Harriette Taylor Treadwell

The Boy and the Goat

A little boy had a goat.

The goat ran away.

He ran into the woods.

He found some grass.

He wanted to eat the grass.

The little boy wanted to go home.

The goat would not go home.

The little boy said, "I can not go home. My goat ran into the woods. He will not go home."

Then the boy began to cry.

A rabbit came by.

He said, "Why do you cry, little boy?"

The boy said, "I cry because my goat ran away. He ran into the woods. He will not go home."

The rabbit said, "Do not cry, little boy. I can make the goat go home."

The rabbit ran into the woods.

He ran after the goat.

The goat would not go home.

Then the rabbit began to cry.

A squirrel came by.

He said, "Why do you cry, little rabbit?"

The rabbit said, "I cry because the little boy cries.

The little boy cries because the goat will not go home."

The squirrel said, "Do not cry, little boy. I can make the goat go home."

The squirrel ran into the woods.

He ran after the goat.

The goat would not go home.

Then the squirrel began to cry.

A fox came by.

He said, "Why do you cry, little squirrel?"

The squirrel said, "I cry because the rabbit cries.

The rabbit cries because the boy cries.

The boy cries because the goat will not go home."

The fox said, "Do not cry, little boy. I can make the goat go home."

The fox ran into the woods.

He ran after the goat.

The goat would not go home.

Then the fox began to cry.

A little bee flew by.

It said, "Why do you cry, little fox?"

The fox said, "I cry because the squirrel cries.

The squirrel cries because the rabbit cries.

The rabbit cries because the boy cries.

The boy cries because the goat will not go home."

The little bee said, "Do not cry, little boy. I can make the goat go home."

The fox laughed and said, "I can not make the goat go home. Can a little bee make it go home?"

Then the fox laughed and laughed.

The little bee flew into the woods.

It said, "Buzz, buzz."

The goat said, "A bee can sting. I will run."

The goat ran home.

Then the little boy laughed.

He said, "Thank you, little bee."