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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5262.txt b/5262.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4283938 --- /dev/null +++ b/5262.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5378 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Curly and Floppy Twistytail, by Howard R. Garis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: Curly and Floppy Twistytail + The Funny Piggie Boys + +Author: Howard R. Garis + +Posting Date: October 18, 2014 [EBook #5262] +Release Date: March, 2004 +First Posted: June 19, 2002 +Last Updated: April 20, 2005 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURLY AND FLOPPY TWISTYTAIL *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + +BED TIME STORIES + + +CURLY AND FLOPPY TWISTYTAIL +(THE FUNNY PIGGIE BOYS) + + +BY + + +HOWARD R. GARIS + + +Author of "SAMMIE AND SUSIE LITTLETAIL," "JACKO AND JUMPO +KINKYTAIL," "THE UNCLE WIGGILY STORIES," "THE DADDY SERIES," "CIRCUS +ANIMAL STORIES," "THE ISLAND BOYS," ETC. + + +ILLUSTRATED BY LOUIS WISA + + + + +CONTENTS + +Curly Twistytail Is Named + +Floppy Gets His Name + +Pinky's Rubber Ball + +How Curly Helped Mother + +Curly and the Elephant + +Flop and the Bag of Meal + +Piggy Boys at School + +Curly Is Vaccinated + +Curly and the Spinning Top + +Flop and the Turtle + +Curly and the Chestnuts + +Baby Pinky and the Doctor + +Curly and the Big Apple + +The Piggies and the Pumpkin + +The Piggies In a Cornfield + +Flop Has a Tumble + +Mr. Twistytail's Lost Hat + +Mother Twistytail's New Bonnet + +Curly and the Sour Milk + +Flop and the Pie Lady + +The Piggies and the Jelly + +Flop and the Marshmallows + +The Piggies and the Fish + +Curly and the Afraid Girl + +The Piggies At the Party + +Floppy and the Bonfire + +Flop and the Skate Wagon + +Pinky and the Lemon + +The Piggies and Santa Claus + +Floppy and the Stockings + +The Twistytails' Christmas + + + + +STORY I + +CURLY TWISTYTAIL IS NAMED + + +Once upon a time, not so very many years ago, in the days when there +were fairies and giants and all things like that, there lived in a +little house, on the edge of a wood, a family of pigs. Now these +pigs weren't like the pigs, which perhaps you children have seen on +most farms. No, indeed! They were just the nicest cleanest, sweetest +pigs you ever dreamed of--not that pigs on a farm can't be clean, if +they want to, but, somehow or other, no one seems to have time to +see that they are clean. I guess it would take some one like Jennie +Chipmunk to sweep and dust their pen for them. + +Anyhow the pigs I am going to tell you about were very different +from most pigs, and they had some very funny adventures. + +First, there was the papa pig, and his name was Mr. Archibald +Twistytail though no one ever called him anything but Mr. Twistytail +except maybe his wife, when he forgot to bring up a scuttle of coal +so she could do the washing. And then, of course there was Mrs. +Twistytail--she was the mamma pig. And there were two little boy +pigs, and for a time they didn't have any names, as their papa and +mamma were so busy that they couldn't think what to call them. So +they just said "Here sonny!" or "Hi, Bubby," whenever they wanted +them to come in, or eat their dinner. + +One of these little boy pigs always wore short trousers with stripes +painted on them, and the other little piggie chap's trousers were +like a checker-board. + +And then--oh, but I almost forgot about the little baby pig. She was +the sweetest little creature you can imagine, and her right name was +Pinky, because she was so pink, just like a baby's toes when she +sleeps in her crib. But Pinky was hardly ever called by her right +name, almost every one said just "Baby," and that answered very +well. + +And now I'm going to tell you how one of the pigs got his name. He +was the oldest pig of the three children, and one day he and his +brother thought they would go out for a walk. + +"Come along!" exclaimed the oldest boy pig. "Maybe we will have an +adventure, such as Uncle Wiggily Longears used to have," for you see +the pigs knew Uncle Wiggly almost as well as you do. + +"All right," said the younger boy pig. "Where shall we go?" + +"Off in the woods," spoke his brother. "The woods are full of +adventures." + +So they strolled out of their house, and started for the woods. I +forgot to say that the Twistytail family of pigs lived in a regular +house--of course not the kind you boys and girls live in, but still +it was a very