that he might bear a more striking resemblance to the sheep family;
and he was once heard to say that he would give anything if he
could either get rid of his horns altogether, or have them twisted as
the horns were worn by some of the old fathers whom he so much
admired. The little simpleton, however, lost more than he gained by
his singular manners. Instead of his being more respected and beloved,
as he expected to be, he was despised by everybody.


[Illustration: THE GOAT AND HIS PUPIL.]


One day, after being ridiculed and abused by some of his young
neighbors, he went to his schoolmaster with a great budget full of
troubles. This schoolmaster was an old goat, with a long beard, and a
long head, too, as it would seem from the character he had.

"O dear!" said the little simpleton, "everybody hates me. I wish I
were dead. I'm sure I don't know what it means. The more I try to be
good, the less they all like me."

"My dear fellow," said Mr. Longbeard, "I am sorry for you. But I can
do nothing to help you. It will always be so, until you do better."

"Why, I do as well as I can now," replied the young goat.

"You ape the sheep too much."

"Well, the farmer thinks more of his sheep than he does of his
goats--a great deal more."