(g irl)
wh irl
point
waul
mat ter
(s ea)
r ea son
arm
f arm
heav y
(c ane)
v ane
else
horse
perch
[Illustration]
One day Mr. Leghorn, the rooster, and Mrs. Leghorn, the hen, were out
walking. They came to a wide, deep brook. Mrs. Leghorn, who was light
and quick, flew safely across; but Mr. Leghorn, who was heavy and slow,
fell, splash! into the water.
[Illustration]
Mrs. Leghorn was sure Mr. Leghorn was drowned. So, without turning to
see, she flew screaming and cackling toward the farmyard.
“What does ail you, Mrs. Leghorn? Why are you screaming and cackling so
loudly?” asked the Wind-Mill as Mrs. Leghorn flew past.
“Mr. Leghorn has fallen into the brook and is drowned. That’s why I am
screaming and cackling so loudly,” replied Mrs. Leghorn.
“What a pity! I’ll swing my arms and creak. That’s the best I can do
for poor Mr. Leghorn.” And the Wind-Mill fell to swinging his arms and
creaking with all his might.
[Illustration]
When the Big Barn Door heard the Wind-Mill creaking and saw him swinging
his long arms, he called out, “What ails you, Wind-Mill? Why do you swing
your arms and creak so?”
“Why, Mr. Leghorn has fallen into the brook and is drowned, and Mrs.
Leghorn is screaming and cackling. That’s why I swing my arms and creak,”
answered the Wind-Mill.
“Poor Mr. Leghorn, poor Mrs. Leghorn!” said the Big Barn Door. “I’ll
slam and bang. That’s the best I can do.” And the Big Barn Door fell to
slamming and banging with all his might.
[Illustration]
The Old Red Ox heard the Big Barn Door slamming and banging, and cried
out, “O, Big Barn Door, why are you slamming and banging so?”
“Reason enough,” answered the Big Barn Door. “Mr. Leghorn has fallen into
the brook and is drowned; Mrs. Leghorn is screaming and cackling; and
Wind-Mill is swinging his arms and creaking. That’s why I am slamming and
banging so.”
“How sorry I am,” said the Old Red Ox. “I’ll paw the ground and bellow.
What else can I do?” And he fell to pawing and bellowing with all his
might.
“What is the matter, Old Red Ox?” asked the Watch Dog. “Why are you
pawing and bellowing so?”
“Matter enough,” answered the Old Red Ox. “Mr. Leghorn has fallen into
the brook and is drowned; Mrs. Leghorn is screaming and cackling;
Wind-Mill is swinging his arms and creaking; and Big Barn Door is
slamming and banging. That’s why I am pawing and bellowing so.”
“O dear me,” said the Watch Dog. “I’ll bark and whine. That’s all I can
do.” And he fell to barking and whining with all his might.
The Old Gray Horse heard the Watch Dog barking and whining, and said,
“What is the matter with you, Watch Dog? Why do you bark and whine so?”
“Wouldn’t you bark and whine if you could?” answered the Watch Dog.
“Mr. Leghorn has fallen into the brook and is drowned; Mrs. Leghorn is
screaming and cackling; Wind-Mill is swinging his arms and creaking; the
Big Barn Door is slamming and banging; and the Old Red Ox is pawing and
bellowing. That’s why I am barking and whining.”
“The poor things!” said Old Gray Horse. “I’ll prance and neigh. What more
can I do?” And he fell to prancing and neighing with all his might.
The Weather-Vane looked down from his high perch and saw the Old Gray
Horse prancing and neighing. “What’s the trouble, Old Gray Horse?” he
called out. “Why are you prancing and neighing so?”
[Illustration]
“Trouble indeed,” answered the Old Gray Horse. “Mr. Leghorn has fallen
into the brook and is drowned; Mrs. Leghorn is screaming and cackling;
Wind-Mill is swinging his arms and creaking; the Big Barn Door is
slamming and banging; the Old Red Ox is pawing and bellowing; and the
Watch Dog is barking and whining. That’s why I am prancing and neighing
so?”
[Illustration]
“O dear, O dear,” said the Weather-Vane, “what shall I do? I’ll whirl and
point. That’s all I can do.” And he fell to whirling and pointing with
all his might.
Pussy Cat looked up and saw Weather-Vane whirling and pointing. “O,
Weather-Vane,” she cried out. “Why do you whirl and point so?”
“Because I can do nothing else,” answered the Weather-Vane. “Mr. Leghorn
has fallen into the brook and is drowned; Mrs. Leghorn is screaming and
cackling; Wind-Mill is swinging his arms and creaking; the Big Barn Door
is slamming and banging; the Old Red Ox is pawing and bellowing; the
Watch Dog is barking and whining; and the Old Gray Horse is prancing and
neighing. That’s why I am whirling and pointing so.”
“O, how sad!” said Pussy Cat. “I’ll waul and squall. That’s the best I
can do.” And she fell to wauling and squalling with all her might.
At this moment, when Pussy Cat was wauling and squalling, when the
Weather-Vane was whirling and pointing, when the Old Gray Horse was
prancing and neighing, when the Watch Dog was barking and whining,
when the Old Red Ox was pawing and bellowing, when the Big Barn Door
was slamming and banging, when the Wind-Mill was swinging his arms and
creaking, when Mrs. Leghorn was screaming and cackling, Mr. Leghorn flew
to the highest rail on the fence and crew,
“Cock-a-doodle-doo,
What’s the matter with you?”
[Illustration]