English
Bob,theboywhohadboughtSquinty,thecomicalpig,laughedandclappedhishands.
Histwosisters,whowereplayingwiththeirdollsintheshadeofanevergreentree,heardtheirbrother,andoneofthemcalledout:
“Whatisit,Bob?Whatisit?”
“Oh,comeandseemypigdoatrick!”answeredtheboy.“Heistoofunnyforanything!”
“Canhereallydoatrick?”askedthesmallersister,whosenamewasMollie.
“Indeedhecan,”theboysaid.“Hecandotwotricks—findhiddenacorns,andjumparope.”
“Oh,no,notreallyjumparope!”criedSallie.
“Youjustcomeandsee!”theboycalled.
AllthiswhileSquintywaschewingontheapplewhichhehadpickedupfromthegroundafterhehadjumpedovertherope.Heheardwhattheboysaid,andSquintymadeuphismind.
“Well,”saidthelittlepigtohimself,“ifitisanyfunforthatboyandhissisterstowatchmejumpoverarope,anddigupacorns,Idon’tminddoingitforthem.
Theycallthemtricks,butIcallitgettingsomethingtoeat.”
Andtheywerebothright,yousee.
SallieandMollie,thetwosisters,laiddowntheirdollsintheshade,andranovertowardtheirbrother,whostillheldoneendoftherope,thatwasfasttoSquinty’sleg.
“Makehimdosometricksforus,”beggedMollie.
“Showushowhejumpstherope,”saidSallie.
“First,I’llhavehimdiguptheacorns,asthat’seasier,”spokeBob.“Here,Squinty!”hecalled.“Findtheacorns!Find‘em!”
WhileSquintyhadbeenmunchingontheapple,theboyhaddugahole,putsomesweetacornnutsintoit,andcoveredthemupwithdirt.
Squintyhadnotseenhimdothis,butSquintythoughthecouldfindthenutsjustthesame.
Thereweretwowaysofdoingthis.Squintyhadaverysharp-smellingnose.
Hecouldsmellthingsafaroff,thatneitheryounorIcouldsmellevencloseby.
AndSquintycouldalsotell,bydigginginthegroundwithhisqueer,rubberynose,justwherethegroundwassoftandwhereitwashard.
Andheknewitwouldbesoftattheplacewheretheboyhaddugaholeinwhichtohidetheacorns.
So,whenBobcalledforSquintytocomeandfindtheacornnuts,eventhoughthelittlepighadnotseenjustwheretheywerehidden,Squintyfeltsurehecoulddigthemup.
“He’llneverfindthem!”saidSallie.
“Justyouwatch!”exclaimedtheboy.
HepulledontheropearoundSquinty’sleg.
Atfirstthelittlepigwasnotquitesurewhatwaswantedofhim.
Hethoughtperhapshewastojumpovertheropeafteranotherapple.Buthesawnofruitwaitingforhim.
Thenhelookedcarefullyaboutandsmelledtheair.
Theboywasverygentlewithhim,andwaitedpatiently.
AndImightsay,righthere,thatifyouevertrytoteachyourpetsanytricks,youmustbebothkindandgentlewiththem,foryouknowtheyarenotassmartasyouare,andcannotthinkasquickly.
“Ha!Ismellacorns!”thoughtSquintytohimself.“Iguesstheboymustwantmetodothefirsttrick,ashecallsit,anddiguptheacorns.I’lldoit!”
CarefullySquintysniffedtheair.Whenheturnedonewayhecouldsmelltheacornsquiteplainly.
Whenheturnedtheotherwayhecouldnotsmellthemquitesowell.
Sohestartedoffinthedirectionwherehecouldmostplainlysmellthenutshelovedsowell.
Nexthebeganrootingintheground.Atfirstitwasveryhardforhisnose,butsoonitbecamesoft.Thenhecouldsmelltheacornsmoreplainlythanbefore.
“See,heisgoingrighttowardthem!”criedtheboy.
“There,hehasthem!”exclaimedSallie.
“Oh,sohehas!”spokeMollie.“Iwouldn’thavethoughthecould!”
And,bythattime,Squintyhadfoundtheholewheretheboyhadcoveredtheacornswithdirt,andSquintywaschewingthesweetnuts.
“Nowmakehimjumptherope,”saidMollie.
“Iwill,assoonasheeatstheacorns,”repliedtheboy.
“Ha!Iamgoingtohaveanotherapple,justforjumpingarope,”thoughtSquinty,indelight.
Youseethelittlepigimaginedthetrickwasdonejusttogethimtoeattheapple.Hedidnotcounttherope-jumpingpartofitatall,thoughthat,really,waswhattheboywanted.
