Page:Moni the goat boy (IA monigoatboy00spyr 1).pdf/26

 The shiny Blackie, the goat belonging to the landlord of the Bath House, Mäggerli’s mother, was a little proud; she came only to within a few steps of Moni, looked at him with her head lifted, as if she wouldn’t appear too familiar, and then went her way again. The big Sultan, the billy-goat, never showed himself but once, then he pushed away all he found near Moni, and bleated several times as significantly as if he had information to give about the condition of the flock, whose leader he felt himself to be.

Little Mäggerli alone never allowed herself to be crowded away from her protector; if the billy-goat came and tried to push her aside, she crept so far under Moni’s arm or head that the big Sultan no longer came near her, and so under Moni’s protection the little kid was not the least bit afraid of him. Otherwise she would have trembled if he came near her.

Thus the sunny morning had passed; Moni had already taken his midday meal and now stood thinking as he leaned on his stick, which he often needed there, for it was very useful in climbing up and down. He was thinking whether he would go up to a new side of the rocks, for he wanted to go higher this afternoon with the goats, but the question was, to which side? He decided to take the left, for in that direction were the three Dragon-