THE OBSTINATE PIG
Reading edition
AN old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence.
"What," said she, "shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig."
As she was coming home she came to a stile; but Piggy would not go over the stile.
SHE went a little farther and she met a dog.
So she said to the dog: "Dog, dog, bite pig! Piggy won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the dog would not.
SHE went a little farther and she met a stick.
So she said:
"Stick, stick, beat dog! Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the stick would not.
SHE went a little farther and she met a fire.
So she said: "Fire, fire, burn stick! Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the fire would not.
SHE went a little farther and she met 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 get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night." 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 get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the ox would not.
SHE went a little farther and she met a butcher.
So she said: "Butcher, butcher, kill 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 get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the butcher would not.
SHE went a little farther and she met a rope.
So she said: "Rope, rope, hang butcher! Butcher won't kill 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 get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night." 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 hang butcher; Butcher won't kill 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 get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night." But the rat would not.
SHE went a little farther and she met a cat.
So she said:
"Cat, cat, kill rat! Rat won't gnaw rope; Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill 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 get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
The cat said: "If you will get me a saucer of milk from the cow in yonder field I will kill the rat."
So the old woman went to the cow and said: "Cow, cow, will you give me a saucer of milk?" And the cow said: "If you will get me a bucket full of water from yonder brook I will give you the milk." And the old woman took the bucket to the brook; but the water all rushed out through the holes in the bottom. So she filled the holes up with stones, got the water, and took it to the cow, who at once gave her the saucer of milk. Then the old woman gave the cat the milk, and when she had lapped up the milk—
The cat began to kill the rat; The rat began to gnaw the rope; The rope began to hang the butcher; The butcher began to kill 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 pig jumped over the stile; And so the old woman got home that night.
