"I will give you a hundred dollars for him," said the mayor, "and
he shall have all the meat he cares to eat."

"You will not be foolish enough to refuse that offer, I hope,"
said the neighbor. "Think how much meat you will save."

"I think I shall have to let him go," replied the shepherd, slowly
and sadly.

That night Hero was taken to the mayor's house and the shepherd
received his money.

The shepherd found three curs in town to take Hero's place. He
paid nothing for them, for their owners were very glad to get rid
of them.

The next day the wolves said, "Hero is gone! Hero is gone! Now for
a feast. We do not care for those cowardly dogs."

When the new dogs saw the wolves coming, they cried out, "Let us
run," and away they all went.

When the sheep saw the wolves, they too began to run.

The shepherd was taking care of a lame lamb in a distant part of
the field. When he saw the wolves chasing his sheep, he ran toward
them; but before he could frighten the wolves away, they had
killed several sheep.