good house for pigs. It had tables in it, and chairs +and beds and all things like that. And the reason they were called +"Twistytail" was because their tails did have a sort of twist or +turn in them. + +Well, the two pig boys wandered on through the woods, and pretty +soon they came to two paths, one leading to left and the other to +the right. + +"Let's go this way," said the older pig boy, who yet didn't have any +name, and he pointed his leg toward the right-hand path. + +"No, I think we will find an adventure on this road," said his +younger brother, and he started off to the left. + +"Oh, there you go!" cried the older pig boy. "You never want to do +what I like!" + +"Well, I've got just as good a right to go this way as you have to +go that way," answered the younger piggie-iggie, and so those two +brothers, instead of keeping together and looking for adventures, +separated, and one went one way, while the other went the other way. +And now you just wait and see what happens. + +All of a sudden, as the older piggie boy was walking along, digging +up nice sweet roots with his nose--for you know that is the way +piggies dig--all of a sudden, I say, there was a growling noise in +the bushes, and before the little pig boy could jump out of the way, +or even call for his mamma or papa, a big black bear sprang out from +inside a hollow stump, and grabbed him. Right in his paws he grabbed +that little pig boy. + +"Oh, ho!" growled the big black bear. "You are just what I've been +waiting for. Now for a nice roast pork dinner. Oh, yum! yum!" + +"Oh!" squealed the little pig boy. "Surely you don't mean to eat me, +Mr. Bear! Please let me go!" + +"Indeed I'll not!" exclaimed the bear. "I was hiding here, hoping +Sammie Littletail or Uncle Wiggily would come along, so I could have +a rabbit dinner, but you will do just as well. Come along!" + +And so the bear carried off the little piggie boy farther into the +woods, intending to take him to a den where there was a good hot +fire. And all the while the little piggie tried to get away but he +couldn't because the bear held him so tightly in his paws. + +Pretty soon the bear came to his den. Then he said: + +"Let me see, now. I must have some apple sauce to go with my roast +pork dinner. I'll just tie this little pig to the fence while I go +off and get some apples to make into sauce. I can cook the apples +and the pig on the same fire." + +Then the bear looked blinkingly at the little pig, and said: + +"Let me see. How can I tie him to the fence? Oh, I know, by his +tail. I'll just fasten him by his tail." And that's what he did, +tying the poor little piggie to the fence by his tail, with a piece +of wild grape vine for a string. And the bear wound the grape vine +string, that was fast to the little pig's tail around and around the +round rail of the fence. Then the bear went off after apples for +sauce. + +Well, of course the poor little pig felt very badly, and he didn't +know what to do. He even cried a little bit, but I'm sure you won't +blame him for that, will you? And he said: + +"Oh, I wish my little brother was here. He might help me!" + +And then, all of a sudden, there was a rustling in the bushes, and +the little pig, who was tied by his tail to the fence, thought it +was the bear coming back. But it wasn't, for all at once a voice +called out: + +"Oh, brother! What has happened to you?" And there was the piggie's +little brother looking for him. + +"Oh!" cried the pig boy who was tied to the fence by his tail. "A +bear caught me. A big black bear! He is going to eat me as soon as +he comes back with the apple sauce. Save me!" + +"Indeed I will," said the little brother. And with his sharp teeth +he gnawed through the grape vine string, and then his brother was +free. "Come on!" exclaimed the littlest pig. "We must run home away +from the bear!" + +And they did, getting back to their house safely, and oh! how +disappointed that bear was when he returned with the apples and +found his pig dinner gone. He was so peevish that he threw all the +apples away. + +And when Mrs. Twistytail saw her little boy she exclaimed: + +"Oh, my sakes alive! How did you get that curl in your tail?" + +"I--I guess that was where the bear tied me to the fence," said the +piggie boy, and so it was. His tail was all curled tight, like a +little girl's hair. His mamma tried to take the curl out with a warm +flatiron, but the kink stayed in the tail, and so Mr. Twistytail +said: + +"I guess we'll have to call our piggie boy