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Tale of Muley Cow

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<h3>XXII</h3><h3>TRYING TO BE FIERCE</h3> The Muley Cow rather enjoyed the talk she caused because she had eaten Jack O'Lantern. And feeling that any one so brave ought not to appear too meek and mild, she sometimes tried to look as fierce as she could. Somehow she could never manage a frown when old dog Spot was about. But if she came across Master Meadow Mouse all alone in the pasture she never failed to bellow at him and ask him in a gruff tone what he was doing there. When she first spoke to him like that Master Meadow Mouse was startled. [Pg 102] "I'm only taking a stroll," he piped. The Muley Cow glared at him for a few moments. She wanted to act ferocious; but unfortunately she could think of nothing more to say. And not wishing to seem at a loss for words, she began to cough. Before she had stopped coughing Master Meadow Mouse ran away. And that was exactly what the Muley Cow had hoped he would do. It would have been very awkward for her if he had waited until she had stopped coughing. For try as she would, she could think of nothing ferocious to say. The next time the Muley Cow met Master Meadow Mouse she bellowed at him again and stamped her feet at him, so that the ground trembled beneath him. He was too frightened to run. So he stood still and shivered. And that made the Muley Cow quite uncomfortable. Master[Pg 103] Meadow Mouse stared at her while he panted with fright. And again the Muley Cow could think of nothing but pleasant remarks to make. So she began coughing once more. But to her great dismay Master Meadow Mouse didn't run away. And since she couldn't cough forever, but had to stop sometime, she paused to get her breath. And then she asked him a question. "Can't you see I'm very fierce?" she inquired. "Why don't you run away?" "I was waiting to see what happened," said Master Meadow Mouse pleasantly. "I thought maybe you'd choke." Well, the Muley Cow was so surprised she didn't know what to say to that. And to hide her confusion she started coughing again. Again she stopped, for of course she soon had to. Master Meadow Mouse had[Pg 104] waited hopefully, watching her closely to see if she were not going to choke that time, anyhow. And when she didn't he was quite disappointed. "Try it again—will you?" he besought the Muley Cow. "What!" she bawled. "Do you want me to choke?" "Yes!" he told her. "I thought that if you did, Farmer Green would come and run a whip-stock down your throat. And that would be great fun to watch, you know." The Muley Cow gasped. She saw that Master Meadow Mouse knew all about her choking over an apple, in the orchard. And that was something she never liked to talk about. To tell the truth, she was somewhat ashamed of the whole affair. "Go away!" she bade Master Meadow Mouse. "Go away! I don't want [Pg 105]anything to do with you." But her voice wasn't the least bit fierce. Nor was he the least bit frightened. In the end it was the Muley Cow herself that ran off. And Master Meadow Mouse even followed her all the way to the bars. The Muley Cow was so ashamed to have been chased by a Meadow Mouse (and a young one, at that!) that she scarcely dared look anybody in the face until milking-time. <hr style="width: 65%;" />[Pg 106] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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