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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Old Mother West Wind, by Thornton W. Burgess
+
+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: Old Mother West Wind
+
+Author: Thornton W. Burgess
+
+Posting Date: December 23, 2008 [EBook #2557]
+Release Date: March, 2001
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD MOTHER WEST WIND ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Eve Sobol
+
+
+
+
+
+OLD MOTHER WEST WIND
+
+By Thornton W. Burgess
+
+
+
+
+   TO MY MOTHER TO WHOM I OWE SO MUCH AND TO MY LITTLE SON WHOSE
+   LOVE OF STORIES INSPIRED THESE TALES THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS
+   AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
+
+
+CONTENTS:
+
+CHAPTER
+
+     I. MRS. REDWING'S SPECKLED EGG
+
+    II. WHY GRANDFATHER FROG HAS NO TAIL
+
+   III. HOW REDDY FOX WAS SURPRISED
+
+    IV. WHY JIMMY SKUNK WEARS STRIPES
+
+     V. THE WILFUL LITTLE BREEZE
+
+    VI. REDDY FOX GOES FISHING
+
+   VII. JIMMY SKUNK LOOKS FOR BEETLES
+
+  VIII. BILLY MINK'S SWIMMING PARTY
+
+    IX. PETER RABBIT PLAYS A JOKE
+
+     X. HOW SAMMY JAY WAS FOUND OUT
+
+    XI. JERRY MUSKRAT'S PARTY
+
+   XII. BOBBY COON AND REDDY FOX PLAY TRICKS
+
+  XIII. JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD
+
+   XIV. LITTLE JOE OTTER'S SLIPPERY SLIDE
+
+    XV. THE TALE OF TOMMY TROUT WHO DIDN'T MIND
+
+   XVI. SPOTTY THE TURTLE WINS A RACE
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I. MRS. REDWING'S SPECKLED EGG
+
+Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the golden light
+of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a bag--a great big
+bag--and in the bag were all of Old Mother West Wind's children, the
+Merry Little Breezes.
+
+Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills to the Green
+Meadows and as she walked she crooned a song:
+
+     "Ships upon the ocean wait;
+      I must hurry, hurry on!
+      Mills are idle if I'm late;
+      I must hurry, hurry on."
+
+When she reached the Green Meadows Old Mother West Wind opened her bag,
+turned it upside down and shook it. Out tumbled all the Merry Little
+Breezes and began to spin round and round for very joy, for you see they
+were to lay in the Green Meadows all day long until Old Mother West Wind
+should come back at night and take them all to their home behind the
+Purple Hills.
+
+First they raced over to see Johnny Chuck. They found Johnny Chuck
+sitting just outside his door eating his breakfast. One, for very
+mischief, snatched right out of Johnny Chuck's mouth the green leaf of
+corn he was eating, and ran away with it. Another playfully pulled his
+whiskers, while a third rumpled up his hair.
+
+Johnny Chuck pretended to be very cross indeed, but really he didn't
+mind a bit, for Johnny Chuck loved the Merry Little Breezes and played
+with them everyday.
+
+And if they teased Johnny Chuck they were good to him, too. When they
+saw Farmer Brown coming across the Green Meadows with a gun one of them
+would dance over to Johnny Chuck and whisper to him that Farmer Brown
+was coming, and then Johnny Chuck would hide away, deep down in his snug
+little house under ground, and Farmer Brown would wonder and wonder why
+it was that he never, never could get near enough to shoot Johnny Chuck.
+But he never, never could.
+
+When the Merry Little Breezes left Johnny Chuck they raced across the
+Green Meadows to the Smiling Pool to say good morning to Grandfather
+Frog who sat on a big lily pad watching for green flies for breakfast.
+
+"Chug-arum," said Grandfather Frog, which was his way of saying good
+morning.
+
+Just then along came a fat green fly and up jumped Grandfather Frog.
+When he sat down again on the lily pad the fat green fly was nowhere to
+be seen, but Grandfather Frog looked very well satisfied indeed as he
+contentedly rubbed his white waistcoat with one hand.
+
+"What is the news, Grandfather Frog?" cried the Merry Little Breezes.
+
+"Mrs. Redwing has a new speckled egg in her nest in the bulrushes," said
+Grandfather Frog.
+
+"We must see it," cried the Merry Little Breezes, and away they all ran
+to the swamp where the bulrushes grow.
+
+Now someone else had heard of Mrs. Redwing's dear little nest in the
+bulrushes, and he had started out bright and early that morning to
+try and find it, for he wanted to steal the little speckled eggs just
+because they were pretty. It was Tommy Brown, the farmer's boy.
+
+When the Merry Little Breezes reached the swamp where the bulrushes
+grow they found poor Mrs. Redwing in great distress. She was afraid that
+Tommy Brown would find her dear little nest, for he was very, very near
+it, and his eyes were very, very sharp.
+
+"Oh," cried the Merry Little Breezes, "we must help Mrs. Redwing save
+her pretty speckled eggs from bad Tommy Brown!"
+
+So one of the Merry Little Breezes whisked Tommy Brown's old straw hat
+off his head over into the Green Meadows. Of course Tommy ran after it.
+Just as he stooped to pick it up another little Breeze ran away with
+it. Then they took turns, first one little Breeze, then another little
+Breeze running away with the old straw hat just as Tommy Brown would
+almost get his hands on it. Down past the Smiling Pool and across the
+Laughing Brook they raced and chased the old straw hat, Tommy Brown
+running after it, very cross, very red in the face, and breathing very
+hard. Way across the Green Meadows they ran to the edge of the wood,
+where they hung the old straw hat in the middle of a thorn tree. By the
+time Tommy Brown had it once more on his head he had forgotten all about
+Mrs. Redwing and her dear little nest. Besides, he heard the breakfast
+horn blowing just then, so off he started for home up the Lone Little
+Path through the wood.
+
+And all the Merry Little Breezes danced away across the Green Meadows
+to the swamp where the bulrushes grow to see the new speckled egg in the
+dear little nest where Mrs. Redwing was singing for joy. And while she
+sang the Merry Little Breezes danced among the bulrushes, for they knew,
+and Mrs. Redwing knew, that some day out of that pretty new speckled egg
+would come a wee baby Redwing.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II WHY GRANDFATHER FROG HAS NO TAIL
+
+Old Mother West Wind had gone to her day's work, leaving all the Merry
+Little Breezes to play in the Green Meadows. They had played tag and run
+races with the Bees and played hide and seek with the Sun Beams, and now
+they had gathered around the Smiling Pool where on a green lily pad sat
+Grandfather Frog.
+
+Grandfather Frog was old, very old, indeed, and very, very wise. He wore
+a green coat and his voice was very deep. When Grandfather Frog
+spoke everybody listened very respectfully. Even Billy Mink treated
+Grandfather Frog with respect, for Billy Mink's father and his father's
+father could not remember when Grandfather Frog had not sat on the lily
+pad watching for green flies.
+
+Down in the Smiling Pool were some of Grandfather Frog's
+great-great-great-great-great grandchildren. You wouldn't have known
+that they were his grandchildren unless some one told you. They didn't
+look the least bit like Grandfather Frog. They were round and fat and
+had long tails and perhaps this is why they were called Pollywogs.
+
+"Oh Grandfather Frog, tell us why you don't have a tail as you did when
+you were young," begged one of the Merry Little Breezes.
+
+Grandfather Frog snapped up a foolish green fly and settled himself on
+his big lily pad, while all the Merry Little Breezes gathered round to
+listen.
+
+"Once on a time," began Grandfather Frog, "the Frogs ruled the world,
+which was mostly water. There was very little dry land--oh, very little
+indeed! There were no boys to throw stones and no hungry Mink to gobble
+up foolish Frog-babies who were taking a sun bath!"
+
+Billy Mink, who had joined the Merry Little Breezes and was listening,
+squirmed uneasily and looked away guiltily.
+
+"In those days all the Frogs had tails, long handsome tails of which
+they were very, very proud indeed," continued Grandfather Frog. "The
+King of all the Frogs was twice as big as any other Frog, and his tail
+was three times as long. He was very proud, oh, very proud indeed of
+his long tail. He used to sit and admire it until he thought that there
+never had been and never could be another such tail. He used to wave it
+back and forth in the water, and every time he waved it all the other
+Frogs would cry 'Ah!' and 'Oh!' Every day the King grew more vain. He
+did nothing at all but eat and sleep and admire his tail.
+
+"Now all the other Frogs did just as the King did, so pretty soon none
+of the Frogs were doing anything but sitting about eating, sleeping and
+admiring their own tails and the King's.
+
+"Now you all know that people who do nothing worth while in this world
+are of no use and there is little room for them. So when Mother Nature
+saw how useless had become the Frog tribe she called the King Frog
+before her and she said:
+
+"'Because you can think of nothing but your beautiful tail it shall be
+taken away from you. Because you do nothing but eat and sleep your mouth
+shall become wide like a door, and your eyes shall start forth from your
+head. You shall become bow-legged and ugly to look at, and all the world
+shall laugh at you.'
+
+"The King Frog looked at his beautiful tail and already it seemed to
+have grown shorter. He looked again and it was shorter still. Every
+time he looked his tail had grown shorter and smaller. By and by when he
+looked there was nothing left but a little stub which he couldn't even
+wriggle. Then even that disappeared, his eyes popped out of his head and
+his mouth grew bigger and bigger."
+
+Old Grandfather Frog stopped and looked sadly at a foolish green fly
+coming his way. "Chug-arum," said Grandfather Frog, opening his mouth
+very wide and hopping up in the air. When he sat down again on his big
+lily pad the green fly was nowhere to be seen. Grandfather Frog smacked
+his lips and continued:
+
+"And from that day to this every Frog has started life with a big tail,
+and as he has grown bigger and bigger his tail has grown smaller and
+smaller, until finally it disappears, and then he remembers how foolish
+and useless it is to be vain of what nature has given us. And that is
+how I came to lose my tail," finished Grandfather Frog.
+
+"Thank you," shouted all the Merry Little Breezes. "We won't forget."
+
+Then they ran a race to see who could reach Johnny Chuck's home first
+and tell him that Farmer Brown was coming down on the Green Meadows with
+a gun.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III HOW REDDY FOX WAS SURPRISED
+
+Johnny Chuck and Reddy Fox lived very near together on the edge of the
+Green Meadows. Johnny Chuck was fat and roly-poly. Reddy Fox was slim
+and wore a bright red coat. Reddy Fox used to like to frighten Johnny
+Chuck by suddenly popping out from behind a tree and making believe that
+he was going to eat Johnny Chuck all up.
+
+One bright summer day Johnny Chuck was out looking for a good breakfast
+of nice tender clover. He had wandered quite a long way from his snug
+little house in the long meadow grass, although his mother had told him
+never to go out of sight of the door. But Johnny was like some little
+boys I know, and forgot all he had been told.
+
+He walked and walked and walked. Every few minutes Johnny Chuck saw
+something farther on that looked like a patch of nice fresh clover.
+And every time when he reached it Johnny Chuck found that he had made a
+mistake. So Johnny Chuck walked and walked and walked.
+
+Old Mother West Wind, coming across the Green Meadows, saw Johnny Chuck
+and asked him where he was going. Johnny Chuck pretended not to hear and
+just walked faster.
+
+One of the Merry Little Breezes danced along in front of him.