by the name of Curly +after this," and so they did, and that's how one piggie boy got the +name of "Curly Twistytail." + +And in case the shells don't all come off the eggs and leave the +feathers sticking out for a sofa cushion, I'll tell you next how the +other little pig got his name. + + + + +STORY II + +FLOPPY GETS HIS NAME + + +One day, oh, I guess it must have been about a week after Curly +Twistytail, the little pig boy, had the adventure with the bear, and +his brother rescued him, as I told you in the story before this +one,--one day Curly's brother, who hadn't any name as yet, said: + +"Oh, Curly, let's go out for another walk, and maybe something will +happen to us." + +"All right," agreed Curly, "only I hope a bear doesn't happen. It's +no fun to think you're going to be turned into roast pork and eaten +with apple sauce," for that is what the bear was going to do, you +know. + +So off the two little pig brothers started, and their mamma called +after them: + +"Now, stay together. Don't go one on one path, and one on another, +as you did before, and have trouble. Stay together, and help one +another." + +"We will!" they answered, and really they meant to, but, you see, +little pigs sometimes forget, just as real children do. + +On they went together. Curly and his brother who hadn't any name, +except that sometimes people called him "Bub," or maybe "Son," or +even "Hey, Johnnie!" though that wasn't his real name at all. + +Pretty soon, in about as long as it takes to eat a lollypop if you +don't hurry to get down to the stick part of it--pretty soon the two +piggie boys met Grandfather Squealer, who was the grandpapa of all +the pigs in that part of the country. + +"Oh, ho!" exclaimed the old gentleman pig, "Oh, ho! How are you +today, Curly?" + +"Very well, sir, thank you," replied the pig boy politely, and he +looked around to see if the curly kink had come out of his tail +where the bear had tied him to the round fence rail, but the curl +was still there. + +"And how is this other little chap?" went on Grandpa Squealer, as he +took a pinch of snuff, and then looked in his vest pocket to see if +he had any spare pennies. "How are you, Bub?" he asked. "You haven't +any name yet, have you?" + +"No sir," answered the brother of Curly. "I wish I had, though," and +he also wished that Grandpa Squealer would find a penny so that he +and his brother could buy a lollypop, and that wish came true, if +you will kindly believe me. For the old gentleman pig did find two +pennies. + +"There now, boys," he said, "run along to the candy store. And maybe +you can buy a name for yourself," and he playfully pulled the ears +of Curly's brother. Then Grandpa Squealer sneezed again and walked +on, and so did the two boy pigs. + +"I'm going to buy a corn lollypop," said Curly. + +"I think I'll buy a sour-milk one," said his brother, for you know +little pigs, and big ones, too, like sour milk as much as you like +yours sweet. Isn't that funny? + +So they walked on together, talking of different things, and pretty +soon they came to a place where there were two stores. One was +painted red and the other was painted blue. + +"I'm going in the red store for my lollypop," said Curly. + +"Oh, let's go in the blue one," suggested his brother. "Maybe I can +buy a name for myself in there. I am tired of being called 'Bub' and +'Johnny,' and names like that." + +But the two brothers couldn't agree, so Curly went in the red store +and his brother in the blue one. The blue store was kept by an old +lady dog, and when the little pig, who, as yet, had no name, +entered, the old lady dog storekeeper looked over the counter and +asked: + +"Well, little pig boy, what do you want?" + +"If you please," he answered, "do you keep names to sell?" + +"Why, what a funny question!" barked the dog lady. "The only names I +have are names of candy, and I'm sure you don't want any of those, +do you? There is peppermint and spearmint and cinnamon and lemon +drops and cocoanut kisses and lollypops and jaw-breakers and tootsie +rolls and chocolate--do you want any of those names?" + +"No," replied the little pig boy, "I don't think I like any of those +names for myself. I wouldn't want to be called Cocoanut Kisses, nor +yet Lollypops, nor even Tootsie Rolls. Oh dear! I wish I could get a +name such as my brother Curly has. But maybe I will some day. And +now, if you please, I'll have a sour-milk lollypop." + +So the old lady dog storekeeper gave it to the little pig boy, and +he handed her his