Atondido Stories
basket?"
The fox climbed into the little brown basket. After the little
white hen had gone on for some distance farther she met a river.
Once upon a time the little white hen had done the river a kind-
ness. He had, with great difficulty, thrown some ugly worms up-
on the bank and he was afraid they would crawl back in again.
The little white hen had eaten them for him. Always after that
the river had been her friend.
"O, little white hen, where are you going?" the river called
out as soon as he saw her.
"Quirrichi, quirrichi, I am going to the royal palace to carry a
letter to the king," replied the little white hen.
"O, little white hen, may I go with you?" asked the river.
The little white hen told the river that he might go with her
and asked him to ride in the little brown basket. So the river
climbed into the little brown basket.
After the little white hen had journeyed along for a time she
came to a fire. Once upon a time, when the fire had been dying
the little white hen had brought some dried grass. The grass had
given the fire new life and always after that he had been the
friend of the little white hen.
"O, little white hen, where are you going?" the fire asked.
"Quirrichi, quirrichi, I am going to the royal palace to carry a
letter to the king," replied the little white hen.
"O, little white hen, may I go with you?" asked the fire. "I
have never been to the royal palace and I have never had even a
peep at the king."
The little white hen told the fire that he might go with her
and asked him to climb into the little brown basket. By this time
the little brown basket was so full, that, try as they might, they
couldn't make room for the fire. At last they thought of a plan.
139