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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Mother West Wind's Children, by Thornton W.
+Burgess, Illustrated by George 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: Mother West Wind's Children
+
+
+Author: Thornton W. Burgess
+
+
+
+Release Date: March 22, 2007  [eBook #20877]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Al Haines
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 20877-h.htm or 20877-h.zip:
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/8/7/20877/20877-h/20877-h.htm)
+      or
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/8/7/20877/20877-h.zip)
+
+
+
+
+
+MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN
+
+by
+
+THORNTON W. BURGESS
+
+Author of "Old Mother West Wind"
+
+Illustrated by George Kerr
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Frontispiece: "Yap-yap-yap," barked Reddy Fox, as loud as he could.]
+
+
+
+
+Grosset & Dunlap
+Publishers
+New York
+By arrangement with Little, Brown and Company
+
+Copyright, 1911,
+by Thornton W. Burgess.
+All rights reserved
+
+
+
+
+TO
+
+ALL THE LITTLE FRIENDS
+
+OF
+
+JOHNNY CHUCK AND REDDY FOX,
+
+AND TO
+
+ALL WHO LOVE THE GREEN MEADOWS
+
+AND THE SMILING POOL,
+
+THE LAUGHING BROOK AND THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES,
+
+THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+   CHAPTER
+
+       I.  DANNY MEADOW MOUSE LEARNS WHY HIS TAIL IS SHORT
+      II.  WHY REDDY FOX HAS NO FRIENDS
+     III.  WHY PETER RABBIT'S EARS ARE LONG
+      IV.  REDDY FOX DISOBEYS
+       V.  STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S POCKETS
+      VI.  REDDY FOX, THE BOASTER
+     VII.  JOHNNY CHUCK'S SECRET
+    VIII.  JOHNNY CHUCK'S GREAT FIGHT
+      IX.  MR. TOAD'S OLD SUIT
+       X.  GRANDFATHER FROG GETS EVEN
+      XI.  THE DISAPPOINTED BUSH
+     XII.  WHY BOBBY COON WASHES HIS FOOD
+    XIII.  THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES HAVE A BUSY DAY
+     XIV.  WHY HOOTY THE OWL DOES NOT PLAY ON THE GREEN MEADOWS
+      XV.  DANNY MEADOW MOUSE LEARNS TO LAUGH
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+   "YAP-YAP-YAP," BARKED REDDY FOX, AS LOUD
+     AS HE COULD . . . . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_
+
+   MR. RABBIT HAD A GREAT DEAL OF CURIOSITY,
+     A VERY GREAT DEAL, INDEED
+
+   THEN EVERYBODY SHOUTED "HAW!  HAW!  HAW!"
+
+   HE WAS SO SURPRISED HE FORGOT TO CLOSE IT
+
+
+
+
+MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN
+
+
+I
+
+DANNY MEADOW MOUSE LEARNS WHY HIS TAIL IS SHORT
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse sat in his doorway and looked down the Lone Little
+Path across the Green Meadows.  Way, way over near the Smiling Pool he
+could see Old Mother West Wind's Children, the Merry Little Breezes, at
+play.  Sammy Jay was sitting on a fence post.  He pretended to be
+taking a sun bath, but really he was planning mischief.  You never see
+Sammy Jay that he isn't in mischief or planning it.
+
+Reddy Fox had trotted past an hour before in a great hurry.  Up on the
+hill Danny Meadow Mouse could just see Jimmy Skunk pulling over every
+old stick and stone he could find, no matter whose house it might be,
+and excusing himself because he was hungry and was looking for beetles.
+
+Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was playing at hide and seek behind some
+fleecy white clouds.  All the birds were singing and singing, and the
+world was happy--all but Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+No, Danny Meadow Mouse was not happy.  Indeed, he was very far from
+happy, and all because his tail was short.
+
+By and by up came old Mr. Toad.  It was a warm day and Mr. Toad was
+very hot and very, very thirsty.  He stopped to rest beside the house
+of Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+"Good morning, Danny Meadow Mouse," said old Mr. Toad, "it's a fine
+morning."
+
+"Morning," said Danny Meadow Mouse, grumpily.
+
+"I hope your health is good this morning," continued old Mr. Toad, just
+as if he hadn't noticed how short and cross Danny Meadow Mouse had
+answered.
+
+Now old Mr. Toad is very ugly to look upon, but the ugliness is all in
+his looks.  He has the sunniest of hearts and always he is looking for
+a chance to help someone.
+
+"Danny Meadow Mouse," said old Mr. Toad, "you make me think of your
+grandfather a thousand times removed.  You do indeed.  You look just as
+he did when he lost the half of his tail and realized that he never,
+never could get it back again."
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse sat up suddenly.
+
+"What are you talking about, old Mr. Toad?  What are you talking
+about?" he asked.  "Did my grandfather a thousand times removed lose
+the half of his tail, and was it shorter then than mine is now?  Was
+it, old Mr. Toad?  And how did he come to lose the half of it?"
+
+Old Mr. Toad laughed a funny silent laugh.  "It's a long story," said
+old Mr. Toad, "and I'm afraid I can't tell it.  Go down to the Smiling
+Pool and ask Great-Grandfather Frog, who is my first cousin, how it
+happened your grandfather a thousand times removed lost the half of his
+tail.  But before you go catch three fat, foolish, green flies and take
+them with you as a present to Grandfather Frog."
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse could hardly wait for old Mr. Toad to stop speaking.
+In fact, he was in such a hurry that he almost forgot his manners.  Not
+quite, however, for he shouted "Thank you, Mr. Toad, thank you!" over
+his shoulder as he rushed off down the Lone Little Path.
+
+You see his short tail had always been a matter of mortification to
+Danny Meadow Mouse.  All his cousins in the Mouse family and the Rat
+family have long, smooth, tapering tails, and they have always been a
+source of envy to Danny Meadow Mouse.  He had felt his queer short tail
+to be a sort of disgrace.  So when he would meet one of his cousins
+dancing down the Lone Little Path, with his long, slim, tapering tail
+behind him, Danny Meadow Mouse would slip out of sight under the long
+grass, he was so ashamed of his own little tail.  It looked so mean and
+small!  He had wondered and wondered if the Meadow Mice had always had
+short tails.  He used to ask everyone who came his way if they had ever
+seen a Meadow Mouse with a long tail, but he had never found any one
+who had.
+
+"Perhaps," thought Danny Meadow Mouse as he hurried down the Lone
+Little Path, "perhaps Grandfather Frog, who is very wise, will know why
+my tail is short."
+
+So he hurried this way and he hurried that way over the Green Meadows
+in search of fat, foolish, green flies.  And when he had caught three,
+he caught one more for good measure.  Then he started for the Smiling
+Pool as fast as his short legs would take him.
+
+When finally he reached the edge of the Smiling Pool he was quite out
+of breath.  There sat Great-Grandfather Frog on his big, green lily
+pad.  He was blinking his great goggle eyes at jolly, round, red Mr.
+Sun.
+
+"Oh, Grandfather Frog," said Danny Meadow Mouse in a very small voice,
+for you know he was quite out of breath with running, "Oh, Grandfather
+Frog, I've brought you four fat, foolish, green flies."
+
+Grandfather Frog put a hand behind an ear and listened.  "Did I hear
+someone say 'foolish, green flies?'" asked Grandfather Frog.
+
+"Yes, Grandfather Frog, here they are," said Danny Meadow Mouse, still
+in a very small voice.  Then he gave Grandfather Frog the four fat,
+foolish, green flies.
+
+"What is it that you want me to do for you, Danny Meadow Mouse?" asked
+Grandfather Frog as he smacked his lips, for he knew that Danny Meadow
+Mouse must want something to bring him four fat, foolish, green flies.
+
+"If you please," said Danny Meadow Mouse, very politely, "if you
+please, Grandfather Frog, old Mr. Toad told me that you could tell me
+how Grandfather Meadow Mouse a thousand times removed lost half of his
+tail.  Will you, Grandfather Frog--will you?"
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.  "My cousin, Mr. Toad, talks too
+much."
+
+But he settled himself comfortably on the big lily pad, and this is
+what he told Danny Meadow Mouse:
+
+"Once upon a time, when the world was young, Mr. Meadow Mouse, your
+grandfather a thousand times removed, was a very fine gentleman.  He
+took a great deal of pride in his appearance, did Mr. Meadow Mouse, and
+they used to say on the Green Meadows that he spent an hour, a full
+hour, every day combing his whiskers and brushing his coat.
+
+"Anyway, he was very fine to look upon, was Mr. Meadow Mouse, and not
+the least attractive thing about him was his beautiful, long, slim
+tail, of which he was very proud.
+
+"Now about this time there was a great deal of trouble on the Green
+Meadows and in the Green Forest, for some one was stealing--yes,
+stealing!  Mr. Rabbit complained first.  To be sure, Mr. Rabbit was
+lazy and his cabbage patch had grown little more than weeds while he
+had been minding other folks' affairs rather than his own, but, then,
+that was no reason why he should lose half of the little which he did
+raise.  And that is just what he said had happened.
+
+"No one really believed what Mr. Rabbit said, for he had such a bad
+name for telling things which were not so that when he did tell the
+truth no one could be quite sure of it.
+
+"So no one paid much heed to what Mr. Rabbit said until Happy Jack
+Squirrel one day went to his snug little hollow in the big chestnut
+tree where he stores his nuts and discovered half had been stolen.
+Then Striped Chipmunk lost the greater part of his winter store of
+corn.  A fat trout was stolen from Billy Mink.
+
+"It was a terrible time, for every one suspected every one else, and no
+one on the Green Meadows was happy.
+
+"One evening Mr. Meadow Mouse went for a stroll along the Crooked
+Little Path up the hill.  It was dark, very dark indeed.  But just as
+he passed Striped Chipmunk's granary, the place where he stores his
+supply of corn and acorns for the winter, Mr. Meadow Mouse met his
+cousin, Mr. Wharf Rat.  Now Mr. Wharf Rat was very big and strong and
+Mr. Meadow Mouse had for a long time looked up to and admired him.
+
+"'Good evening, Cousin Meadow Mouse,' said Mr. Wharf Rat, swinging a
+bag down from his shoulder.  'Will you do a favor for me?'
+
+"Now Mr. Meadow Mouse felt very much flattered, and as he was a very
+obliging fellow anyway, he promptly said he would.
+
+"'All right,' said Mr. Wharf Rat.  'I'm going to get you to tote this
+bag down the Crooked Little Path to the hollow chestnut tree.  I've got
+an errand back on top of the hill.'
+
+"So Mr. Meadow Mouse picked up the bag, which was very heavy, and swung
+it over his shoulder.  Then he started down the Crooked Little Path.
+Half way down he met Striped Chipmunk.
+
+"'Good evening, Mr. Meadow Mouse,' said Striped Chipmunk.  'What are
+you toting in the bag across your shoulder?'
+
+"Now, of course, Mr. Meadow Mouse didn't know what was in the bag and
+he didn't like to admit that he was working for another, for he was
+very proud, was Mr. Meadow Mouse.
+
+"So he said: 'Just a planting of potatoes I begged from Jimmy Skunk,
+just a planting of potatoes, Striped Chipmunk.'
+
+"Now no one had ever suspected Mr. Meadow Mouse of stealing--no indeed!
+Striped Chipmunk would have gone his way and thought no more about it,
+had it not happened that there was a hole in the bag and from it
+something dropped at his feet.  Striped Chipmunk picked it up and it
+_wasn't_ a potato.  It was a fat acorn.  Striped Chipmunk said nothing
+but slipped it into his pocket.
+
+"'Good night,' said Mr. Meadow Mouse, once more shouldering the bag.
+
+"'Good night,' said Striped Chipmunk.
+
+"No sooner had Mr. Meadow Mouse disappeared in the darkness down the
+Crooked Little Path than Striped Chipmunk hurried to his granary.  Some
+one had been there and stolen all his acorns!
+
+"Then Striped Chipmunk ran to the house of his cousin, Happy Jack
+Squirrel, and told him how the acorns had been stolen from his granary
+and how he had met Mr. Meadow Mouse with a bag over his shoulder and
+how Mr. Meadow Mouse had said that he was toting home a planting of
+potatoes he had begged from Jimmy Skunk.  'And this,' said Striped
+Chipmunk, holding out the fat acorn, 'is what fell out of the bag.'
+
+"Then Striped Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel hurried over to Jimmy
+Skunk's house, and, just as they expected, they found that Mr. Meadow
+Mouse had not begged a planting of potatoes of Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"So Striped Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel and Jimmy Skunk hurried
+over to Mr. Rabbit's and told him all about Mr. Meadow Mouse and the
+bag of potatoes that dropped acorns.  Mr. Rabbit looked very grave,
+very grave indeed.  Then Striped Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel and
+Jimmy Skunk and Mr. Rabbit started to tell Mr. Coon, who was cousin to
+old King Bear.
+
+"On the way they met Hooty the Owl, and because he could fly softly and
+quickly, they sent Hooty the Owl to tell all the meadow people who were
+awake to come to the hollow chestnut tree.  So Hooty the Owl flew away
+to tell all the little meadow people who were awake to meet at the
+hollow chestnut tree.
+
+"When they reached the hollow chestnut tree whom should they find there
+but Mr. Meadow Mouse fast asleep beside the bag he had brought for Mr.
+Wharf Rat, who had wisely stayed away.
+
+"Very softly Striped Chipmunk stole up and opened the bag.  Out fell
+his store of fat acorns.  Then they waked Mr. Meadow Mouse and marched
+him off to old Mother Nature, where they charged him with being a thief.
+
+"Old Mother Nature listened to all they had to say.  She saw the bag of
+acorns and she heard how Mr. Meadow Mouse had said that he had a
+planting of potatoes.  Then she asked him if he had stolen the acorns.
+Yes, Sir, she asked him right out if he had stolen the acorns.
+
+"Of course Mr. Meadow Mouse said that he had not stolen the acorns.
+
+"'Then where did you get the bag of acorns?' asked old Mother Nature.
+
+"When she asked this, Mr. Wharf Rat, who was sitting in the crowd of
+meadow people, got up and softly tiptoed away when he thought no one
+was looking.  But old Mother Nature saw him.  You can't fool old Mother
+Nature.  No, Sir, you can't fool old Mother Nature, and it's of no use
+to try.
+
+"Mr. Meadow Mouse didn't know what to say.  He knew now that Mr. Wharf
+Rat must be the thief, but Mr. Wharf Rat was his cousin, and he had
+always looked up to him as a very fine gentleman.  He couldn't tell the
+world that Mr. Wharf Rat was a thief.  So Mr. Meadow Mouse said nothing.
+
+"Three times old Mother Nature asked Mr. Meadow Mouse where he got the
+bag of acorns, and each time Mr. Meadow Mouse said nothing.
+
+"'Mr. Meadow Mouse,' said old Mother Nature, and her voice was very
+stern, 'I know that you did not steal the acorns of Striped Chipmunk.
+I know that you did not even guess that there were stolen acorns in
+that bag.  Everyone else thinks that you are the thief who caused so
+much trouble on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest.  But I know
+who the real thief is and he is stealing away as fast as he can go down
+the Lone Little Path this very minute.'
+
+"All of the little meadow people and forest folks turned to look down
+the Lone Little Path, but it was so dark none could see, none but Hooty
+the Owl, whose eyes are made to see in the dark.
+
+"'I see him!' cried Hooty the Owl.  'It's Mr. Wharf Rat!'
+
+"'Yes,' said old Mother Nature, 'it's Mr. Wharf Rat--he is the thief.
+And this shall be his punishment: Always hereafter he will be driven
+out wherever he is found.  He shall no longer live in the Green Meadows
+or the Green Forest.  Everyone will turn their backs upon him.  He will
+live on what others throw away.  He will live in filth and there will
+be no one to say a good word for him.  He will become an outcast
+instead of a fine gentleman.'
+
+"'And you, Mr. Meadow Mouse, in order that you may remember always to
+avoid bad company, and that while it is a splendid thing to be loyal to
+your friends and not to tell tales, it is also a very, very wrong thing
+to shield those who have done wrong when by so doing you simply help
+them to keep on doing wrong--you shall no longer have the splendid long
+tail of which you are so proud, but it shall be short and stubby.'
+
+"Even while old Mother Nature was speaking, Mr. Meadow Mouse felt his
+tail grow shorter and shorter, and when she had finished he had just a
+little mean stub of a tail.
+
+"Of course he felt terribly.  And while Striped Chipmunk hurried to
+tell him how sorry he felt, and while all the other little meadow
+people also hurried to tell him how sorry they felt, he could not be
+comforted.  So he slipped away as quickly as he could, and because he
+was so ashamed he crept along underneath the long grass that no one
+should see his short tail.  And ever since that long ago time when the
+world was young," concluded Grandfather Frog, "the Meadow Mice have had
+short tails and have always scurried along under cover of the long
+grass where no one will see them.  And the Wharf Rats have never again
+lived in the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest, but have lived on
+filth and garbage around the homes of men, with every man's hand
+against them."
+
+"Thank you, Grandfather Frog," said Danny Meadow Mouse, very soberly.
+"Now I understand why my tail is short and I shall not forget."
+
+"But it isn't your fault at all, Danny Meadow Mouse," cried the Merry
+Little Breezes, who had been listening, "and we love you just as much
+as if your tail was long!"
+
+Then they played tag with him all the way up the Lone Little Path to
+his house, till Danny Meadow Mouse quite forgot that he had wished that
+his tail was long.
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+WHY REDDY FOX HAS NO FRIENDS
+
+The Green Meadows lay peaceful and still.  Mother Moon, sailing high
+overhead, looked down upon them and smiled and smiled, flooding them
+with her silvery light.  All day long the Merry Little Breezes of Old
+Mother West Wind had romped there among the asters and goldenrod.  They
+had played tag through the cat rushes around the Smiling Pool.  For
+very mischief they had rubbed the fur of the Field Mice babies the
+wrong way and had blown a fat green fly right out of Grandfather Frog's
+mouth just as his lips came together with a smack.  Now they were
+safely tucked in bed behind the Purple Hills, and so they missed the
+midnight feast at the foot of the Lone Pine.
+
+But Reddy Fox was there.  You can always count on Reddy Fox to be about
+when mischief or good times are afoot, especially after Mr. Sun has
+pulled his nightcap on.
+
+Jimmy Skunk was there.  If there is any mischief Reddy Fox does not
+think of Jimmy Skunk will be sure to discover it.
+
+Billy Mink was there.  Yes indeed, Billy Mink was there!  Billy Mink is
+another mischief maker.  When Reddy Fox and Jimmy Skunk are playing
+pranks or in trouble of any kind you are certain to find Billy Mink
+close by.  That is, you are certain to find him if you look sharp
+enough.  But Billy Mink is so slim, he moves so quickly, and his wits
+are so sharp, that he is not seen half so often as the others.
+
+With Billy Mink came his cousin, Shadow the Weasel, who is sly and
+cruel.  No one likes Shadow the Weasel.
+
+Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat came.  They were late, for the legs
+of Little Joe Otter are so short that he is a slow traveler on land,
+while Jerry Muskrat feels much more at home in the water than on the
+dry ground.
+
+Of course Peter Rabbit was there.  Without him no party on the Green
+Meadows would be complete, and Peter likes to be abroad at night even
+better than by day.  With Peter came his cousin, Jumper the Hare, who
+had come down from the Pine Forest for a visit.
+
+Boomer the Nighthawk and Hooty the Owl completed the party, though
+Hooty had not been invited and no one knew that he was there.