penny. He was just taking the paper off the +lollypop, and was going to eat it--the lollypop, not the paper, you +understand--and go out and see if his brother had come out of the +red store, when, all of a sudden, a little puppy dog boy who had +just come in from school saw the pig boy in the store, and right at +him he sprang with a bow wow bark. + +"Here! Come back!" cried the lady storekeeper who was the mother of +the puppy dog boy. "Let that little pig alone." + +"I'm only going to play tag with him," answered the puppy dog, and +with that he sprang at the piggie and caught him by the ear. He +really didn't mean to, but his teeth closed fast on poor piggie's +ear, and there they stuck. + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" howled piggie. "I'm caught! Oh let me go. Please let +me go!" + +"Yes, let go of him at once, you naughty boy!" cried the doggie's +mamma, as she made a grab for his tail. But just then piggie began +to run, squealing as hard as he could, and as the doggie did not let +go of his ear, the little barking chap was dragged along too. And +then out from the red store ran Curly and he squealed and his +brother squealed, also, and the boy dog barked, and so did the +storekeeper lady dog, and such a time you never heard in all your +life! Oh! such a racket! + +"Let go my ear! Let go my ear!" squealed the pig, and the doggie boy +tried to let go but he couldn't, until Curly got hold of him by the +left leg and pulled him loose. + +"Oh dear! Oh dear!" cried the piggie who had bought the sour milk +lollypop. "Is my ear pulled off, Curly?" + +"No, but it is hanging down like anything," said his brother. "I +guess its broken!" + +"Oh, I am so sorry!" exclaimed the little boy dog. "I didn't mean to +do it. I was only going to tag you, but I slipped. Come in the house +and my mamma will put some salve on your ear, and I'll give you an +ice cream cone." + +And just then Grandfather Squealer came past, and he saw Curly's +little brother, with his ear hanging down, going flippity-flop, and +the old gentleman said: + +"Oh ho! I think I will call you Flopear, or Floppy for short. That +is a good name, and it just fits you." And so after that the second +little pig was always called Floppy for his ear never stood up again +but always hung down like a bell clapper. But the salve soon made it +well, and the storekeeper lady gave Floppy and Curly each an ice +cream cone. + +So that's all now, if you please, but in case the butcherman doesn't +throw the loaf of bread at the candlestick and scare the lamp +chimney I'll tell you in the story after this about Pinky +Twistytail's rubber ball. + + + + +STORY III + +PINKY'S RUBBER BALL. + + +"Now, children," exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail, the pig lady, one +morning, when she had given Curly and Floppy and Baby Pinky their +breakfast of sour milk with cornmeal stirred in it, "now, children, +run out and play. I have the sweeping and dusting to do, and then I +am going to make an apple pie." + +"Oh, goodie!" cried Curly. "Do you want us to help you, mamma?" + +"No, I'm afraid you would eat more apples than you would put in the +pie," said Mrs. Twistytail with a laugh. "Run along now." + +"Come on Curly," said Floppy and he ran out and turned a somersault, +even though it was near winter, for he felt happy, now that he had a +name and didn't have to be called "Bub" or "Johnny" or something +like that. + +"What shall we do?" asked Curly. + +"Let's build a fort and play soldier," suggested Floppy. "Pinky can +be a prisoner and we'll make believe capture her, and then we'll +rescue her, and shoot off make-believe guns, and--" + +"No--No!" cried Baby Pinky, as she tried to stand up on the end of +her twisty tail, but she couldn't, for it was too slimpsy and not +stiff enough. She fell down, but her brothers picked her up, and +then the curl came back in her tail. + +You see, after the bear had tied Curly to the fence and made his +tail all frizzy-like, all the other pigs, including Pinky and Floppy +wanted their tails to curl also, and their mamma had to do it for +them, twisting them around the rolling-pin. And she even curled her +own, and her husband's, that that's why all pigs have curly tails +now, because it's stylish, you see. + +"Why don't you want to play soldier?" asked Floppy of his little +sister. + +"Oh, it's too scary!" she said. "And the guns make so much noise. If +you won't shoot off any guns I'll play." + +"Pooh!" exclaimed Curly, "all soldiers have to shoot