to see how she was faring. The goat appeared to be very happy and was
grazing heartily on the grass, which delighted Monsieur Seguin.

--At last, triumphed the poor man, this one isn't getting bored here!

Monsieur Seguin was wrong; his goat was becoming very bored.

* * * * *

One day, looking over towards the mountain, she remarked:

--How great it must be up there! How lovely to gambol on the heath
without this rope tether that chafes my neck. It's alright for an ox or
a donkey to graze all cooped up, but we goats should be able to roam
free.

From then on, she found the grass in the enclosure bland. Boredom
overcame her. She lost weight and her milk all but dried up. It was
pitiful to see her pulling at her tether all day, with her head turned
towards the mountain, nostrils flared, and bleating sadly.

Monsieur Seguin noticed that there was something wrong with her, but he
couldn't work out what it was. One morning, as he finished milking her,
she turned towards him and said to him, in her own way:

--Listen Monsieur Seguin. I am pining away here, let me go into the
mountain.

--Oh my God. Not you as well! screamed Monsieur Seguin, dropping his
bowl, stupefied. Then, sitting down in the grass beside his goat he
added:

--So, my Blanquette, you want to leave me!

Blanquette replied:

--Yes, Monsieur Seguin.

--Are you short of grass here?

--Oh, no, Monsieur Seguin.

--Perhaps your tether is too short, shall I lengthen it?

--It-s not worth your while, Monsieur Seguin.

--Well then, what do you need, what do you want?

-I want to go up into the mountain, Monsieur Seguin.

--But, my poor dear, don't you realise that there is a big bad wolf on
the mountain? What will you do when he turns up.

--I will butt him, Monsieur Seguin.

--The big bad wolf doesn't give a fig for your horns. He's eaten many a
kid goat with bigger horns than yours. Have you thought about poor old
Renaude who was here only last year? She was really strong and wilful,
she was; more like a billy-goat. She fought off the wolf all night. In
the morning the wolf still ate her, though.

--Poor, poor Renaude! But that doesn't alter anything, Monsieur Seguin,
let me go into the mountain.

--Goodness!..., he said; What am I to do with these goats of mine? Yet
another one for the wolf's belly. Well, I'm not going to have it, I
will save you despite yourself, you rascal, and to avoid the risk of
your break