OncemoreBobplacedtheappleontheground,onthefarsideoftherope.
Oneendoftheropetheboyheldinhishand,andtheotherwasaroundSquinty’sleg,butaloopofitwasmadefasttoastickstuckintheground,sotheboycouldpullontheropeandraiseorlowerit,justasyougirlsdowhenyouplay.
“Comeon,now,Squinty!Jumpoverit!”calledtheboy.
Thelittlepigsawtheapple,andsmelledit.Hewantedverymuchtogetit.
But,whenherantowardit,hefoundtheroperaisedupinfrontofhim.
Heforgot,foramoment,hissecondtrick,andstoodstill.
“Oh,Ithoughtyousaidhewouldjumptherope!”saidMollie,ratherdisappointed.
“Hewill—justwaitaminute,”spoketheboy.“Comeon,Squinty!”hecalled.
OncemoreSquintystartedfortheapple.
Thistimeherememberedthat,before,hehadtojumptheropetogetit.Sohediditagain.
Overtheropehewent,withalittlejump,comingdownonthesidewheretheapplewas,and,inasecondhewaschewingthejuicyfruit.
“There!”criedtheboy.“Didn’thejumptherope?”
“Oh,well,buthedidn’tjumpitfast,backandforth,likewegirlsdo,”saidMollie.
“Butitwasprettygood—foralittlepig,”saidSallie.
“Ithinkso,too,”spoketheboy.“AndIamgoingtoteachhimtojumprealfast,andwithoutgoingforanappleeachtime.I’mgoingtoteachhimothertricks,too.”
“Ohdear!”thoughtSquinty,whenheheardthis.“SoIamtolearnmoretricks,itseems.Well,Ihopetheywillallbeeatingones.”
“Makehimdoitagain,”suggestedMollie,afterabit.
“No,Ihaven’tanymoreapples,”theboyanswered.
“AndatfirstI’llhavetomakehimjumpforanappleeachtime.
AfterabitI’llnotgivehimanappleuntilhehasdoneallhistricks.
Comeonnow,Squinty,backtoyourpen.”
Theboylifteduphispet,andputhimbackinthepenthathadbeenespeciallybuiltforthelittlepig.
AssoonashewasinitSquintyranovertothetrough,hopingtherewouldbesomesourmilkinit.Buttherewasnone.
“You’vehadenoughtoeatforawhile,”saidtheboywithalaugh.“LateronI’llgiveyouyourmilk.”
“Uff!Uff!”gruntedSquinty,andIsupposehemeanthewouldbegladtohavethemilknow.Buthegotnone,sohecurledhimselfupinthecleanstrawandwenttosleep.
Whenheawakened,hethoughtatfirsthewasbackinthepenathome,andhecriedout:
“Oh,Wuff-Wuff!Oh,TwistyTail.Ihadthequeerestdream!
Ithoughtaboyhadme,andthatIcouldjumparope,andhuntacorns,anddolotsoftricks.ButI—!”AndthenSquintystopped.
Helookedaroundandfoundhimselfallaloneinthenewpen.
Noneofhisbrothersorsisterswasnearhim,andhecouldnothearhismammaorpapagruntingnearthefeedtrough.
“Ha!Itwasn’tadream,afterall,”thoughtSquinty,abitsorrowfully.“It’sallreal—Icandotricks,andaboyhasme.”
EveryfewdaysafterthattheboytookSquintyoutofhispen,andlethimdotherope-jumpingandtheacorn-huntingtricks.
AnditdidnottakeSquintylongtolearntojumptheropewhentherewasnoappleontheotherside.Theboywouldsay:
“Jumpovertherope,Squinty!”
Andoveritthelittlepigwouldgo.Butifhedidnotgettheappleassoonashejumped,hedidgetitafterward,whichwasjustasgood.Itwassortofarewardforhistricks,yousee.
“Nowyoumustlearnanewtrick,”saidtheboyoneday.
“Iwantyoutolearnhowtowalkonyourhindlegs,Squinty.Itisnotgoingtobeeasy,either.ButIguessyoucandoit.
AndIamgoingtotaketheropeoffyourleg,forIdonotbelieveyouwillrunawayfrommenow.”
SotheropewastakenoffSquinty’sleg.Andhelikedtheboysomuch,andlikedhisnewhome,andthenutsandappleshegottoeatweresogood,thatSquintydidnottrytorunaway.
“Uponyourhindlegs!”criedtheboy,and,bytakingholdofSquinty’sfrontfeet,Bobraisedhispetuponthehindlegs.
