THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG[1]

[Footnote 1: Adapted from Joseph Jacobs's _English Fairy Tales_ (David
Nutt, 57-59 Long Acre, W.C. 6s.).]

It happened one day that as an old woman was sweeping her house she found
a little crooked sixpence. "What," said she, "shall I do with this little
sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig."

On the way home she came to a stile; but the piggy wouldn't go over the
stile.

So she left the piggy and went on a little further, till she met a dog.
She said to him, "Dog, dog, bite pig; piggy won't go over the stile; and I
sha'n't get home to-night." But the dog wouldn't bite piggy.

A little further on she met a stick. So she said: "Stick! stick! beat dog!
dog won't bite pig; piggy won't go over the stile; and I sha'n't get home
to-night." But the stick wouldn't beat the dog.

A little further on she met a fire. So she said: "Fire! fire! burn stick!
stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig; piggy won't get over the stile;
and I sha'n't get home to-night." But the fire wouldn't burn the stick.

A little further on she met some water. So she said: "Water! water! quench
fire; fire won't burn stick; stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig;
piggy won't get over the stile; and I sha'n't get home to-night." But the
water wouldn't quench the fire.

A little further on she met an ox. So she said: "Ox! ox! drink water;