+
+Each was to contribute something to the feast--the thing that he liked
+best.  Such an array as Mother Moon looked down upon!  Reddy Fox had
+brought a plump, tender chicken, stolen from Farmer Brown's dooryard.
+
+Very quietly, like a thin, brown shadow, Billy Mink had slipped up to
+the duck pond and--alas!  Now Mother Quack had one less in her pretty
+little flock than when as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun went to bed behind
+the Purple Hills, she had counted her babies as they tucked their heads
+under their wings.
+
+Little Joe Otter had been fishing and he brought a great fat brother of
+the lamented Tommy Trout, who didn't mind.
+
+Jerry Muskrat brought up from the mud of the river bottom some fine
+fresh water clams, of which he is very fond.
+
+Jimmy Skunk stole three big eggs from the nest of old Gray Goose.
+
+Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare rolled up a great, tender, fresh
+cabbage.
+
+Boomer the Nighthawk said that he was very sorry, but he was on a diet
+of insects, which he must swallow one at a time, so to save trouble he
+had swallowed them as he caught them.
+
+Now Hooty the Owl is a glutton and is lazy.  "Reddy Fox and Jimmy Skunk
+and Billy Mink are sure to bring somethink [Transcriber's note:
+something?] I like, so what is the use of spending my time hunting for
+what someone else will get for me?" said he to himself.  So Hooty the
+Owl went very early to the Lone Pine and hid among the thick branches
+where no one could see him.
+
+Shadow the Weasel is sly and a thief and lives by his wits.  So because
+he had rather steal than be honest, he too went to the midnight spread
+with nothing but his appetite.
+
+Now Reddy Fox is also a glutton and very, very crafty.  When he saw the
+plump duck brought by Billy Mink, his mouth watered, for Reddy Fox is
+very, very fond of young spring ducks.  So straightway he began to plan
+how he could get possession of Billy Mink's duck.
+
+And when Billy Mink saw the fat trout Little Joe Otter had brought, his
+eyes danced and his heart swelled with envy, for Billy Mink is very,
+very fond of fish.  At once he began to plan how he could secure that
+particular fat trout Little Joe Otter guarded so carefully.
+
+Jimmy Skunk was quite contented with the eggs he had stolen from old
+Gray Goose--that is, he was until he saw the plump chicken Reddy Fox
+had brought from Farmer Brown's dooryard.  Then suddenly his stomach
+became very empty, very empty indeed for chicken, and Jimmy Skunk began
+to think of a way to add the chicken of Reddy Fox to his own stolen
+eggs.
+
+Because Reddy Fox is the largest he was given the place of honor at the
+head of the table under the Lone Pine.  On his right sat Little Joe
+Otter and on his left Jerry Muskrat.  Shadow the Weasel was next to
+Little Joe Otter, while right across from him was Jimmy Skunk.  Peter
+Rabbit was next, sitting opposite his cousin, Jumper the Hare.  At the
+extreme end, facing Reddy Fox, sat Billy Mink, with the plump duck
+right under his sharp little nose.
+
+Boomer the Nighthawk excused himself on the plea that he needed
+exercise to aid digestion, and as he had brought nothing to the feast,
+his excuse was politely accepted.
+
+Reddy Fox is very, very cunning, and his crafty brain had been busily
+working out a plan to get all these good things for himself.  "Little
+brothers of the Green Meadows," began Reddy Fox, "we have met here
+to-night for a feast of brotherly love."
+
+Reddy Fox paused a moment to look hungrily at Billy Mink's duck.  Billy
+Mink cast a longing eye at Little Joe Otter's trout, while Jimmy Skunk
+stole an envious glance at Reddy Fox's chicken.
+
+"But there is one missing to make our joy complete," continued Reddy
+Fox.  "Who has seen Bobby Coon?"
+
+No one had seen Bobby Coon.  Somehow happy-go-lucky Bobby Coon had been
+overlooked when the invitations were sent out.
+
+"I move," continued Reddy Fox, "that because Billy Mink runs swiftly,
+and because he knows where Bobby Coon usually is to be found, he be
+appointed a committee of one to find Bobby Coon and bring him to the
+feast."
+
+Now nothing could have been less to the liking of Billy Mink, but there
+was nothing for him to do but to yield as gracefully as he could and go
+in search of Bobby Coon.
+
+No sooner had Billy Mink disappeared down the Lone Little Path than
+Reddy Fox recalled a nest of grouse eggs he had seen that day under a
+big hemlock, and he proposed that inasmuch as Jimmy Skunk already wore
+stripes for having stolen a nest of eggs from Mrs. Grouse, he was just
+the one to go steal these eggs and bring them to the feast.
+
+Of course there was nothing for Jimmy Skunk to do but to yield as
+gracefully as he could and go in search of the nest of eggs under the
+big hemlock.
+
+No sooner had Jimmy Skunk started off than Reddy Fox remembered a big
+shining sucker Farmer Brown's boy had caught that afternoon and tossed
+among the rushes beside the Smiling Pool.  Little Joe Otter listened
+and his mouth watered and watered until he could sit still no longer.
+"If you please," said Little Joe Otter, "I'll run down to the Smiling
+Pool and get that sucker to add to the feast."
+
+No sooner was Little Joe Otter out of sight than Reddy Fox was reminded
+of a field of carrots on the other side of the Green Meadows.  Now
+Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare are very fond of tender young carrots
+and they volunteered to bring a supply for the feast.  So away they
+hurried with big jumps down the Lone Little Path and out across the
+Green Meadows.
+
+No sooner were Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare fairly started than
+Reddy Fox began to tell of some luscious sweet apples he had noticed
+under a wild apple tree a little way back on the hill.  Now Jerry
+Muskrat is quite as fond of luscious sweet apples as of fresh-water
+clams, so quietly slipping away, he set out in quest of the wild apple
+tree a little way back on the hill.
+
+No sooner was Jerry Muskrat lost in the black shadows than Reddy Fox
+turned to speak to Shadow the Weasel.  But Shadow the Weasel believes
+that a feast in the stomach is worth two banquets untasted, so while
+the others had been talking, he had quietly sucked dry the three big
+eggs stolen by Jimmy Skunk from old Gray Goose, and then because he is
+so slim and so quick and so sly, he slipped away without anyone seeing
+him.
+
+So when Reddy Fox turned to speak to Shadow the Weasel, he found
+himself alone.  At least he thought himself alone, and he smiled a
+wicked, selfish smile as he walked over to Billy Mink's duck.  He was
+thinking how smart he had been to get rid of all the others, and of how
+he would enjoy the feast all by himself.
+
+As Reddy Fox stooped to pick up Billy Mink's duck, a great shadow
+dropped softly, oh so softly, out of the Lone Pine down onto the plump
+chicken.  Then without the teeniest, weeniest bit of noise, it floated
+back into the Lone Pine and with it went the plump chicken.
+
+Reddy Fox, still with his wicked, selfish smile, trotted back with
+Billy Mink's duck, but he dropped it in sheer surprise when he
+discovered that his plump chicken had disappeared.  Now Reddy Fox is
+very suspicious, as people who are not honest themselves are very apt
+to be.  So he left Billy Mink's duck where he had dropped it and
+trotted very, very softly up the Lone Little Path to try to catch the
+thief who had stolen his plump chicken.
+
+No sooner was his back turned than down out of the Lone Pine floated
+the great shadow, and when a minute later Reddy Fox returned, Billy
+Mink's duck had also disappeared.
+
+Reddy Fox could hardly believe his eyes.  He didn't smile now.  He was
+too angry and too frightened.  Yes, Reddy Fox was frightened.  He
+walked in a big circle round and round the place where the plump
+chicken and the duck had been, and the more he walked, the more
+suspicious he became.  He wrinkled and wrinkled his little black nose
+in an effort to smell the intruder, but not a whiff could he get.  All
+was as still and peaceful as could be.  Little Joe Otter's trout lay
+shining in the moonlight.  The big head of cabbage lay just where Peter
+Rabbit and Jumper the Hare had left it.  Reddy Fox rubbed his eyes to
+make sure that he was not dreaming and that the plump chicken and the
+duck were not there too.
+
+Just then Bowser the Hound, over at Farmer Brown's, bayed at the moon.
+Reddy Fox always is nervous and by this time he was so fidgety that he
+couldn't stand still.  When Bowser the Hound bayed at the moon Reddy
+Fox jumped a foot off the ground and whirled about in the direction of
+Farmer Brown's house.  Then he remembered that Bowser the Hound is
+always chained up at night, so that he had nothing to fear from him.
+
+After listening and looking a moment Reddy Fox decided that all was
+safe.  "Well," said he to himself, "I'll have that fat trout anyway,"
+and turned to get it.
+
+But the fat trout he had seen a minute before shining in the moonlight
+had also disappeared.  Reddy Fox looked and looked until his eyes
+nearly popped out of his head.  Then he did what all cowards do--ran
+home as fast as his legs could carry him.
+
+Now of course Billy Mink didn't find Bobby Coon, and when he came back
+up the Lone Little Path he was very tired, very hungry and very cross.
+And of course Jimmy Skunk failed to find the nest of Mrs. Grouse, and
+Little Joe Otter could find no trace of the shining big sucker among
+the rushes beside the Smiling Pool.  They also were very tired, very
+hungry and very cross.
+
+When the three returned to the Lone Pine and found nothing there but
+the big head of cabbage, which none of them liked, the empty egg shells
+of old Gray Goose and Jerry Muskrat's clams, they straightway fell to
+accusing each other of having stolen the duck and the fat trout and the
+eggs and began to quarrel dreadfully.
+
+Pretty soon up came Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare, who had failed to
+find the tender young carrots.  And up came Jerry Muskrat, who had
+found no luscious sweet apples.
+
+"Where is Reddy Fox?" asked Peter Rabbit.
+
+Sure enough, where was Reddy Fox?  Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and
+Jimmy Skunk stopped quarreling and looked at each other.
+
+"Reddy Fox is the thief!" they cried all together.
+
+Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Jerry Muskrat agreed that Reddy
+Fox must be the thief, and had sent them all away on false errands that
+he might have the feast all to himself.
+
+So because there was nothing else to do, Billy Mink and Little Joe
+Otter, tired and hungry and angry, started for their homes beside the
+Laughing Brook.  And Jimmy Skunk, also tired and hungry and angry,
+started off up the Crooked Little Path to look for some beetles.
+
+But Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare sat down to enjoy the big head of
+cabbage, while close beside them sat Jerry Muskrat smacking his lips
+over his clams, they tasted so good.  Mother Moon looked down and
+smiled and smiled, for she knew that each had a clear conscience, for
+they had done no harm to anyone.
+
+And up in the thick top of the great pine Hooty the Owl nodded
+sleepily, for his stomach was very full of chicken and duck and trout,
+although he had not been invited to the party.
+
+And this is why Reddy Fox has no true friends on the Green Meadows.
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+WHY PETER RABBIT'S EARS ARE LONG
+
+The Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were tired.  Ever
+since she had turned them out of her big bag onto the Green Meadows
+early that morning they had romped and played tag and chased
+butterflies while Old Mother West Wind herself went to hunt for a
+raincloud which had wandered away before it had watered the thirsty
+little plants who were bravely trying to keep the Green Meadows lovely
+and truly green.  Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun wore his broadest smile and
+the more he smiled the warmer it grew.  Mr. Sun is never thirsty
+himself, never the least little bit, or perhaps he would have helped
+Old Mother West Wind find the wandering raincloud.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes threw themselves down on the edge of the
+Smiling Pool, where the rushes grow tall, and there they took turns
+rocking the cradle which held Mrs. Redwing's four babies.
+
+Pretty soon one of the Merry Little Breezes, peeping through the
+rushes, spied Peter Rabbit sitting up very straight on the edge of the
+Green Meadows.  His long ears were pointed straight up, his big eyes
+were very wide open and he seemed to be looking and listening with a
+great deal of curiosity.
+
+"I wonder why it is that Peter Rabbit has such long ears," said the
+Merry Little Breeze.
+
+"Chug-a-rum!" replied a great, deep voice right behind him.
+
+All the Merry Little Breezes jumped up and ran through the rushes to
+the very edge of the Smiling Pool.  There on a great green lily pad sat
+Great-Grandfather Frog, his hands folded across his white and yellow
+waistcoat and his green coat shining spick and span.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.
+
+"Oh, Grandfather Frog," cried the Merry Little Breezes all together,
+"do tell us why it is that Peter Rabbit has such long ears."
+
+Grandfather Frog cleared his throat.  He looked to the east and cleared
+his throat again.  Then he looked to the west, and cleared his throat.
+He looked north and he looked south, and each time he cleared his
+throat, but said nothing.  Finally he folded his hands once more over
+his white and yellow waistcoat, and looking straight up at jolly,
+round, red Mr. Sun he remarked in his very deepest Voice and to no one
+in particular:
+
+"If I had four fat, foolish, green flies, it is just possible that I
+might remember how it happens that Peter Rabbit has such long ears."
+
+Then up jumped all the Merry Little Breezes and away they raced.  Some
+of them went east, some of them went west, some of them went north,
+some of them went south, all looking for fat, foolish, green flies for
+Grandfather Frog.
+
+By and by they came skipping back, one by one, to the edge of the
+Smiling Pool, each with a fat, foolish, green fly, and each stopping to
+give Mrs. Redwing's cradle a gentle push.
+
+When Grandfather Frog had swallowed all the fat, foolish, green flies
+brought by the Merry Little Breezes, he settled himself comfortably on
+his big lily pad once more and began:
+
+"Once upon a time, very long ago, when the world was young, Mr.
+Rabbit--not our Peter Rabbit, but his grandfather a thousand times
+removed--had short ears like all the other meadow people, and also his
+four legs were all of the same length, just exactly the same length.
+
+"Now Mr. Rabbit had a great deal of curiosity, a very great deal,
+indeed.  He was forever pushing his prying little nose into other
+people's affairs, which, you know, is a most unpleasant habit.  In
+fact, Mr. Rabbit had become a nuisance."
+
+[Illustration: Mr. Rabbit had a great deal of curiosity, a very great
+deal, indeed.]
+
+"Whenever Billy Mink stopped to pass the time of day with Jerry Muskrat
+they were sure to find Mr. Rabbit standing close by, listening to all
+they said.  If Johnny Chuck's mother ran over to have a few minutes'
+chat with Jimmy Skunk's mother, the first thing they knew Mr. Rabbit
+would be squatting down in the grass right behind them.
+
+"The older he grew the worse Mr. Rabbit became.  He would spend his
+evenings going from house to house, tiptoeing softly up to the windows
+to listen to what the folks inside were saying.  And the more he heard
+the more Mr. Rabbit's curiosity grew.
+
+"Now, like most people who meddle in other folks' affairs, Mr. Rabbit
+had no time to tend to his own business.  His cabbage patch grew up to
+weeds.  His house leaked, his fences fell to pieces, and altogether his
+was the worst looking place on the Green Meadows.
+
+"Worse still, Mr. Rabbit was a trouble maker.  He just couldn't keep
+his tongue still.  And like most gossips, he never could tell the exact
+truth.
+
+"Dear me! dear me!" said Grandfather Frog, shaking his head solemnly.
+"Things had come to a dreadful pass on the Green Meadows.  Reddy Fox
+and Bobby Coon never met without fighting.  Jimmy Skunk and Johnny
+Chuck turned their backs on each other.  Jerry Muskrat, Little Joe
+Otter, and Billy Mink called each other bad names.  All because Mr.
+Rabbit had told so many stories that were not true.
+
+"Now when old Mother Nature visited the Green Meadows she soon saw what
+a dreadful state all the meadow people were in, and she began to
+inquire how it all came about.
+
+"'It's all because of Mr. Rabbit,' said Reddy Fox.
+
+"'No one is to blame but Mr. Rabbit,' said Striped Chipmunk.
+
+"Everywhere old Mother Nature inquired it was the same--Mr. Rabbit, Mr.
+Rabbit, Mr. Rabbit.
+
+"So then old Mother Nature sent for blustering great Mr. North Wind,
+who is very strong.  And she sent for Mr. Rabbit.
+
+"Mr. Rabbit trembled in his shoes when he got old Mother Nature's
+message.  He would have liked to run away and hide.  But he did not
+dare do that, for he knew that there was nowhere he could hide that
+Mother Nature would not find him sooner or later.  And besides, his
+curiosity would give him no peace.  He just _had_ to know what old
+Mother Nature wanted.
+
+"So Peter Rabbit put on his best suit, which was very shabby, and set
+out for the Lone Pine to see what old Mother Nature wanted.  When he
+got there, he found all the little people of the Green Meadows and all
+the little folks of the Green Forest there before him.  There were
+Reddy Fox, Johnny Chuck, Striped Chipmunk, Happy Jack Squirrel, Mr.
+Black Snake, old Mr. Crow, Sammy Jay, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter,
+Jerry Muskrat, Spotty the Turtle, old King Bear, his cousin, Mr. Coon,
+and all the other little people.
+
+"When he saw all who had gathered under the Lone Pine, and how they all
+looked crossly at him, Mr. Rabbit was so frightened that his heart went
+pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, and he wanted more than ever to run
+away.  But he didn't dare to.  No, Sir, he didn't dare to.  And then he
+was so curious to know what it all meant that he wouldn't have run if
+he had dared.
+
+"Old Mother Nature made Mr. Rabbit sit up on an old log where all could
+see him.  Then in turn she asked each present who was the cause of all
+the trouble on the Green Meadows.  And each in turn answered 'Mr.
+Rabbit.'
+
+"'Mr. Rabbit,' said old Mother Nature, 'you are lazy, for your cabbage
+patch has all gone to weeds.  You are shiftless, for your house leaks.
+You are a sneak, for you creep up where you are not wanted and listen
+to things which do not concern you.  You are a thief, for you steal the
+secrets of others.  You are a prevaricator, for you tell things which
+are not so.  Mr. Rabbit, you are all these--a lazy, shiftless sneak,
+thief and prevaricator.'
+
+"It was dreadful.  Mother Nature paused, and Mr. Rabbit felt oh so
+ashamed.  He did not look up, but he felt, he just _felt_, all the eyes
+of all the little meadow people and forest folk burning right into him.
+So he hung his head and two great tears fell splash, right at his feet.
+You see Mr. Rabbit wasn't altogether bad.  It was just this dreadful
+curiosity.
+
+"Old Mother Nature knew this and down in her heart she loved Mr. Rabbit
+and was oh so sorry for him.
+
+"'Mr. Rabbit,' continued old Mother Nature, 'because your curiosity is
+so great, your ears shall be made long, that every one who sees you may
+know that it is not safe to talk when you are near.  Because you are a
+sneak and steal up to people unseen, your-hind legs shall be made long,
+so that whenever you sit up straight you will be tall and every one can
+see you, and whenever you run, you will go with great jumps, and every
+one will know who it is running away.  And because you are shiftless
+and your house leaks, you will hereafter live in a hole in the ground.'
+
+"Then old Mother Nature took Mr. Rabbit by his two ears and big, strong
+Mr. North Wind took Peter Rabbit by his hind legs, and they both
+pulled.  And when they put him down Peter Rabbit's ears and his hind
+legs were long, many times longer than they used to be.  When he tried
+to run away to hide his shame, he found that the only way he could go
+was with great jumps, and you may be sure he jumped as fast as he could.
+
+"And ever since that long ago time, when the world was young, rabbits
+have had long ears and long hind legs, all because of the curiosity of
+their grandfather a thousand times removed.  And now you know why Peter
+Rabbit's ears are long, and why he is always sitting up and listening,"
+concluded Great-Grandfather Frog.
+
+"Thank you, thank you, Grandfather Frog!" shouted all the Merry Little
+Breezes, and raced away to help old Mother West Wind drive up the
+wandering raincloud, which she had found at last.
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+REDDY FOX DISOBEYS
+
+On the brow of the hill by the Lone Pine sat Reddy Fox.  Every few
+moments he pointed his little black nose up at the round, yellow moon
+and barked.  Way over across the broad White Meadows, which in summer
+time are green, you know, in the dooryard of Farmer Brown's house,
+Bowser the Hound sat and barked at the moon, too.
+
+"Yap-yap-yap," barked Reddy Fox, as loud as he could.
+
+"Bow-wow-wow," said Bowser the Hound in his deepest voice.
+
+Then both would listen and watch the million little stars twinkle and
+twinkle in the frosty sky.  Now just why Reddy Fox should bark at the
+moon he did not know.  He just had to.  Every night for a week he had
+sat at the foot of the Lone Pine and barked and barked until his throat
+was sore.  Every night old Mother Fox had warned him that noisy
+children would come to no good end, and every night Reddy had promised
+that he would bark no more.  But every night when the first silver
+flood of witching light crept over the hill and cast strange shadows
+from the naked branches of the trees, Reddy forgot all about his
+promise.  Deep down under his little red coat was a strange feeling
+which he could not explain.  He simply _must_ bark, so up to the Lone
+Pine he would go and yap and yap and yap, until all the little meadow
+people who were not asleep knew just where Reddy Fox was.
+
+Bowser the Hound knew, too, and he made up his mind that Reddy Fox was
+making fun of him.  Now Bowser did not like to be made fun of any more
+than little boys and girls do, and he made up his mind that if ever he
+could break his chain, or that if ever Farmer Brown forgot to chain him
+up, he would teach Reddy Fox a lesson that Reddy would never forget.
+
+"Yap-yap-yap," barked Reddy Fox, and then listened to hear Bowser's
+deep voice reply.  But this time there was no reply.  Reddy listened,
+and listened, and then tried it again.  Way off on a distant hill he
+could hear Hooty the Owl.  Close by him Jack Frost was busy snapping
+sticks.  Down on the White Meadows he could see Jimmy Skunk prowling
+about.  Once he heard a rooster crow sleepily in Farmer Brown's
+hen-house, but he thought of Bowser the Hound, and though his mouth
+watered, he did not dare risk a closer acquaintance with the big dog.
+So he sat still and barked, and pretty soon he forgot all else but the
+moon and the sound of his own voice.
+
+Now Bowser the Hound had managed to slip his collar.  "Aha," thought
+Bowser, "now I'll teach Reddy Fox to make fun of me," and like a shadow
+he slipped through the fence and across the White Meadows towards the
+Lone Pine.
+
+Reddy Fox had just barked for the hundreth time when he heard a twig
+crack just back of him.  It had a different sound from the noisy crack
+of Jack Frost, and Reddy stopped a yap right in the middle and whirled
+about to see what it might be.  There was Bowser the Hound almost upon
+him, his eyes flashing fire, his great, red jaws wide open, and every
+hair on his back bristling with rage.
+
+Reddy Fox didn't wait to say "Good evening," or to see more.  Oh, no!
+He turned a back somersault and away he sped over the hard, snowy crust
+as fast as his legs could carry him.  Bowser baying at the moon he
+liked to hear, but Bowser baying at his heels was another matter, and
+Reddy ran as he had never run before.  Down across the White Meadows he
+sped, Bowser frightening all the echoes with the roar of his big voice
+as he followed in full cry.
+
+How Reddy did wish that he had minded Mother Fox!  How safe and snug
+and warm was his home under the roots of the old hickory tree, and how
+he did wish that he was safely there!  But it would never do to go
+there now, for that would tell Bowser where he lived, and Bowser would
+take Farmer Brown there, and that would be the end of Reddy Fox and of
+Mother Fox and of all the brother and sister foxes.
+
+So Reddy twisted and turned, and ran this way and ran that way, and the
+longer he ran, the shorter his breath grew.  It was coming in great
+pants now.  His bushy tail, of which he was so proud, had become very
+heavy.  How Reddy Fox did wish and wish that he had minded Mother Fox!
+He twisted and turned, and doubled this way and that way, and all the
+time Bowser the Hound got closer and closer.
+
+Now way off on the hill behind the White Meadows Mother Fox had been
+hunting for her supper.  She had heard the "Yap-yap-yap" of Reddy Fox
+as he barked at the moon, and she had heard Bowser baying over in the
+barnyard of Farmer Brown.  Then she had heard the "yap" of Reddy Fox
+cut short in the middle and the roar of Bowser's big voice as he
+started to chase Reddy Fox.  She knew that Reddy could run fast, but
+she also knew that Bowser the Hound had a wonderful nose, and that
+Bowser would never give up.  So Mother Fox pattered down the Crooked
+Little Path onto the White Meadows, where she could see the chase.
+When she got near enough, she barked twice to tell Reddy that she would
+help him.
+
+Now Reddy Fox was so tired that he was almost in despair when he heard
+Mother Fox bark.  But he knew that Mother Fox was so wise, and she had
+so often fooled Bowser the Hound, that if he could hold out just a
+little longer she would help him.  So for a few minutes he ran faster
+than ever and he gained a long way on Bowser the Hound.  As he passed a
+shock of corn that had been left standing on the White Meadows, Mother
+Fox stepped out from behind it.  "Go home, Reddy Fox," said she,
+sharply, "go home and stay there until I come."  Then she deliberately
+sat down in front of the shock of corn to wait until Bowser the Hound
+should come in sight.
+
+Now Bowser the Hound kept his eyes and nose on the track of Reddy Fox,
+looking up only once in a while to see where he was going, so he did
+not see Reddy Fox slip behind the corn shock, and when he did look up,
+he saw only Mother Fox sitting there waiting for him.
+
+Now Bowser the Hound thinks slowly.  When he saw old Mother Fox sitting
+there, he did not stop to think that it was not Reddy Fox whom he had
+been following, or he would have known better than to waste his time
+following old Mother Fox.  He would have just hunted around until he
+had found where Reddy had gone to.  But Bowser the Hound thinks slowly.
+When he saw old Mother Fox sitting there, he thought it was Reddy Fox
+and that now he had him.
+
+With a great roar of his big voice, he sprang forward.  Mother Fox
+waited until he was almost upon her, then springing to one side, she
+trotted off a little way.  At once Bowser the Hound started after her.
+She pretended to be very tired.  Every time he rushed forward she
+managed to just slip out of his grasp.
+
+Little by little she led him across the White Meadows back towards
+Farmer Brown's barnyard.  Pretty soon old Mother Fox began to run as
+fast as she could, and that is very fast indeed.  She left Bowser the
+Hound a long, long way behind.  When she came to a stone wall she
+jumped up on the stone wall and ran along it, just like a squirrel.
+Every once in a while she would make a long jump and then trot along a
+little way again.  She knew that stones do not carry the scent well,
+and that Bowser the Hound would have hard work to smell her on the
+stone wall.  Way down at the end of the pasture an old apple tree
+stretched a long limb out towards the stone wall.  When she got
+opposite to this she jumped onto this long limb and ran up into the
+tree.  There in the crotch, close to the trunk, she sat and watched.
+
+Bowser the Hound, making a tremendous noise, followed her trail up to
+the stone wall.  Then he was puzzled.  He sniffed this way, and he
+sniffed that way, but he could not tell where Mother Fox had
+disappeared to.  He looked up at old Mother Moon and bayed and bayed,
+but old Mother Moon did not help him a bit.  Then he jumped over the
+stone wall and looked, and looked, and smelled, and smelled, but no
+track of Mother Fox could he find.  Then he ran up along the stone wall
+a little way, and then down along the stone wall a little way, but
+still he could not find a track of Mother Fox.  The longer he hunted,
+the angrier he grew.
+
+Old Mother Fox, sitting in the apple tree, watched him and laughed and
+laughed to herself.  Then when she grew tired of watching him, she made
+a long jump out into the field and trotted off home to punish Reddy Fox
+for his disobedience.  When she got there she found Reddy Fox very much
+ashamed, very tired and very sorrowful, and since that time Reddy Fox
+has never barked at the moon.
+
+
+
+
+V
+
+STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S POCKETS
+
+It was one of Striped Chipmunk's busy days.  Every day is a busy day
+with Striped Chipmunk at this season of the year, for the sweet acorns
+are ripe and the hickory nuts rattle down whenever Old Mother West Wind
+shakes the trees, while every night Jack Frost opens chestnut burrs
+just to see the squirrels scamper for the plump brown nuts the next
+morning.
+
+So Striped Chipmunk was very busy, very busy indeed!  He whisked in and
+out of the old stone wall along one edge of the Green Meadows.  Back
+and forth, back and forth, sometimes to the old hickory tree, sometimes
+to the hollow chestnut tree, sometimes to the great oak on the edge of
+the Green Forest Striped Chipmunk scampered.
+
+Old Mother West Wind, coming down from the Purple Hills very early in
+the morning, had found Striped Chipmunk up before her and hard at work.
+Later, when jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had climbed up into the sky, the
+Merry Little Breezes had spied Striped Chipmunk whisking along the old
+stone wall and had raced over to play with him, for the Merry Little
+Breezes are very fond of Striped Chipmunk.  They got there just in time
+to see him disappear under a great stone in the old wall.  In a minute
+he was out again and off as fast as he could go to the old hickory tree.
+
+"Oh, Striped Chipmunk, come play with us," shouted the Merry Little
+Breezes, running after him.
+
+But Striped Chipmunk just flirted his funny little tail and winked with
+both his bright eyes at them.
+
+"Busy!  busy!  busy!" said Striped Chipmunk, hurrying along as fast as
+his short legs could take him.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes laughed, and one of them, dancing ahead,
+pulled the funny little tail of Striped Chipmunk.
+
+"It's a beautiful day; do come and play with us," cried the Merry
+Little Breeze.
+
+But Striped Chipmunk flirted his tail over his back once more.
+
+"Busy! busy! busy!" he shouted over his shoulder and ran faster than
+ever.
+
+In a few minutes he was back again, but such a queer-looking fellow as
+he was!  His head was twice as big as it had been before and you would
+hardly have known that it was Striped Chipmunk but for the saucy way he
+twitched his funny little tail and the spry way he scampered along the
+old stone wall.
+
+"Oh, Striped Chipmunk's got the mumps!" shouted the Merry Little
+Breezes.
+
+But Striped Chipmunk said never a word.  He couldn't.  He ran faster
+than ever until he disappeared under the big stone.  When he popped his
+head out again he was just his usual saucy little self.
+
+"Say, Striped Chipmunk," cried the Merry Little Breezes, rushing over
+to him, "tell us how you happen to have pockets in your cheeks."
+
+But Striped Chipmunk just snapped his bright eyes at them and said
+"Busy! busy! busy!" as he scuttled over to the hollow chestnut tree.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes saw that it was no use at all to try to tempt
+Striped Chipmunk to play with them or to answer questions.
+
+"I tell you what," cried one, "let's go ask Great-Grandfather Frog how
+Striped Chipmunk happens to have pockets in his cheeks.  He'll know."
+
+So away they started, after they had raced over to the big hollow
+chestnut tree and sent a shower of brown nuts rattling down to Striped
+Chipmunk from the burrs that Jack Frost had opened the night before.
+
+"Good-bye, Striped Chipmunk," they shouted as they romped across the
+Green Meadows.  And Striped Chipmunk stopped long enough to shout
+"Good-bye" before he filled his pockets with the brown nuts.
+
+Old Grandfather Frog sat on his big green lily pad blinking in the sun.
+It was very still, very, very still indeed.  Suddenly out of the brown
+bulrushes burst the Merry Little Breezes and surrounded old Grandfather
+Frog.  And every one of them had brought to him a fat, foolish, green
+fly.
+
+Grandfather's big goggly eyes sparkled and he gave a funny little hop
+up into the air as he caught each foolish green fly.  When the last one
+was safely inside his white and yellow waistcoat he settled himself
+comfortably on the big green lily pad and folded his hands over the
+foolish green flies.
+
+"Chug-a-rum!"  said  Grandfather Frog.  "What is it you want this
+morning?"
+
+"Oh, Grandfather Frog," cried the Merry Little Breezes, "tell us how it
+happens that Striped Chipmunk has pockets in his cheeks.  Do tell us,
+Grandfather Frog.  Please do!"
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.  "How should I know?"
+
+"But you do know, Grandfather Frog, you know you do.  Please tell us!"
+cried the Merry Little Breezes as they settled themselves among the
+rushes.
+
+And presently Grandfather Frog began:
+
+"Once upon a time--a long, long while ago--"
+
+"When the world was young?" asked a mischievous little Breeze.
+
+Grandfather Frog pretended to be very much put out by the interruption,
+and tried to look very severe.  But the Merry Little Breezes were all
+giggling, so that presently he had to smile too.
+
+"Yes," said he, "it was when the world was young, before old
+King Bear became king.  Mr. Chipmunk, Striped Chipmunk's
+great-great-great-grandfather a thousand times removed, was the
+smallest of the squirrels, just as Striped Chipmunk is now.  But he
+didn't mind that, not the least little bit.  Mr. Gray Squirrel was four
+times as big and had a handsome tail, Mr. Fox Squirrel was four times
+as big and he also had a handsome tail, Mr. Red Squirrel was twice as
+big and he thought his tail was very good to see.  But Mr. Chipmunk
+didn't envy his big cousins their fine tails; not he!  You see he had
+himself a beautiful striped coat of which he was very proud and which
+he thought much more to be desired than a big tail.
+
+"So Mr. Chipmunk went his way happy and contented and he was such a
+merry little fellow and so full of fun and cut such funny capers that
+everybody loved Mr. Chipmunk.
+
+"One day, when the nights were cool and all the trees had put on their
+brilliant colors, old Mother Nature sent word down across the Green
+Meadows that every squirrel should gather for her and store away until
+she came a thousand nuts.  Now the squirrels had grown fat and lazy
+through the long summer, all but Mr. Chipmunk, who frisked about so
+much that he had no chance to grow fat.
+
+"Mr. Gray Squirrel grumbled.  Mr. Fox Squirrel grumbled.  Mr. Red
+Squirrel grumbled.  But they didn't dare disobey old Mother Nature, so
+they all set out, each to gather a thousand nuts.  And Mr. Chipmunk
+alone was pleasant and cheerful.
+
+"When they reached the nut trees, what do you suppose they discovered?
+Why, that they had been so greedy that they had eaten most of the nuts
+and it was going to be hard work to find and store a thousand nuts for
+old Mother Nature.  Then they began to hurry, did Mr. Gray Squirrel and
+Mr. Fox Squirrel and Mr. Red Squirrel, each trying to make sure of his
+thousand nuts.  They quarreled and they fought over the nuts on the
+ground and even up in the trees.  And because they were so big and so
+strong, they pushed Mr. Chipmunk this way and they pushed him that way
+and often just as he was going to pick up a fat nut one of them would
+knock him over and make off with the prize.
+
+"Poor Mr. Chipmunk kept his temper and was as polite as ever, but how
+he did work!  His cousins are great climbers and could get the nuts
+still left on the trees, but Mr. Chipmunk is a poor climber, so he had
+to be content with those on the ground.  Of course he could carry only
+one nut at a time and his legs were so short that he had to run as fast
+as ever he could to store each nut in his secret store-house and get
+back for another.  And while the others quarreled and fought, he
+hurried back and forth, back and forth, from early morning until jolly,
+round, red Mr. Sun pulled his night cap on behind the Purple Hills,
+hunting for nuts and putting them away in his secret store-house.
+
+"But the nuts grew scarcer and scarcer on the ground and harder to
+find, for the other squirrels were picking them up too, and then they
+did not have so far to carry them.
+
+"Sometimes one of his cousins up in the trees would drop a nut, but Mr.
+Chipmunk never would take it, not even when he was having hard work to
+find any, 'for,' said he to himself, 'if my cousin drops a nut, it is
+his nut just the same.'
+
+"Finally Mr. Gray Squirrel announced that he had got his thousand nuts.
+Then Mr. Fox Squirrel announced that he had got his thousand nuts.  The
+next day Mr. Red Squirrel stopped hunting because he had his thousand
+nuts.
+
+"But Mr. Chipmunk had hardly more than half as many.  And that night he
+made a dreadful discovery--some one had found his secret store-house
+and had _stolen_ some of his precious nuts.
+
+"'It's of no use to cry over what can't be helped,' said Mr. Chipmunk,
+and the next morning he bravely started out again.  He had worked so
+hard that he had grown thinner and thinner until now he was only a
+shadow of his old self.  But he was as cheerful as ever and kept right
+on hunting and hunting for stray nuts.  Mr. Gray Squirrel and Mr. Fox
+Squirrel and Mr. Red Squirrel sat around and rested and made fun of
+him.  Way up in the tops of the tallest trees a few nuts still clung,
+but his cousins did not once offer to go up and shake them down for Mr.
+Chipmunk.
+
+"And then old Mother Nature came down across the Green Meadows.  First
+Mr. Gray Squirrel took her to his storehouse and she counted his
+thousand nuts.  Then Mr. Fox Squirrel led her to his storehouse and she
+counted his thousand nuts.  Then Mr. Red Squirrel showed her his
+store-house and she counted his thousand nuts.
+
+"Last of all Mr. Chipmunk led her to his secret store-house and showed
+her the pile of nuts he had worked so hard to get.  Old Mother Nature
+didn't need to count them to see that there were not a thousand there.
+
+"'I've done the best I could,' said Mr. Chipmunk bravely, and he
+trembled all over, he was so tired.
+
+"Old Mother Nature said never a word but went out on the Green Meadows
+and sent the Merry Little Breezes to call together all the little
+meadow people and all the little forest folks.  When they had all
+gathered before her she suddenly turned to Mr. Gray Squirrel.
+
+"'Go bring me a hundred nuts from your store-house,' said she.
+
+"Then she turned to Mr. Fox Squirrel.
+
+"'Go bring me a hundred nuts from your store-house,' said she.
+
+"Last of all she called Mr. Red Squirrel out where all could see him.
+Mr. Red Squirrel crept out very slowly.  His teeth chattered and his
+tail, of which he was so proud, dragged on the ground, for you see Mr.
+Red Squirrel had something on his mind.
+
+"Then old Mother Nature told how she had ordered each squirrel to get
+and store for her a thousand nuts.  She told just how selfish Mr. Gray
+Squirrel and Mr. Fox Squirrel had been.  She told just how hard Mr.
+Chipmunk had worked and then she told how part of his precious store
+had been stolen.
+
+"'And there,' said old Mother Nature in a loud voice so that every one
+should hear, 'there is the thief!'
+
+"Then she commanded Mr. Red Squirrel to go to his store-house and bring
+her half of the biggest and best nuts he had there!
+
+"Mr. Red Squirrel sneaked off with his head hanging, and began to bring
+the nuts.  And as he tramped back and forth, back and forth, all the
+little meadow people and all the little forest folks pointed their
+fingers at him and cried 'Thief!  Thief!  Thief!'
+
+"When all the nuts had been brought to her by Mr. Gray Squirrel and Mr.
