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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15528-h.zip b/15528-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..89231b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/15528-h.zip diff --git a/15528-h/15528-h.htm b/15528-h/15528-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce7b48e --- /dev/null +++ b/15528-h/15528-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2776 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Tale of Cuffy Bear, by Arthur Scott Bailey</title> + <style type="text/css"> + /*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ + <!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body {margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + max-width: 40em; + } + .center {text-align: center;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + hr.full { width: 100%; } + pre {font-size: 8pt;} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Tale of Cuffy Bear, by Arthur Scott +Bailey, Illustrated by Harry L. Smith</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Tale of Cuffy Bear</p> +<p>Author: Arthur Scott Bailey</p> +<p>Release Date: April 4, 2005 [eBook #15528]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Govert Schipper,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + <a name="image001" + id="image001"></a> + + <div class="figcenter" + style="width: 417px;"> + <img src="images/image001.jpg" + width="417" + height="640" + alt="Cover" /> + </div> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h2>THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR</h2> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <table border="1" + cellpadding="20" + summary="Sleepy-Time Tales"> + <tr> + <td> + <center> + <i><font size="+2">SLEEPY-TIME + TALES</font></i><br /> + <font size="-1">BY</font><br /> + <font size="+1">ARTHUR SCOTT + BAILEY</font><br /> + —— + </center>THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR<br /> + THE TALE OF FRISKY SQUIRREL<br /> + THE TALE OF TOMMY FOX<br /> + THE TALE OF FATTY COON<br /> + THE TALE OF BILLY WOODCHUCK<br /> + THE TALE OF JIMMY RABBIT<br /> + THE TALE OF PETER MINK<br /> + THE TALE OF SANDY CHIPMUNK<br /> + THE TALE OF BROWNIE BEAVER<br /> + THE TALE OF PADDY MUSKRAT<br /> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + <a name="image002" + id="image002"></a> + + <div class="figcenter" + style="width: 460px;"> + <img src="images/image002.jpg" + width="460" + height="640" + alt="Cuffy Gave It One Good, Hard Cuff" /> + <span class="caption">Cuffy Gave It One Good, Hard + Cuff</span> + </div> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h2><a name="SLEEPY_TIME_TALES" + id="SLEEPY_TIME_TALES"></a><i><u>SLEEPY-TIME + TALES</u></i></h2> + + <h1>THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR</h1> + + <p> </p> + + <h4>BY</h4> + + <h2>ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY</h2> + + <p> </p> + + <h4>ILLUSTRATED BY</h4> + + <h3>HARRY L. SMITH</h3> + + <p> </p> + + <p> </p> + + <p> </p> + + <h5>NEW YORK<br /> + GROSSET & DUNLAP<br /> + PUBLISHERS</h5> + + <h4>1915</h4> +<p> </p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p> </p> + + <h2><a name="CONTENTS" + id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h2> + + <table summary="Contents"> + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right"> + <font size="-1">CHAPTER</font></td> + + <td></td> + + <td></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">I</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#I">CUFFY WAKES UP</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">II</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#II">CUFFY BEAR FINDS A PORCUPINE</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">III</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#III">CUFFY AND THE WONDERFUL + SPRING</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">IV</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#IV">CUFFY LEARNS SOMETHING</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">V</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#V">CUFFY AND THE MAPLE-SUGAR</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">VI</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#VI">CUFFY MEETS A MAN</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">VII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#VII">THE ICE GOES OUT OF THE + RIVER</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">VIII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#VIII">CUFFY LEARNS TO SWIM</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">IX</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#IX">A SURPRISE</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">X</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#X">CUFFY CLIMBS BLUE MOUNTAIN</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XI</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XI">MRS. EAGLE IS ANGRY</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XII">CUFFY BEAR GOES TO MARKET</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XIII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XIII">HAYING-TIME</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XIV</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XIV">CUFFY LIKES BAKED BEANS</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XV</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XV">HUNTING FOR A BEE-TREE</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XVI</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XVI">THE BEES STING CUFFY</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XVII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XVII">CUFFY BEAR GOES SWIMMING</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XVIII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XVIII">CUFFY FRIGHTENS HIS + MOTHER</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XIX</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XIX">THE LITTLE BEAR PETER</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XX</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XX">LEARNING TO BOX</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XXI</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XXI">THE FOREST FIRE</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XXII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XXII">THE RAIN COMES</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right">XXIII</td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#XXIII">CUFFY BEAR GROWS SLEEPY</a></td> + </tr> + + <tr> + <td style="text-align: right"></td> + + <td> </td> + + <td><a href="#A_WORD_TO_GROWN_UPS">A WORD TO GROWN + UPS</a></td> + </tr> + </table> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h1>THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR</h1> + + <h3><a name="I" + id="I"></a>I</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY WAKES UP</h3> + + <p>Far up on the side of Blue Mountain lived Cuffy Bear with + his father and mother and his little sister Silkie. Mr. Bear's + house was quite the finest for many miles around. It was what + people call a cave, being made entirely of stone, and so there + was no danger of its ever catching fire; and since it was built + straight into the side of the mountain the roof was so very, + very thick that Cuffy's father never had to worry for fear a + tree would fall upon his house and hurt his family. No matter + how hard the wind blew, Mr. Bear was never afraid of that.</p> + + <p>Little Cuffy was not a bad bear at heart. But often when he + was playing with Silkie, his sister, he would lose his temper + and cuff her on the head and make her cry. Then his father or + his mother would cuff <i>him</i>. Somehow, he never could learn + not to strike out when he became angry. That was why he was + called Cuffy. It happened sometimes that a day or two would + pass without Cuffy's cuffing his sister. And Mr. Bear and Mrs. + Bear would begin to think that at last Cuffy had been cured of + his bad habit.</p> + + <p>"I do believe the child is growing better mannered," Mrs. + Bear would say to her husband, as they watched their son and + daughter playing upon the floor. And then just as likely as + not, the first thing they knew Cuffy would give Silkie a good, + hard box on the ear, or a slap right on the end of her + nose.</p> + + <p>But for a long time every winter Cuffy was never naughty. + You might think that that was just before Christmas. But + no—it was not then. All winter long Cuffy was just as + good as any little bear could be. He was good because he was + asleep! You see—when cold weather came, Mr. and Mrs. Bear + and their children stayed in their cozy house, which was snug + and warm, and slept and slept and slept for weeks and weeks + until spring came.</p> + + <p>Now, this tale begins on the very first day of spring. And + on that day Mr. Bear waked up. He rose slowly to his feet, for + his bones felt stiff because he had been asleep for such a long + time. And he was hungry—oh! very hungry, because he had + not eaten anything for months and months, since he went to + sleep at the beginning of winter.</p> + + <p>He went to the door of his house and looked out. And he saw + that the weather was warm and fine. So he stepped back into the + bedroom and said—</p> + + <p><i>"Ou-e-e-ee!"</i> Just like that. And then Mrs. Bear + awaked. "Spring has come," Mr. Bear told her, "and I am going + out to fetch something to eat. Wake up Cuffy and Silkie and + tell them that it is time to get up."</p> + + <p>Gently Mrs. Bear roused Cuffy and Silkie.</p> + + <p>"Come, children! Run out and play and get your lungs full of + nice, fresh air. Now, be good and don't go far away!" she + said.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="II" + id="II"></a>II</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY BEAR FINDS A PORCUPINE</h3> + + <p>For a few minutes Cuffy stood in the doorway and blinked and + blinked. He rubbed his eyes, for the bright sunlight hurt them. + But soon he and Silkie were frisking and tumbling about in the + front-yard.</p> + + <p>After a little while Cuffy remembered that there was an old + tree over in the pine woods—just the finest tree to climb + that anybody could want.</p> + + <p>"Let's go over to the old tree and play," Cuffy said.</p> + + <p>"But Mother told us not to go far away," Silkie reminded + him.</p> + + <p>"Oh! I don't care," Cuffy said. "Besides, we'll be back + before she knows it."</p> + + <p>But Silkie would not go with him. So naughty Cuffy started + off alone for the pine woods. He found the old tree. It seemed + smaller than he expected. The reason for that was because Cuffy + himself had grown tall during the months that he had spent in + sleep.</p> + + <p>He climbed the tree to the very top and as he looked down + over the snow he saw something moving a little way off. + Whatever it was, it was much smaller than Cuffy himself, so he + was not afraid. And he scrambled down to the ground and ran as + fast as he could go to the place where he saw the small thing + moving. Cuffy wanted to see what it was. He was always like + that.</p> + + <p>Cuffy found a little animal covered with stiff, sharp quills + and he knew that it was a porcupine. And all at once Cuffy felt + very hungry. He remembered that his father had sometimes + brought home porcupine meat and—yes, Cuffy actually + smacked his lips! His mother was always telling him not to + smack his lips, but Cuffy forgot all about it now.</p> + + <p>As Cuffy came running up Mr. Porcupine rolled himself into a + round ball and lay perfectly still. Now, Cuffy remembered that + his father had often told him never to touch a porcupine, + because if he should he would get his paws stuck full of + quills. But now Cuffy decided that he would show his father + that he too was clever enough to kill a porcupine. So he + stepped close to the little round, prickly ball and gave it one + good, hard cuff.</p> + + <p>The next instant Cuffy gave a howl of pain. He was so angry + that he struck the porcupine once more with his other + front-paw.</p> + + <p>Again Cuffy howled! Now both his front-paws were full of + quills. They looked just like pincushions. And as Cuffy saw + what had happened he began to cry. He wanted his mother.</p> + + <p>So home he started. All the way he had to walk on his hind + legs, because it hurt him terribly whenever he put one of his + front-paws on the ground.</p> + + <p>Cuffy wept very hard when Mrs. Bear pulled out the quills. + And his paws were so sore that he could not feed himself. His + mother had to put into his mouth bits of the frozen turnips + that his father found in Farmer Green's field. And though + afterward Cuffy did many things that he ought not to have done, + he never, never touched a porcupine again.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="III" + id="III"></a>III</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY AND THE WONDERFUL SPRING</h3> + + <p>The pricks of the porcupine's quills made Cuffy Bear's paws + so sore that it was several days before he could run about + again. And during all that time Cuffy was a very good little + bear. He did not cuff his sister Silkie once. You see, he knew + it would hurt his sore paws if he did.</p> + + <p>The days were still fine. Cuffy loved to feel the bright + sunshine upon his black coat. It warmed him through and through + and he did not care at all if his feet <i>did</i> get wet in + the melting snow.</p> + + <p>At last one afternoon when his paws were quite well again + Cuffy strayed some distance down the side of Blue Mountain, He + was alone, because Silkie was asleep. You know, she was younger + than Cuffy and still had to take naps. Cuffy had slid and + tumbled down the mountainside until he was further from home + than he knew. It did seem good to be able to put his paws upon + the ground again without whimpering with pain. And coming to a + short, steep place, Cuffy felt so glad that he actually turned + a somersault and landed in a heap at the foot of the bank. He + sat there for a moment, brushing the soft snow out of his face, + when a flash of light dazzled his eyes. It came from a tree + right in front of him. And Cuffy at once jumped up and ran to + see what it was. He found that some one had fastened a shiny, + new tin bucket to the trunk of the tree.</p> + + <p>Cuffy felt that he <i>must</i> have that bucket to play + with. He knew that he could have heaps of fun rolling it about + on the ground. And he was just going to knock it off the hook + that held it when he noticed that a small spout had been driven + into the tree just above the bucket. And as Cuffy stood there + on his hind legs, reaching up as high as he could, he saw a + tiny drop fall from the spout and go splash! into the bucket. + Then, as he watched, another drop fell; and another and another + and another. Cuffy wondered where they came from. It must + be—he thought—that there was a spring inside that + tree. Yes! he was sure of it, for the bucket was half full of + water. He felt thirsty, for he had not had a drink since + lunch-time. And so Cuffy stuck his head into the pail and took + a good, big swallow.</p> + + <p>The next instant he squealed with joy. It was the nicest + water he had ever tasted in all his life, for it was quite + sweet—just as if somebody had left a heap of honey in the + bottom of the bucket. But when Cuffy licked the end of the + spout with his little red tongue he found that that tasted + sweet too. Yes! it certainly was a wonderful spring. Cuffy was + very glad that he had found it. And he decided that he would + drink all he could of the delicious, sweet water and leave the + pail hanging there. Then he could come back the next day and + there would be more of that wonderful water all ready and + waiting for him to drink up.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="IV" + id="IV"></a>IV</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY LEARNS SOMETHING</h3> + + <p>After leaving the wonderful spring Cuffy Bear was so long + getting home that he decided he would not say anything to his + father and mother about what he had found. You see—he was + afraid they would tell him not to go so far away from home + again. But Cuffy had not been long in the snug little house + before he had a terrible stomach-ache. He stood the pain as + long as he could without saying anything. But he simply + <i>had</i> to hang onto his little fat stomach with both his + front paws. And at last he began to cry softly. Then Mrs. Bear + asked him what he had been doing; and before Cuffy knew it he + had told all about finding the delicious, sweet water.</p> + + <p>"How much did you drink?" asked his mother.</p> + + <p>"Oh—only a little," Cuffy answered faintly.</p> + + <p>Then Mrs. Bear nodded her head three times. She was very + wise—was Mrs. Bear. And she knew quite well that Cuffy + had drunk a great deal too much of that nice-tasting water. So + she made Cuffy lie down and gave him some peppermint leaves to + chew. In a little while he began to feel so much better that + before he knew it he had fallen asleep.</p> + + <p>When Cuffy waked up he found that his father had come home. + And soon Mr. Bear had Cuffy on one knee, and Silkie on the + other, and he was telling them all about maple-sugar. For of + course you knew all the time that what Cuffy had found was not + a spring at all—but a sugar-maple tree, which Farmer + Green had tapped so that he might gather the sap and boil it + until it turned to maple-sugar. If Cuffy had gone further down + the mountainside he would have found a great many other trees, + each—like the one he discovered—with a tin bucket + hanging on it to catch the sweet sap.</p> + + <p>"So you see there are many things for little bears to + learn," Mr. Bear said, when he had finished. "And the one + <i>big</i> lesson you must learn is to keep away from men. + Farmer Green visits those trees every day to gather the sap. So + you must not go down there again."</p> + + <p>A cold shiver went up and down Cuffy's back at these words. + Farmer Green! Cuffy had heard a great deal about Farmer Green + and he certainly did not want to meet him all alone and far + from home. But as soon as the tickle of that shiver stopped, + Cuffy forgot all about his fright.</p> + + <p>"This maple-sugar—does it taste as good as the sweet + sap?" he asked his father.</p> + + <p>"Yes, my son—a hundred times better!" Mr. Bear + replied. "I ate some once And I shall never forget it."</p> + + <p><i>A hundred times better!</i> After he had gone to bed that + night the words kept ringing in Cuffy's ears. <i>A hundred + times better! A hundred times better!... A + hundred</i>—And now Cuffy was fast asleep and—I am + sorry to say it—sucking one of his paws for all the world + as if it was a piece of Farmer Green's maple-sugar.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="V" + id="V"></a>V</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY AND THE MAPLE-SUGAR</h3> + + <p>Another day had come and all the morning long Cuffy Bear and + his sister Silkie played and played as hard as they could. They + played that they were making maple-sugar. And they pretended to + hang buckets on all the trees near Mr. Bear's house. There were + no maple trees about Cuffy's home—only pine and hemlock + and spruce—but if you are just <i>pretending</i> to make + maple-sugar any sort of tree will do.</p> + + <p>While they were playing Cuffy kept wishing for some + <i>real</i> maple-sugar. After all, the little cakes of snow + that he and Silkie made and <i>called</i> maple-sugar seemed + very tasteless, no matter how much Cuffy pretended. And later, + when Silkie was taking her nap, and Cuffy had no one to play + with, he became so angry with the make-believe sugar that he + struck the little pats of snow as hard as he could and spoiled + them. And then, after one look toward the door of his father's + house—to make sure that his mother did not see + him—Cuffy started on a trot down the mountainside.</p> + + <p>What do you suppose he was going to do?</p> + + <p>To tell the truth, Cuffy himself did not quite know. When he + came to the tree that he had found the day before he stopped + and drank some of the sap once more; and he tried to imagine + how sugar would taste <i>a hundred times sweeter</i>. Then + Cuffy went on down the mountainside.</p> + + <p>At last he spied a little house in a clearing. From its + chimney a stream of smoke rose, and as Cuffy peeped from behind + a tree he saw a man come out and pick up an armful of wood from + the woodpile nearby. While Cuffy watched, the man carried in + several loads. Soon the smoke began fairly to pour out of the + chimney; and then the man came out once more, picked up an axe + near the woodpile, and started off toward the other side of the + clearing.</p> + + <p>Cuffy was trembling with excitement. The wind blew right in + his face and brought to him two odors that were quite + different. One was the man-scent, which Cuffy did not like at + all, and which made his legs want to run away. The other smell + was most delightfully sweet. And it made his nose want to go + forward.</p> + + <p>Which do you think won—Cuffy's nose or his legs?... + Yes! His nose won! Pretty soon Cuffy slipped from behind the + tree and scampered as fast as he could run to the door of the + sugar-house—for that was what he had found. He stuck his + head inside and oh, joy! there was no one there.</p> + + <p>Just inside the door stood a tub full of something brown. + One sniff told Cuffy that it was maple-sugar and he began to + gulp great mouthfuls of it. Yes! his father was right. It + certainly was a hundred times sweeter than the sap.</p> + + <p>In the middle of the room was a big pan which gave off + clouds of steam. Cuffy wanted to see it. And with his mouth + full of sugar he walked up to the pan and looked into it. He + saw a golden liquid, and Cuffy felt that he simply <i>must</i> + taste that too. So he dipped both his front paws right into the + bubbling syrup.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="VI" + id="VI"></a>VI</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY MEETS A MAN</h3> + + <p>And then how Cuffy Bear did roar—just one second after + he had stuck his paws into the steaming pan. You see—he + was so greedy that he had never once stopped to think that the + syrup was boiling hot.</p> + + <p>Now, usually if you pick up anything hot you can drop it at + once. But it is not so with hot maple syrup. Cuffy's paws were + covered with the sticky brown stuff. He rubbed them upon his + trousers, and he roared again when he saw what he had done.</p> + + <p>Then Cuffy had a happy thought. He would go out and shove + his paws into a snowbank. That would surely cool them. So out + of the sugar-house he dashed and across the clearing he ran, + screaming <i>"Ough! ough! ough!"</i> at the top of his voice, + for the hot syrup made his paws smart terribly. In his haste + Cuffy did not notice that he was headed in the direction in + which the man had disappeared.</p> + + <p>Now it happened that the man who tended the sugar-house fire + had gone only to the edge of the clearing; and when he heard + Cuffy's shrieks he looked around in great surprise. He and + Cuffy saw each other at the same time. And like a flash Cuffy + turned and fairly flew the other way.</p> + + <p>The man ran after him for a few steps. But he soon saw that + he could never catch Cuffy. So he stood still and watched the + little bear bob into the woods and vanish.</p> + + <p>Poor Cuffy's heart was beating as if it would burst. He was + so frightened that he forgot all about his burned paws and he + ran and ran and ran up the steep mountainside. He did not mind + the climb; he was used to that. But to his great alarm the snow + clung to his sticky paws until each was just a great, round + lump. They looked like the hands of a snow-man.</p> + + <p>Cuffy found it very hard to run with his paws like that. But + he kept on and on, until at last he came in sight of his + father's house. Then he stopped and sat down, right behind a + knoll, where his mother could not see him. He was very tired. + And though he was no longer afraid that the man would catch + him, he began to be afraid of something else.... A punishing? + No—no! He had not thought of that. Cuffy was afraid that + he could never get rid of those big heavy lumps. He was afraid + his paws would always be covered with those hard balls of snow. + You must remember that he was a very <i>young</i> little + bear.</p> + + <p>Well! After he had got his breath again Cuffy began to + nibble at his snow mittens. And little by little—to his + delight—he removed them. And still he kept on nibbling at + his paws, and—yes! he actually put them right inside his + mouth and sucked them. He forgot all about his <i>manners</i>, + for underneath the snow he found the most beautiful, waxy + maple-sugar you can imagine. Each paw was just one big + lollypop! And though his burns still hurt him, Cuffy did not + care very much. For those lollypops were <i>two hundred + times</i> sweeter than anything he had ever tasted in all his + life!</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="VII" + id="VII"></a>VII</h3> + + <h3>THE ICE GOES OUT OF THE RIVER</h3> + + <p>Farmer Green had taken his sap-buckets off the maple trees + and <i>that</i> meant the spring was fast going. At least, that + was what Mr. Bear said. And Cuffy noticed that every day there + was a little less snow than there had been the day before.</p> + + <p>"The ice will soon go out," Mr. Bear said to Cuffy's mother + at breakfast one morning, "and then when I cross Pleasant + Valley I shall have to swim the river."</p> + + <p>Cuffy knew that his father meant Swift River. In summer + Cuffy could look down from Blue Mountain and see the stream as + it flashed through the valley.</p> + + <p>"Will the ice go out of the river to-day?" Cuffy asked.</p> + + <p>"Well, now—" Mr. Bear said, "it might. And then again, + it might not." Mr. Bear never said a thing was <i>so</i> unless + he was sure of it.</p> + + <p>Now, Cuffy thought it would be great fun to go down into the + valley and find out for himself if the ice really did go out. + He had an idea that it caused a terrific splitting and crashing + and thundering noise and he thought that perhaps some fish + would be tossed up on the bank and then he would have a good + lunch.</p> + + <p>When Mr. Bear had gone off down the mountain, "to see a + bear," as he explained to his wife, little Cuffy sneaked away + from the house. His mother was making the beds, and Silkie was + pretending to help her. Now, nobody <i>sneaks</i> unless he + knows he is doing something wrong. Cuffy knew that his parents + would not let him go down into the valley alone, so he went + without asking. And when he did at last come to the river there + was ice along both banks; but between them ran a broad stream + of swift water.</p> + + <p>"The ice must have gone out in the night," Cuffy said to + himself. And he looked about in the hope of finding some fish + on the banks. But not one fish could he find.</p> + + <p>He was disappointed. And he crept out onto the ice as far as + he could go and peeped over the edge into the water. He thought + maybe he could at least catch a fish with his paw.</p> + + <p>Cuffy lay quite still for a long time. And then at last to + his delight he saw a fish right before him. He made a quick + reach for it. And then there was a sharp <i>crack!</i> The ice + tipped and Cuffy clung to it with all his claws to keep from + falling into the river. He backed away from the edge and looked + around. The bank was moving past him. He had never seen such a + thing and he was surprised.</p> + + <p>Then he gave a cry which sounded in his throat like + <i>"Oug!"</i> and ended with <i>"I-s-s-s!"</i> through his + nose. It meant that Cuffy was frightened. For he saw that the + ice he was on had broken away and was floating rapidly down the + stream.</p> + + <p>He had not caught the fish, either. But he forgot all about + that now.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="VIII" + id="VIII"></a>VIII</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY LEARNS TO SWIM</h3> + + <p>Yes! Cuffy Bear was floating down the river on a cake of + ice! How he wished he had been a good little bear and stayed at + home, instead of running away to the river all alone! He was + huddled up in a little black heap in the center of the cake, + and crying as if his heart would break. For Cuffy thought he + would never see his mother and father and Silkie again. If only + he knew how to swim, like his father! But he didn't; and there + he was, being swept away down the valley, right toward Farmer + Green's house. It certainly was enough to make anybody + weep.</p> + + <p>When Cuffy thought about Farmer Green he was more frightened + than ever and he began to scream. He remembered all the + dreadful things he had heard about men and the things they do + to little bears.</p> + + <p>Pretty soon Cuffy saw something move up on the bank ahead of + him. And he stopped screaming. He was afraid that it was Farmer + Green himself and he thought he had better keep still. Then + perhaps Farmer Green wouldn't see him. But to his dismay the + big black thing began to slide down the steep bank right toward + the river.</p> + + <p>Cuffy's heart seemed to stand still. He shut his eyes tight + and tried to make himself as small as he could. And he hardly + breathed.</p> + + <p>Then somebody called his name. Cuffy was so surprised that + he looked up, and there was his father standing on the edge of + the stream. Cuffy was <i>so</i> glad to see him!</p> + + <p>Mr. Bear seemed very cross, but Cuffy did not mind that, he + was <i>so</i> glad to see his father.</p> + + <p>"Oh, Father! What shall I do?" Cuffy cried.</p> + + <p>Mr. Bear said just one word. It was <i>"Jump!"</i></p> + + <p>Cuffy could hardly believe his ears.</p> + + <p><i>"Jump!"</i> said Mr. Bear again.</p> + + <p>"I don't know how to swim," Cuffy whined.</p> + + <p><i>"Jump, jump, jump!"</i> Mr. Bear repeated very + sternly.</p> + + <p>Still Cuffy did not jump. He was so afraid of that rushing + water!</p> + + <p>Then Mr. Bear became very, very angry. He gave a great roar + and plunged into the icy water. With a few strong + strokes—for Mr. Bear was a fine swimmer—he reached + the middle of the river. And as he swam close up to Cuffy he + reached out and gave that naughty, frightened little bear a + shove that sent him flying into the stream.</p> + + <p>Cuffy started to scream. But his shriek was cut off short as + he sank, head and all, into the cold, cold river. In another + moment his nose came up out of the water. It was only an + instant, but to Cuffy it seemed a long, long time before he + could breathe again. And now, to his great surprise, he found + that he was swimming as well as his father.</p> + + <p>Now, little bears are different from little boys and girls. + They don't have to <i>learn</i> to swim. Cuffy didn't know it. + But his father did. That was why Mr. Bear told him to jump. He + knew that as soon as Cuffy found himself in the water he could + swim as well as anybody.</p> + + <p>In another minute Cuffy and his father were safe on the + bank, and in another second after that they were running toward + home as fast as Cuffy could go, so they wouldn't take cold, you + know.</p> + + <p>Cuffy had to go to bed for the rest of the day, as a + punishment. And as he lay on his little bed he could hear his + father and mother laughing in the next room. He didn't see how + they could laugh. But you know, Cuffy didn't realize how funny + he had looked, floating down the river on the cake of ice.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="IX" + id="IX"></a>IX</h3> + + <h3>A SURPRISE</h3> + + <p>One day Cuffy Bear and his little sister Silkie had been + making sand pies. And now, having grown tired of that, they + were squatting down on the ground and had covered their legs + with the clean white sand. Perhaps they would have heaped the + sand all over themselves, if Silkie had not spied her father as + he came climbing up the mountain. When they noticed that he was + carrying something they both sprang up and ran to see what Mr. + Bear was bringing home.</p> + + <p>Mr. Bear's mouth was stretched quite wide in what Silkie and + Cuffy knew to be his most agreeable smile. You and I might not + have felt so comfortable if we had looked past Mr. Bear's great + white teeth into his big red mouth. But it was different with + Cuffy and Silkie. They saw at once that their father was + feeling very pleasant.</p> + + <p>"What's that?" Silkie asked. As for Cuffy, he had not + stopped to ask any questions. He was already smelling of the + small white animal his father had, and he poked it gently with + his paw. He had not forgotten about the porcupine. But this + strange animal seemed quite harmless. It was covered with + things that looked a little bit like quills, only they were + ever so much shorter and smaller. And Cuffy found that they + were much softer, too, for they did not prick him at all.</p> + + <p>"What is it?" This time it was Cuffy who asked.</p> + + <p>"You'll see," Mr. Bear said again.</p> + + <p>"Is it a new kind of rabbit?" Silkie inquired.</p> + + <p>"Huh! A rabbit!" Cuffy laughed. "Of course it isn't a + rabbit," he said.</p> + + <p>"Well—it's white, and its tail is short—" Silkie + began, "and—"</p> + + <p>"Its ears are too small," Cuffy told her, "and its tail is + all curled up."</p> + + <p>"You'll see, children," Mr. Bear said again. "It's a + surprise."</p> + + <p>"A surprise!" Cuffy and Silkie both shouted. They thought + that was the name of the—oh! I almost told what the + little animal really was.</p> + + <p>Well! As Mr. Bear walked on toward his house, Cuffy and + Silkie ran ahead and burst in upon their mother, both of them + shouting at the top of their voices, "A surprise! A surprise! + Father's bringing home a surprise!"</p> + + <p>"Why, Ephraim Bear!" Mrs. Bear exclaimed, as soon as she saw + her husband. "Wherever did you get that lovely little pig?"</p> + + <p>There—now you know what it was that Mr. Bear had.</p> + + <p>"It came from Farmer Green's, my dear," Mr. Bear said. "I + remembered that this was your birthday, and so I thought I + would bring home something 'specially nice, so that we could + have a real feast."</p> + + <p>Cuffy and Silkie had never eaten any pig before. And when + there was nothing left of the surprise except a few bones, + Cuffy couldn't help wishing that every day could be a + birthday.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="X" + id="X"></a>X</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY CLIMBS BLUE MOUNTAIN</h3> + + <p>Cuffy Bear had never been very far up Blue Mountain beyond + the place where his father's house nestled among the + evergreens. You know, the summer before he had been a very + small little bear indeed, and the higher one goes up Blue + Mountain the harder the climbing becomes. But now Cuffy was + growing very fast; and he was able to scramble up places he + could never have even crept a year ago. Each day now Cuffy + climbed a little nearer the top of Blue Mountain. And at last + the day came when he reached the very top. It was so high that + the trees did not grow there. He found nothing but rocks + everywhere, with just a little earth to fill the cracks.</p> + + <p>Cuffy thought it great fun to clamber about all by himself + and look down at the hills and valleys that stretched away in + all directions. Indeed, he hated to leave that delightful spot. + But he noticed that the sun was getting low in the west and he + knew that he must hurry home. So Cuffy started down the + mountainside.</p> + + <p>He did not pick out the easiest way to go. Oh, no! He chose + the very steepest places to slide down. And as he went slipping + down the steepest cliff of all he came upon something that gave + him a great surprise. For he saw, built right in the crack of a + ledge, a big bird's nest made of sticks. It was the biggest + bird's nest Cuffy had ever seen; and in it were two great white + eggs. They were the greatest white eggs Cuffy had ever seen, + too.</p> + + <p>How lucky! At least, that was what Cuffy thought then. For + he was very fond of birds' eggs, and his climb had made him + even hungrier than usual. He stopped then and there and with + one rap of the paw he broke one of the eggs and began to eat + it.</p> + + <p>Cuffy was enjoying his lunch very much. He had almost + finished the first egg and was just about to turn to the other + when he heard a deafening scream.</p> + + <p>Cuffy looked all around. He thought that perhaps there was a + pig up there on the mountain. But no! He couldn't see a thing. + Then came that cry again. This time it was louder. And it + seemed to come from right over Cuffy's head. He looked up then. + And there was an enormous bird dropping right down on top of + him! It seemed to Cuffy that its wings stretched as wide as the + branches of the great pine tree in his father's front-yard. He + never even dreamed that there could be as big a bird in the + whole world. And during that one instant that Cuffy's little + beady bright eyes were turned upwards he saw that the great + bird had a wicked, hooked beak and claws that were as sharp as + his own, and ever so much longer.</p> + + <p>One look was enough for Cuffy. He turned and tumbled down + the steep cliff, head over heels, with the eagle following + him.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XI" + id="XI"></a>XI</h3> + + <h3>MRS. EAGLE IS ANGRY</h3> + + <p>Yes! It was an eagle's nest that Cuffy Bear had found, And + Mrs. Eagle had caught him eating her eggs. It was no wonder + that she was wild with rage. And it was no wonder that Cuffy + ran for his life.</p> + + <p>He landed in a heap at the foot of the first cliff, jumped + up like a flash and in a twinkling he was rolling heels over + head down another cliff.</p> + + <p>Again Cuffy fell in a heap at the bottom. Again he jumped + up. And again he started to run. But this time, alas! Mrs. + Eagle seized him. She pounced down upon his back; and she sunk + her claws right into Cuffy's neck. Then Mrs. Eagle flapped her + wings as hard as she could flap them. And Cuffy felt himself + rising.</p> + + <p>Soon the earth was far, far beneath Cuffy. And he was the + most frightened little bear you could imagine. He was afraid + Mrs. Eagle would drop him, and that he would fall down, down, + down onto the rocks below. And he was afraid that Mrs. Eagle + wouldn't drop him, too. Because if she didn't Cuffy felt only + too sure that she would take him home and that she and Mr. + Eagle would eat him for their dinner.</p> + + <p>You see, Cuffy Bear was in a sad fix. And for my part, when + I first heard of his plight I did not see how he was ever going + to get out of it alive.</p> + + <p>Well—this was what happened. Mrs. Eagle <i>did</i> + intend to take Cuffy home with her and serve him up for dinner + that very night At first, after she had seized Cuffy, she + mounted higher and higher into the air, so that she could at + last swoop down on the top of the mountain, right beside her + nest. But Cuffy was a very fat little bear. And soon Mrs. Eagle + found that she had a heavy load. And it was only a few minutes + before she discovered that she couldn't fly up any higher with + Cuffy. In fact, she began to sink, little by little. Yes, Cuffy + was so heavy that as Mrs. Eagle grew tired his weight dragged + her down toward the earth again.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Eagle saw what was happening. But she didn't want to + let Cuffy go. So she flew far out from the side of the + mountain, hoping that she would soon feel stronger. But all the + time she kept growing weaker and weaker. And all the time she + kept falling faster and faster, until all at once Mrs. Eagle + was afraid that she would lose her balance and go tumbling down + onto the ground herself.</p> + + <p>She was still very angry. And she hated to lose the fine + dinner she had been counting on. But she saw nothing else to do + but let go of Cuffy Bear. So she gave one last scream of rage; + and the next instant Cuffy felt himself dropping through the + air like a stone.</p> + + <p>Now, Cuffy had shut his eyes tight, just as he did when he + was drifting down the river on the cake of ice; so he did not + see what was happening. But as luck had it, when Mrs. Eagle let + him go she was flying right over the top of a big fir-tree. And + as Cuffy fell, he dropped <i>plump!</i> into the branches, and + down he went, crashing through the soft, springing boughs.</p> + + <p>Cuffy clutched wildly at the branches. And though he tumbled + through them one after another, at last he managed to hold + tight to a big limb. And then, after he had caught his breath + again, he crept carefully down to the ground.</p> + + <p>He wondered where he was. The place had a strangely familiar + look. It seemed to Cuffy that he must have been there before. + And then, as he peered cautiously around, what should he see + but the door of his father's house, right in front of him! Yes! + Mrs. Eagle had dropped Cuffy right in his father's door-yard! + And Cuffy wasn't even late for dinner.</p> + + <p>As he grew older Cuffy often went to the top of Blue + Mountain. But never, so long as he lived, did he get home again + so quickly.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XII" + id="XII"></a>XII</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY BEAR GOES TO MARKET</h3> + + <p>"Mother! When is my birthday?" Cuffy asked, a few days after + his father had brought home the little pig.</p> + + <p>"Why, your birthday comes on the day the wild geese begin to + fly south," Mrs. Bear said.</p> + + <p>"Is that soon?" Cuffy asked.</p> + + <p>"Bless you, no! Not for months and months!" his mother + said.</p> + + <p>"And when is Silkie's?" he continued.</p> + + <p>"The day of the first snow," she told him.</p> + + <p>Cuffy knew that that was a long way off—not until + summer had come and gone.</p> + + <p>"And Father's?" he inquired once more.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Bear shook her head.</p> + + <p>"Your father hasn't many birthdays," she said. "He was born + on the day of the great forest fire. It may be a long time + before he has another birthday. I hope so, anyhow," she added, + "for a great forest fire is a dreadful thing."</p> + + <p>Now you see, having a birthday like that is a good deal like + being born on the twenty-ninth of February, when you have a + birthday only once in four years. Yes—it's a good deal + like that, only worse. For you may have to wait years and years + before another great fire comes. You understand, of course, + that having no clocks or calendars or anything like that, the + wild animals can keep track of birthdays only by remembering + things that happen.</p> + + <p>All this made Cuffy Bear feel very sad. He had been hoping + that some member of the family would have a birthday soon, and + then perhaps his father would bring home another little pig for + another nice feast. But now he saw that there was no chance of + that happening for a long, long time.</p><a name="image003" + id="image003"></a> + + <div class="figcenter" + style="width: 471px;"> + <img src="images/image003.jpg" + width="471" + height="640" + alt="Mrs. Eagle Rose Higher and Higher" /> + <span class="caption">Mrs. Eagle Rose Higher and + Higher</span> + </div> + + <p>Cuffy went out of doors then and thought and thought and + thought. I'm almost ashamed to have to say it—he was + planning to go down to Farmer Green's and get another fat, + tender, little pig like the one his father had brought + home.</p> + + <p>Now, when a very young bear starts out to steal a pig there + are many things to think of. In the first place, there was + Farmer Green, and Farmer Green's boy Johnnie, and Farmer + Green's hired man. Cuffy knew that he must be very, very + careful not to meet them.</p> + + <p>To his great relief, when he had gone down into Pleasant + Valley Cuffy saw all three ploughing in a field. They did not + see him at all. And so he felt very brave as he went on toward + the farm buildings.</p> + + <p>Farmer Green's pig-pen was in a little, low building next + the cow-barn. Cuffy had no trouble in finding it. And he walked + inside quite boldly and before you could have winked, almost, + he had seized a little, white pig in his mouth and was loping + off across the barnyard.</p> + + <p>The pig had looked very small to Cuffy when he first saw and + seized it. But now it seemed to be as many as twenty times + bigger than Cuffy was himself. That was because the pig made + the most frightful noise Cuffy had ever heard in all his life. + Cuffy felt as if he had a hundred pigs in his mouth, with their + hundred snouts squealing right in his ears. Though Farmer Green + was at least a mile away, Cuffy was sure he could hear. Indeed, + Cuffy thought that all the world must hear that dreadful + racket. And he was so frightened that he let go of the little + pig and ran away towards home as fast as he could jump.</p> + + <p>That squealing rang in his ears for a long time. And if + Cuffy's father had brought home a pig that night Cuffy couldn't + have eaten a mouthful of it. He never wanted to see or taste of + a pig again. And you may be sure he never wanted to <i>hear</i> + one, either.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XIII" + id="XIII"></a>XIII</h3> + + <h3>HAYING-TIME</h3> + + <p>After Cuffy Bear's adventure with Mrs. Eagle he did not + stray far from home for several weeks. You can see, from that, + that he had been badly frightened. Yes—just to look at a + crow flapping through the air made Cuffy dizzy now; and nothing + would have tempted him to go up the mountain again.</p> + + <p>But Cuffy became very tired of playing near his father's + house all the time. And at last he wandered down into the + valley one day. There was something down there that Cuffy + wanted to see. You'd never guess what it was; so I'll tell you. + Cuffy Bear wanted to see a mowing-machine. You may think that + was queer. But you see, it was summer now. And down in the + valley Farmer Green was making hay as fast as ever he could. + Early and late there sounded far up the mountainside the + <i>click-clack-click-clack</i> of Farmer Green's + mowing-machine.</p> + + <p>When he first heard it Cuffy Bear had been very much + alarmed; and he had come running into the house in a great + fright. But his mother explained what the sound was. And after + that Cuffy had been very curious to see that wonderful machine, + which was pulled back and forth through the meadows by horses, + leaving behind it a broad path of grass which lay flat on the + ground.</p> + + <p>So that was the reason why Cuffy stole away from home. He + felt that he simply <i>must</i> see a mowing-machine. Nothing + but the sight of a mowing-machine would make him happy. He was + sure of that.</p> + + <p>Now, where Farmer Green's meadow met the forest, Cuffy + paused. He hid behind a tree and looked out over the field. The + <i>click-clack</i> sounded quite loud now. And from the other + side of the meadow Cuffy could see two horses coming towards + him. There was a man driving them. And Cuffy thought that they + must be drawing the mowing-machine. So he waited quietly. And + all the time the <i>click-clack-click-clack</i> grew louder + than ever. And pretty soon, as he peeped slyly around the tree, + Cuffy Bear saw the mowing-machine. It came delightfully close + to him, stopped, turned about, and moved away again toward the + opposite side of the field.</p> + + <p>Cuffy gave a great sigh of satisfaction. He had seen a + mowing-machine. He was glad that he had come down into the + valley. He was not the least bit sorry that he had disobeyed + his parents and stolen away from home.</p> + + <p>Yes, Cuffy was feeling very happy as he went prowling along + the border of the forest. He crept in and out of the bushes + that fringed the hay-field, and was having altogether a most + pleasant time; until all at once he stopped short. Cuffy's nose + sniffed the air for a moment, and the hairs on his back + bristled just like those on a dog when he is startled. Cuffy + had caught a strange odor in the air.</p> + + <p>At first he was frightened. But after he had sniffed the air + a few times he decided that whatever it was that he smelled, it + had a good, pleasant odor, and made him think of something to + eat.</p> + + <p>So Cuffy Bear began to nose about among the bushes. And + presently he discovered, hidden away beneath a clump of ferns, + a basket of delicious food. It was the haymakers' lunch that + Cuffy had found. And he lost no time. He began to eat as fast + as he could. Yes—I am very sorry to say that Cuffy + actually <i>gobbled</i> Farmer Green's lunch. And he was so + greedy that a strange thing happened to him.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XIV" + id="XIV"></a>XIV</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY LIKES BAKED BEANS</h3> + + <p>Cuffy Bear found many good things in Farmer Green's lunch + basket. He bolted all the bread-and-butter, and the doughnuts; + and he found the custard pie to be about as enjoyable as any + dainty he had ever tasted. And then, with his little black face + all smeared with streaks of yellow custard, Cuffy began to poke + a small iron pot which stood in one corner of the big basket. + Presently the pot tipped over, its cover fell off, and soon + Cuffy was devouring the daintiest dish of all! Baked beans! Of + course, he didn't know the name of those delicious, brown, + mealy kernels. But that made no difference at all to Cuffy. So + long as he liked what he was eating the name of it never + troubled him. The only thing that annoyed Cuffy now was that + the pot was not bigger. There were still a few beans which + clung to the bottom; and try as he would, Cuffy could not reach + them, even with his tongue.</p> + + <p>He was sitting on the ground, with the pot between his legs, + and his nose stuck into it as far as Cuffy could get it. But + still he could not reach those beans in the bottom. And pretty + soon Cuffy began to lose his temper. He stood up and gave a + good, hard push against the ground. And so he managed to + squeeze his nose a little further into the bean-pot. And now, + to his huge delight, he could just reach the bottom of the pot + with his long under-lip. In a twinkling Cuffy had all the beans + in his mouth. And he would have grinned—he felt so + happy—if his nose hadn't been wedged so tightly into the + pot that he couldn't even smile.</p> + + <p>Since there were no more beans to be had out of <i>that</i> + pot, Cuffy lifted his head. And to his great astonishment the + bean-pot came right up off the ground too, almost as if it were + alive. It startled Cuffy, until he saw that it was he who + lifted the pot, on his own nose.</p> + + <p>He seized the bean-pot and pulled. But his paws were so + greasy with butter that he couldn't get a good grip on it. The + pot still stuck on his nose as fast as ever.</p> + + <p>Cuffy grunted. He couldn't really have said anything, with + his mouth deep in the iron pot. So he just grunted in a pouting + sort of way; and then he gave the pot a sharp rap against a + rock. That hurt his nose. And this time he growled—as + well as he could. But all his grunting and growling didn't + frighten the bean-pot the slightest bit. There it stayed, + perched on his nose just as if it would never come off.</p> + + <p>All this time the mowing-machine kept up a + <i>click-clack-click-clack</i>! And Cuffy thought that he had + better get out of sight. So he plunged into the forest and + started toward home. He felt very uncomfortable, for he began + to wonder whether he would ever get rid of that troublesome + pot. What puzzled him most was this thought: How would he ever + be able to eat again, with that horrid thing over his nose? + Cuffy was very fond of riddles; but here was one that he did + not like at all.</p> + + <p>When he reached home his father and mother and Silkie all + laughed so hard at the sight of him that Cuffy began to + whimper. And a big tear rolled from each eye, ran down the + bean-pot, and dropped off the bottom of it.</p> + + <p>And then, with just one tug Mr. Bear pulled the bean-pot off + his son's nose; and Cuffy was himself again.</p> + + <p>He escaped a punishing, too, that time. And Mrs. Bear was + very glad to get such a nice iron pot. She had wanted one for a + long time.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XV" + id="XV"></a>XV</h3> + + <h3>HUNTING FOR A BEE-TREE</h3> + + <p>It was a very hot summer's day. Even up on Blue Mountain + Cuffy Bear felt the heat. And he wished that he might get rid + of his thick coat. But though Cuffy was beginning to believe + himself a very wise little bear, he could think of no way to + slip off his heavy black fur. So he sat down in the shade of a + big tree, where the breeze blew upon him, and tried to be as + cool as he could.</p> + + <p>Except when he was asleep it was not often that Cuffy was + still for so long. But now he sat motionless for some time, + with his bright red tongue hanging out of his mouth like a + dog's. Yes, he was quite still—all but his little, beady, + bright eyes. <i>They</i> kept moving about all the time. And + they saw many things, for something or other is always + happening in the forest.</p> + + <p>Cuffy saw a gray squirrel stick its head up from the crotch + of a tree nearby and peep at him. And he watched a wary old + crow as he rested high in a tree-top and cawed a greeting to + some of his friends who were flying past on their way to Farmer + Green's cornfield. And Cuffy noticed a bee as it lighted on a + wild-flower right in front of him and sucked the sweetness out + of it. But Cuffy didn't pay much attention to that. And since + he soon began to feel cooler he was just wondering what he + would do next when it occurred to him that several bees had + lighted upon the flowers near him, and that they had all flown + off <i>in the same direction</i>.</p> + + <p>All at once Cuffy forgot how hot and uncomfortable he had + been; for now he was wondering if those bees weren't all of + them flying home to make honey out of the sweet juices they had + drawn from the flowers. And if they were—and if he could + only follow them—then he would find the tree where they + lived and he could have all the honey he wanted to eat.</p> + + <p>So Cuffy followed on a little way in the direction in which + the bees had disappeared. And then he sat down again and waited + and watched very carefully.</p> + + <p>For a long time nothing happened. And Cuffy was just about + to give up his plan when a bee came buzzing past him and + lighted on a mulberry blossom right above his head. And when + the bee flew away, Cuffy followed him until he lost sight of + him. And then Cuffy sat down once more. Again he waited and + watched. And again, just as he was getting discouraged, another + bee flew past him and Cuffy jumped up and followed <i>him</i> + just as fast as he could.</p><a name="image004" + id="image004"></a> + + <div class="figcenter" + style="width: 466px;"> + <img src="images/image004.jpg" + width="466" + height="640" + alt="The Bees Were Right There Waiting for Cuffy" /> + <span class="caption">The Bees Were Right There + Waiting for Cuffy</span> + </div> + + <p>Cuffy Bear must have spent as much as two hours doing that + same thing over and over again. But he didn't mind that. In + fact, it didn't seem long to him, at all, because he kept + thinking of <i>honey</i> all the time, and it made a sort of + <i>game</i> of what he was doing. If he won the game, you know, + it meant that he was going to have something very nice for a + prize.</p> + + <p>And sure enough, finally one of the bees Cuffy was following + lighted on an old tree, and Cuffy saw him crawl into a hole in + a queer nest which hung from a limb, and vanish. And as Cuffy + stood there, looking up at the nest, he saw as many as seven + bees come out of that hole and fly away.</p> + + <p>Then Cuffy smiled all over his face, he felt so happy. At + last he had found a bee-tree. There was no doubt about it. The + time he had always wished for had come. He was going to have + all the honey he could eat.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XVI" + id="XVI"></a>XVI</h3> + + <h3>THE BEES STING CUFFY</h3> + + <p>As Cuffy Bear stood there on his hind legs looking up at the + nest in the old tree he saw so many bees come out and fly away + that he thought that there could not be any bees left at + home—at least, not more than a half-dozen. And Cuffy + didn't believe that six bees would trouble him. There was one + good thing in having a coat like his, he told himself: even if + it was warm in summer, it was so thick that he didn't see how a + bee could sting him through it.</p> + + <p>And with that, Cuffy started to climb the old tree. It took + him no time at all to hitch himself up the trunk. He shinned up + just as any little boy would climb a tree. And in less time + than it takes to tell it, Cuffy had reached the limb from which + the nest hung, and he had stuck his paw right through the side + of it.</p> + + <p>You remember that something is always happening in the + forest? Well—something happened now. Suddenly a terrible + roar came from inside the nest. It was a queer, far-off sort of + sound, and it made Cuffy think of the noise Swift River made, + where it tumbled over the falls. But Cuffy knew that there + could be no water-fall inside the nest. He wondered if there + was some strange animal in there.... And he drew back his paw + very quickly. And then there came pouring out of the nest a + perfect cloud of bees, every one of them buzzing as loud as + ever he could.</p> + + <p>Cuffy was startled at the sight. And he was more startled + when they flew right into his face and lighted on his nose and + began to sting.</p> + + <p>Cuffy roared with the pain. Yes—he gave such a great + roar that he couldn't hear the bees at all. But the bees didn't + seem to mind that. <i>They</i> weren't afraid. They just kept + on stinging. And they went for Cuffy's eyes, too. And some of + them even crawled down his ears. <i>That</i> was the worst of + all.</p> + + <p>Just for a few moments Cuffy slapped at the bees. And he + tried to brush them off his face. But as fast as he swept them + away from one spot they settled on another. And Cuffy felt + exactly as if somebody was sticking him with pins and needles. + He forgot all about taking any of the honey to eat. He only + wanted to get away from those bees. So he began to slide down + the tree.</p> + + <p>But Cuffy soon saw that the bees intended to go right along + with him. They seemed to have no idea at all of staying at + home, and as he scrambled down the tree Cuffy thought very + quickly. He hadn't put a paw on the ground before he knew what + he was going to do. Cuffy Bear ran straight for the brook that + goes tumbling down Blue Mountain to meet Swift River.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XVII" + id="XVII"></a>XVII</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY BEAR GOES SWIMMING</h3> + + <p>As Cuffy Bear tore through the forest, with the bees + clustering all about his head, he thought he never would reach + the brook. He was going straight for the deep pool, which he + had often visited in order to watch the speckled trout darting + about in the clear water.</p> + + <p>Now and then Cuffy paused in his mad rush, to bury his face + in the thick blanket of dead leaves that covered the ground. + But just as soon as he raised his head the bees would settle on + his face again. And Cuffy would rush off once more as fast as + he could go.</p> + + <p>At last he came to the brook. And he leaped right off the + big boulder that hung high over the pool and landed + <i>ker-splash!</i> right in the middle of it. How the water did + fly in all directions! And Cuffy went right down out of + sight.</p> + + <p>Of course, the bees wouldn't go down into the water too. + They knew they'd be drowned if they did. So they lingered in a + swarm above the water. They hovered there in the air and + waited. And when, after a moment, Cuffy's head came up out of + the pool, they swooped down and began to sting him again.</p> + + <p>Cuffy promptly ducked his head. And he swam under water to + the further side of the pool and came up once more. To his + surprise the bees were right there waiting for him. And he + ducked under again, and swam to the opposite side, near the big + boulder. And once more, when he came up to breathe, he found + the buzzing bees all ready to pounce upon his nose.</p> + + <p>So poor Cuffy had to keep pulling his head down into the + pool. He would keep it there just as long as he could hold his + breath; and then he would simply <i>have</i> to stick his nose + out of the water in order to draw some fresh air into his + lungs.</p> + + <p>It was not long before Cuffy became very tired from so much + swimming. So he found a shallow place where he could stand on + the bottom of the brook, with just enough water to cover him, + and where he could poke his nose out whenever he had to. And + just as often as his little black nose came up above the + surface of the pool the bees lighted on it and stung Cuffy + again.</p> + + <p>All the rest of the afternoon poor Cuffy had to stay there + in the water. For the bees did not leave him until sundown. And + then, when the last one had gone, Cuffy crawled out of the + brook and started toward home. His little round body and his + sturdy little legs were not warm now, as they had been when he + sat down beneath the tree to get cool. For the mountain brook + was ice-cold; and Cuffy felt quite numb from standing in it so + long. But cold as he was, his face felt like fire. And for some + reason, which Cuffy couldn't understand, he could hardly see to + pick his way through the shadows of the forest.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XVIII" + id="XVIII"></a>XVIII</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY FRIGHTENS HIS MOTHER</h3> + + <p>When Cuffy Bear reached home, after his adventure with the + bees, he found that his father and mother and his sister Silkie + were just sitting down to their evening meal. Cuffy didn't + speak to them as he came into the room where they were. He felt + too miserable to say a word, with his face aching and burning, + and a terrible smarting in his eyes. So he just stumbled inside + the room and tried to make himself as small as he could, so he + wouldn't be noticed.</p> + + <p>Cuffy's parents and his little sister all looked at the + little bear who had come into their house without even a knock. + And his father said, in a cross voice—</p> + + <p>"Go away, little bear. Where are your manners?"</p> + + <p>Cuffy didn't know what to make of that. He didn't know what + his father meant. So he just stood there and stared.</p> + + <p>"What do you want?" his father asked him. "Whose little bear + are you? And whatever is the matter with your face?"</p> + + <p>Actually, Cuffy's own father didn't know him. And neither + did his mother or his sister. You see, Cuffy's face was so + swollen from the bees' stings that his face did not look like a + little bear's face at all. His nose, instead of being smooth + and pointed, was one great lump. And he hadn't a sign of an + eye—just two slits.</p> + + <p>"What's the matter with you?" Mr. Bear asked again. "Are you + ill? Have you the black measles?"</p> + + <p>At that, Mrs. Bear rose hastily from the table and snatched + Silkie up from her high-chair and took her right out of the + room. The thought of black measles frightened Mrs. Bear. You + know, they are ever so much worse than <i>plain</i> measles. + And she was afraid Silkie would catch them.</p> + + <p>Well, poor Cuffy felt more miserable than ever. He saw that + his own family didn't know him. And he wondered what was going + to become of him. Then, when his father told him very sternly + to leave his house at once, Cuffy began to cry.</p> + + <p>"Oh! oh! oh!" he sobbed. "It's me—it's only me!" he + cried. That very morning, at breakfast, his father had told him + to say "It is I," instead of "It is <i>me</i>." But Cuffy + forgot all about that, now.</p> + + <p>"What! Are you my Cuffy?" his father exclaimed. For he knew + Cuffy at last. You see, the bees hadn't stung Cuffy's + <i>voice</i>. And in no time at all Cuffy was tucked into his + little bed and his mother was gently licking his poor, aching + face with her tongue. Among bears that is thought to be the + very best thing to do for bee-stings.</p> + + <p>After a while Cuffy stopped crying. And it was not long + before he had fallen asleep.</p> + + <p>But it was two days before Cuffy Bear felt really himself + again. And then his father went off into the forest with him + and Cuffy led the way to the bee-tree; for Mr. Bear knew enough + about bees so that he could take their honey away from them + without getting stung badly. He didn't mind just a <i>few</i> + stings, you know.</p> + + <p>Well—what do you think happened? When they came to the + old tree Mr. Bear took just one look at the nest into which + Cuffy had thrust his paw. And then he began to laugh, though he + was somewhat disappointed, as you will see.</p> + + <p>"Those aren't bees!" he told Cuffy. "That's a hornets' + nest!... We'd get no honey there."</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XIX" + id="XIX"></a>XIX</h3> + + <h3>THE LITTLE BEAR PETER</h3> + + <p>One day late in the summer Cuffy Bear went blackberrying. + And on his way home he stopped at the deep pool where the + hornets had chased him. He stayed there for a little while to + watch the speckled trout as their bright sides flashed out of + the depths of the clear water. As Cuffy stood on the big + boulder and looked down, he could see himself quite plainly, + reflected in the still surface of the water. He waved a paw. + And the little bear in the brook waved <i>his</i> paw too. Of + course Cuffy knew that it was himself he saw. But he pretended + for a time that it was some other little bear who was playing + with him. And he was having lots of fun.</p><a name="image005" + id="image005"></a> + + <div class="figcenter" + style="width: 469px;"> + <img src="images/image005.jpg" + width="469" + height="640" + alt="Cuffy Received a Slap on His Nose" /> + <span class="caption">Cuffy Received a Slap on His + Nose</span> + </div> + + <p>You see, Mr. Bear's family was the only bear family for + miles and miles around. And Cuffy often wished he had other + little boy-bears to play with. To be sure, he had his sister, + Silkie. But she was a girl, and younger than he was, + besides.</p> + + <p>Well! Cuffy danced a jig on the top of the big boulder. And + the little bear down below danced a jig, too. And Cuffy waved + his paw again at the little bear in the water. And once more + the little bear in the water waved a paw at <i>him</i>. It was + great sport. And then Cuffy happened to look up.</p> + + <p>To his great surprise, there stood a little bear on the + other bank of the brook, right opposite. Cuffy was astonished. + The other little bear and the little bear in the brook looked + as much alike as two peas. Cuffy had never known that he could + see a picture of himself by looking anywhere except into water. + It was very strange, he thought. He waved a paw. And the little + bear on the other bank waved <i>his</i> paw. Cuffy kicked up + one of his hind legs. And the other little bear kicked up, + too.</p> + + <p>Cuffy was puzzled. Was it really himself he was looking at? + He nodded his head. And the other little bear nodded <i>his</i> + head.</p> + + <p>Then Cuffy tried something else. He stared very hard at the + little bear opposite him, and called "Hello!"</p> + + <p>"Hello, yerself!" the other little bear said. And then Cuffy + knew that it was a real, live boy-bear over there, and not just + a reflection of himself. Cuffy was so delighted that he jumped + down off the boulder and splashed through the brook, he was in + such a hurry to get over there where the strange bear + stood.</p> + + <p>"What's yer name?" the strange bear asked.</p> + + <p>Cuffy told him. And he learned that the strange bear's name + was Peter, and that he lived around on the other side of Blue + Mountain, as many as ten miles away.</p> + + <p>"Aw—call me <i>Pete</i>," the new bear said, as Cuffy + began to talk to him. "They all calls me Pete." He stuffed his + front paws into the pockets of his ragged trousers. "Say, + Cuff—what was yer doin' up on that rock?"</p> + + <p>"Playing!" Cuffy told him.</p> + + <p>Pete gave a grunt. "That's no way ter play," he said. "I'll + show yer how ter have fun. Watch me!" He led the way to the + bank. And sitting down, he slid and rolled all the way down the + steep slope and landed <i>plump!</i> in the deep pool.</p> + + <p>Now, Cuffy was not going to have Pete think that he couldn't + do that, too. Although he was wearing his best trousers that + day (for his mother was mending his every-day pair), Cuffy sat + down on the top of the bank. And in another moment he had slid + and slipped down the bank and landed <i>ker-splash!</i> in the + water.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XX" + id="XX"></a>XX</h3> + + <h3>LEARNING TO BOX</h3> + + <p>For some time Cuffy Bear and his new friend Pete, as he + preferred to be called, continued to slide down the bank of the + brook into the water. They became plastered with mud from head + to foot. And Cuffy's best trousers had two big holes in them. + But Cuffy was having a splendid time.</p> + + <p>"Let's box, Cuff!" Pete exclaimed, after a while.</p> + + <p>"What's that?" Cuffy asked. He liked to be called "Cuff." + Nobody had ever called him by that name before. He felt quite + grown up.</p> + + <p>"I'll show yer," Pete said. "Stand up in front of me."</p> + + <p>Cuffy stood up on his hind legs.</p> + + <p>"Now, hold up yer paws—so."</p> + + <p>And Cuffy did as he was told.</p> + + <p>"Now hit me!" Pete ordered.</p> + + <p>And Cuffy struck out at his new friend. But to his surprise + he didn't succeed in touching Pete at all. Instead, he received + a stinging slap right on the end of his nose.</p> + + <p>Cuffy didn't like that. In fact, it made him somewhat angry. + And he struck out at Pete once more. But Pete dodged; and he + gave Cuffy a good, hard blow in the eye. And while Cuffy was + holding onto his poor eye, Pete hit his other eye. And then + Cuffy couldn't see a thing, except bright spots that made him + think of stars. He tried not to cry. But a few tears + <i>would</i> go rolling down his cheeks. And he did not like it + at all when Pete began to laugh.</p> + + <p>"Huh! Don't be a cry-baby!" Pete said. "Yer want ter learn + ter box, don't yer?"</p> + + <p>"Y-es!" Cuffy answered.</p> + + <p>"Well—quit yer cryin' and stand up here, then," Pete + commanded.</p> + + <p>So once more Cuffy straightened up and held his paws in + front of him. And when he thought Pete wasn't watching, Cuffy + tried again to hit him. Again Cuffy missed. His paw didn't + reach Pete at all. But Pete gave him a terrible poke right in + the stomach, and Cuffy sat down quickly on the ground and began + to groan.</p> + + <p>Pete sat down on the ground too and he looked at Cuffy and + grinned.</p> + + <p>"Want any more?" he asked.</p> + + <p>Cuffy shook his head.</p> + + <p>"I'll have to go home now," he said. "Of course, I'd like to + box some more; but I haven't time to-day."</p> + + <p>"First lesson's over, then," Pete announced. "Come back + termorrer and I'll give yer another."</p> + + <p>"How long will it be before I learn to box well?" Cuffy + inquired.</p> + + <p>"You might learn next time," Pete said, "Better try it, + anyhow," he advised.</p> + + <p>"All right!" Cuffy said. He hoped that another time he would + be able to show Pete how it felt to be pounded. "All + right—I'll be here at the same time to-morrow."</p> + + <p>So Pete trotted off spryly in one direction; and Cuffy + trotted off in another, but not quite so spryly, for his head + ached and one of his eyes was closed tight.</p> + + <p>"Mercy sakes!" Mrs. Bear said, when Cuffy came into the + house. "Look at those trousers!"</p> + + <p>Cuffy looked at them as well as he could with his one good + eye.</p> + + <p>"And you're <i>covered</i> with mud!" his mother added + severely. "What's the matter with your eye?" she demanded.</p> + + <p>"I've been having fun—" Cuffy began. "I've been + boxing—"</p> + + <p>"Fun! Boxing! You've <i>ruined</i> your best trousers," she + said. "You're a naughty little bear and you're going straight + to bed. Who has been playing with you?" she asked.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Bear was very much displeased when she learned about + Cuffy's new friend. "I know who he is," she said. "His people + are very rough. They're not nice bears at all. And I forbid you + aver to play with that Peter again."</p> + + <p>So Cuffy had to go to bed. And the next day when Pete + arrived at the pool he found no Cuffy there. For some time he + waited. But still there was no Cuffy.</p> + + <p>"Huh!" Pete grunted, as he went away at last. "He's afraid, + he is. And it's a good thing for him he didn't come back. If he + had, I'd 'a' fixed him. Yes, sir! I'd—" Whatever it was + that Peter would have done to Cuffy, I am sure it wouldn't have + been at all pleasant, because the rough little bear Peter + scowled frightfully as he trotted off.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XXI" + id="XXI"></a>XXI</h3> + + <h3>THE FOREST FIRE</h3> + + <p>It was quite late in the fall. And Blue Mountain looked very + different from the way it had looked all summer. The leaves had + turned to brown and yellow and scarlet, except where there were + clumps of fir-trees, as there were around Mr. Bear's house. + Indeed, Blue Mountain looked almost as if it were all aflame, + so bright were the autumn colors. Mr. Bear remarked as much to + Mrs. Bear one day.</p> + + <p>"For goodness' sake, don't say that!" she exclaimed. "Don't + mention fire to me. The very thought of it makes me nervous. + Everything's <i>so</i> dry! I shall be glad when it rains + again."</p> + + <p>"It <i>is</i> dry," Mr. Bear agreed. "But don't worry. It's + like this every fall." And he went slowly down the + mountain.</p> + + <p>Cuffy and Silkie were playing together that morning. Cuffy + was teaching Silkie to box, though, to be sure, he knew very + little about boxing. But he found it easy to tap Silkie on the + nose. And he had tapped her so hard that Mrs. Bear heard a + sound very much like quarreling; and she came to the door to + see what was the trouble.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Bear was just going to call to her children, when she + noticed a peculiar odor in the air. And she stood quite still, + and sniffed, just as Cuffy had when he smelled the haymakers' + lunch. You remember that the more Cuffy sniffed, the less + alarmed he had been. But it was different with Mrs. Bear. The + longer she stood there, with her nose twitching, and snuffing + up the air, the more uneasy she became. And pretty soon she saw + something that gave her a great start.</p> + + <p>It was something white that Mrs. Bear saw, and it hung over + the tree-tops; and where the wind had caught it it was spun out + thin, like a veil.</p> + + <p>It was exactly what Mrs. Bear had feared—it was smoke! + The forest was afire! And Mrs. Bear was very much alarmed. She + sent Cuffy and Silkie into the house, because she wanted to be + sure that they wouldn't wander off into the woods. And then + their mother stood in the doorway and watched. She was looking + for Mr. Bear. While she waited there the smoke kept rising more + and more until there were great clouds of it; and at last Mrs. + Bear could see red flames licking up to the tops of the + trees.</p> + + <p>Several deer came bounding past, and a great number of + rabbits and squirrels. And then followed other animals that + couldn't run so fast—such as raccoons, and skunks, and + woodchucks. Not for years had Mrs. Bear seen so many of the + forest-people—and they were all so frightened, and in + such a hurry to get away from the fire, that not one of them + noticed Mrs. Bear as she stood in her doorway.</p> + + <p>"Where are they going, Mother?" It was Cuffy who asked the + question. He had crept up behind his mother and had been + looking at the strange sight for some time.</p> + + <p>"They're going over to the lake, on the other side of the + mountain," Mrs. Bear said.</p> + + <p>"Are they going fishing?" Cuffy inquired.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Bear shook her head. And then Cuffy squeezed past her + and saw what was happening.</p> + + <p>"Oh-h, hurrah! hurrah!" he shouted.</p> + + <p>His mother looked at him in astonishment.</p> + + <p>"It's father's birthday!" he cried. You remember that + Cuffy's mother had told him that Mr. Bear was born on the day + of a great forest fire, and that he never had a birthday except + when the woods caught fire again. "Now maybe father will bring + home another little pig for a feast!" Cuffy said hopefully.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XXII" + id="XXII"></a>XXII</h3> + + <h3>THE RAIN COMES</h3> + + <p>Cuffy Bear was disappointed. For when at last his father + came galloping up to his house he brought no pig with him. + Indeed he seemed to have forgotten that it was his + birthday.</p> + + <p>"Get the children!" he shouted to Mrs. Bear, as soon as he + came in sight. And pretty soon Cuffy and Silkie and their + father and mother were hurrying along on their way to the lake + that lay on the other side of the mountain.</p> + + <p>Cuffy was delighted. He thought that perhaps he would see + the naughty little bear Peter again; for he remembered that + Peter lived around the mountain, right where they were + going.</p> + + <p>They had travelled several miles when Mr. Bear stopped + suddenly. And he said, "Hah!" And he looked up at the sky. + Something had hit him right in the eye. You might think that + Mr. Bear was angry. But no! He was very glad. For it was a drop + of rain that had fallen upon him. And in a few minutes there + were countless drops pattering down. Yes, soon it was raining + hard. And to Cuffy's great disappointment they all started + homewards again, for Mr. Bear knew that the rain would soon put + the fire out.</p> + + <p>Mr. Bear had known all the time that his house wouldn't + burn; for it was made of rock, and went straight into the side + of the mountain. But he knew that if the woods all around + caught fire it would be several days before they could go out + and get anything to eat, or even a drink of water. And that was + why he had started to lead his family away.</p> + + <p>When they were back in their house once more Cuffy could + think of only one thing that would make up for his not having + seen the small bear Peter again. And he climbed up on his + father's knees and said—</p> + + <p>"Will you go and get a little pig, Father?"</p> + + <p>"A <i>pig</i>?" Mr. Bear exclaimed. "Well, now—why on + earth do you want a pig? What would you do with a pig?"</p> + + <p>"I'd eat it," Cuffy answered promptly. "It's your birthday, + you know. And we ought to have a pig so we can have a real + feast."</p> + + <p>Mr. Bear smiled. And pretty soon he went out of the house. + He was gone a long time. But at last he came back again, fairly + staggering beneath the load that he carried.</p> + + <p>When Cuffy saw what his father dropped down onto the floor + he hopped up and down in his delight. There was no pig there, + but Cuffy didn't mind that. For Mr. Bear had brought home four + rabbits, and four squirrels, and four porcupines, and four + raccoons. And Cuffy ate and ate until his skin grew so tight + that he was afraid it would burst. He ate all of one rabbit, + and one squirrel, and one raccoon. But he never touched his + porcupine at all. It made him think of the time he had tried to + kill a porcupine himself, and had got his paws stuck full of + quills. But he had a real feast, just the same.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="XXIII" + id="XXIII"></a>XXIII</h3> + + <h3>CUFFY BEAR GROWS SLEEPY</h3> + + <p>Far up Blue Mountain, and down in the valley too, the leaves + had long ago fallen off the trees. And for some time the ground + had been white with snow; for winter had come again. And Cuffy + Bear's sister Silkie had had a birthday-party the very first + day it snowed. Cuffy and Silkie shouted with glee each morning + now, when they went out of doors, where the earth was covered + with a snow-blanket. And they played and played and had just as + good a time as little boys and girls have when winter comes. As + they scampered about in the door-yard their feet left tracks + that looked exactly like the foot-prints of barefooted girls + and boys. They played tag, and hide-and-seek, and turned + somersaults. And one day, when Mrs. Bear called them into the + house, they ate, each of them, several quarts of chestnuts + which Mr. Bear had gathered and brought home. In fact, before + Mrs. Bear knew it they had eaten a great many more chestnuts + than were good for them. And Cuffy, who had eaten the most, + soon began to have a pain in his stomach.</p> + + <p>"That's what you get for being greedy," his mother told + him.</p> + + <p>"I didn't eat many chestnuts," Cuffy said.</p> + + <p>Mrs. Bear pointed to the floor.</p> + + <p>"What do you call those?" she asked.</p> + + <p>"Chestnut-shells," Cuffy replied, hanging his head. There + was a great heap of shells on the floor where Cuffy had + sat.</p> + + <p>"Pick them all up—every one of them," his mother + ordered. "And when you have finished you may take a + nap—both of you."</p> + + <p>Cuffy yawned.</p> + + <p>"What do you say?" Mrs. Bear asked severely.</p> + + <p>"Excuse me!" Cuffy said hastily.</p> + + <p>"That's better!" said Mrs. Bear. "Now do as I say. You'll be + asleep before you know it. And I don't intend to have those + chestnut shells lying on the floor all winter."</p> + + <p>You may think that that was a queer thing for Mrs. Bear to + say. But when you see what happened, you'll understand what + Mrs. Bear meant.</p> + + <p>As Cuffy and Silkie sat down on the floor and began + gathering up the chestnut-shells they both yawned and yawned. + And since Mrs. Bear had left the room they didn't bother to say + "Excuse me!" They were <i>so</i> sleepy! And before little + Silkie had finished picking up her shells she just rolled + herself up into a round ball and fell fast asleep. As for + Cuffy, being a little older, he managed to stay awake just long + enough to get the floor all nice and clean. And then <i>he</i> + rolled himself into a ball and <i>he</i> went to sleep, right + there on the floor.</p> + + <p>So Mrs. Bear found them when she came back into the room. + She smiled as she saw them. And picking up first one and then + the other she carried them into their little bed-chamber and + put them down gently and covered them over with leaves, so they + would be snug and warm. Yes, Mrs. Bear wanted her children to + be warm, for she knew that they would not wake up again until + spring. She had noticed for several days that Cuffy and Silkie + were growing sleepy. And to tell the truth, Mrs. Bear was + becoming sleepy herself. That very night she and Mr. Bear went + to bed a whole hour earlier than usual. And the next day they + never minded at all how cold it grew outside or how much the + wind howled. For not one of Mr. Bear's family waked up at all! + They just slept and slept and slept, the whole winter long.</p> + + <p>THE END</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + <h3><a name="A_WORD_TO_GROWN_UPS" + id="A_WORD_TO_GROWN_UPS"></a>A WORD TO GROWN UPS</h3> + + <p>To you;—parents, guardians, teachers and all others + upon whom devolves the supremely important responsibility of + directing the early years of development of childhood, this + series of TUCK-ME-IN TALES which sketch such vivid and + delightful scenes of the vibrant life of meadow and woodland + should have tremendous appeal. In this collection of stories + you will find precisely the sort of healthy, imaginative + entertainment that is an essential in stimulating thought-germs + in the child mind.</p> + + <p>Merely from the standpoint of their desirability for helping + the growing tot to pass an idle half hour, any one of these + volumes would be worth your while. But the author had something + further than that in mind. He has, with simplicity and grace, + worthy of high commendation, sought to convey a two-fold lesson + throughout the entire series, the first based upon natural + history and the second upon the elementary principles of living + which should be made clear to every child at the earliest age + of understanding.</p> + + <p>The first of these aims he has accomplished by adapting + every one of his bird characters to its living counterpart in + the realm of biology. The child learns very definite truths + about which the story is woven; learns in such a fascinating + manner that he will not quickly forget, and is brought into + such pleasant intimacy that his immediate sympathy is + aroused.</p> + + <p>The author accomplishes the purpose of driving home simple + lessons on good conduct by attributing the many of the same + traits of character to his feathered heroes and heroines that + are to be found wherever the human race made its habitation. + The praise-worthy qualities of courage, love, unselfishness, + truth, industry, and humility are portrayed in the dealings of + the field and forest folk and the consequential reward of these + virtues is clearly shown; he also reveals the unhappy results + of greed, jealousy, trickery and other character weaknesses. + The effect is to impress indelibly upon the imagination of the + child that certain deeds are their own desirable reward while + certain others are much better left undone.</p> + + <p>If any further recommendation is necessary, would it not be + well to resort to the court of final appeal, the child himself? + Simply purchase a trial copy from your bookseller with the + understanding that if it meets with the disapproval of the + little man or woman for whom it is intended, he will accept its + return.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF JOLLY ROBIN</h3> + + <p>Of course, there is a time when Jolly Robin is only a + nestling. Then one day, after he tumbles out of the apple tree + and falls squawking and fluttering to the ground, he takes his + first lesson in flying. So pleased is Jolly to know that he can + actually sail through the air on his wings, that he goes out + into the wide, wide world to shift for himself. One day, after + advising with Jimmy Rabbit, he decides to become general + laugh-maker to the inhabitants of Pleasant Valley, and he + becomes one of Mother Nature's happiest little feathered folk, + going about trying to make things a bit better in the world. + True, he falls into many blunders and has many strange + experiences, but his intentions are always the best, + remember.</p> + + <p>Slyly tucked away in this story of Jolly Robin and of his + adventures, is much bird lore and philosophy,—both + instructive and entertaining.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF BETSY BUTTERFLY</h3> + + <p>Betsy Butterfly is the owner of a pair of such beautifully + colored wings and her sweet disposition matches them so + perfectly that it is a very common occurrence to hear one of + the tiny dwellers in Farmer Green's meadow remark: "Why, the + sun just has to smile on her!" Of course, any lady so gifted is + bound to have many admirers and Betsy is no exception. But + there are a few of her acquaintances who cannot keep from + showing their jealousy of her popularity and these try in + various unkind ways to make her disliked. The story of how she + politely overlooks these rude attempts, in that way causing + herself to be all the more thought of, is the best sort of + example to any human girl or boy who wishes to know how to be + sure of making friends. You will find that Betsy is a great + girl for giving parties and perhaps she will give you a few + valuable ideas that will be useful sometime when you have a + party of your own.</p><br /> + + + <h3>BUSTER BUMBLEBEE</h3> + + <p>Buster's intentions are all very good, but he is so awkward + and stupid that he constantly stumbles into trouble, thereby + causing his acquaintances much unnecessary discomfiture and + himself no end of embarrassment. He is, furthermore, a terrific + boaster, as you will learn when you read of his many + declarations of the pummeling he would give the ferocious + Robber Fly, if ever he chanced to meet that devouring assassin. + What Buster actually does when the unexpected encounter takes + place will afford you a good laugh at his expense, and, + finally, after you have romped and dallied with him through his + many happy excursions you will close the book with a feeling + that it has done you good to have known him, lazy and + blundering though he is, for he is indeed the best natured + fellow, and he is so anxious to buzz into everything that + attracts his attention that you find you have learned a great + many things you never before dreamed of about the tiny + creatures of the fields.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY</h3> + + <p>Freddie Firefly is most anxious to lighten the cares of his + friends in Pleasant Valley for he is a most unselfish fellow + and enjoys nothing more than seeing other people as happy as + he. He has one grave fault, however, that prevents him from + being a very great help, and that is his inability to remain + long in one place. He is so full of spry gaiety that he never + can be quite content unless he is dancing with his relatives in + the hollow near the swamp or darting about Farmer Green's lawn. + His friends often give him advice as to how he may use the + wonderful light which he always carries with him, and finally + Mrs. Ladybug tells him he should go to the railroad and work as + a signal-man for the trains. You will hold your breath as you + read about the exciting adventure that follows this suggestion, + and you will no doubt agree with those to whom he later tells + it that he is a very lucky Freddie to escape.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF RUSTY WREN</h3> + + <p>Rusty Wren is another little neighbor in Pleasant Valley. + His particular home there is Farmer Green's yard where he lives + in a bright shiny home which is really a tin can with a hole in + it! And dear me! I forgot all about Rusty Wren's + family—his wife and six baby children who had to be given + Wren food by Rusty and little Chippy, Jr. You will laugh + heartily when you read about Chippy growing so big and fat that + he gets stuck in Rusty's tiny doorway and can't get pulled out. + My, what an exciting time it was! And you will laugh again when + you watch Rusty Wren go 'way over to the bank of Black Creek + all ready for a party when there really is no party. Yes, you + will agree with Farmer Green's boy and the rest of our friends + in Pleasant Valley that Rusty certainly is a very interesting + little neighbor.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF DADDY LONG-LEGS</h3> + + <p>Daddy is a person of such unusual appearance with his eight + scrawny legs in contrast to ordinary people's two, and + everything about his private life is such a mystery to his + neighbors that his acquaintances give him credit for having a + marvelous ability to look into the future. In fact, there are + many two-legged humans, even to-day, who think he is a sort of + soothsayer and mystery man. Perhaps, if you are one of these, + you will be inclined to change your mind after reading about + his contest with Old Mr. Crow to see which is really the wiser + of the two. And would you not naturally suppose that anybody + with so many legs to carry him would be the champion walker of + the world? Maybe Daddy finds that it takes time to decide which + of his feet he should put forward in taking the next step, or + may be each separate foot has a notion of its own as to the + direction Daddy should choose; at any rate, he proves to be the + slowest traveler imaginable. But he is so popular among his + neighbors and you will like him too—he has so many quaint + ideas.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF KIDDIE KATYDID</h3> + + <p>Kiddy Katydid and his relatives were in possession of a + secret that none of the Pleasant Valley folk can solve, though + they waste much time and energy trying to guess it. Even to + this day it is doubtful if anyone other than Kiddie himself + really knows what Katy did! But his friends are a curious lot + and they work their brains over-time to think of some scheme to + make Kiddie tell. If you want to know what they do accidentally + discover about Kiddie himself and how excited every body + becomes as the rare news spreads from mouth to mouth, you will + find that and many other remarkable things about him in this + interesting story of his life in the Maple tree that grows in + Farmer Green's yard. You will like Kiddie. He is very modest + and retiring—behaving very much as any well raised + youngster should, and when you understand just how it happens + that he keeps repeating that funny remark about Katy, you can + join him in the hearty laugh he has on his friends.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF OLD MR. CROW</h3> + + <p>Mr. Crow has a very solemn look—unless you regard him + closely. But it is a very sly, knowing look, if you take pains + to stare boldly into his eyes. Like many human beings, he is + fond of clothes, and he particularly likes gay ones, but + perhaps that is because he is so black himself. Anyhow, so long + as he can wear a bright red coat and a yellow necktie—or + a bright red necktie and a yellow coat—he is generally + quite happy. One fall Mr. Crow decides to stay in Pleasant + Valley during the winter, instead of going South, and he + remembers all at once that he will need some warm clothing. + Now, Mr. Frog, the tailor, and Jimmy Rabbit, the shoemaker, + know just how to talk to Mr. Crow to sell their merchandise, + playing upon his vanity to buy the latest, and even to "set the + styles," but they have to be pretty keen and sly to get the + best of Mr. Crow in the end. Mr. Crow has his good points as + well as his bad ones, and he helps Farmer Green a lot more than + he injures him it is said. Nevertheless, Farmer Green does not + figure that way,—and in justice to old "Jim Crow," you + should read of his adventures for yourself.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF SOLOMON OWL</h3> + + <p>All the folks down in Pleasant Valley know Solomon Owl. + Well, it's this way. If you hear Solomon Owl on a dark night + when his "Wha-Wha! Whoo-ah!" sends a chill 'way up your spine, + and if you see him you can never forget him, either. He has + great, big, staring eyes that make you feel queer when you look + at his pale face. No, sir, little folks like Mr. Frog, the + tailor, certainly don't like to have any visits from Solomon + Owl when Solomon has a fine appetite. To be sure, Farmer Green + isn't happy when Solomon steals some of his fine chickens, and + neither are the chickens for that matter. But Solomon doesn't + have all the fun on some one else. Oh no! Reddy Woodpecker + knows how to tease him by tapping with his bill on Solomon's + wooden house in the daytime, when every owl likes to sleep and + dream of all the nice frogs and fat chickens they are going to + feast on the next night, and then, out comes Solomon all + blinking with his big, black eyes. But this wise owl, who + really isn't as wise as he looks, you know, finds a good way to + fool Reddy and the rest of the folks who like to annoy him, and + lives his own happy life.</p><br /> + + + <h3>THE TALE OF JASPER JAY</h3> + + <p>Jasper Jay really is a good sort of a fellow even though he + does make a dreadful racket when he is around; but that is his + way of talking. He just likes to tease for the fun of teasing + and so naturally he gets into lots of scraps and seems bound to + get into more. Of course, lots of folks in Pleasant Valley + don't like him because he plays tricks and pranks on them and + makes them feel all ruffled up. Why, he even thinks he can + spoil the Singing Society, but do you know, the Society fools + Jasper himself. And that time Jimmy Rabbit teaches Jasper Jay + some manners down by the cedar tree—the poor jay stays + there until his feet are frozen in the water before he finds + out—well—you may discover for yourself what happens + next.</p> + <hr style="width: 65%;" /> + <p> </p> + <h3>ILLUSTRATIONS FROM OTHER SLEEPY-TIME TALES</h3> + <h4>by</h4> + <h3>ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY</h3> + <p> </p> + <a name="image006" + id="image006"></a> + + <div class="figcenter" + style="width: 622px;"> + <img src="images/image006.jpg" + width="622" + height="475" + alt="End Page 1" /> + </div> + + <p class="center"><a href="images/006big.jpg">Link to larger + illustrations.</a></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + <a name="image007" + id="image007"></a> + + <div class="figcenter" + style="width: 618px;"> + <img src="images/image007.jpg" + width="618" + height="475" + alt="End Page 2" /> + </div> + + <p class="center"><a href="images/007big.jpg">Link to larger + illustrations.</a></p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 15528-h.txt or 15528-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/5/2/15528">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/5/2/15528</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Smith + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Tale of Cuffy Bear + + +Author: Arthur Scott Bailey + +Release Date: April 4, 2005 [eBook #15528] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Govert Schipper, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 15528-h.htm or 15528-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/5/2/15528/15528-h/15528-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/5/2/15528/15528-h.zip) + + + + + +Sleepy-Time Tales + +THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR + +by + +ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY + +Illustrated by Harry L. Smith + +New York +Grosset & Dunlap +Publishers + +1915 + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Cuffy Gave It One Good, Hard Cuff] + + + + +-------------------------------+ + | | + | _SLEEPY-TIME TALES_ | + | by | + | ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY | + | ---- | + | THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR | + | THE TALE OF FRISKY SQUIRREL | + | THE TALE OF TOMMY FOX | + | THE TALE OF FATTY COON | + | THE TALE OF BILLY WOODCHUCK | + | THE TALE OF JIMMY RABBIT | + | THE TALE OF PETER MINK | + | THE TALE OF SANDY CHIPMUNK | + | THE TALE OF BROWNIE BEAVER | + | THE TALE OF PADDY MUSKRAT | + | | + +-------------------------------+ + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I CUFFY WAKES UP + + II CUFFY BEAR FINDS A PORCUPINE + + III CUFFY AND THE WONDERFUL SPRING + + IV CUFFY LEARNS SOMETHING + + V CUFFY AND THE MAPLE-SUGAR + + VI CUFFY MEETS A MAN + + VII THE ICE GOES OUT OF THE RIVER + + VIII CUFFY LEARNS TO SWIM + + IX A SURPRISE + + X CUFFY CLIMBS BLUE MOUNTAIN + + XI MRS. EAGLE IS ANGRY + + XII CUFFY BEAR GOES TO MARKET + + XIII HAYING-TIME + + XIV CUFFY LIKES BAKED BEANS + + XV HUNTING FOR A BEE-TREE + + XVI THE BEES STING CUFFY + + XVII CUFFY BEAR GOES SWIMMING + +XVIII CUFFY FRIGHTENS HIS MOTHER + + XIX THE LITTLE BEAR PETER + + XX LEARNING TO BOX + + XXI THE FOREST FIRE + + XXII THE RAIN COMES + +XXIII CUFFY BEAR GROWS SLEEPY + + + + + +I + +CUFFY WAKES UP + + +Far up on the side of Blue Mountain lived Cuffy Bear with his father and +mother and his little sister Silkie. Mr. Bear's house was quite the +finest for many miles around. It was what people call a cave, being made +entirely of stone, and so there was no danger of its ever catching fire; +and since it was built straight into the side of the mountain the roof +was so very, very thick that Cuffy's father never had to worry for fear +a tree would fall upon his house and hurt his family. No matter how hard +the wind blew, Mr. Bear was never afraid of that. + +Little Cuffy was not a bad bear at heart. But often when he was playing +with Silkie, his sister, he would lose his temper and cuff her on the +head and make her cry. Then his father or his mother would cuff _him_. +Somehow, he never could learn not to strike out when he became angry. +That was why he was called Cuffy. It happened sometimes that a day or +two would pass without Cuffy's cuffing his sister. And Mr. Bear and Mrs. +Bear would begin to think that at last Cuffy had been cured of his bad +habit. + +"I do believe the child is growing better mannered," Mrs. Bear would say +to her husband, as they watched their son and daughter playing upon the +floor. And then just as likely as not, the first thing they knew Cuffy +would give Silkie a good, hard box on the ear, or a slap right on the +end of her nose. + +But for a long time every winter Cuffy was never naughty. You might +think that that was just before Christmas. But no--it was not then. All +winter long Cuffy was just as good as any little bear could be. He was +good because he was asleep! You see--when cold weather came, Mr. and +Mrs. Bear and their children stayed in their cozy house, which was snug +and warm, and slept and slept and slept for weeks and weeks until spring +came. + +Now, this tale begins on the very first day of spring. And on that day +Mr. Bear waked up. He rose slowly to his feet, for his bones felt stiff +because he had been asleep for such a long time. And he was hungry--oh! +very hungry, because he had not eaten anything for months and months, +since he went to sleep at the beginning of winter. + +He went to the door of his house and looked out. And he saw that the +weather was warm and fine. So he stepped back into the bedroom and +said-- + +_"Ou-e-e-ee!"_ Just like that. And then Mrs. Bear awaked. "Spring has +come," Mr. Bear told her, "and I am going out to fetch something to eat. +Wake up Cuffy and Silkie and tell them that it is time to get up." + +Gently Mrs. Bear roused Cuffy and Silkie. + +"Come, children! Run out and play and get your lungs full of nice, fresh +air. Now, be good and don't go far away!" she said. + + + + +II + +CUFFY BEAR FINDS A PORCUPINE + + +For a few minutes Cuffy stood in the doorway and blinked and blinked. He +rubbed his eyes, for the bright sunlight hurt them. But soon he and +Silkie were frisking and tumbling about in the front-yard. + +After a little while Cuffy remembered that there was an old tree over in +the pine woods--just the finest tree to climb that anybody could want. + +"Let's go over to the old tree and play," Cuffy said. + +"But Mother told us not to go far away," Silkie reminded him. + +"Oh! I don't care," Cuffy said. "Besides, we'll be back before she +knows it." + +But Silkie would not go with him. So naughty Cuffy started off alone for +the pine woods. He found the old tree. It seemed smaller than he +expected. The reason for that was because Cuffy himself had grown tall +during the months that he had spent in sleep. + +He climbed the tree to the very top and as he looked down over the snow +he saw something moving a little way off. Whatever it was, it was much +smaller than Cuffy himself, so he was not afraid. And he scrambled down +to the ground and ran as fast as he could go to the place where he saw +the small thing moving. Cuffy wanted to see what it was. He was always +like that. + +Cuffy found a little animal covered with stiff, sharp quills and he knew +that it was a porcupine. And all at once Cuffy felt very hungry. He +remembered that his father had sometimes brought home porcupine meat +and--yes, Cuffy actually smacked his lips! His mother was always telling +him not to smack his lips, but Cuffy forgot all about it now. + +As Cuffy came running up Mr. Porcupine rolled himself into a round ball +and lay perfectly still. Now, Cuffy remembered that his father had often +told him never to touch a porcupine, because if he should he would get +his paws stuck full of quills. But now Cuffy decided that he would show +his father that he too was clever enough to kill a porcupine. So he +stepped close to the little round, prickly ball and gave it one good, +hard cuff. + +The next instant Cuffy gave a howl of pain. He was so angry that he +struck the porcupine once more with his other front-paw. + +Again Cuffy howled! Now both his front-paws were full of quills. They +looked just like pincushions. And as Cuffy saw what had happened he +began to cry. He wanted his mother. + +So home he started. All the way he had to walk on his hind legs, because +it hurt him terribly whenever he put one of his front-paws on the +ground. + +Cuffy wept very hard when Mrs. Bear pulled out the quills. And his paws +were so sore that he could not feed himself. His mother had to put into +his mouth bits of the frozen turnips that his father found in Farmer +Green's field. And though afterward Cuffy did many things that he ought +not to have done, he never, never touched a porcupine again. + + + + +III + +CUFFY AND THE WONDERFUL SPRING + + +The pricks of the porcupine's quills made Cuffy Bear's paws so sore that +it was several days before he could run about again. And during all that +time Cuffy was a very good little bear. He did not cuff his sister +Silkie once. You see, he knew it would hurt his sore paws if he did. + +The days were still fine. Cuffy loved to feel the bright sunshine upon +his black coat. It warmed him through and through and he did not care at +all if his feet _did_ get wet in the melting snow. + +At last one afternoon when his paws were quite well again Cuffy strayed +some distance down the side of Blue Mountain, He was alone, because +Silkie was asleep. You know, she was younger than Cuffy and still had to +take naps. Cuffy had slid and tumbled down the mountainside until he was +further from home than he knew. It did seem good to be able to put his +paws upon the ground again without whimpering with pain. And coming to a +short, steep place, Cuffy felt so glad that he actually turned a +somersault and landed in a heap at the foot of the bank. He sat there +for a moment, brushing the soft snow out of his face, when a flash of +light dazzled his eyes. It came from a tree right in front of him. And +Cuffy at once jumped up and ran to see what it was. He found that some +one had fastened a shiny, new tin bucket to the trunk of the tree. + +Cuffy felt that he _must_ have that bucket to play with. He knew that he +could have heaps of fun rolling it about on the ground. And he was just +going to knock it off the hook that held it when he noticed that a small +spout had been driven into the tree just above the bucket. And as Cuffy +stood there on his hind legs, reaching up as high as he could, he saw a +tiny drop fall from the spout and go splash! into the bucket. Then, as +he watched, another drop fell; and another and another and another. +Cuffy wondered where they came from. It must be--he thought--that there +was a spring inside that tree. Yes! he was sure of it, for the bucket +was half full of water. He felt thirsty, for he had not had a drink +since lunch-time. And so Cuffy stuck his head into the pail and took a +good, big swallow. + +The next instant he squealed with joy. It was the nicest water he had +ever tasted in all his life, for it was quite sweet--just as if +somebody had left a heap of honey in the bottom of the bucket. But when +Cuffy licked the end of the spout with his little red tongue he found +that that tasted sweet too. Yes! it certainly was a wonderful spring. +Cuffy was very glad that he had found it. And he decided that he would +drink all he could of the delicious, sweet water and leave the pail +hanging there. Then he could come back the next day and there would be +more of that wonderful water all ready and waiting for him to drink up. + + + + +IV + +CUFFY LEARNS SOMETHING + + +After leaving the wonderful spring Cuffy Bear was so long getting home +that he decided he would not say anything to his father and mother about +what he had found. You see--he was afraid they would tell him not to go +so far away from home again. But Cuffy had not been long in the snug +little house before he had a terrible stomach-ache. He stood the pain as +long as he could without saying anything. But he simply _had_ to hang +onto his little fat stomach with both his front paws. And at last he +began to cry softly. Then Mrs. Bear asked him what he had been doing; +and before Cuffy knew it he had told all about finding the delicious, +sweet water. + +"How much did you drink?" asked his mother. + +"Oh--only a little," Cuffy answered faintly. + +Then Mrs. Bear nodded her head three times. She was very wise--was Mrs. +Bear. And she knew quite well that Cuffy had drunk a great deal too much +of that nice-tasting water. So she made Cuffy lie down and gave him some +peppermint leaves to chew. In a little while he began to feel so much +better that before he knew it he had fallen asleep. + +When Cuffy waked up he found that his father had come home. And soon Mr. +Bear had Cuffy on one knee, and Silkie on the other, and he was telling +them all about maple-sugar. For of course you knew all the time that +what Cuffy had found was not a spring at all--but a sugar-maple tree, +which Farmer Green had tapped so that he might gather the sap and boil +it until it turned to maple-sugar. If Cuffy had gone further down the +mountainside he would have found a great many other trees, each--like +the one he discovered--with a tin bucket hanging on it to catch the +sweet sap. + +"So you see there are many things for little bears to learn," Mr. Bear +said, when he had finished. "And the one _big_ lesson you must learn is +to keep away from men. Farmer Green visits those trees every day to +gather the sap. So you must not go down there again." + +A cold shiver went up and down Cuffy's back at these words. Farmer +Green! Cuffy had heard a great deal about Farmer Green and he certainly +did not want to meet him all alone and far from home. But as soon as the +tickle of that shiver stopped, Cuffy forgot all about his fright. + +"This maple-sugar--does it taste as good as the sweet sap?" he asked his +father. + +"Yes, my son--a hundred times better!" Mr. Bear replied. "I ate some +once And I shall never forget it." + +_A hundred times better!_ After he had gone to bed that night the words +kept ringing in Cuffy's ears. _A hundred times better! A hundred times +better!... A hundred_--And now Cuffy was fast asleep and--I am sorry to +say it--sucking one of his paws for all the world as if it was a piece +of Farmer Green's maple-sugar. + + + + +V + +CUFFY AND THE MAPLE-SUGAR + + +Another day had come and all the morning long Cuffy Bear and his sister +Silkie played and played as hard as they could. They played that they +were making maple-sugar. And they pretended to hang buckets on all the +trees near Mr. Bear's house. There were no maple trees about Cuffy's +home--only pine and hemlock and spruce--but if you are just _pretending_ +to make maple-sugar any sort of tree will do. + +While they were playing Cuffy kept wishing for some _real_ maple-sugar. +After all, the little cakes of snow that he and Silkie made and _called_ +maple-sugar seemed very tasteless, no matter how much Cuffy pretended. +And later, when Silkie was taking her nap, and Cuffy had no one to play +with, he became so angry with the make-believe sugar that he struck the +little pats of snow as hard as he could and spoiled them. And then, +after one look toward the door of his father's house--to make sure that +his mother did not see him--Cuffy started on a trot down the +mountainside. + +What do you suppose he was going to do? + +To tell the truth, Cuffy himself did not quite know. When he came to the +tree that he had found the day before he stopped and drank some of the +sap once more; and he tried to imagine how sugar would taste _a hundred +times sweeter_. Then Cuffy went on down the mountainside. + +At last he spied a little house in a clearing. From its chimney a +stream of smoke rose, and as Cuffy peeped from behind a tree he saw a +man come out and pick up an armful of wood from the woodpile nearby. +While Cuffy watched, the man carried in several loads. Soon the smoke +began fairly to pour out of the chimney; and then the man came out once +more, picked up an axe near the woodpile, and started off toward the +other side of the clearing. + +Cuffy was trembling with excitement. The wind blew right in his face and +brought to him two odors that were quite different. One was the +man-scent, which Cuffy did not like at all, and which made his legs want +to run away. The other smell was most delightfully sweet. And it made +his nose want to go forward. + +Which do you think won--Cuffy's nose or his legs?... Yes! His nose won! +Pretty soon Cuffy slipped from behind the tree and scampered as fast as +he could run to the door of the sugar-house--for that was what he had +found. He stuck his head inside and oh, joy! there was no one there. + +Just inside the door stood a tub full of something brown. One sniff told +Cuffy that it was maple-sugar and he began to gulp great mouthfuls of +it. Yes! his father was right. It certainly was a hundred times sweeter +than the sap. + +In the middle of the room was a big pan which gave off clouds of steam. +Cuffy wanted to see it. And with his mouth full of sugar he walked up to +the pan and looked into it. He saw a golden liquid, and Cuffy felt that +he simply _must_ taste that too. So he dipped both his front paws right +into the bubbling syrup. + + + + +VI + +CUFFY MEETS A MAN + + +And then how Cuffy Bear did roar--just one second after he had stuck his +paws into the steaming pan. You see--he was so greedy that he had never +once stopped to think that the syrup was boiling hot. + +Now, usually if you pick up anything hot you can drop it at once. But it +is not so with hot maple syrup. Cuffy's paws were covered with the +sticky brown stuff. He rubbed them upon his trousers, and he roared +again when he saw what he had done. + +Then Cuffy had a happy thought. He would go out and shove his paws into +a snowbank. That would surely cool them. So out of the sugar-house he +dashed and across the clearing he ran, screaming _"Ough! ough! ough!"_ +at the top of his voice, for the hot syrup made his paws smart terribly. +In his haste Cuffy did not notice that he was headed in the direction in +which the man had disappeared. + +Now it happened that the man who tended the sugar-house fire had gone +only to the edge of the clearing; and when he heard Cuffy's shrieks he +looked around in great surprise. He and Cuffy saw each other at the same +time. And like a flash Cuffy turned and fairly flew the other way. + +The man ran after him for a few steps. But he soon saw that he could +never catch Cuffy. So he stood still and watched the little bear bob +into the woods and vanish. + +Poor Cuffy's heart was beating as if it would burst. He was so +frightened that he forgot all about his burned paws and he ran and ran +and ran up the steep mountainside. He did not mind the climb; he was +used to that. But to his great alarm the snow clung to his sticky paws +until each was just a great, round lump. They looked like the hands of a +snow-man. + +Cuffy found it very hard to run with his paws like that. But he kept on +and on, until at last he came in sight of his father's house. Then he +stopped and sat down, right behind a knoll, where his mother could not +see him. He was very tired. And though he was no longer afraid that the +man would catch him, he began to be afraid of something else.... A +punishing? No--no! He had not thought of that. Cuffy was afraid that he +could never get rid of those big heavy lumps. He was afraid his paws +would always be covered with those hard balls of snow. You must +remember that he was a very _young_ little bear. + +Well! After he had got his breath again Cuffy began to nibble at his +snow mittens. And little by little--to his delight--he removed them. And +still he kept on nibbling at his paws, and--yes! he actually put them +right inside his mouth and sucked them. He forgot all about his +_manners_, for underneath the snow he found the most beautiful, waxy +maple-sugar you can imagine. Each paw was just one big lollypop! And +though his burns still hurt him, Cuffy did not care very much. For those +lollypops were _two hundred times_ sweeter than anything he had ever +tasted in all his life! + + + + +VII + +THE ICE GOES OUT OF THE RIVER + + +Farmer Green had taken his sap-buckets off the maple trees and _that_ +meant the spring was fast going. At least, that was what Mr. Bear said. +And Cuffy noticed that every day there was a little less snow than there +had been the day before. + +"The ice will soon go out," Mr. Bear said to Cuffy's mother at breakfast +one morning, "and then when I cross Pleasant Valley I shall have to swim +the river." + +Cuffy knew that his father meant Swift River. In summer Cuffy could look +down from Blue Mountain and see the stream as it flashed through the +valley. + +"Will the ice go out of the river to-day?" Cuffy asked. + +"Well, now--" Mr. Bear said, "it might. And then again, it might not." +Mr. Bear never said a thing was _so_ unless he was sure of it. + +Now, Cuffy thought it would be great fun to go down into the valley and +find out for himself if the ice really did go out. He had an idea that +it caused a terrific splitting and crashing and thundering noise and he +thought that perhaps some fish would be tossed up on the bank and then +he would have a good lunch. + +When Mr. Bear had gone off down the mountain, "to see a bear," as he +explained to his wife, little Cuffy sneaked away from the house. His +mother was making the beds, and Silkie was pretending to help her. Now, +nobody _sneaks_ unless he knows he is doing something wrong. Cuffy knew +that his parents would not let him go down into the valley alone, so he +went without asking. And when he did at last come to the river there +was ice along both banks; but between them ran a broad stream of swift +water. + +"The ice must have gone out in the night," Cuffy said to himself. And he +looked about in the hope of finding some fish on the banks. But not one +fish could he find. + +He was disappointed. And he crept out onto the ice as far as he could go +and peeped over the edge into the water. He thought maybe he could at +least catch a fish with his paw. + +Cuffy lay quite still for a long time. And then at last to his delight +he saw a fish right before him. He made a quick reach for it. And then +there was a sharp _crack!_ The ice tipped and Cuffy clung to it with all +his claws to keep from falling into the river. He backed away from the +edge and looked around. The bank was moving past him. He had never seen +such a thing and he was surprised. + +Then he gave a cry which sounded in his throat like _"Oug!"_ and ended +with _"I-s-s-s!"_ through his nose. It meant that Cuffy was frightened. +For he saw that the ice he was on had broken away and was floating +rapidly down the stream. + +He had not caught the fish, either. But he forgot all about that now. + + + + +VIII + +CUFFY LEARNS TO SWIM + + +Yes! Cuffy Bear was floating down the river on a cake of ice! How he +wished he had been a good little bear and stayed at home, instead of +running away to the river all alone! He was huddled up in a little black +heap in the center of the cake, and crying as if his heart would break. +For Cuffy thought he would never see his mother and father and Silkie +again. If only he knew how to swim, like his father! But he didn't; and +there he was, being swept away down the valley, right toward Farmer +Green's house. It certainly was enough to make anybody weep. + +When Cuffy thought about Farmer Green he was more frightened than ever +and he began to scream. He remembered all the dreadful things he had +heard about men and the things they do to little bears. + +Pretty soon Cuffy saw something move up on the bank ahead of him. And he +stopped screaming. He was afraid that it was Farmer Green himself and he +thought he had better keep still. Then perhaps Farmer Green wouldn't see +him. But to his dismay the big black thing began to slide down the steep +bank right toward the river. + +Cuffy's heart seemed to stand still. He shut his eyes tight and tried to +make himself as small as he could. And he hardly breathed. + +Then somebody called his name. Cuffy was so surprised that he looked up, +and there was his father standing on the edge of the stream. Cuffy was +_so_ glad to see him! + +Mr. Bear seemed very cross, but Cuffy did not mind that, he was _so_ +glad to see his father. + +"Oh, Father! What shall I do?" Cuffy cried. + +Mr. Bear said just one word. It was _"Jump!"_ + +Cuffy could hardly believe his ears. + +_"Jump!"_ said Mr. Bear again. + +"I don't know how to swim," Cuffy whined. + +_"Jump, jump, jump!"_ Mr. Bear repeated very sternly. + +Still Cuffy did not jump. He was so afraid of that rushing water! + +Then Mr. Bear became very, very angry. He gave a great roar and plunged +into the icy water. With a few strong strokes--for Mr. Bear was a fine +swimmer--he reached the middle of the river. And as he swam close up to +Cuffy he reached out and gave that naughty, frightened little bear a +shove that sent him flying into the stream. + +Cuffy started to scream. But his shriek was cut off short as he sank, +head and all, into the cold, cold river. In another moment his nose came +up out of the water. It was only an instant, but to Cuffy it seemed a +long, long time before he could breathe again. And now, to his great +surprise, he found that he was swimming as well as his father. + +Now, little bears are different from little boys and girls. They don't +have to _learn_ to swim. Cuffy didn't know it. But his father did. That +was why Mr. Bear told him to jump. He knew that as soon as Cuffy found +himself in the water he could swim as well as anybody. + +In another minute Cuffy and his father were safe on the bank, and in +another second after that they were running toward home as fast as Cuffy +could go, so they wouldn't take cold, you know. + +Cuffy had to go to bed for the rest of the day, as a punishment. And as +he lay on his little bed he could hear his father and mother laughing in +the next room. He didn't see how they could laugh. But you know, Cuffy +didn't realize how funny he had looked, floating down the river on the +cake of ice. + + + + +IX + +A SURPRISE + + +One day Cuffy Bear and his little sister Silkie had been making sand +pies. And now, having grown tired of that, they were squatting down on +the ground and had covered their legs with the clean white sand. Perhaps +they would have heaped the sand all over themselves, if Silkie had not +spied her father as he came climbing up the mountain. When they noticed +that he was carrying something they both sprang up and ran to see what +Mr. Bear was bringing home. + +Mr. Bear's mouth was stretched quite wide in what Silkie and Cuffy knew +to be his most agreeable smile. You and I might not have felt so +comfortable if we had looked past Mr. Bear's great white teeth into his +big red mouth. But it was different with Cuffy and Silkie. They saw at +once that their father was feeling very pleasant. + +"What's that?" Silkie asked. As for Cuffy, he had not stopped to ask any +questions. He was already smelling of the small white animal his father +had, and he poked it gently with his paw. He had not forgotten about the +porcupine. But this strange animal seemed quite harmless. It was covered +with things that looked a little bit like quills, only they were ever so +much shorter and smaller. And Cuffy found that they were much softer, +too, for they did not prick him at all. + +"What is it?" This time it was Cuffy who asked. + +"You'll see," Mr. Bear said again. + +"Is it a new kind of rabbit?" Silkie inquired. + +"Huh! A rabbit!" Cuffy laughed. "Of course it isn't a rabbit," he said. + +"Well--it's white, and its tail is short--" Silkie began, "and--" + +"Its ears are too small," Cuffy told her, "and its tail is all curled +up." + +"You'll see, children," Mr. Bear said again. "It's a surprise." + +"A surprise!" Cuffy and Silkie both shouted. They thought that was the +name of the--oh! I almost told what the little animal really was. + +Well! As Mr. Bear walked on toward his house, Cuffy and Silkie ran ahead +and burst in upon their mother, both of them shouting at the top of +their voices, "A surprise! A surprise! Father's bringing home a +surprise!" + +"Why, Ephraim Bear!" Mrs. Bear exclaimed, as soon as she saw her +husband. "Wherever did you get that lovely little pig?" + +There--now you know what it was that Mr. Bear had. + +"It came from Farmer Green's, my dear," Mr. Bear said. "I remembered +that this was your birthday, and so I thought I would bring home +something 'specially nice, so that we could have a real feast." + +Cuffy and Silkie had never eaten any pig before. And when there was +nothing left of the surprise except a few bones, Cuffy couldn't help +wishing that every day could be a birthday. + + + + +X + +CUFFY CLIMBS BLUE MOUNTAIN + + +Cuffy Bear had never been very far up Blue Mountain beyond the place +where his father's house nestled among the evergreens. You know, the +summer before he had been a very small little bear indeed, and the +higher one goes up Blue Mountain the harder the climbing becomes. But +now Cuffy was growing very fast; and he was able to scramble up places +he could never have even crept a year ago. Each day now Cuffy climbed a +little nearer the top of Blue Mountain. And at last the day came when he +reached the very top. It was so high that the trees did not grow there. +He found nothing but rocks everywhere, with just a little earth to fill +the cracks. + +Cuffy thought it great fun to clamber about all by himself and look down +at the hills and valleys that stretched away in all directions. Indeed, +he hated to leave that delightful spot. But he noticed that the sun was +getting low in the west and he knew that he must hurry home. So Cuffy +started down the mountainside. + +He did not pick out the easiest way to go. Oh, no! He chose the very +steepest places to slide down. And as he went slipping down the steepest +cliff of all he came upon something that gave him a great surprise. For +he saw, built right in the crack of a ledge, a big bird's nest made of +sticks. It was the biggest bird's nest Cuffy had ever seen; and in it +were two great white eggs. They were the greatest white eggs Cuffy had +ever seen, too. + +How lucky! At least, that was what Cuffy thought then. For he was very +fond of birds' eggs, and his climb had made him even hungrier than +usual. He stopped then and there and with one rap of the paw he broke +one of the eggs and began to eat it. + +Cuffy was enjoying his lunch very much. He had almost finished the first +egg and was just about to turn to the other when he heard a deafening +scream. + +Cuffy looked all around. He thought that perhaps there was a pig up +there on the mountain. But no! He couldn't see a thing. Then came that +cry again. This time it was louder. And it seemed to come from right +over Cuffy's head. He looked up then. And there was an enormous bird +dropping right down on top of him! It seemed to Cuffy that its wings +stretched as wide as the branches of the great pine tree in his +father's front-yard. He never even dreamed that there could be as big a +bird in the whole world. And during that one instant that Cuffy's little +beady bright eyes were turned upwards he saw that the great bird had a +wicked, hooked beak and claws that were as sharp as his own, and ever so +much longer. + +One look was enough for Cuffy. He turned and tumbled down the steep +cliff, head over heels, with the eagle following him. + + + + +XI + +MRS. EAGLE IS ANGRY + + +Yes! It was an eagle's nest that Cuffy Bear had found, And Mrs. Eagle +had caught him eating her eggs. It was no wonder that she was wild with +rage. And it was no wonder that Cuffy ran for his life. + +He landed in a heap at the foot of the first cliff, jumped up like a +flash and in a twinkling he was rolling heels over head down another +cliff. + +Again Cuffy fell in a heap at the bottom. Again he jumped up. And again +he started to run. But this time, alas! Mrs. Eagle seized him. She +pounced down upon his back; and she sunk her claws right into Cuffy's +neck. Then Mrs. Eagle flapped her wings as hard as she could flap them. +And Cuffy felt himself rising. + +Soon the earth was far, far beneath Cuffy. And he was the most +frightened little bear you could imagine. He was afraid Mrs. Eagle would +drop him, and that he would fall down, down, down onto the rocks below. +And he was afraid that Mrs. Eagle wouldn't drop him, too. Because if she +didn't Cuffy felt only too sure that she would take him home and that +she and Mr. Eagle would eat him for their dinner. + +You see, Cuffy Bear was in a sad fix. And for my part, when I first +heard of his plight I did not see how he was ever going to get out of it +alive. + +Well--this was what happened. Mrs. Eagle _did_ intend to take Cuffy home +with her and serve him up for dinner that very night At first, after +she had seized Cuffy, she mounted higher and higher into the air, so +that she could at last swoop down on the top of the mountain, right +beside her nest. But Cuffy was a very fat little bear. And soon Mrs. +Eagle found that she had a heavy load. And it was only a few minutes +before she discovered that she couldn't fly up any higher with Cuffy. In +fact, she began to sink, little by little. Yes, Cuffy was so heavy that +as Mrs. Eagle grew tired his weight dragged her down toward the earth +again. + +Mrs. Eagle saw what was happening. But she didn't want to let Cuffy go. +So she flew far out from the side of the mountain, hoping that she would +soon feel stronger. But all the time she kept growing weaker and weaker. +And all the time she kept falling faster and faster, until all at once +Mrs. Eagle was afraid that she would lose her balance and go tumbling +down onto the ground herself. + +She was still very angry. And she hated to lose the fine dinner she had +been counting on. But she saw nothing else to do but let go of Cuffy +Bear. So she gave one last scream of rage; and the next instant Cuffy +felt himself dropping through the air like a stone. + +Now, Cuffy had shut his eyes tight, just as he did when he was drifting +down the river on the cake of ice; so he did not see what was happening. +But as luck had it, when Mrs. Eagle let him go she was flying right over +the top of a big fir-tree. And as Cuffy fell, he dropped _plump!_ into +the branches, and down he went, crashing through the soft, springing +boughs. + +Cuffy clutched wildly at the branches. And though he tumbled through +them one after another, at last he managed to hold tight to a big limb. +And then, after he had caught his breath again, he crept carefully down +to the ground. + +He wondered where he was. The place had a strangely familiar look. It +seemed to Cuffy that he must have been there before. And then, as he +peered cautiously around, what should he see but the door of his +father's house, right in front of him! Yes! Mrs. Eagle had dropped Cuffy +right in his father's door-yard! And Cuffy wasn't even late for dinner. + +As he grew older Cuffy often went to the top of Blue Mountain. But +never, so long as he lived, did he get home again so quickly. + + + + +XII + +CUFFY BEAR GOES TO MARKET + + +"Mother! When is my birthday?" Cuffy asked, a few days after his father +had brought home the little pig. + +"Why, your birthday comes on the day the wild geese begin to fly south," +Mrs. Bear said. + +"Is that soon?" Cuffy asked. + +"Bless you, no! Not for months and months!" his mother said. + +"And when is Silkie's?" he continued. + +"The day of the first snow," she told him. + +Cuffy knew that that was a long way off--not until summer had come and +gone. + +"And Father's?" he inquired once more. + +Mrs. Bear shook her head. + +"Your father hasn't many birthdays," she said. "He was born on the day +of the great forest fire. It may be a long time before he has another +birthday. I hope so, anyhow," she added, "for a great forest fire is a +dreadful thing." + +Now you see, having a birthday like that is a good deal like being born +on the twenty-ninth of February, when you have a birthday only once in +four years. Yes--it's a good deal like that, only worse. For you may +have to wait years and years before another great fire comes. You +understand, of course, that having no clocks or calendars or anything +like that, the wild animals can keep track of birthdays only by +remembering things that happen. + +All this made Cuffy Bear feel very sad. He had been hoping that some +member of the family would have a birthday soon, and then perhaps his +father would bring home another little pig for another nice feast. But +now he saw that there was no chance of that happening for a long, long +time. + +[Illustration: Mrs. Eagle Rose Higher and Higher] + +Cuffy went out of doors then and thought and thought and thought. I'm +almost ashamed to have to say it--he was planning to go down to Farmer +Green's and get another fat, tender, little pig like the one his father +had brought home. + +Now, when a very young bear starts out to steal a pig there are many +things to think of. In the first place, there was Farmer Green, and +Farmer Green's boy Johnnie, and Farmer Green's hired man. Cuffy knew +that he must be very, very careful not to meet them. + +To his great relief, when he had gone down into Pleasant Valley Cuffy +saw all three ploughing in a field. They did not see him at all. And so +he felt very brave as he went on toward the farm buildings. + +Farmer Green's pig-pen was in a little, low building next the cow-barn. +Cuffy had no trouble in finding it. And he walked inside quite boldly +and before you could have winked, almost, he had seized a little, white +pig in his mouth and was loping off across the barnyard. + +The pig had looked very small to Cuffy when he first saw and seized it. +But now it seemed to be as many as twenty times bigger than Cuffy was +himself. That was because the pig made the most frightful noise Cuffy +had ever heard in all his life. Cuffy felt as if he had a hundred pigs +in his mouth, with their hundred snouts squealing right in his ears. +Though Farmer Green was at least a mile away, Cuffy was sure he could +hear. Indeed, Cuffy thought that all the world must hear that dreadful +racket. And he was so frightened that he let go of the little pig and +ran away towards home as fast as he could jump. + +That squealing rang in his ears for a long time. And if Cuffy's father +had brought home a pig that night Cuffy couldn't have eaten a mouthful +of it. He never wanted to see or taste of a pig again. And you may be +sure he never wanted to _hear_ one, either. + + + + +XIII + +HAYING-TIME + + +After Cuffy Bear's adventure with Mrs. Eagle he did not stray far from +home for several weeks. You can see, from that, that he had been badly +frightened. Yes--just to look at a crow flapping through the air made +Cuffy dizzy now; and nothing would have tempted him to go up the +mountain again. + +But Cuffy became very tired of playing near his father's house all the +time. And at last he wandered down into the valley one day. There was +something down there that Cuffy wanted to see. You'd never guess what +it was; so I'll tell you. Cuffy Bear wanted to see a mowing-machine. +You may think that was queer. But you see, it was summer now. And +down in the valley Farmer Green was making hay as fast as ever he +could. Early and late there sounded far up the mountainside the +_click-clack-click-clack_ of Farmer Green's mowing-machine. + +When he first heard it Cuffy Bear had been very much alarmed; and he had +come running into the house in a great fright. But his mother explained +what the sound was. And after that Cuffy had been very curious to see +that wonderful machine, which was pulled back and forth through the +meadows by horses, leaving behind it a broad path of grass which lay +flat on the ground. + +So that was the reason why Cuffy stole away from home. He felt that he +simply _must_ see a mowing-machine. Nothing but the sight of a +mowing-machine would make him happy. He was sure of that. + +Now, where Farmer Green's meadow met the forest, Cuffy paused. He hid +behind a tree and looked out over the field. The _click-clack_ sounded +quite loud now. And from the other side of the meadow Cuffy could see +two horses coming towards him. There was a man driving them. And Cuffy +thought that they must be drawing the mowing-machine. So he waited +quietly. And all the time the _click-clack-click-clack_ grew louder than +ever. And pretty soon, as he