The Project Gutenberg eBook, Familiar Animals, by Anonymous

# Familiar Animals

Friendly Animal Series

COPYRIGHT 1904 BY

McLOUGHLIN BROS. NEW YORK

## THE COW.

“My name is Molly. This is the name my mistress gave me, and now every one calls me by it.

“Four years ago I was a little calf. At first I was as helpless as a babe, and had to be fed with my mother’s milk.

“At that time I was of no use to my master; but the children were very fond of me, and they often came into the field to play with me.

“Sometimes they tied ribbons round my neck, and called me pet names, and we all had a good romp together in the meadow.

“Now I am a grown-up cow, and I give milk to all the little children who live at the farm.

“I do not play with them now as I did when I was a calf; but when they offer me a bunch of nice clover, I am always glad to eat it.

“There comes Nancy, the milk-maid, with the milk-pail. She is coming to milk me, and I am glad I have plenty to give her.

“My master is very kind to me. In winter, when the cold weather comes, I have a nice home to live in, with plenty of clean straw to lie on.

“In summer I am out in the green fields all the day long. I have plenty to eat, and nothing to do.

“I do not work like the horse. So the least I can do is to supply my master with plenty of milk; indeed it is for my milk that he keeps me. Perhaps you do not know how useful milk is. Cream, butter, and cheese are all made from it.

“And now little boys and girls, after this long talk I must go down to the river side and cool myself.”

The good cow marched away down to the river. She was soon standing in the water, and using her long tail to whisk away the flies that were buzzing about her.

The Calf

The Horse

## HOW THE CALF WAS FED.

There was a calf in the lot, and Al took the tin pail in his hand and went out to feed it.

Al thought it would be quite as glad to get its breakfast as the pigs were to get theirs.

But the calf did nothing of the kind. It had no horns as yet, but there were two knobs on its head which would soon grow up into sharp horns, and when Al came out with the tin pail, the calf bent her head and gave the pail a butt with these hard bits of horns.

“Well,” said Al, “I can not force you to eat if you do not want to.”

So he went back to the house and set the pail down in the yard, and said to Em, “I tried to feed the calf, but she would not eat, and now it is time for me to go off to my work.”

“Would not eat?” said Em. “I will see about that.” So she took up the tin pail and went out to the lot where the calf was tied.

Em came up to where the calf was, gave her one or two pats on the head, and three strokes down the side, and called her all the pet names she could think of.

“Now, my pet Snow-drop,” she said, “here is a nice breakfast I have brought you, and I want you to eat it all, so that you can grow fat and strong. You will, won’t you? She was my own dear little pet calf so she was; and no one shall be cross to her or hurt her. Here is milk, and bread, and all sorts of nice things; now come and eat.”

And what did that calf do but put her head in the pail and eat as if she would never get her fill. She licked, and licked, and licked the pail, while Em stood by and laughed, and said to herself, “Well, a calf is just like a child. When it will not eat, you must just coax it, and pet it, and not scold or use cross words or looks. It is strange that e-ven the dumb beast feels the force of a kind word.”

A Mischievous Goat

The Cow

## THE HORSE.

I am sure that all of you know me, and think that I am a useful sort of creature. I suppose most of you have had a ride in a wagon or carriage drawn by me or some other horse.

When I was a boy-horse I was called a colt. I lived then on a farm, and did no work, but played most of the time in the fields. You may see by the picture on this page that I was made quite a pet of by the young folks on the farm. Pleasant times, indeed, those were with me!

But when I was about four years old, I was “broken in.” You may not know just what that means, so I will tell you. It means to teach a horse to work. He must get used to having a bit in his mouth, and learn to wear a bridle, a collar, a saddle, and a crupper.

He must submit to being harnessed, and hitched to a wagon or carriage. He must stand still when he is told to, and walk or trot, fast or slow, just as his driver wishes.

He must not start nor jump at anything he sees, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of his own, but always do his master’s bidding. A horse when he feels good is inclined to show his joy by prancing about, and when tired he likes to lie down; but he must learn not to follow these inclinations when he is in harness or under the saddle.

Just think what a disagreeable thing it would be to have a bit in your mouth! A piece of hard, cold metal pressing on your tongue, and held on by straps about your head so that you cannot get rid of it. I thought it was dreadful at first, but after a while grew so used to it that I did not mind it.

It was so with all the other things. It took time to make me reconciled to submit to them, but by degrees they seemed easier and easier, and now, as I have a kind master, I am glad that I am able to be useful to him.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

The original presentation of “e-ven” was retained: “It is strange that e-ven the dumb beast”