A man hired an ass from another man. He paid him two shillings to lend him the ass for the day.

It was a very hot day, and both men wanted to stand in the ass's shadow, so that they might be cool. But there was only room for one of them.

"Go away," said the man who had hired the ass. "Go away! It is my shadow today. I have hired the ass." 
" You hired the ass," said the owner," but you did not hire his shadow. It is my shadow."

They went on, the hirer saying one thing and the owner saying the other. Then they began to fight, and while they were fighting one of them happened to hit the ass. Then the ass ran away. And it took its shadow with it !

Coming Around the Mountain
By Beth Beutler

1     Today was my day! My mother and I went to a theme park. She liked to spend a special
day with each of her kids. It was my turn. There was a lot to do there. There were sixteen rides!
 
2     Mother picked some slow rides first. A train whistle blew. It was loud. "Let's go on that,"
 I begged.
 
3     We went up three steps. I had not been on a train that big before.
 
4     A worker whose name was Bill called out, "All aboard!"
 
5     The train started to chug. It pulled us around a mountain. We saw trees. We saw a river.
 We even saw farm animals like goats and a pot-bellied pig!
 
6     The train stopped. What was happening?
 
7     We were at some shops. "Go inside and enjoy," Bill said. "We will leave again at noon."
 
8     Mother and I ran from one shop to the other. We stopped at a place to eat. "Come in!"
a nice lady said.
 
9     Mother ate some stew. I had macaroni and cheese. When I was done, I was as full as that pig!