The White Duck
The little white duck was sleeping under a tree in a wood. There were some nuts on the tree. While Mrs. Duck was sleeping, one of the nuts fell off the tree and hit her on the head. Mrs. Duck woke up very afraid.
"Oh!" she said. "Somebody is shooting at me. I must go and tell the King."So Mrs. Duck went out of the wood and began to walk along a road. As she was walking, she met Mrs. Hen.
"Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Hen.
"I am going to the King. A bad man has shot me with a gun.""I can run faster than you," said Mrs. Hen.
"I will run and tell the King."So Mrs. Hen ran along the road, leaving Mrs. Duck behind her.
On the way Mrs. Hen met Mrs. Cat.
"What is the matter, Mrs. Hen?" said Mrs. Cat. "Why are you running along the road?""I am going to the King. Some bad men have come into our country and are shooting all the people," said Mrs. Hen.
"Oh! Let me go first. I can run faster than you," said Mrs. Cat. "I will run quickly and tell the King."So Mrs. Cat ran along the road, leaving Mrs. Hen behind her.
While Mrs. Cat was running along, she came to Mr. Dog, who was lying by the side of the road. Mr. Dog did not like Mrs. Cat, He jumped up.
"Stop!" he cried.
"Don't stop me," said Mrs. Cat. "Something very bad has happened.""What has happened?" said Mr. Dog.
" A hundred soldiers have come into our country, They are shooting all the people," answered Mrs. Cat.
"Oh! That is very bad," said Mr. Dog. "You stay here. I can run faster than you. I will run and tell the King."So Mr. Dog began running along the road, leaving Mrs. Cat behind him.
On the way, Mr. Dog met Mr. Horse, who was eating grass by the side of the road.
" What is the matter, Mr. Dog? Why are you running so fast?" asked Mr. Horse.
"I am running to tell the King that a big army has come into our country. A thousand soldiers are killing !ill our people.""That is very bad," said Mr. Horse. "The King must be told quickly. I can run faster than you. You stay here while I run and tell the King."So Mr. Horse began running along the road, leaving Mr. Dog behind him.
King Lion was sleeping in his beautiful garden. The sound of running feet woke him. He looked up, and there was Mr. Horse standing in front of him.
"What is the matter?" said King Lion.
Mr. Horse was very tired. He was so tired that he could not speak.
"Go and drink some water, and then come back and tell me," said the King.
So Mr. Horse went to drink some water. When he came back he could speak. He touched the ground before the King with his head. Then he said, " 0 King, thousands of bad soldiers have come into our country and are killing all our people.""Ring the bells," said King Lion, "and call my soldiers."Then the bells were rung, and all the King's soldiers, elephants, foxes, bears, and wolves marched into the garden. Six pigeons flew above their heads.
"Quick march!" cried the King.
Then all the soldiers marched out of the garden. King Lion and Mr. Horse marched in front of them. Above their heads flew the six pigeons.
"Can you see anything?" cried King Lion to the pigeons over his head.
"Only a dog coming this way," answered one of the pigeons.
" Did you see the bad soldiers killing our people?" said King Lion to Mr. Horse.
"No," answered Mr. Horse. "It was Mr. Dog who told me."When they came to Mr. Dog, the King cried, "Stop."Then they all stopped.
"Come here, Mr. Dog," said the King. "Where are the bad people?"Mr. Dog pointed with his foot. "There," he said.
"Did you see them yourself' asked the King.
"No, I didn't see them myself," answered Mr. Dog.
Quick march!" cried the King.
They all began to march again. The King, Mr. Horse, Mr. Dog marched in front, followed by the elephants, the bears, the wolves, and the foxes. The pigeons flew over their heads.
"Can you see anything?" cried the King to the pigeons.
"Only a cat lying by the side of the road," answered one of the pigeons.
" Did you see the bad soldiers killing our people?" said King Lion to Mr. Dog.
"No, I didn't see them myself. But I know it is true, because Mrs. Cat told me," answered Mr. Dog.
"Don't believe everything that you hear," said the King.
When they came to Mrs. Cat they all stopped.
"Where are the bad soldiers?" asked the King.
"There," answered Mrs. Cat, pointing with her foot.
"Did you see them yourself?" asked the King"No, I didn't see them myself," answered Mrs. Cat. " But I know it is true because Mrs. Hen told me."" Don't believe everything that you hear," said the King. "Quick march."When they had marched for some time, the King cried to the pigeons in the air above him, "Can you see anything now?""Only a hen sitting by the side of the road," answered one of the pigeons.
When they reached Mrs. Hen they all stopped.
"Where are those bad soldiers?" asked the King.
"There," answered Mrs. Hen, pointing with her foot.
"How many did you see?" asked the King.
"I didn't see any myself," answered Mrs. Hen. "But I know it is true, because Mrs. Duck told me.""Don't believe everything that you hear," said the King. "Quick march."After a time the King asked the pigeons if they could see anything.
"Only a white duck sitting by the road-side," answered one of the pigeons.
When they reached the white duck, they all stopped.
"Come here, Mrs. Duck," said the King. Mrs. Duck got up and touched the ground with her head in front of the King.
"Where are the bad soldiers?" asked the King.
"I haven't seen any," said Mrs. Duck.
"Who has been killed?""Nobody has been killed, but someone has shot me with a gun.""Are you hurt?" asked the King.
"Yes. Something hit me on my head."" I think that you are very foolish," said the King. "Come here and let me look at your head."When the King looked at Mrs. Duck's head, he could find no mark.
"Now tell me what happened," said the King.
" I was sleeping under a tree in a wood and something hit me on the head.""Show me the tree," said the King.
Then Mrs. Duck led them all into the wood and showed them the tree under which she had been sleeping. When they were standing under the tree, a nut fell on the King's head. He looked up and saw many other nuts.
"This is a nut tree, and the nuts are falling," he said. "Mrs. Duck, you are very foolish. You told Mrs. Hen that you had been shot. Mrs Hen, kick Mrs Duck."Mrs Hen kicked Mrs Duck.
"Mrs Hen, you are very foolish. You told Mrs Cat that some bad men had come into our country and were shooting the people. Mrs Cat, bite Mrs Hen."Mrs Cat bit Mrs Hen.
"Mrs Cat, you are a big fool. You told Mr. Dog that a hundred soldiers were killing our people. Mr. Dog, bite Mrs Cat."Mr. Dog jumped at Mrs Cat and bit her.
"Mr. Dog, you are a bigger fool than Mrs Cat. You told Mr. Horse that a big army had come into our country. Mr. Horse, kick Mr. Dog."Mr. Horse gave Mr. Dog a big kick.
"Mr. Horse, you are a fool too," said King Lion. "You said that thousands of soldiers had come into our country. I shall bite you myself."King Lion bit Mr. Horse.
"Now remember," said King Lion: "do not believe all that you hear. Believe what you see. Now we shall go back. Quick march."Then the King marched away, followed by the elephants, the bears, the wolves, and the foxes. And over their heads flew the pigeons.
Then Mrs Hen tried to catch Mrs Duck, and Mrs Cat tried to catch Mrs Hen, and Mr. Dog tried to catch Mrs Cat, and Mr. Horse tried to catch Mr. Dog. But Mrs Duck jumped into some water where Mrs Hen could not follow her; Mrs Hen flew over the trees where Mrs Cat could not reach her; Mrs Cat jumped up a tree where Mr. Dog could not follow her; Mr. Dog ran away among the trees where Mr. Horse could not follow him, and Mr. Horse went back along the road. |