guns! You +couldn't be a soldier with a gun that didn't make any noise." + +"Then I'm not going to play," said Pinky, who was just the color of +the inside of a shiny sea shell. "I'll bounce my rubber ball," she +went on, "and you boys can play soldier." + +So she bounced her ball that Grandfather Squealer had given her, +while Curly and Floppy as I'll call him for short, made a fort out +of cobs from which they had gnawed all the corn, and they had a fine +time. They were off playing in the woods, while Pinky stayed near +the house. + +She was hoping her mamma would soon have the apple pie baked and +would call her in and give her a piece, when, all of a sudden, as +Pinky bounced her ball, it went high in the air, but it didn't come +down again right away. + +"My! What can have happened?" thought little Pinky, and she looked +around, and there she saw a great big fuzzy fox, standing behind +her. And the fox cried out, as he rubbed his nose: + +"Did you hit me with that rubber ball?" + +"Yes--yes--perhaps I did," said poor Baby Pinky, trembling so that +she nearly shook the curl out of her tail. "I tossed my ball up in +the air, but I'm sure I didn't mean to hit you with it. Please +forgive me." + +"No, indeed, I will not!" exclaimed the fox. "Your rubber ball hit +me right on the nose when it came down, and I caught it. And, just +for that, I am going to carry you away with me and make a pork pie +of you!" + +"Oh, please don't!" begged Pinky, shaking more than ever, and she +squealed as loudly as she could, but her mamma did not hear her, for +she was beating up some eggs to make a cake, and the egg beater made +so much noise that she couldn't hear her own little girl. And Curly +and Floppy were shooting off their make-believe guns, and making so +much noise in the woods that they couldn't hear, and there was the +fox about to carry off the poor little piggie girl to his den. Oh, +wasn't it terrible? + +"Here we go!" cried the fox, and with that he grabbed up poor Pinky, +tossing her rubber ball on the ground. Up it bounced, and, hardly +knowing what she did, the little pig girl caught it in her foot, +holding it tight. Then the fox slung her across his back and ran off +with her, Pinky squealing all the while as hard as she could. + +"Squeal away!" growled the old fuzzy fox. "You'll soon stop it when +I put you in the pork pie!" + +And Pinky kept on squealing. Pretty soon the fox ran through the +woods where Curly and Flop were playing soldier, but the fox didn't +know that. Pinky did, however, and when she got beneath the trees +she squealed louder than ever, hoping her brothers would hear. + +"Keep quiet!" barked the fox. + +"No! No!" exclaimed Pinky, and she squealed again. Oh! she squealed +like anything. Then Curly heard her. So did Flop. + +"That sounds like Pinky," said Curly, blinking his eyes. + +"It surely does," agreed his brother. "Something must have happened +to her." They ran out of the fort they had made of corncobs piled +one on the other, and they saw their little baby sister being +carried off by the fox. Wow! Think of that! + +"Here, you let our Pinky alone!" cried Curly bravely. + +"No! No! No!" answered the bad fox. + +"Then we'll shoot you!" shouted Flop. "Shoot him, Curly!" + +Then those two brave pig boys shot their make-believe guns at the +fox. "Bang! Bang! Bung! Bung!" But do you s'pose he stopped for +that? Not a bit of it! On he ran, faster than ever, carrying away +Pinky, and Curly and Flop ran after him, but what could they do? It +looked as if the little pig girl would soon be made into pork pie, +when she suddenly called out: + +"Oh, boys! My rubber ball! Fill it with water and squirt it at the +fox!" and she threw her ball to Curly. + +"Don't you dare squirt rubber-ball water at me!" howled the fox, for +he was very much afraid of getting his tail wet. + +"Yes we will!" shouted Curly and with that he caught the ball his +sister tossed to him. It only took him a second to stop at a mud +puddle and fill the ball with water. Then, taking careful aim, just +as a brave pig soldier boy should, he squeezed the ball, and "Zip!" +out squirted the water all over the bad fox. + +"Oh wow! Double wow, and pumpkin pie! That water went right into my +eye!" howled the fox, and then, with his tail all wet, so that it +weighed ten pounds, or more, that fox was so utterly frightened and +kerslostrated that he let go of poor little Pinky and ran off to his +den, and he didn't have any pork pie for a long time afterward. + +"Oh, you saved me!" cried Pinky to her two brothers, when they had +picked her up, and started back home with her. + +"You helped save yourself," said Curly. "You and your rubber ball," +and he and Flop were very glad their sister had not been carried off +by the bad fox. + +And on the next page, if the washtub doesn't fall out of its crib +and knock a hole in the tea kettle so that all the lemonade runs +out, I'll tell you how Curly helped his mamma. + + + + +STORY IV + +HOW CURLY HELPED MOTHER + + +"Well, this is certainly a fine day for washing!" exclaimed Mrs. +Twistytail, the pig lady, one morning as she got up from the nice, +clean, straw bed where she had slept with little Pinky. "I must get +right to work and hang out the sheets and pillow-cases so the sun +will make them nice and white." + +So she hurried through with the breakfast of sour milk with corn +meal and sugar cakes, and as soon as Mr. Twistytail had gone to the +factory, where he helped make sausage for buckwheat cakes, Mrs. +Twistytail said: + +"Now, children, do you want to help me wash?" + +"Oh, yes, mamma!" they all cried at once. + +"I'll turn the wringer," said Curly, "for I am good and strong." + +"And I'll put the clothes pins in the basket and have them all +ready," said Pinky, for, though she was only a little girl pig she +could easily carry the clothes pins. + +"What can I do?" asked Flop, the other little pig boy. His real name +was Floppy, or Flop Ear, but I call him Flop for short you see. + +"Oh, you can bring me in the sticks to make the fire," said his +mamma, and soon the three piggie children were working away as fast +as they could, helping their mamma, who was busy sorting out the +clothes. + +Soon the fire was made, and the sudsie-soapy water was boiling the +clothes to sort of cook them nice and clean, and Pinky had the +clothes pins all ready. Flop had put up the line, after he had +brought in the firewood, and Curly was all ready with the wringer. + +Well, you should have seen Mrs. Twistytail rub-adub-dub the clothes +up and down on the washboard. My! how she did scatter the suds all +over, and once some splashed right up in her eye, but she only +laughed and sang a funny little song. + +"Ready now, Curly!" she called to her eldest little boy. "Ready to +wring out the clothes through the first water!" + +So Curly turned the wringer, which doesn't ring like a bell, you +know, but squeezes all the water out of the clothes so they will dry +better. Around and around Curly turned the wringer handle, and the +clothes came out like corn out of the popper. + +"Oh, what fun!" cried the little pig boy, and his brother and sister +thought it was very jolly to help their mamma. + +"Now, you may run away and play for a while," said the pig lady. "I +have to get the rinsing and bluing waters ready." + +So Curly and Flop and Pinky ran out in the yard to play. Flop and +Pinky saw a little boy and girl pig whom they knew, and they began +playing, but Curly walked about, thinking maybe he might find a +penny, when all of a sudden he saw his mamma hurrying out of the +kitchen. + +"Where are you going, mamma?" he called to her. "Is the washing all +done? Can't I wring any more clothes?" + +"Oh, yes," she answered. "There are plenty more to wring out even +yet, but they must wait. Mrs. Littletail, who lives down the street, +has just sent in to say that her little rabbit boy Sammie has the +stomach ache and I am taking over some hot peppermint tea for him. +The washing can wait until I get back." + +On ran Mrs. Twistytail to make Sammie Littletail feel better, and +just then her own little boy Curly had a great idea. + +"I'll just slip in and finish the washing for mamma," he said to +himself, as he saw that Flop and Pinky were still playing tag. +"Won't she be s'prised when she comes in and sees the clothes all +hung up to dry?" + +So Curly hurried into the kitchen and there he saw a lot of water in +a tub, and the pile of clothes in the basket ready to be rinsed and +blued and hung out to dry. Then Curly began to help his mamma to +make her surprised. + +Into the tub he plumped the clothes, and then, fastening on the +wringer, he began to wring them out as dry as he could. There were a +lot of sheets and pillow-cases, and these last were like bags, full +of wind and water when you put the open end in between the rubber +rollers first. And then, when they came toward the closed end. My! +how they would puff out and make a funny sissing noise. + +Curly always liked to wring out the pillow-cases this