+
+"Look out, Johnny Chuck, you will get lost," cried the Merry Little
+Breeze then pulled Johnny's whiskers and ran away.
+
+Higher and higher up in the sky climbed round, red Mr. Sun. Every time
+Johnny Chuck looked up at him Mr. Sun winked.
+
+"So long as I can see great round, red Mr. Sun and he winks at me I
+can't be lost," thought Johnny Chuck, and trotted on looking for clover.
+
+By and by Johnny Chuck really did find some clover--just the sweetest
+clover that grew in the Green Meadows. Johnny Chuck ate and ate and ate
+and then what do you think he did? Why, he curled right up in the nice
+sweet clover and went fast asleep.
+
+Great round, red Mr. Sun kept climbing higher and higher up in the sky,
+then by and by he began to go down on the other side, and long shadows
+began to creep out across the Green Meadows. Johnny Chuck didn't know
+anything about them: he was fast asleep.
+
+By and by one of the Merry Little Breezes found Johnny Chuck all curled
+up in a funny round ball.
+
+"Wake up Johnny Chuck! Wake up!" shouted the Merry Little Breeze.
+
+Johnny Chuck opened his eyes. Then he sat up and rubbed them. For just a
+few, few minutes he couldn't remember where he was at all.
+
+By and by he sat up very straight to look over the grass and see where
+he was. But he was so far from home that he didn't see a single thing
+that looked at all like the things he was used to. The trees were all
+different. The bushes were all different. Everything was different.
+Johnny Chuck was lost.
+
+Now, when Johnny sat up, Reddy Fox happened to be looking over the Green
+Meadows and he saw Johnny's head where it popped above the grass.
+
+"Aha!" said Reddy Fox, "I'll scare Johnny Chuck so he'll wish he'd never
+put his nose out of his house."
+
+Then Reddy dropped down behind the long grass and crept softly, oh,
+ever so softly, through the paths of his own, until he was right behind
+Johnny Chuck. Johnny Chuck had been so intent looking for home that he
+didn't see anything else.
+
+Reddy Fox stole right up behind Johnny and pulled Johnny's little short
+tail hard. How it did frighten Johnny Chuck! He jumped right straight
+up in the air and when he came down he was the maddest little woodchuck
+that ever lived in the Green Meadows.
+
+Reddy Fox had thought that Johnny would run, and then Reddy meant to run
+after him and pull his tail and tease him all the way home. Now, Reddy
+Fox got as big a surprise as Johnny had had when Reddy pulled his tail.
+Johnny didn't stop to think that Reddy Fox was twice as big as he,
+but with his eyes snapping, and chattering as only a little Chuck can
+chatter, with every little hair on his little body standing right up
+on end, so that he seemed twice as big as he really was, he started for
+Reddy Fox.
+
+It surprised Reddy Fox so that he didn't know what to do, and he simply
+ran. Johnny Chuck ran after him, nipping Reddy's heels every minute or
+two. Peter Rabbit just happened to be down that way. He was sitting up
+very straight looking to see what mischief he could get into when he
+caught sight of Reddy Fox running as hard as ever he could. "It must
+be that Bowser, the hound, is after Reddy Fox," said Peter Rabbit to
+himself. "I must watch out that he doesn't find me."
+
+Just then he caught sight of Johnny Chuck with every little hair
+standing up on end and running after Reddy Fox as fast as his short legs
+could go.
+
+"Ho! ho! ho!" shouted Peter Rabbit. "Reddy Fox afraid of Johnny Chuck!
+Ho! ho! Ho!"
+
+Then Peter Rabbit scampered away to find Jimmy Skunk and Bobby Coon and
+Happy Jack Squirrel to tell them all about how Reddy Fox had run away
+from Johnny Chuck, for you see they were all a little afraid of Reddy
+Fox.
+
+Straight home ran Reddy Fox as fast as he could go, and going home he
+passed the house of Johnny Chuck. Now Johnny couldn't run so fast as
+Reddy Fox and he was puffing and blowing as only a fat little woodchuck
+can puff and blow when he has to run hard. Moreover, he had lost his ill
+temper now and he thought it was the best joke ever to think that he had
+actually frightened Reddy Fox. When he came to his own house he stopped
+and sat on his hind legs once more. Then he shrilled out after Reddy
+Fox: "Reddy Fox is a 'fraid cat, 'fraid-cat! Reddy Fox is a 'fraid-cat!"
+
+And all the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind, who were
+playing on the Green Meadows shouted: "Reddy Fox is a 'fraid-cat,
+'fraid-cat!"
+
+And this is the way that Reddy Fox was surprised and that Johnny Chuck
+found his way home.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV WHY JIMMY SKUNK WEARS STRIPES
+
+Jimmy Skunk, as everybody knows, wears a striped suit, a suit of black
+and white. There was a time, long, long ago, when all the Skunk family
+wore black. Very handsome their coats were, too, a beautiful, glossy
+black. They were very, very proud of them and took the greatest care of
+them, brushing them carefully ever so many times a day.
+
+There was a Jimmy Skunk then, just as there is now, and he was head of
+all the Skunk family. Now this Jimmy Skunk was very proud and thought
+himself very much of a gentleman. He was very independent and cared for
+no one. Like a great many other independent people, he did not always
+consider the rights of others. Indeed, it was hinted in the wood and on
+the Green Meadows that not all of Jimmy Skunk's doings would bear the
+light of day. It was openly said that he was altogether too fond of
+prowling about at night, but no one could prove that he was responsible
+for mischief done in the night, for no one saw him. You see his coat was
+so black that in the darkness of the night it was not visible at all.
+
+Now about this time of which I am telling you Mrs. Ruffed Grouse made a
+nest at the foot of the Great Pine and in it she laid fifteen beautiful
+buff eggs. Mrs. Grouse was very happy, very happy indeed, and all the
+little meadow folks who knew of her happiness were happy too, for they
+all loved shy, demure, little Mrs. Grouse. Every morning when Peter
+Rabbit trotted down the Lone Little Path through the wood past the Great
+Pine he would stop for a few minutes to chat with Mrs. Grouse. Happy
+Jack Squirrel would bring her the news every afternoon. The Merry Little
+Breezes of Old Mother West Wind would run up a dozen times a day to see
+how she was getting along.
+
+One morning Peter Rabbit, coming down the Lone Little Path for his usual
+morning call, found a terrible state of affairs. Poor little Mrs. Grouse
+was heart-broken. All about the foot of the Great Pine lay the empty
+shells of her beautiful eggs. They had been broken and scattered this
+way and that.
+
+"How did it happen?" asked Peter Rabbit.
+
+"I don't know," sobbed poor little Mrs. Grouse. "In the night when I was
+fast asleep something pounced upon me. I managed to get away and fly up
+in the top of the Great Pine. In the morning I found all my eggs broken,
+just as you see them here."
+
+Peter Rabbit looked the ground over very carefully. He hunted around
+behind the Great Pine, he looked under the bushes, he studied the ground
+with a very wise air. Then he hopped off down the Lone Little Path to
+the Green Meadows. He stopped at the house of Johnny Chuck.
+
+"What makes your eyes so big and round?" asked Johnny Chuck.
+
+Peter Rabbit came very close so as to whisper in Johnny Chuck's ear,
+and told him all that he had seen. Together they went to Jimmy Skunk's
+house. Jimmy Skunk was in bed. He was very sleepy and very cross when he
+came to the door. Peter Rabbit told him what he had seen.
+
+"Too bad! Too bad!" said Jimmy Skunk, and yawned sleepily.
+
+"Won't you join us in trying to find out who did it?" asked Johnny
+Chuck.
+
+Jimmy Skunk said he would be delighted to come but that he had
+some other business that morning and that he would join them in the
+afternoon. Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck went on. Pretty soon they met
+the Merry Little Breezes and told them the dreadful story.
+
+"What shall we do?" asked Johnny Chuck.
+
+"We'll hurry over and tell Old Dame Nature," cried the Merry Little
+Breezes, "and ask her what to do."
+
+So away flew the Merry Little Breezes to Old Dame Nature and told her
+all the dreadful story. Old Dame Nature listened very attentively. Then
+she sent the Merry Little Breezes to all the little meadow folks to tell
+every one to be at the Great Pine that afternoon. Now whatever Old Dame
+Nature commanded all the meadow folks were obliged to do. They did not
+dare to disobey her. Promptly at four o'clock that afternoon all
+the meadow folks were gathered around the foot of the Great Pine.
+Broken-hearted little Mrs. Ruffed Grouse sat beside her empty nest, with
+all the broken shells about her.
+
+Reddy Fox, Peter Rabbit, Johnny Chuck, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter,
+Jerry Muskrat, Hooty the Owl, Bobby Coon, Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow,
+Grandfather Frog, Mr. Toad, Spotty the Turtle, the Merry Little Breezes,
+all were there. Last of all came Jimmy Skunk. Very handsome he looked in
+his shining black coat and very sorry he appeared that such a dreadful
+thing should have happened. He told Mrs. Grouse how badly he felt, and
+he loudly demanded that the culprit should be found out and severely
+punished.
+
+Old Dame Nature has the most smiling face in the world, but this time it
+was very, very grave indeed. First she asked little Mrs. Grouse to tell
+her story all over again that all might hear. Then each in turn was
+asked to tell where he had been the night before. Johnny Chuck, Happy
+Jack Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Sammy Jay and Blacky the Crow had gone
+to bed when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills. Jerry Muskrat,
+Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Grandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle had
+not left the Smiling Pool. Bobby Coon had been down in Farmer Brown's
+cornfield. Hooty the Owl had been hunting in the lower end of the Green
+Meadows. Peter Rabbit had been down in the berry patch. Mr. Toad had
+been under the piece of bark which he called a house. Old Dame Nature
+called on Jimmy Skunk last of all. Jimmy protested that he had been
+very, very tired and had gone to bed very early indeed and had slept the
+whole night through.
+
+Then Old Dame Nature asked Peter Rabbit what he had found among the egg
+shells that morning.
+
+Peter Rabbit hopped out and laid three long black hairs before Old
+Dame Nature. "These," said Peter Rabbit "are what I found among the egg
+shells."
+
+Then Old Dame Nature called Johnny Chuck. "Tell us, Johnny Chuck," said
+she, "what you saw when you called at Jimmy Skunk's house this morning."
+
+"I saw Jimmy Skunk," said Johnny Chuck, "and Jimmy seemed very, very
+sleepy. It seemed to me that his whiskers were yellow."
+
+"That will do," said Old Dame Nature, and then she called Old Mother
+West Wind.
+
+"What time did you come down on the Green Meadows this morning?"
+
+"Just at the break of day," said Old Mother West Wind, "as Mr. Sun was
+coming up from behind the Purple Hills."
+
+"And whom did you see so early in the morning?" asked Old Dame Nature.
+
+"I saw Bobby Coon going home from old Farmer Brown's cornfield," said
+Old Mother West Wind. "I saw Hooty the Owl coming back from the lower
+end of the Green Meadows. I saw Peter Rabbit down in the berry patch.
+Last of all I saw something like a black shadow coming down the Lone
+Little Path toward the house of Jimmy Skunk."
+
+Every one was looking very hard at Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy began to look very
+unhappy and very uneasy.
+
+"Who wears a black coat?" asked Dame Nature.
+
+"Jimmy Skunk!" shouted all the little meadow folks.
+
+"What MIGHT make whiskers yellow?" asked Old Dame Nature.
