The Little Black Hen

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22391, 11 April 1936, Page 8 (Supplement)

The Little Black Hen

f"\NE day an old woman lost her little black hen. So she ran down the road to look for her, and she met a dog. "Good-morning, Dog," she said. "Have you seen my little black hen?" "No," said the dog, "but what will you give me if I find her for you?" "I will give you a bone." So the dog ran off to look for the little /black hen. and he met a hare. "Good-morning, Hare," he said "Have you seen the old woman's little black hen?" "Nd," said the hare, "but what will you give me if I find her for you?" "I will give you a turnip." So the hare ran off to look for the little black hen, and he met a badger. "Good-morning, Badger," ho said. "Have you seen the old woman's little black hen?"

"No," said the badger," but what .will you give me if I find her for you?" "I will give you some honey." So the badger went off to look for the little black heu, and he met a donkey. "Good-morning, Donkey," he said. Have you seen the old woman's little black hen?"

"What will you give me if I find her for you?" asked the donkey. "I will give you some fine thistles."

Now the donkey knew that his master had stolen the old woman's little black hen. So he ran off and opened the basket where the tinker had hidden the little black hen. "Why should I not take her back to the old woman myself? She is sure to reward me," thought the donkey. "No." he said, "a promise is a promise roust be kept." So he took the little black hen to the badger: "Here is the little black hen," he Baid. "Now may I have my thistlesP"

So the badger led the donkey to a fine clump of thistles ho had found. "Why should I not take the little black lien back to the old woman myself? She is sure to reward me," thought the badger. "No," ho said, "a promise is a promise and must be kept." So he took the little black hen to the hare. "Here is the little black hen," he said. "Now may I have my honeyP" So the hare took the badger to the Bee Master's; garden and gave him some honey. "Why should I not take the little black hen back to the old woman myself? She is. sure to reward me," thought the hare. "No," he said, "a Eromise is u promise and must be ept." So ho took the little black hen to- the dog. "Here is the little black hen," ho said. "Now may I have my turnip?" So the dog led the hare to his master's field and gave him a turnip. Then he set off to the old woman. When she saw him coming she thought, "That bone in the larder would make some soup, why should I give it to the dog? No," she said, "a promise is a promise and must be kept," and she went to meet the dog. Here is you little black hen," said the dog. "Now may I have my bone?" So the old woman fetched him the bone and thanked him. She gave the little black hen a handful of corn and had bread and cheese for her dinner. So everybody was happy except the tinker, and he did not deserve to be.