another, four farmers, four tall long-legged men who smelt of sheep. And each picked his puppy and paid his money, while Fly sat and watched her children leave to start their working life.
As always, she felt a pang to see each go, but this time, after the last had left, she was not alone.
"It's nice, dear," she said to Babe. "I've still got you."
But not for all that long, she thought. Poor little chap, in six months or so he'll be fit to kill. At least he doesn't know it. She looked fondly at him, this foster-child that now called her "Mum". He had picked it up, naturally enough, from the puppies, but it pleased her to hear it, now more than ever.
"Mum," said Babe.
"Yes, dear?"
"They've gone off to work sheep, haven't they?"
"Yes, dear."
"Because they're sheep-dogs. Like you. You're useful to the boss, aren't you, because you're a sheep-dog?"
"Yes, dear."
"Well, Mum?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Why can't I learn to be a sheep-pig?"
Chapter 4
"You'm a polite young chap"
After the last of the puppies had left, the ducks heaved a general sigh of relief. They looked forward to a peaceful day and paid no attention when, the following morning, Fly and Babe came down to the pond and sat and watched them as they squattered and splattered in its soupy green depths. They knew that the old dog would not bother them, and they took no notice of the strange creature at her side.
"They'll come out and walk up the yard in a minute," said Fly. "Then you can have a go at fetching them back, if you like."
"Oh yes please!" said Babe excitedly.
The collie bitch looked fondly at her foster-child. Sheep-pig indeed, she thought, the idea of it! The mere sight of him would probably send the flock into the next county. Anyway he'd never get near them on those little short legs. Let him play with the ducks for a day or two and he'd forget all about it.
When the ducks did come up out of the water and marched noisily past the piglet, she half expected him to chase after them, as the puppies usually did at first; but he sat very still, his ears cocked, watching her.
"All right," said Fly. "Let's see how you get on. Now then, first thing is, you've got to get behind them, just like I have to with the sheep. If the boss wants me to go round the right side of them (that's the side by the stables there), he says "Away to me". If he wants me to go round the left (that's the side by the Dutch barn), he says "Come by". O.k.?"
"Yes, Mum."
"Right then. Away to me, Babe!" said Fly sharply.
At first, not surprisingly, Babe's efforts met with little success. There were no problems with getting round the ducks--even with his curious little see-sawing canter he was much faster than they--but the business of bringing the whole flock back to Fly was not, he found, at all easy. Either he pressed them too hard and they broke up and fluttered all over the place, or he was too gentle and held back, and they waddled away in twos and threes.
"Come and have a rest, dear," called Fly after a while. "Leave the silly things alone, they're not worth upsetting yourself about."
"I'm not upset, Mum," said Babe. "Just puzzled. I mean, I told them what I wanted them to do but they didn't take any notice of me. Why not?"
Because you weren't born to it, thought Fly. You haven't got the instinct to dominate them, to make them do what you want.
"It's early days yet, Babe dear," she said.
"Do you suppose," said Babe, "that if I asked them politely ...."
"Asked them politely! What an idea! Just imagine me doing that with the sheep--"please will you go through that gateway", "would you kindly walk into that pen?"' Oh no, dear, you'd never get anywhere that way. You've got to tell 'em what to do, doesn't matter whether it's ducks or sheep. They're stupid and dogs are intelligent, that's what you have to remember."
"But I'm a pig."
"Pigs are
As always, she felt a pang to see each go, but this time, after the last had left, she was not alone.
"It's nice, dear," she said to Babe. "I've still got you."
But not for all that long, she thought. Poor little chap, in six months or so he'll be fit to kill. At least he doesn't know it. She looked fondly at him, this foster-child that now called her "Mum". He had picked it up, naturally enough, from the puppies, but it pleased her to hear it, now more than ever.
"Mum," said Babe.
"Yes, dear?"
"They've gone off to work sheep, haven't they?"
"Yes, dear."
"Because they're sheep-dogs. Like you. You're useful to the boss, aren't you, because you're a sheep-dog?"
"Yes, dear."
"Well, Mum?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Why can't I learn to be a sheep-pig?"
Chapter 4
"You'm a polite young chap"
After the last of the puppies had left, the ducks heaved a general sigh of relief. They looked forward to a peaceful day and paid no attention when, the following morning, Fly and Babe came down to the pond and sat and watched them as they squattered and splattered in its soupy green depths. They knew that the old dog would not bother them, and they took no notice of the strange creature at her side.
"They'll come out and walk up the yard in a minute," said Fly. "Then you can have a go at fetching them back, if you like."
"Oh yes please!" said Babe excitedly.
The collie bitch looked fondly at her foster-child. Sheep-pig indeed, she thought, the idea of it! The mere sight of him would probably send the flock into the next county. Anyway he'd never get near them on those little short legs. Let him play with the ducks for a day or two and he'd forget all about it.
When the ducks did come up out of the water and marched noisily past the piglet, she half expected him to chase after them, as the puppies usually did at first; but he sat very still, his ears cocked, watching her.
"All right," said Fly. "Let's see how you get on. Now then, first thing is, you've got to get behind them, just like I have to with the sheep. If the boss wants me to go round the right side of them (that's the side by the stables there), he says "Away to me". If he wants me to go round the left (that's the side by the Dutch barn), he says "Come by". O.k.?"
"Yes, Mum."
"Right then. Away to me, Babe!" said Fly sharply.
At first, not surprisingly, Babe's efforts met with little success. There were no problems with getting round the ducks--even with his curious little see-sawing canter he was much faster than they--but the business of bringing the whole flock back to Fly was not, he found, at all easy. Either he pressed them too hard and they broke up and fluttered all over the place, or he was too gentle and held back, and they waddled away in twos and threes.
"Come and have a rest, dear," called Fly after a while. "Leave the silly things alone, they're not worth upsetting yourself about."
"I'm not upset, Mum," said Babe. "Just puzzled. I mean, I told them what I wanted them to do but they didn't take any notice of me. Why not?"
Because you weren't born to it, thought Fly. You haven't got the instinct to dominate them, to make them do what you want.
"It's early days yet, Babe dear," she said.
"Do you suppose," said Babe, "that if I asked them politely ...."
"Asked them politely! What an idea! Just imagine me doing that with the sheep--"please will you go through that gateway", "would you kindly walk into that pen?"' Oh no, dear, you'd never get anywhere that way. You've got to tell 'em what to do, doesn't matter whether it's ducks or sheep. They're stupid and dogs are intelligent, that's what you have to remember."
"But I'm a pig."
"Pigs are
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