They had not gone far when they saw a dog lying by the road-side; and the boy said, “May I not play with the dog? For it seems to have nothing to do.”
Just then a man gave a loud whistle. The dog started up at once, and ran off to help him with the sheep he was driving to the market.
Still further on, the boy saw a horse eating, and said, “It can have nothing to do, so I shall go and play with it.” But as he went forward, a man went up with a halter, which he put on the horse’s head.
As he did so, he said to the boy, “My little fellow, my horse must plough and harrow my fields. I must have oats and barley and wheat to grind and sell, that I may get money.”
Then, when the boy saw that every bee and bird and beast had something to do, he said to his sister, “Well, I shall go to school and learn my lessons.
“When I get home, mother win allow me a good long time for play with the other boys, before I go to bed.”
Saying this, he ran off to school; and his sister was glad to get away to do her own errands.