This made them think. They remembered how cross and hot and uncomfortable they often became over very small things that bothered them, and they began to think that perhaps even Calf tempers were worth caring for.
At last the Black Calf, the prettiest one in the yard, said, "Do you like drawing that flat wagon which hasn"t any wheels, and sc.r.a.pes along in the dust?"
"The stone-boat?" asked the Off Ox. "We don"t mind it. Never mind doing our kind of work. Wouldn"t like to pull the binder with its shining knives and whirling arms, for whoever does that has to walk fast and make sudden turns and stops. Wouldn"t like being hitched to the carriage to carry the farmer"s family to town. Wouldn"t like to take care of the Sheep, like Collie, or to grow feathers like the Geese--but we can draw stone-boats and all sorts of heavy loads, if we do say it."
The Red Calf, who was always running and kicking up his heels, said, "Oh, it"s such slow work! I should think you"d feel that you would never reach the end of your journey."
"We don"t think about that," answered the Nigh Ox. "It doesn"t pay. We used to, though. I remember the time when I wished myself a Swallow, flying a mile a minute, instead of step-step-stepping my way through life. My mother was a sensible Cow, and wore the bell in our herd. She cured me of that foolishness. She told me that Swallows had to fly one wing-beat at a time, and that dinners had to be eaten one mouthful at a time, and that nothing really worth while could be done in a minute. She said that if we were forever thinking how much work we had to do and how tiresome it was, we"d never enjoy life, and we wouldn"t live long either. Lazy Oxen never do. That"s another thing which doesn"t pay."
The Red Calf and the White Calf spoke together: "We will always be sensible. We will never lose our tempers. We will never be afraid to work. We will be fine and long-lived cattle."
"Might you not better say you will _try_ to be sensible?" asked the Nigh Ox. "You know it is not always easy to do those things, and one has to begin over and over again."
"Oh, no," they answered. "We know what we can do."
"You might be mistaken," said the Oxen gently.
"I am never mistaken," said the Red Calf.
"Neither am I," said the White Calf.
"Well, good-morning," called the Oxen, as they moved off. "We are going to talk with our sisters, the Cows."
After they had gone, the pretty Black Calf spoke in her pleasant way: "It seems to me I shall be an old Cow before I can learn to be good and sensible like them, but I am going to try."
"Pooh!" said the Red Calf. "It is easy enough to be sensible if you want to be--as easy as eating."
"Yes," said the White Calf. "I shall never lose my temper again, now that I am sure it is foolish to do so."
"Dear me!" said the pretty Black Calf. "How strong and good you must be.
I can only keep on trying."
"Pooh!" said the Red Calf again. Then he lowered his voice and spoke to her. "Move along," said he, "and let me stand beside you in the cubby while I chew my cud."
"Don"t you do it," cried the White Calf. "I want that place myself."
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE RED CALF AND THE WHITE CALF.]
"I guess not!" exclaimed the Red Calf. "I"ll bunt you first."
"Bunt away, then," said the White Calf, "but I"ll have that place."
"Oh, please don"t fight!" exclaimed the Black Calf. "I"ll let one of you have my corner."
"Don"t you move," cried each of them. "I want to stand by you." Then they lowered their heads and looked into each other"s eyes. Next, they put their hard foreheads together, and pushed and pushed and pushed.
Sometimes the Red Calf made the White Calf go backward, and sometimes it was the other way. Once in a while they stood still and rested. Then they began pushing again.
While they were quarrelling in this way, getting warmer and more angry all the time, and losing those very tempers which they had said they would always keep, a young Jersey had stepped into the cubby beside the Black Calf, and they were having a pleasant visit. "What are those fellows fighting about?" he asked.
The Black Calf smiled a funny little smile. "They are fighting," said she, "to see which one shall stand in the cubby with me and chew his cud."
The Jersey Calf was a shrewd young fellow of very good family.
"Perhaps," said he, "I ought to stay and guard the place until it is decided who shall have it."
"I wish you would," said she.
And that was how it happened that the two Calves who lost their tempers had a cross, tiresome, and uncomfortable day, while another had the very corner which they wanted. When night came, they grumbled because the Jersey Calf had come out ahead of them, and they thought it very strange. But it was not strange, for the people who are quiet and good-natured always come out ahead in the end. And the people who are so very sure that it is easy to be good when they really want to, are just the very ones who sometimes do not want to when they should.
The Black Calf was right. The only way to be sensible and happy is to try and try and try, and it does pay.
Among the Forest People.
By CLARA D. PIERSON.
Ill.u.s.trated by F. C. Gordon.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
"A most charming series of stories for children--yes, and for children of all ages, both young and old--is given us in the volume before us. No one can read these realistic conversations of the little creatures of the wood without being most tenderly drawn toward them, and each story teaches many entertaining facts regarding the lives and habits of these little people. Mothers and teachers must welcome this little book most cordially. One cannot speak too strongly in praise of it."--_Boston Transcript._
"In pleasant story-telling guise, much information is conveyed, and the pictures are a further help. A clever and charming book."--_Philadelphia Eve. Telegraph._
"Is a book that every child will like to read."--_Hartford Courant._
"The scheme of the book is felicitous, and it is worked out with an acute and sympathetic appreciation of methods for enlisting the attention and impressing intelligently the memory of children. The ill.u.s.trations are distinctly helpful."--_Troy Daily Press._
"One does not know which to admire most--the intimate footing upon which the author stands with the forest folk, or the intelligent sympathy she has with sweet child life. She seems to be equally in touch with both."--_Churchman._
"_Many a mother and teacher will accord a vote of thanks to the author._"
[Ill.u.s.tration]
~Among the Meadow People.~