+
+No one seemed to know at first. Then Peter Rabbit spoke up. "It MIGHT be
+the yolk of an egg," said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Who are likely to be sleepy on a bright sunny morning?" asked Old Dame
+Nature.
+
+"People who have been out all night," said Johnny Chuck, who himself
+always goes to bed with the sun.
+
+"Jimmy Skunk," said Old Dame Nature, and her voice was very stern, very
+stern indeed, and her face was very grave. "Jimmy Skunk, I accuse you
+of having broken and eaten the eggs of Mrs. Grouse. What have you to say
+for yourself?"
+
+Jimmy Skunk hung his head. He hadn't a word to say. He just wanted to
+sneak away by himself.
+
+"Jimmy Skunk," said Old Dame Nature, "because your handsome black coat
+of which you are so proud has made it possible for you to move about
+in the night without being seen, and because we can no longer trust
+you upon your honor, henceforth you and your descendants shall wear a
+striped coat, which is the sign that you cannot be trusted. Your coat
+hereafter shall be black and white, that when you move about in the
+night you will always be visible."
+
+And this is why that to this day Jimmy Skunk wears a striped suit of
+black and white.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V THE WILFUL LITTLE BREEZE
+
+Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--cross
+because she was tired. She had had a very busy day. Ever since early
+morning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the big
+ocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and little
+wind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks and
+grind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tall
+chimneys and engines and steamboats. Yes, indeed, Old Mother West Wind
+had been very, very busy.
+
+Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her home
+behind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag she
+carried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who had
+been playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day. One by one they
+crept into the big bag, for they were tired, too, and ready to go to
+their home behind the Purple Hills.
+
+Pretty soon all were in the bag but one, a willful little Breeze, who
+was not quite ready to go home; he wanted to play just a little longer.
+He danced ahead of Old Mother West Wind. He kissed the sleepy daisies.
+He shook the nodding buttercups. He set all the little poplar leaves a
+dancing, too, and he wouldn't come into the big bag. So Old Mother West
+Wind closed the big bag and slung it over her shoulder. Then she started
+on towards her home behind the Purple Hills.
+
+When she had gone, the willful little Breeze left behind suddenly felt
+very lonely--very lonely indeed! The sleepy daisies didn't want to play.
+The nodding buttercups were cross. Great round bright Mr. Sun, who had
+been shining and shining all day long, went to bed and put on his night
+cap of golden clouds. Black shadows came creeping, creeping out into the
+Green Meadows.
+
+The willful little Breeze began to wish that he was safe in Old Mother
+West Wind's big bag with all the other Merry Little Breezes.
+
+So he started across the Green Meadows to find the Purple Hills. But
+all the hills were black now and he could not tell which he should look
+behind to find his home with Old Mother West Wind and the Merry Little
+Breezes. How he did wish that he had minded Old Mother West Wind.
+
+By and by he curled up under a bayberry bush and tried to go to sleep,
+but he was lonely, oh, so lonely! And he couldn't go to sleep. Old
+Mother Moon came up and flooded all the Green Meadows with light, but it
+wasn't like the bright light of jolly round Mr. Sun, for it was cold and
+white and it made many black shadows.
+
+Pretty soon the willful little Breeze heard Hooty the Owl out hunting
+for a meadow mouse for his dinner. Then down the Lone Little Path which
+ran close to the bayberry bush trotted Reddy Fox. He was trotting very
+softly and every minute or so he turned his head and looked behind him
+to see if he was followed. It was plain to see that Reddy Fox was bent
+on mischief.
+
+When he reached the bayberry bush Reddy Fox sat down and barked twice.
+Hooty the Owl answered him at once and flew over to join him. They
+didn't see the willful little Breeze curled up under the bayberry bush,
+so intent were these two rogues in plotting mischief. They were planning
+to steal down across the Green Meadows to the edge of the Brown Pasture
+where Mr. Bob White and pretty Mrs. Bob White and a dozen little Bob
+Whites had their home.
+
+"When they run along the ground I'll catch 'em, and when they fly up in
+the air you'll catch 'em, and we'll gobble 'em all up," said Reddy Fox
+to Hooty the Owl. Then he licked his chops and Hooty the Owl snapped his
+bill, just as if they were tasting tender little Bob Whites that very
+minute. It made the willful little Breeze shiver to see them. Pretty
+soon they started on towards the Brown Pasture.
+
+When they were out of sight the willful little Breeze jumped up and
+shook himself. Then away he sped across the Green Meadows to the Brown
+Pasture. And because he could go faster and because he went a shorter
+way he got there first. He had to hunt and hunt to find Mrs. and Mr. Bob
+White and all the little Bob Whites, but finally he did find them, all
+with their heads tucked under their wings fast asleep.
+
+The willful little Breeze shook Mr. Bob White very gently. In an instant
+he was wide awake.
+
+"Sh-h-h," said the willful little Breeze. "Reddy Fox and Hooty the Owl
+are coming to the Brown Pasture to gobble up you and Mrs. Bob White and
+all the little Bob Whites."
+
+"Thank you, little Breeze," said Mr. Bob White, "I think I'll move my
+family."
+
+Then he woke Mrs. Bob White and all the little Bob Whites. With Mr.
+Bob White in the lead away they all flew to the far side of the Brown
+Pasture where they were soon safely hidden under a juniper tree.
+
+The willful little Breeze saw them safely there, and when they were
+nicely hidden hurried back to the place where the Bob Whites had been
+sleeping. Reddy Fox was stealing up through the grass very, very softly.
+Hooty the Owl was flying as silently as a shadow. When Reddy Fox thought
+he was near enough he drew himself together, made a quick spring and
+landed right in Mr. Bob White's empty bed. Reddy Fox and Hooty the Owl
+looked so surprised and foolish when they found the Bob Whites were not
+there that the willful little Breeze nearly laughed out loud.
+
+Then Reddy Fox and Hooty the Owl hunted here and hunted there, all over
+the Brown Pasture, but they couldn't find the Bob Whites.
+
+And the willful little Breeze went back to the juniper tree and curled
+himself beside Mr. Bob White to sleep, for he was lonely no longer.
+
+
+CHAPTER VI REDDY FOX GOES FISHING
+
+One morning when Mr. Sun was very, very bright and it was very, very
+warm, down on the Green Meadows Reddy Fox came hopping and skipping down
+the Lone Little Path that leads to the Laughing Brook. Hoppity, skip,
+skippity hop! Reddy felt very much pleased with himself that sunny
+morning. Pretty soon he saw Johnny Chuck sitting up very straight close
+by the little house where he lives.
+
+"Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny
+Woodchuck!" called Reddy fox.
+
+Johnny Chuck pretended not to hear. His mother had told him not to play
+with Reddy Fox, for Reddy Fox was a bad boy.
+
+"Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Woodchuck!" called Reddy again.
+
+This time Johnny turned and looked. He could see Reddy Fox turning
+somersaults and chasing his tail and rolling over and over in the little
+path.
+
+"Come on!" said Reddy Fox. "Let's go fishing!"
+
+"Can't," said Johnny Chuck, because you know, his mother had told him
+not to play with Reddy Fox.
+
+"I'll show you how to catch a fish," said Reddy Fox, and tried to jump
+over his own shadow.
+
+"Can't," said good little Johnny Chuck again, and turned away so that he
+couldn't see Reddy Fox chasing Butterflies and playing catch with Field
+Mice children.
+
+So Reddy Fox went down to the Laughing Brook all alone. The Brook was
+laughing and singing on its way to join the Big River. The sky was blue
+and the sun was bright. Reddy Fox jumped on the Big Rock in the middle
+of the Laughing Brook and peeped over the other side. What do you think
+he saw? Why, right down below in a Dear Little Pool were Mr. And Mrs.
+Trout and all the little Trouts.
+
+Reddy Fox wanted some of those little Trouts to take home for his
+dinner, but he didn't know how to catch them. He lay flat down on the
+Big Rock and reached way down into the Dear Little Pool, but all the
+little Trouts laughed at Reddy Fox and not one came within reach. Then
+Mr. Trout swam up so quickly that Reddy Fox didn't see him coming and
+bit Reddy's little black paw hard.
+
+"Ouch!" cried Reddy Fox, pulling his little black paw out of the water.
+And all the little Trouts laughed at Reddy Fox.
+
+Just then along came Billy Mink.
+
+"Hello, Reddy Fox!" said Billy Mink. "What are you doing here?"
+
+"I'm trying to catch a fish," said Reddy Fox.
+
+"Pooh! That's easy!" said Billy Mink. "I'll show you how."
+
+So Billy Mink lay down on the Big Rock side of Reddy Fox and peeped over
+into the Dear Little Pool where all the little Trouts were laughing at
+Reddy Fox and having such a good time. But Billy Mink took care, such
+very great care, that Mr. Trout and Mrs. Trout should not see him
+peeping over into the Dear Little Pool.
+
+When Billy Mink saw all those little Trouts playing in the Dear Little
+Pool he laughed. "You count three, Reddy Fox," said he, "and I'll show
+you how to catch a fish."
+
+"One!" said Reddy Fox, "Two! Three!"
+
+Splash! Billy Mink had dived head first into the Dear Little Pool. He
+spattered water way up onto Reddy Fox, and he frightened old Mr. Frog
+so that he fell over backwards off the lily pad where he was taking a
+morning nap right into the water. In a minute Billy Mink climbed out on
+the other side of the Dear Little Pool and sure enough, he had caught
+one of the little Trouts.
+
+"Give it to me," cried Reddy Fox.
+
+"Catch one yourself," said Billy Mink. "Old Grandpa Mink wants a fish
+for his dinner, so I am going to take this home. You're afraid, Reddy
+Fox! 'Fraid-cat! Fraid-cat!"
+
+Billy Mink shook the water off of his little brown coat, picked up the
+little Trout and ran off home.
+
+Reddy Fox lay down again on the Big Rock and peeped into the Dear Little
+Pool. Not a single Trout could he see. They were all hiding safely with
+Mr. and Mrs. Trout. Reddy Fox watched and watched. The sun was warm, the
+Laughing Brook was singing a lullaby and--what do you think? Why, Reddy
+Fox went fast asleep on the edge of the great Big Rock.
+
+By and by Reddy Fox began to dream. He dreamed that he had a nice little
+brown coat that was waterproof, just like the little brown coat that
+Billy Mink wore. Yes, and he dreamed that he had learned to swim and to
+catch fish just as Billy Mink did. He dreamed that the Dear Little
+Pool was full of little Trouts and that he was just going to catch one
+when--splash! Reddy Fox had rolled right off of the Big Rock into the
+Dear Little Pool.
+
+The water went into the eyes of Reddy Fox, and it went up his nose
+and he swallowed so much that he felt as if he never, never would want
+another drink of water. And his beautiful red coat, which old Mother
+Fox had told him to be very, very careful of because he couldn't have
+another for a whole year, was oh so wet! And his pants were wet and his
+beautiful bushy tail, of which he was so proud, was so full of water
+that he couldn't hold it up, but had to drag it up the bank after him as
+he crawled out of the Dear Little Pool.
+
+"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Mr. Kingfisher, sitting on a tree.
+
+"Ho! Ho! Ho!" laughed old Mr. Frog, who had climbed back on his lily
+pad.
+
+"He! He! He!" laughed all the little Trouts and Mr. Trout and Mrs.
+Trout, swimming round and round in the Dear Little Pool.
