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The Stag |
"There is one hen that goes up into the hay," said Farmer Brown. "I think she lays her eggs there. But I cannot find them." |
"Let us go up into the hay to look for them," said Polly. |
So the children hunted. The barn was not very cold. Still it was not so nice as in the summer time. |
At last Polly nearly tumbled over something. It was the brown hen. She flew away with a loud cackle. Then Polly saw four eggs lying in the hay. |
"I've found them, I've found them!" she shouted. She gave Peter two and took two herself. Then they went down to show Mr. Brown. |
"You have sharp eyes," he said. |
"I used to think I could see better if I had spectacles," said Polly. "I used to think that I should have four eyes then." |
"I am going to feed the horses now," said Mr. Brown. "You may come." |
While Mr. Brown did this, Peter and Polly looked carefully at each horse. They were hunting for one that they knew. |
It was the old brown mare. They had ridden horseback on her last summer. That was when they went with John to hunt for the turtle's eggs. |
"There she is, I think," said Polly. |
"Are you looking for John's mare? Yes, that is the one," said Farmer Brown. "You will not need her to ride any more. I hear you have a pony of your own." |
Then the children told him about their pony. They told him about the Christmas tree. |
"Ho, ho!" laughed Farmer Brown. "Who ever heard of a pony on a Christmas tree?" |
"But think of a pony in a letter box," said Polly. And Farmer Brown laughed still more. |
How warm the cow stable was! Polly said, "How can it be so warm? There is no stove." |
"The cows themselves make it warm," said Mr. Brown. "See, here is one just the color of a deer. Isn't she pretty?" |
"I guess the deer would be glad, if they had such a nice, warm house," said Polly. |
"Yes, the winter is hard for them. It is cold, and food is not easy to find. There are two that sometimes come to our barnyard. I give them grain and hay and salt." |
"I wish I could see a deer to-day," said Polly. "Let us go to the barnyard and look." |
"We will feed the sheep now, Polly. You can watch for one while I am doing that." |
When the sheep were fed, it was dinner time. After dinner Mrs. Brown let the children play on the piazza. |
All at once Peter said, "See the pretty cow coming down from the woods. Whose is she? Perhaps she is lost." |
"Where, Peter?" asked Polly. |
"Coming across the field. Now it is right there near the fence." |
"Oh, oh!" cried Polly. "That isn't a cow. I think it is a deer. See its horns." |
She called to Mr. Brown. Just as he came out of the house, the deer reached the fence. He walked quite close to it. Then he jumped over it. |
"A pretty jump," said Mr. Brown. "The fence is more than four feet high. That is a fine stag. A stag is a father deer, you know." |
The stag walked across the road. He jumped another high fence. Then he went off up the railroad track. |
"Oh," said Polly, "I wish I could jump like that. He didn't run at all." |
"It was a pretty sight," said Mr. Brown. "I am sorry the old fellow did not stop for dinner. I am afraid he will have nothing better than bark and twigs, now." |
"It wasn't a cow, was it?" asked Peter. |
"Cows can't jump like that, Peter. Though perhaps one did. I have heard of a cow that jumped over the moon. Have you?" |
"Yes, I have. But I know she didn't really. Oh, here is father. We will tell him about my pretty cow." |
Polly's Bird Party |
"Do you remember something, father?" asked Polly. |
"What is it, chick?" |
"Something you told me not to forget, father." |
"Let me think. What was it? Yes, I remember now. We were to put out some food for the birds. Is that it?" |
"That is it. So, let us do it now." |
"Very well," said father. "We will. But mother must help. She must give us bones." |
"Bones!" said Polly. "Birds don't eat bones. But dogs do. If we put out bones, Wag-wag will get them." |
"Wag-wag will not get these," said father. "I shall tie them up in the trees. Wag-wag has not learned to climb trees." |
"I saw him trying one day," said Polly. "He was after a chipmunk. The chipmunk ran up a tree. Wag-wag put his fore paws on the trunk. He stood up on his hind feet. He tried hard to get up that trunk. He barked and barked." |
"What did the chipmunk do?" asked father. |
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