"
The old woman chuckled softly, as if the answer amused her, and
replied,
"No one knows all about anything, my dear."
"But I know all about my sheep," protested Little Bo-Peep.
"Do you, indeed? Then you are wiser that most people. And if you
know all about them, you also know they will come home of their own
accord, and I have no doubt they will all be wagging their tails
behind them, as usual."
"Oh," said Little Bo-Peep, in surprise, "do they wag their tails? I
never noticed that!"
"Indeed!" exclaimed the old woman, "then you are not very observing
for one who knows all about sheep. Perhaps you have never noticed
their tails at all."
"No," answered Bo-Peep, thoughtfully, "I do n't know that I ever
have."
The woman laughed so hard at this reply that she began to cough, and
this made the girl remember that her flock had strayed away.
"I really must go and find my sheep," she said, rising to her feet,
"and then I shall be sure to notice their tails, and see if they wag
them."
"Sit still, my child," said the old woman, "I am going over the
hill-top myself, and I will send the sheep back to you."
So she got upon her feet and began climbing the hill, and the girl
heard her saying, as she walked away,
"Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And does n't know where to find 'em.
But leave 'em alone, and they 'll come home,
All wagging their tails behind 'em.
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