+
+"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho! Ho! He! He! He!" laughed Billy Mink, who had come
+back to the Big Rock just in time to see Reddy Fox tumble in.
+
+Reddy Fox didn't say a word, he was so ashamed. He just crept up the
+Lone Little Path to his home, dragging his tail, all wet and muddy,
+behind him, and dripping water all the way.
+
+Johnny Chuck was still sitting by his door as his mother had told him
+to. Reddy Fox tried to go past without being seen, but Johnny Chuck's
+bright little eyes saw him.
+
+"Where are your fish, Reddy Fox?" called Johnny Chuck.
+
+"Why don't you turn somersaults, and jump over your shadow and chase
+Butterflies and play with the little Field Mice, Reddy Fox?" called
+Johnny Chuck.
+
+But Reddy Fox just walked faster. When he got almost home he saw old
+Mother Fox sitting in the doorway with a great big switch across her
+lap, for Mother Fox had told Reddy Fox not to go near the Laughing
+Brook.
+
+And this is all I am going to tell you about how Reddy Fox went fishing.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII JIMMY SKUNK LOOKS FOR BEETLES
+
+Jimmy Skunk opened his eyes very early one morning and peeped out of
+his snug little house on the hill. Big, round Mr. Sun, with a very red,
+smiling face, had just begun to climb up into the sky. Old Mother West
+Wind was just starting down to the Green Meadows with her big bag over
+her shoulder. In that bag Jimmy Skunk knew she carried all her children,
+the Merry Little Breezes, whom she was taking down to the Green Meadows
+to play and frolic all day.
+
+"Good morning, Mother West Wind," said Jimmy Skunk, politely. "Did you
+see any beetles as you came down the hill?"
+
+Old Mother West Wind said, no, she hadn't seen any beetles as she came
+down the hill.
+
+"Thank you," said Jimmy Skunk politely. "I guess I'll have to go look
+myself, for I'm very, very hungry."
+
+So Jimmy Skunk brushed his handsome black and white coat, and washed
+his face and hands, and started out to try to find some beetles for his
+breakfast. First he went down to the Green Meadows and stopped at Johnny
+Chuck's house. But Johnny Chuck was still in bed and fast asleep. Then
+Jimmy Skunk went over to see if Reddy Fox would go with him to help find
+some beetles for his breakfast. But Reddy Fox had been out very, very
+late the night before and was still in bed fast asleep, too.
+
+So Jimmy Skunk set out all alone along the Crooked Little Path up the
+hill to find some beetles for his breakfast. He walked very slowly, for
+Jimmy Skunk never hurries. He stopped and peeped under every old log to
+see if there were any beetles. By and by he came to a big piece of bark
+beside the Crooked Little Path. Jimmy Skunk took hold of the piece of
+bark with his two little black paws and pulled and pulled. All of a
+sudden, the big piece of bark turned over so quickly that Jimmy Skunk
+fell flat on his back.
+
+When Jimmy Skunk had rolled over onto his feet again, there sat old Mr.
+Toad right in the path, and old Mr. Toad was very, very cross indeed. He
+swelled and he puffed and he puffed and he swelled, till he was twice as
+big as Jimmy Skunk had ever seen him before.
+
+"Good morning, Mr. Toad," said Jimmy Skunk. "Have you seen any beetles?"
+
+But Mr. Toad blinked his great round goggly eyes and he said: "What do
+you mean, Jimmy Skunk, by pulling the roof off my house?"
+
+"Is that the roof of your house?" asked Jimmy Skunk politely. "I won't
+do it again."
+
+Then Jimmy Skunk stepped right over old Mr. Toad, and went on up the
+Crooked Little Path to look for some beetles.
+
+By and by he came to an old stump of a tree which was hollow and had the
+nicest little round hole in one side. Jimmy Skunk took hold of one edge
+with his two little black paws and pulled and pulled. All of a sudden
+the whole side of the old stump tore open and Jimmy Skunk fell flat on
+his back.
+
+When Jimmy Skunk had rolled over onto his feet again there was Striped
+Chipmunk hopping up and down right in the middle of the path, he was so
+angry.
+
+"Good morning, Striped Chipmunk," said Jimmy Skunk. "Have you seen any
+beetles?"
+
+But Striped Chipmunk hopped faster than ever and he said: "What do you
+mean, Jimmy Skunk, by pulling the side off my house?"
+
+"Is that the side of your house?" asked Jimmy Skunk, politely. "I won't
+do it again."
+
+Then Jimmy Skunk stepped right over Striped Chipmunk, and went on up the
+Crooked Little Path to look for some beetles.
+
+Pretty soon he met Peter Rabbit hopping along down the Crooked Little
+Path. "Good morning, Jimmy Skunk, where are you going so early in the
+morning?" said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Good morning, Peter Rabbit. Have you seen any beetles?" asked Jimmy
+Skunk, politely.
+
+"No, I haven't seen any beetles, but I'll help you find some," said
+Peter Rabbit. So he turned about and hopped ahead of Jimmy Skunk up the
+Crooked Little Path.
+
+Now because Peter Rabbit's legs are long and he is always in a hurry,
+he got to the top of the hill first. When Jimmy Skunk reached the end
+of the Crooked Little Path on the top of the hill he found Peter Rabbit
+sitting up very straight and looking and looking very hard at a great
+flat stone.
+
+"What are you looking at, Peter Rabbit?" asked Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"Sh-h-h!" said Peter Rabbit, "I think there are some beetles under that
+great flat stone where that little black string is sticking out. Now
+when I count three you grab that string and pull hard perhaps you'll
+find a beetle at the other end."
+
+So Jimmy Skunk got ready and Peter Rabbit began to count.
+
+"One!" said Peter. "Two!" said Peter. "Three!"
+
+Jimmy Skunk grabbed the black string and pulled as hard as ever he could
+and out came--Mr. Black Snake! The string Jimmy Skunk had pulled was Mr.
+Black Snake's tail, and Mr. Black Snake was very, very angry indeed.
+
+"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Peter Rabbit.
+
+"What do you mean, Jimmy Skunk," said Mr. Black Snake, "by pulling my
+tail?"
+
+"Was that your tail?" said Jimmy Skunk, politely. "I won't do it again.
+Have you seen any beetles?"
+
+But Mr. Black Snake hadn't seen any beetles, and he was so cross that
+Jimmy Skunk went on over the hill to look for some beetles.
+
+Peter Rabbit was still laughing and laughing and laughing. And the more
+he laughed the angrier grew Mr. Black Snake, till finally he started
+after Peter Rabbit to teach him a lesson.
+
+Then Peter Rabbit stopped laughing, for Mr. Black Snake can run very
+fast. Away went Peter Rabbit down the Crooked Little Path as fast as he
+could go, and away went Mr. Black Snake after him.
+
+But Jimmy Skunk didn't even look once to see if Mr. Black Snake had
+caught Peter Rabbit to teach him a lesson, for Jimmy Skunk had found
+some beetles and was eating his breakfast.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII BILLY MINK'S SWIMMING PARTY
+
+Billy Mink was coming down the bank of the Laughing Brook. Billy Mink
+was feeling very good indeed. He had had a good breakfast, the sun was
+warm, little white cloud ships were sailing across the blue sky and
+their shadows were sailing across the Green Meadows, the birds were
+singing and the bees were humming. Billy Mink felt like singing too, but
+Billy Mink's voice was not meant for singing.
+
+By and by Billy Mink came to the Smiling Pool. Here the Laughing Brook
+stopped and rested on its way to join the Big River. It stopped its
+noisy laughing and singing and just lay smiling and smiling in the warm
+sunshine. The little flowers on the bank leaned over and nodded to it.
+The beech tree, which was very old, sometimes dropped a leaf into it.
+The cat-tails kept their feet cool in the edge of it.
+
+Billy Mink jumped out on the Big Rock and looked down into the Smiling
+Pool. Over on a green lily pad he saw old Grandfather Frog.
+
+"Hello, Grandfather Frog," said Billy Mink.
+
+"Hello, Billy Mink," said Grandfather Frog. "What mischief are you up to
+this fine sunny morning?"
+
+Just then Billy Mink saw a little brown head swimming along one edge of
+the Smiling Pool.
+
+"Hello, Jerry Muskrat!" shouted Billy Mink.
+
+"Hello your own self, Billy Mink," shouted Jerry Muskrat, "Come in and
+have a swim; the water's fine!"
+
+"Good," said Billy Mink. "We'll have a swimming party."
+
+So Billy Mink called all the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West
+Wind, who were playing with the flowers on the bank, and sent them to
+find Little Joe Otter and invite him to come to the swimming party.
+Pretty soon back came the Little Breezes and with them came Little Joe
+Otter.
+
+"Hello, Billy Mink," said Little Joe Otter. "Here I am!"
+
+"Hello, Little Joe Otter," said Billy Mink. "Come up here on the Big
+Rock and see who can dive the deepest into the Smiling Pool."
+
+So Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat climbed up on the Big Rock side of
+Billy Mink and they all stood side by side in their little brown bathing
+suits looking down into the Smiling Pool.
+
+"Now when I count three we'll all dive into the Smiling Pool together
+and see who can dive the deepest. One!" said Billy Mink. "Two!" said
+Billy Mink. "Three!" said Billy Mink.
+
+And when he said "Three!" in they all went head first. My such a splash
+as they did make! They upset old Grandfather Frog so that he fell off
+his lily pad. They frightened Mr. and Mrs. Trout so that they jumped
+right out of the water. Tiny Tadpole had such a scare that he hid way,
+way down in the mud with only the tip of his funny little nose sticking
+out.
+
+"Chug-a-rum," said old Grandfather Frog, climbing out of his lily pad.
+"If I wasn't so old I would show you how to dive."
+
+"Come on, Grandfather Frog!" cried Billy Mink. "Show us how to dive."
+
+And what do you think? Why, old Grandfather Frog actually got so excited
+that he climbed up on the Big Rock to show them how to dive. Splash!
+Went Grandfather Frog into the Smiling Pool. Splash! Went Billy Mink
+right behind him. Splash! Splash! Went Little Joe Otter and Jerry
+Muskrat, right at Billy Mink's heels.
+
+"Hurrah!" shouted Mr. Kingfisher, sitting on a branch of the old beech
+tree. And then just to show them that he could dive, too, splash! He
+went into the Smiling Pool.
+
+Such a noise as they did make! All the Little Breezes of Old Mother West
+Wind danced for joy on the bank. Blacky the Crow and Sammy Jay flew over
+to see what was going on.
+
+"Now let's see who can swim the farthest under water," cried Billy Mink.
+
+So they all stood side by side on one edge of the Smiling Pool.
+
+"Go!" shouted Mr. Kingfisher, and in they all plunged. Little ripples
+ran across the Smiling Pool and then the water became as smooth and
+smiling as if nothing had gone into it with a plunge.
+
+Now old Grandfather Frog began to realize that he wasn't as young as he
+used to be, and he couldn't swim as fast as the others anyway. He began
+to get short of breath, so he swam up to the top and stuck just the tip
+of his nose out to get some more air. Sammy Jay's sharp eyes saw him.
+
+"There's Grandfather Frog!" he shouted.
+
+So then Grandfather Frog popped his head out and swam over to his green
+lily pad to rest.
