"Blacksmith! Blacksmith! I've come to you;
My little gray pony has lost a shoe!"
But the blacksmith answered and said:—
"How can I shoe your pony's feet,
Without some coal the iron to heat?"
The man was downcast when he heard this; but he left his little gray pony in the blacksmith's care, while he hurried here and there to buy the coal.
First of all he went to the store; and when he got there, he said:—
"Storekeeper! Storekeeper! I've come to you;
My little gray pony has lost a shoe!
And I want some coal the iron to heat,
That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet."
But the storekeeper answered and said:—
"Now, I have apples and candy to sell,
And more nice things than I can tell;
But I've no coal the iron to heat,
That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet."
Then the man went away sighing, and saying:—
"What shall I do? What shall I do?
My little gray pony has lost a shoe!"