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Adventures of Puss in Boots, Jr.

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<h2>[13] A VISIT TO PIGGIE'S MAMMA</h2> PUSS, JR., followed his friend the little pig, whom he had so fortunately rescued from between the fence boards, across the field and into the woods. Indeed, he was so hungry by this time that he felt he would be brave enough to follow a lion. Just then he heard some one singing in a high, squeaky voice: <div class="block22"> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> "This little Pig went to market, This little Pig stayed at home, This little Pig had roast beef, This little Pig had none, This little Pig cried, 'Wee, wee, wee!' All the way home." </div> </div></div> "That's mother," replied the little pig in answer to an inquiring look from Puss, Jr. "She always sings that when any of us is naughty. You see," he added, apologetically, "I should not have tried to get through the fence and out on the road." "Oh, I understand," replied Puss, Jr. "Is that your house?" "Yes, and there's mother." [14]Puss, Jr., saw a very nice-looking lady pig standing in the doorway of a queer little cabin. She had on a blue gingham apron over a short skirt of gray, and a very tight-fitting shirt-waist, which was stretched almost to the bursting-point as she raised her right forefoot to shade her eyes. "Well, here you are at last!" she exclaimed to Piggie. "But look at your trousers; you've torn a big hole in them!" He looked ruefully at the rent in his little blue jeans. "I got stuck in the fence," he whimpered. "He'd be there yet if I hadn't pulled him out," volunteered Puss, Jr., hoping to divert her attention from his little friend. Mrs. Porker, for that was her name, turned and looked at him, as much as to say, "Where did you come from?" but she didn't; she only very politely remarked: "Thank you for helping Piggie. I'm sorry to say he does not always mind mother. But come, you both are hungry, I know." And she led the way into the cabin. At a round table in the room two little pigs were already eating their dinner. "What is your name?" asked Mrs. Porker in a kindly tone, pushing a chair up next to hers for Puss. "Puss in Boots, Junior, madam," he replied, with a polite bow. "This is Wiggie and this is Tiggie," said their mother, and the two small pigs got up and shook hands with him. [15]They had a merry lunch, and he was surprised to see how clean and well behaved the Porker family was. "You know," said Mrs. Porker, as if reading his thoughts, "that pigs are really the cleanest of animals, only man is so cruel to pigs—he shuts them up in small pens and makes them appear quite the opposite. Just read the books about us and you will see. Yes," she continued, "when pigs are allowed to run around they are clean as they can be; only when they are little they are often most disobedient." And she looked at Piggie, who got very red in the face. "I don't believe he'll disobey again," answered Puss, Jr. "You have such a nice playground here in the woods I shouldn't think he would want to run away to that dusty road again; just look at my boots." And he thrust his foot out and showed the bright-red tops all dingy with the day's travel. Lunch was now over, and after politely thanking Mrs. Porker for her goodness Puss said good-by to the three little pigs. "Don't forget me," called out Piggie as Puss, Jr., climbed over the fence. "Of course I won't," he called back, and waved his paw to Piggie in the doorway. <hr /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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