The Fairy Ring
Copyright© 2024 by Kate Douglas Wiggin
The Ram and the Pig who went into the Woods to Live by Themselves
THERE was once upon a time a ram, who was being fattened up for killing. He had therefore plenty to eat, and he soon became round and fat with all the good things he got. One day the dairymaid came and gave him some more food.
“You must eat, Ram,” she said; “you’ll not be long here now, for to-morrow we are going to kill you.”
“There’s an old saying that no one should sneer at old women’s advice, and that advice and physic can be had for everything except death,” thought the Ram to himself; “but perhaps I might manage to escape it this time.”
And so he went on eating till he was full, and when he was quite satisfied he ran his horns against the door, burst it open, and set off to the neighboring farm. There he made straight for the pigsty, to look for a pig with whom he had struck up an acquaintance on the common, since when they had always been good friends and got on well together.
“Good day, and thanks for your kindness last time we met,” said the Ram to the Pig.
“Good day, and thanks to you,” said the Pig.
“Do you know why they make you so comfortable, and why they feed you and look after you so well?” said the Ram.
“No,” said the Pig.
“There are many mouths to feed on this farm, you must know,” said the Ram; “they are going to kill you and eat you.”
“Are they?” said the Pig. “Well, much good may it do them!”
“If you are of the same mind as I, we will go into the woods and build a house and live by ourselves; there is nothing like having a home of your own, you know,” said the Ram.
Yes, the Pig was quite willing. “It’s nice to be in fine company,” said he, and off they started.
When they had got a bit on the way they met a goose.
“Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness last time we met,” said the Goose. “Where are you off to?”
“Good day, and thanks to you,” said the Ram. “We had it altogether too comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods to live by ourselves. In your own house you are your own master, you know,” said he.
“Well, I’m very comfortable where I am,” said the Goose; “but why shouldn’t I join you? Good company makes the day shorter,” said she.
“But neither hut nor house can be built by gabbling and quacking,” said the Pig. “What do you think you can do?”
“Good counsel and skill may do as much as a giant’s will,” said the Goose. “I can pluck moss and stuff it into the crevices, so that the house will be warm and comfortable.”
Well, she might come with them, thought the Pig, for he liked the place to be warm and cozy.
When they had gone a bit on the way—the Goose was not getting along very fast—they met a hare, who came scampering out of the wood.
“Good day, my good people, and thanks for your kindness the last time we met,” said the Hare. “How far are you going to-day?” said he.
“Good day, and thanks to you,” said the Ram; “we had it altogether too comfortable at our place, so we are off to the woods to build a house and live by ourselves. When you have tried both East and West, you’ll find that a home of your own is, after all, the best,” said he.
“Well, I have, of course, a home in every bush,” said the Hare; “but I have often said to myself in the winter that if I lived till the summer I would build a house, so I have a good mind to go with you and build one after all,” said he.
“Well, if the worst comes to the worst, we might take you with us to frighten the dogs away,” said the Pig, “for you couldn’t help us to build the house, I should say.”
“There is always something for willing hands to do in this world,” said the Hare. “I have teeth to gnaw pegs with, and I have paws to knock them into the walls, so I’ll do very well for a carpenter; for ‘good tools make good work,’ as the man said, when he skinned his mare with an auger,” said the Hare.
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