I water the flowers, I water the flowers; A basin of water, a basin of tea, I water the flowers, they're opening, you see; A basin of water, another beside, I water the flowers, they're opening wide. -"Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes." There was once a poor donkey who had grown too old to work. "If the donkey cannot work, he shall not be fed," said his master. "He must be killed." "I will not stay here and be killed," said the donkey to himself. and play in the band." "I will go to town So he walked slowly down the road. was too old and too weak to walk fast. He On the way he saw a dog lying near the road. The dog looked weak, too. "Why do you lie there?" asked the donkey. "Why don't you go home?" "I have no home," said the dog. "I am too old to help my master, and he said I should be killed. So I ran away." "Can you bark?" asked the donkey. 66 Yes," said the dog. "I am not too old to bark." "Then come with me," said the donkey. "I am going to town to play in the band You may join the band, too." So the dog and the donkey walked on By and by they saw a cat sitting beside the road. The cat looked hungry and sick. "Why do you sit there?" asked the donkey. "I sit here because I have no home," said the cat. "I am too old to catch mice, and my master said I must be killed. So I ran away." "Can you mew and purr?" asked the donkey. "Oh, yes," said the cat. "I am old, but I can mew and purr. "Come with us, then," said the donkey. "We are going to town to play "With all my heart," said the cat, standing up. So the three friends walked on Soon they came to a barnyard. A rooster stood on the barnyard gate crowing with all his might, "Cock-a-doodle, doo!" 66 Why do you crow?" asked the donkey. "I heard my master tell the cook to kill me for Sunday dinner," said the rooster. "If I am to be killed, I shall crow as long as I have a voice. Cock-a-doodle, doo!" "Come with us," said the donkey. are going to town to play in the band." "We |