumped out upon
the ground and ran off, while the
goat began to cry "Bah-h-h!" with all
her might.
First cow went and looked into
the well. "Bah-ah!' said nanny goat.
"Moo-oo-oo!" said the COW; but, as
she could do nothing, she went off to
the meadow. Then her calf looked
in. "Bah-h!" cried nanny-goat.
"Mah-h!" said the calf and ran to its
mother.
Next a sheep Looked in. "Bah-h!"
cried nanny-goat. "Bah-h-h!" said
the lamb and ran to its mother to ask
a Thousand questions about how the
goat got in the well, and how she
was to get out.
Next duck looked in. "Bah-h!"
cried nanny. "Quack-quack!" said
the duck and waddled away.
Then a turkey gobbler looked in.
"Bah-h!" cried nanny. "Gooble-ooble-
GOBLET" said the turkey and strutted
off.
Next came a guinea. "Bah-h!"
cried the goat. "Cat-rack! Cat-rack!"
cried the guinea and went away.
Then came a mother pig and her
little ones. "Ugh-ugh-ugh!" grunted
the old sow. "Oigh-oigh-oigh!" said
the little pigs, and then they all went
to wallow in the mud.
Next hen came witha brood OF
little chickens. "Bah-h!" said nanny.
"Cluck, cluck!" said the hen. Peep,
peep" said the little chickens,
stretching their short necks out and
trying to look down into the well. I