+Fox Squirrel and Mr. Red Squirrel, old Mother Nature gathered them all
+up and put them in the secret store-house of Mr. Chipmunk.  Then she
+set Mr. Chipmunk up on an old stump where all could see him and she
+said:
+
+"'Mr. Chipmunk, because you have been faithful, because you have been
+cheerful, because you have done your best, henceforth you shall have
+two pockets, one in each cheek, so that you can carry two nuts at once,
+that you may not have to work so hard the next time I tell you to store
+a thousand nuts.'
+
+"And all the little meadow people and all the little forest folks
+shouted 'Hurrah for Mr. Chipmunk!'  All but his cousins, Mr. Gray
+Squirrel and Mr. Fox Squirrel and Mr. Red Squirrel, who hid themselves
+for shame.
+
+"And ever since that time long ago, when the world was young, the
+Chipmunks have had pockets in their cheeks.
+
+"You can't fool old Mother Nature," concluded Great-Grandfather Frog.
+"No, Sir, you can't fool old Mother Nature and it's no use to try."
+
+"Thank you, thank you," cried the Merry Little Breezes, clapping their
+hands.  Then they all raced across the Green Meadows to shake down some
+more nuts for Striped Chipmunk.
+
+
+
+
+VI
+
+REDDY FOX, THE BOASTER
+
+Johnny Chuck waddled down the Lone Little Path across the Green
+Meadows.  Johnny Chuck was very fat and rolly-poly.  His yellow brown
+coat fitted him so snugly that it seemed as if it must burst.  Johnny
+Chuck was feeling very happy--very happy indeed, for you see Johnny
+Chuck long ago found the best thing in the world, which is contentment.
+
+Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun, looking down from the sky, smiled and smiled
+to see Johnny Chuck waddling down the Lone Little Path, for he loved
+the merry-hearted little fellow, as do all the little meadow
+people--all but Reddy Fox, for Reddy Fox has not forgotten the surprise
+Johnny Chuck once gave him and how he called him a "'fraid cat."
+
+Once in a while Johnny Chuck stopped to brush his coat carefully, for
+he is very particular about his appearance, is Johnny Chuck.  By and by
+he came to the old butternut tree down by the Smiling Pool.  He could
+see it a long time before he reached it, and up in the top of it he
+could see Blacky the Crow flapping his wings and cawing at the top of
+his voice.
+
+"There must be something going on," said Johnny Chuck to himself, and
+began to waddle faster.  He looked so very queer when he tried to hurry
+that jolly round, red Mr. Sun smiled more than ever.
+
+When he was almost to the old butter-nut tree Johnny Chuck sat up very
+straight so that his head came just above the tall meadow grasses
+beside the Lone Little Path.  He could see the Merry Little Breezes
+dancing and racing under the old butternut tree and having such a good
+time!  And he could see the long ears of Peter Rabbit standing up
+straight above the tall meadow grasses.  One of the Merry Little
+Breezes spied Johnny Chuck.
+
+"Hurry up, Johnny Chuck!" he shouted, and Johnny Chuck hurried.
+
+When he reached the old butternut tree he was all out of breath.  He
+was puffing and blowing and he was so warm that he wished just for a
+minute, a single little minute, that he could swim like Billy Mink and
+Jerry Muskrat and Little Joe Otter, so that he could jump into the
+Smiling Pool and cool off.
+
+"Hello, Johnny Chuck!" shouted Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Hello yourself, and see how you like it!" replied Johnny Chuck.
+
+"Hello myself!" said Peter Rabbit.
+
+And then because it was so very foolish everybody laughed.  It is a
+good thing to feel foolishly happy on a beautiful sunshiny day,
+especially down on the Green Meadows.
+
+Jimmy Skunk was there.  He was feeling very, very good indeed, was
+Jimmy Skunk, for he had found some very fine beetles for his breakfast.
+
+Little Joe Otter was there, and Billy Mink and Jerry Muskrat and Happy
+Jack Squirrel, and of course Reddy Fox was there.  Oh my, yes, of
+course Reddy Fox was there!  Reddy Fox never misses a chance to show
+off.  He was wearing his very newest red coat and his whitest
+waistcoat.  He had brushed his tail till it looked very handsome, and
+every few minutes he would turn and admire it.  Reddy Fox thought
+himself a very fine gentleman.  He admired himself and he wanted every
+one else to admire him.
+
+"Let's do stunts," said Peter Rabbit.  "I can jump farther than anybody
+here!"
+
+Then Peter Rabbit jumped a tremendously long jump.  Then everybody
+jumped, everybody but Reddy Fox.  Even Johnny Chuck jumped, and because
+he was so rolly-poly he tumbled over and over and everybody laughed and
+Johnny Chuck laughed loudest of all.
+
+And because his hind legs are long and meant for jumping Peter Rabbit
+had jumped farther than any one else.
+
+"I can climb to the top of the old butternut tree quicker than anybody
+else," cried Happy Jack Squirrel, and away he started with Bobby Coon
+and Billy Mink after him, for though Billy Mink is a famous swimmer and
+can run swiftly, he can also climb when he has to.  But Happy Jack
+Squirrel was at the top of the old butternut tree almost before the
+others had started.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes clapped their hands and everybody shouted for
+Happy Jack Squirrel, everybody but Reddy Fox.
+
+"I can swim faster than anybody here," shouted Little Joe Otter.
+
+In a flash three little brown coats splashed into the Smiling Pool so
+suddenly that they almost upset Great-Grandfather Frog watching from
+his big green lily pad.  They belonged to Little Joe Otter, Billy Mink
+and Jerry Muskrat.  Across the Smiling Pool and back again they raced
+and Little Joe Otter was first out on the bank.
+
+"Hurrah for Little Joe Otter!" shouted Blacky the Crow.
+
+And everybody shouted "Hurrah!"  Everybody but Reddy Fox.
+
+"What can you do, Jimmy Skunk?" asked Peter Rabbit, dancing up and
+down, he was so excited.
+
+Jimmy Skunk yawned lazily.
+
+"I can throw a wonderful perfume farther than anybody here," said Jimmy
+Skunk.
+
+"We know it!  We know it!" shouted the Merry Little Breezes as
+everybody tumbled heels over head away from Jimmy Skunk, even Reddy
+Fox.  "But please don't!"
+
+And Jimmy Skunk didn't.
+
+Then they all came back, Reddy Fox carefully brushing his handsome red
+coat which had become sadly mussed, he had fled in such a hurry.
+
+Now for the first time in his life Johnny Chuck began to feel just a
+wee, wee bit discontented.  What was there he could do better than any
+one else?  He couldn't jump and he couldn't climb and he couldn't swim.
+He couldn't even run fast, because he was so fat and round and
+rolly-poly.  He quite forgot that he was so sunny-hearted and
+good-natured that everybody loved him, everybody but Reddy Fox.
+
+Just then Reddy Fox began to boast, for Reddy Fox is a great boaster.
+"Pooh!" said Reddy Fox, "pooh!  Anybody could jump if their legs were
+made for jumping.  And what's the good of climbing trees anyway?  Now I
+can run faster than anybody here--faster than anybody in the whole
+world!" said Reddy Fox, puffing himself out.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.  "You can't beat Spotty the
+Turtle."
+
+Then everyone shouted and rolled over and over in the grass, they were
+so tickled, for every one remembered how Spotty the Turtle had once won
+a race from Reddy Fox.
+
+For a minute Reddy Fox looked very foolish.  Then he lost his temper,
+which is a very unwise thing to do, for it is hard to find again.  He
+swelled himself out until every hair stood on end and he looked twice
+as big as he did before.  He strutted up and down and glared at each in
+turn.
+
+"And I'm not afraid of any living thing on the Green Meadows!" boasted
+Reddy Fox.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.  "Do I see Bowser the Hound?"
+
+Every hair on Reddy Fox suddenly fell back into place.  He whirled
+about nervously and anxiously looked over the Green Meadows.  Then
+everybody shouted again and rolled over and over in the grass and held
+on to their sides, for you see Bowser the Hound wasn't there at all.
+
+But everybody took good care to keep away from Reddy Fox, everybody but
+Johnny Chuck.  He just sat still and chuckled and chuckled till his fat
+sides shook.
+
+"What are you laughing at?" demanded Reddy Fox.
+
+"I was just thinking," said Johnny Chuck, "that though you can run so
+fast, you can't even catch me."
+
+Reddy Fox just glared at him for a minute, he was so mad.  Then he
+sprang straight at Johnny Chuck.
+
+"I'll show you!" he snarled.
+
+Now Johnny Chuck had been sitting close beside a hole that Grandfather
+Chuck had dug a long time before and which was empty.  In a flash
+Johnny Chuck disappeared head first in the hole.  Now the hole was too
+small for Reddy Fox to enter, but he was so angry that he straightway
+began to dig it larger.  My, how the sand did fly!  It poured out
+behind Reddy Fox in a stream of shining yellow.
+
+Johnny Chuck ran down the long tunnel underground until he reached the
+end.  Then when he heard Reddy Fox digging and knew that he was really
+coming, Johnny Chuck began to dig, too, only instead of digging down he
+dug up towards the sunshine and the blue sky.
+
+My, how his short legs did fly and his stout little claws dug into the
+soft earth!  His little forepaws flew so fast that if you had been
+there you could hardly have seen them at all.  And with his strong hind
+legs he kicked the sand right back into the face of Reddy Fox.
+
+All the little meadow people gathered around the hole where Johnny
+Chuck and Reddy Fox had disappeared.  They were very anxious, very
+anxious indeed.  Would Reddy Fox catch Johnny Chuck?  And what would he
+do to him?  Was all their fun to end in something terrible to
+sunny-hearted, merry Johnny Chuck, whom everybody loved?
+
+All of a sudden, pop! right out of the solid earth among the daisies
+and buttercups, just like a jack-in-the-box, came Johnny Chuck!  He
+looked very warm and a little tired, but he was still chuckling as he
+scampered across to another hole of Grandfather Chuck's.
+
+By and by something else crawled out of the hole Johnny Chuck had made.
+Could it be Reddy Fox?  Where were his white waistcoat and beautiful
+red coat?  And was that thing dragging behind him his splendid tail?
+
+He crept out of the hole and then just lay down and panted for breath.
+He was almost too tired to move.  Then he began to spit sand out of his
+mouth and blow it out of his nose and try to wipe it out of his eyes.
+The long hair of his fine coat was filled full of sand and no one would
+ever have guessed that this was Reddy Fox.
+
+"Haw! haw! haw!" shouted Blacky the Crow.
+
+Then everybody shouted "Haw! haw! haw!" and began to roll in the grass
+and hold on to their sides once more; everybody but Reddy Fox.  When he
+could get his breath he didn't look this way or that way, but just
+sneaked off to his home under the big hickory.
+
+[Illustration: Then everybody shouted "Haw! haw! haw!"]
+
+And when Old Mother West Wind came with her big bag to take the Merry
+Little Breezes to their home behind the Purple Hills, Johnny Chuck
+waddled back up the Lone Little Path chuckling to himself, for that
+little feeling of discontent was all gone.  He had found that after all
+he could do something better than anybody else on the Green Meadows,
+for in his heart he knew that none could dig so fast as he.
+
+
+
+
+VII
+
+JOHNNY CHUCK'S SECRET
+
+Johnny Chuck pushed up the last bit of gravel from the hole he had dug
+between the roots of the old apple tree in a corner of the Green
+Meadows.  He smoothed it down on the big, yellow mound he had made in
+front of his door.  Then he sat up very straight on top of the mound,
+brushed his coat, shook the sand from his trousers and carefully
+cleaned his hands.
+
+After he had rested a bit, he turned around and looked at his new home,
+for that is what it was, although he had not come there to live yet,
+and no one knew of it, no one but jolly, round, red Mr. Sun, who,
+peeping between the branches of the old apple tree, had caught Johnny
+Chuck at work.  But _he_ wouldn't tell, not jolly Mr. Sun!  Looking
+down from the blue sky every day he sees all sorts of queer things and
+he learns all kinds of secrets, does Mr. Sun, but he never, never
+tells.  No, Sir!  Mr. Sun never tells one of them, not even to Old
+Mother West Wind when at night they go down together behind the Purple
+Hills.
+
+So jolly, round, red Mr. Sun just smiled and smiled when he discovered
+Johnny Chuck's secret, for that is just what the new home under the
+apple tree was--a secret.  Not even the Merry Little Breezes, who find
+out almost everything, had discovered it.
+
+Johnny Chuck chuckled to himself as he planned a back door, a beautiful
+back door, hidden behind a tall clump of meadow grass where no one
+would think to look for a door.  When he had satisfied himself as to
+just where he would put it, he once more sat up very straight on his
+nice, new mound and looked this way and looked that way to be sure that
+no one was near.  Then he started for his old home along a secret
+little path he had made for himself.
+
+Pretty soon he came to the Lone Little Path that went past his own
+home.  He danced and he skipped along the Lone Little Path, and,
+because he was so happy, he tried to turn a somersault.  But Johnny
+Chuck was so round and fat and rolly-poly that he just tumbled over in
+a heap.
+
+"Well, well, well!  What's the matter with you?" said a voice close
+beside him before he could pick himself up.  It was Jimmy Skunk, who
+was out looking for some beetles for his dinner.
+
+Johnny Chuck scrambled to his feet and looked foolish, very foolish
+indeed.
+
+"There's nothing the matter with me, Jimmy Skunk," said Johnny.
+"There's nothing the matter with me.  It's just because I've got a
+secret."
+
+"A secret!" cried Jimmy Skunk.  "What is it?"
+
+"Yes, a secret, a really, truly secret," said Johnny Chuck, and looked
+very important.
+
+"Tell me, Johnny Chuck.  Come on, tell just _me_, and then we'll have
+the secret together," begged Jimmy Skunk.
+
+Now Johnny Chuck was so tickled with his secret that it seemed as if he
+_must_ share it with some one.  He just couldn't keep it to himself any
+longer.
+
+"You won't tell any one?" said Johnny Chuck.
+
+Jimmy Skunk promised that he wouldn't tell a soul.
+
+"Cross your heart," commanded Johnny Chuck.
+
+Jimmy Skunk crossed his heart.
+
+Then Johnny Chuck looked this way and looked that way to be sure that
+no one was listening.  Finally he whispered in Jimmy Skunk's ear:
+
+"I've got a new home under the old apple tree in a corner of the Green
+Meadows," said Johnny Chuck.
+
+Of course Jimmy Skunk was very much surprised and very much interested,
+so Johnny Chuck told him all about it.
+
+"Now, remember, it's a secret," said Johnny Chuck, as Jimmy Skunk
+started off down the Lone Little Path across the Green Meadows, to look
+for some beetles.
+
+"I'll remember," said Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"And don't tell!" called Johnny Chuck.
+
+Jimmy Skunk promised that he wouldn't tell.  Then Johnny Chuck started
+off up the Lone Little Path, whistling, and Jimmy Skunk trotted down
+the Lone Little Path onto the Green Meadows.
+
+Jimmy Skunk was thinking so much about Johnny Chuck's new home that he
+quite forgot to look for beetles, and he almost ran into Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Hello, Jimmy Skunk," said Peter Rabbit, "can't you see where you are
+going?  It must be you have something on your mind; what is it?"
+
+"I was thinking of Johnny Chuck's new home," said Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"Johnny Chuck's new home!" exclaimed Peter Rabbit.  "Has Johnny Chuck
+got a new home?  Where is it?"
+
+"Under the roots of the old apple tree in a corner of the Green
+Meadows," said Jimmy Skunk, and then he clapped both hands over his
+mouth.  You see he hadn't really meant to tell.  It just slipped out.
+
+"Oh, but it's a secret!" cried Jimmy Skunk.  "It's a secret, and you
+mustn't tell.  I guess Johnny Chuck won't mind if you know, Peter
+Rabbit, but you mustn't tell any one else."  Peter Rabbit promised he
+wouldn't.
+
+Now Peter Rabbit is very inquisitive, very inquisitive indeed.  So as
+soon as he had parted from Jimmy Skunk he made up his mind that he must
+see the new home of Johnny Chuck.  So off he started as fast as he
+could go towards the old apple tree in a corner of the Green Meadows.
+Half way there he met Reddy Fox.
+
+"Hello, Peter Rabbit!  Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked
+Reddy Fox.
+
+"Over to the old apple tree to see Johnny Chuck's new home," replied
+Peter Rabbit as he tried to dodge past Reddy Fox.  Then of a sudden he
+remembered and clapped both hands over his mouth.
+
+"Oh, but it's a secret, Reddy Fox.  It's a secret, and you mustn't
+tell!" cried Peter Rabbit.
+
+But Reddy Fox wouldn't promise that he wouldn't tell, for in spite of
+his handsome coat and fine manners, Reddy Fox is a scamp.  And,
+besides, he has no love for Johnny Chuck, for he has not forgotten how
+Johnny Chuck once made him run and called him a "'fraid cat."
+
+So when Reddy Fox left Peter Rabbit he grinned a wicked grin and
+hurried off to find Bobby Coon.  He met him on his way to the Laughing
+Brook.  Reddy Fox told Bobby Coon all about Johnny Chuck's secret and
+then hurried away after Peter Rabbit, for Reddy Fox also is very
+inquisitive.
+
+Bobby Coon went on down to the Laughing Brook.  There he met Billy Mink
+and told him about the new home Johnny Chuck had made under the old
+apple tree in a corner of the Green Meadows.
+
+Pretty soon Billy Mink met Little Joe Otter and told him.
+
+Then Little Joe Otter met Jerry Muskrat and told him.
+
+Jerry Muskrat saw Blacky the Crow and told him, and Great-Grandfather
+Frog heard him.
+
+Blacky the Crow met his first cousin, Sammy Jay, and told him.
+
+Sammy Jay met Happy Jack Squirrel and told him.
+
+Happy Jack met his cousin, Striped Chipmunk, and told him.
+
+Striped Chipmunk passed the house of old Mr. Toad and told him.
+
+The next morning, very early, before Old Mother West Wind had come down
+from the Purple Hills, Johnny Chuck stole over to his new home to begin
+work on his new back door.  He had hardly begun to dig when he heard
+some one cough right behind him.  He whirled around and there sat Peter
+Rabbit looking as innocent and surprised as if he had really just
+discovered the new home for the first time.
+
+"What a splendid new home you have, Johnny Chuck!" said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Y--e--s," said Johnny Chuck, slowly.  "It's a secret," he added
+suddenly.  "You won't tell, will you, Peter Rabbit?"
+
+Peter Rabbit promised that he wouldn't tell.  Then Johnny Chuck felt
+better and went back to work as soon as Peter Rabbit left.
+
+He had hardly begun, however, when some one just above him said: "Good
+morning, Johnny Chuck."
+
+Johnny Chuck looked up and there in the old apple tree sat Blacky the
+Crow and his cousin, Sammy Jay.
+
+Just then there was a rustle in the grass and out popped Billy Mink and
+Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat and Happy Jack Squirrel and Striped
+Chipmunk and Bobby Coon.  When Johnny Chuck had recovered from his
+surprise and looked over to the doorway of his new home there sat Reddy
+Fox on Johnny Chuck's precious new mound.  It seemed as if all the
+little meadow people were there, all but Jimmy Skunk, who wisely stayed
+away.
+
+"We've come to see your new home," said Striped Chipmunk, "and we think
+it's the nicest home we've seen for a long time."
+
+"It's so nicely hidden away, it's really quite secret," said Reddy Fox,
+grinning wickedly.
+
+Just then up raced the Merry Little Breezes and one of them had a
+message for Johnny Chuck from Great-Grandfather Frog.  It was this:
+
+"Whisper a secret to a friend and you shout it in the ear of the whole
+world."
+
+After every one had admired the new home, they said good-bye and
+scattered over the Green Meadows.  Then Johnny Chuck began to dig
+again, but this time he wasn't making his new back door.  No indeed!
+Johnny Chuck was digging at that new mound of yellow gravel of which he
+had been so proud.  Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun blinked to be sure that
+he saw aright, for Johnny Chuck was _filling up his new home_ between
+the roots of the old apple tree.  When he got through, there wasn't any
+new home.
+
+Then Johnny Chuck brushed his coat carefully, shook the sand out of his
+trousers, wiped his hands and started off for his old home.  And this
+time he didn't take his special hidden path, for Johnny Chuck didn't
+care who saw him go.
+
+Late that afternoon, Johnny Chuck sat on his old doorstep, with his
+chin in his hands, watching Old Mother West Wind gathering her Merry
+Little Breezes into the big bag in which she carries them to their home
+behind the Purple Hills.
+
+"'Whisper a secret to a friend and you shout it in the ear of the whole
+world.'  Now what did Grandfather Frog mean by that?" thought Johnny
+Chuck.  "Now I didn't tell anybody but Jimmy Skunk and Jimmy Skunk
+didn't tell anyone but Peter Rabbit and--and--"
+
+Then Johnny Chuck began to chuckle and finally to laugh.  "'Whisper a
+secret to a friend and you shout it in the ear of the whole world.'  My
+gracious, what a loud voice I must have had and didn't know it!" said
+Johnny Chuck, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes.
+
+And the next day Johnny Chuck started to make a new home.  Where?  Oh,
+that's Johnny Chuck's secret.  And no one but jolly, round, red Mr. Sun
+has found it out yet.
+
+
+
+
+VIII
+
+JOHNNY CHUCK'S GREAT FIGHT
+
+Johnny Chuck sat on the doorstep of his new home, looking away across
+the Green Meadows.  Johnny Chuck felt very well satisfied with himself
+and with all the world.  He yawned lazily and stretched and stretched
+and then settled himself comfortably to watch the Merry Little Breezes
+playing down by the Smiling Pool.
+
+By and by he saw Peter Rabbit go bobbing along down the Lone Little
+Path.  Lipperty, lipperty, lip, went Peter Rabbit and every other jump
+he looked behind him.
+
+"Now what is Peter Rabbit up to?" said Johnny Chuck to himself, "and
+what does he keep looking behind him for?"
+
+Johnny Chuck sat up a little straighter to watch Peter Rabbit hop down
+the Lone Little Path.  Then of a sudden he caught sight of something
+that made him sit up straighter than ever and open his eyes very wide.
+Something was following Peter Rabbit.  Yes, Sir, something was bobbing
+along right at Peter Rabbit's heels.
+
+Johnny Chuck forgot the Merry Little Breezes.  He forgot how warm it
+was and how lazy he felt.  He forgot everything else in his curiosity
+to learn what it could be following so closely at Peter Rabbit's heels.
+
+Presently Peter Rabbit stopped and sat up very straight and
+then--Johnny Chuck nearly tumbled over in sheer surprise!  He rubbed
+his eyes to make sure that he saw aright, for there were two Peter
+Rabbits!  Yes, Sir, there were _two_ Peter Rabbits, only one was very
+small, very small indeed.
+
+"Oh!" said Johnny Chuck, "that must be Peter Rabbit's baby brother!"
+
+Then he began to chuckle till his fat sides shook.  There sat Peter
+Rabbit with his funny long ears standing straight up, and there right
+behind him, dressed exactly like him, sat Peter Rabbit's baby brother
+with _his_ funny little long ears standing straight up.  When Peter
+Rabbit wiggled _his_ right ear, his baby brother wiggled his right ear.
+When Peter Rabbit scratched his left ear, his baby brother scratched
+_his_ left ear.  Whatever Peter Rabbit did, his baby brother did too.
+
+Presently Peter Rabbit started on down the Lone Little Path--lipperty,
+lipperty, lip, and right at his heels went his baby brother--lipperty,
+lipperty, lip.  Johnny Chuck watched them out of sight, and then he
+settled himself on his doorstep once more to enjoy a sun bath.  Every
+once in a while he chuckled to himself as he remembered how funny Peter
+Rabbit's baby brother had looked.  Presently Johnny Chuck fell asleep.
+
+Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had climbed quite high in the sky when Johnny
+Chuck awoke.  He yawned and stretched and stretched and yawned, and
+then he sat up to look over the Green Meadows.  Then he became wide
+awake, very wide awake indeed!  Way down on the Green Meadows he caught
+a glimpse of something red jumping about in the long meadow grass.
+
+"That must be Reddy Fox," thought Johnny Chuck.  "Yes, it surely is
+Reddy Fox.  Now I wonder what mischief he is up to."
+
+Then he saw all the Merry Little Breezes racing towards Reddy Fox as
+fast as they could go.  And there was Sammy Jay screaming at the top of
+his voice, and his cousin, Blacky the Crow.  Happy Jack Squirrel was
+dancing up and down excitedly on the branch of an old elm close by.
+
+Johnny Chuck waited to see no more, but started down the Lone Little
+Path to find out what it all was about.  Half way down the Lone Little
+Path he met Peter Rabbit running as hard as he could.  His long ears
+were laid flat back, his big eyes seemed to pop right out of his head,
+and he was running as Johnny Chuck had never seen him run before.
+
+"What are you running so for, Peter Rabbit?" asked Johnny Chuck.
+
+"To get Bowser the Hound," shouted Peter Rabbit over his shoulder, as
+he tried to run faster.
+
+"Now what can be the matter?" said Johnny Chuck to himself, "to send
+Peter Rabbit after Bowser the Hound?"  He knew that, like all the other
+little meadow people, there was nothing of which Peter Rabbit was so
+afraid as Farmer Brown's great dog, Bowser the Hound.
+
+Johnny Chuck hurried down the Lone Little Path as fast as his short
+legs could take his fat, rolly-poly self.
+
+Presently he came out onto the Green Meadows, and there he saw a sight
+that set every nerve in his round little body a-tingle with rage.
+
+Reddy Fox had found Peter Rabbit's baby brother and was doing his best
+to frighten him to death.
+
+"I'm going to eat you now," shouted Reddy Fox, and then he sprang on
+Peter Rabbit's baby brother and gave him a cuff that sent him heels
+over head sprawling in the grass.
+
+"Coward!  Coward, Reddy Fox!" shrieked Sammy Jay.
+
+"Shame!  Shame!" shouted the Merry Little Breezes.
+
+"You're nothing but a great big bully!" yelled Blacky the Crow.
+
+But no one did anything to help Peter Rabbit's baby brother, for Reddy
+Fox is so much bigger than any of the rest of them, except Bobby Coon,
+that all the little meadow people are afraid of him.
+
+But Reddy Fox just laughed at them, and nipped the long ears of Peter
+Rabbit's little brother so hard that he cried with the pain.
+
+Now all were so intent watching Reddy Fox torment the baby brother of
+Peter Rabbit that no one had seen Johnny Chuck coming down the Lone
+Little Path.  And for a few minutes no one recognized the furious
+little yellow-brown bundle that suddenly knocked Reddy Fox over and
+seized him by the throat.  You see it didn't look a bit like Johnny
+Chuck.  Every hair was standing on end, he was so mad, and this made
+him appear twice as big as they had ever seen him before.
+
+"Coward!  Coward!  Coward!" shrieked Johnny Chuck as he shook Reddy Fox
+by the throat.  And then began the greatest fight that the Green
+Meadows had ever seen.
+
+Now Johnny Chuck is not naturally a fighter.  Oh my, no!  He is so
+good-natured and so sunny-hearted that he seldom quarrels with any one.
+But when he has to fight, there isn't a cowardly hair on him, not the
+teeniest, weeniest one.  No one ever has a chance to cry, "'Fraid cat!
+Cry baby!" after Johnny Chuck.
+
+So though, like all the other little meadow people, he was usually just
+a little afraid of Reddy Fox, because Reddy is so much bigger, he
+forgot all about it as soon as he caught sight of Reddy Fox tormenting
+Peter Rabbit's little brother.  He didn't stop to think of what might
+happen to himself.  He didn't stop to think at all.  He just gritted
+his teeth and in a flash had Reddy Fox on his back.
+
+Such a fight was never seen before on the Green Meadows!  Reddy Fox is
+a bully and a coward, for he never fights with any one of his own size
+if he can help it, but when he has to fight, he fights hard.  And he
+certainly had to fight now.
+
+"Bully!" hissed Johnny Chuck as with his stout little hind feet he
+ripped the bright red coat of Reddy Fox.  "You great big bully!"
+
+Over and over they rolled, Johnny Chuck on top, then Reddy Fox on top,
+then Johnny Chuck up again, clawing and snarling.
+
+It seemed as if news of the fight had gone over all the Green Meadows,
+for the little meadow people came running from every direction--Billy
+Mink, Little Joe Otter, Jerry Muskrat, Striped Chipmunk, Jimmy Skunk,
+old Mr. Toad.  Even Great-Grandfather Frog, who left his big lily pad,
+and came hurrying with great jumps across the Green Meadows.  They
+formed a ring around Reddy Fox and Johnny Chuck and danced with
+excitement.  And all wanted Johnny Chuck to win.
+
+Peter Rabbit's poor little brother, so sore and lame from the knocking
+about from Reddy Fox, and so frightened that he hardly dared breathe,
+lay flat on the ground under a little bush and was forgotten by all but
+the Merry Little Breezes, who covered him up with some dead grass, and
+kissed him and whispered to him not to be afraid now.  How Peter
+Rabbit's little brother did hope that Johnny Chuck would win!  His
+great, big, round, soft eyes were wide with terror as he thought of
+what might happen to him if Reddy Fox should whip Johnny Chuck.
+
+But Reddy Fox wasn't whipping Johnny Chuck.  Try as he would, he could
+not get a good hold on that round, fat, little body.  And Johnny
+Chuck's stout claws were ripping his red coat and white vest and Johnny
+Chuck's sharp teeth were gripping him so that they could not be shaken
+loose.  Pretty soon Reddy Fox began to think of nothing but getting
+away.  Every one was shouting for Johnny Chuck.  Every time Reddy Fox
+was underneath, he would hear a great shout from all the little meadow
+people, and he knew that they were glad.
+
+Now Johnny Chuck was round and fat and rolly-poly, and when one is
+round and fat and rolly-poly, one's breath is apt to be short.  So it
+was with Johnny Chuck.  He had fought so hard that his breath was
+nearly gone.  Finally he loosed his hold on Reddy Fox for just a second
+to draw in a good breath.  Reddy Fox saw his chance, and, with a quick
+pull and spring, he broke away.
+
+How all the little meadow people did scatter!  You see they were very
+brave, very brave indeed, so long as Johnny Chuck had Reddy Fox down,
+but now that Reddy Fox was free, each one was suddenly afraid and
+thought only of himself.  Jimmy Skunk knocked Jerry Muskrat flat in his
+hurry to get away.  Billy Mink trod on Great-Grandfather Frog's big
+feet and didn't even say "Excuse me."  Striped Chipmunk ran head first
+into a big thistle and squealed as much from fear as pain.
+
+But Reddy Fox paid no attention to any of them.  He just wanted to get
+away, and off he started, limping as fast as he could go up the Lone
+Little Path.  Such a looking sight!  His beautiful red coat was in
+tatters.  His face was scratched.  He hobbled as he ran.  And just as
+he broke away, Johnny Chuck made a grab and pulled a great mouthful of
+hair out of the splendid tail Reddy Fox was so proud of.
+
+When the little meadow people saw that Reddy Fox was actually running
+away, they stopped running themselves, and all began to shout: "Reddy
+Fox is a coward and a bully!  Coward!  Coward!"  Then they crowded
+around Johnny Chuck and all began talking at once about his great fight.
+
+Just then they heard a great noise up on the hill.  They saw Reddy Fox
+coming back down the Lone Little Path, and he was using his legs just
+as well as he knew how.  Right behind him, his great mouth open and
+waking all the echoes with his big voice, was Bowser the Hound.
+
+You see, although Peter Rabbit couldn't fight for his little baby
+brother and is usually very, very timid, he isn't altogether a coward.
+Indeed, he had been very brave, very brave indeed.  He had gone up to
+Farmer Brown's and had jumped right under the nose of Bowser the Hound.
+Now that is something that Bowser the Hound never can stand.  So off he
+had started after Peter Rabbit.  And Peter Rabbit had started back for
+the Green Meadows as fast as his long legs could take him, for he knew
+that if once Bowser the Hound caught sight of Reddy Fox, he would
+forget all about such a little thing as a saucy rabbit.
+
+Sure enough, half way down the Lone Little Path they met Reddy Fox
+sneaking off home, and, when Bowser the Hound saw him, he straightway
+forgot all about Peter Rabbit, and, with a great roar, started after
+Reddy Fox.
+
+When Johnny Chuck had carefully brushed his coat and all the little
+meadow people had wished him good luck, he started off up the Lone
+Little Path for home, the Merry Little Breezes dancing ahead and Peter
+Rabbit coming lipperty, lipperty, lip behind, and right between them
+hopped Peter Rabbit's little brother, who thought Johnny Chuck the
+greatest hero in the world.
+
+When they reached Johnny Chuck's old home, Peter Rabbit and Peter
+Rabbit's little brother tried to tell him how thankful they were to
+him, but Johnny Chuck just laughed and said: "It was nothing at all,
+just nothing at all."
+
+When at last all had gone, even the Merry Little Breezes, Johnny Chuck
+slipped away to his new home, which is his secret, you know, which no
+one knows but jolly, round, red Mr. Sun, who won't tell.
+
+"I hope," said Johnny Chuck, as he stretched himself out on the mound
+of warm sand by his doorway, for he was very tired, "I hope," said
+Johnny Chuck, sighing contentedly, "that Reddy Fox got away from Bowser
+the Hound!"
+
+And Reddy Fox did.
+
+
+
+
+IX
+
+MR. TOAD'S OLD SUIT
+
+Peter Rabbit was tired and very sleepy as he hopped along the Crooked
+Little Path down the hill.  He could see Old Mother West Wind just
+emptying her Merry Little Breezes out of her big bag onto the Green
+Meadows to play all the bright summer day.  Peter Rabbit yawned and
+yawned again as he watched them dance over to the Smiling Pool.  Then
+he hopped on down the Crooked Little Path towards home.
+
+Sammy Jay, sitting on a fence post, saw him coming.
+
+  "Peter Rabbit out all night!
+  Oh my goodness what a sight!
+  Peter Rabbit, reprobate!
+  No good end will be your fate!"
+
+shouted Sammy Jay.
+
+Peter Rabbit ran out his tongue at Sammy Jay.
+
+"Who stole Happy Jack's nuts?  Thief!  Thief!  Thief!" shouted Peter
+Rabbit at Sammy Jay, and kept on down the Crooked Little Path.
+
+It was true--Peter Rabbit had been out all night playing in the
+moonlight, stealing a midnight feast in Farmer Brown's cabbage patch
+and getting into mischief with Bobby Coon.  Now when most of the little
+meadow people were just waking up Peter Rabbit was thinking of bed.
+
+Presently he came to a big piece of bark which is the roof of Mr.
+Toad's house.  Mr. Toad was sitting in his doorway blinking at jolly,
+round, red Mr. Sun, who had just begun to climb up the sky.
+
+"Good morning, Mr. Toad," said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Good morning," said Mr. Toad.
+
+"You're looking very fine this morning, Mr. Toad," said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"I'm feeling very fine this morning," said Mr. Toad.
+
+"Why, my gracious, you have on a new suit, Mr. Toad!" exclaimed Peter
+Rabbit.
+
+"Well, what if I have, Peter Rabbit?" demanded Mr. Toad.
+
+"Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing at all, Mr. Toad, nothing at all," said
+Peter Rabbit hastily, "only I didn't know you ever had a new suit.
+What have you done with your old suit, Mr. Toad?"
+
+"Swallowed it," said Mr. Toad shortly, turning his back on Peter Rabbit.
+
+And that was all Peter Rabbit could get out of Mr. Toad, so he started
+on down the Crooked Little Path.  Now Peter Rabbit has a great deal of
+curiosity and is forever poking into other people's affairs.  The more
+he thought about it the more he wondered what Mr. Toad could have done
+with his old suit.  Of course he hadn't _swallowed_ it!  Who ever heard
+of such a thing!  The more he thought of it the more Peter Rabbit felt
+that he must know what Mr. Toad had done with his old suit.  By this
+time he had forgotten that he had been out all night.  He had forgotten
+that he was sleepy.  He had got to find out about Mr. Toad's old suit.
+
+"I'll just run over to the Smiling Pool and ask Grandfather Frog.
+He'll surely know what Mr. Toad does with his old suits," said Peter
+Rabbit, and began to hop faster.
+
+When he reached the Smiling Pool there sat Great-Grandfather Frog on
+his big green lily pad as usual.  There was a hungry look in his big
+goggly eyes, for it was so early that no foolish, green flies had come
+his way yet.  But Peter Rabbit was too full of curiosity in Mr. Toad's
+affairs to notice this.
+
+"Good morning, Grandfather Frog," said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Good morning," replied Grandfather Frog a wee bit gruffly.
+
+"You're looking very fine this morning, Grandfather Frog," said Peter
+Rabbit.
+
+"Not so fine as I'd feel if I had a few fat, foolish, green flies,"
+said Grandfather Frog.
+
+"I've just met your cousin, Mr. Toad, and he has on a new suit," said
+Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Indeed!" replied Grandfather Frog.  "Well, I think it's high time."
+
+"What does Mr. Toad do with his old suit, Grandfather Frog?" asked
+Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Chug-a-rum!  It's none of my business.  Maybe he swallows it," replied
+Grandfather Frog crossly, and turned his back on Peter Rabbit.
+
+Peter Rabbit saw that his curiosity must remain unsatisfied.  He
+suddenly remembered that he had been out all night and was very, very
+sleepy, so he started off home across the Green Meadows.
+
+Now the Merry Little Breezes had heard all that Peter Rabbit and
+Grandfather Frog had said, and they made up their minds that they would
+find out from Grandfather Frog what Mr. Toad really did do with his old
+suit.  First of all they scattered over the Green Meadows.  Presently
+back they all came, each blowing ahead of him a fat, foolish, green
+fly.  Right over to the big green lily pad they blew the green flies.
+
+"Chug-a-rum!  Chug-a-rum!  Chug-a-rum!" said Grandfather Frog, as each
+fat, foolish, green fly disappeared inside his white and yellow
+waistcoat.  When the last one was out of sight, all but a leg which was
+left sticking out of a corner of Grandfather Frog's big mouth, one of
+the Merry Little Breezes ventured to ask him what became of Mr. Toad's
+old suit.
+
+Grandfather Frog settled himself comfortably on the big green lily pad
+and folded his hands across his white and yellow waistcoat.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," began Grandfather Frog.  "Once upon a time--"
+
+The Merry Little Breezes clapped their hands and settled themselves
+among the buttercups and daisies, for they knew that soon they would
+know what Mr. Toad did with his old suit.
+
+"Once upon a time," began Grandfather Frog again, "when the world was
+young, old King Bear received word that old Mother Nature would visit
+the Green Meadows and the Green Forest.  Of course old King Bear wanted
+his kingdom and his subjects to look their very best, so he issued a
+royal order that every one of the little meadow people and every one of
+the little forest folk should wear a new suit on the day that old
+Mother Nature was to pay her visit.
