Shall I flee from this terrible cow ?
I will sit on this stile and continue to smile
Till I soften the heart of that cow;'
his position was very similar to yours, Dolly!"
Meanwhile the ram has discovered the new aspirant to honours, and is surveying me with attention, but he does not move; evidently his heart is set on Dolly. Emboldened by his apparent supineness, and wishful to do her a good turn, I leave the shelter of my tree, and advancing a few steps towards him, make a frightful face, and utter a loud and warlike Shoh! I don't go far though, for past experience has taught me the painful celerity with which the beast moves; so when he scrambles to his feet, and rushes at me, I have found time to interpose the stout body of an apple tree between his horns and my petticoats. He has an excellent notion of dodging, so have I, and we set to each other as diligently and indefatigably as, now and again, you may see two people who are going opposite ways do at a street corner, first seriously, then angrily, until both stop to burst out into hearty laughter. The ram does not laugh though he is far too much in earnest for that. He has only his horns and haunches, poor beast—with the former he defies mankind, with the latter he feeds it, and life is a very earnest matter with him indeed.
Meanwhile Dolly, perceiving the foe to be thus actively engaged, has several times debated the safety of descending from her perch, and at this moment elects to do so; but alas! wicked fate causes her to lose her footing, and sprawl full length on the grass, and in the twinkling of an eye, the ram has wheeled, rushed at her, and is rolling her over and over on the turf in a transport of buffets.
"Help!" cries Dolly.
"Help!" cry I, suffocated with inextinguishable laughter; and Dorley happily appearing at this juncture, the too-persevering
