_WHAT THE MICE SAW IN THE FARM-YARD._
[Illustration]
1. He had not gone many steps when he met Mr. Gaffer Graybeard, a wise
old mouse, and a great friend to the family.
2. "Well, where are you off to, Mr. Pertnose?" he asked, as the young
traveler was whisking by. "I'm off to see the world," was the answer.
3. "Then good-by, for I never expect to see you again; but take an old
mouse's advice, and beware of mouse-traps." "What are mouse-traps?"
asked White-paw. "You will know when you see them," was the answer.
4. White-paw went on his way, and just outside he met another young
mouse who had also started to see the world, and the two went on
together.
5. "Oh, how big the world is!" said White-paw, as they went into the
farm-yard, and began to look about them.
6. "And what queer creatures live in the world!" said the other, as
the cocks crowed, the hens clucked, the chickens peeped, the cow
lowed, the sheep bleated, the pigs grunted, and the old house-dog
barked.
7. "If we are to find out about the world, we must ask questions,"
said White-paw.
8. So the two friends went about, stopping every now and then to
admire or wonder at the new things they saw every moment.
9. Soon they came across a friendly-looking pig. "Please, sir," asked
the wee simple things, "are you a mouse?"
10. The pig looked down to them through his "specs" as he heard the
question in the tiny little squeaking voice, and he grunted a little
as he replied: