For those of us brought up in the country...?

I grew up in the country, but my parents were really city folk. I knew that if a field had a sign on it 'Beware of the bull,' then it was not a good idea to go into the field. I wasn't afraid of sheep, or cows, but I respected animals. I also learnt how to cross streams without falling in, but I think that was more a case of self preservation than parental guidance. In the summer holidays I got lumbered with a girl who was two years younger than me. (At the beginning of this relationship I was 6 and she was 4). She spent her summer holidays with her grandparents, our neighbours, because both her parents worked. Water was like a magnet for her. I always seemed to bring her back dripping wet, because she'd fallen in the water. They didn't say anything, but I imagine her Grandmother thought I had something to do with it. She was also afraid of cows and the way she panicked made the cows inquisitive. Closing gates, yes. Chasing cows out of the garden, yes. We lived next to a farm and sometimes when the cows were being herded back to the farm at milking time, if my parents had forgotten to close the gate, the lead cow would come into our garden. Great place to grow up, but I wouldn't want to live there now. (English Lake District).