Betsy and Billy by Carolyn Haywood Read Free Book Online

all put on our thinking caps and see if we can think of something nice to do."
    The children sat quietly and thought very hard. Billy thought so hard that his face was wrinkled up like a withered apple. Betsy stared straight ahead with her eyes glued on a picture of Little Bo-Peep. Then she looked at the rest of the Mother Goose pictures that hung above the blackboards. Suddenly Betsy had an idea. She raised her hand.
    "Yes, Betsy," said Miss Grey, "have you thought of something?"
    Betsy stood up. "I think it would be nice if we dressed up like the Mother Goose children and looked like those pictures over the blackboards."
    "Why, Betsy, that is a lovely idea," said Miss Grey. "How many children would like to be Mother Goose children?"
    All of the children raised their hands.
    "Well, Betsy," said Miss Grey, "it was your idea so you can choose what you would like to be."
    "I would like to be Mary Had a Little Lamb," replied Betsy, "because my grandfather has lambs on his farm and he might let me have one to bring to school on May Day."
    The rest of the afternoon went very fast indeed. No one looked out of the windows at the rain. No one thought of naughty things to do. Everyone was busy thinking about May Day.
    By the time the bell rang for the children to go home everything was settled. Ellen was to be the May Queen because she was the prettiest little girl in the class. Billy wanted to be Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son. Mary Lou wanted to be Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary. Kenny and Sally were to be Jack and Jill. Betty Jane was delighted to be Little Miss Muffet. Richard was to be Little Jack Horner and Henry Little Tommy Tucker. There were enough Mother Goose children to give every child in the class a part. The children went home feeling very happy.
    Betsy and Billy walked home together.
    "Say, Betsy," said Billy, "do you really think your grandfather will let you have a real live lamb to bring to school?"
    "I think so," said Betsy. "I'm going to write him a letter and ask him tonight."

    "Gee," said Billy, "I wish I could have a real live pig. I have to say
'Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
Stole a pig and away he run.'
    What am I going to have under my arm if I don't have any pig?"
    "You could put the wastepaper basket under your arm," said Betsy.
    "Aw, say!" said Billy; "who wants a wastepaper basket! I have to have a pig, I tell you. A real live pig."
    "My granddaddy has pigs too," said Betsy.
    "He has?" said Billy. "Do you think he would let me have a pig?"
    "I don't think so," said Betsy.
    "Why not?" asked Billy.
    "Well, I never heard of anybody borrowing a pig," said Betsy.
    "You're going to borrow a lamb, aren't you?" said Billy. "There isn't any difference between a lamb and a pig."
    "Oh, yes, there is," laughed Betsy.
    "I would take good care of it," said Billy, "and I would give it back to him."
    "Well, I'll ask him," said Betsy.
    That evening, Betsy wrote to her grandfather on the farm. This is what she wrote:

    Betsy could hardly wait to receive an answer to her letter. Every morning she ran to meet the mailman at the door. Billy waited at the corner for her every morning. "Did you get the letter?" he would say.
    After several days the letter came. Granddaddy's answer was "Yes." Betsy raced up the street to Billy. "Granddaddy says we can have the lamb and the pig," she cried.
    "Oh, boy!" shouted Billy. "That's fine! When do we get them?"
    "Granddaddy says he'll send them by express in plenty of time," said Betsy.
    Billy and Betsy trotted along to school feeling very happy. Soon they met some of the other children.
    "What do you think?" said Billy. "I'm going to have a real live pig."
    "And I'm going to have a real lamb," said Betsy. "My grandaddy is sending them."
    "Well, I could have a real live spider if I wanted one," said Betty Jane, who was to be Little Miss Muffet. "But I don't want a real live spider. My mother is going to make me a big one out of colored paper."
    "Aw, you're afraid of spiders," shouted Billy.
    "I am