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One day, an old woman went to market to buy a pig.
A man sold her a fine fat one.
He was so fat he could not get on very fast.
When they came to a stile, he did not want to get over it.
The woman went on until she saw a dog,and she said, “Dog, dog, bite pig; pig won’t get over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the dog would not bite the pig.
The old woman went a little farther until she saw a stick, and she said, “Stick, stick, beat dog; dog won’t bite pig;pig won’t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the stick would not beat the dog.
The old woman went a little farther until she saw a fire, and she said, “Fire, fire, burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; pig won’t jump over the stile;and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the fire would not burn the stick.
The old woman went a little farther until she saw some water, and she said, “Water,water, quench fire;fire won’t burn stick;stick won’ t beat dog;dog won’ t bite pig; pig won’ t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the w ate r would not quench the fire.
The old woman went a little farther until she saw an ox,and she said, “Ox, ox, drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; pig won’t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the ox would not drink the water.
The old woman went a little farther until she saw a butcher, and she said,“Butcher, butcher, kill ox; ox won’t drink water;water won’t quench fire;fire won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; pig won’t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the butcher would not kill the ox.
The old woman went a little farther until she saw a rope; and she said, “Rope, rope, hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fire won’t bur stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig;pig won’t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the rope would not hang the butcher.
The old woman went a little farther until she saw a rat, and she said, “Rat, rat, gnaw rope;rope won’t hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox;ox won’t drink water; water won’t quench fire; fir won’t burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; pig won’t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
But the rat would not gnaw the rope.
The old woman went a little farther, until she saw a cat, and she said, “Cat, cat, kill rat; rat won’t gnaw rope;rope wo n’t hang butcher; butcher wo n’t kill ox; ox won’t drink water;water won’t quench fire; fire wont burn stick; stick won’t beat dog; dog won’t bite pig; pig won’t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight.”
The cat said, “Bring me some milk and I will.”
So the old woman went a little farther until she saw a cow, and she said, “Please, cow, give me some milk for the cat.”
The cow said, “I will not give you milk until you bring me a handful of hay.”
The old woman ran to the haystack and came back with a handful of hay.
The cow gave the old woman some milk.
She gave the milk to the cat.
Then the cat began to kill the rat; 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 jumped over the stile; and the old woman got home that night after all.
Waste not, want not.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Set a stout heart to a steep hill.