Betsy and Billy by Carolyn Haywood Read Free Book Online Page A

not," said Betty Jane.
    The children hurried along to school calling out, "Betty Jane's afraid of spiders! Betty Jane's afraid of spiders!"
    When they reached Mr. Kilpatrick, Billy shouted, "I'm going to have a pig for May Day, Mr. Kilpatrick."
    "Well, see that you hold on to it," said Mr. Kilpatrick. "We don't want any pigs running loose on the highway."
    Two days before the first of May the expressman drove up to Betsy's door and left two wooden crates. Inside of the crates were the little white lamb and the little pink pig.
    Betsy's father had fenced off a part of the yard with chicken wire. There Betsy put the lamb and the pig. Betsy loved the little lamb. It was so gentle and it sounded a little bit sad when it said "Baa." She petted it and pulled up handfuls of grass for it to eat.
    Billy spent all of his time at Betsy's looking at his pig. It was a little bit hard to hold and it squealed most of the time, but Billy was very gentle with it.
    At last May Day arrived. Betsy was up bright and early and Billy arrived long before breakfast. They were both wearing their costumes. Billy wore a Scottish kilt and Betsy wore a long pink dress with a hoop skirt and ruffled pantalettes.
    Betsy's father put the pig and the lamb into the crates. Then he put the crates in the automobile. Billy and Betsy and Betsy's mother got in the car and they all drove to the school.
    It was a beautiful day and the maypole looked very gay with the bright ribbons blowing in the breeze. Mr. Windrim had put the pole in the center of the playground across the street from the school. Near the pole he had built a platform. Then he had made a throne for the May Queen. When all of the fathers and mothers were seated on the chairs around the platform, Ellen walked out and took her seat on the throne. Sally put a wreath of flowers on her head while all of the children sang a Spring Song. Then the children took hold of the ribbons and danced around the maypole.
    After the maypole dance was over the children gave their Mother Goose performance. When Betsy's turn came, she lifted the lamb out of the crate. She put it down on the ground and coaxed it very softly. The little lamb said, "Baa!" and wandered off. Betsy went after it. "Come, come, Baby," she coaxed, but the lamb wouldn't follow Betsy.
    Everyone was waiting for Betsy to appear, but the lamb would not budge a step. "You will have to carry it," said Miss Grey.
    Betsy picked up the lamb and carried it out onto the platform. As she held it in her arms, she said,
"Mary had a little lamb
With fleece as white as snow,
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go."
    Just then the lamb began to go, for it slipped lower and lower in Betsy's arms.
    Betsy went on:
"It followed her to school one day,
That was against the rule;
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school."
    "Baa! Baa!" said the lamb. Betsy took a deep breath.

"And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near,
And waited patiently about
Till Mary did appear."
    By this time the lamb had slipped so low that Betsy decided to put it down. She thought it would be better if she sat down too, so she squatted down beside the lamb and finished her piece.
" 'Why does the lamb love Mary so?'
The eager children cry.
'Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know!'
The teacher did reply."
    Everyone clapped as Betsy led the lamb away.
    Then it was Billy's turn. Billy picked up his pig and tucked it under his arm. He ran out on the platform and said in a very loud voice,
"Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
Stole a pig and away he run."
    Just then the pig slipped from under Billy's arm. It dropped to the ground and away it ran as fast as it could go. Billy jumped down from the platform and raced after the pig. It flew across the green grass and down the street. Billy sped after it.
    Mr. Kilpatrick was standing in the center of the big wide street. Just as he blew his whistle, he looked up the street. He saw the little pig coming towards him and