"Well, where are you going in this style?" asked Brother Fox.
"I am going straight to the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows," said Teenchy Duck.
"Shall I go with you?" asked Brother Fox.
"I'd be only too glad if you would," exclaimed Teenchy Duck.
"Get in my satchel," said Teenchy Duck, "and I'll carry you the best I know how."
"It will stretch," said Teenchy Duck. So Brother Fox got in the satchel, and Teenchy Duck went waddling along the road, crying: "Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
She had not gone far when she met Brother Wolf, who was passing that way.
"What are you crying so for?" he inquired. "One would think you were going to die on the journey."
"It is only too true," said Teenchy Duck, and then she told Brother Wolf about finding the money-purse, just as she had told Brother Fox.
"Perhaps I can be of some service to you," said Brother Wolf. "Shall I go with you?"
"But how can I go so far?" Brother Wolf asked.
"Get in my satchel," said Teenchy Duck, "and I'll carry you as I can."
"It will stretch mightily," said Teenchy Duck.
Then Brother Wolf went to keep company with Brother Fox.
Teenchy Duck went on her way again. She didn't walk very fast, for her satchel was heavy; but she never ceased crying: "Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money."
Now it happened, as she was going along, she came up with a Ladder, which said, without asking after her health:
"My poor Teenchy Duck! You do not seem to be very happy."
"I should think not!" exclaimed Teenchy Duck.
"What can the matter be?" the Ladder asked.
Teenchy Duck then told her story over again.
"I am not doing anything at present," said the Ladder; "shall I go with you?"
"But how can I go, I who never walk?" inquired the Ladder.
"Why, get in my satchel," said Teenchy Duck, "and I'll carry you the best I know how."
The Ladder was soon in the satchel with Brother Fox and Brother Wolf, and Teenchy Duck went on her way, following the tracks of the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows, and always crying:
"Quack! quack! Give me back my beautiful money!"
Going along and crying thus, Teenchy Duck came to her best and oldest friend, the River.
"What are you doing here?" said the River, in astonishment, "and why are you crying so? When I saw you this morning you seemed to be very happy."