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diff --git a/old/ldmww10.txt b/old/ldmww10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e56dd2 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ldmww10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2435 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Old Mother West Wind, by Burgess +#4 in our series by Thornton W. Burgess + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + + +Title: Old Mother West Wind + +Author: Thornton W. 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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 The Project Gutenberg Etext of Old Mother West Wind, by Burgess + |