+
+"Now like old King Bear, every one wanted to appear his very best
+before old Mother Nature, but as no one knew the exact day she was to
+come, every one began at once to wear his best suit, and to take the
+greatest care of it.  Old King Bear appeared every day in a suit of
+glossy black.  Lightfoot the Deer, threw away his dingy gray suit, and
+put on a coat of beautiful red and fawn.  Mr. Mink, Mr. Otter, Mr.
+Muskrat, Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Woodchuck, Mr. Coon, who you know was first
+cousin to old King Bear, Mr. Gray Squirrel, Mr. Fox Squirrel, Mr. Red
+Squirrel, all put on brand new suits.  Mr. Skunk changed his black and
+white stripes for a suit of all black, very handsome, very handsome
+indeed.  Mr. Chipmunk took care to see that his new suit had the most
+beautiful stripes to be obtained.
+
+"Mr. Jay, who was something of a dandy, had a wonderful new coat that
+looked for all the world as it if had been cut from the bluest patch of
+sky and trimmed with edging taken from the whitest clouds.  Even Mr.
+Crow and Mr. Owl took pains to look their very best.
+
+"But Mr. Toad couldn't see the need of such a fuss.  He thought his
+neighbors spent altogether too much time and thought on dress.  To be
+sure he was anxious to look his best when old Mother Nature came, so he
+got a new suit all ready.  But Mr. Toad couldn't afford to sit around
+in idleness admiring his new clothes.  No indeed!  Mr. Toad had too
+much to do.  He was altogether too busy.  He had a large garden to take
+care of, had Mr. Toad, and work in a garden is very hard on clothes.
+So Mr. Toad just wore his old suit over his new one and went on about
+his business.
+
+"By and by the great day came when old Mother Nature arrived to inspect
+the kingdom of old King Bear.  All the little meadow people and all the
+little forest folk hastened to pay their respects to old Mother Nature
+and to strut about in their fine clothes--all but Mr. Toad.  He was so
+busy that he didn't even know that old Mother Nature had arrived.
+
+"Late in the afternoon, Mr. Toad stopped to rest.  He had just cleared
+his cabbage patch of the slugs which threatened to eat up his crop and
+he was very tired.  Presently he happened to look up the road, and who
+should he see but old Mother Nature herself coming to visit his garden
+and to find out why Mr. Toad had not been to pay her his respects.
+
+"Suddenly Mr. Toad remembered that he had on his working clothes, which
+were very old, very dirty and very ragged.  For just a minute he didn't
+know what to do.  Then he dived under a cabbage leaf and began to pull
+off his old suit.  But the old suit stuck!  He was in such a hurry and
+so excited that he couldn't find the buttons.  Finally he got his
+trousers off.  Then he reached over and got hold of the back of his
+coat and tugged and hauled until finally he pulled his old coat off
+right over his head just as if it were a shirt.
+
+"Mr. Toad gave a great sigh of relief as he stepped out in his new
+suit, for you remember that he had been wearing that new suit
+underneath the old one all the time.
+
+"Mr. Toad was very well pleased with himself until he thought how
+terribly untidy that ragged old suit looked lying on the ground.  What
+should he do with it?  He couldn't hide it in the garden, for old
+Mother Nature's eyes are so sharp that she would be sure to see it.
+What should he do?
+
+"Then Mr. Toad had a happy thought.  Every one made fun of his big
+mouth.  But what was a big mouth for if not to use?  He would swallow
+his old suit!  In a flash Mr. Toad dived under the cabbage leaf and
+crammed his old suit into his mouth.
+
+"When old Mother Nature came into the garden, Mr. Toad was waiting in
+the path to receive her.  Very fine he looked in his new suit and you
+would have thought he had been waiting all day to receive old Mother
+Nature, but for one thing--swallow as much and as hard as he would, he
+couldn't get down quite all of his old suit, and a leg of his trousers
+hung out of a corner of his big mouth.
+
+"Of course old Mother Nature saw it right away.  And how she did laugh!
+And of course Mr. Toad felt very much mortified.  But Mother Nature was
+so pleased with Mr. Toad's garden and with Mr. Toad's industry that she
+quite overlooked the ragged trousers leg hanging from the corner of Mr.
+Toad's mouth.
+
+"'Fine clothes arc not to be compared with fine work,' said old Mother
+Nature.  'I herewith appoint you my chief gardener, Mr. Toad.  And as a
+sign that all may know that this is so, hereafter you shall always
+swallow your old suit whenever you change your clothes!'
+
+"And from that day to this the toads have been the very best of
+gardeners.  And in memory of their great, great, great-grandfather a
+thousand times removed they have always swallowed their old suits.
+
+"Now you know what my cousin, old Mr. Toad, did with his old suit just
+before Peter Rabbit passed his house this morning," concluded
+Great-Grandfather Frog.
+
+"Oh," cried the Merry Little Breezes, "thank you, thank you,
+Grandfather Frog!"
+
+Then they raced away across the Green Meadows and up the Crooked Little
+Path to see if old Mr. Toad was gardening.  And Peter Rabbit still
+wonders what old Mr. Toad did with his old suit.
+
+
+
+
+X
+
+GRANDFATHER FROG GETS EVEN
+
+Old Grandfather Frog sat on his big green lily pad in the Smiling Pool
+dreaming of the days when the world was young and the frogs ruled the
+world.  His hands were folded across his white and yellow waistcoat.
+Round, red, smiling Mr. Sun sent down his warmest rays on the back of
+Grandfather Frog's green coat.
+
+Very early that morning Old Mother West Wind, hurrying down from the
+Purple Hills on her way to help the white-sailed ships across the great
+ocean, had stopped long enough to blow three or four fat, foolish,
+green flies over to the big lily pad, and they were now safely inside
+the white and yellow waistcoat.  A thousand little tadpoles, the great,
+great-grandchildren of Grandfather Frog, were playing in the Smiling
+Pool, and every once in a while wriggling up to the big lily pad to
+look with awe at Grandfather Frog and wonder if they would ever be as
+handsome and big and wise as he.
+
+And still old Grandfather Frog sat dreaming and dreaming of the days
+when all the frogs had tails and ruled the world.
+
+Presently Billy Mink came hopping and skipping down the Laughing Brook.
+Sometimes he swam a little way and sometimes he ran a little way along
+the bank, and sometimes he jumped from stone to stone.  Billy Mink was
+feeling very good--very good indeed.  He had caught a fine fat trout
+for breakfast.  He had hidden two more away for dinner in a snug little
+hole no one knew of but himself.  Now he had nothing to do but get into
+mischief.  You can always depend upon Billy Mink to get into mischief.
+He just can't help it.
+
+So Billy Mink came hopping and skipping down the Laughing Brook to the
+Smiling Pool.  Then he stopped, as still as the rock he was standing
+on, and peeped through the bulrushes.  Billy Mink is very cautious,
+very cautious indeed.  He always looks well before he shows himself,
+that nothing may surprise him.
+
+So Billy Mink looked all over the Smiling Pool and the grassy banks.
+He saw the sunbeams dancing on the water.  He saw the tadpoles having
+such a good time in the Smiling Pool.  He saw the Merry Little Breezes
+kissing the buttercups and daisies on the bank, and he saw old
+Grandfather Frog with his hands folded across his white, and yellow
+waistcoat sitting on the green lily pad, dreaming of the days when the
+world was young.
+
+Then Billy Mink took a long breath, a very long breath, and dived into
+the Smiling Pool.  Now, Billy Mink can swim very fast, very fast
+indeed.  For a little way he can swim even faster than Mr. Trout.  And
+he can stay under water a long time.
+
+Straight across the Smiling Pool, with not even the tip of his nose out
+of water, swam Billy Mink.  The thousand little tadpoles saw him coming
+and fled in all directions to bury themselves in the mud at the bottom
+of the Smiling Pool, for when he thinks no one is looking Billy Mink
+sometimes gobbles up a fat tadpole for breakfast.
+
+Straight across the Smiling Pool swam Billy Mink toward the big green
+lily pad where Grandfather Frog sat dreaming of the days when the world
+was young.  When he was right under the big green lily pad he suddenly
+kicked up hard with his hind feet.  Up went the big green lily pad,
+and, of course, up went Grandfather Frog--up and over flat on his back,
+with a great splash into the Smiling Pool!
+
+Now, Grandfather Frog's mouth is very big.  Indeed, no one else has so
+big a mouth, unless it be his cousin, old Mr. Toad.  And when
+Grandfather Frog went over flat on his back, splash in the Smiling
+Pool, his mouth was wide open.
+
+You see he was so surprised he forgot to close it.  So, of course,
+Grandfather Frog swallowed a great deal of water, and he choked and
+spluttered and swam around in foolish little circles trying to find
+himself.  Finally he climbed out on his big green lily pad.
+
+[Illustration: He was so surprised he forgot to close it.]
+
+"Chug-a-rum?"  said  Grandfather Frog, and looked this way and looked
+that way.  Then he gave a funny hop and turned about in the opposite
+direction and looked this way and looked that way, but all he saw was
+the Smiling Pool dimpling and smiling, Mrs. Redwing bringing a fat worm
+to her hungry little babies in their snug nest in the bulrushes, and
+the Merry Little Breezes hurrying over to see what the trouble might be.
+
+"Chug-a-rum!" said Grandfather Frog.  "It is very strange.  I must have
+fallen asleep and had a bad dream."
+
+Then he once more settled himself comfortably on the big green lily
+pad, folded his hands across his white and yellow waistcoat, and seemed
+to be dreaming again, only his big goggly eyes were not dreaming.  No,
+indeed!  They were very much awake, and they saw all that was going on
+in the Smiling Pool.  Great-Grandfather Frog was just pretending.  You
+may fool him once, but Grandfather Frog has lived so long that he has
+become very wise, and though Billy Mink is very smart, it takes some
+one a great deal smarter than Billy Mink to fool Grandfather Frog twice
+in the same way.
+
+Billy Mink, hiding behind the Big Rock, had laughed and laughed till he
+had to hold his sides when Grandfather Frog had choked and spluttered
+and hopped about on the big lily pad trying to find out what it all
+meant.  He thought it such a good joke that he couldn't keep it to
+himself, so when he saw Little Joe Otter coming to try his slippery
+slide he swam across to tell him all about it.  Little Joe Otter
+laughed and laughed until he had to hold his sides.  Then they both
+swam back to hide behind the Big Rock to watch until Grandfather Frog
+should forget all about it, and they could play the trick over again.
+
+Now, out of the corner of one of his big goggly eyes, Grandfather Frog
+had seen Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter with their heads close
+together, laughing and holding their sides, and he saw them swim over
+behind the Big Rock.  Pretty soon one of the Merry Little Breezes
+danced over to see if Grandfather Frog had really gone to sleep.
+Grandfather Frog didn't move, not the teeniest, weeniest bit, but he
+whispered something to the Merry Little Breeze, and the Merry Little
+Breeze flew away, shaking with laughter, to where the other Merry
+Little Breezes were playing with the buttercups and daisies.
+
+Then all the Merry Little Breezes clapped their hands and laughed too.
+They left the buttercups and daisies and began to play tag across the
+Smiling Pool.
+
+Now, right on the edge of the Big Rock lay a big stick.  Pretty soon
+the Merry Little Breezes danced over to the Big Rock, and then,
+suddenly, all together they gave the big stick a push.  Off it went,
+and then such a splashing and squealing as there was behind the Big
+Rock!
+
+In a few moments Little Joe Otter crept out beside his slippery slide
+and slipped away holding on to his head.  And, sneaking through the
+bulrushes, so as not to be seen, crawled Billy Mink, back towards his
+home on the Laughing Brook.  Billy Mink wasn't laughing now.  Oh, no!
+He was limping and he was holding on to his head.  Little Joe Otter and
+Billy Mink had been sitting right underneath the big stick.
+
+"Chug-a-rum!" said Grandfather Frog and held on to his sides and opened
+his mouth very wide in a noiseless laugh, for Grandfather Frog never
+makes a sound when he laughs.
+
+"Chug-a-rum!" said Grandfather Frog once more.  Then he folded his
+hands across his white and yellow waistcoat and began again to dream of
+the days when the frogs had long tails and ruled the world.
+
+
+
+
+XI
+
+THE DISAPPOINTED BUSH
+
+Way down beside the Laughing Brook grew a little bush.  It looked a
+whole lot like other little bushes all around it.  But really it was
+quite different, as you shall see.  When in the spring warm, jolly,
+round Mr. Sun brought back the birds and set them singing, when the
+little flowers popped their heads out of the ground to have a look
+around, then all the little bushes put out their green leaves.
+
+This little bush of which I am telling you put out its green leaves
+with the rest.  The little leaves grew bigger and bigger on all the
+little bushes.  By and by on some of the other little bushes, little
+brown buds began to appear and grow and grow.  Then on more and more of
+the little bushes the little brown buds came and grew and grew.  But on
+this little bush of which I am telling you no little brown buds
+appeared.  The little bush felt very sad indeed.
+
+Pretty soon all the little brown buds on the other little brown bushes
+burst their brown coats, and then all the little bushes were covered
+with little flowers.  Some were white and some were yellow and some
+were pink; and the air was filled with the sweet odor of all the little
+flowers.  It brought the bees from far, far away to gather the honey,
+and all the little bushes were very happy indeed.
+
+But the little bush of which I am telling you had no little flowers,
+for you see it had had no little buds, and it felt lonely and shut away
+from the other little bushes, and very sad indeed.  But it bravely kept
+on growing and growing and growing.  Its little leaves grew bigger and
+bigger and bigger, and it tried its best not to mind because it had no
+little flowers.
+
+Then one by one, and two by two, and three by three, and finally in
+whole showers, the little flowers of all the other little bushes fell
+off, and they looked very much like the little bush of which I am
+telling you, so that the little bush no longer felt sad.
+
+All summer long all the little bushes grew and grew and grew.  The
+birds came and built their nests among them.  Peter Rabbit and his
+brothers and sisters scampered under them.  The butterflies flew over
+them.
+
+By and by came the fall, and with the fall came Jack Frost.  He went
+about among the little bushes, pinching the leaves.  Then the little
+green leaves turned to brown and red and yellow and pretty soon they
+fluttered down to the ground, the Merry Little Breezes blew them about
+and all the little bushes were bare.  They had no leaves at all to
+cover their little naked brown limbs.
+
+The little bush of which I am telling you lost its leaves with the
+rest.  But all the summer long this little bush had been growing some
+of those little brown buds, which the other bushes had had in the
+spring, and now, when all the other little bushes had lost all the
+green leaves, and had nothing at all upon their little brown twigs,
+behold! one beautiful day, the little bush of which I am telling you
+was covered with gold, for each little brown bud had burst its little
+brown coat and there was a beautiful little yellow flower.  Such a
+multitude of these little yellow flowers!  They covered the little bush
+from top to bottom.  Then the little bush felt very happy indeed, for
+it was the only bush which had any flowers.  And every one who passed
+that way stopped to look at it and to praise it.
+
+Colder grew the weather and colder.  Johnny Chuck tucked himself away
+to sleep all winter.  Grandfather Frog went deep, deep down in the mud,
+not to come out again until spring.  By and by the little yellow
+flowers dropped off the little bush, just as the other little flowers
+in spring had dropped off the other bushes.  But they left behind them
+tiny little packages, one for every little flower that had been on the
+bush.  All winter long these little packages clung to the little bush.
+In the spring when the little leaves burst forth in all the little
+bushes, these little packages on the little bush of which I am telling
+you grew and grew and grew.  While the other little bushes had a lot of
+little flowers as they had had the year before, these little brown
+packages on the little bush of which I am telling you kept on growing.
+And they comforted the little bush because it felt that it really had
+something worth while.
+
+All the summer long the little brown packages grew and grew until they
+looked like little nuts.  When the fall came again and all the little
+leaves dropped off all the little bushes, and the little bush of which
+I am telling you was covered with another lot of little yellow flowers
+and was very happy, then these little brown nuts, one bright autumn
+day, suddenly popped open!  And out of each one flew two brown shiny
+little seeds.  You never saw such a popping and a snapping and a
+jumping!  Pop! pop! snap! snap! hippetty hop! they went, faster than
+the corn pops in the corn popper.  Reddy Fox, who always is suspicious,
+thought some one was shooting at him.  Down on the ground fell the
+little brown shining seeds and tucked themselves into the warm earth
+under the warm leaves, there to stay all winter long.
+
+And when the third spring came with all its little birds and all its
+little flowers and the warm sunshine, every one of these little brown
+seeds which had tucked themselves into the warm earth, burst its little
+brown skin, and up into the sunshine came a little green plant, which
+would grow and grow and grow, and by and by become just like the little
+bush I am telling you about.
+
+When the little bush looked down and saw all these little green
+children popping out of the ground, it was very happy indeed, for it
+knew that it would no longer be lonely.  It no longer felt bad when all
+the other bushes were covered with flowers, for it knew that by and by
+when all the other little bushes had lost all their leaves and all
+their flowers, then would come its turn, and it knew that for a whole
+year its little brown children would be held safe on its branches.
+
+Now, what do you think is the name of this little bush?  Why, it is the
+witch hazel.  And sometime when you fall down and bump yourself hard
+grandma will go to the medicine closet and will bring out a bottle, and
+from that bottle she will pour something on that little sore place and
+it will make it feel better.  Do you know what it is?  It is the gift
+of the witch hazel bush to little boys and big men to make them feel
+better when they are hurt.
+
+
+
+
+XII
+
+WHY BOBBY COON WASHES HIS FOOD
+
+Happy-Go-Lucky Bobby Coon sat on the edge of the Laughing Brook just as
+round, red Mr. Sun popped up from behind the Purple Hills and Old
+Mother West Wind turned all her Merry Little Breezes out to romp on the
+Green Meadows.
+
+Bobby Coon had been out all night.  You see Bobby Coon is very apt to
+get into mischief, and because usually it is safer to get into mischief
+under cover of the darkness Bobby Coon prefers the night wherein to go
+abroad.  Not that Bobby Coon is really bad!  Oh my, no!  Everybody
+likes Bobby Coon.  But he can no more keep out of mischief than a duck
+can keep out of water.
+
+So Bobby Coon sat on the edge of the Laughing Brook and he was very
+busy, very busy indeed.  He was washing his breakfast.  Really, it was
+his dinner, for turning night into day just turns everything
+topsy-turvy.  So Bobby Coon eats dinner when most of the little meadow
+people are eating breakfast.
+
+This morning he was very busy washing a luscious ear of sweet corn just
+in the milk.  He dipped it in the water and with one little black paw
+rubbed it thoroughly.  Then he looked it over carefully before, with a
+sigh of contentment, he sat down to put it in his empty little stomach.
+When he had finished it to the last sweet, juicy kernel, he ambled
+sleepily up the Lone Little Path to the big hollow chestnut tree where
+he lives, and in its great hollow in a soft bed of leaves Bobby Coon
+curled himself up in a tight little ball to sleep the long, bright day
+away.
+
+One of the Merry Little Breezes softly followed him.  When he had
+crawled into the hollow chestnut and only his funny, ringed tail hung
+out, the Merry Little Breezes tweaked it sharply just for fun, and then
+danced away down the Lone Little Path to join the other Merry Little
+Breezes around the Smiling Pool.
+
+"Oh!  Grandfather Frog," cried a Merry Little Breeze, "tell us why it
+is that Bobby Coon always washes his food.  He never eats it where he
+gets it or takes it home to his hollow in the big chestnut, but always
+comes to the Laughing Brook to wash it.  None of the other meadow
+people do that."