way, and he +had lots of fun. Soon he had a big basket of clothes ready to hang +on the line. Wasn't he the smart little piggie boy, though? + +Out into the yard he carried the basket of clothes. It was hard +work, but he managed it. And how the wind did blow! It was all Curly +could do to hold the big sheets from blowing away, but somehow he +did, and he didn't want to call Flop or Pinky to help, for he wanted +to surprise them, too, as well as his mamma. + +Well, he had hung up quite a lot of clothes to dry, and then came a +large pillow-case. The wind was blowing harder than ever, and as +Curly tried to hang the case on the line a big, strong breeze just +took hold of it, puffed it out like a balloon, and then--and then, +my goodness me, sakes alive! the wind took the pillow-case right up +in the air, and as Curly was hanging tightly to it, he went up also! + +Right up into the air he went, sailing and sailing, just like an +aeroplane, and he cried out: + +"Mamma! Papa! Flop Ear! Pinky! Save me!" But none of them heard him, +and he went higher and higher until the pillow-case, full of air +like a balloon, caught in a tree, and there was the little piggie +boy held where he couldn't get down. Oh, dear me, wasn't that +terrible? + +Curly didn't know what to do. The tree was too big for him to jump +down and he couldn't climb very well. He thought he would have to +stay up there forever, maybe. But he didn't. Pretty soon Sammie +Littletail's stomach ache was all better and Mrs. Twistytail came +home. The first things she saw were the clothes hanging out on the +line--that is, all but the pillow-case that had taken Curly up in +the tall tree. + +"My goodness me! sakes alive and a corn cob," exclaimed Mrs. +Twistytail. "The children must have done this to help me. My, but I +am surprised. But I wonder where they are?" Then she saw Flop and +Pinky playing tag, but she couldn't see Curly. + +"Oh, Curly, Curly, where are you?" she called, and her little boy +answered: + +"I'm up in the tree with the pillow-case!" Then his mamma saw him +and she nearly fainted. But she didn't quite faint, and then she +telephoned for a fireman with a long ladder, who came and got Curly +safely down. + +So that's how he helped his mamma, and he surprised her more than he +meant to, but it all came out right in the end. And soon the washing +was all done, and the firemen gave each of the pig children a penny. + +So that's all now, but in the next story, in case the oil can +doesn't slide down the clothes pole and break the handle off the +pump, so the angle worm can't get his ice cream cone, I'll tell you +about Curly and the elephant. + + + + +STORY V + +CURLY AND THE ELEPHANT + + +When Curly Twistytail, the little pig boy, was digging away with his +nose in the front yard, one day, hunting for lollypops, or maybe ice +cream cones, under the grass, for all that I know; one day, I say, +as he was rooting away, he heard his mamma calling: + +"Oh, Curly; Oh, Flop Ear! I want some one to go to the store for +me." + +"That means I've got to go," thought Curly, as he looked around to +see if his tail was still kinked into a little twist. + +"I'll have to go because Flop is off playing ball with Bully the +frog. Well, there's no use getting cross about it," so, giving a +cheerful grunt or two, just to show that he didn't at all mind, +Curly ran around to the back door and said: + +"What is it, mamma? I'll go to the store for you?" + +"Oh, there you are!" exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail. "Well, I want a +dozen eggs, and be sure to get fresh ones, and don't smash them on +the way home." + +"I won't," said the little piggie boy, and with that he ran down the +street squealing a tune about a little monkey who hung down by his +tail, and when he went to sleep he sat inside the water pail. + +Well, Curly got the eggs all right, and he was on his way home with +them, when, all at once, as he came to the corner of the woods, +where an old stump stood, out from behind it jumped a bad dog. + +"Ha, what have you in that bag, little piggie boy?" asked the bad +dog, catching hold of Curly by his ear so that he could not run +away. + +"Eggs," answered Curly. "There are eggs in this bag for a cake my +mamma is going to bake." + +"No, you are mistaken," said the dog, gritting his teeth. "Those +eggs are for me, I want to eat them," and he reached out his paw for +the paper bag. + +Now, though Curly did not know it, this was a bad egg dog--that is, +he liked to eat eggs raw, without