+
+Way over beyond the Big Rock little bubbles in three long rows kept
+coming up to the top of the Smiling Pool. They showed just where Billy
+Mink, Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat were swimming way down out
+of sight. It was the air from their lungs making the bubbles. Straight
+across the Smiling Pool went the lines of little bubbles and then way
+out on the farther side two little heads bobbed out of water close
+together. They were Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter. A moment later
+Jerry Muskrat bobbed up beside them.
+
+You see, they had swum clear across the Smiling Pool and of course they
+could swim no farther.
+
+So Billy Mink's swimming party was a great success.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX PETER RABBIT PLAYS A JOKE
+
+One morning when big round Mr. Sun was climbing up in the sky and Old
+Mother West Wind had sent all her Merry Little Breezes to play in the
+Green Meadows, Johnny Chuck started out for a walk. First he sat up
+very straight and looked and looked all around to see if Reddy Fox was
+anywhere about, for you know Reddy Fox liked to tease Johnny Chuck.
+
+But Reddy Fox was nowhere to be seen, so Johnny Chuck trotted down the
+Lone Little Path to the wood. Mr. Sun was shining as brightly as ever he
+could and Johnny Chuck, who was very, very fat, grew very, very warm. By
+and by he sat down on the end of a log under a big tree to rest.
+
+Thump! Something hit Johnny Chuck right on the top of his round little
+head. It made Johnny Chuck jump.
+
+"Hello, Johnny Chuck!" said a voice that seemed to come right out of the
+sky. Johnny Chuck tipped his head way, way back and looked up. He was
+just in time to see Happy Jack Squirrel drop a nut. Down it came and hit
+Johnny Chuck right on the tip of his funny, black, little nose.
+
+"Oh!" said Johnny Chuck, and tumbled right over back off the log. But
+Johnny Chuck was so round and so fat and so roly-poly that it didn't
+hurt him a bit.
+
+"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Happy Jack up in the tree.
+
+"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Johnny Chuck, picking himself up. Then they both
+laughed together. It was such a good joke.
+
+"What are you laughing at?" asked a voice so close to Johnny Chuck that
+he rolled over three times he was so surprised. It was Peter Rabbit.
+
+"What are you doing in my wood?" asked Peter Rabbit.
+
+"I'm taking a walk," said Johnny Chuck.
+
+"Good," said Peter Rabbit, "I'll come along too."
+
+So Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit set out along the Lone Little Path
+through the wood. Peter Rabbit hopped along with great big jumps, for
+Peter's legs are long and meant for jumping, but Johnny Chuck couldn't
+keep up though he tried very hard, for Johnny's legs are short. Pretty
+soon Peter Rabbit came back, walking very softly. He whispered in Johnny
+Chuck's ear.
+
+"I've found something," said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"What is it?" asked Johnny Chuck.
+
+"I'll show you," said Peter Rabbit, "but you must be very, very still,
+and not make the least little bit of noise."
+
+Johnny Chuck promised to be very, very still for he wanted very much
+to see what Peter Rabbit had found. Peter Rabbit tip-toed down the Lone
+Little Path through the wood, his funny long ears pointing right up to
+the sky. And behind him tip-toed Johnny Chuck, wondering and wondering
+what it could be that Peter Rabbit had found.
+
+Pretty soon they came to a nice mossy green log right across the Lone
+Little Path. Peter Rabbit stopped and sat up very straight. He looked
+this way and looked that way. Johnny Chuck stopped too and he sat up
+very straight and looked this way and looked that way, but all he could
+see was the mossy green log across the Lone Little Path.
+
+"What is it, Peter Rabbit?" whispered Johnny Chuck.
+
+"You can't see it yet," whispered Peter Rabbit, "for first we have to
+jump over that mossy green log. Now I'll jump first, and then you jump
+just the way I do, and then you'll see what it is I've found," said
+Peter Rabbit.
+
+So Peter Rabbit jumped first, and because his legs are long and meant
+for jumping, he jumped way, way over the mossy green log. Then he turned
+around and sat up to see Johnny Chuck jump over the mossy green log,
+too.
+
+Johnny Chuck tried to jump very high and very far, just as he had seen
+Peter Rabbit jump, but Johnny Chuck's legs are very short and not meant
+for jumping. Besides, Johnny Chuck was very, very fat. So though he
+tried very hard indeed to jump just like Peter Rabbit, he stubbed his
+toes on the top of the mossy green log and over he tumbled, head first,
+and landed with a great big thump right on Reddy Fox, who was lying fast
+asleep on the other side of the mossy green log.
+
+Peter Rabbit laughed and laughed until he had to hold his sides.
+
+My, how frightened Johnny Chuck was when he saw what he had done! Before
+he could get on his feet he had rolled right over behind a little bush,
+and there he lay very, very still.
+
+Reddy Fox awoke with a grunt when Johnny Chuck fell on him so hard, and
+the first thing he saw was Peter Rabbit laughing so that he had to hold
+his sides. Reddy Fox didn't stop to look around. He thought that Peter
+Rabbit had jumped on him. Up jumped Reddy Fox and away ran Peter Rabbit.
+Away went Reddy Fox after Peter Rabbit. Peter dodged behind the trees,
+and jumped over the bushes, and ran this way and ran that way, just as
+hard as ever he could, for Peter Rabbit was very much afraid of Reddy
+Fox. And Reddy Fox followed Peter Rabbit behind the trees and over the
+bushes this way and that way, but he couldn't catch Peter Rabbit. Pretty
+soon Peter Rabbit came to the house of Jimmy Skunk. He knew that Jimmy
+Skunk was over in the pasture, so he popped right in and then he was
+safe, for the door of Jimmy Skunk's house was too small for Reddy Fox to
+squeeze in. Reddy Fox sat down and waited, but Peter Rabbit didn't
+come out. By and by Reddy Fox gave it up and trotted off home where old
+Mother Fox was waiting for him.
+
+All this time Johnny Chuck had sat very still, watching Reddy Fox try to
+catch Peter Rabbit. And when he saw Peter Rabbit pop into the house
+of Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox trot away home, Johnny Chuck stood up and
+brushed his little coat very clean and then he trotted back up the Lone
+Little Path through the wood to his own dear little path through the
+Green Meadows where the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind
+were still playing, till he was safe in his own snug little house once
+more.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X HOW SAMMY JAY WAS FOUND OUT
+
+Sammy Jay was very busy, very busy indeed. When anyone happened that way
+Sammy Jay pretended to be doing nothing at all, for Sammy Jay thought
+himself a very fine gentleman. He was very proud of his handsome blue
+coat with white trimmings and his high cap, and he would sit on a fence
+post and make fun of Johnny Chuck working at a new door for his snug
+little home in the Green Meadows, and of Striped Chipmunk storing up
+heaps of corn and nuts for the winter, for most of the time Sammy Jay
+was an idle fellow. And when Sammy Jay WAS busy, he was pretty sure
+to be doing something that he ought not to do, for idle people almost
+always get into mischief.
+
+Sammy Jay was in mischief now, and that is why he pretended to be doing
+nothing when he thought any one was looking.
+
+Old Mother West Wind had come down from her home behind the Purple Hills
+very early that morning. Indeed, jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had hardly
+gotten out of bed when she crossed the Green Meadows on her way to help
+the big ships across the ocean. Old Mother West Wind's eyes were sharp,
+and she saw Sammy Jay before Sammy Jay saw her.
+
+"Now what can Sammy Jay be so busy about, and why is he so very, very
+quiet?" thought Old Mother West Wind. "He must be up to some mischief."
+
+So when she opened her big bag and turned out all her Merry Little
+Breezes to play on the Green Meadows she sent one of them to see what
+Sammy Jay was doing in the old chestnut tree. The Merry Little Breeze
+danced along over the tree tops just as if he hadn't a thought in the
+world but to wake up all the little leaves and set them to dancing too,
+and Sammy Jay, watching Old Mother West Wind and the other Merry Little
+Breezes, didn't see this Merry Little Breeze at all.
+
+Pretty soon it danced back to Old Mother West Wind and whispered in her
+ear: "Sammy Jay is stealing the nuts Happy Jack Squirrel had hidden in
+the hollow of the old chestnut tree, and is hiding them for himself in
+the tumble down nest that Blacky the Crow built in the Great Pine last
+year." "Aha!" said Old Mother West Wind. Then she went on across the
+Green Meadows.
+
+"Good morning, Old Mother West Wind," said Sammy Jay as she passed the
+fence post where he was sitting.
+
+"Good morning, Sammy Jay," said Old Mother West Wind. "What brings you
+out so early in the morning?"
+
+"I'm out for my health, Old Mother West Wind," said Sammy Jay politely.
+"The doctor has ordered me to take a bath in the dew at sunrise every
+morning."
+
+Old Mother West Wind said nothing, but went on her way across the Green
+Meadows to blow the ships across the ocean. When she had passed, Sammy
+Jay hurried to take the last of Happy Jack's nuts to the old nest in the
+Great Pine.
+
+Poor Happy Jack! Soon he came dancing along with another nut to put in
+the hollow of the old chestnut tree. When he peeped in and saw that all
+his big store of nuts had disappeared, he couldn't believe his own eyes.
+He put in one paw and felt all around but not a nut could he feel. Then
+he climbed in and sure enough, the hollow was empty.
+
+Poor Happy Jack! There were tears in his eyes when he crept out again.
+He looked all around but no one was to be seen but handsome Sammy Jay,
+very busy brushing his beautiful blue coat.
+
+"Good morning, Sammy Jay, have you seen any one pass this way?" asked
+Happy Jack. "Some one has stolen a store of nuts from the hollow in the
+old chestnut tree."
+
+Sammy Jay pretended to feel very badly indeed, and in his sweetest
+voice, for his voice was very sweet in those days, he offered to help
+Happy Jack try to catch the thief who had stolen the store of nuts from
+the hollow in the old chestnut tree.
+
+Together they went down cross the Green Meadows asking every one whom
+they met if they had seen the thief who had stolen Happy Jack's store
+of nuts from the hollow in the old chestnut tree. All the Merry Little
+Breezes joined in the search, and soon every one who lived in the Green
+Meadows or in the wood knew that some one had stolen all of Happy Jack
+Squirrel's store of nuts from the hollow in the old chestnut tree. And
+because every one liked Happy Jack, every one felt very sorry indeed for
+him.
+
+The next morning all the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind
+were turned out of the big bag into the Green Meadows very early indeed,
+for they had a lot of errands to do. All over the Green Meadows they
+hurried, all through the wood, up and down the Laughing Brook and all
+around the Smiling Pool, inviting everybody to meet at the Great Pine
+on the hill at nine o'clock to form a committee of the whole--to try to
+find the thief who stole Happy Jack's nuts from the hollow in the old
+chestnut tree.
+
+And because every one liked Happy Jack every one went to the Great Pine
+on the hill--Reddy Fox, Bobby Coon, Jimmy Skunk Striped Chipmunk, who
+is Happy Jack's cousin you know, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Jerry
+Muskrat, Hooty the Owl, who was almost too sleepy to keep his eyes open,
+Blacky the Crow, Johnny Chuck, Peter Rabbit, even old Grandfather Frog.
+Of course Sammy Jay was there, looking his handsomest.
+
+When they had all gathered around the Great Pine, Old Mother West Wind
+pointed to the old nest way up in the top of it. "Is that your nest?"
+she asked Blacky the Crow.
+
+"It was, but I gave it to my cousin, Sammy Jay," said Blacky the Crow.
