“Hum, hum!” said the grandmother, pretending to look cross. “Why should I tell you a long story?”
“Oh, because I have my Sunday clothes on, and must not play in the dirt!” replied the little boy. “Don’t you know a long story, grandma?”
“Would you like to hear about
“WHITELING’S WAR WITH ISEGRIM?”
asked the Báby.
“Yes, indeed, that I should!” cried the little boy.
So the grandmother began:
Once upon a time there was a moujik who had a perfectly white Dog, which he called Whiteling. Now Whiteling had struck up a great friendship with Isegrim, the Wolf, and one day each made a solemn compact never to betray the other in any of their stealings.
Not long after, Isegrim said to Whiteling one day, “I intend to make a call upon your master’s swine to-night; so do you keep no watch, but just lie as still as possible, and don’t wake up the whole family with your barking, as you usually do, for you know that they will move heaven and earth to capture me.”