+
+Now Great-Grandfather Frog is counted very wise.  He is very, very old
+and he knows the history of all the tribes of little meadow people way
+back to the time when the frogs ruled the world.
+
+When the Merry Little Breeze asked him why Bobby Coon always washes his
+food, Grandfather Frog stopped to snap up a particularly fat, foolish,
+green fly that came his way.  Then, while all the Merry Little Breezes
+gathered around him, he settled himself on his big green lily pad and
+began:
+
+"Once upon a time, when the world was young, old King Bear ruled in the
+Green Forest.  Of course old Mother Nature, who was even more beautiful
+then than she is now, was the real ruler, but she let old King Bear
+think he ruled so long as he ruled wisely.
+
+"All the little Green Forest folk and all the little people of the
+Green Meadows used to take presents of food to old King Bear, so that
+he never had to hunt for things to eat.  He grew fatter and fatter and
+fatter until it seemed as if his skin must burst.  And the fatter he
+grew the lazier he grew."
+
+Grandfather Frog paused with an expectant far-away look in his great
+bulging eyes.  Then he leaped into the air so far that when he came
+down it was with a great splash in the Smiling Pool.  But as he swam
+back to his big lily pad the leg of a foolish green fly could be seen
+sticking out of one corner of his big mouth, and he settled himself
+with a sigh of great contentment.
+
+"Old King Bear," continued Grandfather Frog, just as if there had been
+no interruption, "grew fatter and lazier every day, and like a great
+many other fat and lazy people who have nothing to do for themselves
+but are always waited on by others, he grew shorter and shorter in
+temper and harder and harder to please.
+
+"Now perhaps you don't know it, but the Bear family and the Coon family
+are very closely related.  In fact, they are second cousins.  Old Mr.
+Coon, Bobby Coon's father with a thousand greats tacked on before, was
+young then, and he was very, very proud of being related to old King
+Bear.  He began to pass some of his old playfellows on the Green
+Meadows without seeing them.  He spent a great deal of time brushing
+his coat and combing his whiskers and caring for his big ringed tail.
+He held his head very high and he put on such airs that pretty soon he
+could see no one at all but members of his own family and of the royal
+family of Bear.
+
+"Now as old King Bear grew fat and lazy he grew fussy, so that he was
+no longer content to take everything brought him, but picked out the
+choicest portions for himself and left the rest.  Mr. Coon took charge
+of all the things brought as tribute to old King Bear and of course
+where there were so many goodies left he got all he wanted without
+working.
+
+"So just as old King Bear had grown fat and lazy and selfish, Mr. Coon
+grew fat and lazy and selfish.  Pretty soon he began to pick out the
+best things for himself and hide them before old King Bear saw them.
+When old King Bear was asleep he would go get them and stuff himself
+like a greedy pig.  And because he was stealing and wanted no one to
+see him he always ate his stolen feasts at night.
+
+"Now old Mother Nature is, as you all know, very, very wise, oh very
+wise indeed.  One of the first laws she made when the world was young
+is that every living thing shall work for what it has, and the harder
+it works the stronger it shall grow.  So when Old Mother Nature saw how
+fat and lazy and selfish old King Bear was getting and how fat and lazy
+and dishonest his cousin, Mr. Coon, was becoming, she determined that
+they should be taught a lesson which they would remember for ever and
+ever and ever.
+
+"First she proclaimed that old King Bear should be king no longer, and
+no more need the little folks of the Green Forest and the little people
+of the Green Meadows bring him tribute.
+
+"Now when old Mother Nature made this proclamation old King Bear was
+fast asleep.  It was just on the edge of winter and he had picked out a
+nice warm cave with a great pile of leaves for a bed.  Old Mother
+Nature peeped in at him.  He was snoring and probably dreaming of more
+good things to eat.  'If he is to be king no longer, there is no use in
+waking him now,' said old Mother Nature to herself, 'he is so fat and
+so stupid.  He shall sleep until gentle Sister South Wind comes in the
+spring to kiss away the snow and ice.  Then he shall waken with a lean
+stomach and a great appetite and there shall be none to feed him.'
+
+"Now old Mother Nature always has a warm heart and she was very fond of
+Bobby Coon's grandfather a thousand times removed.  So when she saw
+what a selfish glutton and thief he had become she decided to put him
+to sleep just as she had old King Bear.  But first she would teach Mr.
+Coon that stolen food is not the sweetest.
+
+"So old Mother Nature found some tender, juicy corn just in the milk
+which Mr. Coon had stolen from old King Bear.  Then she went down on
+the Green Meadows where the wild mustard grows and gathering a lot of
+this she rubbed the juice into the corn and then put it back where Mr.
+Coon had left it.
+
+"Now I have told you that it was night when Mr. Coon had his stolen
+feasts, for he wanted no one to see him.  So no one was there when he
+took a great bite of the tender, juicy corn old Mother Nature had put
+back for him.  Being greedy and a glutton, he swallowed the first
+mouthful before he had fairly tasted it, and took a second, and then
+such a time as there was on the edge of the Green Forest!  Mr. Coon
+rolled over and over with both of his forepaws clasped over his stomach
+and groaned and groaned and groaned.  He had rubbed his eyes and of
+course had got mustard into them and could not see.  He waked up all
+the little Green Forest folk who sleep through the night, as good
+people should, and they all gathered around to see what was the matter
+with Mr. Coon.
+
+"Finally old Mother Nature came to his relief and brought him some
+water.  Then she led him to his home in the great hollow in the big
+chestnut tree, and when she had seen him curled up in a tight little
+ball among the dried leaves she put him into the long sleep as she had
+old King Bear.
+
+"In the spring, when gentle Sister South Wind kissed away all the snow
+and ice, old King Bear, who was king no longer, and Mr. Coon awoke and
+both were very thin, and both were very hungry, oh very, very hungry
+indeed.  Old King Bear, who was king no longer, wasn't the least mite
+fussy about what he had to eat, but ate gladly any food he could find.
+
+"But Mr. Coon remembered the burning of his stomach and mouth and could
+not forget it.  So whenever he found anything to eat he first took it
+to the Laughing Brook or the Smiling Pool and washed it very carefully,
+lest there be some mustard on it.
+
+"And ever since that long ago time, when the world was young, the Coon
+family has remembered that experience of Mr. Coon, who was second
+cousin to old King Bear, and that is why Bobby Coon washes his food,
+travels about at night, and sleeps all winter," concluded Grandfather
+Frog, fixing his great goggle eyes on a foolish green fly headed his
+way.
+
+"Oh thank you, thank you, Grandfather Frog," cried the Merry Little
+Breezes as they danced away over the Green Meadows.  But one of them
+slipped back long enough to get behind the foolish green fly and blow
+him right up to Grandfather Frog's big lily pad.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog, smacking his lips.
+
+
+
+
+XIII
+
+THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES HAVE A BUSY DAY
+
+Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the shadowy
+coolness of the early morning, before even jolly, round, red Mr. Sun
+had thrown off his rosy coverlids for his daily climb up through the
+blue sky.  The last little star was blinking sleepily as Old Mother
+West Wind turned her big bag upside down on the Green Meadows and all
+her children, the Merry Little Breezes, tumbled out on the soft green
+grass.
+
+Then Old Mother West Wind kissed them all around and hurried away to
+hunt for a rain cloud which had gone astray.  The Merry Little Breezes
+watched her go.  Then they played hide and seek until jolly, round, red
+Mr. Sun had climbed out of bed and was smiling down on the Green
+Meadows.
+
+Pretty soon along came Peter Rabbit, lipperty-lipperty-lip.
+
+"Hello, Peter Rabbit!" shouted the Merry Little Breezes.  "Come play
+with us!"
+
+"Can't," said Peter Rabbit.  "I have to go find some tender young
+carrots for my breakfast," and away be hurried, lipperty-lipperty-lip.
+
+In a few minutes Jimmy Skunk came in sight and he seemed to be almost
+hurrying along the Crooked Little Path down the hill.  The Merry Little
+Breezes danced over to meet him.
+
+"Hello, Jimmy Skunk!" they cried.  "Come play with us!"
+
+Jimmy Skunk shook his head.  "Can't," said he.  "I have to go look for
+some beetles for my breakfast," and off he went looking under every old
+stick and pulling over every stone not too big for his strength.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes watched him for a few minutes and then raced
+over to the Laughing Brook.  There they found Billy Mink stealing
+softly down towards the Smiling Pool.
+
+"Oh, Billy Mink, come play with us," begged the Merry Little Breezes.
+
+"Can't," said Billy Mink.  "I have to catch a trout for Grandfather
+Mink's breakfast," and he crept on towards the Smiling Pool.
+
+Just then along came Bumble the Bee.  Now Bumble the Bee is a lazy
+fellow who always makes a great fuss, as if he was the busiest and most
+important fellow in the world.
+
+"Good morning, Bumble," cried the Merry Little Breezes.  "Come play
+with us!"
+
+"Buzz, buzz, buzz," grumbled Bumble the Bee.  "Can't, for I have to get
+a sack of honey," and off he hurried to the nearest dandelion.
+
+Then the Merry Little Breezes hunted up Johnny Chuck.  But Johnny Chuck
+was busy, too busy to play.  Bobby Coon was asleep, for he had been out
+all night.  Reddy Fox also was asleep.  Striped Chipmunk was in such a
+hurry to fill the pockets in his cheeks that he could hardly stop to
+say good morning.  Happy Jack Squirrel just flirted his big tail and
+rushed away as if he had many important things to attend to.
+
+Finally the Merry Little Breezes gave it up and sat down among the
+buttercups and daisies to talk it over.  Every one seemed to have
+something to do, every one but themselves.  It was such a busy world
+that sunshiny morning!  Pretty soon one of the Merry Little Breezes
+hopped up very suddenly and began the maddest little dance among the
+buttercups.
+
+"As we haven't anything to do for ourselves let's do something for
+somebody else!" he shouted.
+
+Up jumped all the Little Breezes, clapping their hands.
+
+"Oh let's!" they shouted.
+
+Way over across the Green Meadows they could see two long ears above
+the nodding daisies.
+
+"There's Peter Rabbit," cried one.  "Let's help him find those tender
+young carrots!"
+
+No sooner proposed than off they all raced to see who could reach Peter
+first.  Peter was sitting up very straight, looking this way and
+looking that way for some tender young carrots, but not one had he
+found, and his stomach was empty.  The Merry Little Breezes stopped
+just long enough to tickle his long ears and pull his whiskers, then
+away they raced, scattering in all directions, to see who could first
+find a tender young carrot for Peter Rabbit.  By and by when one of
+them did find a field of tender young carrots he rushed off, taking the
+smell of them with him to tickle the nose of Peter Rabbit.
+
+Peter wriggled his nose, his funny little nose, very fast when it was
+tickled with the smell of tender young carrots, and the Merry Little
+Breeze laughed to see him.
+
+"Come on, Peter Rabbit, for this is my busy day!" he cried.
+
+Peter Rabbit didn't have to be invited twice.  Away he went,
+lipperty-lipperty-lip, as fast as his long legs could take him after
+the Merry Little Breeze.  And presently they came to the field of
+tender young carrots.
+
+"Oh thank you, Merry Little Breeze!" cried Peter Rabbit, and
+straightway began to eat his breakfast.
+
+Another Merry Little Breeze, slipping up the Crooked Little Path on the
+hill, spied the hind legs of a fat beetle sticking out from under a
+flat stone.  At once the Little Breeze remembered Jimmy Skunk, who was
+hunting for beetles for his breakfast.  Off rushed the Little Breeze in
+merry whirls that made the grasses sway and bend and the daisies nod.
+
+When after a long, long hunt he found Jimmy Skunk, Jimmy was very much
+out of sorts.  In fact Jimmy Skunk was positively cross.  You see, he
+hadn't had any breakfast, for hunt as he would he couldn't find a
+single beetle.
+
+When the Merry Little Breeze danced up behind Jimmy Skunk and, just in
+fun, rumpled up his black and white coat, Jimmy quite lost his temper.
+In fact he said some things not at all nice to the Merry Little Breeze.
+But the Merry Little Breeze just laughed.  The more he laughed the
+crosser Jimmy Skunk grew, and the crosser Jimmy Skunk grew the more the
+Merry Little Breeze laughed.  It was such a jolly laugh that pretty
+soon Jimmy Skunk began to grin a little sheepishly, then to really
+smile and finally to laugh outright in spite of his empty stomach.  You
+see it is very hard, very hard indeed and very foolish, to remain cross
+when someone else is perfectly good natured.
+
+Suddenly the Merry Little Breeze danced up to Jimmy Skunk and whispered
+in his right ear.  Then he danced around and whispered in his left ear.
+Jimmy Skunk's eyes snapped and his mouth began to water.
+
+"Where, Little Breeze, where?" he begged.
+
+"Follow me," cried the Merry Little Breeze, racing off up the Crooked
+Little Path so fast that Jimmy Skunk lost his breath trying to keep up,
+for you know Jimmy Skunk seldom hurries.
+
+When they came to the big flat stone Jimmy Skunk grasped it with both
+hands and pulled and pulled.  Up came the stone so suddenly that Jimmy
+Skunk fell over flat on his back.  When he had scrambled to his feet
+there were beetles and beetles, running in every direction to find a
+place to hide.
+
+"Thank you, thank you, Little Breeze," shouted Jimmy Skunk as he
+started to catch beetles for his breakfast.
+
+And the Little Breeze laughed happily as he danced away to join the
+other Merry Little Breezes on the Green Meadows.  There he found them
+very, very busy, very busy indeed, so busy that they could hardly find
+time to nod to him.  What do you think they were doing?  They were
+toting _gold_!  Yes, Sir, toting gold!  And this is how it happened:
+
+While the first Little Breeze was showing Peter Rabbit the field of
+tender young carrots, and while the second Little Breeze was leading
+Jimmy Skunk to the flat stone and the beetles, the other Merry Little
+Breezes had found Bumble the Bee.  Now Bumble the Bee is a lazy fellow,
+though he pretends to be the busiest fellow in the world, and they
+found him grumbling as he buzzed with a great deal of fuss from one
+flower to another.
+
+"What's the matter, Bumble?" cried the Merry Little Breezes.
+
+"Matter enough," grumbled Bumble the Bee.  "I've got to make a sack of
+honey, and as if that isn't enough, old Mother Nature has ordered me to
+carry a sack of gold from each flower I visit to the next flower I
+visit.  If I don't I can get no honey.  Buzz-buzz-buzz," grumbled
+Bumble the Bee.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes looked at the million little flowers on the
+Green Meadows, each waiting a sack of gold to give and a sack of gold
+to receive.  Then they looked at each other and shouted happily, for
+they too would now be able to cry "busy, busy, busy."
+
+From flower to flower they hurried, each with a bag of gold over his
+shoulder.  Wherever they left a bag they took a bag, and all the little
+flowers nodded happily to see the Merry Little Breezes at work.
+
+Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun climbed higher and higher and higher in the
+blue sky, where he can look down and see all things, great and small.
+His smile was broader than ever as he watched the hurrying, scurrying
+Little Breezes working instead of playing.  Yet after all it was a kind
+of play, for they danced from flower to flower and ran races across
+bare places where no flowers grew.
+
+By and by the Merry Little Breezes met Peter Rabbit.  Now Peter Rabbit
+had made a good breakfast of tender young carrots, so he felt very
+good, very good indeed.
+
+"Hi!" shouted Peter Rabbit, "come play with me."
+
+"Can't," cried the Merry Little Breezes all together, "we have work to
+do!"
+
+Off they hurried, while Peter Rabbit stretched himself out full length
+in a sunny spot, for Peter Rabbit also is a lazy fellow.
+
+Down the Crooked Little Path onto the Green Meadows came Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"Ho!" shouted Jimmy Skunk as soon as he saw the Little Breezes, "come
+play with me."
+
+"Can't," cried the Little Breezes, "for we are busy, busy, busy," and
+they laughed happily.
+
+When they reached the Laughing Brook they found Billy Mink curled up in
+a round ball, fast asleep.  It isn't often that Billy Mink is caught
+napping, but he had had a good breakfast of trout, he had found no one
+to play with and, as he never works and the day was so bright and warm,
+he had first looked for a place where he thought no one would find him
+and had then curled himself up to sleep, One of the Little Breezes laid
+down the bag of gold he was carrying and creeping ever so softly over
+to Billy Mink began to tickle one of Billy's ears with a straw.
+
+At first Billy Mink didn't open his eyes, but rubbed his ear with a
+little black hand.  Finally he jumped to his feet wide awake and ready
+to fight whoever was bothering him.  But all he saw was a laughing
+Little Breeze running away with a bag of gold on his back.
+
+So all day long, till Old Mother West Wind came with her big bag to
+carry them to their home behind the Purple Hills, the Merry Little
+Breezes hurried this way and that way over the Green Meadows.  No wee
+flower was too tiny to give and receive its share of gold, and not one
+was overlooked by the Merry Little Breezes.
+
+Old Mother Nature, who knows everything, heard of the busy day of the
+Merry Little Breezes.  Nobody knows how she heard of it.  Perhaps
+jolly, round, red Mr. Sun told her.  Perhaps--but never mind.  You
+can't fool old Mother Nature anyway and it's of no use to try.
+
+So old Mother Nature visited the Green Meadows to see for herself, and
+when she found how the Merry Little Breezes had distributed the gold
+she was so pleased that straightway she announced to all the world that
+thenceforth and for all time the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother
+West Wind should have charge of the distribution of the gold of the
+flowers on the Green Meadows, which they have to this day.
+
+And since that day the Merry Little Breezes have been merrier than
+ever, for they have found that it is not nearly so much fun to play all
+the time, but that to work for some good in the world is the greatest
+fun of all.
+
+So every year when the gold of the flowers, which some people do not
+know is gold at all but call pollen, is ready you will find the Merry
+Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind very, very busy among the
+flowers on the Green Meadows.  And this is the happiest time of all.
+
+
+
+
+XIV
+
+WHY HOOTY THE OWL DOES NOT PLAY ON THE GREEN MEADOWS
+
+The Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were having a
+good-night game of tag down on the Green Meadows.  They were having
+_such_ a jolly time while they waited for Old Mother West Wind and her
+big bag to take them to their home behind the Purple Hills.  Jolly,
+round, red Mr. Sun had already put his nightcap on.  Black shadows
+crept softly out from the Purple Hills onto the Green Meadows.  The
+Merry Little Breezes grew sleepy, almost too sleepy to play, for Old
+Mother West Wind was very, very late.
+
+Farther and farther and farther out onto the Green Meadows crept the
+black shadows.  Suddenly one seemed to separate from the others.
+Softly, oh so softly, yet swiftly, it floated over towards the Merry
+Little Breezes.  One of them happened to look up and saw it coming.  It
+was the same Little Breeze who one time stayed out all night.  When he
+looked up and saw this seeming shadow moving so swiftly he knew that it
+was no shadow at all.
+
+"Here comes Hooty the Owl," cried the Little Breeze.
+
+Then all the Merry Little Breezes stopped their game of tag to look at
+Hooty the Owl.  It is seldom they have a chance to see him, for usually
+Hooty the Owl does not come out on the Green Meadows until after the
+Merry Little Breezes are snugly tucked in bed behind the Purple Hills.
+
+"Perhaps Hooty the Owl will tell us why it is that he never comes out
+to play with us," said one of the Little Breezes.