peeped slyly around the tree, Cuffy Bear +saw the mowing-machine. It came delightfully close to him, stopped, +turned about, and moved away again toward the opposite side of the +field. + +Cuffy gave a great sigh of satisfaction. He had seen a mowing-machine. +He was glad that he had come down into the valley. He was not the least +bit sorry that he had disobeyed his parents and stolen away from home. + +Yes, Cuffy was feeling very happy as he went prowling along the border +of the forest. He crept in and out of the bushes that fringed the +hay-field, and was having altogether a most pleasant time; until all at +once he stopped short. Cuffy's nose sniffed the air for a moment, and +the hairs on his back bristled just like those on a dog when he is +startled. Cuffy had caught a strange odor in the air. + +At first he was frightened. But after he had sniffed the air a few times +he decided that whatever it was that he smelled, it had a good, pleasant +odor, and made him think of something to eat. + +So Cuffy Bear began to nose about among the bushes. And presently he +discovered, hidden away beneath a clump of ferns, a basket of delicious +food. It was the haymakers' lunch that Cuffy had found. And he lost no +time. He began to eat as fast as he could. Yes--I am very sorry to say +that Cuffy actually _gobbled_ Farmer Green's lunch. And he was so greedy +that a strange thing happened to him. + + + + +XIV + +CUFFY LIKES BAKED BEANS + + +Cuffy Bear found many good things in Farmer Green's lunch basket. He +bolted all the bread-and-butter, and the doughnuts; and he found the +custard pie to be about as enjoyable as any dainty he had ever tasted. +And then, with his little black face all smeared with streaks of yellow +custard, Cuffy began to poke a small iron pot which stood in one corner +of the big basket. Presently the pot tipped over, its cover fell off, +and soon Cuffy was devouring the daintiest dish of all! Baked beans! Of +course, he didn't know the name of those delicious, brown, mealy +kernels. But that made no difference at all to Cuffy. So long as he +liked what he was eating the name of it never troubled him. The only +thing that annoyed Cuffy now was that the pot was not bigger. There were +still a few beans which clung to the bottom; and try as he would, Cuffy +could not reach them, even with his tongue. + +He was sitting on the ground, with the pot between his legs, and his +nose stuck into it as far as Cuffy could get it. But still he could not +reach those beans in the bottom. And pretty soon Cuffy began to lose his +temper. He stood up and gave a good, hard push against the ground. And +so he managed to squeeze his nose a little further into the bean-pot. +And now, to his huge delight, he could just reach the bottom of the pot +with his long under-lip. In a twinkling Cuffy had all the beans in his +mouth. And he would have grinned--he felt so happy--if his nose hadn't +been wedged so tightly into the pot that he couldn't even smile. + +Since there were no more beans to be had out of _that_ pot, Cuffy lifted +his head. And to his great astonishment the bean-pot came right up off +the ground too, almost as if it were alive. It startled Cuffy, until he +saw that it was he who lifted the pot, on his own nose. + +He seized the bean-pot and pulled. But his paws were so greasy with +butter that he couldn't get a good grip on it. The pot still stuck on +his nose as fast as ever. + +Cuffy grunted. He couldn't really have said anything, with his mouth +deep in the iron pot. So he just grunted in a pouting sort of way; and +then he gave the pot a sharp rap against a rock. That hurt his nose. And +this time he growled--as well as he could. But all his grunting and +growling didn't frighten the bean-pot the slightest bit. There it +stayed, perched on his nose just as if it would never come off. + +All this time the mowing-machine kept up a _click-clack-click-clack_! +And Cuffy thought that he had better get out of sight. So he plunged +into the forest and started toward home. He felt very uncomfortable, for +he began to wonder whether he would ever get rid of that troublesome +pot. What puzzled him most was this thought: How would he ever be able +to eat again, with that horrid thing over his nose? Cuffy was very fond +of riddles; but here was one that he did not like at all. + +When he reached home his father and mother and Silkie all laughed so +hard at the sight of him that Cuffy began to whimper. And a big tear +rolled from each eye, ran down the bean-pot, and dropped off the bottom +of it. + +And then, with just one tug Mr. Bear pulled the bean-pot off his son's +nose; and Cuffy was himself again. + +He escaped a punishing, too, that time. And Mrs. Bear was very glad to +get such a nice iron pot. She had wanted one for a long time. + + + + +XV + +HUNTING FOR A BEE-TREE + + +It was a very hot summer's day. Even up on Blue Mountain Cuffy Bear felt +the heat. And he wished that he might get rid of his thick coat. But +though Cuffy was beginning to believe himself a very wise little bear, +he could think of no way to slip off his heavy black fur. So he sat down +in the shade of a big tree, where the breeze blew upon him, and tried to +be as cool as he could. + +Except when he was asleep it was not often that Cuffy was still for so +long. But now he sat motionless for some time, with his bright red +tongue hanging out of his mouth like a dog's. Yes, he was quite +still--all but his little, beady, bright eyes. _They_ kept moving about +all the time. And they saw many things, for something or other is always +happening in the forest. + +Cuffy saw a gray squirrel stick its head up from the crotch of a tree +nearby and peep at him. And he watched a wary old crow as he rested high +in a tree-top and cawed a greeting to some of his friends who were +flying past on their way to Farmer Green's cornfield. And Cuffy noticed +a bee as it lighted on a wild-flower right in front of him and sucked +the sweetness out of it. But Cuffy didn't pay much attention to that. +And since he soon began to feel cooler he was just wondering what he +would do next when it occurred to him that several bees had lighted upon +the flowers near him, and that they had all flown off _in the same +direction_. + +All at once Cuffy forgot how hot and uncomfortable he had been; for now +he was wondering if those bees weren't all of them flying home to make +honey out of the sweet juices they had drawn from the flowers. And if +they were--and if he could only follow them--then he would find the tree +where they lived and he could have all the honey he wanted to eat. + +So Cuffy followed on a little way in the direction in which the bees had +disappeared. And then he sat down again and waited and watched very +carefully. + +For a long time nothing happened. And Cuffy was just about to give up +his plan when a bee came buzzing past him and lighted on a mulberry +blossom right above his head. And when the bee flew away, Cuffy followed +him until he lost sight of him. And then Cuffy sat down once more. Again +he waited and watched. And again, just as he was getting discouraged, +another bee flew past him and Cuffy jumped up and followed _him_ just +as fast as he could. + +[Illustration: The Bees Were Right There Waiting for Cuffy] + +Cuffy Bear must have spent as much as two hours doing that same thing +over and over again. But he didn't mind that. In fact, it didn't seem +long to him, at all, because he kept thinking of _honey_ all the time, +and it made a sort of _game_ of what he was doing. If he won the game, +you know, it meant that he was going to have something very nice for a +prize. + +And sure enough, finally one of the bees Cuffy was following lighted on +an old tree, and Cuffy saw him crawl into a hole in a queer nest which +hung from a limb, and vanish. And as Cuffy stood there, looking up at +the nest, he saw as many as seven bees come out of that hole and fly +away. + +Then Cuffy smiled all over his face, he felt so happy. At last he had +found a bee-tree. There was no doubt about it. The time he had always +wished for had come. He was going to have all the honey he could eat. + + + + +XVI + +THE BEES STING CUFFY + + +As Cuffy Bear stood there on his hind legs looking up at the nest in the +old tree he saw so many bees come out and fly away that he thought that +there could not be any bees left at home--at least, not more than a +half-dozen. And Cuffy didn't believe that six bees would trouble him. +There was one good thing in having a coat like his, he told himself: +even if it was warm in summer, it was so thick that he didn't see how a +bee could sting him through it. + +And with that, Cuffy started to climb the old tree. It took him no time +at all to hitch himself up the trunk. He shinned up just as any little +boy would climb a tree. And in less time than it takes to tell it, Cuffy +had reached the limb from which the nest hung, and he had stuck his paw +right through the side of it. + +You remember that something is always happening in the forest? +Well--something happened now. Suddenly a terrible roar came from inside +the nest. It was a queer, far-off sort of sound, and it made Cuffy think +of the noise Swift River made, where it tumbled over the falls. But +Cuffy knew that there could be no water-fall inside the nest. He +wondered if there was some strange animal in there.... And he drew back +his paw very quickly. And then there came pouring out of the nest a +perfect cloud of bees, every one of them buzzing as loud as ever he +could. + +Cuffy was startled at the sight. And he was more startled when they +flew right into his face and lighted on his nose and began to sting. + +Cuffy roared with the pain. Yes--he gave such a great roar that he +couldn't hear the bees at all. But the bees didn't seem to mind that. +_They_ weren't afraid. They just kept on stinging. And they went for +Cuffy's eyes, too. And some of them even crawled down his ears. _That_ +was the worst of all. + +Just for a few moments Cuffy slapped at the bees. And he tried to brush +them off his face. But as fast as he swept them away from one spot they +settled on another. And Cuffy felt exactly as if somebody was sticking +him with pins and needles. He forgot all about taking any of the honey +to eat. He only wanted to get away from those bees. So he began to slide +down the tree. + +But Cuffy soon saw that the bees intended to go right along with him. +They seemed to have no idea at all of staying at home, and as he +scrambled down the tree Cuffy thought very quickly. He hadn't put a paw +on the ground before he knew what he was going to do. Cuffy Bear ran +straight for the brook that goes tumbling down Blue Mountain to meet +Swift River. + + + + +XVII + +CUFFY BEAR GOES SWIMMING + + +As Cuffy Bear tore through the forest, with the bees clustering all +about his head, he thought he never would reach the brook. He was going +straight for the deep pool, which he had often visited in order to watch +the speckled trout darting about in the clear water. + +Now and then Cuffy paused in his mad rush, to bury his face in the thick +blanket of dead leaves that covered the ground. But just as soon as he +raised his head the bees would settle on his face again. And Cuffy would +rush off once more as fast as he could go. + +At last he came to the brook. And he leaped right off the big boulder +that hung high over the pool and landed _ker-splash!_ right in the +middle of it. How the water did fly in all directions! And Cuffy went +right down out of sight. + +Of course, the bees wouldn't go down into the water too. They knew +they'd be drowned if they did. So they lingered in a swarm above the +water. They hovered there in the air and waited. And when, after a +moment, Cuffy's head came up out of the pool, they swooped down and +began to sting him again. + +Cuffy promptly ducked his head. And he swam under water to the further +side of the pool and came up once more. To his surprise the bees were +right there waiting for him. And he ducked under again, and swam to the +opposite side, near the big boulder. And once more, when he came up to +breathe, he found the buzzing bees all ready to pounce upon his nose. + +So poor Cuffy had to keep pulling his head down into the pool. He would +keep it there just as long as he could hold his breath; and then he +would simply _have_ to stick his nose out of the water in order to draw +some fresh air into his lungs. + +It was not long before Cuffy became very tired from so much swimming. So +he found a shallow place where he could stand on the bottom of the +brook, with just enough water to cover him, and where he could poke his +nose out whenever he had to. And just as often as his little black nose +came up above the surface of the pool the bees lighted on it and stung +Cuffy again. + +All the rest of the afternoon poor Cuffy had to stay there in the water. +For the bees did not leave him until sundown. And then, when the last +one had gone, Cuffy crawled out of the brook and started toward home. +His little round body and his sturdy little legs were not warm now, as +they had been when he sat down beneath the tree to get cool. For the +mountain brook was ice-cold; and Cuffy felt quite numb from standing in +it so long. But cold as he was, his face felt like fire. And for some +reason, which Cuffy couldn't understand, he could hardly see to pick his +way through the shadows of the forest. + + + + +XVIII + +CUFFY FRIGHTENS HIS MOTHER + + +When Cuffy Bear reached home, after his adventure with the bees, he +found that his father and mother and his sister Silkie were just sitting +down to their evening meal. Cuffy didn't speak to them as he came into +the room where they were. He felt too miserable to say a word, with his +face aching and burning, and a terrible smarting in his eyes. So he just +stumbled inside the room and tried to make himself as small as he could, +so he wouldn't be noticed. + +Cuffy's parents and his little sister all looked at the little bear who +had come into their house without even a knock. And his father said, in +a cross voice-- + +"Go away, little bear. Where are your manners?" + +Cuffy didn't know what to make of that. He didn't know what his father +meant. So he just stood there and stared. + +"What do you want?" his father asked him. "Whose little bear are you? +And whatever is the matter with your face?" + +Actually, Cuffy's own father didn't know him. And neither did his mother +or his sister. You see, Cuffy's face was so swollen from the bees' +stings that his face did not look like a little bear's face at all. His +nose, instead of being smooth and pointed, was one great lump. And he +hadn't a sign of an eye--just two slits. + +"What's the matter with you?" Mr. Bear asked again. "Are you ill? Have +you the black measles?" + +At that, Mrs. Bear rose hastily from the table and snatched Silkie up +from her high-chair and took her right out of the room. The thought of +black measles frightened Mrs. Bear. You know, they are ever so much +worse than _plain_ measles. And she was afraid Silkie would catch them. + +Well, poor Cuffy felt more miserable than ever. He saw that his own +family didn't know him. And he wondered what was going to become of him. +Then, when his father told him very sternly to leave his house at once, +Cuffy began to cry. + +"Oh! oh! oh!" he sobbed. "It's me--it's only me!" he cried. That very +morning, at breakfast, his father had told him to say "It is I," instead +of "It is _me_." But Cuffy forgot all about that, now. + +"What! Are you my Cuffy?" his father exclaimed. For he knew Cuffy at +last. You see, the bees hadn't stung Cuffy's _voice_. And in no time at +all Cuffy was tucked into his little bed and his mother was gently +licking his poor, aching face with her tongue. Among bears that is +thought to be the very best thing to do for bee-stings. + +After a while Cuffy stopped crying. And it was not long before he had +fallen asleep. + +But it was two days before Cuffy Bear felt really himself again. And +then his father went off into the forest with him and Cuffy led the way +to the bee-tree; for Mr. Bear knew enough about bees so that he could +take their honey away from them without getting stung badly. He didn't +mind just a _few_ stings, you know. + +Well--what do you think happened? When they came to the old tree Mr. +Bear took just one look at the nest into which Cuffy had thrust his +paw. And then he began to laugh, though he was somewhat disappointed, as +you will see. + +"Those aren't bees!" he told Cuffy. "That's a hornets' nest!... We'd get +no honey there." + + + + +XIX + +THE LITTLE BEAR PETER + + +One day late in the summer Cuffy Bear went blackberrying. And on his way +home he stopped at the deep pool where the hornets had chased him. He +stayed there for a little while to watch the speckled trout as their +bright sides flashed out of the depths of the clear water. As Cuffy +stood on the big boulder and looked down, he could see himself quite +plainly, reflected in the still surface of the water. He waved a paw. +And the little bear in the brook waved _his_ paw too. Of course Cuffy +knew that it was himself he saw. But he pretended for a time that it was +some other little bear who was playing with him. And he was having lots +of fun. + +[Illustration: Cuffy Received a Slap on His Nose] + +You see, Mr. Bear's family was the only bear family for miles and miles +around. And Cuffy often wished he had other little boy-bears to play +with. To be sure, he had his sister, Silkie. But she was a girl, and +younger than he was, besides. + +Well! Cuffy danced a jig on the top of the big boulder. And the little +bear down below danced a jig, too. And Cuffy waved his paw again at the +little bear in the water. And once more the little bear in the water +waved a paw at _him_. It was great sport. And then Cuffy happened to +look up. + +To his great surprise, there stood a little bear on the other bank of +the brook, right opposite. Cuffy was astonished. The other little bear +and the little bear in the brook looked as much alike as two peas. +Cuffy had never known that he could see a picture of himself by looking +anywhere except into water. It was very strange, he thought. He waved a +paw. And the little bear on the other bank waved _his_ paw. Cuffy kicked +up one of his hind legs. And the other little bear kicked up, too. + +Cuffy was puzzled. Was it really himself he was looking at? He nodded +his head. And the other little bear nodded _his_ head. + +Then Cuffy tried something else. He stared very hard at the little bear +opposite him, and called "Hello!" + +"Hello, yerself!" the other little bear said. And then Cuffy knew that +it was a real, live boy-bear over there, and not just a reflection of +himself. Cuffy was so delighted that he jumped down off the boulder and +splashed through the brook, he was in such a hurry to get over there +where the strange bear stood. + +"What's yer name?" the strange bear asked. + +Cuffy told him. And he learned that the strange bear's name was Peter, +and that he lived around on the other side of Blue Mountain, as many as +ten miles away. + +"Aw--call me _Pete_," the new bear said, as Cuffy began to talk to him. +"They all calls me Pete." He stuffed his front paws into the pockets of +his ragged trousers. "Say, Cuff--what was yer doin' up on that rock?" + +"Playing!" Cuffy told him. + +Pete gave a grunt. "That's no way ter play," he said. "I'll show yer how +ter have fun. Watch me!" He led the way to the bank. And sitting down, +he slid and rolled all the way down the steep slope and landed _plump!_ +in the deep pool. + +Now, Cuffy was not going to have Pete think that he couldn't do that, +too. Although he was wearing his best trousers that day (for his mother +was mending his every-day pair), Cuffy sat down on the top of the bank. +And in another moment he had slid and slipped down the bank and landed +_ker-splash!