“Nowstandthere!”theboycried,butwhenhetookawayhishandsofcourseSquintycamedownonallfourlegs.Hedidnotknowwhattheboymeanttohavehimdo.
“IguessI’llhavetostandyouinacornertostartwith,”theboysaid.“Thatwillbraceyouup.”
Then,kindlyandgently,theboytookSquintyovertotheplacewherethecorncribwasbuiltontothebarn.
Thismadeacornerandthelittlepigwasstooduponhishindlegsinthat.
Then,withsomethingtoleanhisbackagainst,hedidnotfeellikefallingover,andheremainedstandingupontwolegs,withhisfrontfeetstuckoutinfrontofhim.
“That’sthewaytodoit!”criedBob.
“Soonyouwillbeabletostandupwithoutanythingtoleanagainst.
And,alittlelater,youwillbeabletowalkonyourhindlegs.Nowhere’sanappleforyou,Squinty!”
SoyouseeSquintyreceivedhisrewardforstartingtolearnanewtrick.
Inafewdays,justastheboyhadsaid,thelittlepigfoundthathecouldsituponhishindlegsallalone,withoutanythingtoleanbackagainst.
Butlearningtowalkonhishindlegswasalittleharder.
Theboy,however,waspatientandkindtohim.AtfirstBobheldSquinty’sfrontfeet,andwalkedalongwithhimsothelittlepigwouldgetusedtothenewtrick.ThenonedayBobsaid:
“Now,Squinty,Iwantyoutowalktomeallbyyourself.Standup!”
Squintystooduponhishindlegs.Theboybackedawayfromhim,andstoodalittledistanceoff,holdingoutanice,juicypotatothistime.
“Comeandgetthepotato,”calledtheboy.
“Squee!Squee!”gruntedSquinty.“Ican’t!”Isupposehemeanttosay.
“Comeon!”criedtheboy.“Don’tbeafraid.Youcandoit!”
Squintywantedthatpotatoverymuch.Andtheonlywaytogetitwastowalktoitonhishindlegs.
Ifhelethimselfdownonallfourlegsheknewtheboywouldnotgivehimthepotato.
SoSquintymadeuphislittlepigmindthathewoulddothisnewtrick.
Offhestarted,walkingbyhimselfonhishindlegs,justlikeatrainedbear.
“Fine!That’sthewaytodoit!Iknewyoucould!”theboycriedwhenSquintyreachedhim,andtookthepotatooutofhishand.“Goodlittlepig!”andhescratchedSquinty’sbackwithastick.
“Uff!Uff!”squealedSquinty,verymuchpleased.
Andfromthenonthecomicallittlepiglearnedmanytricks.
Hecouldstandupalongtime,onhishindlegs,withanappleonhisnose.Andhewouldnoteatituntiltheboycalled:
“Now,Squinty!”
ThenSquintywouldtosstheappleupintheair,offhisnose,andcatchitasitcamedown.Oh,howgoodittasted!
Squintyalsolearnedtomarcharoundwithastickforagun,andplaysoldier.Helikedthistrickbestofall,forhealwayshadtwoapplestoeatafterthat.
ManyofBob’sboyfriendscametoseehistrainedpig.
Theyallthoughthewasveryfunnyandcute,andtheylaughedveryhardwhenSquintylookedatthemwithhisqueer,droopingeye.
Theywouldfeedhimapples,potatoesandsometimesbitsofcakethatBob’smothergavethem.Squintygrewveryfondofcake.
Thenonedaysomethinghappened.Bobalwaysusedtolockthedoorofthenewpigpeneverynight,for,thoughheknewhispetwasquitetamenow,hethought,ifthedoorwereleftopen,Squintymightwanderaway.AndthatisexactlywhatSquintydid.
Hedidnotmeantodowrong,butheknewnobetter.
Oneevening,afterhehaddonemanytricksthatday,whenSquintyfoundthedoorofhispenpartwayopen,hejustpushedittherestofthewaywithhisstrongnose,andouthewalked!Noonesawhim.
“Uff!Uff!”gruntedSquinty,lookingabout,“IguessI’llgotakeawalkbymyself.Imayfindsomethinggoodtoeat.”
Outofthepenhewent.Therewasnogardenhere,suchasthefarmerhadatSquinty’sfirsthome.But,notfarfromthepigpenwasthebig,greenwood.
“I’llgooverinthereandseewhathappens,”thoughtSquinty.“PerhapsImayfindsomeacorns.”
AndsoSquintyranawaytothewoods.
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