Though the pony was
only a scrub of a creature, he had a gentle disposition, and every other
animal on the farm liked him. A gander, in particular, had such an
admiration for him that he followed him wherever he went, and if he lost
him for an instant, he would mount one of the knolls on the farm and
stretch out his neck looking for him. When he caught sight of him, he
gabbled with delight, and running to him, waddled up and down beside
him. Every little while the pony put his nose down, and seemed to be
having a conversation with the goose. If the farmer whistled for the
pony and he started to run to him, the gander, knowing he could not keep
up, would seize the pony's tail in his beak, and flapping his wings,
would get along as fast as the pony did. And the pony never kicked him.
The Italian saw that this pony would be a good one to train for the
stage, so he offered the farmer a large price for him, and took him
away.
"Oh, Joe, I forgot to say, that by this time all the animals had been
sent off the stage except the pony and the gander, and they stood
looking at the Italian while he talked. I never saw anything as human in
dumb animals as that pony's face.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353