+
+"Is that your nest, and may I have a stick out of it?" asked Old Mother
+West Wind of Sammy Jay.
+
+"It is," said Sammy Jay, with his politest bow, "And you are welcome to
+a stick out of it." To himself he thought, "She will only take one from
+the top and that won't matter."
+
+Old Mother West Wind suddenly puffed out her cheeks and blew so hard
+that she blew a big stick right out of the bottom of the old nest.
+Down it fell bumpity-bump on the branches of the Great Pine. After it
+fell--what do you think? Why, hickory nuts and chestnuts and acorns and
+hazel nuts, such a lot of them!
+
+"Why! Why--e--e!" cried Happy Jack. "There are all my stolen nuts!"
+
+Everybody turned to look at Sammy Jay, but he was flying off through the
+wood as fast as he could go. "Stop thief!" cried Old Mother West Wind.
+"Stop thief!" cried all the Merry Little Breezes and Johnny Chuck and
+Billy Mink and all the rest. But Sammy Jay didn't stop.
+
+Then all began to pick up the nuts that had fallen from the old nest
+where Sammy Jay had hidden them. By and by, with Happy Jack leading the
+way, they all marched back to the old chestnut tree and there Happy Jack
+stored all the nuts away in his snug little hollow once more.
+
+And ever since that day, Sammy Jay, whenever he tries to call, just
+screams: "Thief!" "Thief!" "Thief!"
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI JERRY MUSKRAT'S PARTY
+
+All the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were hurrying over
+the Green Meadows. Some flew this way and some ran that way and some
+danced the other way. You see, Jerry Muskrat had asked them to carry his
+invitations to a party at the Big Rock in the Smiling Pool.
+
+Of course every one said that they would be delighted to go to Jerry
+Muskrat's party. Round Mr. Sun shone his very brightest. The sky was its
+bluest and the little birds had promised to be there to sing for Jerry
+Muskrat, so of course all the little folks in the Green Meadows and in
+the wood wanted to go.
+
+There were Johnny Chuck and Reddy Fox and Jimmy Skunk and Bobby Coon and
+Happy Jack Squirrel and Striped Chipmunk and Billy Mink and Little Joe
+Otter and Grandfather Frog and old Mr. Toad and Mr. Blacksnake--all
+going to Jerry Muskrat's party.
+
+When they reached the Smiling Pool they found Jerry Muskrat all ready.
+His brothers and his sister, his aunts and his uncles and his cousins
+were all there. Such a merry, merry time as there was in the Smiling
+Pool! How the water did splash! Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and
+Grandfather Frog jumped right in as soon as they got there. They played
+tag in the water and hid behind the Big Rock. They turned somersaults
+down the slippery slide and they had such a good time!
+
+But Reddy Fox and Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and Johnny Chuck and Jimmy
+Skunk and Happy Jack and Striped Chipmunk couldn't swim, so of course
+they couldn't play tag in the water or hide and seek or go down the
+slippery slide; all they could do was sit around to look on and wish
+that they knew how to swim, too. So of course they didn't have a good
+time. Soon they began to wish that they hadn't come to Jerry Muskrat's
+party. When he found that they were not having a good time, poor Jerry
+Muskrat felt very badly indeed. You see he lives in the water so much
+that he had quite forgotten that there was anyone who couldn't swim, or
+he never, never would have invited all the little meadow folks who live
+on dry land.
+
+"Let's go home," said Peter Rabbit to Johnny Chuck.
+
+"We can have more fun up on the hill," said Jimmy Skunk.
+
+Just then Little Joe Otter came pushing a great big log across the
+Smiling Pool.
+
+"Here's a ship, Bobby Coon. You get on one end and I'll give you a sail
+across the Smiling Pool," shouted Little Joe Otter.
+
+So Bobby Coon crawled out on the big log and held on very tight, while
+little Joe Otter swam behind and pushed the big log. Across the Smiling
+Pool they went and back again. Bobby Coon had such a good ride that he
+wanted to go again, but Jimmy Skunk wanted a ride. So Bobby Coon hopped
+off of the big log and Jimmy Skunk hopped on and away he went across the
+Smiling Pool with little Joe Otter pushing behind.
+
+Then Jerry Muskrat found another log and gave Peter Rabbit a ride. Jerry
+Muskrat's brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and cousins found
+logs and took Reddy Fox and Johnny Chuck and even Mr. Toad back and
+forth across the Smiling Pool.
+
+Happy Jack Squirrel sat up very straight on the end of his log and
+spread his great bushy tail for a sail. All the little Breezes blew and
+blew and Happy Jack Squirrel sailed round and round the Smiling Pool.
+
+Sometimes someone would fall off into the water and get wet, but Jerry
+Muskrat or Billy Mink always pulled them out again, and no one cared the
+tiniest bit for a wetting.
+
+In the bushes around the Smiling Pool the little birds sang and
+sang. Reddy Fox barked his loudest. Happy Jack Squirrel chattered
+and chir--r--r--ed. All the muskrats squealed and squeaked, for Jerry
+Muskrat's party was such fun!
+
+By and by when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills to his home and
+Old Mother West Wind with all her Merry Little Breezes went after him,
+and the little stars came out to twinkle and twinkle, the Smiling Pool
+lay all quiet and still, but smiling and smiling to think what a good
+time every one had had at Jerry Muskrat's party.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII BOBBY COON AND REDDY FOX PLAY TRICKS
+
+It was night. All the little stars were looking down and twinkling and
+twinkling. Mother Moon was doing her best to make the Green Meadows as
+light as Mr. Sun did in the daytime. All the little birds except Hooty
+the Owl and Boomer the Night Hawk, and noisy Mr. Whip-poor-will were
+fast asleep in their little nests. Old Mother West Wind's Merry Little
+Breezes had all gone to sleep, too. It was oh so still! Indeed it was so
+very still that Bobby Coon, coming down the Lone Little Path through the
+wood, began to talk to himself.
+
+"I don't see what people want to play all day and sleep all night for,"
+said Bobby Coon. "Night's the best time to be about. Now Reddy Fox--"
+
+"Be careful what you say about Reddy Fox," said a voice right behind
+Bobby Coon.
+
+Bobby Coon turned around very quickly indeed, for he had thought he was
+all alone. There was Reddy Fox himself, trotting down the Lone Little
+Path through the wood.
+
+"I thought you were home and fast asleep, Reddy Fox," said Bobby Coon.
+
+"You were mistaken," said Reddy Fox. "For you see I'm out to take a walk
+in the moonlight."
+
+So Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox walked together down the Lone Little Path
+through the wood to the Green Meadows. They met Jimmy Skunk, who had
+dreamed that there were a lot of beetles up on the hill, and was just
+going to climb the Crooked Little Path to see.
+
+"Hello, Jimmy Skunk!" said Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox. "Come down to the
+Green Meadows with us."
+
+Jimmy Skunk said he would, so they all went down on the Green Meadows
+together, Bobby Coon first, Reddy Fox next and Jimmy Skunk last of all,
+for Jimmy Skunk never hurries. Pretty soon they came to the house of
+Johnny Chuck.
+
+"Listen," said Bobby Coon. "Johnny Chuck is fast asleep."
+
+They all listened and they could hear Johnny Chuck snoring away down in
+his snug little bed.
+
+"Let's give Johnny Chuck a surprise," said Reddy Fox.
+
+"What shall it be?" asked Bobby Coon.
+
+"I know," said Reddy Fox. "Let's roll that big stone right over Johnny
+Chuck's doorway; then he'll have to dig his way out in the morning."
+
+So Bobby Coon and Reddy Fox pulled and tugged and tugged and pulled at
+the big stone till they had rolled it over Johnny Chuck's doorway. Jimmy
+Skunk pretended not to see what they were doing.
+
+"Now let's go down to the Laughing Brook and wake up old Grandfather
+Frog and hear him say 'Chug-a-rum,'" said Bobby Coon.
+
+"Come on!" cried Reddy Fox, "I'll get there first!"
+
+Away raced Reddy Fox down the Lone Little Path and after him ran Bobby
+Coon, going to wake old Grandfather Frog from a nice comfortable sleep
+on his green lily pad.
+
+But Jimmy Skunk didn't go. He watched Reddy Fox and Bobby Coon until
+they were nearly to the Laughing Brook. Then he began to dig at one side
+of the big stone which filled the doorway of Johnny Chuck's house. My,
+how he made the dirt fly! Pretty soon he had made a hole big enough to
+call through to Johnny Chuck, who was snoring away, fast asleep in his
+snug little bed below.
+
+"Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Woodchuck!" called Jimmy Skunk.
+
+But Johnny Chuck just snored.
+
+"Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Woodchuck!" called Jimmy Skunk once
+more.
+
+But Johnny Chuck just snored. Then Jimmy Skunk called again, this time
+louder than before.
+
+"Who is it?" asked a very sleepy voice.
+
+"It's Jimmy Skunk. Put your coat on and come up here!" called Jimmy
+Skunk.
+
+"Go away, Jimmy Skunk. I want to sleep!" said Johnny Chuck.
+
+"I've got a surprise for you, Johnny Chuck. You'd better come!" called
+Jimmy Skunk through the little hole he had made. When Johnny Chuck heard
+that Jimmy Skunk had a surprise for him he wanted to know right away
+what it could be, so though he was very, very sleepy, he put on his
+coat and started up for his door to see what the surprise was that Jimmy
+Skunk had. And there he found the big stone Reddy Fox and Bobby Coon had
+put there, and of course he was very much surprised indeed. He thought
+Jimmy Skunk had played him a mean trick and for a few minutes he was
+very mad. But Jimmy Skunk soon told him who had filled up his doorway
+with the big stone.
+
+"Now you push from that side, Johnny Chuck, and I'll pull from this
+side, and we'll soon have this big stone out of your doorway," said
+Jimmy Skunk.
+
+So Johnny Chuck pushed and Jimmy Skunk pulled, and sure enough they soon
+had the big stone out of Johnny Chuck's doorway.
+
+"Now," said Jimmy Skunk, "we'll roll this big stone down the Lone Little
+Path to Reddy Fox's house and we'll give Reddy Fox a surprise."
+
+So Johnny Chuck and Jimmy Skunk tugged and pulled and rolled the big
+stone down to the house of Reddy Fox, and sure enough, it filled his
+doorway.
+
+"Good night, Jimmy Skunk," said Johnny Chuck, and trotted down the Lone
+Little Path toward home, chuckling to himself all the way.
+
+Jimmy Skunk walked slowly up the Lone Little Path to the wood, for Jimmy
+Skunk never hurries. Pretty soon he came to the big hollow tree where
+Bobby Coon lives, and there he met Hooty the Owl.
+
+"Hello, Jimmy Skunk, where have you been?" asked Hooty the Owl.
+
+"Just for a walk," said Jimmy Skunk. "Who lives in this big hollow
+tree?"
+
+Now of course Jimmy Skunk knew all the time, but he pretended he didn't.
+
+"Oh, this is Bobby Coon's house," said Hooty the Owl.
+
+"Let's give Bobby Coon a surprise," said Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"How?" asked Hooty the Owl.
+
+"We'll fill his house full of sticks and leaves," said Jimmy Skunk.
+
+Hooty the Owl thought that would be a good joke so while Jimmy Skunk
+gathered all the old sticks and leaves he could find, Hooty the Owl
+stuffed them into the old hollow tree which was Bobby Coon's house,
+until he couldn't get in another one.
