One morning when a woman was sweeping her house, she found a penny. "What shall I do with this little penny?" she asked. "I will go to market and buy a little pig."
So off she went to market and bought a fat pig. She started home, pushing the pig in front of her. Pretty soon she came to a gate. But the pig would not jump over the gate.
She went on a little farther. Walking down the road she met a dog. So she said to the dog, "Dog, dog, bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the dog would not.
She went a little father. She met a stick. So she said, "Stick, stick, beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the stick would not.
She went a little farther. She came to a fire. So she said, "Fire, fire, burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the fire would not.
She went a little farther, and she came to some water. So she said, "Water, water, quench fire. Fire won't burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the water would not.
She went a little farther, and she met an ox. So she said, "Ox, ox, drink water. Water won't quench fire. Fire won't burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the ox would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said, "Butcher, butcher, drive ox. Ox won't drink water. Water won't quench fire. Fire won't burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the butcher would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said, "Rope, rope, tie butcher. Butcher won't drive ox. Ox won't drink water. Water won't quench fire. Fire won't burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the rope would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a rat. So she said, "Rat, rat, gnaw rope. Rope won't tie butcher. Butcher won't drive ox. Ox won't drink water. Water won't quench fire. Fire won't burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight." But the rat would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said, "Cat, cat, catch rat. Rat won't gnaw rope. Rope won't tie butcher. Butcher won't drive ox. Ox won't drink water. Water won't quench fire. Fire won't burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight."
But the cat said to her, "If you will go to the cow over in the field and bring me a saucer of milk, I will catch the rat." So away went the old woman to the cow.
But the cow said to her, "If you will go to that haystack, and bring me an armful of hay, I will give you the milk." So away went the old woman to the haystack, and she brought the hay to the cow.
As soon as the cow had eaten the hay, she gave the old woman the milk. And away went the old woman with the saucer of milk for the cat. The cat lapped up the milk. Then the cat began to catch the rat. The rat began to gnaw the rope. The rope began to tie the butcher. The butcher began to drive the ox. The ox began to drink the water. The water began to quench the fire. The fire began to burn the stick. The stick began to beat the dog. The dog began to bite the pig. The little pig in a fright jumped over the gate. And so the woman at last got home that night.
When she got home, it was time to put her baby to sleep. The baby's big sister had watched the baby while the woman had gotten the pig. The baby had eaten his supper. He curled up in his white pajamas.
Outside the wind whistled around the house. It was chilly outside. But indoors it was warm and cheerful. A little fire burned brightly. And the woman told her baby a story.
"Out in the chicken coop Mrs. Feather is taking her little chick under her wing. She is saying, 'Baby is going to sleep, so nestle down without a cheep.' And the little chick nestled down.
"In the kitchen Mother Cat is putting her two babies, @Tabbie and @Babbie, to bed in the box behind the stove. First she licks them all clean. Then she says, 'Cuddle down close to Mother Cat. Dream of the nice dish of milk baby will give you when you wake up. Peep into dreamland and you will see it waiting for you.' And Tabbie and Babbie cuddled down, purring. 'Baby is going to sleep, the little chick has ceased to cheep, and into @Dreamland we will peep. All is well.'"
