But, after a while, the family noticed something odd, something very strange indeed, about their pet. Every Tuesday night, about nine o"clock, Wylie disappeared. They would look for her, call her- no, she was gone. And she would be gone all night. But, every Wednesday morning, there she was at the door, waiting to be let in. Her silky coat was all sweaty and muddy, and her feet were heavy with weariness, but her bright eyes looked up at her masters as if she were trying to explain where she had been.
Week after week the same thing happened. Nobody could imagine where Wylie went every Tuesday night. They tried to follow her to find out, but she always slipped away; they tried to shut her in, but she always found a way out. It grew to be a real mystery. Where in the world did Wylie go?
You never could guess, so I am going to tell you.
In the city near the town where the kind young menlived was a big market. Every sort of thing was sold there, even live cows and sheep and hens. On Tuesday night the farmers used to come down from the hills with their sheep to sell, and drive them through the city streets into the pens, ready to sell on Wednesday morning; that was the day they sold them.
The sheep weren"t used to the city noises and sights, and they always grew afraid and wild, and gave the farmers and the sheep-dogs a good deal of trouble. They broke away and ran about in everybody"s way.
But just as the trouble was worst, about sunrise, the farmers would see a little, silky, sharp-eared dog come trotting all alone down the road into the midst of them.
And then!
In and out the little dog ran like the wind, round and about, always in the right place, driving- coaxing- pushing-making the sheep obey, and never frightening them, till they were all safely in. All the other dogs together could not do as much as the little strange dog. She was a perfect wonder. And no one knew whose dog she was or where she came from. The farmers grew to watch for her every week, and they called her "the wee fell yin," which is Scots for " the little terror"; they used to say, when they saw her coming, " There"s the wee fell yin! Now we"ll get them in."Every farmer would have liked to keep her, but she let no one catch her. As soon as her work was done she was off and away like a fairy dog, no one knew where. Week after week this happened, and nobody knew whose the little strange dog was.
But one day Wylie was walking with her two masters, and they happened to meet some sheep- farmers. The sheep- farmers stopped short and stared at Wylie, and then they cried out, " Why that"s the dog! That"s the wee fell yin!" And so it was. The little strange dog that helped with the sheep was Wylie.
Her masters, of course, didn"t know what the farmers meant, till they were told all about what I have been telling you. But, when they heard about the pretty strange dog that came to market all alone, they knew at last where Wylie went every Tuesday night. And they loved her better than ever.
Wasn"t it wise of the dear little dog to go and work for other people when her own work was taken away? I fancy that she knew that the best people and the best dogs always work hard at something. Anyway, she did that same thing as long as she lived, and she was always just as gentle, and silky- haired, and loving as at first.
- George Macdonald
Author.-George Macdonald (1824-1905) was a Scottish poet andnovelist, born in Aberdeenshire and educated at Aberdeen University. He wrote many novels for grown-up people, including David Elginbrod, The Seaboard Parish, Robert Falconer, Malcolm, and What"s Mine is Mine. Among his fine books for children are The Princess and the Goblin, Dealings with Fairies, and At the Back of the North Wind.
General Notes.-From the description, Wylie was probably a kelpie. The "wee fell yin" means the little mighty one. Have you watched the sheep-dogs at the Melbourne Show? Write or tell any story you know of a dog"s intelligence.
Lesson 54
SEA-HuNGER
How can I work on a day like this, When the sea is blue in the bay,And a little wind dances around my desk And whispers, "Come out to play!"And down at the port there"s a deep-sea ship,Her brown sails gleaming fair. New white paint and Manila ropeAre an incense on the air.
In a few short hours her bows will lift To the kiss of the open seas,Her brown sails shake "neath the rough caressOf the salt-stung northern breeze.
Oh, why must I work on a day like this?- When my heart is far and awayWith a deep-sea ship and her vagabond crew A-swinging down the bay.
- Marjorie Court
Author.-Marjorie Court (no biographical information is available).
General Notes.-What is the difference between " a deep-sea ship" and " a coaster"? Where is Manila? What is incense? Vagabond means wandering. Read "Sea-fever" in the Seventh Book. Which poet do you think knows more about the sea and ships?
Lesson 55
ECHO AND NARCISSuS
Juno, the queen of all the gods, was very fond of a beautiful nymph, whose name was Echo. Now Echo had a sweet voice, which Juno liked to hear. Indeed, Echo herself liked to hear it, too.
One day, Juno was angry with her, and said:- "I am going to punish you; I shall let you keep your nice voice, but you can speak only after somebody else has spoken; and then you can say only what has been said just before."Poor Echo was very troubled when she heard the bad news. The other nymphs noticed that she spoke very little, and only after they had spoken. Though she looked the same, they could scarcely think that the sad nymph that wandered over the hills and down the valleys was the once bright and noisy Echo.
There was at this time a handsome and brave youth whose name was Narcissus. As he was wandering in a wood, he lost his way. So he called out loudly, "Is any one here?"Echo was resting under a tree close by, and at once called out, "Here." Narcissus looked around, but, as he could see nobody, he went on his way.
Just then, Echo felt her punishment more than ever, for she very much wanted to speak to the lovely boy, and ask him to stay with her. But, of course, she could not call him, and he went out of sight.