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diff --git a/2557.txt b/2557.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f37104c --- /dev/null +++ b/2557.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2389 @@ +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. 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