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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/16982-h.zip b/16982-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e1fe5e --- /dev/null +++ b/16982-h.zip diff --git a/16982-h/16982-h.htm b/16982-h/16982-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3ada0da --- /dev/null +++ b/16982-h/16982-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6564 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Bunny Rabbit's Diary, by Mary Frances Blaisdell</title> +<style type="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 15%; + margin-left: 15%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify; + font-size: large } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; margin-left: 10%; font-size: small } + +P.letter {font-size: small } + + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + pre {font-size: 50%;} + +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 align="center">The Project Gutenberg eBook, Bunny Rabbit's Diary, by Mary Frances +Blaisdell, Illustrated by George F. Kerr</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: Bunny Rabbit's Diary</p> +<p>Author: Mary Frances Blaisdell</p> +<p>Release Date: November 2, 2005 [eBook #16982]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY***</p> +<br><br><center><h3>E-text prepared by Al Haines</h3></center><br><br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<A NAME="img-front"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-front.jpg" ALT="Sometimes Bunny talked to Mrs. Duck." BORDER="2" WIDTH="385" HEIGHT="611"> +<H3> +[Frontispiece: Sometimes Bunny talked to Mrs. Duck.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR> +<br> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +MARY FRANCES BLAISDELL +</H2> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<h3 align="center">AUTHOR OF "BOY BLUE AND HIS FRIENDS,"<br> +"POLLY AND DOLLY," "CHERRY TREE CHILDREN,"<br> +"TOMMY TINKER'S BOOK," "TWILIGHT TOWN,"<br> +"PRETTY POLLY FLINDERS," ETC. +</h3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ILLUSTRATED BY +<BR><BR> +GEORGE F. KERR +</H3> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +School Edition +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BOSTON +<BR><BR> +LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Copyright, 1915, +<BR><BR> +BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. +<BR><BR><BR> +All Rights reserved +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +PREFACE +</H2> + +<P> +Bunny Rabbit had a book for Christmas. Mother Rabbit made it for him +out of maple leaves, pinned together with thorns from the rose-bush on +the stone wall. Bunny clapped his hands when he saw the book, and sat +down at once on the old stump to read the stories. But there was not a +story in the whole book—no, not one! There wasn't even a picture. +</P> + +<P> +"You must write the book yourself," Mother Rabbit told him. "Then you +will be sure to like it." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny Rabbit wrote the book about the good times he had with Bobtail +and Billy, and all his other playmates. He wrote about the slide they +made on the long hill beside the pond; about Mrs. Duck's swimming +lesson, and the kite Bobtail made out of a leaf from the big oak tree; +about Sammy Red Squirrel's flying machine, and Bobby Gray Squirrel's +peanut party. +</P> + +<P> +He hid the book in the hollow tree where no one would find it. But some +one did find it,—some one who knew how to read the funny little tracks +of rabbit writing,—and here are the stories in Bunny Rabbit's Diary. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap01"> +BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap02"> +BILLY'S SLIDE +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap03"> +A CHRISTMAS TREE +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap04"> +BOBTAIL'S KITE +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap05"> +APRIL FOOL'S DAY +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap06"> +MRS. DUCK'S SECRET +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap07"> +THE SWIMMING LESSON +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap08"> +THE CLOVER PATCH +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap09"> +MOVING DAY +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap10"> +A SUMMER SHOWER +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap11"> +SAMMY'S FLYING MACHINE +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap12"> +THE CABBAGE PATCH +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap13"> +THE WHITE RABBIT +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap14"> +TEDDY BEAR +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap15"> +BOBBY'S PARTY +</A> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-front"> +Sometimes Bunny talked to Mrs. Duck . . . <I>Frontispiece</I> +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-054"> +Bunny put the acorn in front of Sammy's door +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-122"> +"Croak, croak!" said Mr. Green Frog +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-166"> +"Quack, quack! Where did <I>you</I> come from?" +</A> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-003"> +Bunny played with the gray squirrel +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-019"> +The sled went on down the hill +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-027"> +The squirrel hunted for nuts +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-035"> +Once Bunny Rabbit saw a Christmas tree +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-063"> +Mrs. Duck was always in a hurry +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-083"> +He put one foot in the water +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-115"> +"I think it will rain to-day" +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-133"> +Down to the ground Sammy fell +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-151"> +She wrapped his nose up in flannel +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-155"> +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-185"> +"This bag is full of peanuts" +</A> +</H3> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#img-191"> +They ate all the nuts they wanted +</A> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY +</H3> + +<P> +Mr. and Mrs. Rabbit and the three little rabbits lived in the woods. +</P> + +<P> +Each little rabbit had a name. +</P> + +<P> +There was Bunny Rabbit, Bobtail Rabbit, and Billy Rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny was full of fun, and liked to play tricks on his brothers. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail liked to play with Bunny. He was always ready to join in all +the fun. +</P> + +<P> +But Billy was lazy. He did not like to work, and he did not like to +play. +</P> + +<P> +He liked to curl up in the tall grass and sleep. +</P> + +<P> +The rabbits had many playmates in the woods and fields. +</P> + +<P> +They played with the gray squirrels that lived in the big oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +They played with the red squirrels that lived in the old stone wall. +</P> + +<P> +Sometimes Bunny ran down to the brook to visit old Mr. Green Frog. +</P> + +<P> +Sometimes he talked to Mrs. Duck, when she came to the brook to teach +her little ones to swim. +</P> + +<P> +There was always something to do; and Bunny, and Bobtail, and Billy +were always doing something. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-003"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-003.jpg" ALT="Bunny played with the gray squirrel." BORDER="2" WIDTH="411" HEIGHT="245"> +<H3> +[Illustration: Bunny played with the gray squirrel.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +One Christmas Mrs. Rabbit gave Bunny a book. +</P> + +<P> +She made it herself out of maple leaves. +</P> + +<P> +She pinned the leaves together with thorns from the rose-bush that grew +on the wall. +</P> + +<P> +When Bunny saw the book he jumped up and down and clapped his hands. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, goody, goody!" he said. "What a pretty book this is." +</P> + +<P> +"I will sit down on the old stump and read the stories this very +minute." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny sat down on the stump and opened his book. +</P> + +<P> +He opened the book and looked at the first leaf. +</P> + +<P> +There was no story to read. +</P> + +<P> +He looked at the next leaf. +</P> + +<P> +There was no story to read. +</P> + +<P> +He turned one leaf and then another. +</P> + +<P> +They were all alike. +</P> + +<P> +There was not a story in the book, and Bunny could not find one picture. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a funny book," he said to himself. "I will run and ask Mother +Rabbit what kind of a book this is." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny jumped off the stump and ran to find Mother Rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +"Mother Rabbit," he said, "what kind of a book is this? +</P> + +<P> +"There are no pictures, and I can not find one story to read." +</P> + +<P> +"That is a diary," said Mother Rabbit. "You must write the stories in +the book yourself." +</P> + +<P> +"What stories shall I write?" asked Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"You can write about the good times you and Bobtail and Billy have, +playing in the woods," said Mother Rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +"What fun!" said Bunny. "I am going to write a story in my book this +very morning." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny Rabbit ran back to the big stump. +</P> + +<P> +But he did not know just how to write a story. +</P> + +<P> +He had never written one before. +</P> + +<P> +He thought, and thought, and thought. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail and Billy hopped up to see what their brother was doing. +</P> + +<P> +"Come down and play with us," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny shook his head, and shook his long ears. +</P> + +<P> +"Run away now," he said; "I am going to write a story." +</P> + +<P> +"What story are you going to write?" asked Billy. +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny did not answer. He had just thought of something funny. +</P> + +<P> +It was about the slide on the long hill beside the pond. +</P> + +<P> +And about the way Billy slid down,—right into the cold water. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail and Billy ran away and left Bunny alone on the stump. +</P> + +<P> +Ho was very busy writing in his maple-leaf book. +</P> + +<P> +When he finished the story, he hid his book in the hollow tree. +</P> + +<P> +"No one will find it there," he said to himself, as he hopped off +toward home. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll write a story every day until the book is full." +</P> + +<P> +But one day I went walking in the woods. +</P> + +<P> +I found the hollow tree, and I found the little maple-leaf book. +</P> + +<P> +"Bunny Rabbit's Diary" was the name of the book. +</P> + +<P> +It was all full of stories about the three little rabbits that lived in +the woods. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BILLY'S SLIDE +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +One morning in winter Bunny opened his eyes, just as the big round sun +peeped up from behind the hills. +</P> + +<P> +He jumped up and shook himself. +</P> + +<P> +Then he pulled Bobtail's long ears to wake him up. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail rolled out of bed, and that waked Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I am so sleepy!" said Billy. "I don't want to get up now." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's run out and find something for breakfast," said Bunny. "I am as +hungry as a bear." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, let's run out and find some breakfast," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't want to go far," said Billy. "It is too cold." +</P> + +<P> +The three little rabbits hopped off through the woods, hunting for +something good to eat. +</P> + +<P> +The ground was covered with snow and they could not find very much. +</P> + +<P> +As they hopped along they were talking about what they could do to have +some fun. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's make a long slide to-day," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, let's make a big pile of snowballs," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's make a snow rabbit," said Billy. "We can make it in front of +our house." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny jumped up and down in the snow. He made a snowball and threw it +at Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! I like to play in the snow," he said. "I like to play in the +snow." +</P> + +<P> +Plump! Something hit Bunny on the head. +</P> + +<P> +"I like to play, too," some one called to the rabbits. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny looked up to see who was talking. +</P> + +<P> +Plump! Something hit him right on the end of his nose. +</P> + +<P> +"Hello, Bunny!" called Bobby Gray Squirrel. "I hit you that time." +</P> + +<P> +"Come down here and I will catch you," said Bunny, as he rubbed his +little pink nose. +</P> + +<P> +But Bobby only laughed and ran higher up among the branches of the oak +tree. +</P> + +<P> +"I will catch you some day," said Bunny as he hopped away. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no!" answered Bobby. "You can never catch me. You cannot climb a +tree." +</P> + +<P> +The three rabbits soon found some tender little roots hidden under the +blanket of snow. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a good breakfast," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it is a very good breakfast," said Billy, as he nibbled on the +root he had found. +</P> + +<P> +At last Bunny jumped up and shook his long ears. +</P> + +<P> +"I have finished my breakfast," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"So have I," said Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"So have I," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"Now we can make a long slide over in the meadow," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"I know where we can make the best slide," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"Where, where?" asked Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Over on the hill beside the pond," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"That is too far away," said Billy. "I think I will go home." +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny and Bobtail would not let him. They took hold of his hand, +and made him hop along with them through the snow. +</P> + +<P> +"Where are you going?" called Bobby Gray Squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +"Follow us and you will see," answered Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no," said Bobby. "I like best to run about in this big tree. +</P> + +<P> +"After I have found something to eat I shall curl up in my warm nest +and go to sleep. +</P> + +<P> +"Summer is the time to play, but winter is the time to sleep." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +The little rabbits hopped off through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +Soon they came to the long hill. +</P> + +<P> +They stood at the top of the hill and looked down at the pond. +</P> + +<P> +"Is the ice thick on the pond?" asked Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes," said Bobtail. "Jack Frost covered the pond with ice last +night." +</P> + +<P> +"But Mr. Sun is shining to-day," said Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Sometimes he turns the ice back to water again." +</P> + +<P> +"I know that ice is very thick," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said Bunny; "now let's make the slide." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny hopped down the hill and made a little path in the snow. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail hopped down the path after him. Then Billy hopped down the +path. +</P> + +<P> +The three rabbits hopped up and down the path until the slide was +smooth and hard. +</P> + +<P> +At last Billy said, "Now let's try the slide. Here is a sled that +belongs to one of the boys." +</P> + +<P> +Billy sat down on the sled and tucked his feet under him. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail sat down behind Billy. +</P> + +<P> +And last of all came Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Hold on tight," called Bunny. "I will give you a good start." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny pushed hard and the sled began to slide. +</P> + +<P> +He pushed harder and the sled began to slide faster. +</P> + +<P> +"Now I am going to jump on," cried Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +He ran as fast as he could and gave a good big jump. +</P> + +<P> +Down he came, but not on the sled. +</P> + +<P> +Oh, no! He came down hard on the slide. +</P> + +<P> +He bumped his nose and that made two little tears roll down his cheeks. +</P> + +<P> +When he brushed the tears away he looked to see where the sled was. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-019"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-019.jpg" ALT="The sled went on down the hill." BORDER="2" WIDTH="405" HEIGHT="377"> +<H3> +[Illustration: The sled went on down the hill.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +It was half way down the hill and going faster every minute. +</P> + +<P> +"Wait for me," shouted Bunny, and he started to run after the sled. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail heard Bunny call, and turned around to see what had happened. +</P> + +<P> +"Look, look!" he said to Billy. "Bunny has fallen off the sled and +hurt himself. +</P> + +<P> +"What shall we do? What shall we do?" +</P> + +<P> +Then Bobtail did a very silly thing. +</P> + +<P> +He jumped up on the sled to call to Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +He jumped up, and the sled went on down the hill. +</P> + +<P> +It left Bobtail rolling over and over in the snow. +</P> + +<P> +And he rolled, head first, right into a snow-bank. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail didn't like that very well. He kicked and kicked to get out of +the snow. +</P> + +<P> +He shook his fur coat and he shook his long ears. +</P> + +<P> +Then he looked down the hill to see what had become of Billy. +</P> + +<P> +Billy was on the sled. And the sled was sliding down the hill. +</P> + +<P> +It came to the pond. +</P> + +<P> +Crack, crack! Splash, splash! it went. +</P> + +<P> +Crack, crack! Splash, splash! and Billy slid right into the water. +</P> + +<P> +It was not very deep, but it was very wet. +</P> + +<P> +When Billy climbed out on the bank he was very wet, too. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" he said, "the water is cold." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" said Bobtail, "the snow is cold." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" said Bunny, "I hurt my nose." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's run home to Mother Rabbit," said Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, let's run home!" +</P> + +<P> +So the three little rabbits hopped along the path through the woods as +fast as they could go. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby Gray Squirrel was running up and down in the big oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +"Come and play with me," he said. +</P> + +<P> +But the little rabbits did not stop to answer. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped along the path as fast as they could go. +</P> + +<P> +And they didn't stop once until they were safe in their own cosy home. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A CHRISTMAS TREE +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +The little pine tree stood near the path that led through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +In summer the rabbits often sat under this tree to rest. +</P> + +<P> +The tree listened to the stories they told of the good times they had +together. +</P> + +<P> +The birds flew to its branches and talked to each other about the +things they had seen in the woods. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby Gray Squirrel and his brothers often ran up into the pine tree to +play tag. +</P> + +<P> +But Sammy Red Squirrel knew something about this tree that no one else +knew. +</P> + +<P> +He knew where there was a small hole in one of the branches. +</P> + +<P> +He found it one day when he ran up into the tree to eat a nut. +</P> + +<P> +And when he saw the hole he said to himself, "That is a good place to +hide some nuts for the winter." +</P> + +<P> +The hole was not very large, but Sammy hid ten acorns in it. He packed +them in one by one. +</P> + +<P> +Last of all he put a piece of bark in the hole. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a good door for my store-house," he said, "I am sure no one +will find these acorns." +</P> + +<P> +And no one did find them. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy ran to the hole very often and lifted the door just a crack. +</P> + +<P> +The ten little acorns were just where he had put them. +</P> + +<P> +"I will eat these nuts last of all," he said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +All through the fall the little red squirrel hunted for nuts under the +trees. +</P> + +<P> +Sometimes he could not find any on the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Then he would run round and round hunting for holes where he had hidden +acorns away. +</P> + +<P> +If the holes were empty Sammy knew some other little squirrel had been +there before him. +</P> + +<P> +And sometimes Sammy found nuts that other squirrels had stored away. +</P> + +<P> +The hunting was always good, and no squirrel ever went to bed hungry. +</P> + +<P> +But at last Jack Frost came and covered everything with snow. +</P> + +<P> +All the nuts and acorns were frozen into the ground so the squirrels +could not dig them out. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-027"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-027.jpg" ALT="The squirrel hunted for nuts." BORDER="2" WIDTH="402" HEIGHT="342"> +<H3> +[Illustration: The squirrel hunted for nuts.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Then Sammy went to his store-house in the stone wall or in some old +stump. +</P> + +<P> +At last it became very cold. +</P> + +<P> +North Wind blew through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +The water in the little brook was covered with ice. +</P> + +<P> +The birds tried to keep warm among the branches of the evergreen trees. +</P> + +<P> +The rabbits slept in their warm home and did not come out very often. +</P> + +<P> +The squirrels slept in their nests, and did not come out for days and +days. +</P> + +<P> +Blacky Crow stayed in the deep woods where the largest trees helped to +keep him warm. +</P> + +<P> +The ground had been covered with snow for two or three weeks. +</P> + +<P> +And the squirrels and rabbits had taken long, long naps. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +A few days before Christmas, Mr. Sun came up from behind the hills and +shone brightly all day long. +</P> + +<P> +He melted the snow in the warm hollows, and softened the ice on the +brooks. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny Rabbit and his brothers came out and hopped around to find roots +to eat. +</P> + +<P> +The squirrels ran up and down the trees, and all around everywhere to +find hidden nuts. +</P> + +<P> +All at once Bunny Rabbit heard a noise. +</P> + +<P> +He sat up on his hind legs and held up his long ears. +</P> + +<P> +The other rabbits listened, too. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy and Bobby heard the noise and scampered up into the little pine +tree. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow-wow!" barked Jip, as he ran through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"It's the dog!" cried Bunny. "Let's run and hide." +</P> + +<P> +The little rabbits whirled around and hopped back to their house. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy and Bobby were safe in the tree, so they did not try to run away. +</P> + +<P> +They heard some one talking and they looked to see who it was. +</P> + +<P> +They saw two children and a man. +</P> + +<P> +The man had an axe in his hand. +</P> + +<P> +The two children ran along the path, talking and laughing. +</P> + +<P> +They were looking at all the evergreen trees. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a good one," said the little boy. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a better one," said the girl, and she pointed right at the +little pine tree where Sammy and Bobby were hiding. +</P> + +<P> +"They are going to cut down this tree," whispered Sammy. "What shall +we do? What shall we do?" +</P> + +<P> +But the man did not cut down the tree. +</P> + +<P> +He looked at it and said, "That is too large for our Christmas tree. +</P> + +<P> +"We must find one that is much smaller." +</P> + +<P> +So the man and the two children went along the path into the woods. +</P> + +<P> +And before long the sound of the axe rang out through the stillness. +</P> + +<P> +"I never was so frightened in my life," said Sammy. "I thought they +were going to cut down this tree." +</P> + +<P> +"I thought so, too," said Bobby. "But I was not frightened. I could +jump to that next tree. It is not very far." +</P> + +<P> +"I know that," said Sammy. "But I have a store-house in this tree." +</P> + +<P> +"Where is it?" asked Bobby. "I wish you would show it to me. I am as +hungry as a bear." +</P> + +<P> +"So am I," said Sammy. "Let's have dinner now." +</P> + +<P> +"We will call it a Christmas dinner. The children said this would make +a good Christmas tree," said Bobby. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder what a Christmas tree is like," said Sammy, as he ran along +the branch to find the store-house. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby followed Sammy and peeped into the hole where the ten acorns were +hidden. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy took out a nut, and Bobby took out a nut. +</P> + +<P> +They sat up on their hind legs and nibbled away happily. +</P> + +<P> +And as they nibbled, the man and the two children and the dog came back +through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +They were dragging a little tree over the snow. +</P> + +<P> +The dog ran along beside them barking loudly. +</P> + +<P> +"That must be a Christmas tree," said Bobby. "I wonder what they are +going to do with it." +</P> + +<A NAME="img-035"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-035.jpg" ALT="Once Bunny Rabbit saw a Christmas tree." BORDER="2" WIDTH="405" HEIGHT="370"> +<H3> +[Illustration: Once Bunny Rabbit saw a Christmas tree.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"Tweet, tweet!" sang a little sparrow. "I can tell you. I saw one +last year. +</P> + +<P> +"I peeped in at the window after the tree had been set up in the warm +room. +</P> + +<P> +"I saw many pretty things hanging on the branches. +</P> + +<P> +"I saw the candles lighted, and Santa Claus came in to give away the +toys to the happy children. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, it was pretty! But I like to see the tree in the woods better." +</P> + +<P> +Then the little sparrow flew away, and the two squirrels ate another +nut. +</P> + +<P> +"I think this is a good Christmas tree," said Bobby. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Sammy. "A tree with a hole full of nuts is better than one +covered with candles and toys." +</P> + +<P> +"It is better for squirrels," said Bobby. And then he took another nut. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BOBTAIL'S KITE +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +North Wind was playing a game. +</P> + +<P> +He was blowing the dry leaves over the ground. +</P> + +<P> +He piled them up under the oak tree at the edge of the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"Bend your head and bow to me, big oak tree," said North Wind. +</P> + +<P> +The oak tree bowed and bowed its head. +</P> + +<P> +North Wind blew on and on. +</P> + +<P> +As he blew through the woods, every tree bowed, and bowed its head. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail and Billy and Bunny heard North Wind as he blew past their +house. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, how the wind blows!" said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"I shall stay in the house to-day," said Billy. "I do not like the +wind." +</P> + +<P> +But Bobtail did not like to stay in the house all day and sleep. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's go out and have a game of tag," he said to his two brothers. +</P> + +<P> +"I will reach the big oak tree first." +</P> + +<P> +Now Bunny and Billy always liked to have a game of tag with Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +So they both hopped out of their warm house. +</P> + +<P> +"Look out for me!" called North Wind. "I can catch you all." +</P> + +<P> +Hippity-hop went Bobtail down the path that led to the big oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +And hippity-hop went Billy and Bunny after him. +</P> + +<P> +Just as they came to the oak tree Bobtail saw the pile of leaves. +</P> + +<P> +"Who put all those leaves under this tree?" he said. +</P> + +<P> +"I did, I did," called North Wind. "And here are some more to make the +pile larger." +</P> + +<P> +Then North Wind puffed out his cheeks and blew more leaves under the +oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, what fun!" said Bunny. "I should like to do that." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew, as hard as he could blow. +</P> + +<P> +But the leaves did not move, until North Wind came to help him. +</P> + +<P> +"This is just the day to fly a kite," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Billy. "The children always fly kites when the wind blows." +</P> + +<P> +"I wish we had a kite," said Bunny. "I should like to see it sail up +in the air and over the trees." +</P> + +<P> +"I can make a kite," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"How, how?" asked both the other little rabbits together. +</P> + +<P> +"See this big oak leaf," said Bobtail. "This would make a good kite, +if we had a long string." +</P> + +<P> +"I know where there is a string," said Bunny. "One of the boys dropped +it out of his pocket the other day. +</P> + +<P> +"It is on the ground, under the pine tree. I will get it for you." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny hopped off, and in a minute he was back with the long string. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail tied the string to the short stem of the oak leaf. +</P> + +<P> +"Let me fly the kite," begged Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"No, let me," said Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"We will take turns," said Bobtail. "Bunny may have his turn first." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny took hold of the string. +</P> + +<P> +He picked the kite up and tossed it into the air just as he had seen +the boys do. +</P> + +<P> +The kite fluttered and fell to the ground at Bunny's feet. +</P> + +<P> +"This is not a good kite," he said. "It will not fly up into the air." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +"Let me try now," said Billy. "I know how to make a kite fly." +</P> + +<P> +So Billy took hold of the string. +</P> + +<P> +Then he climbed up on the old stump and tossed the kite into the air. +</P> + +<P> +"Look, look!" he cried. "See the kite fly this time." +</P> + +<P> +But the oak leaf just fluttered and fluttered, and fell to the ground +at Billy's feet. +</P> + +<P> +"Something is the matter with this kite," said Billy. "You did not +make it the right way." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, I did," said Bobtail. "I will show you how to make it fly." +</P> + +<P> +All this time North Wind had been very still. +</P> + +<P> +He was watching the three little rabbits trying to fly their kite. +</P> + +<P> +He laughed softly to himself when the leaf fluttered and fell to the +ground. +</P> + +<P> +But North Wind could not keep still very long. +</P> + +<P> +He saw Bobtail take hold of the string of the kite. +</P> + +<P> +"Watch me, watch me!" said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"Watch me, watch me!" sang North Wind. +</P> + +<P> +Then he puffed out his cheeks and blew on the oak leaf as Bobtail gave +it a toss. +</P> + +<P> +Up, up in the air flew the kite, and Bobtail hopped faster and faster +over the ground. +</P> + +<P> +"Look, look!" he cried, "now my kite is going over the tall trees." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Billy were sitting on the ground looking up in the air. +</P> + +<P> +They watched the kite fly higher and higher. +</P> + +<P> +"There it goes," called Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +And just then something else went, too. +</P> + +<P> +Of course Bobtail could not see where he was hopping. +</P> + +<P> +It took both his eyes to watch his kite fly higher and higher. +</P> + +<P> +So he did not see the big stone in the path. +</P> + +<P> +Over the stone he fell,—right into the big pile of leaves under the +oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +Head first he went, and in a second he was all covered up with leaves. +</P> + +<P> +He lost hold of the string, and the kite flew away up in the air. +</P> + +<P> +One of the branches of the oak tree caught the string and held the kite +fast. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh!" whistled North Wind. "Now it is my turn to fly the kite." +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail did not say a word. +</P> + +<P> +He picked himself out of the big pile of leaves, and shook his long +ears back and forth. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't like to fly kites," he said. "Let's go home and take a nap." +</P> + +<P> +So the three little rabbits hopped back along the path through the +woods. +</P> + +<P> +North Wind puffed out his cheeks. +</P> + +<P> +"See me fly the kite," he called to the rabbits. +</P> + +<P> +He puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew. +</P> + +<P> +But the leaf only fluttered and fluttered because the branch held the +string fast. +</P> + +<P> +North Wind blew and blew, but he could not make the kite fly away. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't like to fly kites this morning," he said. "I am going to pile +some more leaves under the oak tree." +</P> + +<P> +So he danced over the ground, and through the woods, singing a gay +little song: +</P> + +<P> +"Come, little leaves," said the wind one day.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +"Come o'er the meadow with me and play.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +"Put on your dresses of red and gold,<BR> +</P> + +<P> +"For summer has gone and the days grow cold."<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +APRIL FOOL'S DAY +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +"Wake up, Billy!" called Bunny. "Wake up and see how hard it is +snowing." +</P> + +<P> +Billy opened his sleepy eyes and rolled out of bed. +</P> + +<P> +Then he went to the door and peeped out. +</P> + +<P> +"April fool, April fool!" shouted Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +Billy laughed. Then he hopped out of doors. +</P> + +<P> +It was a warm sunny day,—just the day to run around and play jokes. +</P> + +<P> +But first the little rabbits had to find their breakfast. +</P> + +<P> +Now that the warm days were coming they could find plenty to eat. +</P> + +<P> +And Bunny and Billy and Bobtail were growing very fat. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby Gray Squirrel and Sammy Red Squirrel could find plenty to eat, +too. +</P> + +<P> +In the fall they had stored away nuts and acorns in little holes in the +ground. +</P> + +<P> +When Jack Frost covered the ground with snow the squirrels could not +dig up these nuts. +</P> + +<P> +But now the ground was soft again, and Bobby and Sammy had plenty to +eat. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Billy and Bobtail saw the squirrels hide the nuts. +</P> + +<P> +They did not like acorns so they never opened the store-house doors. +</P> + +<P> +They just hopped around under the trees looking for green leaves and +tender roots. +</P> + +<P> +But on this first day of April Bunny found the biggest acorn he had +ever seen. +</P> + +<P> +It was hidden in a little hole, and he saw it when he sat down to eat +his breakfast. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh!" he said to himself. "Now I can play a joke on Bobby Gray +Squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +"I am going to tie a string to this acorn, and when Bobby tries to pick +it up I shall pull it away from him." +</P> + +<P> +He told Bobtail and Billy about the joke he was going to play on the +gray squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, ho!" laughed Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Ha, ha!" laughed Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"We must hurry and finish our breakfast," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Bobby will be out hunting for nuts very soon." +</P> + +<P> +In a few minutes the three rabbits had finished their breakfast. +</P> + +<P> +Then Bunny hopped away to find a string he had seen under the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +It was the same string they had used to fly their kite. +</P> + +<P> +The string had held the kite to the branch for a long time. +</P> + +<P> +Then one day North Wind came again and tried to carry it away. +</P> + +<P> +He puffed and puffed, and at last the branch let go of the string. +</P> + +<P> +The kite flew up in the air and far away, but the string dropped to the +ground under the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +There Bunny found it, and he tied the string around the acorn. +</P> + +<P> +Then he scampered back to his brothers. +</P> + +<P> +They were waiting for him near the old stone wall. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's fool Sammy Red Squirrel first," said Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"I saw him run out of his hole just a minute ago." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny put the acorn in front of Sammy's door. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-054"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-054.jpg" ALT="Bunny put the acorn in front of Sammy's door." BORDER="2" WIDTH="377" HEIGHT="598"> +<H3> +[Illustration: Bunny put the acorn in front of Sammy's door.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Then he held on to the other end of the string and hid behind a big +rock. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail and Billy hid behind the pine tree. +</P> + +<P> +They all kept as still as mice. They did not even shake one of their +long ears. +</P> + +<P> +"There is Sammy now," whispered Billy. "I can see him running along +the path." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't make a noise," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny saw the little red squirrel coming down the path. +</P> + +<P> +He kept very still and held on to the string. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +Sammy came skipping down the path. +</P> + +<P> +He was singing a gay little tune: +</P> + +<P> +"One, two, three, four, five, six,<BR> +</P> + +<P> +"I'll watch out for April tricks."<BR> +</P> + +<P> +Just then he saw the acorn lying on the ground near his door. +</P> + +<P> +"Look at that!" he said. "Bobby Gray Squirrel must have been here. +</P> + +<P> +"Something frightened him, and made him drop that nut near my door." +</P> + +<P> +Now Sammy was very fond of big acorns and he had not had one for a long +time. +</P> + +<P> +So he pounced on the acorn. +</P> + +<P> +But it was not there! Bunny had given the string a quick pull. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy put his hand down on a rock. There was no acorn to be seen. +</P> + +<P> +"April fool!" shouted Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"April fool!" shouted Billy and Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +The three rabbits hopped out from their hiding places. +</P> + +<P> +They laughed and laughed, and Sammy laughed, too. +</P> + +<P> +"That was a good trick," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"We are going to play it on Bobby Gray Squirrel, now," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"May I go with you?" asked Sammy. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes!" said the three rabbits. +</P> + +<P> +So off through the woods they all went. +</P> + +<P> +"Bobby often comes to the big oak tree," said Billy. "I think that +will be a good place to play the trick." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny put the acorn on the ground, and then they all hid behind the +tree. +</P> + +<P> +They did not wait very long before they saw Bobby coming. +</P> + +<P> +And in another minute Bobby saw the acorn. +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, ho!" he said. "Sammy Red Squirrel must have dropped that big +acorn. I will pick it up." +</P> + +<P> +He ran along the ground toward the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny held on to the string. +</P> + +<P> +He was going to wait until Bobby took hold of the acorn and then pull +it away. +</P> + +<P> +It was so still that the rabbits could hear Bobby's feet as they +pattered on the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Then all at once it was not still in the woods. +</P> + +<P> +Jip, the dog, came bounding along the little path. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" he barked. "Look out for me. I am coming." +</P> + +<P> +What a scampering there was! +</P> + +<P> +Bobby forgot all about the acorn and skipped up the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy skipped up the tree after him. +</P> + +<P> +The three little rabbits put their ears down on their heads, and hopped +away out of sight. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" said Jip. "Where has every one gone? +</P> + +<P> +"I thought I saw some one under this tree as I came along the path." +</P> + +<P> +The acorn lay on the ground where Bunny had left it. +</P> + +<P> +Four little bright eyes watched Jip from the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy wished he could call out "April fool," to Jip. +</P> + +<P> +But he was afraid of dogs, so he kept very still. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby kept still, too, and the three little rabbits hopped along +towards home. +</P> + +<P> +After a while Jip went home. +</P> + +<P> +Then there was a quick scampering down the tree. +</P> + +<P> +One of the squirrels had that big acorn for his dinner. +</P> + +<P> +Was it Sammy or Bobby? +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +MRS. DUCK'S SECRET +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +Mrs. Duck had a secret. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny knew she had a secret, but she would not tell him what it was. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail knew she had a secret, and so did Billy. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny saw Bobby Gray Squirrel and asked him if he knew Mrs. Duck's +secret. +</P> + +<P> +But Bobby did not know it, and Sammy Red Squirrel did not know it. +</P> + +<P> +Every day Bunny saw Mrs. Duck walking along the little path that led +through the field. +</P> + +<P> +Sometimes she was going to the barn. +</P> + +<P> +Sometimes she was coming from the barn. +</P> + +<P> +She was always alone. And she was always in a hurry. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-063"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-063.jpg" ALT="Mrs. Duck was always in a hurry." BORDER="2" WIDTH="405" HEIGHT="266"> +<H3> +[Illustration: Mrs. Duck was always in a hurry.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +She did not stop to talk to Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +She did not stop to catch any of the little bugs that she saw in the +path. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder what is the matter with Mrs. Duck," Bunny said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder why she walks along this little path every day." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny thought and thought about the secret. +</P> + +<P> +"I will ask Mrs. Duck to tell me her secret," he said. +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny sat down under the maple tree to wait for Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +He waited and waited. +</P> + +<P> +It was very warm in the field. +</P> + +<P> +After a while Bunny shut his eyes and he fell fast asleep. +</P> + +<P> +He slept such a long time that when he opened his eyes the sun was just +going to bed. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well!" he said. "Mrs. Duck must have gone long ago." +</P> + +<P> +Just then he saw Sammy Red Squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +"Have you seen Mrs. Duck to-day?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes!" answered Sammy. "She walked along the path early this +afternoon." +</P> + +<P> +The next day Bunny sat down under the maple tree to watch again. +</P> + +<P> +But this time he was not alone. +</P> + +<P> +He had asked Billy to come with him. +</P> + +<P> +"If you are with me, I shall not to sleep," he said. +</P> + +<P> +So the two little rabbits sat down to wait for Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +They waited and waited. +</P> + +<P> +It was very warm in the field. After a while Bunny shut his eyes. +Then Billy shut his eyes, and they both fell fast asleep. +</P> + +<P> +They slept such a long time that when they opened their eyes the sun +was just going to bed. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby Squirrel was sitting in the maple tree over their heads. +</P> + +<P> +"Have you seen Mrs. Duck?" asked Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes!" answered Bobby. "She walked along the path early this +afternoon." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well!" said Bunny. "I will try again to-morrow. I will ask +Bobtail to come with me. Perhaps he can keep awake." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +The next day the three little rabbits sat under the maple tree to watch +for Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +They waited and waited. +</P> + +<P> +It was very warm in the field. +</P> + +<P> +After a while the three little rabbits became sleepy. +</P> + +<P> +Then Bobtail jumped up on his feet and began to hop around. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's play tag," he said. "If we sit here in the sun we shall go to +sleep. +</P> + +<P> +"Then we shall not see Mrs. Duck when she walks along the path." +</P> + +<P> +So the three rabbits played tag. +</P> + +<P> +They ran round and round the maple tree. They ran back and forth along +the little path. +</P> + +<P> +All at once Bunny heard Mrs. Duck coming across the field. +</P> + +<P> +She was going to the barn. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-morning, Mrs. Duck," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Where are you going this fine morning?" +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck, "I am going to the barn." +</P> + +<P> +"Where have you been?" asked Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "That is a secret. I can not tell +you." +</P> + +<P> +Then Mrs. Duck walked quickly along the little path and across the road. +</P> + +<P> +She went into the barn-yard and hunted around for something to eat. +</P> + +<P> +She talked to the other ducks and hens. But she did not tell them her +secret. +</P> + +<P> +When she had eaten all she wanted she went out of the yard and across +the road. +</P> + +<P> +Then she walked back again along the path across the field. +</P> + +<P> +When she came to the maple tree she saw Bunny and Bobtail and Billy. +</P> + +<P> +And Bunny and Bobtail and Billy saw Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +"Where are you going, now?" asked Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"I am going down to the brook," she said. "That is where my secret is." +</P> + +<P> +"May we go with you?" asked Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Mrs. Duck. "I will show you my secret if you will all +promise not to tell." +</P> + +<P> +So the three little rabbits hopped along behind Mrs. Duck until they +came to the brook. +</P> + +<P> +The water in the brook was running over the stones and singing a sweet +little song. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Green Frog was sitting on a stone taking a nap in the warm sun. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, follow me," said Mrs. Duck. "I will show you my secret." +</P> + +<P> +She led the three rabbits to some bushes that grew close beside the +water. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" she said. "Look in here. What can you see?" +</P> + +<P> +Bunny peeped in under the bushes. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh!" he said, "how pretty they are." +</P> + +<P> +Billy peeped in under the bushes. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh!" he said, "how many there are." +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail peeped in under the bushes. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh!" he said. "That is a very good secret." +</P> + +<P> +Now what do you think the three rabbits saw hidden away under the +bushes? +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps you have guessed Mrs. Duck's secret by this time. +</P> + +<P> +Yes! there was a nest full of eggs,—just the prettiest eggs you ever +saw. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Duck was very proud of them. +</P> + +<P> +She let the rabbits look at the eggs for a few minutes. +</P> + +<P> +"Now I must cover my eggs up," she said. "I must keep them warm." +</P> + +<P> +So Mrs. Duck sat down on the nest and cuddled the eggs under her soft +warm wings. +</P> + +<P> +Not one egg could be seen. And Mrs. Duck sat so still that Bunny +thought she had gone to sleep. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +III +</H3> + +<P> +Every day after that the rabbits went to visit Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +But they did not tell the secret to any of their friends. +</P> + +<P> +Then, one day, when the rabbits went to visit Mrs. Duck, she would not +get off the nest. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" she said. "I can not let you see the eggs to-day. I +you will come to-morrow I will show you what I have in my nest." +</P> + +<P> +So the rabbits hopped away, leaving Mrs. Duck alone on her nest under +the bushes. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning, bright and early, the rabbits hopped along the little +path. +</P> + +<P> +They found Mrs. Duck still sitting in the nest. +</P> + +<P> +They saw some little yellow heads peeping out from under her wings. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" she said. "See my ducks. They are the prettiest ducks +you ever saw. +</P> + +<P> +"And they have the brightest eyes in the world." +</P> + +<P> +One little duck wriggled out from under her mother's wing and tried to +stand on her little yellow feet. +</P> + +<P> +But they were not strong yet. +</P> + +<P> +"Come back, come back!" said Mrs. Duck. "You must stay in the nest +until you are strong." +</P> + +<P> +And the little duck wriggled back again under her mother's wing. +</P> + +<P> +"We will come again to see your ducks," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +After two or three days the three rabbits went back to see the little +ducks. +</P> + +<P> +There was nothing in the nest under the bushes but a few broken shells. +</P> + +<P> +"Where can the ducks be?" said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Tweet, tweet!" sang the sparrow. "I saw Mrs. Duck and all the little +ducks going to the barn." +</P> + +<P> +"There they are now," sang another sparrow. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Bobtail and Billy looked across the field. +</P> + +<P> +They saw Mrs. Duck leading her family to the barnyard. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Rooster saw them coming. +</P> + +<P> +He flapped his big wings and flew up on the fence. +</P> + +<P> +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he said. "See Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks." +</P> + +<P> +The three rabbits watched the ducks until they were in the barnyard. +</P> + +<P> +Then they hopped off to the woods to tell Mrs. Duck's secret to all +their friends. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SWIMMING LESSON +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck, as she walked along the little +path through the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack, quack! Follow me, little ducks." +</P> + +<P> +One, two, three, four, five, six little yellow ducks waddled after +their mother along the little path through the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny Rabbit was sitting under a tree, fast asleep, and he did not hear +them coming. +</P> + +<P> +He was dreaming of flying away with the little birds. +</P> + +<P> +He could fly high up over the trees and over the houses. +</P> + +<P> +Oh, it was great fun! All the other rabbits were sitting on the ground +watching him. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-by," he called to Billy. +</P> + +<P> +Then he waked up, and he was not under the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "What are you talking about, +Bunny? I cannot see Billy anywhere." +</P> + +<P> +"I was dreaming of flying," said Bunny. "I said good-by to Billy +because I was going far away." +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "I should like to see you fly. You +can't even swim." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps I could," said Bunny, "if you would teach me." +</P> + +<P> +"Come with me," said Mrs. Duck "I am going to teach my little ones to +swim, and I will teach you, too." +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" said all the little ducks, as they waddled after their +mother. +</P> + +<P> +"Come and see how soon we will learn to swim." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny did not like to think that these little ducks could do something +that he could not do. +</P> + +<P> +"I have four feet," he said to himself, "and they have only two. I am +sure I can do what they can do." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny jumped up and followed the ducks along the path through the +meadow. +</P> + +<P> +In a few minutes they came to the brook. +</P> + +<P> +The water looked cool to the little ducks. +</P> + +<P> +But the water looked very wet to Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Duck stood on the bank for one minute to talk to her ducklings. +</P> + +<P> +"Follow me," she said, "and do what I do. Swimming is the easiest +thing in the world. +</P> + +<P> +"When I count three we will all go into the water together." +</P> + +<P> +"I think I will wait and see how you do it," said Bunny. "That will be +the best way for me to learn." +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny sat down on the bank, and the little ducks stood in a row +behind their mother. +</P> + +<P> +"Now," said Mrs. Duck, "one, two, three,—go!" +</P> + +<P> +At the word "go" they all waddled into the water. +</P> + +<P> +Paddle, paddle, paddle! Mrs. Duck made her feet go so fast that she +was soon in the middle of the brook. +</P> + +<P> +Paddle, paddle, paddle, went all the little ducks, and they were +swimming after their mother. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, what fun this is!" said the littlest duck. +</P> + +<P> +"How cool the water is," said the biggest duck. +</P> + +<P> +"Come in, Bunny," called all the ducks. "Swimming is the easiest thing +in the world." +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't you try it, Bunny?" asked Mr. Green Frog, who was sitting on +a rock close by. +</P> + +<P> +"The water is cool, and swimming is the easiest thing in the world." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +Bunny sat still on the bank, but he did not say a word. +</P> + +<P> +He watched the ducks swimming round and round in the water. +</P> + +<P> +"All they have to do is to paddle their feet," he said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +"I am sure I can do that. But I do wish the water was not so wet." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you afraid to come in?" asked Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you afraid to come in?" asked Mr. Green Frog. +</P> + +<P> +Of course Bunny was afraid, but he did not like to say so. +</P> + +<P> +At last he stood up and went down to the edge of the brook. +</P> + +<P> +He put one foot in the water, but he pulled it out again very quickly. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-083"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-083.jpg" ALT="He put one foot in the water." BORDER="2" WIDTH="405" HEIGHT="294"> +<H3> +[Illustration: He put one foot in the water.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"Oh, dear!" he said, "the water is so wet." +</P> + +<P> +"You can't swim on dry land," said Mrs. Duck. "Jump in, and you will +like it, I know." +</P> + +<P> +"Jump in!" said Mr. Green Frog. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny went a step nearer and put two feet in the water. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear!" he thought to himself. "I never can learn to swim. I wish +I were back under the tree, fast asleep." +</P> + +<P> +Splash, splash! Mr. Green Frog jumped into the water close to Bunny's +feet. +</P> + +<P> +It frightened the poor little rabbit and he slipped into the water, too. +</P> + +<P> +"Paddle your feet, paddle your feet!" Mrs. Duck called to him. +</P> + +<P> +But, of course, Bunny did not know how to paddle his feet. +</P> + +<P> +He kicked and kicked and scrambled and splashed around in the brook. +</P> + +<P> +The water ran into his eyes and he could not see. +</P> + +<P> +The water ran into his ears and he could not hear. +</P> + +<P> +The water ran into his mouth and he could not speak. +</P> + +<P> +He kicked and splashed and scrambled until at last he felt his feet +touch the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Then he scrambled up on the bank and threw himself on the soft grass. +</P> + +<P> +"You did not paddle your feet," said Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +"Watch us," said all the little ducks. "Do it the way we do." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh!" laughed Mr. Green Frog. "Do try it again. It was the +funniest sight I ever saw." +</P> + +<P> +"It may have been funny for you," said Bunny. "But it was not funny +for me. +</P> + +<P> +"I am so wet, that I shall never be dry again. And I am afraid I have +spoiled my fur coat." +</P> + +<P> +But Mr. Sun shone down brightly and Bunny was soon dry and warm. +</P> + +<P> +Then he hopped along home by the little path through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"Swimming may be easy for ducks," he said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +"And flying may be easy for birds. +</P> + +<P> +"Rabbits and squirrels can run and hop and jump. And that is easy for +them." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE CLOVER PATCH +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +It was a lovely day in June. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny had been playing all the morning with Billy and Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +They had played tag, and hide-and-seek, and ever so many other games. +</P> + +<P> +At last they were all tired and hungry. +</P> + +<P> +"I know where there is a great big patch of clover," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Bunny!" begged Bobtail, "show us where it is. I have not had a +taste of clover for ever so long." +</P> + +<P> +"I like clover, too," said Billy. "Is it very far from here?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no," said Bunny. "It is down beside the brook." +</P> + +<P> +The three little rabbits hopped off to find the big patch of clover. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped down to the brook, but they could not see any clover there. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps it was in the meadow," said Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"The brook runs through the meadow." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Bobtail, "and then it runs through the woods." +</P> + +<P> +"Clover would not grow under the trees," said Bunny. "It grows in the +fields where the sun shines." +</P> + +<P> +"The sun shines in the meadow," said Billy. "Let's go down there and +look for the clover patch." +</P> + +<P> +So the three little rabbits hopped off through the field. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped along beside the brook all the way. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, look!" said Bunny. "See the fishes swimming in the water." +</P> + +<P> +Billy hopped very close to the brook. +</P> + +<P> +Splash, splash! went something right under his feet. +</P> + +<P> +Billy hopped back and looked all around to see what had happened. +</P> + +<P> +"What was that?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"That was old Mr. Green Frog," said Bunny. "There he is now, sitting +on a rock laughing at you." +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, ho!" laughed Mr. Green Frog. "I frightened you that time." +</P> + +<P> +"I frightened you, too," said Billy. "That was why you jumped into the +water." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Mr. Green Frog, "you almost hopped on my back. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course I was frightened. I jumped into the water without looking +to see what was the matter." +</P> + +<P> +"Come, come," said Bunny. "We must find that clover patch. I am as +hungry as a bear." +</P> + +<P> +So the three little rabbits hopped off across the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +They could not hop so near the brook now because the ground was soft +and wet. +</P> + +<P> +And the rabbits did not like to wet their feet. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped along, and at last Bunny called out, "Here it is. Here it +is." +</P> + +<P> +Billy and Bobtail hopped up close to Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +Sure enough, there was the biggest patch of clover they had ever seen. +</P> + +<P> +And how green every leaf was! +</P> + +<P> +The clover was all in blossom, too. +</P> + +<P> +The white blossoms held their heads up to the sun. +</P> + +<P> +The sun smiled to see the pretty white flowers among the green leaves. +</P> + +<P> +Many bees were flying over the clover patch. +</P> + +<P> +They were asking the blossoms for nectar to make sweet honey. +</P> + +<P> +"Buzz, buzz!" sang the bees, as they flew from flower to flower. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +Bunny and Billy and Bobtail began to nibble the greenest leaves. +</P> + +<P> +They nibbled and nibbled and nibbled. +</P> + +<P> +The bees buzzed and buzzed and buzzed. +</P> + +<P> +"What good honey we can make," said the bees. "Clover honey is best of +all." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, how good this clover is," said Billy. "I am glad I came so far." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Bunny. "It is the sweetest clover I ever tasted." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it is," said Billy. "I— +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh, oh!" he cried. "Oh, my nose!" +</P> + +<P> +Billy jumped up and hopped round and round. He rubbed his nose and +wiped the tears out of his eyes. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Bobtail stopped eating, and went to see what had happened to +Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"What is the matter?" asked Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, my nose!" said Billy. "I took a bite of clover and something +stung me on the nose." +</P> + +<P> +A bee flew up from the clover and sailed round and round in the air. +</P> + +<P> +"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" said the bee. "I stung your nose, Billy. I +thought you were going to eat me." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny saw the bee flying round and round over their heads. +</P> + +<P> +"It must have been a bee that stung you," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +Billy looked at the bee. +</P> + +<P> +"I am going home," he said. "I did not want to come so far anyway. +There are plenty of good things eat in our own field." +</P> + +<P> +So Billy hopped along home very slowly. +</P> + +<P> +He stopped every few steps to rub his poor little nose. +</P> + +<P> +Mother Rabbit saw him coming and went to the door to meet him. +</P> + +<P> +"What is the matter?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"I went to the meadow to eat clover," said Billy. "The bees were there +and one stung me on the nose." +</P> + +<P> +"Rub your nose in the dirt and that will make it feel well again," said +Mother Rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +Billy put some dirt on his nose, and the pain soon went away. +</P> + +<P> +Then Mother Rabbit took him to a place where the grass was tender. +</P> + +<P> +He ate all the dinner he wanted and then went home to take a nap. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Bobtail ate their dinner in the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +The clover was so sweet and tender that they wanted to eat it all. +</P> + +<P> +They nibbled and nibbled and nibbled. +</P> + +<P> +But they were both very careful not to nibble any of the blossoms where +the bees were gathering honey. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +MOVING DAY +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +It was warm and sunny in the meadows. +</P> + +<P> +It was warm and sunny in the fields. +</P> + +<P> +But in the woods it was cool and shady under the pine trees. +</P> + +<P> +The red squirrels had been playing all the morning. +</P> + +<P> +They had chased each other up and down the trees and along the little +path. +</P> + +<P> +Now Sammy was sitting on the branch of a pine tree resting. +</P> + +<P> +All at once he heard a noise over in the field. +</P> + +<P> +It was a very loud noise and he wondered what it could be. +</P> + +<P> +He could not see the field from the tree where he was sitting. +</P> + +<P> +So he ran down to the ground and skipped along—to the old stone wall. +</P> + +<P> +"Whirr, whirr, whirr!" the noise came nearer and nearer. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" said Sammy. "I know what that is. Mr. Man is cutting +the grass in the field. +</P> + +<P> +"Now all the families that live there will have to move out." +</P> + +<P> +Sammy sat still and watched to who would be the first to move. +</P> + +<P> +He had not been sitting on the wall very long when he saw the whole +rabbit family coming out of the field, one behind the other. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Rabbit had on her bonnet and shawl. She was carrying Baby Rabbit +in her arms. +</P> + +<P> +Father Rabbit had a big basket. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Bobtail and Billy were hopping along behind, laughing and +talking. +</P> + +<P> +"What fun it is to move," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"I hope we shall find a good home somewhere," said Mother Rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Bobtail and Billy hopped and skipped along. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped ahead of Father Rabbit along the little path that led +through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +When they came to the stone wall they saw Sammy Red Squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-morning," they called. "We are moving to-day. We are looking +for a new home. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you know where we can find one large enough for all of us?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," answered Sammy. "I know where the house is that Mrs. Robin left, +but that is too small for you." +</P> + +<P> +"Come, come," called Mother Rabbit, "we cannot stop to talk. We must +find a new home soon. It is dinner time this very minute." +</P> + +<P> +So the family of rabbits hopped off along the path. +</P> + +<P> +Then Sammy heard a little squeaking noise and he looked to see where it +came from. +</P> + +<P> +"Squeak, squeak!" said Mrs. Field Mouse. "I was not ready to move. +</P> + +<P> +"I did not want to leave my home in the field this week." +</P> + +<P> +"We can soon find another home," said Mr. Field Mouse. +</P> + +<P> +"Here is one right here. This is the very place we are looking for." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Mouse set his bag down beside a hole that he had found near the +stone wall. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Mouse looked at the hole and so did all the little mice. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps that will do until we can go back to our home in the sunny +field," said Mrs. Mouse. +</P> + +<P> +Then she shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear!" she said. "I know I shall be very lonely here." +</P> + +<P> +"But we could not stay in the field," said Mr. Mouse. "A man was +cutting the grass, and I am afraid of that big cutter." +</P> + +<P> +"That is so," said Mrs. Mouse, as she wiped another tear out of her +eye. "But I shall be glad when we can move back." +</P> + +<P> +"I think this hole will do," said Mr. Mouse. "I will go in and see." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +Sammy sat on the wall and watched the mice. +</P> + +<P> +He saw them stop in front of the hole and peep into it. +</P> + +<P> +Then he saw Mr. Mouse go in—head, tail and all. +</P> + +<P> +"That house belongs to some one else," said Sammy. +</P> + +<P> +But Mr. Mouse was in the hole and did not hear what he said. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Mouse and the little mice were peeping into the hole and they did +not hear what he said. +</P> + +<P> +In a minute Sammy heard Mr. Mouse call to his family to follow him. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Mouse picked up the bag and started into the hole. +</P> + +<P> +All the little mice followed her. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy sat on the wall watching them. +</P> + +<P> +All at once he heard a noise. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Mouse heard the noise and jumped back. +</P> + +<P> +She dropped the bag, and it flew open. Everything spilled out on the +ground. +</P> + +<P> +The next minute Mr. Mouse came scrambling out of the hole. +</P> + +<P> +He had lost off his glasses, and his cap was gone. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh, oh! That is no home for us. Some one lives there, now," he +said. +</P> + +<P> +"Who, who, who?" asked all the little mice at once. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Toad came out to the edge of the hole, winking and blinking. +</P> + +<P> +"I do," he said. "This is my home. Who came to visit me?" +</P> + +<P> +"I told you that some one lived there," chattered Sammy Red Squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +"I told you, but you would not listen to me." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, there is no harm done," said Mr. Mouse. "I just paid Mr. Toad a +visit." +</P> + +<P> +"We must find a home any way," said Mrs. Mouse. "If we stay here the +cat will catch us." +</P> + +<P> +"There comes the cat now," said Sammy. "She heard Mr. Mouse squeal +when he came out of the hole." +</P> + +<P> +When the mice heard that the cat was coming, what a scampering there +was. +</P> + +<P> +It did not take the whole family of mice long to find a home under a +big stone. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy jumped off the wall and ran up into the pine tree. +</P> + +<P> +The cat came along the path very slowly. +</P> + +<P> +"Meow, meow!" she said to herself. "I must find something for +breakfast." +</P> + +<P> +But she did not find the little mice. They were hiding away under the +big stone. +</P> + +<P> +And she did not find Sammy. He was safe in the pine tree. +</P> + +<P> +Of course she knew where the mice were hiding. +</P> + +<P> +She saw them when they ran into the hole. +</P> + +<P> +But the stone was too heavy for her to move. +</P> + +<P> +She sat down beside the hole and waited and waited, but not one little +mouse put out his nose. +</P> + +<P> +At last the cat grew tired of waiting, and walked back along the path +to the house. +</P> + +<P> +She found a saucer of milk on the kitchen floor. +</P> + +<P> +And the best of it was that it could not run away and hide like the +mice and squirrels. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A SUMMER SHOWER +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast. +</P> + +<P> +"Rain, rain, rain! I wish it would rain." +</P> + +<P> +The pretty flowers heard the robin calling for rain. +</P> + +<P> +They lifted up their heads and listened. +</P> + +<P> +They were wishing it would rain, too. The ground was so dry they could +not find a drop of water to drink. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Green Frog wished it would rain. +</P> + +<P> +The brook was almost dry, and he did not like that very well. +</P> + +<P> +"Rain, rain, rain!" Robin Redbreast called again. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't call for rain," said Bunny Rabbit. "I like to have the sun +shine all the time." +</P> + +<P> +"So do I," said Sammy Red Squirrel. "I do not like to have it rain on +my fur coat." +</P> + +<P> +"See how the flowers hang down their heads," said the robin. +</P> + +<P> +"I am sure they would like to have a drink of fresh water." +</P> + +<P> +"The flowers are sleepy," said Bunny. "That is why they hang their +heads." +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "Come, children, we will go +down to the brook." +</P> + +<P> +The duck and all the little ducks waddled across the road and into the +meadow. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny saw them coming and hopped over to meet them. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-morning, Mrs. Duck," he said. "Where are you going?" +</P> + +<P> +"We are going to the brook to have a swim," said the duck. "Will you +come with us?? +</P> + +<P> +"No, no!" answered Bunny. "I can not swim. You did not teach me." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps I could teach you this morning," said the duck. "There is not +much water in the brook to-day." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't want to learn to swim," answered Bunny, and he hopped off to +find Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +But he could not find Bobtail, and he could not find Billy. +</P> + +<P> +So at last Bunny sat down under the oak tree to take a nap. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled along the path until they +came to the brook. +</P> + +<P> +It was just a very tiny brook, now. It was really nothing but mud. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" said Mrs. Duck "I wish it would rain to-day." +</P> + +<P> +"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast. "I wish it would rain." +</P> + +<P> +"I think it will rain," said Mr. Green Frog. "And I think it will rain +to-day." +</P> + +<A NAME="img-115"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-115.jpg" ALT=""I think it will rain to-day."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="405" HEIGHT="349"> +<H3> +[Illustration: "I think it will rain to-day."] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Mrs. Duck let the little ducks play in the muddy brook. +</P> + +<P> +They pushed their flat bills into the mud to find something to eat. +</P> + +<P> +Their little yellow feet were black with mud, but they liked it. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Sun looked down and smiled at them. He smiled his brightest smile. +</P> + +<P> +Then a cloud came and hid the sun. +</P> + +<P> +A gentle wind began to blow over the tall grass in the field. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow your heads!" the wind said to the flowers and grass. +</P> + +<P> +Then the wind puffed out its cheeks and blew harder. +</P> + +<P> +It rushed along to the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow your heads!" it said to the pine trees and the oak trees. +</P> + +<P> +They bowed their heads and waved their branches to and fro. +</P> + +<P> +The wind blew harder, and the clouds sailed faster and faster across +the sky. +</P> + +<P> +"It is going to rain," said Mrs. Duck. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," called Robin Redbreast. "It is going to rain. I know it is. I +must fly to the woods until the shower is over. +</P> + +<P> +"Come, little ducks," said their mother. +</P> + +<P> +"We must so back to the barn until the shower is over. I think the +wind will blow very hard, and I do not like the wind." +</P> + +<P> +So the robin flew to the woods, and the ducks went back to the barn. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy Red Squirrel saw the shower coming, and he scampered home as fast +as he could go. +</P> + +<P> +Billy and Bobtail were playing in their yard, when the wind rushed by +and called to them. +</P> + +<P> +"Run in, little rabbits," said the wind. "I am bringing a shower. Run +in or you will get your fur coats wet." +</P> + +<P> +So Billy and Bobtail hopped into the house and curled up to take a nap +until the shower was over. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +The wind puffed out his cheeks and blew harder and harder. +</P> + +<P> +The clouds sailed across the sky faster and faster. +</P> + +<P> +It was almost as dark as night. +</P> + +<P> +And Bunny slept on, under the big oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +Patter, patter, patter! the rain drops fell on the oak leaves. +</P> + +<P> +Easter and faster they fell. In a few minutes the leaves were wet. +</P> + +<P> +Then the water began to fall down on the ground at the foot of the tree. +</P> + +<P> +One great big drop fell on Bunny's nose. Then another fell on his ear. +</P> + +<P> +He waked up with a start. +</P> + +<P> +"What is the matter?" he said. "What is the matter?" +</P> + +<P> +He opened his eyes wide and then he knew what was the matter. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" he said to himself. "Robin Redbreast has her wish at +last. It is raining hard." +</P> + +<P> +Faster and faster the rain drops fell from the black clouds. +</P> + +<P> +The ground was soon wet under the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +And Bunny was wet, too. +</P> + +<P> +But he could not go home. He knew better than to leave the oak tree +and skip out into the field. +</P> + +<P> +So he curled himself up in a very tiny ball and waited for the shower +to be over. +</P> + +<P> +It grew lighter and lighter. +</P> + +<P> +The wind stopped blowing, and at last Mr. Sun peeped out from behind +the cloud. +</P> + +<P> +He looked right down on Bunny, and laughed to see how he was rolled up +in such a tiny ball. +</P> + +<P> +"Cheer up, cheer up!" sang Robin Redbreast. "That was a fine rain. I +am going to take a bath in that puddle of water." +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Green Frog came out of his hole. +</P> + +<P> +"Croak, croak!" he said. "That was a fine rain. I like to see the +water running in the brook again." +</P> + +<A NAME="img-122"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-122.jpg" ALT=""Croak, croak!" said Mr. Green Frog." BORDER="2" WIDTH="380" HEIGHT="602"> +<H3> +[Illustration: "Croak, croak!" said Mr. Green Frog.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Bunny jumped up and shook himself. +</P> + +<P> +He was just as wet as he could be. +</P> + +<P> +His feet were wet. His back was wet. And his nice long ears were wet. +</P> + +<P> +He jumped up and shook himself. Then he started off toward home. +</P> + +<P> +On his way he met Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks. +</P> + +<P> +They were going to the brook to have a swim. +</P> + +<P> +"That was a fine rain," Mrs. Duck called to Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Just see how the flowers hold up their heads." +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny did not look at the flowers. He could not see why anything +liked to be wet. +</P> + +<P> +"That was a fine rain," said Mrs. Duck, again. "That was a fine rain." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps it was," said Bunny. "But I like best to have the sun shine." +</P> + +<P> +And then, without saying another word, Bunny hopped off home. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Duck and the little ducks went to the brook to have a swim in the +fresh water. +</P> + +<P> +And Robin Redbreast took a bath in the puddle under the oak tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SAMMY'S FLYING MACHINE +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +Sammy Red Squirrel was sitting on the stone wall eating a nut. +</P> + +<P> +"Caw, caw!" called Blacky Crow, as he flew over the field. +</P> + +<P> +"Caw, caw, caw!" he called. "What are you doing, Sammy?" +</P> + +<P> +Sammy stopped eating the nut, and looked up to see who was talking to +him. +</P> + +<P> +He saw Blacky Crow sailing round and round over his head. +</P> + +<P> +"I am eating my breakfast," he answered. "Would you like to have a nut +to eat, too?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no," answered Blacky Crow. "I can find something better than that. +</P> + +<P> +"I am going to the pasture now to get my breakfast." +</P> + +<P> +Then Blacky Crow flapped his big wings and flew far, far away. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy watched the crow fly over the tallest tree and out of sight. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish I could fly," he said to himself. "I know I could if I had +some wings." +</P> + +<P> +Just then a flock of sparrows flew over head. +</P> + +<P> +"Twitter, twitter!" they said. +</P> + +<P> +"Twitter, twitter, twitter!" +</P> + +<P> +Sammy watched the sparrows flying until they were out of sight. +</P> + +<P> +"I know I could fly," he said to himself again, "if I had some wings. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps I could make some wings," he thought. +</P> + +<P> +Just then something hit Sammy on the head. +</P> + +<P> +He looked up to see what it was, and there at his feet lay an oak leaf. +</P> + +<P> +He looked up in the top of the tree. +</P> + +<P> +West Wind flew by and shook the branches of the tree very gently. +</P> + +<P> +And another leaf floated softly down to the ground beside its brother. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy sat there watching the leaves for a few minutes. +</P> + +<P> +Then he jumped up and clapped his hands. +</P> + +<P> +"I know what I can do," he said. "I can make some wings for myself out +of those oak leaves. +</P> + +<P> +"I will ask all the other squirrels to come and watch me fly." +</P> + +<P> +Sammy hunted on the ground until he found two very large oak leaves. +</P> + +<P> +"I can hold them out with my front paws," he said. "I think they will +look just like wings." +</P> + +<P> +Sammy put the two leaves on the ground and covered them with a stone. +</P> + +<P> +He was not going to let West Wind carry them away. +</P> + +<P> +Then he scampered off to tell all the other squirrels what he was going +to do. +</P> + +<P> +He told all the red squirrels first. +</P> + +<P> +He told them he was going to fly from the big oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +"If you wish to see me fly," he said, "you must be at the tree in a few +minutes." +</P> + +<P> +All the red squirrels scampered off to get the best seats among the +branches of the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy saw Bobby Gray Squirrel and told him to ask all the gray +squirrels to come and see him fly. +</P> + +<P> +Then Sammy found Bunny Rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +When Bunny heard what Sammy was going to do, he wanted to try to fly, +too. +</P> + +<P> +"You are much too large for my wings," said Sammy. +</P> + +<P> +"You would have to go to Mr. Man's garden and ask him for some of the +leaves from the rhubarb plants." +</P> + +<P> +Blacky Crow was flying over the field. He heard Sammy tell Bunny that +he was going to fly. +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, ho!" he laughed, "I should like to see Sammy fly with those +oak-leaf wings. +</P> + +<P> +"I will fly to the oak tree this very minute." +</P> + +<P> +As he flew over the meadow he saw the sparrows and told them where he +was going. +</P> + +<P> +They wanted to go, too. +</P> + +<P> +Every one wanted to go and watch Sammy fly. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +When they were all seated, Sammy picked up the two leaves he had found +and skipped gaily up the tree. +</P> + +<P> +He ran up the tree and out on one of the longest branches. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, watch me!" he called to all his friends. +</P> + +<P> +"See me fly just like a bird." +</P> + +<P> +Sammy took one leaf in each of his front paws and held them out as far +as he could. +</P> + +<P> +He stood on the very end of the branch for just one minute. +</P> + +<P> +He saw that every one was watching him. +</P> + +<P> +"You must flap your wings," called Blacky Crow. +</P> + +<P> +"Hop off the branch," called one of the sparrows. +</P> + +<P> +So Sammy flapped his wings, and then he hopped off the branch. +</P> + +<P> +But, oh, dear me! The wings would not hold Sammy up in the air. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy forgot to hold his wings out straight and they hung down at his +side without a flutter. +</P> + +<P> +And down to the ground Sammy fell. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-133"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-133.jpg" ALT="Down to the ground Sammy fell." BORDER="2" WIDTH="401" HEIGHT="330"> +<H3> +[Illustration: Down to the ground Sammy fell.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Bump! he came down at the foot of the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +He almost fell on top of Bunny Rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny saw him coming and jumped out of the way just in time. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy lay very still where he had fallen. +</P> + +<P> +All the squirrels ran down to see if he had hurt himself. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby Gray Squirrel ran to pick the fallen bird up from the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy had given his nose such a bump that it was all black and blue. +</P> + +<P> +He had hurt his paw. And his make-believe wings were all crushed and +broken. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy rubbed his nose and then he looked at his friends. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't believe oak leaves make good wings," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said the tiniest sparrow, "the best wings are made of feathers." +</P> + +<P> +"Caw, caw!" said Blacky Crow. "My wings are made of feathers. See how +I can fly." +</P> + +<P> +Then Blacky Crow flapped his big wings and flew away. +</P> + +<P> +The sparrows flew away, too. +</P> + +<P> +All the squirrels scampered off to hunt for nuts. +</P> + +<P> +And the rabbits went back to their home to take a nap. +</P> + +<P> +Sammy was left sitting alone on the old stone wall. +</P> + +<P> +Every few minutes he rubbed his poor little nose. +</P> + +<P> +And as he rubbed his nose he thought: +</P> + +<P> +"Flying may be fun for birds, and swimming may be fun for ducks. +</P> + +<P> +"But running and jumping among the branches of the big oak tree is more +fun for squirrels." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE CABBAGE PATCH +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" said Billy. "I am so hungry. I wish I could find +something good to eat." +</P> + +<P> +"I know where there is a big cabbage patch," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Where, where?" asked Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"Where, where?" asked Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"Follow me," said Bunny, "and I will show you." +</P> + +<P> +"Is it far?" asked Billy. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Bunny. "It is not very far,—just down in Mr. Man's garden." +</P> + +<P> +"I think I will stay here," said Billy. "This clover is very good." +</P> + +<P> +So Billy stayed and ate the clover, but Bobtail and Bunny hopped off +down the road. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped along the road until they came to Mr. Man's barn. +</P> + +<P> +Then they stopped to listen. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny sat up straight and held up his long ears. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail sat up straight and held up his long ears. +</P> + +<P> +They listened and listened, but they did not hear a sound. +</P> + +<P> +"I think Jip is asleep in the house," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"I think Mr. Man is eating his dinner," said Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's hurry," said Bunny. "We can reach the garden without any one +seeing us, I am sure." +</P> + +<P> +So the two little rabbits laid their ears down on their heads and +hopped away. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped behind the barn. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. Rooster saw them coming. +</P> + +<P> +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he said. "Who are you? Where are you going in +such a hurry?" +</P> + +<P> +"We are going to the garden to get our dinner," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Mr. Man never lets me go to the garden," said Mr. Rooster. +</P> + +<P> +"Mr. Man never lets me go to the garden if he knows about it," laughed +Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" said the rooster, as he flapped his wings and flew +up on the fence. +</P> + +<P> +"Please do not make so much noise," begged Bobtail. "Mr. Man will hear +you and come out to see what is the matter." +</P> + +<P> +But the rooster just flapped his big wings and crowed again. +</P> + +<P> +"Come," said Bunny. "This is no place for us. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's hop into the garden and get some cabbage." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +The two rabbits hopped off across the yard and into the garden. +</P> + +<P> +There they found the biggest cabbages they had ever seen. +</P> + +<P> +There were rows and rows of them. +</P> + +<P> +They were great big green cabbages. How good they did look to the +hungry little rabbits! +</P> + +<P> +"I aim going to eat this one," said Bunny. And he stopped at a big, +big cabbage at the end of one long row. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail picked out a big one for himself and began to nibble the sweet +leaves. +</P> + +<P> +Nibble, nibble, nibble! Not a word did the little rabbits speak. +</P> + +<P> +They could not talk. They were so busy eating that they could not say +a word. +</P> + +<P> +Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was in the garden! +</P> + +<P> +Bunny heard the bees humming as they flew among the flowers. +</P> + +<P> +Once Blacky Crow flew over and called to the rabbits. +</P> + +<P> +But he did not fly down to the garden. There was nothing there for him +to eat, now. +</P> + +<P> +He liked the corn when it had just peeped out of the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Then it was tender and sweet, and he often pulled it up for his dinner. +</P> + +<P> +Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was everywhere. +</P> + +<P> +Then all at once there was a noise. +</P> + +<P> +It was a noise the rabbits knew too well. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip, as he bounded across the field. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow-wow! I think some one is in my master's garden." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Bobtail knew who was coming. They did not have to wait and +see. +</P> + +<P> +Off through the garden they hopped. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped so fast that they were soon out of sight. +</P> + +<P> +But Jip knew where they had gone, and he ran after them, barking louder +and louder at every step. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" cried Bobtail. "What shall we do? Jip will catch us +before we reach home." +</P> + +<P> +"Follow me," said Bunny, "I know where there is a hole big enough for +both of us to hide." +</P> + +<P> +So Bobtail followed Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped across the field and into the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip. "I am going to catch you this time." +</P> + +<P> +And then, all at once, Jip could not see the rabbits anywhere. +</P> + +<P> +They had hopped into a hole under the big rock at the foot of the oak +tree. +</P> + +<P> +They hopped into the hole and then they were safe. +</P> + +<P> +Jip could not reach them. +</P> + +<P> +He sat down beside the hole to wait until they came out, but they were +too wise to come out. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +III +</H3> + +<P> +Jip waited and waited, and the rabbits waited and waited, too. +</P> + +<P> +At last Jip grew tired of watching the hole and ran off home. +</P> + +<P> +Then the two rabbits knew it was safe for them to go home, too. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny put his nose out and looked around. +</P> + +<P> +There was no one in sight. +</P> + +<P> +"I am going now," he said to Bobtail. "Jip has gone away." +</P> + +<P> +And then Bunny started to get out of the hole. +</P> + +<P> +He put out his head, but he could not get any farther. +</P> + +<P> +"What is the matter? What are you waiting for? Is Jip coming back?" +asked Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny did not answer. He just kept on wiggling and twisting. +</P> + +<P> +He twisted and wiggled, twisted and wiggled. But he could not get out +of that hole. +</P> + +<P> +At last he pulled his head back through the hole. Then he sat down and +looked at Bobtail. +</P> + +<P> +"What shall we do?" he said. "The hole has grown small since we came +through it." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps I can get out," said Bobtail. "Let me try." +</P> + +<P> +So Bobtail put his head out and then he hopped out the rest of the way. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm out," he called to Bunny. "You can get out, I am sure." +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail hopped off home leaving Bunny to get out the best way he could. +</P> + +<P> +Of course Bunny got out; but he scratched his poor little nose and he +scratched his back. +</P> + +<P> +He hurt his long ears and he hurt his foot. +</P> + +<P> +But he did get out at last. +</P> + +<P> +And when he was safe on the outside of the hole he turned around and +looked at it. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll never go in there again," he said as he rubbed his nose. +</P> + +<P> +"I thought it was a big hole, but I must be bigger than the hole." +</P> + +<P> +Then Bunny hopped off home. +</P> + +<P> +Mother Rabbit was standing at the door watching for him. +</P> + +<P> +Bobtail and Billy were watching, too. +</P> + +<P> +"How did you get out of the hole?" they asked. +</P> + +<P> +"This is the way I got out," said Bunny, and he pointed to his poor +little scratched nose. +</P> + +<P> +When Mother Rabbit saw that Bunny had hurt himself she took him into +the house. +</P> + +<P> +She gave him some hot cabbage soup. +</P> + +<P> +Then she wrapped his nose up in flannel and made him stay in bed a +whole day until he was all well again. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-151"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-151.jpg" ALT="She wrapped his nose up in flannel." BORDER="2" WIDTH="405" HEIGHT="261"> +<H3> +[Illustration: She wrapped his nose up in flannel.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE WHITE RABBIT +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +It was a warm summer day. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny and Billy were over in the meadow eating clover. +</P> + +<P> +Mother Rabbit and Bobtail were in the garden eating cabbage. +</P> + +<P> +Billy was fond of cabbage, too. But the garden was far away, across +the field and over the other side of the road. +</P> + +<P> +So Billy ate clover in the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny had eaten cabbage the day before. So he ate clover in the meadow +with Billy. +</P> + +<P> +The two little rabbits nibbled at the tender leaves. +</P> + +<P> +"I have had enough to last me all day," said Bunny. "Now let's go and +play." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no!" said Billy. "I am going home and take a nap." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, do come and play with me," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +But Billy only shook his head and hopped off toward home. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny looked around to see if there was any one to play with. +</P> + +<P> +He could not see any of his friends. +</P> + +<P> +"I think I will go over to the garden and find mother and Bobtail," he +said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +Now when Bunny thought of anything he always did it the very next +minute. +</P> + +<P> +So he hopped off as fast he could go. +</P> + +<P> +He hopped across the field and across the road. +</P> + +<P> +When he came to the barn he stopped to see if Mr. Man or Jip were +anywhere in sight. +</P> + +<P> +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster, who was sitting on the fence. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-155"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-155.jpg" ALT=""Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster." BORDER="2" WIDTH="407" HEIGHT="348"> +<H3> +[Illustration: "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"Where are you going so fast this bright day?" +</P> + +<P> +"I am going to the garden again," said Bunny. "Mother and Bobtail are +there eating cabbage." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny hopped along past the hen-yard fence, and into the orchard. +</P> + +<P> +All at once he stopped. He saw something in the grass ahead of him. +</P> + +<P> +It was white and round and furry. And it had two long ears just like +his own. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny stood very still and looked and looked. +</P> + +<P> +"That must be a snow rabbit," he said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +"But I never saw a snow rabbit in the summer. I am sure this hot sun +would melt the snow." +</P> + +<P> +Just then the white rabbit saw Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Who are you?" he asked. "I never saw you before." +</P> + +<P> +"I never saw you," said Bunny. "Where did you come from?" +</P> + +<P> +"I live in a little house near the barn," said the white rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +"Jack left the gate open this morning when he fed me, and so I thought +I would take a walk." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you like to live in a little house?" asked Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes," answered the white rabbit. "I always have something to eat +and I am never cold. +</P> + +<P> +"And when Jack forgets to close the gate, I have a good play in the +field." +</P> + +<P> +"I live in the woods," said Bunny. "My door is never closed, and I can +run out any time I wish. +</P> + +<P> +"But sometimes I am hungry, and sometimes I am cold." +</P> + +<P> +"Come and live with me," said the white rabbit. "There is room enough +in my house for two." +</P> + +<P> +Now Bunny knew he would not like to live in a house all the time, but +he thought he might go and visit the white rabbit. +</P> + +<P> +So Bunny and Whitie, as Bunny called him, hopped off toward the barn. +</P> + +<P> +"That is my home," said the white rabbit, and he pointed to a little +house under the apple tree. +</P> + +<P> +There was a yard in front of the house. And there was a fence around +the yard,—a fence with a gate that could be shut and locked. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny saw the house and he hopped along after Whitie. +</P> + +<P> +But he was frightened. He had never been so near the barn before. +</P> + +<P> +What if Mr. Man or Jip should see him. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +At last they reached Whitie's house and the two little rabbits hopped +through the gate. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, see these cabbage leaves," said Whitie. "Jack left them here for +my dinner." +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny did not look at the cabbage leaves, for just at that moment +he heard Jip barking. +</P> + +<P> +And then he heard Jack talking to the dog. +</P> + +<P> +Poor Bunny's heart began to beat very fast. +</P> + +<P> +"What shall I do? What shall I do?" he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Jack and Jip will not hurt you," said Whitie. "I think Jack is coming +to close the gate." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny hid himself in one corner of the house and held his breath for +fear Jack would see him. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, Whitie!" Bunny heard Jack say, "I left your gate open this +morning. I must close it now or you will be taking a walk in the +garden." +</P> + +<P> +Jack closed the gate, and Bunny was caught. +</P> + +<P> +When Jack had gone away, Whitie called to Bunny to come out in the yard. +</P> + +<P> +"Come and eat some of these good cabbage leaves," he said. +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny could not eat. He could only sit and look at the closed gate. +</P> + +<P> +"I want to go home," he said to Whitie. "I don't like to stay in this +yard all the time." +</P> + +<P> +"But you will never be hungry here," said Whitie. "Come and eat +something now." +</P> + +<P> +Bunny was not hungry. He could not eat. +</P> + +<P> +All day long he sat in the house. +</P> + +<P> +He wondered what Bobtail and Billy were doing. +</P> + +<P> +He wondered if Mother Rabbit was hunting for him. +</P> + +<P> +Just before dark he heard Jack coming to see Whitie again. +</P> + +<P> +He did not hear Jip barking. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps Jack is alone," thou| Bunny. "If he is I think I can get +away." +</P> + +<P> +He sat very still and listened. +</P> + +<P> +Then he peeped out and saw Jack coming across the grass. +</P> + +<P> +He was all alone. The dog was not running along beside him. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny turned around and looked at Whitie. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-by," he said. "I am going to hop out when Jack opens the gate. +</P> + +<P> +"You have a very good home here. But I like my home in the woods much +better. +</P> + +<P> +"Sometime when you run away come and see me." +</P> + +<P> +Just then Jack opened the gate and out jumped Bunny! Jack was so +frightened that he dropped Whitie's supper on the ground. +</P> + +<P> +He looked around to see what had flashed by him so quickly. +</P> + +<P> +But Bunny was out of sight! +</P> + +<P> +He did not stop or look around until he was safe in his own home. +</P> + +<P> +"Where have you been?" asked Mother Rabbit. "I thought you were lost." +</P> + +<P> +"I thought so, too," said Bunny. +</P> + +<P> +"I went to visit the white rabbit who lives in a little house under the +apple tree. +</P> + +<P> +"And then Jack came and shut the gate and I could not get away." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Bunny, Bunny!" said Mother Rabbit. "I thought you were too wise +to get caught in a trap." +</P> + +<P> +"I am now," Bunny answered, and he ran out to have a game of tag with +Billy and Bobtail. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TEDDY BEAR +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +Teddy Bear lay on the grass in the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +He lay there all day and he lay there all night. +</P> + +<P> +Baby May had dropped him there and forgotten all about him. +</P> + +<P> +So the little brown bear lay on the soft grass in the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +Blacky Crow flew over the meadow and called to the bear. +</P> + +<P> +"Caw, caw!" he said. "What are you doing here?" +</P> + +<P> +"I thought you liked to stay in the playroom with the rest of the toys." +</P> + +<P> +Of course Teddy did like to stay in the playroom. +</P> + +<P> +But if May dropped him in the meadow how could he get back to the house? +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled along the path that led to +the brook. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "Look here, look here! Where did you +come from? What are you doing in this meadow?" +</P> + +<A NAME="img-166"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-166.jpg" ALT=""Quack, quack! Where did <I>you</I> come from?"" BORDER="2" WIDTH="379" HEIGHT="609"> +<H3> +[Illustration: "Quack, quack! Where did <I>you</I> come from?"] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Teddy stared at the duck with his little black eyes, but he did not say +a word. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps he did not like to tell her that May had forgotten all about +her little playmate. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "I teach my children to speak when +they are spoken to." +</P> + +<P> +Teddy just stared and stared, but he did not say a word. +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said Mrs. Duck, "I will go to the pond and see Mr. Green +Frog. +</P> + +<P> +"I will ask him if he knows who you are." +</P> + +<P> +So off to the pond waddled Mrs. Duck, and all her children waddled +after her. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow!" barked Jip as he ran through the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +"I am trying to find some one to play with me. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish I could find Bunny Rabbit. I should like to have a game of +chase with him." +</P> + +<P> +Just then Jip saw Teddy Bear. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow-wow!" he said. "What are you doing in this meadow? +</P> + +<P> +"I thought you lived in the playroom." +</P> + +<P> +Teddy Bear stared at Jip with his little black eyes, but he did not say +a word. +</P> + +<P> +I am sure he wished the dog would run away and not talk to him. +</P> + +<P> +But Jip wanted to play. He thought it was fun to play with Teddy. +</P> + +<P> +It was fun to pick him up and toss him into the air. +</P> + +<P> +It was fun to hide him where May could not find him. +</P> + +<P> +Jip picked Teddy up in his mouth and ran along through the meadow. +</P> + +<P> +He ran through the meadow and into the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" he said. +</P> + +<P> +When Jip opened his mouth to bark, Teddy hopped out and fell to the +ground. +</P> + +<P> +Jip picked him up again. He tossed him up in the air and then caught +him in his mouth. +</P> + +<P> +He shook him, and shook him, but Teddy did not say a word. +</P> + +<P> +Then Jip started along the path in the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"I am going to hide Teddy where May will never find him," he said to +himself. +</P> + +<P> +"Then I can have him to play with every day." +</P> + +<P> +But the next minute Jip forgot all about Teddy Bear, because he saw +Bobby Gray Squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby Gray Squirrel wag skipping over the ground hunting for nuts. +</P> + +<P> +Jip liked to play tag with Bobby, so he dropped Teddy Bear and ran +after the little gray squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +But Bobby saw the dog coming and skipped up into the oak tree. +</P> + +<P> +He sat down on the lowest branch and began to scold Jip. +</P> + +<P> +"Chatter, chatter, chatter!" he said. "Why did you run after me? I +had just found a nut for my breakfast." +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow!" said Jip. "Come down out of that tree and play chase with +me." +</P> + +<P> +But Bobby would not come down and so at last Jip ran away home. +</P> + +<P> +He forgot about Teddy and left him under the tree. +</P> + +<P> +When Jip had run away, Bobby came down out of the tree. +</P> + +<P> +He saw Teddy and ran over to speak to him. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-morning," Bobby said to the little brown bear. "What are you +doing under this tree?" +</P> + +<P> +Teddy stared at the squirrel with his little black eyes, but he did not +say a word. +</P> + +<P> +"My mother taught me to speak when I am spoken to," said Bobby. +</P> + +<P> +But Teddy did not speak, and so at last Bobby ran away and left him. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +Oh, Teddy was so lonely! +</P> + +<P> +He wished that he were back in the playroom with the other toys. +</P> + +<P> +He thought of Jack-in-the-box, and the bright tin soldiers. +</P> + +<P> +He thought of the new automobile and of all the pretty dolls. +</P> + +<P> +Then at last he fell asleep and dreamed that he was back in the +playroom. +</P> + +<P> +All at once some one took him by the arm. +</P> + +<P> +"Wake up and talk to me," said Bunny Rabbit. "I want some one to play +with me." +</P> + +<P> +Teddy stared at Bunny with his little black eyes, but he did not say a +word. +</P> + +<P> +Bunny shook him and shook him. +</P> + +<P> +"Now will you speak to me?" he said. +</P> + +<P> +But Teddy Bear would not open his mouth. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well," said Bunny. "I don't like to talk to you. I will find +some other playmate." +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" said Jip. "I will play with you, Bunny." +</P> + +<P> +But when Bunny heard Jip coming along the path he forgot all about +playing. +</P> + +<P> +He hopped off down the path as fast as he could go. +</P> + +<P> +He did not look around once to see where the dog had gone. +</P> + +<P> +Jack came along the path with Jip. When he came to the tree he saw +Teddy Bear lying on the ground. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, Teddy," he said, "how did you get away out here all alone?" +</P> + +<P> +Teddy stared at Jack with his little black eyes, but he did not say a +word. +</P> + +<P> +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" barked Jip. He was trying to tell Jack that he put +Teddy under the tree. +</P> + +<P> +But Jack did not listen. +</P> + +<P> +He just picked Teddy up in his arms and carried him back to the house. +</P> + +<P> +He took the little brown bear up to the playroom. +</P> + +<P> +May was sitting on the floor playing with her dolls. +</P> + +<P> +Teddy was so happy to get back home that he jumped out of Jack's arms. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh!" cried May. "You dropped poor Teddy Bear." +</P> + +<P> +She picked Teddy up and gave him a great bear hug. +</P> + +<P> +"Why did you run away from me?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +Teddy stared at May with his little black eyes, but he did not say a +word. +</P> + +<P> +He just stared at everything in the playroom, and thought of the story +he would tell his friends about his day in the woods. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BOBBY'S PARTY. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H3> + +<P> +Bang, bang, bang! +</P> + +<P> +Snap, snap, snap! +</P> + +<P> +All day long Bobby Gray Squirrel hid in his nest because he did not +like the noise. +</P> + +<P> +He poked his nose out once or twice to see what was the matter. +</P> + +<P> +But each time he heard a loud bang, snap! +</P> + +<P> +Then he jumped back in his nest to hide. +</P> + +<P> +All day long he lay there and listened. And all day long the children +played with their fire-crackers. +</P> + +<P> +Fourth of July is fun for boys and girls. +</P> + +<P> +But it is not so much fun for rabbits and squirrels. +</P> + +<P> +At last it was quiet. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby had not heard a sound for a long time. +</P> + +<P> +So he peeped out of his door once more. +</P> + +<P> +The sun was not shining now. The big round moon was looking down to +see if all the children were in bed. +</P> + +<P> +He was looking to see if all the rabbits and squirrels were in bed, too. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby saw the moon and then he skipped back into his house once more. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear me!" he said to himself. "I am hungry. But I must wait +until the sun comes up again. +</P> + +<P> +"I am afraid I could not find anything to eat by the light of the moon." +</P> + +<P> +Bobby went to sleep and the next time he opened his eyes it was morning. +</P> + +<P> +He jumped up and ran out of doors. +</P> + +<P> +He ran down the branch of the oak tree and off through the woods. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-morning," Bunny called to him, as he ran past the three rabbits +who were eating clover for breakfast. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a good morning," said Bobby. "It is so still and quiet." +</P> + +<P> +Bobby ran on and on. +</P> + +<P> +Every few minutes he stopped to hunt for some hidden nut. +</P> + +<P> +But he could not find many. +</P> + +<P> +At last he said to himself, "I am going to the orchard to get an apple. +</P> + +<P> +"I like to eat the seeds. I might find an apple on one of the trees." +</P> + +<P> +Bobby skipped through the woods and across the field. +</P> + +<P> +He came to the stone wall that ran along one side of the road. +</P> + +<P> +Bobby jumped up on the highest stone to look around and see if any one +were in sight. +</P> + +<P> +He looked up the road, and he looked down the road. But no one was in +sight. +</P> + +<P> +He jumped down from the wall, and then he stood still. +</P> + +<P> +Right at his feet wag a paper bag. +</P> + +<P> +And the bag smelled so good that the little squirrel stopped to take +another sniff. +</P> + +<P> +"That smells like peanuts," Bobby said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +"I will make a hole in the bag and see what is inside." +</P> + +<P> +Bobby took hold of the bag with his sharp little teeth and tore a big +round hole. +</P> + +<P> +He tore a hole big enough to put his paw through. +</P> + +<P> +And then he was just like little Jack Horner. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> + He put in his thumb<BR> + And pulled out a plum,<BR> +</P> + +<P> +And said, "What a big squirrel am I." +</P> + +<P> +He pulled out the kind of plum he liked best of all. It was a peanut. +</P> + +<P> +He pulled out one peanut, and then he pulled out another. +</P> + +<P> +"This bag is full of peanuts," he said to himself. "There are so many +here I can never eat them all." +</P> + +<A NAME="img-185"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-185.jpg" ALT=""This bag is full of peanuts."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="402" HEIGHT="283"> +<H3> +[Illustration: "This bag is full of peanuts."] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"I know what I can do. I can have a party." +</P> + +<P> +Now squirrels must like to have parties just as well as little boys and +girls. +</P> + +<P> +Because when Bobby thought of the party he jumped up and down and +clapped his hands. +</P> + +<P> +Then he started off to invite all the other gray squirrels. +</P> + +<P> +But he stopped when he reached the top of the wall. +</P> + +<P> +He had just thought that some one might come while he was away and find +the peanuts. +</P> + +<P> +"I will hide them in the wall," he said to himself. "Then they will be +out of sight." +</P> + +<P> +So Bobby jumped down again and began to carry the nuts to a safe place. +</P> + +<P> +It took so long, and Bobby worked so hard that he had to go back home +to take a nap when he had finished. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<P> +Bobby Gray Squirrel slept and slept. +</P> + +<P> +But Sammy Red Squirrel was not asleep. +</P> + +<P> +He had been wide awake all day. +</P> + +<P> +He had seen Bobby hiding the peanuts in the old stone wall. +</P> + +<P> +He was sitting up in the maple tree watching him all the time. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder what Bobby is hiding all those nuts for," he said to himself. +</P> + +<P> +"I think I will wait here and see what he is going to do." +</P> + +<P> +So for a long time Sammy sat still in the maple tree watching Bobby +work. +</P> + +<P> +When the last nut was hidden Bobby skipped off toward home. +</P> + +<P> +"Now is my chance," said Sammy. "I am going to play a trick on Bobby." +</P> + +<P> +Sammy skipped down the tree and ran along the wall to the place where +the nuts were hidden. +</P> + +<P> +He took the nuts out of their hiding place and carried them to a hole +behind the big rock. +</P> + +<P> +It took a long time to do it, but Sammy liked to play tricks. +</P> + +<P> +Back and forth he ran until the very last nut was stored away in the +new hiding place. +</P> + +<P> +Then he skipped around to tell the red squirrels about the joke he had +played on Bobby Gray Squirrel. +</P> + +<P> +"Run to the maple tree near the stone wall," said Sammy. "You will see +what Bobby does when he finds his nuts are gone." +</P> + +<P> +So the red squirrels all ran to the maple tree to watch for the gray +squirrels to come to the party. +</P> + +<P> +At last Bobby waked up. And the minute he opened his eyes he thought +of the peanuts. +</P> + +<P> +He skipped down the tree and ran to tell his friends about the party. +</P> + +<P> +"Meet me at the old stone wall," he said. "That is where I am going to +have my party." +</P> + +<P> +So the gray squirrels all ran along to the stone wall. +</P> + +<P> +The red squirrels were in the maple tree, but the gray squirrels did +not see them. +</P> + +<P> +As soon as Bobby came to the stone wall all his friends ran to meet him. +</P> + +<P> +"Follow me," said Bobby. "I will show you the biggest pile of peanuts +you ever saw." +</P> + +<P> +So the gray squirrels skipped along after Bobby. +</P> + +<P> +But when they came to the storehouse they all stopped and looked at the +hole. +</P> + +<P> +Not one peanut could they see. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder who found my nuts," said Bobby. "I thought I had put them +where they could not be found." +</P> + +<P> +The gray squirrels sat down in a row and looked very sad. +</P> + +<P> +Just then they heard a sound up in the maple tree. +</P> + +<P> +They looked up and saw all the red squirrels laughing. +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, ho, ho!" Sammy was laughing. "That was a good joke. I took your +nuts and hid them in another hole." +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, ho, ho!" all the red squirrels were laughing. +</P> + +<P> +They all laughed again, and then Sammy said, "I will give a peanut +party. Follow me." +</P> + +<P> +Sammy led the red squirrels and the gray squirrels to the place where +he had hidden the nuts. +</P> + +<P> +And what a party they had! +</P> + +<P> +They ate all the nuts they wanted, and then carried some home for +dinner the next day. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-191"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-191.jpg" ALT="They ate all the nuts they wanted." BORDER="2" WIDTH="405" HEIGHT="237"> +<H3> +[Illustration: They ate all the nuts they wanted.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 16982-h.txt or 16982-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/9/8/16982">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/9/8/16982</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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Kerr + + +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: Bunny Rabbit's Diary + + +Author: Mary Frances Blaisdell + + + +Release Date: November 2, 2005 [eBook #16982] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original lovely illustrations. + See 16982-h.htm or 16982-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/9/8/16982/16982-h/16982-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/9/8/16982/16982-h.zip) + + + + + +BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY + +by + +MARY FRANCES BLAISDELL + +Author of "Boy Blue and His Friends," "Polly and Dolly," "Cherry Tree +Children," "Tommy Tinker's Book," "Twilight Town," "Pretty Polly +Flinders," etc. + +Illustrated By George F. Kerr + +School Edition + + + + + + +[Frontispiece: Sometimes Bunny talked to Mrs. Duck.] + + + + +Boston +Little, Brown, And Company +Copyright, 1915, +by Little, Brown, And Company. +All Rights reserved + + + + + +PREFACE + +Bunny Rabbit had a book for Christmas. Mother Rabbit made it for him +out of maple leaves, pinned together with thorns from the rose-bush on +the stone wall. Bunny clapped his hands when he saw the book, and sat +down at once on the old stump to read the stories. But there was not a +story in the whole book--no, not one! There wasn't even a picture. + +"You must write the book yourself," Mother Rabbit told him. "Then you +will be sure to like it." + +So Bunny Rabbit wrote the book about the good times he had with Bobtail +and Billy, and all his other playmates. He wrote about the slide they +made on the long hill beside the pond; about Mrs. Duck's swimming +lesson, and the kite Bobtail made out of a leaf from the big oak tree; +about Sammy Red Squirrel's flying machine, and Bobby Gray Squirrel's +peanut party. + +He hid the book in the hollow tree where no one would find it. But some +one did find it,--some one who knew how to read the funny little tracks +of rabbit writing,--and here are the stories in Bunny Rabbit's Diary. + + + + + CONTENTS + + + BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY + BILLY'S SLIDE + A CHRISTMAS TREE + BOBTAIL'S KITE + APRIL FOOL'S DAY + MRS. DUCK'S SECRET + THE SWIMMING LESSON + THE CLOVER PATCH + MOVING DAY + A SUMMER SHOWER + SAMMY'S FLYING MACHINE + THE CABBAGE PATCH + THE WHITE RABBIT + TEDDY BEAR + BOBBY'S PARTY + + + + +FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR + + +Sometimes Bunny talked to Mrs. Duck . . . _Frontispiece_ + +Bunny put the acorn in front of Sammy's door + +"Croak, croak!" said Mr. Green Frog + +"Quack, quack! Where did _you_ come from?" + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT + + +Bunny played with the gray squirrel + +The sled went on down the hill + +The squirrel hunted for nuts + +Once Bunny Rabbit saw a Christmas tree + +Mrs. Duck was always in a hurry + +He put one foot in the water + +"I think it will rain to-day" + +Down to the ground Sammy fell + +She wrapped his nose up in flannel + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster + +"This bag is full of peanuts" + +They ate all the nuts they wanted + + + + +BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY + +Mr. and Mrs. Rabbit and the three little rabbits lived in the woods. + +Each little rabbit had a name. + +There was Bunny Rabbit, Bobtail Rabbit, and Billy Rabbit. + +Bunny was full of fun, and liked to play tricks on his brothers. + +Bobtail liked to play with Bunny. He was always ready to join in all +the fun. + +But Billy was lazy. He did not like to work, and he did not like to +play. + +He liked to curl up in the tall grass and sleep. + +The rabbits had many playmates in the woods and fields. + +They played with the gray squirrels that lived in the big oak tree. + +They played with the red squirrels that lived in the old stone wall. + +Sometimes Bunny ran down to the brook to visit old Mr. Green Frog. + +Sometimes he talked to Mrs. Duck, when she came to the brook to teach +her little ones to swim. + +There was always something to do; and Bunny, and Bobtail, and Billy +were always doing something. + +[Illustration: Bunny played with the gray squirrel.] + +One Christmas Mrs. Rabbit gave Bunny a book. + +She made it herself out of maple leaves. + +She pinned the leaves together with thorns from the rose-bush that grew +on the wall. + +When Bunny saw the book he jumped up and down and clapped his hands. + +"Oh, goody, goody!" he said. "What a pretty book this is." + +"I will sit down on the old stump and read the stories this very +minute." + +So Bunny sat down on the stump and opened his book. + +He opened the book and looked at the first leaf. + +There was no story to read. + +He looked at the next leaf. + +There was no story to read. + +He turned one leaf and then another. + +They were all alike. + +There was not a story in the book, and Bunny could not find one picture. + +"This is a funny book," he said to himself. "I will run and ask Mother +Rabbit what kind of a book this is." + +So Bunny jumped off the stump and ran to find Mother Rabbit. + +"Mother Rabbit," he said, "what kind of a book is this? + +"There are no pictures, and I can not find one story to read." + +"That is a diary," said Mother Rabbit. "You must write the stories in +the book yourself." + +"What stories shall I write?" asked Bunny. + +"You can write about the good times you and Bobtail and Billy have, +playing in the woods," said Mother Rabbit. + +"What fun!" said Bunny. "I am going to write a story in my book this +very morning." + +So Bunny Rabbit ran back to the big stump. + +But he did not know just how to write a story. + +He had never written one before. + +He thought, and thought, and thought. + +Bobtail and Billy hopped up to see what their brother was doing. + +"Come down and play with us," said Bobtail. + +But Bunny shook his head, and shook his long ears. + +"Run away now," he said; "I am going to write a story." + +"What story are you going to write?" asked Billy. + +But Bunny did not answer. He had just thought of something funny. + +It was about the slide on the long hill beside the pond. + +And about the way Billy slid down,--right into the cold water. + +Bobtail and Billy ran away and left Bunny alone on the stump. + +Ho was very busy writing in his maple-leaf book. + +When he finished the story, he hid his book in the hollow tree. + +"No one will find it there," he said to himself, as he hopped off +toward home. + +"I'll write a story every day until the book is full." + +But one day I went walking in the woods. + +I found the hollow tree, and I found the little maple-leaf book. + +"Bunny Rabbit's Diary" was the name of the book. + +It was all full of stories about the three little rabbits that lived in +the woods. + + + + +BILLY'S SLIDE + +I + +One morning in winter Bunny opened his eyes, just as the big round sun +peeped up from behind the hills. + +He jumped up and shook himself. + +Then he pulled Bobtail's long ears to wake him up. + +Bobtail rolled out of bed, and that waked Billy. + +"Oh, I am so sleepy!" said Billy. "I don't want to get up now." + +"Let's run out and find something for breakfast," said Bunny. "I am as +hungry as a bear." + +"Yes, let's run out and find some breakfast," said Bobtail. + +"I don't want to go far," said Billy. "It is too cold." + +The three little rabbits hopped off through the woods, hunting for +something good to eat. + +The ground was covered with snow and they could not find very much. + +As they hopped along they were talking about what they could do to have +some fun. + +"Let's make a long slide to-day," said Bunny. + +"Oh, let's make a big pile of snowballs," said Bobtail. + +"Let's make a snow rabbit," said Billy. "We can make it in front of +our house." + +Bunny jumped up and down in the snow. He made a snowball and threw it +at Billy. + +"Oh! I like to play in the snow," he said. "I like to play in the +snow." + +Plump! Something hit Bunny on the head. + +"I like to play, too," some one called to the rabbits. + +Bunny looked up to see who was talking. + +Plump! Something hit him right on the end of his nose. + +"Hello, Bunny!" called Bobby Gray Squirrel. "I hit you that time." + +"Come down here and I will catch you," said Bunny, as he rubbed his +little pink nose. + +But Bobby only laughed and ran higher up among the branches of the oak +tree. + +"I will catch you some day," said Bunny as he hopped away. + +"Oh, no!" answered Bobby. "You can never catch me. You cannot climb a +tree." + +The three rabbits soon found some tender little roots hidden under the +blanket of snow. + +"This is a good breakfast," said Bunny. + +"Yes, it is a very good breakfast," said Billy, as he nibbled on the +root he had found. + +At last Bunny jumped up and shook his long ears. + +"I have finished my breakfast," he said. + +"So have I," said Billy. + +"So have I," said Bobtail. + +"Now we can make a long slide over in the meadow," said Bunny. + +"I know where we can make the best slide," said Bobtail. + +"Where, where?" asked Bunny. + +"Over on the hill beside the pond," said Bobtail. + +"That is too far away," said Billy. "I think I will go home." + +But Bunny and Bobtail would not let him. They took hold of his hand, +and made him hop along with them through the snow. + +"Where are you going?" called Bobby Gray Squirrel. + +"Follow us and you will see," answered Bunny. + +"Oh, no," said Bobby. "I like best to run about in this big tree. + +"After I have found something to eat I shall curl up in my warm nest +and go to sleep. + +"Summer is the time to play, but winter is the time to sleep." + + + +II + +The little rabbits hopped off through the woods. + +Soon they came to the long hill. + +They stood at the top of the hill and looked down at the pond. + +"Is the ice thick on the pond?" asked Bunny. + +"Oh, yes," said Bobtail. "Jack Frost covered the pond with ice last +night." + +"But Mr. Sun is shining to-day," said Billy. + +"Sometimes