Part 16

LESSON XXX.

WHAT THE DONKEY CAN DO.

1. The donkey is not as stupid as he looks, and he has often shown that he knows what he is about, and that he is able to take care of himself.

2. In the picture we see a little girl with a donkey going to market, and as Dick is always treated kindly, he is ready to do all he can for her.

3. A man who bought a donkey for his children, tells this story of him: “I did not allow him to be pounded, and he got something better to eat than thistles. My donkey proved to be no fool; but, like others, who have more wit than good manners, he was forever getting into mischief, and leading others into it.

4. “He could open all the gates, and climb all the fences; and many a morning he woke me by braying in the midst of my field of wheat. I was obliged to sell him, as he knew too much about doors and gates, and was too cunning to be kept.”

5. A man once set his bull-dog to attack a donkey that was grazing near the river. For a while the donkey kept his heels toward the dog in such a way that the dog could not get at him.

6. Watching his chance, the donkey turned and seized the dog by the nape of his neck, so that he could not use his jaws, then dragged him to the river, plunged him in, and lay down upon him, keeping his head under water until he was drowned.

Fiddle-de-dee, The cat was at tea, The rabbit was taking snuff, The dog and the pig Were dancing a jig, And the donkey put on a lace ruff.]

LESSON XXXI.

HOW THE COW LOOKS.

1. Among our four-footed friends the cow comes next, and we wish to find out something about her. Will, do you think you can help us?

2. Yes! Since we began these lessons I have watched our cows, and have found out some things that I did not know before.

3. The cow has a heavier body and shorter legs than a horse. She has a short neck, and a long tail, with a bunch of coarse hair on the end of it. Her head is larger than that of a horse, and her nose is wider. Her ears stand out on each side of her head, and above them she has a pair of horns that spread out.

4. Her hoof is not round, like that of a horse, but is split into two parts, and is called a cloven hoof. She has a thick coat of coarse hair, which keeps her warm in all but the very coldest weather.

5. In front, the cow has six teeth on her under jaw, but none on her upper jaw. In place of teeth is a ridge hard as a bone. In the back part of her mouth she has six broad, flat teeth on each side of each jaw, with which she chews her food.

6. Cows are of different colors. Some are red, some are black, some are white, and some are spotted or striped. I have seen one kind that looked like a black cow with a white blanket on.

7. When the cow eats grass, she swallows it without chewing. When she has enough, she stands still or lies down, and the grass comes up into her mouth in little balls, and these she chews fine and swallows again.

8. The ball she chews is called a “cud,” and she will chew one cud after another, until she has chewed up all the grass she has eaten.

LESSON XXXII.

WHAT CATTLE DO.

1. The ox is very strong, and can do work like a horse. When oxen are used, two are put together with a wooden yoke on their necks.

2. Oxen can draw large loads, and can work a long time without being tired; but they are so slow that they are not used much, except on farms.

3. In summer, cattle run in the pasture and live upon grass. They gnaw it off close to the ground, and they feed most of the day.

4. In the middle of the day, when the weather is hot, they lie down in the shade, or stand up to their knees in the water, to keep cool.

5. At night the cows are driven to the farm-yard and milked, and in the morning they are milked again and driven back to the pasture.

6. In winter, cattle are kept in the stable, or in the farm-yard where there is a shed that they can go into when it storms or is very cold.

7. They are fed with hay; but cows that give milk, and working-oxen, are fed with grain also. Beets and turnips are sometimes fed to cattle.