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'

The Woman said, 'Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, help my Man to
hunt through the day and guard this Cave at night, and I will
give you as many roast bones as you need.'

'Ah!' said the Cat, listening. 'This is a very wise Woman, but
she is not so wise as I am.'

Wild Dog crawled into the Cave and laid his head on the Woman's
lap, and said, 'O my Friend and Wife of my Friend, I will help
Your Man to hunt through the day, and at night I will guard your
Cave.'

'Ah!' said the Cat, listening. 'That is a very foolish Dog.' And
he went back through the Wet Wild Woods waving his wild tail, and
walking by his wild lone. But he never told anybody.

When the Man waked up he said, 'What is Wild Dog doing here?' And
the Woman said, 'His name is not Wild Dog any more, but the First
Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and
always. Take him with you when you go hunting.'

Next night the Woman cut great green armfuls of fresh grass from
the water-meadows, and dried it before the fire, so that it smelt
like new-mown hay, and she sat at the mouth of the Cave and
plaited a halter out of horse-hide, and she looked at the
shoulder of mutton-bone--at the big broad blade-bone--and she
made a Magic. She made the Second Singing Magic in the world.

Out in the Wild Woods all the wild animals wondered what had
happened to Wild Dog, and at last Wild Horse stamped with his
foot and said, 'I will go and see and say why Wild Dog has not
returned. Cat, come with me.'

'Nenni!' said the Cat. 'I am the Cat who walks by himself, and
all places are alike to me. I will not come.' But all the same he
followed Wild Horse softly, very softly, and hid himself where he
could hear everything.

When the Woman heard Wild Horse tripping and stumbling on his
long mane, she laughed and said, 'Here comes the second. Wild
Thing out of the Wild Woods what do you want?'

Wild Horse said, 'O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy, where is Wild
Dog?'

The Woman laughed, and picked up the blade-bone and looked at it,
and said, 'Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, you did not come
here for Wild Dog, but for the sake of this good grass.'

And Wild Horse, tripping and stumbling on his long mane, said,
'That is true; give it me to eat.'

The Woman said, 'Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, bend your wild
head and wear what I give you, and you shall eat the wonderful
grass three times a day.'

'Ah,' said the Cat, listening, 'this is a clever Woman, but she
is not so clever as I am.' Wild Horse bent his wild head, and the
Woman slipped the plaited hide halter over it, and Wild Horse
breathed on the Woman's feet and said, 'O my Mistress, and Wife
of my Master, I will be your servant for the sake of the
wonderful grass.'

'Ah,' said the Cat, listening, 'that is a very foolish Horse.'
And he went back through the Wet Wild Woods, waving his wild tail

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