Now, as she pondered the matter o'er, A fox came walking along the shore; With a pleasant smile he bowed his head, "Good-evening, Mrs. Goose!" he said. "Good-evening, Mr. Fox!" quoth she, Looking across at him tremblingly, And, fearing he had not had his tea, Pushed a trifle farther out to sea. She had little harm to fear from him; For, with all his tricks, he could not swim, And, indeed, his voice was sweet and kind. "Dear Mrs. Goose, you've a troubled mind; I only wish I could help you through, There's nothing I would not gladly do For such a beautiful bird as you." Which sounded nice, and was really true. "Well, then, Mr. Fox," the goose replied, "It hurts my feelings, and wounds my pride, That in these days my sisters and I, Who saved old Rome by our warning cry, Should be called the _silly geese_. Ah, me! If I could learn something fine, you see, Like writing, or reading the A, B, C, What a happy, happy goose I'd be!" "Now, would you, indeed!" Renard replied As the floating fowl he slyly eyed; "I hardly know what 'tis best to say, Let's think about it a moment, pray, I may help you yet, my dear, who knows?" So he struck a meditative pose, And thoughtfully laid his small, red toes, Up by the side of his pointed nose. "Ah, yes!" he cried, "I have it at last: Your troubles, dear Mrs. Goose, are past; There is a school-master, wise and good, I know where he lives in yonder wood, To-morrow evening, you shall see In yon broad meadow his school will be, He'll bring you a book with the A, B, C, And he'll give his little lesson free." But now just listen, and you shall hear About that fox; he went off, my dear, And he bought a coat, and a beaver hat, And a pair of specs, and a black cravat. Next evening he came dressed up to charm, With the little "Reader" under his arm, Where the goose stood waiting without alarm, For, indeed, she hadn't a thought of harm. Had she looked at all, you would have thought She need not have been so quickly caught, For the long red bushy fox's tail, Swept over the meadow like a trail. But 'twas rather dark, for night was near, And another thing, I greatly fear. She felt too anxious to see quite clear; She was simply _a goose of one idea_. The school-master opens wide his book, The goose makes a long, long neck, to look, He opens his mouth, as if to cough, When, snippety-snap! her head flies off. Now, cackle loudly her sisters fond, Who are watching proudly from the pond, While off to the town that lies beyond, The whole of the frightened flock abscond.