Mr Tiger and his little boy arrived quite early in the morning at the
sheep’s house, and they brought a present with them, so that Papa
Sheep would feel pleased with them. The present they brought was a
basket of nice fresh green things such as all sheep like.
Papa Sheep thanked them for the present, and patted Little Tiger on the
head, and then he told the two children to run out of doors and play,
because he and Mr Tiger wanted to talk big talk together.
The little ones were very glad to do this, for it was bright and
pleasant outside, and they liked it better than staying in the house.
Little Tiger was very frisky and frolicsome, and Little Sheep was too.
At first they ran about and chased each other, and tried which could
jump highest, but after a while they grew rougher in their play. Little
Sheep butted Little Tiger with his forehead, and then Little Tiger
raised his paw and gave Little Sheep a blow on the side of the head.
Though the Tiger was young and small, he was also very strong, and his
blow sent Little Sheep tumbling heels over head. Little Sheep was not
angry however. He got up and laughed and laughed. When he laughed he
opened his mouth wide, and Little Tiger was very much surprised to see
what little teeth the sheep had. He did not say anything at the time,
however, but only went on with his play.
But when Little Tiger and his father were walking home together that
evening, Little Tiger said, “Papa, I saw Little Sheep’s teeth to-day,
and he only has little, little bits of teeth. They do not look as
though they could bite anyone.”
“Hush, hush,” cried the Tiger. “You mustn’t talk in that way. Some one
might hear you.”
“But it is true,” said Little Tiger. “Why, I wouldn’t be afraid of
Little Sheep now, even if he _did_ get angry.”
“Will you be quiet?” cried the Tiger angrily. “If you ever say such a
thing again I will box you so hard that you will forget whether you
ever saw his teeth or not.”
All the same Mr Tiger could not help wondering whether what Little
Tiger had said was true. How strange it would be if Little Sheep only
had little weak teeth, and stranger still if Papa Sheep’s teeth were
just the same!
That night, after all the Tiger family had gone to bed, Mr Tiger began
to talk to his wife in a low tone.
“Do you know what Little Tiger said to-day?”
“No; how should I know? Some nonsense, no doubt.”
“He said he saw Little Sheep’s teeth, and that they were so small and
weak he did not believe he could bite anybody.”
“Oh! oh! be quiet,” cried his wife. “Are you crazy to talk so? Suppose
some one heard you, and went and told Papa Sheep what you had been
saying. He certainly would come and tear us all to pieces.”
Mr Tiger said nothing in answer to this, but the less he said, the more
he thought. At last he made up his mind to find out for a certainty
whether Papa Sheep had biting teeth or no. For this purpose he in his
turn invited Papa Sheep and Little Sheep to come and spend the day with
him and his family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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