+
+"Good night," said Jimmy Skunk as he began to climb the Crooked Little
+Path up the hill to his own snug little home.
+
+"Good night," said Hooty the Owl, as he flew like a big soft shadow over
+to the Great Pine.
+
+By and by when old Mother Moon was just going to bed and all the little
+stars were too sleepy to twinkle any longer, Reddy Fox and Bobby Coon,
+very tired and very wet from playing in the Laughing Brook, came up the
+Lone Little Path, ready to tumble into their snug little beds. They were
+chuckling over the trick they had played on Johnny Chuck, and the way
+they had waked up old Grandfather Frog, and all the other mischief they
+had done. What do you suppose they said when they reached their homes
+and found that someone else had been playing jokes, too?
+
+I'm sure I don't know, but round, red Mr. Sun was laughing very hard as
+he peeped over the hill at Reddy Fox and Bobby Coon, and he won't tell
+why.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD
+
+Old Mother West Wind had stopped to talk with the Slender Fir Tree.
+
+"I've just come across the Green Meadows," said Old Mother West Wind,
+"and there I saw the Best Thing in the World."
+
+Striped Chipmunk was sitting under the Slender Fir Tree and he couldn't
+help hearing what Old Mother West Wind said. "The Best Thing in the
+World--now what can that be?" thought Striped Chipmunk. "Why, it must be
+heaps and heaps of nuts and acorns! I'll go and find it."
+
+So Striped Chipmunk started down the Lone Little Path through the wood
+as fast as he could run. Pretty soon he met Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Where are you going in such a hurry, Striped Chipmunk?" asked Peter
+Rabbit.
+
+"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World," replied
+Striped Chipmunk, and ran faster.
+
+"The Best Thing in the World," said Peter Rabbit. "Why, that must be
+great piles of carrots and cabbage! I think I'll go and find it."
+
+So Peter Rabbit started down the Lone Little Path through the wood as
+fast as he could go after Striped Chipmunk.
+
+As they passed the great hollow tree Bobby Coon put his head out. "Where
+are you going in such a hurry?" asked Bobby Coon.
+
+"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World!" shouted
+Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit, and both began to run faster.
+
+"The Best Thing in the World," said Bobby Coon to himself. "Why, that
+must be a whole field of sweet milky corn. I think I'll go and find it."
+
+So Bobby Coon climbed down out of the great hollow tree and started
+down the Lone Little Path through the wood as fast as he could go after
+Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit, for there is nothing that Bobby Coon
+likes to eat so well as sweet milky corn.
+
+At the edge of the wood they met Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Jimmy Skunk.
+
+"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World!" shouted
+Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon. Then they all tried to
+run faster.
+
+"The Best Thing in the World," said Jimmy Skunk. "Why, that must be
+packs and packs of beetles!" And for once in his life Jimmy Skunk began
+to hurry down the Lone Little Path after Striped Chipmunk and Peter
+Rabbit and Bobby Coon.
+
+They were all running so fast that they didn't see Reddy Fox until he
+jumped out of the long grass and asked: "Where are you going in such a
+hurry?"
+
+"To find the Best Thing in the World!" shouted Striped Chipmunk and
+Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk, and each did his best to
+run faster.
+
+"The Best Thing in the World," said Reddy Fox to himself. "Why, that
+must be a whole pen full of tender young chickens, and I must have
+them."
+
+So away went Reddy Fox as fast as he could run down the Lone Little Path
+after Striped Chipmunk, Peter Rabbit, Bobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk.
+
+By and by they all came to the house of Johnny Chuck.
+
+"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Johnny Chuck.
+
+"To find the Best Thing in the World," shouted Striped Chipmunk and
+Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox.
+
+"The Best Thing in the World," said Johnny Chuck. "Why, I don't know of
+anything better than my own little home and the warm sunshine and the
+beautiful blue sky."
+
+So Johnny Chuck stayed at home and played all day among the flowers with
+the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind and was as happy as
+could be.
+
+But all day long Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and
+Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox ran this way and ran that way over the Green
+Meadows trying to find the Best Thing in the World. The sun was very,
+very warm and they ran so far and they ran so fast that they were very,
+very hot and tired, and still they hadn't found the Best Thing in the
+World.
+
+When the long day was over they started up the Lone Little Path past
+Johnny Chuck's house to their own homes. They didn't hurry now for they
+were so very, very tired! And they were cross--oh so cross! Striped
+Chipmunk hadn't found a single nut. Peter Rabbit hadn't found so much as
+the leaf of a cabbage. Bobby Coon hadn't found the tiniest bit of sweet
+milky corn. Jimmy Skunk hadn't seen a single beetle. Reddy Fox hadn't
+heard so much as the peep of a chicken. And all were as hungry as hungry
+could be.
+
+Half way up the Lone Little Path they met Old Mother West Wind going to
+her home behind the hill. "Did you find the Best Thing in the World?"
+asked Old Mother West Wind.
+
+"NO!" shouted Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and Jimmy
+Skunk and Reddy Fox all together.
+
+"Johnny Chuck has it," said Old Mother West Wind. "It is being happy
+with the things you have and not wanting things which some one else has.
+And it is called Con-tent-ment."
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV LITTLE JOE OTTER'S SLIPPERY SLIDE
+
+Little Joe Otter and Billy Mink had been playing together around the
+Smiling Pool all one sunshiny morning. They had been fishing and had
+taken home a fine dinner of Trout for old Grandfather Mink and blind old
+Granny Otter. They had played tag with the Merry Little Breezes. They
+had been in all kinds of mischief and now they just didn't know what to
+do.
+
+They were sitting side by side on the Big Rock trying to push each other
+off into the Smiling Pool. Round, smiling red Mr. Sun made the Green
+Meadows very warm indeed, and Reddy Fox, over in the tall grass, heard
+them splashing and shouting and having such a good time that he wished
+he liked the nice cool water and could swim, too.
+
+"I've thought of something!" cried Little Joe Otter.
+
+"What is it?" asked Billy Mink.
+
+Little Joe Otter just looked wise and said nothing.
+
+"Something to eat?" asked Billy Mink.
+
+"No," said Little Joe Otter.
+
+"I don't believe you've a thought of anything at all," said Billy Mink.
+
+"I have too!" said Little Joe Otter. "It's something to do."
+
+"What?" demanded Billy Mink.
+
+Just then Little Joe Otter spied Jerry Muskrat. "Hi, Jerry Muskrat! Come
+over here!" he called.
+
+Jerry Muskrat swam across to the Big Rock and climbed up beside Billy
+Mink and Little Joe Otter.
+
+"What are you fellows doing?" asked Jerry Muskrat.
+
+"Having some fun," said Billy Mink. "Little Joe Otter has thought of
+something to do, but I don't know what it is."
+
+"Let's make a slide," cried Little Joe Otter.
+
+"You show us how," said Billy Mink.
+
+So Little Joe Otter found a nice smooth place on the bank, and Billy
+Mink and Jerry Muskrat brought mud and helped him pat it down smooth
+until they had the loveliest slippery slide in the world. Then Little
+Joe Otter climbed up the bank to the top of the slippery slide and lay
+down flat on his stomach. Billy Mink gave a push and away he went
+down, down the slippery slide, splash into the Smiling Pool. Then Jerry
+Muskrat tried it and after him Billy Mink. Then all did it over again.
+Sometimes they went down the slippery slide on their backs, sometimes
+flat on their stomachs, sometimes head first, sometimes feet first. Oh
+such fun as they did have! Even Grandfather Frog came over and tried the
+slippery slide.
+
+Johnny Chuck, over in the Green Meadows, heard the noise and stole down
+the Lone Little Path to see. Jimmy Skunk, looking for beetles up on the
+hill, heard the noise and forgot that he hadn't had his breakfast. Reddy
+Fox, taking a nap, woke up and hurried over to watch the fun. Last of
+all came Peter Rabbit.
+
+Little Joe Otter saw him coming. "Hello, Peter Rabbit!" he shouted.
+"Come and try the slippery slide."
+
+Now Peter Rabbit couldn't swim, but he pretended that he didn't want to.
+
+"I've left my bathing suit at home," said Peter Rabbit.
+
+"Never mind," said Billy Mink. "Mr. Sun will dry you off."
+
+"And we'll help," said all the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West
+Wind.
+
+But Peter Rabbit shook his head and said, "No."
+
+Faster and faster went Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat
+and old Grandfather Frog down the slippery slide into the Smiling Pool.
+
+Peter Rabbit kept coming nearer and nearer until finally he stood right
+at the top of the slippery slide. Billy Mink crept up behind him very
+softly and gave him a push. Peter Rabbit's long legs flew out from under
+him and down he sat with a thump on the slippery slide. "Oh," cried
+Peter Rabbit, and tried to stop himself. But he couldn't do it and so
+away he went down the slippery slide, splash into the Smiling Pool.
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Billy Mink.
+
+"Ho! ho! ho!" shouted Little Joe Otter.
+
+"He! he! he!" laughed Jerry Muskrat and old Grandfather Frog and
+Sammy Jay and Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox and Blacky the Crow and Mr.
+Kingfisher, for you know Peter Rabbit was forever playing jokes on them.
+
+Poor Peter Rabbit! The water got in his eyes and up his nose and into
+his mouth and made him choke and splutter, and then he couldn't get back
+on the bank, for you know Peter Rabbit couldn't swim.
+
+When Little Joe Otter saw what a dreadful time Peter Rabbit was having
+he dove into the Smiling Pool and took hold of one of Peter Rabbit's
+long ears. Billy Mink swam out and took hold of the other long ear.
+Jerry Muskrat swam right under Peter Rabbit and took him on his back.
+Then with old Grandfather Frog swimming ahead they took Peter Rabbit
+right across the Smiling Pool and pulled him out on the grassy bank,
+where it was nice and warm. All the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother
+West Wind came over and helped Mr. Sun dry Peter Rabbit off.
+
+Then they all sat down together and watched Little Joe Otter turn a
+somersault down the slippery slide.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV THE TAIL OF TOMMY TROUT WHO DID NOT MIND
+
+In the Laughing Brook, which rippled and sings all day long, lived Mr.
+Trout and Mrs. Trout, and a whole lot of little Trouts. There were so
+many little Trouts that Mr. Trout and Mrs. Trout were kept very busy
+indeed getting breakfast and dinner and supper for them, and watching
+out for them and teaching them how to swim and how to catch foolish
+little flies that sometimes fell on the water and how to keep out of
+the way of big hungry fish and sharp eyed Mr. Kingfisher and big men and
+little boys who came fishing with hooks and lines.
+
+Now all the little Trouts were very, very good and minded just what Mrs.
+Trout told them--all but Tommy Trout, for Tommy Trout--oh, dear, dear!
+Tommy Trout never could mind right away. He always had to wait a little
+instead of minding when he was spoken to.
+
+Tommy Trout didn't mean to be bad. Oh dear, no! He just wanted to have
+his own way, and because Tommy Trout had his own way and didn't mind
+Mrs. Trout there isn't any Tommy Trout now. No sir, there isn't as much
+as one little blue spot of his beautiful little coat left because--why,
+just because Tommy Trout didn't mind.
+
+One day when round, red Mr. Sun was shining and the Laughing Brook was
+singing on its way to join the Big River, Mrs. Trout started to get some
+nice plump flies for dinner. All the little Trouts were playing in their
+dear little pool, safe behind the Big Rock. Before she started Mrs.
