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What the Animals Do and Say by Eliza Lee Cabot Follen
page 28 of 43 (65%)
asleep, and the little girl jumped right upon his growling majesty.
The bear arose, evidently not quite pleased at being made a stepping
stone, took the little girl in his great shaggy paws, and gave her
an ugly hug, such as only a bear can give. Mr. Bear would have
squeezed the breath out of the body of the poor little girl, had not
the good old cow seen the danger. The courageous creature, instead
of running away, turned back immediately, and began goring the bear
with her horns in such a way as to force old Bruin, if he valued a
whole hide, to turn round and defend himself. So he let go his hold
on the little girl, who, though sadly frightened and bruised, was
still strong enough to run towards home. Presently the bear followed
her. Immediately the cow attacked him again with her horns, and
drove him off. This continued till they got out of the wood, when
the bear ran back to his own home. The gentleman who told us this
story said he had seen the little girl, and that she had never quite
recovered from the effect of the horrid squeeze of the grim old
bear, but still suffered in her chest. Still she was thankful that
her life was saved, and always considered the good old cow her
preserver."

"Why, Mother," said Frank, "I did not think that a cow could be good
for any thing but to give milk."

"In Germany, they use cows for draught, and make them work pretty
hard. There you see cows every day doing the same work that our oxen
do, and giving the poor man his supper at the end of the day
besides; and it is said that the labor does not hurt them. The
Germans feed the cows well, treat them gently and kindly, but make
them, as well as the dogs, work for a living."

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