+
+But just as Hooty the Owl floated over to them up came Old Mother West
+Wind, and she was in a great hurry, for she was late, and she was
+tired.  She had had a busy day, a very busy day indeed, hunting for a
+rain cloud which had gone astray.  So now she just opened her big bag
+and tumbled all the Merry Little Breezes into it as fast as she could
+without giving them so much as a chance to say "Good evening" to Hooty
+the Owl.  Then she took them off home behind the Purple Hills.
+
+Of course the Merry Little Breezes were disappointed, very much
+disappointed.  But they were also very sleepy, for they had played hard
+all day.
+
+"Never mind," said one of them, drowsily, "to-morrow we'll ask
+Great-Grandfather Frog why it is that Hooty the Owl never comes out to
+play with us on the Green Meadows.  He'll know."
+
+The next morning Old Mother West Wind was late in coming down from the
+Purple Hills.  When she finally did turn the Merry Little Breezes out
+of her big bag onto the Green Meadows jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was
+already quite high in the blue sky.  The Merry Little Breezes waited
+just long enough to say "Good-by" to Old Mother West Wind, and then
+started a mad race to see who could reach the Smiling Pool first.
+
+There they found Great-Grandfather Frog sitting on his big green lily
+pad as usual.  He was very contented with the world, was Grandfather
+Frog, for fat green flies had been more foolish than usual that morning
+and already he had all that he could safely tuck inside his white and
+yellow waistcoat.
+
+"Good morning, Grandfather Frog," shouted the Merry Little Breezes.
+"Will you tell us why it is that Hooty the Owl never comes out to play
+with us on the Green Meadows?"
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Great-Grandfather Frog, gruffly, "how should I know?"
+
+You see, Grandfather Frog likes to be teased a little.
+
+"Oh, but you do know, for you are so old and so very wise," cried the
+Merry Little Breezes all together.
+
+Grandfather Frog smiled, for he likes to be thought very wise, and also
+he was feeling very good, very good indeed that morning.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.  "If you'll sit perfectly still
+I'll tell you what I know about Hooty the Owl.  But remember, you must
+sit perfectly still, _per-fect-ly_ still."
+
+The Merry Little Breezes sighed, for it is the hardest thing in the
+world for them to keep perfectly still unless they are asleep.  But
+they promised that they would, and when they had settled down, each one
+in the heart of a great white water lily, Grandfather Frog began:
+
+"Once upon a time, when the world was young, Hooty the Owl's
+grandfather a thousand times removed used to fly about in daylight with
+the other birds.  He was very big and very strong and very fierce, was
+Mr. Owl.  He had great big claws and a hooked bill, just as Hooty the
+Owl has now, and he was afraid of nothing and nobody.
+
+"Now when people are very big and very strong and afraid of nothing and
+nobody they are very apt to care for nothing and nobody but themselves.
+So it was with Mr. Owl.  Whatever he saw that he wanted he took, no
+matter to whom it belonged, for there was no one to stop him.
+
+"As I have already told you, Mr. Owl was very big and very strong and
+very fierce and he was a very great glutton.  It took a great many
+little birds and little animals to satisfy his appetite.  But he didn't
+stop there!  No, Sir, he didn't stop there!  He used to kill harmless
+little meadow people just for the fun of killing, and because he could.
+Every day he grew more savage.  Finally no one smaller than himself
+dared stir on the Green Meadows when he was around.  The little birds
+no longer sang.  The Fieldmice children no longer played among the
+meadow grasses.  Those were sad days, very sad days indeed on the Green
+Meadows," said Grandfather Frog, with a sigh.
+
+"At last old Mother Nature came to visit the Green Meadows and she soon
+saw what a terrible state things were in.  No one came to meet her, for
+you see no one dared to show himself for fear of fierce old Mr. Owl.
+
+"Now I have told you that Mr. Owl was afraid of nothing and nobody, but
+this is not quite true, for he was afraid, very much afraid of old
+Mother Nature.  When he saw her coming he was sitting on top of a tall
+dead stump and he at once tried to look very meek and very innocent.
+
+"Old Mother Nature wasted no time.  'Where are all my little meadow
+people and why do they not come to give me greeting?' demanded old
+Mother Nature of Mr. Owl.
+
+"Mr. Owl bowed very low.  'I'm sure I don't know.  I think they must
+all be taking a nap,' said he.
+
+"Now you can't fool old Mother Nature and it's of no use to try.  No,
+Sir, you can't fool old Mother Nature.  She just looked at Mr. Owl and
+she looked at the feathers and fur scattered about the foot of the dead
+stump.  Mr. Owl stood first on one foot and then on the other.  He
+tried to look old Mother Nature in the face, but he couldn't.  You see,
+Mr. Owl had a guilty conscience and a guilty conscience never looks
+anyone straight in the face.  He did wish that Mother Nature would say
+something, did Mr. Owl.  But she didn't.  She just looked and looked
+and looked and looked straight at Mr. Owl.  The longer she looked the
+uneasier he got and the faster he shifted from one foot to the other.
+Finally he shifted so fast that he seemed to be dancing on top of the
+old stump.
+
+"Gradually, a few at a time, the little meadow people crept out from
+their hiding places and formed a great circle around the old dead
+stump.  With old Mother Nature there they felt sure that no harm could
+come to them.  Then they began to laugh at the funny sight of fierce
+old Mr. Owl hopping from one foot to the other on top of the old dead
+stump.  It was the first laugh on the Green Meadows for a long, long,
+long time.
+
+"Of course Mr. Owl saw them laughing at him, but he could think of
+nothing but the sharp eyes of old Mother Nature boring straight through
+him, and he danced faster than ever.  The faster he danced the funnier
+he looked, and the funnier he looked the harder the little meadow
+people laughed.
+
+"Finally old Mother Nature slowly raised a hand and pointed a long
+forefinger at Mr. Owl.  All the little meadow people stopped laughing
+to hear what she would say.
+
+"'Mr. Owl,' she began, 'I know and you know why none of my little
+meadow people were here to give me greeting.  And this shall be your
+punishment: From now on your eyes shall become so tender that they
+cannot stand the light of day, so that hereafter you shall fly about
+only after round, red Mr. Sun has gone to bed behind the Purple Hills.
+No more shall my little people who play on the Green Meadows all the
+day long have cause to fear you, for no more shall you see to do them
+harm.'
+
+"When she ceased speaking all the little meadow people gave a great
+shout, for they knew that it would be even as Mother Nature had said.
+Then began such a frolic as the Green Meadows had not known for many a
+long day.
+
+"But Mr. Owl flew slowly and with difficulty over to the darkest part
+of the deep wood, for the light hurt his eyes dreadfully and he could
+hardly see.  And as he flew the little birds flew around him in a great
+cloud and plucked out his feathers and tormented him for he could not
+see to harm them."
+
+Grandfather Frog paused and looked dreamily across the Smiling Pool.
+Suddenly he opened his big mouth and then closed it with a snap.  One
+more foolish green fly had disappeared inside the white and yellow
+waistcoat.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog, "those were sad days, sad days
+indeed for Mr. Owl.  He couldn't hunt for his meals by day, for the
+light blinded him.  At night he could see but little in the darkness.
+So he got little to eat and he grew thinner and thinner and thinner
+until he was but a shadow of his former self.  He was always hungry,
+was Mr. Owl, always hungry.  No one was afraid of him now, for it was
+the easiest thing in the world to keep out of his way.
+
+"At last old Mother Nature came again to visit the Green Meadows and
+the Green Forest.  Far, far in the darkest part of the deep wood she
+found Mr. Owl.  When she saw how very thin and how very, very miserable
+he was her heart was moved to pity, for old Mother Nature loves all her
+subjects, even the worst of them.  All the fierceness was gone from Mr.
+Owl.  He was so weak that he just sat huddled in the thickest part of
+the great pine.  You see he had been able to catch very little to eat.
+
+"'Mr. Owl,' said old Mother Nature gently, 'you now know something of
+the misery and the suffering which you have caused others, and I think
+you have been punished enough.  No more may you fly abroad over the
+Green Meadows while the day is bright, for still is the fear of you in
+the hearts of all my little meadow people, but hereafter you shall not
+find it so difficult to get enough to eat.  Your eyes shall grow big,
+bigger than the eyes of any other bird, so that you shall be able to
+see in the dusk and even in the dark.  Your ears shall grow large,
+larger than the ears of any of the little forest or meadow people, so
+that you can hear the very least sound.  Your feathers shall become as
+soft as down, so that when you fly none shall hear you.'
+
+"And from that day it was even so.  Mr. Owl's eyes grew big and bigger
+until he could see as well in the dusk as he used to see in the full
+light of day.  His ears grew large and larger until his hearing became
+so keen that he could hear the least rustle, even at a long distance.
+And when he flew he made no sound, but floated like a great shadow.
+
+"The little meadow people no longer feared him by day, but when the
+shadows began to creep out from the Purple Hills each night and they
+heard his voice 'Whoo-too-whoo-hoo-hoo' they felt all the old fear of
+him.  If they were wise they did not stir, but if they were foolish and
+so much as shivered Mr. Owl was sure to hear them and silently pounce
+upon them.
+
+"So once more Mr. Owl grew strong and fierce.  But only at night had
+anyone cause to fear him, and then only the foolish and timid.
+
+"And now you know," concluded Grandfather Frog, "why it is that Hooty
+the Owl never comes out to play with you on the Green Meadows, and why
+his eyes are so big and his ears so large."
+
+"Thank you, thank you, Grandfather Frog!" cried the Merry Little
+Breezes, springing up from the white water lilies and stretching
+themselves.  "We'll bring you the first foolish green fly we can find."
+
+Then away they rushed to hunt for it.
+
+
+
+
+XV
+
+DANNY MEADOW MOUSE LEARNS TO LAUGH
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse sat on his doorstep and sulked.  The Merry Little
+Breezes of Old Mother West Wind ran past, one after another, and
+pointing their fingers at him cried:
+
+  "Fie, Danny Meadow Mouse!
+  Better go inside the house!
+  Babies cry--oh my! oh my!
+  You're a baby--go and cry!"
+
+
+Pretty soon along the Lone Little Path came Peter Rabbit.  Peter Rabbit
+looked at Danny Meadow Mouse.  Then he pointed a finger at him and said:
+
+  "Cry, Danny, cry!
+  Mammy'll whip you by and by!
+  Then we'll all come 'round to see
+  How big a baby you can be.
+  Cry, Danny, cry!"
+
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse began to snivel.  He cried softly to himself as
+Peter Rabbit hopped off down the Lone Little Path.  Soon along came
+Reddy Fox.  He saw Danny Meadow Mouse sitting on his doorstep crying
+all by himself.  Reddy Fox crept up behind a tall bunch of grass.  Then
+suddenly he jumped out right in front of Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+"Boo!" cried Reddy Fox.
+
+It frightened Danny Meadow Mouse.  He jumped almost out of his skin,
+and ran into the house crying at the top of his voice.
+
+"Ha, ha, ha," laughed Reddy Fox
+
+  "Danny, Danny, crying Dan
+  Boo-hoo-hooed and off he ran!"
+
+
+Then Reddy Fox chased his tail all the way down the Lone Little Path
+onto the Green Meadows.
+
+By and by Danny Meadow Mouse came out again and sat on his doorstep.
+He had stopped crying, but he looked very unhappy and cross and sulky.
+Hopping and skipping down the Lone Little Path came Striped Chipmunk.
+
+"Come play with me," called Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+Striped Chipmunk kept right on hopping and skipping down the Lone
+Little Path.
+
+"Don't want to," said Striped Chipmunk, sticking his tongue in his
+cheek.
+
+  "Cry-baby Danny
+  Never'll be a manny!
+  Run to mamma, Danny, dear,
+  And she will wipe away your tear!"
+
+
+Striped Chipmunk hopped and skipped out of sight, and Danny Meadow
+Mouse began to cry again because Striped Chipmunk would not play with
+him.
+
+It was true, dreadfully true!  Danny Meadow Mouse _was_ a cry-baby and
+no one wanted to play with him.  If he stubbed his toe he cried.  If
+Striped Chipmunk beat him in a race he cried.  If the Merry Little
+Breezes pulled his whiskers just in fun he cried.  It had come to such
+a pass that all the little meadow people delighted to tease him just to
+make him cry.  Nowhere on all the Green Meadows was there such a
+cry-baby as Danny Meadow Mouse.
+
+So Danny sat on his doorstep and cried because no one would play with
+him and he was lonely.  The more he thought how lonely he was, the more
+he cried.
+
+Presently along came old Mr. Toad.  Now Mr. Toad looks very grumpy and
+out of sorts, but that is because you do not know old Mr. Toad.  When
+he reached the house of Danny Meadow Mouse he stopped right in front of
+Danny.  He put his right hand behind his right ear and listened.  Then
+he put his left hand behind his left ear and listened some more.
+Finally he put both hands on his hips and began to laugh.
+
+Now Mr. Toad's mouth is very big indeed, and when he opens it to laugh
+he opens it very wide indeed.
+
+"Ha, ha, ha!  Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Mr. Toad.
+
+Danny Meadow Mouse cried harder than ever, and the harder he cried the
+harder old Mr. Toad laughed.  By and by Danny Meadow Mouse stopped
+crying long enough to say to Mr. Toad:
+
+"What are you laughing for, Mr. Toad?"
+
+Mr. Toad stopped laughing long enough to reply:
+
+"I'm laughing, Danny Meadow Mouse, because you are crying at me.  What
+are you crying for?"
+
+"I'm crying," said Danny Meadow Mouse, "because you are laughing at
+me."  Then Danny began to cry again, and Mr. Toad began to laugh again.
+
+"What's all this about?" demanded some one right behind them.
+
+It was Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"It's a new kind of game," said old Mr. Toad.  "Danny Meadow Mouse is
+trying to see if he can cry longer than I can laugh."
+
+Then old Mr. Toad once more opened his big mouth and began to laugh
+harder than ever.  Jimmy Skunk looked at him for just a minute and he
+looked so funny that Jimmy Skunk began to laugh too.
+
+Now a good honest laugh is like whooping cough--it is catching.  The
+first thing Danny Meadow Mouse knew his tears would not come.  It's a
+fact, Danny Meadow Mouse had run short of tears.  The next thing he
+knew he wasn't crying at all--he was laughing.  Yes, Sir, he actually
+was laughing.  He tried to cry, but it was of no use at all; he just
+_had_ to laugh.
+
+The more he laughed the harder old Mr. Toad laughed.  And the harder
+Mr. Toad laughed the funnier he looked.  Pretty soon all three of them,
+Danny Meadow Mouse, old Mr. Toad and Jimmy Skunk, were holding their
+sides and rolling over and over in the grass, they were laughing so
+hard.
+
+By and by Mr. Toad stopped laughing.
+
+"Dear me, dear me, this will never do!" said Mr. Toad.  "I must get
+busy in my garden.
+
+  "The little slugs, they creep and crawl
+  And eat and eat from spring to fall
+  They never stop to laugh nor cry,
+  And really couldn't if they'd try.
+
+So if you'll excuse me I'll hurry along to get them out of my garden."
+
+Mr. Toad started down the Lone Little Path.  After a few hops he paused
+and turned around.
+
+"Danny Meadow Mouse," said old Mr. Toad, "an honest laugh is like
+sunshine; it brightens the whole world.  Don't forget it."
+
+Jimmy Skunk remembered that he had started out to find some beetles, so
+still chuckling he started for the Crooked Little Path up the hill.
+Danny Meadow Mouse, once more alone, sat down on his doorstep.  His
+sides were sore, he had laughed so hard, and somehow the whole world
+had changed.  The grass seemed greener than he had ever seen it before.
+The sunshine was brighter and the songs of the birds were sweeter.
+Altogether it was a very nice world, a very nice world indeed to live
+in.  Somehow he felt as if he never wanted to cry again.
+
+Pretty soon along came the Merry Little Breezes again, chasing
+butterflies.  When they saw Danny Meadow Mouse sitting on his doorstep
+they pointed their fingers at him, just as before, and shouted:
+
+  "Fie, Danny Meadow Mouse!
+  Better go inside the house!
+  Babies cry--oh my! oh my!
+  You're a baby--go and cry!"
+
+
+For just a little minute Danny Meadow Mouse wanted to cry.  Then he
+remembered old Mr. Toad and instead began to laugh.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes didn't know just what to make of it.  They
+stopped chasing butterflies and crowded around Danny Meadow Mouse.
+They began to tease him.  They pulled his whiskers and rumpled his
+hair.  The more they teased the more Danny Meadow Mouse laughed.
+
+When they found that Danny Meadow Mouse really wasn't going to cry,
+they stopped teasing and invited him to come play with them in the long
+meadow grass.  Such a good frolic as they did have!  When it was over
+Danny Meadow Mouse once more sat down on his doorstep to rest.
+
+Hopping and skipping back up the Lone Little Path came Striped
+Chipmunk.  When he saw Danny Meadow Mouse he stuck his tongue in his
+cheek and cried:
+
+  "Cry-baby Danny
+  Never'll be a manny!
+  Run to mamma, Danny dear,
+  And she will wipe away your tear!"
+
+
+Instead of crying Danny Meadow Mouse began to laugh.  Striped Chipmunk
+stopped and took his tongue out of his cheek.  Then he began to laugh
+too.
+
+"Do you want me to play with you?" asked Striped Chipmunk, suddenly.
+
+Of course Danny did, and soon they were having the merriest kind of a
+game of hide and seek.  Right in the midst of it Danny Meadow Mouse
+caught his left foot in a root and twisted his ankle.  My, how it did
+hurt!  In spite of himself tears did come into his eyes.  But he winked
+them back and bravely began to laugh.
+
+Striped Chipmunk helped him back to his doorstep and cut funny capers
+while Mother Meadow Mouse bound up the hurt foot, and all the time
+Danny Meadow Mouse laughed until pretty soon he forgot that his foot
+ached at all.
+
+When Peter Rabbit came jumping along up the Lone Little Path he began
+to shout as soon as he saw Danny Meadow Mouse:
+
+  "Cry, Danny, cry!
+  Mammy'll whip you by and by!
+  Then we'll all come 'round to see
+  How big a baby you can be.
+  Cry, Danny, cry!"
+
+But Danny didn't cry.  My, no!  He laughed instead.  Peter Rabbit was
+so surprised that he stopped to see what had come over Danny Meadow
+Mouse.  When he saw the bandaged foot and heard how Danny had twisted
+his ankle Peter Rabbit sat right down on the doorstep beside Danny
+Meadow Mouse and told him how sorry he was, for happy-go-lucky Peter
+Rabbit is very tender-hearted.  Then he told Danny all about the
+wonderful things he had seen in his travels, and of all the scrapes he
+had gotten into.  When Peter Rabbit finally started off home Danny
+Meadow Mouse still sat on his doorstep.  But no longer was he lonely.
+He watched Old Mother West Wind trying to gather her Merry Little
+Breezes into her big bag to take to their home behind the Purple Hills,
+and he laughed right out when he saw her catch the last mischievous
+Little Breeze and tumble him, heels over head, in with the others.
+
+"Old Mr. Toad was right, just exactly right," thought Danny Meadow
+Mouse, as he rocked to and fro on his doorstep.  "It _is_ much better,
+oh very much better, to laugh than to cry."
+
+And since that day when Danny Meadow Mouse learned to laugh, no one has
+had a chance to point a finger at him and call him a cry-baby.  Instead
+every one has learned to love merry little Danny Meadow Mouse, and now
+they call him "Laughing Dan."
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN***
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