The Book of Stories for the Story-teller

One night when the little old man and the little old woman were fast asleep, creep, creep, through the woods came the Hobyahs, skipping along on the tips of their toes.

"Tear down the hemp stalks. Eat up the little old man, and carry away the little old woman," cried the Hobyahs.

Then little dog Turpie ran out, barking loudly, and he frightened the Hobyahs so that they ran away home again.

But the little old man woke from his dreams, and he said:

"Little dog Turpie barks so loudly that I can neither slumber nor sleep. In the morning I will take off his tail."

So when morning came, the little old man took off little Turpie's tail to cure him of barking.

The second night along came the Hobyahs, creep, creep, through the woods, skipping along on the tips of their toes, and they cried:

"Tear down the he