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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Tale of Cuffy Bear, by Arthur Scott
+Bailey, Illustrated by Harry L. 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
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+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/5/2/15528/15528-h/15528-h.htm)
+      or
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+
+
+
+
+
+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***
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