Cowboy Small Read online

  A ‘Small’ Glossary

  bedroll—blankets rolled up

  bit—a metal bar in a horse’s mouth

  brand—a mark or sign that indicates ownership

  bridle—straps around a horse’s head, with bit and reins

  bronco—a wild horse, not used to a rider

  bucking—kicking by a horse, with head between front legs

  bunk—a bed

  bunkhouse—a house for cowboys’ beds

  chaps—leather overalls, open at the back, worn over trousers

  chuck wagon—a wagon that carries food and bedrolls for cowboys

  corral—a fenced-in yard for cows or horses

  curries—brushes a horse’s hide with a currycomb

  dismounts—gets down from

  giddyup—a command to get a horse to speed up

  girth—a strap around the body of a horse to hold the saddle in place

  mounts—gets up on

  ranch—a large farm with grass for cows

  range—an open place where cows eat grass

  reins—straps used to steer a horse

  saddle—a seat for a rider, made of leather

  stirrup—the loop at the end of a strap hung from the saddle, to hold the foot of the rider

  Copyright © 1949 by Lois Lenski. Copyright renewed 1977 by Steven Covey and Paul A. Covey.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto. Originally published by Henry Z. Walck, Inc., in 1949.

  www.randomhouse.com/kids

  eISBN: 978-0-307-51823-1

  Library of Congress Control Number: 00-105720

  RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  v3.1

  Contents

  Cover

  A ‘Small’ Glossary

  Title Page

  Copyright

  First Page

  About the Author

  “Hi, there!”

  calls

  Cowboy Small.

  Cowboy Small

  has a horse.

  His name is Cactus.

  He keeps him in the barn

  at Bar S Ranch.

  Cowboy Small

  takes good care

  of Cactus.

  He brushes and curries him.

  He feeds him

  oats and hay.

  He gives him water

  to drink.

  Cowboy Small

  puts the saddle on.

  He pulls the girth tight.

  “Whoa, Cactus!”

  Cowboy Small

  puts his left foot

  in the stirrup

  and mounts.

  “Giddyup, Cactus!”

  Cowboy Small rides out

  on the range.

  Cloppety, cloppety, clop!

  “Whoa, Cactus!”

  Cowboy Small

  dismounts.

  He fixes the fence.

  Cowboy Small makes camp

  for the night.

  He cooks supper and eats it.

  Oh, how good it tastes!

  Cowboy Small rolls up

  in his bedroll.

  He goes to sleep

  under the stars.

  Next morning,

  Cowboy Small rides in the Bar S roundup.

  The cowboys round up all the cows.

  “Yip-pee! Yip-pee! Yip-pee!”

  “Come and get it!”

  calls the cook at noon.

  Cowboy Small

  eats at the chuck wagon

  with the cowboys.

  They have beef,

  red beans, and coffee.

  “Yip-pee!

  Ride ’em, cowboy!”

  Cowboy Small

  ropes a calf

  in the corral.

  Cowboy Small helps

  with the branding.

  The calves are marked

  with the Bar S brand:

  Cowboy Small

  turns the cows back

  on the range.

  At night,

  Cowboy Small

  plays his guitar

  and sings:

  “Home …

  home on the range …”

  He goes to sleep

  in the bunkhouse.

  Next day,

  Cowboy Small

  rides a bucking bronco.

  “Yip-pee!—Yip-pee!

  Ride ’em, cowboy!”

  Ker-plop!

  Cowboy Small

  hits

  the

  dust!

  But—

  he’s a pretty good cowboy

  after all!

  Cactus is waiting,

  so—

  “Giddyup, Cactus!”

  Cowboy Small

  rides

  again!

  LOIS LENSKI was the author and illustrator of more than ninety books for children during her lifetime. She was truly one of the most important and beloved writers and artists of the twentieth century. In addition to winning a Newbery Medal and a Children’s Book Award, Lois Lenski even has an elementary school named after her. Her Mr. Small books have captivated readers for generations.

  “Mr. Small is an American institution.”

  —Parents magazine

 

 

  Lois Lenski, Cowboy Small

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