the grass plot at the back of the cottage was a very bright green, and sparkled with the morning dews. it was kept smooth, and level, and short, by the garden-roller going over it once a week, and still more by the constant nibbling of the goat, who was allowed to be there all day, because she had a pretty little young kid that ran by her side.
but it is not to be supposed that this kid was contented with always running close to its mother's side. kids are very fond of dancing and frisking about, and this one was more fond of it than any other in the whole village.
one day a poor italian boy came down the lane playing upon a pipe, and beating a little tabor. he used to play these for two dolls that danced upon a board by means of a string which went through their bodies, and was fastened to his knee, so that when he moved his knee quickly the dolls seemed to dance about upon the board.
the boy stopped at the gate, put down his board, placed his dolls upon it, with the string at his knee, began to play his pipe, and beat upon his tabor, and, as he played, the dolls danced up and down, and round and round, first on one side, then on the other, now bobbing down their heads, now frisking about their feet.
but while this was going on at the gate, the kid heard the pipe and tabor, and after listening to it a minute, with its head on one side, suddenly jumped up in the air, gave a great many little kicks, very quick and funny, then ran frisking round its mother, and at last stood upon its hind legs, and danced all across the grass plot.
little mary, who had been looking at the dolls, happened to turn round at the moment when the kid was dancing. "o, you little dear, dear kid!" cried mary, first running towards the kid, then back to look at the dolls, then again at the kid, then at the dolls, and the italian boy played away with his pipe and tabor, and made his dolls jump up in the air, and reel, and set, and hop; but it was all nothing to the jumps in the air of the kid, and its frisking kicks and flings, and its fun and its fancies.
at last the italian boy went away, with a large piece of bread and cheese in his hand, and his dolls and dancing-board at his back; but playing his pipe and tabor all down the lane. the goat stood looking after him, with her head raised tall in the air, and a serious face; but the kid continued to dance as long as the pipe and tabor could be heard.
