Once there was a peddler who sold shoes.

But he was not like an ordinary peddler carrying his wares on his back.

He carried them on a wooden cart with two big wheels.

He walked on his own indigo shoes while pushing his cart.

Then on his cart was a pair of orange shoes, then a pair of yellow shoes,

then a pair of green shoes, and on the top of the pile,

a pair of red shoes.

He walked up and down the streets.

He pushed the cart very carefully so the pile of shoes will not fall down.

As he went along he called, "Shoes! Shoes for sale! Thirty cents a pair!"

One morning, he couldn't sell any shoes.

He walked up the street and he walked down the street calling,

"Shoes! Shoes for sale! Thirty cents a pair!"

But nobody wanted any shoes that morning.

Nobody wanted even a red pair of shoes.

He began to feel very hungry, but he had no money for lunch.

"I think I'll go to the park to rest first," said he.

And he walked across town-- 

he pushed the cart very carefully

so the pile of shoes will not fall down.

He walked for a short time until he came to the park. 

He found a black bench near the trees.

"That's a nice place for a rest," thought he.

So he parked his cart beside the tree, and he checked all the shoes to see

if they were all there.

First on his cart was a pair of orange shoes, then a pair of yellow shoes,

then a pair of green shoes, and on the top of the pile, a pair of red shoes.

They were all there. So he laid down on the bench and went to sleep.

He slept for a long time.

When he woke up he was refreshed and rested.

The peddler was ready to sell his shoes again so he checked

his cart to make sure his shoes were in the right place.

All he saw was an empty cart!

He looked to the right of him. No shoes.

He looked to the left of him. No shoes.

He looked in front of him. No shoes.

He looked under the bench. No shoes.

Then he looked behind him.

And what do you think he saw?

On the grassy place behind the trees, there were eight dogs!

In every dog’s mouth was an orange shoe, or a yellow shoe, 

or a green shoe, or a red shoe!