_ in the water. + + + + +XX + +LEARNING TO BOX + + +For some time Cuffy Bear and his new friend Pete, as he preferred to be +called, continued to slide down the bank of the brook into the water. +They became plastered with mud from head to foot. And Cuffy's best +trousers had two big holes in them. But Cuffy was having a splendid +time. + +"Let's box, Cuff!" Pete exclaimed, after a while. + +"What's that?" Cuffy asked. He liked to be called "Cuff." Nobody had +ever called him by that name before. He felt quite grown up. + +"I'll show yer," Pete said. "Stand up in front of me." + +Cuffy stood up on his hind legs. + +"Now, hold up yer paws--so." + +And Cuffy did as he was told. + +"Now hit me!" Pete ordered. + +And Cuffy struck out at his new friend. But to his surprise he didn't +succeed in touching Pete at all. Instead, he received a stinging slap +right on the end of his nose. + +Cuffy didn't like that. In fact, it made him somewhat angry. And he +struck out at Pete once more. But Pete dodged; and he gave Cuffy a good, +hard blow in the eye. And while Cuffy was holding onto his poor eye, +Pete hit his other eye. And then Cuffy couldn't see a thing, except +bright spots that made him think of stars. He tried not to cry. But a +few tears _would_ go rolling down his cheeks. And he did not like it at +all when Pete began to laugh. + +"Huh! Don't be a cry-baby!" Pete said. "Yer want ter learn ter box, +don't yer?" + +"Y-es!" Cuffy answered. + +"Well--quit yer cryin' and stand up here, then," Pete commanded. + +So once more Cuffy straightened up and held his paws in front of him. +And when he thought Pete wasn't watching, Cuffy tried again to hit him. +Again Cuffy missed. His paw didn't reach Pete at all. But Pete gave him +a terrible poke right in the stomach, and Cuffy sat down quickly on the +ground and began to groan. + +Pete sat down on the ground too and he looked at Cuffy and grinned. + +"Want any more?" he asked. + +Cuffy shook his head. + +"I'll have to go home now," he said. "Of course, I'd like to box some +more; but I haven't time to-day." + +"First lesson's over, then," Pete announced. "Come back termorrer and +I'll give yer another." + +"How long will it be before I learn to box well?" Cuffy inquired. + +"You might learn next time," Pete said, "Better try it, anyhow," he +advised. + +"All right!" Cuffy said. He hoped that another time he would be able to +show Pete how it felt to be pounded. "All right--I'll be here at the +same time to-morrow." + +So Pete trotted off spryly in one direction; and Cuffy trotted off in +another, but not quite so spryly, for his head ached and one of his eyes +was closed tight. + +"Mercy sakes!" Mrs. Bear said, when Cuffy came into the house. "Look at +those trousers!" + +Cuffy looked at them as well as he could with his one good eye. + +"And you're _covered_ with mud!" his mother added severely. "What's the +matter with your eye?" she demanded. + +"I've been having fun--" Cuffy began. "I've been boxing--" + +"Fun! Boxing! You've _ruined_ your best trousers," she said. "You're a +naughty little bear and you're going straight to bed. Who has been +playing with you?" she asked. + +Mrs. Bear was very much displeased when she learned about Cuffy's new +friend. "I know who he is," she said. "His people are very rough. +They're not nice bears at all. And I forbid you aver to play with that +Peter again." + +So Cuffy had to go to bed. And the next day when Pete arrived at the +pool he found no Cuffy there. For some time he waited. But still there +was no Cuffy. + +"Huh!" Pete grunted, as he went away at last. "He's afraid, he is. And +it's a good thing for him he didn't come back. If he had, I'd 'a' fixed +him. Yes, sir! I'd--" Whatever it was that Peter would have done to +Cuffy, I am sure it wouldn't have been at all pleasant, because the +rough little bear Peter scowled frightfully as he trotted off. + + + + +XXI + +THE FOREST FIRE + + +It was quite late in the fall. And Blue Mountain looked very different +from the way it had looked all summer. The leaves had turned to brown +and yellow and scarlet, except where there were clumps of fir-trees, as +there were around Mr. Bear's house. Indeed, Blue Mountain looked almost +as if it were all aflame, so bright were the autumn colors. Mr. Bear +remarked as much to Mrs. Bear one day. + +"For goodness' sake, don't say that!" she exclaimed. "Don't mention fire +to me. The very thought of it makes me nervous. Everything's _so_ dry! +I shall be glad when it rains again." + +"It _is_ dry," Mr. Bear agreed. "But don't worry. It's like this every +fall." And he went slowly down the mountain. + +Cuffy and Silkie were playing together that morning. Cuffy was teaching +Silkie to box, though, to be sure, he knew very little about boxing. But +he found it easy to tap Silkie on the nose. And he had tapped her so +hard that Mrs. Bear heard a sound very much like quarreling; and she +came to the door to see what was the trouble. + +Mrs. Bear was just going to call to her children, when she noticed a +peculiar odor in the air. And she stood quite still, and sniffed, just +as Cuffy had when he smelled the haymakers' lunch. You remember that the +more Cuffy sniffed, the less alarmed he had been. But it was different +with Mrs. Bear. The longer she stood there, with her nose twitching, and +snuffing up the air, the more uneasy she became. And pretty soon she saw +something that gave her a great start. + +It was something white that Mrs. Bear saw, and it hung over the +tree-tops; and where the wind had caught it it was spun out thin, like a +veil. + +It was exactly what Mrs. Bear had feared--it was smoke! The forest was +afire! And Mrs. Bear was very much alarmed. She sent Cuffy and Silkie +into the house, because she wanted to be sure that they wouldn't wander +off into the woods. And then their mother stood in the doorway and +watched. She was looking for Mr. Bear. While she waited there the smoke +kept rising more and more until there were great clouds of it; and at +last Mrs. Bear could see red flames licking up to the tops of the trees. + +Several deer came bounding past, and a great number of rabbits and +squirrels. And then followed other animals that couldn't run so +fast--such as raccoons, and skunks, and woodchucks. Not for years had +Mrs. Bear seen so many of the forest-people--and they were all so +frightened, and in such a hurry to get away from the fire, that not one +of them noticed Mrs. Bear as she stood in her doorway. + +"Where are they going, Mother?" It was Cuffy who asked the question. He +had crept up behind his mother and had been looking at the strange sight +for some time. + +"They're going over to the lake, on the other side of the mountain," +Mrs. Bear said. + +"Are they going fishing?" Cuffy inquired. + +Mrs. Bear shook her head. And then Cuffy squeezed past her and saw what +was happening. + +"Oh-h, hurrah! hurrah!" he shouted. + +His mother looked at him in astonishment. + +"It's father's birthday!" he cried. You remember that Cuffy's mother had +told him that Mr. Bear was born on the day of a great forest fire, and +that he never had a birthday except when the woods caught fire again. +"Now maybe father will bring home another little pig for a feast!" Cuffy +said hopefully. + + + + +XXII + +THE RAIN COMES + + +Cuffy Bear was disappointed. For when at last his father came galloping +up to his house he brought no pig with him. Indeed he seemed to have +forgotten that it was his birthday. + +"Get the children!" he shouted to Mrs. Bear, as soon as he came in +sight. And pretty soon Cuffy and Silkie and their father and mother were +hurrying along on their way to the lake that lay on the other side of +the mountain. + +Cuffy was delighted. He thought that perhaps he would see the naughty +little bear Peter again; for he remembered that Peter lived around the +mountain, right where they were going. + +They had travelled several miles when Mr. Bear stopped suddenly. And he +said, "Hah!" And he looked up at the sky. Something had hit him right in +the eye. You might think that Mr. Bear was angry. But no! He was very +glad. For it was a drop of rain that had fallen upon him. And in a few +minutes there were countless drops pattering down. Yes, soon it was +raining hard. And to Cuffy's great disappointment they all started +homewards again, for Mr. Bear knew that the rain would soon put the fire +out. + +Mr. Bear had known all the time that his house wouldn't burn; for it was +made of rock, and went straight into the side of the mountain. But he +knew that if the woods all around caught fire it would be several days +before they could go out and get anything to eat, or even a drink of +water. And that was why he had started to lead his family away. + +When they were back in their house once more Cuffy could think of only +one thing that would make up for his not having seen the small bear +Peter again. And he climbed up on his father's knees and said-- + +"Will you go and get a little pig, Father?" + +"A _pig_?" Mr. Bear exclaimed. "Well, now--why on earth do you want a +pig? What would you do with a pig?" + +"I'd eat it," Cuffy answered promptly. "It's your birthday, you know. +And we ought to have a pig so we can have a real feast." + +Mr. Bear smiled. And pretty soon he went out of the house. He was gone a +long time. But at last he came back again, fairly staggering beneath +the load that he carried. + +When Cuffy saw what his father dropped down onto the floor he hopped up +and down in his delight. There was no pig there, but Cuffy didn't mind +that. For Mr. Bear had brought home four rabbits, and four squirrels, +and four porcupines, and four raccoons. And Cuffy ate and ate until his +skin grew so tight that he was afraid it would burst. He ate all of one +rabbit, and one squirrel, and one raccoon. But he never touched his +porcupine at all. It made him think of the time he had tried to kill a +porcupine himself, and had got his paws stuck full of quills. But he had +a real feast, just the same. + + + + +XXIII + +CUFFY BEAR GROWS SLEEPY + + +Far up Blue Mountain, and down in the valley too, the leaves had long +ago fallen off the trees. And for some time the ground had been white +with snow; for winter had come again. And Cuffy Bear's sister Silkie had +had a birthday-party the very first day it snowed. Cuffy and Silkie +shouted with glee each morning now, when they went out of doors, where +the earth was covered with a snow-blanket. And they played and played +and had just as good a time as little boys and girls have when winter +comes. As they scampered about in the door-yard their feet left tracks +that looked exactly like the foot-prints of barefooted girls and boys. +They played tag, and hide-and-seek, and turned somersaults. And one day, +when Mrs. Bear called them into the house, they ate, each of them, +several quarts of chestnuts which Mr. Bear had gathered and brought +home. In fact, before Mrs. Bear knew it they had eaten a great many more +chestnuts than were good for them. And Cuffy, who had eaten the most, +soon began to have a pain in his stomach. + +"That's what you get for being greedy," his mother told him. + +"I didn't eat many chestnuts," Cuffy said. + +Mrs. Bear pointed to the floor. + +"What do you call those?" she asked. + +"Chestnut-shells," Cuffy replied, hanging his head. There was a great +heap of shells on the floor where Cuffy had sat. + +"Pick them all up--every one of them," his mother ordered. "And when +you have finished you may take a nap--both of you." + +Cuffy yawned. + +"What do you say?" Mrs. Bear asked severely. + +"Excuse me!" Cuffy said hastily. + +"That's better!" said Mrs. Bear. "Now do as I say. You'll be asleep +before you know it. And I don't intend to have those chestnut shells +lying on the floor all winter." + +You may think that that was a queer thing for Mrs. Bear to say. But when +you see what happened, you'll understand what Mrs. Bear meant. + +As Cuffy and Silkie sat down on the floor and began gathering up the +chestnut-shells they both yawned and yawned. And since Mrs. Bear had +left the room they didn't bother to say "Excuse me!" They were _so_ +sleepy! And before little Silkie had finished picking up her shells she +just rolled herself up into a round ball and fell fast asleep. As for +Cuffy, being a little older, he managed to stay awake just long enough +to get the floor all nice and clean. And then _he_ rolled himself into a +ball and _he_ went to sleep, right there on the floor. + +So Mrs. Bear found them when she came back into the room. She smiled as +she saw them. And picking up first one and then the other she carried +them into their little bed-chamber and put them down gently and covered +them over with leaves, so they would be snug and warm. Yes, Mrs. Bear +wanted her children to be warm, for she knew that they would not wake up +again until spring. She had noticed for several days that Cuffy and +Silkie were growing sleepy. And to tell the truth, Mrs. Bear was +becoming sleepy herself. That very night she and Mr. Bear went to bed a +whole hour earlier than usual. And the next day they never minded at all +how cold it grew outside or how much the wind howled. For not one of Mr. +Bear's family waked up at all! They just slept and slept and slept, the +whole winter long. + + +THE END + + + + +A WORD TO GROWN UPS + + +To you;--parents, guardians, teachers and all others upon whom devolves +the supremely important responsibility of directing the early years of +development of childhood, this series of TUCK-ME-IN TALES which sketch +such vivid and delightful scenes of the vibrant life of meadow and +woodland should have tremendous appeal. In this collection of stories +you will find precisely the sort of healthy, imaginative entertainment +that is an essential in stimulating thought-germs in the child mind. + +Merely from the standpoint of their desirability for helping the growing +tot to pass an idle half hour, any one of these volumes would be worth +your while. But the author had something further than that in mind. He +has, with simplicity and grace, worthy of high commendation, sought to +convey a two-fold lesson throughout the entire series, the first based +upon natural history and the second upon the elementary principles of +living which should be made clear to every child at the earliest age of +understanding. + +The first of these aims he has accomplished by adapting every one of his +bird characters to its living counterpart in the realm of biology. The +child learns very definite truths about which the story is woven; learns +in such a fascinating manner that he will not quickly forget, and is +brought into such pleasant intimacy that his immediate sympathy is +aroused. + +The author accomplishes the purpose of driving home simple lessons on +good conduct by attributing the many of the same traits of character to +his feathered heroes and heroines that are to be found wherever the +human race made its habitation. The praise-worthy qualities of courage, +love, unselfishness, truth, industry, and humility are portrayed in the +dealings of the field and forest folk and the consequential reward of +these virtues is clearly shown; he also reveals the unhappy results of +greed, jealousy, trickery and other character weaknesses. The effect is +to impress indelibly upon the imagination of the child that certain +deeds are their own desirable reward while certain others are much +better left undone. + +If any further recommendation is necessary, would it not be well to +resort to the court of final appeal, the child himself? Simply purchase +a trial copy from your bookseller with the understanding that if it +meets with the disapproval of the little man or woman for whom it is +intended, he will accept its return. + + +THE TALE OF JOLLY ROBIN + +Of course, there is a time when Jolly Robin is only a nestling. Then one +day, after he tumbles out of the apple tree and falls squawking and +fluttering to the ground, he takes his first lesson in flying. So +pleased is Jolly to know that he can actually sail through the air on +his wings, that he goes out into the wide, wide world to shift for +himself. One day, after advising with Jimmy Rabbit, he decides to become +general laugh-maker to the inhabitants of Pleasant Valley, and he +becomes one of Mother Nature's happiest little feathered folk, going +about trying to make things a bit better in the world. True, he falls +into many blunders and has many strange experiences, but his intentions +are always the best, remember. + +Slyly tucked away in this story of Jolly Robin and of his adventures, is +much bird lore and philosophy,--both instructive and entertaining. + + +THE TALE OF BETSY BUTTERFLY + +Betsy Butterfly is the owner of a pair of such beautifully colored wings +and her sweet disposition matches them so perfectly that it is a very +common occurrence to hear one of the tiny dwellers in Farmer Green's +meadow remark: "Why, the sun just has to smile on her!" Of course, any +lady so gifted is bound to have many admirers and Betsy is no exception. +But there are a few of her acquaintances who cannot keep from showing +their jealousy of her popularity and these try in various unkind ways +to make her disliked. The story of how she politely overlooks these rude +attempts, in that way causing herself to be all the more thought of, is +the best sort of example to any human girl or boy who wishes to know how +to be sure of making friends. You will find that Betsy is a great girl +for giving parties and perhaps she will give you a few valuable ideas +that will be useful sometime when you have a party of your own. + + +BUSTER BUMBLEBEE + +Buster's intentions are all very good, but he is so awkward and stupid +that he constantly stumbles into trouble, thereby causing his +acquaintances much unnecessary discomfiture and himself no end of +embarrassment. He is, furthermore, a terrific boaster, as you will learn +when you read of his many declarations of the pummeling he would give +the ferocious Robber Fly, if ever he chanced to meet that devouring +assassin. What Buster actually does when the unexpected encounter takes +place will afford you a good laugh at his expense, and, finally, after +you have romped and dallied with him through his many happy excursions +you will close the book with a feeling that it has done you good to have +known him, lazy and blundering though he is, for he is indeed the best +natured fellow, and he is so anxious to buzz into everything that +attracts his attention that you find you have learned a great many +things you never before dreamed of about the tiny creatures of the +fields. + + +THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY + +Freddie Firefly is most anxious to lighten the cares of his friends in +Pleasant Valley for he is a most unselfish fellow and enjoys nothing +more than seeing other people as happy as he. He has one grave fault, +however, that prevents him from being a very great help, and that is his +inability to remain long in one place. He is so full of spry gaiety that +he never can be quite content unless he is dancing with his relatives in +the hollow near the swamp or darting about Farmer Green's lawn. His +friends often give him advice as to how he may use the wonderful light +which he always carries with him, and finally Mrs. Ladybug tells him he +should go to the railroad and work as a signal-man for the trains. You +will hold your breath as you read about the exciting adventure that +follows this suggestion, and you will no doubt agree with those to whom +he later tells it that he is a very lucky Freddie to escape. + + +THE TALE OF RUSTY WREN + +Rusty Wren is another little neighbor in Pleasant Valley. His particular +home there is Farmer Green's yard where he lives in a bright shiny home +which is really a tin can with a hole in it! And dear me! I forgot all +about Rusty Wren's family--his wife and six baby children who had to be +given Wren food by Rusty and little Chippy, Jr. You will laugh heartily +when you read about Chippy growing so big and fat that he gets stuck in +Rusty's tiny doorway and can't get pulled out. My, what an exciting time +it was! And you will laugh again when you watch Rusty Wren go 'way over +to the bank of Black Creek all ready for a party when there really is no +party. Yes, you will agree with Farmer Green's boy and the rest of our +friends in Pleasant Valley that Rusty certainly is a very interesting +little neighbor. + + +THE TALE OF DADDY LONG-LEGS + +Daddy is a person of such unusual appearance with his eight scrawny legs +in contrast to ordinary people's two, and everything about his private +life is such a mystery to his neighbors that his acquaintances give him +credit for having a marvelous ability to look into the future. In fact, +there are many two-legged humans, even to-day, who think he is a sort of +soothsayer and mystery man. Perhaps, if you are one of these, you will +be inclined to change your mind after reading about his contest with Old +Mr. Crow to see which is really the wiser of the two. And would you not +naturally suppose that anybody with so many legs to carry him would be +the champion walker of the world? Maybe Daddy finds that it takes time +to decide which of his feet he should put forward in taking the next +step, or may be each separate foot has a notion of its own as to the +direction Daddy should choose; at any rate, he proves to be the slowest +traveler imaginable. But he is so popular among his neighbors and you +will like him too--he has so many quaint ideas. + + +THE TALE OF KIDDIE KATYDID + +Kiddy Katydid and his relatives were in possession of a secret that none +of the Pleasant Valley folk can solve, though they waste much time and +energy trying to guess it. Even to this day it is doubtful if anyone +other than Kiddie himself really knows what Katy did! But his friends +are a curious lot and they work their brains over-time to think of some +scheme to make Kiddie tell. If you want to know what they do +accidentally discover about Kiddie himself and how excited every body +becomes as the rare news spreads from mouth to mouth, you will find +that and many other remarkable things about him in this interesting +story of his life in the Maple tree that grows in Farmer Green's yard. +You will like Kiddie. He is very modest and retiring--behaving very much +as any well raised youngster should, and when you understand just how it +happens that he keeps repeating that funny remark about Katy, you can +join him in the hearty laugh he has on his friends. + + +THE TALE OF OLD MR. CROW + +Mr. Crow has a very solemn look--unless you regard him closely. But it +is a very sly, knowing look, if you take pains to stare boldly into his +eyes. Like many human beings, he is fond of clothes, and he particularly +likes gay ones, but perhaps that is because he is so black himself. +Anyhow, so long as he can wear a bright red coat and a yellow +necktie--or a bright red necktie and a yellow coat--he is generally +quite happy. One fall Mr. Crow decides to stay in Pleasant Valley during +the winter, instead of going South, and he remembers all at once that he +will need some warm clothing. Now, Mr. Frog, the tailor, and Jimmy +Rabbit, the shoemaker, know just how to talk to Mr. Crow to sell their +merchandise, playing upon his vanity to buy the latest, and even to "set +the styles," but they have to be pretty keen and sly to get the best of +Mr. Crow in the end. Mr. Crow has his good points as well as his bad +ones, and he helps Farmer Green a lot more than he injures him it is +said. Nevertheless, Farmer Green does not figure that way,--and in +justice to old "Jim Crow," you should read of his adventures for +yourself. + + +THE TALE OF SOLOMON OWL + +All the folks down in Pleasant Valley know Solomon Owl. Well, it's this +way. If you hear Solomon Owl on a dark night when his "Wha-Wha! +Whoo-ah!" sends a chill 'way up your spine, and if you see him you can +never forget him, either. He has great, big, staring eyes that make you +feel queer when you look at his pale face. No, sir, little folks like +Mr. Frog, the tailor, certainly don't like to have any visits from +Solomon Owl when Solomon has a fine appetite. To be sure, Farmer Green +isn't happy when Solomon steals some of his fine chickens, and neither +are the chickens for that matter. But Solomon doesn't have all the fun +on some one else. Oh no! Reddy Woodpecker knows how to tease him by +tapping with his bill on Solomon's wooden house in the daytime, when +every owl likes to sleep and dream of all the nice frogs and fat +chickens they are going to feast on the next night, and then, out comes +Solomon all blinking with his big, black eyes. But this wise owl, who +really isn't as wise as he looks, you know, finds a good way to fool +Reddy and the rest of the folks who like to annoy him, and lives his own +happy life. + + +THE TALE OF JASPER JAY + +Jasper Jay really is a good sort of a fellow even though he does make a +dreadful racket when he is around; but that is his way of talking. He +just likes to tease for the fun of teasing and so naturally he gets into +lots of scraps and seems bound to get into more. Of course, lots of +folks in Pleasant Valley don't like him because he plays tricks and +pranks on them and makes them feel all ruffled up. Why, he even thinks +he can spoil the Singing Society, but do you know, the Society fools +Jasper himself. And that time Jimmy Rabbit teaches Jasper Jay some +manners down by the cedar tree--the poor jay stays there until his feet +are frozen in the water before he finds out--well--you may discover for +yourself what happens next. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF CUFFY BEAR*** + + +******* This file should be named 15528.txt or 15528.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/5/2/15528 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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