A SUPPOSITION 155 



ficulty, offers us the aid of one of our domestic ani- 

 mals, whichever one we choose to name. Which will 

 you ask for, children!" 



"My stomach is so tired of sloes," Emile replied, 

 "and my teeth are so set on edge with this sour fruit 

 that I think I should choose a sheep. Some cutlets 

 broiled over live coals would make up to me for my 

 dinners on wild berries." 



"But the sheep will soon be eaten up," objected 

 Jules, ' i and then back you go once more to the sloes. 

 I should prefer a goat. Every evening it would 

 come back to the grotto with its big udders swollen 

 with milk. In this way I should be sure of food with 

 some variety, because I could make butter and cheese 

 out of the milk." 



"Your goat will perhaps not last so long as 

 Emile 's sheep. It must go out to get pasturage, and 

 who can say that it will not be devoured by wolves 

 in the woods the first time it ventures forth?" 



' ' I will keep careful watch over it. ' ' 



"But who will watch over you, my friend? Who 

 will protect you ? ' ' 



"That 's so. Let us give up the goat and choose 

 a cow. She is strong enough to defend herself with 

 her horns." 



"If one wolf is not enough, they will bring to the 

 attack two, three, ten, and the cow will be overcome." 



1 1 The horse, mule, or donkey, in our supposed cir- 

 cumstances, cannot be very useful to us. I leave 

 them out. With a hen I should at least have an egg 

 a day." 



