THE LITTLE SHEPHERDESS

Little Bo-peep has lost her sheep

And can’t tell where to find them;

Leave them alone and they’ll come home

Bringing their tails behind them.

One morning a pretty little shepherdess drove her flock of sheep to the meadow. There she watched them while they ate the fresh, green grass. How sweet it tasted to the hungry sheep!

A large dog went with the shepherdess to help care for the sheep. He was the shepherd.

The shepherd let no lamb go astray. If one got too far from the flock, Mr. Shepherd ran after him.

“Bow-wow! Go back!” cried the shepherd.

The shepherdess took good care of her flock, too. She led them where the grass was greenest and sweetest.

When noon came all the sheep had eaten enough. So they lay down quietly in the cool shade of some old oak trees. Little Bo-peep lay down too, with her good shepherd dog beside her.

How cool and still it was there! Little Bo-peep could hear only the gentle rustling of the leaves overhead. She could feel only the soft wind on her cheek.

The wind blew more and more softly; the leaves rustled more and more gently. Soon little Bo-peep was fast asleep.

“Bo-peep, Bo-peep, where are you?”

“Bow-wow, bow-wow, bow-wow-wow!”

“Bo-peep, Bo-peep!”

Little Bo-peep awoke with a start. She sat upright, her eyes wide open. Not a sheep could she see. Her dog was not beside her. It was dark; the stars were twinkling overhead. How frightened the little shepherdess was!

“Bow-wow!”

“Bo-peep, Bo-peep! Where are you, child?” Surely that was her mother’s voice.

“Here, mother, here I am, under the big oak tree!” called Bo-peep.

Up rushed the dog, and mother followed close behind.

“Where are my sheep, mother? I fear they are lost.”

“Where is my little Bo-peep? I feared she was lost.”

“Here is your Bo-peep, dear mother. How long I must have slept!”

“Your sheep are all safe at home. Old Rover drove them in long ago.”

This is the way Bo-peep lost her sheep; this is the way she found them. And this is the way Bo-peep was lost; and this is the way she was found.