"Little Bo-Peep she lost her sheep
And didn't know where to find them.
Let them alone, and they'll come home,
And bring their tails behind them!"
[Illustration: Bo-peep searching.]
So runs the Nursery Rhyme. Little Bo-Peep was a very nice little
girl. Her cheeks had a bloom on them like a lovely peach, and her
voice sounded like a sweet silver bell.
But though Little Bo-Peep was as good as she was beautiful, she
sometimes met with misfortunes that made her very sad. Once, when she
lost her sheep, she was very doleful indeed. And this is how it
happened.
One summer evening, when the sun was setting, Little Bo-Peep, who had
to rise very early in the morning, felt tired, and sat down on a bank
covered with daisies. Being very weary she soon fell fast asleep. Now
the Bell-wether of Bo-Peep's flock was a most stupid and stubborn
fellow. I dare say you know that all the sheep in a flock will follow
the Bell-wether, and that he always wears a bell round his neck. It
was a great pity, but the Bell-wether of Bo-Peep's flock was very
wild, and was much given to wander far away into the wood, where of
course the rest of the sheep would follow him.
Finding Little Bo-Peep asleep, the tiresome fellow began by standing
on his hind legs and making a great bow to his shadow before him on
the grass. After this he whirled himself round like a top, shaking
his head all the time, and ringing his bell.
[Illustration: Bo-Peep asleep; Bell-wether capering.]
Very soon the rest of the flock began to dance and caper too. And
when they had wheeled round their leader for a time, they ran off
after him with a bound into the wood. Away they went, till they were
quite tired out; and then they came to a stand-still, staring at their
leader with very blank faces. But the Bell-wether looked foolish
enough now, and did nothing but shake his head slowly and ring his
bell, which seemed to say quite clearly, "You are lost, you are
lost!"
When Little Bo-Peep awoke she found her sheep gone, and hardly
knowing what she did, she walked on and on, far into the wood. She
met some people with hoes and rakes in their hands, and asked them if
they had seen her sheep. But they only laughed at her, and said, No.
One man was very cross, and threatened to beat her. At last she came
to a stile, on which an old Raven was perched. He looked so wise that
Little Bo-Peep asked him whether he had seen a flock of sheep. But he
only cried "Caw, caw, caw;" so Bo-Peep ran on again across the
fields.
[Illustration: Bo-peep and Raven.]
She wandered on till night-fall, and being faint with hunger, was
very glad to see a light just before her. As she went on, she saw
that it shone from a cottage window. But when she came to the door,
it looked so dark and dismal that she was afraid to go in, and was
just going to run away, when a cross-looking old woman came out, and
dragged her into the cottage. She made her sit by the side of her
son, who was a very ugly youth with a great red face and red
hair.
[Illustration: Bo-peep and ugly Youth.]
The old woman told him that she had brought Bo-Peep to be his wife,
so Bo-Peep, who did not like him at all, ran away while they were
asleep. But she did not know where to go, and gave herself up for
lost, when she heard something cry, "tu-whit--tu-whoo," in the
tree above her. It was a great owl, which began flapping its wings
with joy. Bo-Peep was frightened at first, but as the owl seemed very
kind, she followed it. It took her to a cottage were there was plenty
to eat and drink, and then, to Bo-Peep's great surprise, it began to
speak, and told her this story:--
"Know, dear Maiden," said the owl, "that I am the daughter of a King,
and was a lovely Princess; but I was changed into an owl by the old
woman at the cottage, because I would not marry her ugly son. But I
have heard the fairies say that one day a lovely maiden, who would
come into this wood to find her lost sheep, should be the means of my
gaining my own form again. You are that pretty maid, and I will take
you to a spot where you will find your sheep, but without their
tails. The elves will play with them for this night, but in the
morning every sheep will have its tail again, except the stupid
Bell-wether. You must then wave his tail three times over my head,
and I shall resume my shape again."
The owl flew off, and led Bo-Peep into the wood, and said, "Sleep,
maiden, I will watch." How long she was asleep she could not tell,
but the charmed spot was suddenly lighted up, and she saw the Queen
of the Fairies seated on a bank. The Queen said the sheep should be
punished for running away. She then saw all her sheep come trooping
into the place, and on every sheep there was an Elf, who held in his
hand a sheep's tail.
[Illustration: Sheep and Elves.]
After riding them about for some time, and having great fun with
them, the mad sport ceased, and each Elf restored the tail to his
sheep--all but the Bell-wether's, which their leader hid in a
tree. When Bo-Peep awoke, she saw the owl flapping its wings as if
to remind her of her promise; so she fetched the tail, and waved it
three times over its head, when up started the most charming Princess
that ever was seen. The princess gave Bo-Peep a beautiful cottage,
and her sheep never ran away from their kind mistress again.
[Illustration: Bo-peep and Owl.]