Once there was a little boy. Now he was a very silly little boy, so silly that he was called Silly Will. He had an idea that he was tremendously smart and that he could quite well get along by himself in this world. This foolish idea made him do and say all sorts of silly things which led to all sorts of terrible happenings as this story will show.
One day he went out walking. He walked down the road until he met a little girl. The little girl was crying.
“What’s the matter with you?” asked Silly Will.
“Oh!” sobbed the little girl, “our cow has died and I don’t know what we shall do. I don’t know how we can get along without her milk and everything. We depended on her so!”
“Depended on a cow!” cried Silly Will. “Whoever heard of such a thing! I’ve often seen that stupid old cow of yours. Clumsy, lumbering thing! Cows are no good! I wouldn’t depend on any animal, not I! It wouldn’t matter to me if all the cows in the world died!” And Silly Will strutted off down the road.
The little girl looked after him with astonishment. “I just wish no cow would ever give that silly boy anything!” she thought.
Before long he met an old woman. The old woman was crying too.
“What’s the matter with you?” asked Silly Will.
“Oh!” cried the old woman wringing her hands. “Our sheep has fallen over a cliff and broken its legs and it’s going to die. I don’t know how we shall get along without her wool for spinning. We depended so much on her!”
“Depended on a sheep!” cried Silly Will. “Whoever heard of such a thing! I’ve often heard your stupid old sheep bleating. Sheep are no good. I wouldn’t depend on any animal, not I! It wouldn’t matter to me if all the sheep in the world died!” And Silly Will strutted off down the road feeling very smart.