+Trout called all the little Trouts around her and told them not to
+leave their little pool while she was gone, "For," said she, "something
+dreadful might happen to you."
+
+All the little Trouts, except Tommy Trout, promised that they would
+surely, surely stay inside their dear little pool. Then they all began
+to jump and chase each other and play as happy as could be, all but
+Tommy Trout.
+
+As soon as Mrs. Trout had started, Tommy Trout swam off by himself to
+the edge of the pool. "I wonder what is on the other side of the Big
+Rock," said Tommy Trout. "The sun is shining and the brook is laughing
+and nothing could happen if I go just a little speck of a ways."
+
+So, when no one was looking, Tommy Trout slipped out of the safe little
+pool where all the other little Trouts were playing. He swam just a
+little speck of a ways farther still. Now he could see almost around
+the Big Rock. Then he swam just a little speck of a ways farther and--oh
+dear, dear! he looked right into the mouth of a great big, big fish
+called Mr. Pickerel, who is very fond of little Trouts and would like to
+eat one for breakfast every day.
+
+"Ah ha!" said Mr. Pickerel, opening his big, big mouth very, very wide.
+
+Tommy Trout turned to run back to the dear, dear safe little pool where
+all the other little Trouts were playing so happily, but he was too
+late. Into that great big, big mouth he went instead, and Mr. Pickerel
+swallowed him whole.
+
+"Ah ha," said Mr. Pickerel, "I like little Trouts."
+
+And nothing more was ever heard of Tommy Trout, who didn't mind.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI SPOTTY THE TURTLE WINS A RACE
+
+All the little people who live on the Green Meadows and in the Smiling
+Pool and along the Laughing Brook were to have a holiday. The Merry
+Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind had been very busy, oh very busy
+indeed, in sending word to all the little meadow folks. You see, Peter
+Rabbit had been boasting of how fast he could run. Reddy Fox was quite
+sure that he could run faster than Peter Rabbit. Billy Mink, who can
+move so quickly you hardly can see him, was quite sure that neither
+Peter Rabbit nor Reddy Fox could run as fast as he. They all met one
+day beside the Smiling Pool and agreed that old Grandfather Frog should
+decide who was the swiftest.
+
+Now Grandfather Frog was accounted very wise. You see he had lived a
+long time, oh, very much longer than any of the others, and therefore,
+because of the wisdom of age, Grandfather Frog was always called on to
+decide all disputes. He sat on his green lily-pad while Billy Mink sat
+on the Big Rock, and Peter Rabbit and Reddy Fox sat on the bank. Each
+in turn told why he thought he was the fastest. Old Grandfather Frog
+listened and listened and said never a word until they were all through.
+When they had finished, he stopped to catch a foolish green fly and then
+he said: "The best way to decide who is the swiftest is to have a race."
+
+So it was agreed that Peter Rabbit and Reddy Fox and Billy Mink should
+start together from the old butternut tree on one edge of the Green
+Meadows, race away across the Green Meadows to the little hill on the
+other side and each bring back a nut from the big hickory which grew
+there. The one who first reached the old butternut tree with a hickory
+nut would be declared the winner. The Merry Little Breezes flew about
+over the Green Meadows telling everyone about the race and everyone
+planned to be there.
+
+It was a beautiful summer day. Mr. Sun smiled and smiled, and the
+more he smiled the warmer it grew. Everyone was there to see the
+race--Striped Chipmunk, Happy Jack Squirrel, Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow,
+Hooty the Owl and Bobby Coon all sat up in the old butternut tree where
+it was cool and shady. Johnny Chuck, Jerry Muskrat, Jimmy Skunk, Little
+Joe Otter, Grandfather Frog and even old Mr. Toad, were there. Last of
+all came Spotty the Turtle. Now Spotty the Turtle is a very slow walker,
+and he cannot run at all. When Peter Rabbit saw him coming up towards
+the old butternut tree he shouted: "Come, Spotty, don't you want to race
+with us?"
+
+Everybody laughed because you know Spotty is so very, very slow but
+Spotty didn't laugh and he didn't get cross because everyone else
+laughed.
+
+"There is a wise old saying, Peter Rabbit," said Spotty the Turtle,
+"which shows that those who run fastest do not always reach a place
+first. I think I WILL enter this race."
+
+Every one thought that that was the best joke they had heard for a long
+time, and all laughed harder than ever. They all agreed that Spotty the
+Turtle should start in the race too.
+
+So they all stood in a row, Peter Rabbit first, the Billy Mink, then
+Reddy Fox, and right side of Reddy Fox Spotty the Turtle.
+
+"Are you ready?" asked Grandfather Frog. "Go!"
+
+Away went Peter Rabbit with great big jumps. After him went Billy Mink
+so fast that was just a little brown streak going through the tall
+grass, and side by side with him ran Reddy Fox. Now just as they started
+Spotty the Turtle reached up and grabbed the long hair on the end of
+Reddy's big tail. Of course Reddy couldn't have stopped to shake him
+off, because Peter Rabbit and Billy Mink were running so fast that he
+had to run his very best to keep up with them. But he didn't even know
+that Spotty the Turtle was there. You see Spotty is not very heavy and
+Reddy Fox was so excited that he did not notice that his big tail was
+heavier than usual.
+
+The Merry Little Breezes flew along, too, to see that the race was fair.
+Peter Rabbit went with great big jumps. Whenever he came to a little
+bush he jumped right over it, for Peter Rabbit's legs are long and meant
+for jumping. Billy Mink is so slim that he slipped between the bushes
+and through the long grass like a little brown streak. Reddy Fox, who is
+bigger than either Peter Rabbit or Billy Mink, had no trouble in keeping
+up with them. Not one of them noticed that Spotty the Turtle was hanging
+fast to the end of Reddy's tail.
+
+Now just at the foot of the little hill on which the big hickory tree
+grew was a little pond. It wasn't very wide but it was quite long. Billy
+Mink remembered this pond and he chuckled to himself as he raced along,
+for he knew that Peter Rabbit couldn't swim and he knew that Reddy Fox
+does not like the water, so therefore both would have to run around it.
+He himself can swim even faster than he can run. The more he thought of
+this, the more foolish it seemed that he should hurry so on such a warm
+day. "For," said Billy Mink to himself, "even if they reach the pond
+first, they will have to run around it, while I can swim across it and
+cool off while I am swimming. I will surely get there first." So Billy
+Mink ran slower and slower, and pretty soon he had dropped behind.
+
+Mr. Sun, round and red, looking down, smiled and smiled to see the race.
+The more he smiled the warmer it grew. Now, Peter Rabbit had a thick
+gray coat and Reddy Fox had a thick red coat, and they both began to get
+very, very warm. Peter Rabbit did not make such long jumps as when he
+first started. Reddy Fox began to feel very thirsty, and his tongue hung
+out. Now that Billy Mink was behind them they thought they did not need
+to hurry so.
+
+Peter Rabbit reached the little pond first. He had not thought of that
+pond when he agreed to enter the race. He stopped right on the edge
+of it and sat up on his hind legs. Right across he could see the big
+hickory tree, so near and yet so far, for he knew that he must run
+around the pond then back again, and it was a long, long way. In just
+a moment Reddy Fox ran out of the bushes and Reddy felt much as
+Peter Rabbit did. Way, way behind them was Billy Mink, trotting along
+comfortably and chuckling to himself. Peter Rabbit looked at Reddy Fox
+in dismay, and Reddy Fox looked at Peter Rabbit in dismay. Then they
+both looked at Billy Mink and remembered that Billy Mink could swim
+right across.
+
+Then off Peter Rabbit started as fast as he could go around the pond one
+way, and Reddy Fox started around the pond the other way. They were
+so excited that neither noticed a little splash in the pond. That was
+Spotty the Turtle who had let go of Reddy's tail and now was swimming
+across the pond, for you know that Spotty is a splendid swimmer. Only
+once or twice he stuck his little black nose up to get some air. The
+rest of the time he swam under water and no one but the Merry Little
+Breezes saw him. Right across he swam, and climbed up the bank right
+under the big hickory tree.
+
+Now there were just three nuts left under the hickory trees. Two of
+these Spotty took down to the edge of the pond and buried in the mud.
+The other he took in his mouth and started back across the pond. Just as
+he reached the other shore up trotted Billy Mink, but Billy Mink didn't
+see Spotty. He was too intent watching Reddy Fox and Peter Rabbit, who
+were now half way around the pond. In he jumped with a splash. My! How
+good that cool water did feel! He didn't have to hurry now, because he
+felt sure that the race was his. So he swam round and round and chased
+some fish and had a beautiful time in the water. By and by he looked up
+and saw that Peter Rabbit was almost around the pond one way and Reddy
+Fox was almost around the pond the other way. They both looked tired and
+hot and discouraged.
+
+Then Billy Mink swam slowly across and climbed out on the bank under the
+big hickory tree. But where were the nuts? Look as he would, he could
+not see a nut anywhere, yet the Merry Little Breezes had said there were
+three nuts lying under the hickory tree. Billy Mink ran this way and
+ran that way. He was still running around, poking over the leaves and
+looking under the twigs and pieces of bark when Peter Rabbit and Reddy
+Fox came up.
+
+Then they, too, began to look under the leaves and under the bark. They
+pawed around in the grass, they hunted in every nook and cranny, but
+not a nut could they find. They were tired and cross and hot and
+they accused Billy Mink of having hidden the nuts. Billy Mink stoutly
+insisted that he had not hidden the nuts, that he had not found the
+nuts, and when they saw how hard he was hunting they believed him.
+
+All the afternoon they hunted and hunted and hunted, and all the
+afternoon Spotty the Turtle, with the nut in his mouth, was slowly, oh,
+so slowly, crawling straight back across the Green Meadows towards the
+old butternut tree. Round, red Mr. Sun was getting very close to the
+Purple Hills, where he goes to bed every night, and all the little
+meadow folks were getting ready to go to their homes. They were
+wondering and wondering what could have happened to the racers, when
+Sammy Jay spied the Merry Little Breezes dancing across the Green
+Meadows.
+
+"Here come the Merry Little Breezes; they'll tell us who wins the race,"
+cried Sammy Jay.
+
+When the Merry Little Breezes reached the old butternut tree, all the
+little meadow folks crowded around them, but the Merry Little Breezes
+just laughed and laughed and wouldn't say a word. Then all of a sudden,
+out of the tall meadow grass crept Spotty the Turtle and laid the
+hickory nut at the feet of old Grandfather Frog. Old Grandfather Frog
+was so surprised that he actually let a great green fly buzz right past
+his nose.
+
+"Where did you get that hickory nut?" asked Grandfather Frog.
+
+"Under the big hickory tree on the hill on the other side of the Green
+Meadows," said Spotty.
+
+Then all the Merry Little Breezes clapped their hands and shouted: "He
+did! He did! Spotty wins the race!"
+
+Then they told how Spotty reached the pond by clinging to the tip of
+Reddy Fox's tail, and had hidden the other two nuts, and then how he had
+patiently crawled home while Billy Mink and Reddy Fox and Peter Rabbit
+were hunting and hunting and hunting for the nuts they could not find.
+
+And so Spotty the Turtle was awarded the race, and to this day Peter
+Rabbit and Reddy Fox and Billy Mink can't bear the sight of a hickory
+nut.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Old Mother West Wind, by Thornton W. Burgess
+
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