Cock-alu hastily gathered up the silver-trail which the snail left.
"This will make Hen-alie a pair of stockings!" said he, and went on his
way.

He had not gone far before he met the wood-pigeon. "Good morning,
pigeon," says he; "and which way are you going?"

"I am going to the pea-field," says the pigeon, "to get peas for my
young ones; and what may your business be this morning, Cock-alu!"

"I'm going to the silver-spring in the Beech-wood, to fetch a drop of
water for my wife, Hen-alie, who has got a bean in her throat."

"I'm sorry to hear that," says the pigeon; "but don't let me detain you,
for water with the dew in it is the best thing to get a bean out of the
throat; and let me advise you to make haste, for the bloodhound is going
to lap at the spring, and he'll trouble the water. So run along, and
here, take with you my blue velvet neck-ribbon, and give it to Hen-alie
with my love, and I hope she'll soon be better."

"Oh, what a nice pair of garters this will make for Hen-alie!" exclaimed
Cock-alu, and went on his way.

He had not gone far before he met the wild-cat. "Good morning, friend,"
says Cock-alu, "and where may you be going this morning?"

"I'm going to get a young wood-pigeon for my breakfast, while the mother
is gone to the pea-field," says the wild-cat; "and where may you be
traveling to this morning, Cock-alu?"

"I'm going to the silver-spring in the Beech-wood," replied Cock-alu,
"to get a drop of water for my little wife Hen-alie, who has got a bean
in her throat."

"That's a bad business," says the wild-cat, "but a drop of water with
the dew in it is the right remedy; so don't let me keep you; and you had
better make haste, for the woodman is on his way to fell a tree by the
spring, and if a branch falls into it, the water will be troubled; so
off with you! But carry with you a flash of green fire from my right
eye, and give it to Hen-alie with my love, and I hope she'll soon be
better."

"Oh, what a beautiful green light, like the green on my best
tail-feathers! I'll keep it for myself; it's fitter for me than for
Hen-alie!" said Cock-alu.

So he hung the green light on his tail-feathers, which made them very
handsome, and he went on his way.

He had not gone far before he met with the sheep-dog. "Good morning,
sheep-dog," says Cock-alu; "where are you going?"

"I'm going to hunt up a stray lamb for my master," says the sheep-dog,
"and what brings you abroad?"

"I'm going