An old woman sweeps the floor and finds a wooden penny.

She goes to the market and buys a pig, but the pig refuses to walk home.

She goes to the dog.

"Dog, will you bite the pig?

Pig won't go home."

"No," said the dog.

She goes to the stick.

"Stick, will you beat the dog?

Dog won't bite the pig,

Pig won't go home."

"No," said the stick.

She goes to the fire.

"Fire, will you burn the stick?

Stick won't beat the dog,

Dog won't bite the pig,

Pig won't go home."

"No," said the fIre.

She goes to the water.

"Water, will you put out the fire?

Fire won't burn the stick,

Stick won't beat the dog,

Dog won't bite the pig,

Pig won't go home."

"No," said the water.

She goes to the ox.

"Ox, will you drink the water?

Water won't put out the fire,

Fire won't burn the stick,

Stick won't beat the dog,

Dog won't bite the pig,

Pig won't go home."

"No," said the ox.

She goes to the rope.

"Rope, will you hang the ox?

Ox won't drink the water,

Water won't put out the fire,

Fire won't burn the stick,

Stick won't beat the dog,

Dog won't bite the pig,

Pig won't go home."

"No," said the rope.

She goes to the rat.

"Rat, will you gnaw the rope?

Rope won't hang the ox,

Ox won't drink the water,

Water won't put out the fire,

Fire won't burn the stick,

Stick won't beat the dog,

Dog won't bite the pig,

Pig won't go home."

"Yes," said the rat.

The rope thinks, "I'm not crazy, I'd rather hang the ox."

The ox thinks, "I'd better drink the water."

The water thinks, "I'd better put out the fire."

The fire thinks, "I'd better burn the stick."

The stick thinks, "I'd better beat the dog."

The dog thinks, "I'd better bite the pig."

And there they went: the rat after the rope, the rope after the ox, the ox after the water, the water after the fire, the fire after the stick, the stick after the dog, the dog after the pig: The pig runs into the pigsty and the woman locks the door with a padlock.