Page:Chinese Fables and Folk Stories.djvu/22

18 "Let us invite them, and it may be we can settle our quarrels in this way and become better friends. We will call this a Peace Party.

"Generations and generations of pigs have broken through our fence, taken our food, drunk our water, and rooted up our clean green grass; but it is also true that the cattle children have hurt many young pigs. "All this trouble and fighting is not right, and we know the Master wishes we should live at peace with one another. Do you not think it a good plan to give a Peace Party and settle this trouble?"

The cattle said, "Who will be the leader of our party and do the inviting? We should have a leader, both gentle and kind, to go to the pigs' home and invite them."

The next day a small and very gentle cow was sent to invite the pigs. As she went across to the pigs' yard, all the young ones jumped up and grunted, "What are you coming here for? Do you want to fight?"

"No, I do not want to fight," said the cow. "I was sent here to invite you to our party. I should like to know if you will come, so that I may tell our leader."

The young pigs and the old ones talked together and the old ones said, "The New Year feast will soon be here. Maybe they will have some good things for us to eat at the party. I think we should go."