25 THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG

The Old Woman who lived in a shoe found a gold dollar.
She went to market and bought a Pig. Then she said, “Pig, let us go home.”
But the Pig would not go home.
Then she went to a Dog and said, “Dog, Dog, bite Pig; The Pig will not go home.
See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“No,” said the Dog, “I will not.”
Then the Old Woman met a Stick.
The Old Woman said, “Stick, Stick, beat Dog, The Dog will not bite the Pig; The Pig will not go home. See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“No,” said the Stick, “I will not.”
Then the old Woman met a Fire.
She said,
“Fire, Fire, burn Stick;
The Stick will not beat the Dog;
The Dog will not bite the Pig;
The Pig will not go home.
See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“No,” said the Fire, “I will not.”
Then the Old Woman met the Water.
She said,
“Water, Water, quench Fire;
The Fire will not burn the Stick;
The Stick will not beat the Dog;
The Dog will not bite the Pig;
The Pig will not go home.
See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“No,” said the Water, “I will not.” The Old Woman walked on and on till she met an Ox.
She said,
“Ox, Ox, drink Water;
The Water will not quench the Fire;
The Fire will not burn the Stick;
The Stick will not beat the Dog;
The Dog will not bite the Pig;
The Pig will not go home.
See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“No,” said the Ox, “I will not.”
Then the Old Woman met a Butcher.
The Old Woman said,
“Butcher, Butcher, kill Ox;
The Ox will not drink the Water;
The Water will not quench the Fire;
The Fire will not burn the Stick;
The Stick will not beat the Dog;
The Dog will not bite the Pig; The Pig will not go home.
See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“No,” said the Butcher, “I will not.”
Then the Old Woman met a Rope.
She said,
“Rope, Rope, hang Butcher;
The Butcher will not kill the Ox;
The Ox will not drink the Water;
The Water will not quench the Fire;
The Fire will not burn the Stick;
The Stick will not beat the Dog;
The Dog will not bite the Pig;
The Pig will not go home.
See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“No,” said the Rope, “I will not.”
The Old Woman walked on till she met a Rat. The Old Woman said,
“Rat, Rat, gnaw Rope;
The Rope will not hang the Butcher;
The Butcher will not kill the Ox;
The Ox will not drink the Water;
The Water will not quench the Fire;
The Fire will not burn the Stick;
The Stick will not beat the Dog;
The Dog will not bite the Pig;
The Pig will not go home.
See by the moonlight,
It’s almost midnight, —
Time to go home,
An hour ago.”
“Yes, I will,” said the Rat, “if you will give me some cheese.”
So she gave him some cheese. Then, —
The Rat began to gnaw the Rope;
The Rope began to hang the Butcher;
The Butcher began to kill the Ox;
The Ox began to drink the Water; The Water began to quench the Fire;
The Fire began to burn the Stick;
The Stick began to beat the Dog;
The Dog began to bite the Pig;
And the Pig began to go home.