1 86 More Tales of the Birds 



with neatness. These animals increased and 

 multiplied, and man and wife were their devoted 

 slaves. Their earnings were eaten up by the 

 creatures, and nothing ever came of it so far as 

 we could see ; for it was seldom any good to ask 

 Selina to sell you a fowl or a duck she never 

 had one ready to kill. We believed that they 

 grew to a comfortable old age, and then died a 

 natural death ; and however that may be, it is 

 true enough that neither Selina nor her husband 

 could ever bear to part with them. 



But the member of the household dearest to 

 Selina's heart was an old pony that lived in a little 

 tumble-down hovel adjoining the cottage. Fan 

 was perfectly well known to all the village, for 

 she was always being taken out to graze on odd 

 bits of grass which were the property of no one 

 in particular, where, if kindly accosted, and in a 

 good humour, she would give you her off fore 

 foot to shake. Like Selina, she was of very 

 small make ; she had once been a pretty roan, 

 but now wore a coat of many faded colours, not 

 unlike an old carpet, well worn and ragged. 

 Some people in the village declared that she was 



