“What shall I do? What shall I do?” she cried. “Come back! Come back, you naughty chickens. You will drown, every one of you. I know you will drown. O, why will you not mind your mother?”
How frightened she was!
She just knew all her dear chicks would drown.
Still she did not dare to follow them into the water. She never swam a stroke in all her life. She never even waded in the water.
But such fun as her little ones were having!
They were not the least bit afraid. They swam and splashed around all day.
All day the old mother hen ran up and down the bank calling and begging, “Come back! Come back! Come right back to your mother!”
At last the little ones were tired.
Then they came back to their frightened mother.