THE SECOND READER

TOPKNOT

A SWEDISH FOLK TALE

"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" said Topknot. "I am much too fine for this place!" She was walking in the barn-yard.

"Cluck, cluck, cluck, what did you say.?" asked the Rooster.

"I am going over the fence to walk by myself," said Topknot. "Just look at those shabby old hens! How they love that dust-heap!

The Rooster shook himself and cried, "Go-gogo not there!" And all the old hens cackled, Go-go-go not there!"

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But Topknot would do as she pleased. So she began to cry, "Cluck, cluck, cluck, over the fence! Cluck, cluck, cluck, over the fence!" And over she went.

She walked down the road to show herself off.

How proud she was!

Just then a hawk began to fly above her. Suddenly he caught her.

The Rooster saw that the hawk had caught Topknot, and cried with all his might:

"Come, come, come and help! Come, come, come and help!" till all the people came running to see what was the matter.

This frightened the hawk so that he let Topknot go.

She was glad indeed to get away, and lost no time in running home.

When she was safe in the farm-yard again she looked herself over. Her lovely topknot was gone.

Then she began to cry:

"See, see, see how I look! See, see, see how I look!"

Up came the Rooster and made a low bow. "What did I tell you?" said he.

From that time Topknot was very glad to walk on the dust-heap with the other hens.

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,

And can't tell where to find them;

Leave them alone, and they'll come home, And bring their tails behind them.

Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep,

And dreamed she heard them bleating; But when she awoke, she found it a joke, For they were still a-fleeting.

Then up

she took her little crook,.

Determined for to find them;

She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed,

For they'd left their tails behind them.

THE GOOSE THAT LAID GOLDEN EGGS

BY ESOP

A man had a goose that laid a golden egg every day. What a strange goose that was!

The man was getting rich, but not so fast as he wished. The goose must be made of gold inside," he thought. "I will kill her and get all

the gold at once."

So the man killed the goose and cut her open. She was just like other geese. He had lost both his goose and his golden eggs.

Middle-Sized Bear. Not now, Not now, little son. It would burn you.

Great Big Bear. Let us take a walk while the soup cools.

Middle-Sized Bear. I should like a walk. Where shall we go?

Little Bear. Let us go down to the creek and wade. (They walk off)

II

(Enter Silver Locks)

Silver Locks. What a queer little house!

Who can live here? No one is at home. I am

going inside. (Goes up to the three bowls)

This soup looks good!

bowl)

(Tastes the great big

This is too hot. (Tastes the middle-sized bowl)