“What a fine place for us to stay in all night,” said Billy Bobtail, for it was now almost dark.

“But suppose the people are not friendly?” said the bull, thinking of the savage creature that they had just frightened away.

“I will go and peep in at the window and find out,” said the cat.  “I can walk softly on my four cushions, and with my green eyes I can see in the dark.”

So the cat crept to the window of the little house, and peeped in.  Soon she came back and said, “There is no one at home, and it does not look as if anyone had lived here for a long, long time.”

When Billy Bobtail and his friends went inside the little house they found it very comfortable.

“Hurrah!  I shall sleep in the bed,” said Billy Bobtail.

“Bow, wow, wow!  I shall sleep under the bed,” said the dog, “and guard my master.”

“Wee, wee!” said the pig, “I shall sleep in the oven where it is nice and warm.”

“Gobble, gobble, gobble!” “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” “Cut-cut-cut-cut-ka-dat-cut!” cried the turkey, the rooster, and the hen all together, “we shall roost high up on the mantelshelf.”

“Baa!” said the goat, “I shall sleep on the front doorstone and keep guard.”

“Maa, maa!  I shall sleep just inside the front door and help to keep guard,” said the sheep.

“Moo, moo, moo!” called the bull, “the wood shed is the place for me.”

“Meow, meow, meow!” cried the cat, “I do not care about sleeping in the night.  I shall keep watch that no harm comes nigh.”

They had a good night’s rest.  When morning came and Billy Bobtail saw what a cozy house it was and that there was a fine garden too, he said, “This is my fortune.  I’m not going any farther to seek it!”

So Billy Bobtail and his friends lived safely in the little house in the clearing for many years, and were very, very happy.

KID WOULD NOT GO.

One day as I was going across London Bridge I found a penny and bought a kid.  Kid would not go.

  “See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. 
  Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

I went along a little farther and met a staff.

  “Staff, staff, beat kid! 
  Kid will not go. 
  See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. 
  Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

But the staff would not.

I went along a little way farther and met a hatchet.

  “Hatchet, hatchet, hack staff! 
  Staff will not beat kid. 
  Kid will not go. 
  See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. 
  Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

But the hatchet would not.

I went along a little way farther and met some fire.

  “Fire, fire, burn hatchet! 
  Hatchet will not hack staff. 
  Staff will not beat kid. 
  Kid will not go. 
  See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. 
  Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”