he turns the ice back to water again." + +"I know that ice is very thick," said Bobtail. + +"All right," said Bunny; "now let's make the slide." + +Bunny hopped down the hill and made a little path in the snow. + +Bobtail hopped down the path after him. Then Billy hopped down the +path. + +The three rabbits hopped up and down the path until the slide was +smooth and hard. + +At last Billy said, "Now let's try the slide. Here is a sled that +belongs to one of the boys." + +Billy sat down on the sled and tucked his feet under him. + +Bobtail sat down behind Billy. + +And last of all came Bunny. + +"Hold on tight," called Bunny. "I will give you a good start." + +Bunny pushed hard and the sled began to slide. + +He pushed harder and the sled began to slide faster. + +"Now I am going to jump on," cried Bunny. + +He ran as fast as he could and gave a good big jump. + +Down he came, but not on the sled. + +Oh, no! He came down hard on the slide. + +He bumped his nose and that made two little tears roll down his cheeks. + +When he brushed the tears away he looked to see where the sled was. + +[Illustration: The sled went on down the hill.] + +It was half way down the hill and going faster every minute. + +"Wait for me," shouted Bunny, and he started to run after the sled. + +Bobtail heard Bunny call, and turned around to see what had happened. + +"Look, look!" he said to Billy. "Bunny has fallen off the sled and +hurt himself. + +"What shall we do? What shall we do?" + +Then Bobtail did a very silly thing. + +He jumped up on the sled to call to Bunny. + +He jumped up, and the sled went on down the hill. + +It left Bobtail rolling over and over in the snow. + +And he rolled, head first, right into a snow-bank. + +Bobtail didn't like that very well. He kicked and kicked to get out of +the snow. + +He shook his fur coat and he shook his long ears. + +Then he looked down the hill to see what had become of Billy. + +Billy was on the sled. And the sled was sliding down the hill. + +It came to the pond. + +Crack, crack! Splash, splash! it went. + +Crack, crack! Splash, splash! and Billy slid right into the water. + +It was not very deep, but it was very wet. + +When Billy climbed out on the bank he was very wet, too. + +"Oh, dear me!" he said, "the water is cold." + +"Oh, dear me!" said Bobtail, "the snow is cold." + +"Oh, dear me!" said Bunny, "I hurt my nose." + +"Let's run home to Mother Rabbit," said Billy. + +"Yes, let's run home!" + +So the three little rabbits hopped along the path through the woods as +fast as they could go. + +Bobby Gray Squirrel was running up and down in the big oak tree. + +"Come and play with me," he said. + +But the little rabbits did not stop to answer. + +They hopped along the path as fast as they could go. + +And they didn't stop once until they were safe in their own cosy home. + + + + +A CHRISTMAS TREE + +I + +The little pine tree stood near the path that led through the woods. + +In summer the rabbits often sat under this tree to rest. + +The tree listened to the stories they told of the good times they had +together. + +The birds flew to its branches and talked to each other about the +things they had seen in the woods. + +Bobby Gray Squirrel and his brothers often ran up into the pine tree to +play tag. + +But Sammy Red Squirrel knew something about this tree that no one else +knew. + +He knew where there was a small hole in one of the branches. + +He found it one day when he ran up into the tree to eat a nut. + +And when he saw the hole he said to himself, "That is a good place to +hide some nuts for the winter." + +The hole was not very large, but Sammy hid ten acorns in it. He packed +them in one by one. + +Last of all he put a piece of bark in the hole. + +"This is a good door for my store-house," he said, "I am sure no one +will find these acorns." + +And no one did find them. + +Sammy ran to the hole very often and lifted the door just a crack. + +The ten little acorns were just where he had put them. + +"I will eat these nuts last of all," he said to himself. + +All through the fall the little red squirrel hunted for nuts under the +trees. + +Sometimes he could not find any on the ground. + +Then he would run round and round hunting for holes where he had hidden +acorns away. + +If the holes were empty Sammy knew some other little squirrel had been +there before him. + +And sometimes Sammy found nuts that other squirrels had stored away. + +The hunting was always good, and no squirrel ever went to bed hungry. + +But at last Jack Frost came and covered everything with snow. + +All the nuts and acorns were frozen into the ground so the squirrels +could not dig them out. + +[Illustration: The squirrel hunted for nuts.] + +Then Sammy went to his store-house in the stone wall or in some old +stump. + +At last it became very cold. + +North Wind blew through the woods. + +The water in the little brook was covered with ice. + +The birds tried to keep warm among the branches of the evergreen trees. + +The rabbits slept in their warm home and did not come out very often. + +The squirrels slept in their nests, and did not come out for days and +days. + +Blacky Crow stayed in the deep woods where the largest trees helped to +keep him warm. + +The ground had been covered with snow for two or three weeks. + +And the squirrels and rabbits had taken long, long naps. + + + +II + +A few days before Christmas, Mr. Sun came up from behind the hills and +shone brightly all day long. + +He melted the snow in the warm hollows, and softened the ice on the +brooks. + +Bunny Rabbit and his brothers came out and hopped around to find roots +to eat. + +The squirrels ran up and down the trees, and all around everywhere to +find hidden nuts. + +All at once Bunny Rabbit heard a noise. + +He sat up on his hind legs and held up his long ears. + +The other rabbits listened, too. + +Sammy and Bobby heard the noise and scampered up into the little pine +tree. + +"Bow-wow-wow!" barked Jip, as he ran through the woods. + +"It's the dog!" cried Bunny. "Let's run and hide." + +The little rabbits whirled around and hopped back to their house. + +Sammy and Bobby were safe in the tree, so they did not try to run away. + +They heard some one talking and they looked to see who it was. + +They saw two children and a man. + +The man had an axe in his hand. + +The two children ran along the path, talking and laughing. + +They were looking at all the evergreen trees. + +"This is a good one," said the little boy. + +"This is a better one," said the girl, and she pointed right at the +little pine tree where Sammy and Bobby were hiding. + +"They are going to cut down this tree," whispered Sammy. "What shall +we do? What shall we do?" + +But the man did not cut down the tree. + +He looked at it and said, "That is too large for our Christmas tree. + +"We must find one that is much smaller." + +So the man and the two children went along the path into the woods. + +And before long the sound of the axe rang out through the stillness. + +"I never was so frightened in my life," said Sammy. "I thought they +were going to cut down this tree." + +"I thought so, too," said Bobby. "But I was not frightened. I could +jump to that next tree. It is not very far." + +"I know that," said Sammy. "But I have a store-house in this tree." + +"Where is it?" asked Bobby. "I wish you would show it to me. I am as +hungry as a bear." + +"So am I," said Sammy. "Let's have dinner now." + +"We will call it a Christmas dinner. The children said this would make +a good Christmas tree," said Bobby. + +"I wonder what a Christmas tree is like," said Sammy, as he ran along +the branch to find the store-house. + +Bobby followed Sammy and peeped into the hole where the ten acorns were +hidden. + +Sammy took out a nut, and Bobby took out a nut. + +They sat up on their hind legs and nibbled away happily. + +And as they nibbled, the man and the two children and the dog came back +through the woods. + +They were dragging a little tree over the snow. + +The dog ran along beside them barking loudly. + +"That must be a Christmas tree," said Bobby. "I wonder what they are +going to do with it." + +[Illustration: Once Bunny Rabbit saw a Christmas tree.] + +"Tweet, tweet!" sang a little sparrow. "I can tell you. I saw one +last year. + +"I peeped in at the window after the tree had been set up in the warm +room. + +"I saw many pretty things hanging on the branches. + +"I saw the candles lighted, and Santa Claus came in to give away the +toys to the happy children. + +"Oh, it was pretty! But I like to see the tree in the woods better." + +Then the little sparrow flew away, and the two squirrels ate another +nut. + +"I think this is a good Christmas tree," said Bobby. + +"Yes," said Sammy. "A tree with a hole full of nuts is better than one +covered with candles and toys." + +"It is better for squirrels," said Bobby. And then he took another nut. + + + + +BOBTAIL'S KITE + +I + +North Wind was playing a game. + +He was blowing the dry leaves over the ground. + +He piled them up under the oak tree at the edge of the woods. + +"Bend your head and bow to me, big oak tree," said North Wind. + +The oak tree bowed and bowed its head. + +North Wind blew on and on. + +As he blew through the woods, every tree bowed, and bowed its head. + +Bobtail and Billy and Bunny heard North Wind as he blew past their +house. + +"Oh, how the wind blows!" said Bunny. + +"I shall stay in the house to-day," said Billy. "I do not like the +wind." + +But Bobtail did not like to stay in the house all day and sleep. + +"Let's go out and have a game of tag," he said to his two brothers. + +"I will reach the big oak tree first." + +Now Bunny and Billy always liked to have a game of tag with Bobtail. + +So they both hopped out of their warm house. + +"Look out for me!" called North Wind. "I can catch you all." + +Hippity-hop went Bobtail down the path that led to the big oak tree. + +And hippity-hop went Billy and Bunny after him. + +Just as they came to the oak tree Bobtail saw the pile of leaves. + +"Who put all those leaves under this tree?" he said. + +"I did, I did," called North Wind. "And here are some more to make the +pile larger." + +Then North Wind puffed out his cheeks and blew more leaves under the +oak tree. + +"Oh, what fun!" said Bunny. "I should like to do that." + +Bunny puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew, as hard as he could blow. + +But the leaves did not move, until North Wind came to help him. + +"This is just the day to fly a kite," said Bobtail. + +"Yes," said Billy. "The children always fly kites when the wind blows." + +"I wish we had a kite," said Bunny. "I should like to see it sail up +in the air and over the trees." + +"I can make a kite," said Bobtail. + +"How, how?" asked both the other little rabbits together. + +"See this big oak leaf," said Bobtail. "This would make a good kite, +if we had a long string." + +"I know where there is a string," said Bunny. "One of the boys dropped +it out of his pocket the other day. + +"It is on the ground, under the pine tree. I will get it for you." + +So Bunny hopped off, and in a minute he was back with the long string. + +Bobtail tied the string to the short stem of the oak leaf. + +"Let me fly the kite," begged Bunny. + +"No, let me," said Billy. + +"We will take turns," said Bobtail. "Bunny may have his turn first." + +So Bunny took hold of the string. + +He picked the kite up and tossed it into the air just as he had seen +the boys do. + +The kite fluttered and fell to the ground at Bunny's feet. + +"This is not a good kite," he said. "It will not fly up into the air." + + + +II + +"Let me try now," said Billy. "I know how to make a kite fly." + +So Billy took hold of the string. + +Then he climbed up on the old stump and tossed the kite into the air. + +"Look, look!" he cried. "See the kite fly this time." + +But the oak leaf just fluttered and fluttered, and fell to the ground +at Billy's feet. + +"Something is the matter with this kite," said Billy. "You did not +make it the right way." + +"Oh, yes, I did," said Bobtail. "I will show you how to make it fly." + +All this time North Wind had been very still. + +He was watching the three little rabbits trying to fly their kite. + +He laughed softly to himself when the leaf fluttered and fell to the +ground. + +But North Wind could not keep still very long. + +He saw Bobtail take hold of the string of the kite. + +"Watch me, watch me!" said Bobtail. + +"Watch me, watch me!" sang North Wind. + +Then he puffed out his cheeks and blew on the oak leaf as Bobtail gave +it a toss. + +Up, up in the air flew the kite, and Bobtail hopped faster and faster +over the ground. + +"Look, look!" he cried, "now my kite is going over the tall trees." + +Bunny and Billy were sitting on the ground looking up in the air. + +They watched the kite fly higher and higher. + +"There it goes," called Bobtail. + +And just then something else went, too. + +Of course Bobtail could not see where he was hopping. + +It took both his eyes to watch his kite fly higher and higher. + +So he did not see the big stone in the path. + +Over the stone he fell,--right into the big pile of leaves under the +oak tree. + +Head first he went, and in a second he was all covered up with leaves. + +He lost hold of the string, and the kite flew away up in the air. + +One of the branches of the oak tree caught the string and held the kite +fast. + +"Oh, oh!" whistled North Wind. "Now it is my turn to fly the kite." + +Bobtail did not say a word. + +He picked himself out of the big pile of leaves, and shook his long +ears back and forth. + +"I don't like to fly kites," he said. "Let's go home and take a nap." + +So the three little rabbits hopped back along the path through the +woods. + +North Wind puffed out his cheeks. + +"See me fly the kite," he called to the rabbits. + +He puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew. + +But the leaf only fluttered and fluttered because the branch held the +string fast. + +North Wind blew and blew, but he could not make the kite fly away. + +"I don't like to fly kites this morning," he said. "I am going to pile +some more leaves under the oak tree." + +So he danced over the ground, and through the woods, singing a gay +little song: + + "Come, little leaves," said the wind one day. + + "Come o'er the meadow with me and play. + + "Put on your dresses of red and gold, + + "For summer has gone and the days grow cold." + + + + +APRIL FOOL'S DAY + +I + +"Wake up, Billy!" called Bunny. "Wake up and see how hard it is +snowing." + +Billy opened his sleepy eyes and rolled out of bed. + +Then he went to the door and peeped out. + +"April fool, April fool!" shouted Bunny. + +Billy laughed. Then he hopped out of doors. + +It was a warm sunny day,--just the day to run around and play jokes. + +But first the little rabbits had to find their breakfast. + +Now that the warm days were coming they could find plenty to eat. + +And Bunny and Billy and Bobtail were growing very fat. + +Bobby Gray Squirrel and Sammy Red Squirrel could find plenty to eat, +too. + +In the fall they had stored away nuts and acorns in little holes in the +ground. + +When Jack Frost covered the ground with snow the squirrels could not +dig up these nuts. + +But now the ground was soft again, and Bobby and Sammy had plenty to +eat. + +Bunny and Billy and Bobtail saw the squirrels hide the nuts. + +They did not like acorns so they never opened the store-house doors. + +They just hopped around under the trees looking for green leaves and +tender roots. + +But on this first day of April Bunny found the biggest acorn he had +ever seen. + +It was hidden in a little hole, and he saw it when he sat down to eat +his breakfast. + +"Oh, oh!" he said to himself. "Now I can play a joke on Bobby Gray +Squirrel. + +"I am going to tie a string to this acorn, and when Bobby tries to pick +it up I shall pull it away from him." + +He told Bobtail and Billy about the joke he was going to play on the +gray squirrel. + +"Ho, ho!" laughed Billy. + +"Ha, ha!" laughed Bobtail. + +"We must hurry and finish our breakfast," said Bunny. + +"Bobby will be out hunting for nuts very soon." + +In a few minutes the three rabbits had finished their breakfast. + +Then Bunny hopped away to find a string he had seen under the oak tree. + +It was the same string they had used to fly their kite. + +The string had held the kite to the branch for a long time. + +Then one day North Wind came again and tried to carry it away. + +He puffed and puffed, and at last the branch let go of the string. + +The kite flew up in the air and far away, but the string dropped to the +ground under the oak tree. + +There Bunny found it, and he tied the string around the acorn. + +Then he scampered back to his brothers. + +They were waiting for him near the old stone wall. + +"Let's fool Sammy Red Squirrel first," said Billy. + +"I saw him run out of his hole just a minute ago." + +Bunny put the acorn in front of Sammy's door. + +[Illustration: Bunny put the acorn in front of Sammy's door.] + +Then he held on to the other end of the string and hid behind a big +rock. + +Bobtail and Billy hid behind the pine tree. + +They all kept as still as mice. They did not even shake one of their +long ears. + +"There is Sammy now," whispered Billy. "I can see him running along +the path." + +"Don't make a noise," said Bobtail. + +Bunny saw the little red squirrel coming down the path. + +He kept very still and held on to the string. + + + +II + +Sammy came skipping down the path. + +He was singing a gay little tune: + + "One, two, three, four, five, six, + + "I'll watch out for April tricks." + +Just then he saw the acorn lying on the ground near his door. + +"Look at that!" he said. "Bobby Gray Squirrel must have been here. + +"Something frightened him, and made him drop that nut near my door." + +Now Sammy was very fond of big acorns and he had not had one for a long +time. + +So he pounced on the acorn. + +But it was not there! Bunny had given the string a quick pull. + +Sammy put his hand down on a rock. There was no acorn to be seen. + +"April fool!" shouted Bunny. + +"April fool!" shouted Billy and Bobtail. + +The three rabbits hopped out from their hiding places. + +They laughed and laughed, and Sammy laughed, too. + +"That was a good trick," he said. + +"We are going to play it on Bobby Gray Squirrel, now," said Bunny. + +"May I go with you?" asked Sammy. + +"Oh, yes!" said the three rabbits. + +So off through the woods they all went. + +"Bobby often comes to the big oak tree," said Billy. "I think that +will be a good place to play the trick." + +Bunny put the acorn on the ground, and then they all hid behind the +tree. + +They did not wait very long before they saw Bobby coming. + +And in another minute Bobby saw the acorn. + +"Ho, ho!" he said. "Sammy Red Squirrel must have dropped that big +acorn. I will pick it up." + +He ran along the ground toward the oak tree. + +Bunny held on to the string. + +He was going to wait until Bobby took hold of the acorn and then pull +it away. + +It was so still that the rabbits could hear Bobby's feet as they +pattered on the ground. + +Then all at once it was not still in the woods. + +Jip, the dog, came bounding along the little path. + +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" he barked. "Look out for me. I am coming." + +What a scampering there was! + +Bobby forgot all about the acorn and skipped up the oak tree. + +Sammy skipped up the tree after him. + +The three little rabbits put their ears down on their heads, and hopped +away out of sight. + +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" said Jip. "Where has every one gone? + +"I thought I saw some one under this tree as I came along the path." + +The acorn lay on the ground where Bunny had left it. + +Four little bright eyes watched Jip from the oak tree. + +Sammy wished he could call out "April fool," to Jip. + +But he was afraid of dogs, so he kept very still. + +Bobby kept still, too, and the three little rabbits hopped along +towards home. + +After a while Jip went home. + +Then there was a quick scampering down the tree. + +One of the squirrels had that big acorn for his dinner. + +Was it Sammy or Bobby? + + + + +MRS. DUCK'S SECRET + +I + +Mrs. Duck had a secret. + +Bunny knew she had a secret, but she would not tell him what it was. + +Bobtail knew she had a secret, and so did Billy. + +Bunny saw Bobby Gray Squirrel and asked him if he knew Mrs. Duck's +secret. + +But Bobby did not know it, and Sammy Red Squirrel did not know it. + +Every day Bunny saw Mrs. Duck walking along the little path that led +through the field. + +Sometimes she was going to the barn. + +Sometimes she was coming from the barn. + +She was always alone. And she was always in a hurry. + +[Illustration: Mrs. Duck was always in a hurry.] + +She did not stop to talk to Bunny. + +She did not stop to catch any of the little bugs that she saw in the +path. + +"I wonder what is the matter with Mrs. Duck," Bunny said to himself. + +"I wonder why she walks along this little path every day." + +Bunny thought and thought about the secret. + +"I will ask Mrs. Duck to tell me her secret," he said. + +So Bunny sat down under the maple tree to wait for Mrs. Duck. + +He waited and waited. + +It was very warm in the field. + +After a while Bunny shut his eyes and he fell fast asleep. + +He slept such a long time that when he opened his eyes the sun was just +going to bed. + +"Well, well!" he said. "Mrs. Duck must have gone long ago." + +Just then he saw Sammy Red Squirrel. + +"Have you seen Mrs. Duck to-day?" he asked. + +"Oh, yes!" answered Sammy. "She walked along the path early this +afternoon." + +The next day Bunny sat down under the maple tree to watch again. + +But this time he was not alone. + +He had asked Billy to come with him. + +"If you are with me, I shall not to sleep," he said. + +So the two little rabbits sat down to wait for Mrs. Duck. + +They waited and waited. + +It was very warm in the field. After a while Bunny shut his eyes. +Then Billy shut his eyes, and they both fell fast asleep. + +They slept such a long time that when they opened their eyes the sun +was just going to bed. + +Bobby Squirrel was sitting in the maple tree over their heads. + +"Have you seen Mrs. Duck?" asked Bunny. + +"Oh, yes!" answered Bobby. "She walked along the path early this +afternoon." + +"Well, well!" said Bunny. "I will try again to-morrow. I will ask +Bobtail to come with me. Perhaps he can keep awake." + + + +II + +The next day the three little rabbits sat under the maple tree to watch +for Mrs. Duck. + +They waited and waited. + +It was very warm in the field. + +After a while the three little rabbits became sleepy. + +Then Bobtail jumped up on his feet and began to hop around. + +"Let's play tag," he said. "If we sit here in the sun we shall go to +sleep. + +"Then we shall not see Mrs. Duck when she walks along the path." + +So the three rabbits played tag. + +They ran round and round the maple tree. They ran back and forth along +the little path. + +All at once Bunny heard Mrs. Duck coming across the field. + +She was going to the barn. + +"Good-morning, Mrs. Duck," said Bunny. + +"Where are you going this fine morning?" + +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck, "I am going to the barn." + +"Where have you been?" asked Billy. + +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "That is a secret. I can not tell +you." + +Then Mrs. Duck walked quickly along the little path and across the road. + +She went into the barn-yard and hunted around for something to eat. + +She talked to the other ducks and hens. But she did not tell them her +secret. + +When she had eaten all she wanted she went out of the yard and across +the road. + +Then she walked back again along the path across the field. + +When she came to the maple tree she saw Bunny and Bobtail and Billy. + +And Bunny and Bobtail and Billy saw Mrs. Duck. + +"Where are you going, now?" asked Bunny. + +"I am going down to the brook," she said. "That is where my secret is." + +"May we go with you?" asked Billy. + +"Yes," said Mrs. Duck. "I will show you my secret if you will all +promise not to tell." + +So the three little rabbits hopped along behind Mrs. Duck until they +came to the brook. + +The water in the brook was running over the stones and singing a sweet +little song. + +Mr. Green Frog was sitting on a stone taking a nap in the warm sun. + +"Now, follow me," said Mrs. Duck. "I will show you my secret." + +She led the three rabbits to some bushes that grew close beside the +water. + +"Quack, quack!" she said. "Look in here. What can you see?" + +Bunny peeped in under the bushes. + +"Oh, oh!" he said, "how pretty they are." + +Billy peeped in under the bushes. + +"Oh, oh!" he said, "how many there are." + +Bobtail peeped in under the bushes. + +"Oh, oh!" he said. "That is a very good secret." + +Now what do you think the three rabbits saw hidden away under the +bushes? + +Perhaps you have guessed Mrs. Duck's secret by this time. + +Yes! there was a nest full of eggs,--just the prettiest eggs you ever +saw. + +Mrs. Duck was very proud of them. + +She let the rabbits look at the eggs for a few minutes. + +"Now I must cover my eggs up," she said. "I must keep them warm." + +So Mrs. Duck sat down on the nest and cuddled the eggs under her soft +warm wings. + +Not one egg could be seen. And Mrs. Duck sat so still that Bunny +thought she had gone to sleep. + + + +III + +Every day after that the rabbits went to visit Mrs. Duck. + +But they did not tell the secret to any of their friends. + +Then, one day, when the rabbits went to visit Mrs. Duck, she would not +get off the nest. + +"Quack, quack!" she said. "I can not let you see the eggs to-day. I +you will come to-morrow I will show you what I have in my nest." + +So the rabbits hopped away, leaving Mrs. Duck alone on her nest under +the bushes. + +The next morning, bright and early, the rabbits hopped along the little +path. + +They found Mrs. Duck still sitting in the nest. + +They saw some little yellow heads peeping out from under her wings. + +"Quack, quack!" she said. "See my ducks. They are the prettiest ducks +you ever saw. + +"And they have the brightest eyes in the world." + +One little duck wriggled out from under her mother's wing and tried to +stand on her little yellow feet. + +But they were not strong yet. + +"Come back, come back!" said Mrs. Duck. "You must stay in the nest +until you are strong." + +And the little duck wriggled back again under her mother's wing. + +"We will come again to see your ducks," said Bunny. + +After two or three days the three rabbits went back to see the little +ducks. + +There was nothing in the nest under the bushes but a few broken shells. + +"Where can the ducks be?" said Bunny. + +"Tweet, tweet!" sang the sparrow. "I saw Mrs. Duck and all the little +ducks going to the barn." + +"There they are now," sang another sparrow. + +Bunny and Bobtail and Billy looked across the field. + +They saw Mrs. Duck leading her family to the barnyard. + +Mr. Rooster saw them coming. + +He flapped his big wings and flew up on the fence. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he said. "See Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks." + +The three rabbits watched the ducks until they were in the barnyard. + +Then they hopped off to the woods to tell Mrs. Duck's secret to all +their friends. + + + + +THE SWIMMING LESSON + +I + +"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck, as she walked along the little +path through the meadow. + +"Quack, quack, quack! Follow me, little ducks." + +One, two, three, four, five, six little yellow ducks waddled after +their mother along the little path through the meadow. + +Bunny Rabbit was sitting under a tree, fast asleep, and he did not hear +them coming. + +He was dreaming of flying away with the little birds. + +He could fly high up over the trees and over the houses. + +Oh, it was great fun! All the other rabbits were sitting on the ground +watching him. + +"Good-by," he called to Billy. + +Then he waked up, and he was not under the oak tree. + +"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "What are you talking about, +Bunny? I cannot see Billy anywhere." + +"I was dreaming of flying," said Bunny. "I said good-by to Billy +because I was going far away." + +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "I should like to see you fly. You +can't even swim." + +"Perhaps I could," said Bunny, "if you would teach me." + +"Come with me," said Mrs. Duck "I am going to teach my little ones to +swim, and I will teach you, too." + +"Quack, quack!" said all the little ducks, as they waddled after their +mother. + +"Come and see how soon we will learn to swim." + +Bunny did not like to think that these little ducks could do something +that he could not do. + +"I have four feet," he said to himself, "and they have only two. I am +sure I can do what they can do." + +So Bunny jumped up and followed the ducks along the path through the +meadow. + +In a few minutes they came to the brook. + +The water looked cool to the little ducks. + +But the water looked very wet to Bunny. + +Mrs. Duck stood on the bank for one minute to talk to her ducklings. + +"Follow me," she said, "and do what I do. Swimming is the easiest +thing in the world. + +"When I count three we will all go into the water together." + +"I think I will wait and see how you do it," said Bunny. "That will be +the best way for me to learn." + +So Bunny sat down on the bank, and the little ducks stood in a row +behind their mother. + +"Now," said Mrs. Duck, "one, two, three,--go!" + +At the word "go" they all waddled into the water. + +Paddle, paddle, paddle! Mrs. Duck made her feet go so fast that she +was soon in the middle of the brook. + +Paddle, paddle, paddle, went all the little ducks, and they were +swimming after their mother. + +"Oh, what fun this is!" said the littlest duck. + +"How cool the water is," said the biggest duck. + +"Come in, Bunny," called all the ducks. "Swimming is the easiest thing +in the world." + +"Why don't you try it, Bunny?" asked Mr. Green Frog, who was sitting on +a rock close by. + +"The water is cool, and swimming is the easiest thing in the world." + + + +II + +Bunny sat still on the bank, but he did not say a word. + +He watched the ducks swimming round and round in the water. + +"All they have to do is to paddle their feet," he said to himself. + +"I am sure I can do that. But I do wish the water was not so wet." + +"Are you afraid to come in?" asked Mrs. Duck. + +"Are you afraid to come in?" asked Mr. Green Frog. + +Of course Bunny was afraid, but he did not like to say so. + +At last he stood up and went down to the edge of the brook. + +He put one foot in the water, but he pulled it out again very quickly. + +[Illustration: He put one foot in the water.] + +"Oh, dear!" he said, "the water is so wet." + +"You can't swim on dry land," said Mrs. Duck. "Jump in, and you will +like it, I know." + +"Jump in!" said Mr. Green Frog. + +Bunny went a step nearer and put two feet in the water. + +"Oh, dear!" he thought to himself. "I never can learn to swim. I wish +I were back under the tree, fast asleep." + +Splash, splash! Mr. Green Frog jumped into the water close to Bunny's +feet. + +It frightened the poor little rabbit and he slipped into the water, too. + +"Paddle your feet, paddle your feet!" Mrs. Duck called to him. + +But, of course, Bunny did not know how to paddle his feet. + +He kicked and kicked and scrambled and splashed around in the brook. + +The water ran into his eyes and he could not see. + +The water ran into his ears and he could not hear. + +The water ran into his mouth and he could not speak. + +He kicked and splashed and scrambled until at last he felt his feet +touch the ground. + +Then he scrambled up on the bank and threw himself on the soft grass. + +"You did not paddle your feet," said Mrs. Duck. + +"Watch us," said all the little ducks. "Do it the way we do." + +"Oh, oh!" laughed Mr. Green Frog. "Do try it again. It was the +funniest sight I ever saw." + +"It may have been funny for you," said Bunny. "But it was not funny +for me. + +"I am so wet, that I shall never be dry again. And I am afraid I have +spoiled my fur coat." + +But Mr. Sun shone down brightly and Bunny was soon dry and warm. + +Then he hopped along home by the little path through the woods. + +"Swimming may be easy for ducks," he said to himself. + +"And flying may be easy for birds. + +"Rabbits and squirrels can run and hop and jump. And that is easy for +them." + + + + +THE CLOVER PATCH + +I + +It was a lovely day in June. + +Bunny had been playing all the morning with Billy and Bobtail. + +They had played tag, and hide-and-seek, and ever so many other games. + +At last they were all tired and hungry. + +"I know where there is a great big patch of clover," said Bunny. + +"Oh, Bunny!" begged Bobtail, "show us where it is. I have not had a +taste of clover for ever so long." + +"I like clover, too," said Billy. "Is it very far from here?" + +"Oh, no," said Bunny. "It is down beside the brook." + +The three little rabbits hopped off to find the big patch of clover. + +They hopped down to the brook, but they could not see any clover there. + +"Perhaps it was in the meadow," said Billy. + +"The brook runs through the meadow." + +"Yes," said Bobtail, "and then it runs through the woods." + +"Clover would not grow under the trees," said Bunny. "It grows in the +fields where the sun shines." + +"The sun shines in the meadow," said Billy. "Let's go down there and +look for the clover patch." + +So the three little rabbits hopped off through the field. + +They hopped along beside the brook all the way. + +"Oh, look!" said Bunny. "See the fishes swimming in the water." + +Billy hopped very close to the brook. + +Splash, splash! went something right under his feet. + +Billy hopped back and looked all around to see what had happened. + +"What was that?" he asked. + +"That was old Mr. Green Frog," said Bunny. "There he is now, sitting +on a rock laughing at you." + +"Ho, ho!" laughed Mr. Green Frog. "I frightened you that time." + +"I frightened you, too," said Billy. "That was why you jumped into the +water." + +"Well," said Mr. Green Frog, "you almost hopped on my back. + +"Of course I was frightened. I jumped into the water without looking +to see what was the matter." + +"Come, come," said Bunny. "We must find that clover patch. I am as +hungry as a bear." + +So the three little rabbits hopped off across the meadow. + +They could not hop so near the brook now because the ground was soft +and wet. + +And the rabbits did not like to wet their feet. + +They hopped along, and at last Bunny called out, "Here it is. Here it +is." + +Billy and Bobtail hopped up close to Bunny. + +Sure enough, there was the biggest patch of clover they had ever seen. + +And how green every leaf was! + +The clover was all in blossom, too. + +The white blossoms held their heads up to the sun. + +The sun smiled to see the pretty white flowers among the green leaves. + +Many bees were flying over the clover patch. + +They were asking the blossoms for nectar to make sweet honey. + +"Buzz, buzz!" sang the bees, as they flew from flower to flower. + + + +II + +Bunny and Billy and Bobtail began to nibble the greenest leaves. + +They nibbled and nibbled and nibbled. + +The bees buzzed and buzzed and buzzed. + +"What good honey we can make," said the bees. "Clover honey is best of +all." + +"Oh, how good this clover is," said Billy. "I am glad I came so far." + +"Yes," said Bunny. "It is the sweetest clover I ever tasted." + +"Yes, it is," said Billy. "I-- + +"Oh, oh, oh!" he cried. "Oh, my nose!" + +Billy jumped up and hopped round and round. He rubbed his nose and +wiped the tears out of his eyes. + +Bunny and Bobtail stopped eating, and went to see what had happened to +Billy. + +"What is the matter?" asked Bunny. + +"Oh, my nose!" said Billy. "I took a bite of clover and something +stung me on the nose." + +A bee flew up from the clover and sailed round and round in the air. + +"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" said the bee. "I stung your nose, Billy. I +thought you were going to eat me." + +Bunny saw the bee flying round and round over their heads. + +"It must have been a bee that stung you," said Bunny. + +Billy looked at the bee. + +"I am going home," he said. "I did not want to come so far anyway. +There are plenty of good things eat in our own field." + +So Billy hopped along home very slowly. + +He stopped every few steps to rub his poor little nose. + +Mother Rabbit saw him coming and went to the door to meet him. + +"What is the matter?" she asked. + +"I went to the meadow to eat clover," said Billy. "The bees were there +and one stung me on the nose." + +"Rub your nose in the dirt and that will make it feel well again," said +Mother Rabbit. + +Billy put some dirt on his nose, and the pain soon went away. + +Then Mother Rabbit took him to a place where the grass was tender. + +He ate all the dinner he wanted and then went home to take a nap. + +Bunny and Bobtail ate their dinner in the meadow. + +The clover was so sweet and tender that they wanted to eat it all. + +They nibbled and nibbled and nibbled. + +But they were both very careful not to nibble any of the blossoms where +the bees were gathering honey. + + + + +MOVING DAY + +I + +It was warm and sunny in the meadows. + +It was warm and sunny in the fields. + +But in the woods it was cool and shady under the pine trees. + +The red squirrels had been playing all the morning. + +They had chased each other up and down the trees and along the little +path. + +Now Sammy was sitting on the branch of a pine tree resting. + +All at once he heard a noise over in the field. + +It was a very loud noise and he wondered what it could be. + +He could not see the field from the tree where he was sitting. + +So he ran down to the ground and skipped along--to the old stone wall. + +"Whirr, whirr, whirr!" the noise came nearer and nearer. + +"Oh, dear me!" said Sammy. "I know what that is. Mr. Man is cutting +the grass in the field. + +"Now all the families that live there will have to move out." + +Sammy sat still and watched to who would be the first to move. + +He had not been sitting on the wall very long when he saw the whole +rabbit family coming out of the field, one behind the other. + +Mrs. Rabbit had on her bonnet and shawl. She was carrying Baby Rabbit +in her arms. + +Father Rabbit had a big basket. + +Bunny and Bobtail and Billy were hopping along behind, laughing and +talking. + +"What fun it is to move," said Bunny. + +"I hope we shall find a good home somewhere," said Mother Rabbit. + +Bunny and Bobtail and Billy hopped and skipped along. + +They hopped ahead of Father Rabbit along the little path that led +through the woods. + +When they came to the stone wall they saw Sammy Red Squirrel. + +"Good-morning," they called. "We are moving to-day. We are looking +for a new home. + +"Do you know where we can find one large enough for all of us?" + +"No," answered Sammy. "I know where the house is that Mrs. Robin left, +but that is too small for you." + +"Come, come," called Mother Rabbit, "we cannot stop to talk. We must +find a new home soon. It is dinner time this very minute." + +So the family of rabbits hopped off along the path. + +Then Sammy heard a little squeaking noise and he looked to see where it +came from. + +"Squeak, squeak!" said Mrs. Field Mouse. "I was not ready to move. + +"I did not want to leave my home in the field this week." + +"We can soon find another home," said Mr. Field Mouse. + +"Here is one right here. This is the very place we are looking for." + +Mr. Mouse set his bag down beside a hole that he had found near the +stone wall. + +Mrs. Mouse looked at the hole and so did all the little mice. + +"Perhaps that will do until we can go back to our home in the sunny +field," said Mrs. Mouse. + +Then she shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye. + +"Oh, dear!" she said. "I know I shall be very lonely here." + +"But we could not stay in the field," said Mr. Mouse. "A man was +cutting the grass, and I am afraid of that big cutter." + +"That is so," said Mrs. Mouse, as she wiped another tear out of her +eye. "But I shall be glad when we can move back." + +"I think this hole will do," said Mr. Mouse. "I will go in and see." + + + +II + +Sammy sat on the wall and watched the mice. + +He saw them stop in front of the hole and peep into it. + +Then he saw Mr. Mouse go in--head, tail and all. + +"That house belongs to some one else," said Sammy. + +But Mr. Mouse was in the hole and did not hear what he said. + +Mrs. Mouse and the little mice were peeping into the hole and they did +not hear what he said. + +In a minute Sammy heard Mr. Mouse call to his family to follow him. + +Mrs. Mouse picked up the bag and started into the hole. + +All the little mice followed her. + +Sammy sat on the wall watching them. + +All at once he heard a noise. + +Mrs. Mouse heard the noise and jumped back. + +She dropped the bag, and it flew open. Everything spilled out on the +ground. + +The next minute Mr. Mouse came scrambling out of the hole. + +He had lost off his glasses, and his cap was gone. + +"Oh, oh, oh! That is no home for us. Some one lives there, now," he +said. + +"Who, who, who?" asked all the little mice at once. + +Mr. Toad came out to the edge of the hole, winking and blinking. + +"I do," he said. "This is my home. Who came to visit me?" + +"I told you that some one lived there," chattered Sammy Red Squirrel. + +"I told you, but you would not listen to me." + +"Well, there is no harm done," said Mr. Mouse. "I just paid Mr. Toad a +visit." + +"We must find a home any way," said Mrs. Mouse. "If we stay here the +cat will catch us." + +"There comes the cat now," said Sammy. "She heard Mr. Mouse squeal +when he came out of the hole." + +When the mice heard that the cat was coming, what a scampering there +was. + +It did not take the whole family of mice long to find a home under a +big stone. + +Sammy jumped off the wall and ran up into the pine tree. + +The cat came along the path very slowly. + +"Meow, meow!" she said to herself. "I must find something for +breakfast." + +But she did not find the little mice. They were hiding away under the +big stone. + +And she did not find Sammy. He was safe in the pine tree. + +Of course she knew where the mice were hiding. + +She saw them when they ran into the hole. + +But the stone was too heavy for her to move. + +She sat down beside the hole and waited and waited, but not one little +mouse put out his nose. + +At last the cat grew tired of waiting, and walked back along the path +to the house. + +She found a saucer of milk on the kitchen floor. + +And the best of it was that it could not run away and hide like the +mice and squirrels. + + + + +A SUMMER SHOWER + +I + +"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast. + +"Rain, rain, rain! I wish it would rain." + +The pretty flowers heard the robin calling for rain. + +They lifted up their heads and listened. + +They were wishing it would rain, too. The ground was so dry they could +not find a drop of water to drink. + +Mr. Green Frog wished it would rain. + +The brook was almost dry, and he did not like that very well. + +"Rain, rain, rain!" Robin Redbreast called again. + +"Don't call for rain," said Bunny Rabbit. "I like to have the sun +shine all the time." + +"So do I," said Sammy Red Squirrel. "I do not like to have it rain on +my fur coat." + +"See how the flowers hang down their heads," said the robin. + +"I am sure they would like to have a drink of fresh water." + +"The flowers are sleepy," said Bunny. "That is why they hang their +heads." + +"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "Come, children, we will go +down to the brook." + +The duck and all the little ducks waddled across the road and into the +meadow. + +Bunny saw them coming and hopped over to meet them. + +"Good-morning, Mrs. Duck," he said. "Where are you going?" + +"We are going to the brook to have a swim," said the duck. "Will you +come with us?? + +"No, no!" answered Bunny. "I can not swim. You did not teach me." + +"Perhaps I could teach you this morning," said the duck. "There is not +much water in the brook to-day." + +"I don't want to learn to swim," answered Bunny, and he hopped off to +find Bobtail. + +But he could not find Bobtail, and he could not find Billy. + +So at last Bunny sat down under the oak tree to take a nap. + +Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled along the path until they +came to the brook. + +It was just a very tiny brook, now. It was really nothing but mud. + +"Oh, dear me!" said Mrs. Duck "I wish it would rain to-day." + +"Rain, rain, rain!" called Robin Redbreast. "I wish it would rain." + +"I think it will rain," said Mr. Green Frog. "And I think it will rain +to-day." + +[Illustration: "I think it will rain to-day."] + +Mrs. Duck let the little ducks play in the muddy brook. + +They pushed their flat bills into the mud to find something to eat. + +Their little yellow feet were black with mud, but they liked it. + +Mr. Sun looked down and smiled at them. He smiled his brightest smile. + +Then a cloud came and hid the sun. + +A gentle wind began to blow over the tall grass in the field. + +"Bow your heads!" the wind said to the flowers and grass. + +Then the wind puffed out its cheeks and blew harder. + +It rushed along to the woods. + +"Bow your heads!" it said to the pine trees and the oak trees. + +They bowed their heads and waved their branches to and fro. + +The wind blew harder, and the clouds sailed faster and faster across +the sky. + +"It is going to rain," said Mrs. Duck. + +"Yes," called Robin Redbreast. "It is going to rain. I know it is. I +must fly to the woods until the shower is over. + +"Come, little ducks," said their mother. + +"We must so back to the barn until the shower is over. I think the +wind will blow very hard, and I do not like the wind." + +So the robin flew to the woods, and the ducks went back to the barn. + +Sammy Red Squirrel saw the shower coming, and he scampered home as fast +as he could go. + +Billy and Bobtail were playing in their yard, when the wind rushed by +and called to them. + +"Run in, little rabbits," said the wind. "I am bringing a shower. Run +in or you will get your fur coats wet." + +So Billy and Bobtail hopped into the house and curled up to take a nap +until the shower was over. + + + +II + +The wind puffed out his cheeks and blew harder and harder. + +The clouds sailed across the sky faster and faster. + +It was almost as dark as night. + +And Bunny slept on, under the big oak tree. + +Patter, patter, patter! the rain drops fell on the oak leaves. + +Easter and faster they fell. In a few minutes the leaves were wet. + +Then the water began to fall down on the ground at the foot of the tree. + +One great big drop fell on Bunny's nose. Then another fell on his ear. + +He waked up with a start. + +"What is the matter?" he said. "What is the matter?" + +He opened his eyes wide and then he knew what was the matter. + +"Oh, dear me!" he said to himself. "Robin Redbreast has her wish at +last. It is raining hard." + +Faster and faster the rain drops fell from the black clouds. + +The ground was soon wet under the oak tree. + +And Bunny was wet, too. + +But he could not go home. He knew better than to leave the oak tree +and skip out into the field. + +So he curled himself up in a very tiny ball and waited for the shower +to be over. + +It grew lighter and lighter. + +The wind stopped blowing, and at last Mr. Sun peeped out from behind +the cloud. + +He looked right down on Bunny, and laughed to see how he was rolled up +in such a tiny ball. + +"Cheer up, cheer up!" sang Robin Redbreast. "That was a fine rain. I +am going to take a bath in that puddle of water." + +Mr. Green Frog came out of his hole. + +"Croak, croak!" he said. "That was a fine rain. I like to see the +water running in the brook again." + +[Illustration: "Croak, croak!" said Mr. Green Frog.] + +Bunny jumped up and shook himself. + +He was just as wet as he could be. + +His feet were wet. His back was wet. And his nice long ears were wet. + +He jumped up and shook himself. Then he started off toward home. + +On his way he met Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks. + +They were going to the brook to have a swim. + +"That was a fine rain," Mrs. Duck called to Bunny. + +"Just see how the flowers hold up their heads." + +But Bunny did not look at the flowers. He could not see why anything +liked to be wet. + +"That was a fine rain," said Mrs. Duck, again. "That was a fine rain." + +"Perhaps it was," said Bunny. "But I like best to have the sun shine." + +And then, without saying another word, Bunny hopped off home. + +Mrs. Duck and the little ducks went to the brook to have a swim in the +fresh water. + +And Robin Redbreast took a bath in the puddle under the oak tree. + + + + +SAMMY'S FLYING MACHINE + +I + +Sammy Red Squirrel was sitting on the stone wall eating a nut. + +"Caw, caw!" called Blacky Crow, as he flew over the field. + +"Caw, caw, caw!" he called. "What are you doing, Sammy?" + +Sammy stopped eating the nut, and looked up to see who was talking to +him. + +He saw Blacky Crow sailing round and round over his head. + +"I am eating my breakfast," he answered. "Would you like to have a nut +to eat, too?" + +"Oh, no," answered Blacky Crow. "I can find something better than that. + +"I am going to the pasture now to get my breakfast." + +Then Blacky Crow flapped his big wings and flew far, far away. + +Sammy watched the crow fly over the tallest tree and out of sight. + +"I wish I could fly," he said to himself. "I know I could if I had +some wings." + +Just then a flock of sparrows flew over head. + +"Twitter, twitter!" they said. + +"Twitter, twitter, twitter!" + +Sammy watched the sparrows flying until they were out of sight. + +"I know I could fly," he said to himself again, "if I had some wings. + +"Perhaps I could make some wings," he thought. + +Just then something hit Sammy on the head. + +He looked up to see what it was, and there at his feet lay an oak leaf. + +He looked up in the top of the tree. + +West Wind flew by and shook the branches of the tree very gently. + +And another leaf floated softly down to the ground beside its brother. + +Sammy sat there watching the leaves for a few minutes. + +Then he jumped up and clapped his hands. + +"I know what I can do," he said. "I can make some wings for myself out +of those oak leaves. + +"I will ask all the other squirrels to come and watch me fly." + +Sammy hunted on the ground until he found two very large oak leaves. + +"I can hold them out with my front paws," he said. "I think they will +look just like wings." + +Sammy put the two leaves on the ground and covered them with a stone. + +He was not going to let West Wind carry them away. + +Then he scampered off to tell all the other squirrels what he was going +to do. + +He told all the red squirrels first. + +He told them he was going to fly from the big oak tree. + +"If you wish to see me fly," he said, "you must be at the tree in a few +minutes." + +All the red squirrels scampered off to get the best seats among the +branches of the oak tree. + +Sammy saw Bobby Gray Squirrel and told him to ask all the gray +squirrels to come and see him fly. + +Then Sammy found Bunny Rabbit. + +When Bunny heard what Sammy was going to do, he wanted to try to fly, +too. + +"You are much too large for my wings," said Sammy. + +"You would have to go to Mr. Man's garden and ask him for some of the +leaves from the rhubarb plants." + +Blacky Crow was flying over the field. He heard Sammy tell Bunny that +he was going to fly. + +"Ho, ho!" he laughed, "I should like to see Sammy fly with those +oak-leaf wings. + +"I will fly to the oak tree this very minute." + +As he flew over the meadow he saw the sparrows and told them where he +was going. + +They wanted to go, too. + +Every one wanted to go and watch Sammy fly. + + + +II + +When they were all seated, Sammy picked up the two leaves he had found +and skipped gaily up the tree. + +He ran up the tree and out on one of the longest branches. + +"Now, watch me!" he called to all his friends. + +"See me fly just like a bird." + +Sammy took one leaf in each of his front paws and held them out as far +as he could. + +He stood on the very end of the branch for just one minute. + +He saw that every one was watching him. + +"You must flap your wings," called Blacky Crow. + +"Hop off the branch," called one of the sparrows. + +So Sammy flapped his wings, and then he hopped off the branch. + +But, oh, dear me! The wings would not hold Sammy up in the air. + +Sammy forgot to hold his wings out straight and they hung down at his +side without a flutter. + +And down to the ground Sammy fell. + +[Illustration: Down to the ground Sammy fell.] + +Bump! he came down at the foot of the oak tree. + +He almost fell on top of Bunny Rabbit. + +But Bunny saw him coming and jumped out of the way just in time. + +Sammy lay very still where he had fallen. + +All the squirrels ran down to see if he had hurt himself. + +Bobby Gray Squirrel ran to pick the fallen bird up from the ground. + +Sammy had given his nose such a bump that it was all black and blue. + +He had hurt his paw. And his make-believe wings were all crushed and +broken. + +Sammy rubbed his nose and then he looked at his friends. + +"I don't believe oak leaves make good wings," he said. + +"No," said the tiniest sparrow, "the best wings are made of feathers." + +"Caw, caw!" said Blacky Crow. "My wings are made of feathers. See how +I can fly." + +Then Blacky Crow flapped his big wings and flew away. + +The sparrows flew away, too. + +All the squirrels scampered off to hunt for nuts. + +And the rabbits went back to their home to take a nap. + +Sammy was left sitting alone on the old stone wall. + +Every few minutes he rubbed his poor little nose. + +And as he rubbed his nose he thought: + +"Flying may be fun for birds, and swimming may be fun for ducks. + +"But running and jumping among the branches of the big oak tree is more +fun for squirrels." + + + + +THE CABBAGE PATCH + +I + +"Oh, dear me!" said Billy. "I am so hungry. I wish I could find +something good to eat." + +"I know where there is a big cabbage patch," said Bunny. + +"Where, where?" asked Billy. + +"Where, where?" asked Bobtail. + +"Follow me," said Bunny, "and I will show you." + +"Is it far?" asked Billy. + +"No," said Bunny. "It is not very far,--just down in Mr. Man's garden." + +"I think I will stay here," said Billy. "This clover is very good." + +So Billy stayed and ate the clover, but Bobtail and Bunny hopped off +down the road. + +They hopped along the road until they came to Mr. Man's barn. + +Then they stopped to listen. + +Bunny sat up straight and held up his long ears. + +Bobtail sat up straight and held up his long ears. + +They listened and listened, but they did not hear a sound. + +"I think Jip is asleep in the house," said Bunny. + +"I think Mr. Man is eating his dinner," said Bobtail. + +"Let's hurry," said Bunny. "We can reach the garden without any one +seeing us, I am sure." + +So the two little rabbits laid their ears down on their heads and +hopped away. + +They hopped behind the barn. + +Mr. Rooster saw them coming. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he said. "Who are you? Where are you going in +such a hurry?" + +"We are going to the garden to get our dinner," said Bunny. + +"Mr. Man never lets me go to the garden," said Mr. Rooster. + +"Mr. Man never lets me go to the garden if he knows about it," laughed +Bunny. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" said the rooster, as he flapped his wings and flew +up on the fence. + +"Please do not make so much noise," begged Bobtail. "Mr. Man will hear +you and come out to see what is the matter." + +But the rooster just flapped his big wings and crowed again. + +"Come," said Bunny. "This is no place for us. + +"Let's hop into the garden and get some cabbage." + + + +II + +The two rabbits hopped off across the yard and into the garden. + +There they found the biggest cabbages they had ever seen. + +There were rows and rows of them. + +They were great big green cabbages. How good they did look to the +hungry little rabbits! + +"I aim going to eat this one," said Bunny. And he stopped at a big, +big cabbage at the end of one long row. + +Bobtail picked out a big one for himself and began to nibble the sweet +leaves. + +Nibble, nibble, nibble! Not a word did the little rabbits speak. + +They could not talk. They were so busy eating that they could not say +a word. + +Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was in the garden! + +Bunny heard the bees humming as they flew among the flowers. + +Once Blacky Crow flew over and called to the rabbits. + +But he did not fly down to the garden. There was nothing there for him +to eat, now. + +He liked the corn when it had just peeped out of the ground. + +Then it was tender and sweet, and he often pulled it up for his dinner. + +Nibble, nibble, nibble! How still it was everywhere. + +Then all at once there was a noise. + +It was a noise the rabbits knew too well. + +"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip, as he bounded across the field. + +"Bow-wow-wow! I think some one is in my master's garden." + +Bunny and Bobtail knew who was coming. They did not have to wait and +see. + +Off through the garden they hopped. + +They hopped so fast that they were soon out of sight. + +But Jip knew where they had gone, and he ran after them, barking louder +and louder at every step. + +"Oh, dear me!" cried Bobtail. "What shall we do? Jip will catch us +before we reach home." + +"Follow me," said Bunny, "I know where there is a hole big enough for +both of us to hide." + +So Bobtail followed Bunny. + +They hopped across the field and into the woods. + +"Bow-wow-wow!" said Jip. "I am going to catch you this time." + +And then, all at once, Jip could not see the rabbits anywhere. + +They had hopped into a hole under the big rock at the foot of the oak +tree. + +They hopped into the hole and then they were safe. + +Jip could not reach them. + +He sat down beside the hole to wait until they came out, but they were +too wise to come out. + + + +III + +Jip waited and waited, and the rabbits waited and waited, too. + +At last Jip grew tired of watching the hole and ran off home. + +Then the two rabbits knew it was safe for them to go home, too. + +Bunny put his nose out and looked around. + +There was no one in sight. + +"I am going now," he said to Bobtail. "Jip has gone away." + +And then Bunny started to get out of the hole. + +He put out his head, but he could not get any farther. + +"What is the matter? What are you waiting for? Is Jip coming back?" +asked Bobtail. + +But Bunny did not answer. He just kept on wiggling and twisting. + +He twisted and wiggled, twisted and wiggled. But he could not get out +of that hole. + +At last he pulled his head back through the hole. Then he sat down and +looked at Bobtail. + +"What shall we do?" he said. "The hole has grown small since we came +through it." + +"Perhaps I can get out," said Bobtail. "Let me try." + +So Bobtail put his head out and then he hopped out the rest of the way. + +"I'm out," he called to Bunny. "You can get out, I am sure." + +Bobtail hopped off home leaving Bunny to get out the best way he could. + +Of course Bunny got out; but he scratched his poor little nose and he +scratched his back. + +He hurt his long ears and he hurt his foot. + +But he did get out at last. + +And when he was safe on the outside of the hole he turned around and +looked at it. + +"I'll never go in there again," he said as he rubbed his nose. + +"I thought it was a big hole, but I must be bigger than the hole." + +Then Bunny hopped off home. + +Mother Rabbit was standing at the door watching for him. + +Bobtail and Billy were watching, too. + +"How did you get out of the hole?" they asked. + +"This is the way I got out," said Bunny, and he pointed to his poor +little scratched nose. + +When Mother Rabbit saw that Bunny had hurt himself she took him into +the house. + +She gave him some hot cabbage soup. + +Then she wrapped his nose up in flannel and made him stay in bed a +whole day until he was all well again. + +[Illustration: She wrapped his nose up in flannel.] + + + + +THE WHITE RABBIT + +I + +It was a warm summer day. + +Bunny and Billy were over in the meadow eating clover. + +Mother Rabbit and Bobtail were in the garden eating cabbage. + +Billy was fond of cabbage, too. But the garden was far away, across +the field and over the other side of the road. + +So Billy ate clover in the meadow. + +Bunny had eaten cabbage the day before. So he ate clover in the meadow +with Billy. + +The two little rabbits nibbled at the tender leaves. + +"I have had enough to last me all day," said Bunny. "Now let's go and +play." + +"Oh, no!" said Billy. "I am going home and take a nap." + +"Oh, do come and play with me," said Bunny. + +But Billy only shook his head and hopped off toward home. + +Bunny looked around to see if there was any one to play with. + +He could not see any of his friends. + +"I think I will go over to the garden and find mother and Bobtail," he +said to himself. + +Now when Bunny thought of anything he always did it the very next +minute. + +So he hopped off as fast he could go. + +He hopped across the field and across the road. + +When he came to the barn he stopped to see if Mr. Man or Jip were +anywhere in sight. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster, who was sitting on the fence. + +[Illustration: "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" called the rooster.] + +"Where are you going so fast this bright day?" + +"I am going to the garden again," said Bunny. "Mother and Bobtail are +there eating cabbage." + +Bunny hopped along past the hen-yard fence, and into the orchard. + +All at once he stopped. He saw something in the grass ahead of him. + +It was white and round and furry. And it had two long ears just like +his own. + +Bunny stood very still and looked and looked. + +"That must be a snow rabbit," he said to himself. + +"But I never saw a snow rabbit in the summer. I am sure this hot sun +would melt the snow." + +Just then the white rabbit saw Bunny. + +"Who are you?" he asked. "I never saw you before." + +"I never saw you," said Bunny. "Where did you come from?" + +"I live in a little house near the barn," said the white rabbit. + +"Jack left the gate open this morning when he fed me, and so I thought +I would take a walk." + +"Do you like to live in a little house?" asked Bunny. + +"Oh, yes," answered the white rabbit. "I always have something to eat +and I am never cold. + +"And when Jack forgets to close the gate, I have a good play in the +field." + +"I live in the woods," said Bunny. "My door is never closed, and I can +run out any time I wish. + +"But sometimes I am hungry, and sometimes I am cold." + +"Come and live with me," said the white rabbit. "There is room enough +in my house for two." + +Now Bunny knew he would not like to live in a house all the time, but +he thought he might go and visit the white rabbit. + +So Bunny and Whitie, as Bunny called him, hopped off toward the barn. + +"That is my home," said the white rabbit, and he pointed to a little +house under the apple tree. + +There was a yard in front of the house. And there was a fence around +the yard,--a fence with a gate that could be shut and locked. + +Bunny saw the house and he hopped along after Whitie. + +But he was frightened. He had never been so near the barn before. + +What if Mr. Man or Jip should see him. + + + +II + +At last they reached Whitie's house and the two little rabbits hopped +through the gate. + +"Oh, see these cabbage leaves," said Whitie. "Jack left them here for +my dinner." + +But Bunny did not look at the cabbage leaves, for just at that moment +he heard Jip barking. + +And then he heard Jack talking to the dog. + +Poor Bunny's heart began to beat very fast. + +"What shall I do? What shall I do?" he said. + +"Jack and Jip will not hurt you," said Whitie. "I think Jack is coming +to close the gate." + +Bunny hid himself in one corner of the house and held his breath for +fear Jack would see him. + +"Why, Whitie!" Bunny heard Jack say, "I left your gate open this +morning. I must close it now or you will be taking a walk in the +garden." + +Jack closed the gate, and Bunny was caught. + +When Jack had gone away, Whitie called to Bunny to come out in the yard. + +"Come and eat some of these good cabbage leaves," he said. + +But Bunny could not eat. He could only sit and look at the closed gate. + +"I want to go home," he said to Whitie. "I don't like to stay in this +yard all the time." + +"But you will never be hungry here," said Whitie. "Come and eat +something now." + +Bunny was not hungry. He could not eat. + +All day long he sat in the house. + +He wondered what Bobtail and Billy were doing. + +He wondered if Mother Rabbit was hunting for him. + +Just before dark he heard Jack coming to see Whitie again. + +He did not hear Jip barking. + +"Perhaps Jack is alone," thou| Bunny. "If he is I think I can get +away." + +He sat very still and listened. + +Then he peeped out and saw Jack coming across the grass. + +He was all alone. The dog was not running along beside him. + +Bunny turned around and looked at Whitie. + +"Good-by," he said. "I am going to hop out when Jack opens the gate. + +"You have a very good home here. But I like my home in the woods much +better. + +"Sometime when you run away come and see me." + +Just then Jack opened the gate and out jumped Bunny! Jack was so +frightened that he dropped Whitie's supper on the ground. + +He looked around to see what had flashed by him so quickly. + +But Bunny was out of sight! + +He did not stop or look around until he was safe in his own home. + +"Where have you been?" asked Mother Rabbit. "I thought you were lost." + +"I thought so, too," said Bunny. + +"I went to visit the white rabbit who lives in a little house under the +apple tree. + +"And then Jack came and shut the gate and I could not get away." + +"Oh, Bunny, Bunny!" said Mother Rabbit. "I thought you were too wise +to get caught in a trap." + +"I am now," Bunny answered, and he ran out to have a game of tag with +Billy and Bobtail. + + + + +TEDDY BEAR + +I + +Teddy Bear lay on the grass in the meadow. + +He lay there all day and he lay there all night. + +Baby May had dropped him there and forgotten all about him. + +So the little brown bear lay on the soft grass in the meadow. + +Blacky Crow flew over the meadow and called to the bear. + +"Caw, caw!" he said. "What are you doing here?" + +"I thought you liked to stay in the playroom with the rest of the toys." + +Of course Teddy did like to stay in the playroom. + +But if May dropped him in the meadow how could he get back to the house? + +Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled along the path that led to +the brook. + +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "Look here, look here! Where did you +come from? What are you doing in this meadow?" + +[Illustration: "Quack, quack! Where did _you_ come from?"] + +Teddy stared at the duck with his little black eyes, but he did not say +a word. + +Perhaps he did not like to tell her that May had forgotten all about +her little playmate. + +"Quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "I teach my children to speak when +they are spoken to." + +Teddy just stared and stared, but he did not say a word. + +"Very well," said Mrs. Duck, "I will go to the pond and see Mr. Green +Frog. + +"I will ask him if he knows who you are." + +So off to the pond waddled Mrs. Duck, and all her children waddled +after her. + +"Bow-wow!" barked Jip as he ran through the meadow. + +"I am trying to find some one to play with me. + +"I wish I could find Bunny Rabbit. I should like to have a game of +chase with him." + +Just then Jip saw Teddy Bear. + +"Bow-wow-wow!" he said. "What are you doing in this meadow? + +"I thought you lived in the playroom." + +Teddy Bear stared at Jip with his little black eyes, but he did not say +a word. + +I am sure he wished the dog would run away and not talk to him. + +But Jip wanted to play. He thought it was fun to play with Teddy. + +It was fun to pick him up and toss him into the air. + +It was fun to hide him where May could not find him. + +Jip picked Teddy up in his mouth and ran along through the meadow. + +He ran through the meadow and into the woods. + +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" he said. + +When Jip opened his mouth to bark, Teddy hopped out and fell to the +ground. + +Jip picked him up again. He tossed him up in the air and then caught +him in his mouth. + +He shook him, and shook him, but Teddy did not say a word. + +Then Jip started along the path in the woods. + +"I am going to hide Teddy where May will never find him," he said to +himself. + +"Then I can have him to play with every day." + +But the next minute Jip forgot all about Teddy Bear, because he saw +Bobby Gray Squirrel. + +Bobby Gray Squirrel wag skipping over the ground hunting for nuts. + +Jip liked to play tag with Bobby, so he dropped Teddy Bear and ran +after the little gray squirrel. + +But Bobby saw the dog coming and skipped up into the oak tree. + +He sat down on the lowest branch and began to scold Jip. + +"Chatter, chatter, chatter!" he said. "Why did you run after me? I +had just found a nut for my breakfast." + +"Bow-wow!" said Jip. "Come down out of that tree and play chase with +me." + +But Bobby would not come down and so at last Jip ran away home. + +He forgot about Teddy and left him under the tree. + +When Jip had run away, Bobby came down out of the tree. + +He saw Teddy and ran over to speak to him. + +"Good-morning," Bobby said to the little brown bear. "What are you +doing under this tree?" + +Teddy stared at the squirrel with his little black eyes, but he did not +say a word. + +"My mother taught me to speak when I am spoken to," said Bobby. + +But Teddy did not speak, and so at last Bobby ran away and left him. + + + +II + +Oh, Teddy was so lonely! + +He wished that he were back in the playroom with the other toys. + +He thought of Jack-in-the-box, and the bright tin soldiers. + +He thought of the new automobile and of all the pretty dolls. + +Then at last he fell asleep and dreamed that he was back in the +playroom. + +All at once some one took him by the arm. + +"Wake up and talk to me," said Bunny Rabbit. "I want some one to play +with me." + +Teddy stared at Bunny with his little black eyes, but he did not say a +word. + +Bunny shook him and shook him. + +"Now will you speak to me?" he said. + +But Teddy Bear would not open his mouth. + +"Well, well," said Bunny. "I don't like to talk to you. I will find +some other playmate." + +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" said Jip. "I will play with you, Bunny." + +But when Bunny heard Jip coming along the path he forgot all about +playing. + +He hopped off down the path as fast as he could go. + +He did not look around once to see where the dog had gone. + +Jack came along the path with Jip. When he came to the tree he saw +Teddy Bear lying on the ground. + +"Why, Teddy," he said, "how did you get away out here all alone?" + +Teddy stared at Jack with his little black eyes, but he did not say a +word. + +"Bow-wow, bow-wow!" barked Jip. He was trying to tell Jack that he put +Teddy under the tree. + +But Jack did not listen. + +He just picked Teddy up in his arms and carried him back to the house. + +He took the little brown bear up to the playroom. + +May was sitting on the floor playing with her dolls. + +Teddy was so happy to get back home that he jumped out of Jack's arms. + +"Oh, oh!" cried May. "You dropped poor Teddy Bear." + +She picked Teddy up and gave him a great bear hug. + +"Why did you run away from me?" she asked. + +Teddy stared at May with his little black eyes, but he did not say a +word. + +He just stared at everything in the playroom, and thought of the story +he would tell his friends about his day in the woods. + + + + +BOBBY'S PARTY. + +I + +Bang, bang, bang! + +Snap, snap, snap! + +All day long Bobby Gray Squirrel hid in his nest because he did not +like the noise. + +He poked his nose out once or twice to see what was the matter. + +But each time he heard a loud bang, snap! + +Then he jumped back in his nest to hide. + +All day long he lay there and listened. And all day long the children +played with their fire-crackers. + +Fourth of July is fun for boys and girls. + +But it is not so much fun for rabbits and squirrels. + +At last it was quiet. + +Bobby had not heard a sound for a long time. + +So he peeped out of his door once more. + +The sun was not shining now. The big round moon was looking down to +see if all the children were in bed. + +He was looking to see if all the rabbits and squirrels were in bed, too. + +Bobby saw the moon and then he skipped back into his house once more. + +"Oh, dear me!" he said to himself. "I am hungry. But I must wait +until the sun comes up again. + +"I am afraid I could not find anything to eat by the light of the moon." + +Bobby went to sleep and the next time he opened his eyes it was morning. + +He jumped up and ran out of doors. + +He ran down the branch of the oak tree and off through the woods. + +"Good-morning," Bunny called to him, as he ran past the three rabbits +who were eating clover for breakfast. + +"This is a good morning," said Bobby. "It is so still and quiet." + +Bobby ran on and on. + +Every few minutes he stopped to hunt for some hidden nut. + +But he could not find many. + +At last he said to himself, "I am going to the orchard to get an apple. + +"I like to eat the seeds. I might find an apple on one of the trees." + +Bobby skipped through the woods and across the field. + +He came to the stone wall that ran along one side of the road. + +Bobby jumped up on the highest stone to look around and see if any one +were in sight. + +He looked up the road, and he looked down the road. But no one was in +sight. + +He jumped down from the wall, and then he stood still. + +Right at his feet wag a paper bag. + +And the bag smelled so good that the little squirrel stopped to take +another sniff. + +"That smells like peanuts," Bobby said to himself. + +"I will make a hole in the bag and see what is inside." + +Bobby took hold of the bag with his sharp little teeth and tore a big +round hole. + +He tore a hole big enough to put his paw through. + +And then he was just like little Jack Horner. + + He put in his thumb + And pulled out a plum, + +And said, "What a big squirrel am I." + +He pulled out the kind of plum he liked best of all. It was a peanut. + +He pulled out one peanut, and then he pulled out another. + +"This bag is full of peanuts," he said to himself. "There are so many +here I can never eat them all." + +[Illustration: "This bag is full of peanuts."] + +"I know what I can do. I can have a party." + +Now squirrels must like to have parties just as well as little boys and +girls. + +Because when Bobby thought of the party he jumped up and down and +clapped his hands. + +Then he started off to invite all the other gray squirrels. + +But he stopped when he reached the top of the wall. + +He had just thought that some one might come while he was away and find +the peanuts. + +"I will hide them in the wall," he said to himself. "Then they will be +out of sight." + +So Bobby jumped down again and began to carry the nuts to a safe place. + +It took so long, and Bobby worked so hard that he had to go back home +to take a nap when he had finished. + + + +II + +Bobby Gray Squirrel slept and slept. + +But Sammy Red Squirrel was not asleep. + +He had been wide awake all day. + +He had seen Bobby hiding the peanuts in the old stone wall. + +He was sitting up in the maple tree watching him all the time. + +"I wonder what Bobby is hiding all those nuts for," he said to himself. + +"I think I will wait here and see what he is going to do." + +So for a long time Sammy sat still in the maple tree watching Bobby +work. + +When the last nut was hidden Bobby skipped off toward home. + +"Now is my chance," said Sammy. "I am going to play a trick on Bobby." + +Sammy skipped down the tree and ran along the wall to the place where +the nuts were hidden. + +He took the nuts out of their hiding place and carried them to a hole +behind the big rock. + +It took a long time to do it, but Sammy liked to play tricks. + +Back and forth he ran until the very last nut was stored away in the +new hiding place. + +Then he skipped around to tell the red squirrels about the joke he had +played on Bobby Gray Squirrel. + +"Run to the maple tree near the stone wall," said Sammy. "You will see +what Bobby does when he finds his nuts are gone." + +So the red squirrels all ran to the maple tree to watch for the gray +squirrels to come to the party. + +At last Bobby waked up. And the minute he opened his eyes he thought +of the peanuts. + +He skipped down the tree and ran to tell his friends about the party. + +"Meet me at the old stone wall," he said. "That is where I am going to +have my party." + +So the gray squirrels all ran along to the stone wall. + +The red squirrels were in the maple tree, but the gray squirrels did +not see them. + +As soon as Bobby came to the stone wall all his friends ran to meet him. + +"Follow me," said Bobby. "I will show you the biggest pile of peanuts +you ever saw." + +So the gray squirrels skipped along after Bobby. + +But when they came to the storehouse they all stopped and looked at the +hole. + +Not one peanut could they see. + +"I wonder who found my nuts," said Bobby. "I thought I had put them +where they could not be found." + +The gray squirrels sat down in a row and looked very sad. + +Just then they heard a sound up in the maple tree. + +They looked up and saw all the red squirrels laughing. + +"Ho, ho, ho!" Sammy was laughing. "That was a good joke. I took your +nuts and hid them in another hole." + +"Ho, ho, ho!" all the red squirrels were laughing. + +They all laughed again, and then Sammy said, "I will give a peanut +party. Follow me." + +Sammy led the red squirrels and the gray squirrels to the place where +he had hidden the nuts. + +And what a party they had! + +They ate all the nuts they wanted, and then carried some home for +dinner the next day. + +[Illustration: They ate all the nuts they wanted.] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BUNNY RABBIT'S DIARY*** + + +******* This file should be named 16982.txt or 16982.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/9/8/16982 + + + +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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