"I'm sorry," the Wolf said, "but I can't let you go. I'm too hungry."

"Let me go," the Dog begged, "and I tell you what I'll do: I'll give you a bottle of vodka."

"Promises come easy," the Wolf said. "Where will you get the vodka?"

"Under the bench in the kitchen. That's where the master keeps his bottle. I've seen him hide it there. Come to-night after the family's asleep and I'll let you in and give you the vodka."

Now Pekka, the Wolf, was very fond of vodka, so he said to the Dog:

"Very well, I'll let you go. But see that you keep your promise!"

Late that night when the family were asleep, the Wolf came scratching at the farmhouse door and the Dog let him in.

"Well, old fellow, you know why I've come," the Wolf said.

At once the Dog crawled under the bench and got the master's bottle of vodka.

"Here, Pekka, here it is!" he said, offering the Wolf the bottle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The Wolf went staggering around the room howling at the top of his voice_]

"You drink first," Pekka insisted. "You're the host."

The Dog raised the bottle and took a little sip. Then the Wolf took a deep swallow.

"Ah!" he said, smacking his lips, "that's something like!"

His stomach was empty and the vodka went through his veins like fire.

He felt happy and laughed and went capering around the room.

"I feel like singing!" he cried.

"My dear Pekka," the Dog said, "I beg you don't sing! You will wake the folks! Sit down quietly and we'll talk."

So they sat awhile and talked and then the Wolf took another deep swallow of the vodka. Again he wanted to sing and the Dog had trouble in restraining him.

"Do you want to wake the family, Pekka? Be quiet now or you can't have any more vodka!"

The Wolf took another deep drink and after that there was no holding him back. He went staggering around the room howling at the top of his voice.

The Farmer and all his family came hurrying into the kitchen with clubs and pokers and whatever they could pick up.

"It's a Wolf!" the Farmer cried. "The impudent scoundrel, coming right into the house! Give him a good beating!"

If the door hadn't been open they would have clubbed poor Pekka to death. As it was he barely escaped with his life.

[Decoration]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _In the confusion that followed the Wolves stampeded, running helter-skelter in all directions_]

[Decoration]

ADVENTURE VIII

THE CLEVER GOAT

[Decoration]

The truth is Pekka, the Wolf, was a pretty stupid fellow always getting into some sc.r.a.pe or other. With sore ribs and a back aching from the beating which the farm folk had given him he slunk quietly along the forest ways hoping to come upon some easy prey. Suddenly he saw ahead of him a Goat and a Ram.

"What are they doing hereabouts?" he thought to himself. "This is no place for them and if anything happens to them it will be their own fault."

Vuhi, the Goat, and Dinas, the Ram, both knew that the forest was no place for them. But where else could they go? They had recently been turned loose to fend for themselves by their poor old master who was no longer able to feed them.

"This forest rather frightens me," the Ram had said to the Goat. "Do you suppose we'll be able to keep off the Wolves?"

Vuhi, the Goat, flirted his whiskers and said:

"I've got a plan."

Thereupon he took a sack and half filled it with dry chips. Then when he shook the sack the chips made a hollow rattle. He threw the sack over his shoulder and said to the Ram:

"Don't you be frightened, Dinas. We'll be able to hold our own with the forest creatures."

It was just at this moment that Pekka, the Wolf, appeared.

"Ha! Ha!" said Pekka suspiciously. "What's that you've got in that sack? No nonsense now! Answer me at once or I'll have to kill you both!"

Vuhi, the Goat, gave the sack a little rattle.

"In this sack?" he said. "Oh, only the skulls and bones of the Wolves we have eaten. We haven't had any Wolf meat now for some time, have we, Dinas? It's good you've come along for we're hungry.... Attention, Dinas! Kill the Wolf!"

The Ram lowered his horns ready for attack and Pekka, the Wolf, too surprised to resist and too stiff to run away, cried out wildly:

"Brothers! Brothers! Don't kill me! I'm your friend! Spare me and I'll do something for you!"

"Attention, Dinas!" the Goat commanded. "Don't kill the Wolf just yet!"

Then he asked Pekka:

"What will you do for us if we spare you?"

"I'll send you twelve Wolves," Pekka promised. "That will give you more meat than you'd have if you killed just me!"

"Twelve," the Goat replied. "You are right: twelve Wolves will give us more meat than one. Very well, we'll let you go on condition that you send us twelve. But see you keep your word!"

So the Wolf went off as fast as his stiff legs could carry him and a.s.sembled twelve of his brothers.