Finally, the Mayor called a meeting of the Aldermen, and they all
assembled in the City Hall. Nearly every one of them had a son or
a daughter who was a chimney-sweep, or a little watch-girl, or a
shepherdess. They appointed a chairman and they took a great many
votes, and contrary votes; but they did not agree on anything, until
some one proposed that they consult the Wise Woman. Then they all held
up their hands, and voted to, unanimously.

[Illustration: "I WILL GO AND TEND MY GEESE!"]

So the whole board of Aldermen set out, walking by twos, with the
Mayor at their head, to consult the Wise Woman. The Aldermen were all
very fleshy, and carried gold-headed canes which they swung very high
at every step. They held their heads well back, and their chins stiff,
and whenever they met common people they sniffed gently. They were
very imposing.

The Wise Woman lived in a little hut on the out-skirts of the city.
She kept a Black Cat; except for her, she was all alone. She was very
old, and had brought up a great many children, and she was considered
remarkably wise.

But when the Aldermen reached her hut and found her seated by the
fire, holding her Black Cat, a new difficulty presented itself. She
had always been quite deaf, and people had been obliged to scream as
loud as they could in order to make her hear; but, lately, she had
grown much deafer, and when the Aldermen attempted to lay the case
before her she could not hear a word. In fact, she was so very deaf
that she could not distinguish a tone below G-sharp. The Aldermen
screamed till they were quite red in their faces, but all to no