eft alone by the other
geese.

11. "This gander would follow him about like a dog, and would be very
angry if anyone laid a hand upon him.

12. "Swanny sometimes tried to make himself at home with the flock of
geese; but they always drove him away, and then he would run and lay
his head on my grandfather's knee, as though sure of finding comfort
there.

13. "At last he found a friend of his own kind. An old gray goose
became blind, and the flock turned her out. Swanny took pity on her,
led her about, and provided for her all the food she needed.

14. "When he thought she needed a swim, he took her neck in his bill
and led her to the water, and then guided her about by arching his
neck over hers.

15. "When she hatched out a brood of goslings, Swanny took the best of
care of them, as well as of their mother. In this way they lived
together for several years."

16. Here is another story, showing that geese have good sense:

17. A flock of geese, living by a river, built their nests on the
banks; but the water-rats came and stole the eggs.

18. Then the geese made their nests in the trees, where the rats could
not get at them; and when the goslings were hatched, they brought them
down one by one under their wings.

LESSON IX.

_WHAT GEESE CAN DO._

[Illustration]

1. To show that the goose has a great deal of good sense, this story
is told:

2. At a small country church a poor blind woman used to come in every
Sunday morning, as regular as the clock, a minute or two behind the
pastor.

3. She was always alone, came in the last and went away the first of
any. The pastor, who was a new-comer, was puzzled to know how she got
about so well.

4. One day he set out to visit her, and found that she lived in a
small cottage, more than a mile away.

5. On his way to her home, he crossed a stream on a narrow rustic
bridge, with a railing on only one side.

6. He rapped at the door, and asked of the woman who opened it, "Does
the blind woman who comes to church every Sunday live here?" "Yes,
that she does! but she's out in the field now."

7. "Why do you let the poor creature come all the way by herself, and
across the bridge, too? She will fall into the water some day and be
drowned!"

8. The woman laughed softly. "Sure, she doesn't go alone--the goose
takes her!" said she.

9. "What do you mean by the goose taking her?" said the pastor.

10. "Sure," said the woman, "it is the goose whose life