1. The next morning I flew in at the window. Rose had soon done her
breakfast, and she locked up the caddy again, with me outside this
time.
2. Though I did not fancy any sweets on that morning, I saw something
in a small jug on the table which I thought looked even nicer. It was
yellow and rather thick.
3. I went down to see what sort of stuff it was. It could not hurt me,
at any rate, to dip one of my feet in, or the tip of my trunk, and see
whether cream was better and more wholesome than sugar.
[Illustration: SOMETHING IN A SMALL JUG.]
4. I slid with care down the sides of the jug, holding firmly on with
the little soles of my feet, which, I am thankful to say, have suckers
on them which make it easy for me to run where I like without falling.
5. I tasted cream for the first time In my life. What a happy moment it
was! I tasted it a second time, a third, and a fourth time, and after
that I became so greedy for more that I lost my balance and in I went
plump!
6. At first I kicked about as hard as I could, and tried to keep my
wings clear. But they soon got cold, and stuck to my sides.
7. And then I could only go round and round the place, looking with
despair at the steep sides of the cream-jug, which seemed far larger
and steeper than they had done before my sad mishap.
8. I was growing tired of the struggle, my body began to sink in the
cream, and even my eyes were dimmed by it, so that I could hardly see
where I was going.
9. Thomas the servant came in to take away the breakfast things, and
the jolt he gave the cream-jug in moving it closer to the tea-pot
nearly drowned me. I was half dead.
10. But Rose was again my friend, though she did not mean to do what
she then did. Rushing into the room to fetch a book which she had left
on the window seat, she ran against Thomas, and pushed his elbow.
11. This jerked the cream-jug so that it upset and I was upset with it.
I felt myself crawling along in a great white flood over the
table-cloth, but still I had land under my feet.
12. "My dear Rose," said Mrs. Sutton, "how often I have begged you not
to rush into the room in that rough way. You nearly knocked down
Thomas, and see how his sleeve is messed with greasy cream!"
13. "I am very sorry, granny," said Rose, "but I forgot this book, and
Miss Bush is waiting."
"I am sorry too," said Mrs. Sutton, "and so is Thomas, I dare say."
* * * * *
_Write:_ The fly wished to taste cream. He fell into the jug and was
nearly drowned. Rose pushed the servant, the jug upset, and the fly
crawled out.
Questions: 1. What did the fly wish to taste next? 2. What
had he on his feet which helped him to walk? 3. What became
of him after the fourth sip of cream? 4. Who came into the
room to fetch the breakfast things? 5. Who came in next? 6.
What happened to the cream-jug and to the fly?