When the time really came to wash and shear the [sheep], Mary's
[father] said the lamb wasn't big enough to spare any more [wool]--but
he did get washed in the [river]. Mary and little Aunt Hannah went
down in the meadow to gather cowslips--not for the pretty [flowers]
but to boil in a [pot] for dinner. They took off their [shoes] and
[socks] and splashed about in the wet [grass], filling their [bucket]
with [cowslips]. They picked some tall blue [flowers] too, and pulled
sweet-flag to eat. To get the sweet [flag], they had to cross a little
[bridge] over the brook. The [lamb] followed them, but he stepped on a
loose [board], and it tipped him off into the water! It wasn't deep
enough to be over his [head], but he waded the wrong way and scrambled
out on a little [island] in the middle of the [brook]. They
couldn't coax him to wade ashore;--he didn't like water, and would
only shake his [head] and say "Ba-a-a! No-o-o!" "We must build a
[bridge] for him" said [Mary]. "No," said [Aunt Hannah] "we will get
the boat. The [boys] keep it at the mill." They followed the brook up
to the [mill] and untied the [boat]. There were no [oars], but they
found a long [pole] and pushed it along to the [island]. The little
[lamb] was very glad to jump in with them. But they could not push the
[boat] ashore, for the water ran too fast. So they floated along,
dipping their [fingers] in the water, and watching the little [fish]
swimming below, till they ran into a [fence] across the brook. Then
they climbed ashore and went back for their [bucket] and [shoes and
socks]. "Oh, you funny lamb!" said Mary, "What good times you do make
us have!"
[Illustration: HOW DOLLABELLA TOOK A RIDE.]
[Illustration: MARY'S LITTLE LAMB.]