ever boiling or frying them, and +that kind of a dog is the worst there is. No one likes him, not even +the old rooster who crows in the morning. + +"I'll just take those eggs," said the bad dog, "and, though I don't +know how to make a cake, still I can manage to eat them," and with +that he took an egg out of the bag, chipped a little hole in the +shell, and drank up the yellow and white part just as you would +drink an ice cream soda. And, mind you, that dog never even winked +an eye! What do you think of that? + +"Number one!" the dog exclaimed, as he reached for another egg. "Now +for number two!" + +And oh! how badly Curly felt when he saw his mamma's eggs going that +way. It was almost as bad as if he had dropped the bag on the +sidewalk and smashed them, only, of course, it was not his fault. + +Then the little piggie boy decided to be brave and bold. The bad dog +was eating the second egg, and he had his nose tipped up in the air, +so the white and yellow of the egg would run out of the shell down +his throat, when, all of a sudden, Curly pulled himself loose from +the dog's paw and grabbed up the bag with the ten eggs in it and ran +away as fast as he could. + +"Here! Come back!" cried the bad egg dog, as he threw the empty +shell at Curly. "Come back here with the rest of my eggs!" + +"Your eggs! No indeed!" cried Curly, and he didn't in the least mind +when the egg shell hit him on the end of his nose, for, being empty, +you understand, the shell didn't hurt any more than a piece of paper +would have done. + +"Ha! If you won't come back I'll chase after you!" barked the bad +egg dog, and with that he began chasing after Curly. + +Faster and faster ran Curly, and faster and faster came the dog +after him, until he had nearly caught the little piggie boy. Then +Curly thought to himself: + +"Well, maybe if I roll one more egg to him he'll stop to eat that +and let me alone. Anyhow, nine eggs will be enough for a cake, and I +can tell mamma how it happened that the others were lost." + +So the piggie boy stopped running long enough to take an egg out of +the bag and roll it along the sidewalk toward the dog. + +"Ah, ha!" growled the dog. "Egg Number Three!" and he stopped to eat +the yellow and white part of it. Of course, Curly ran on, and he got +some distance ahead, but you see the more eggs the dog ate the +faster he could run, so on he came, and he had almost caught up to +Curly when the little piggie boy thought again: + +"Well, here goes for another egg!" + +So he rolled a second one toward that bad dog, who ate it, hardly +stopping at all, and on he came again. + +"Now, I have you!" the dog cried, as he threw the empty shell at +Curly, striking him on the nose once more. "Now, I'll get all the +eggs, and besides, I'll bite your tail off for running away!" + +"Oh, how dreadful!" thought Curly, and he wondered how it would feel +to have no tail. He was running as fast as he could, and he was +wishing a policeman or fireman would save him from the bad dog, +when, all at once, out from a yard with a high fence around it +sprang something big and white, with yellow legs, and there came a +hissing sound, just as if water were being squirted out of a hose. +Then a voice said: + +"Here, you bad dog, let my friend Curly alone! Run away, now, or +I'll nip you on your toes and nose! Skip! Hiss! Scoot!" + +And that dog was so frightened that he didn't think a single thing +more about eggs, but he just tucked his tail between his legs, where +it wouldn't get in his way, and off he ran. + +"Oh, saved at last!" gasped Curly, as he sat down on the curbstone +to rest, "and I still have eight eggs left for mamma's cake." Then +he looked up to see who had rescued him, and it was old Grandfather +Goosey Gander, the father of all the geese. The brave creature had +hissed at the bad egg dog and frightened him away. + +"Oh, how thankful I am to you," said Curly, politely, "and when the +cake is baked you shall have a piece, Grandpa Goosey." + +So he went on home with the rest of the eggs and--well, I do +declare! I have forgotten all about the elephant! I know he was to +be in this story, somewhere, but there's no room now, so I'll have +to put him in the next one, which will be about Flop and the bag of +meal--that is, if the clothes-basket doesn't fall on the gas stove +and make the rice pudding go down the cellar to hide away from the +rag doll. + + + + +STORY VI + +FLOP AND THE BAG OF MEAL + + +Now, let me see, I promised to put in this story, something about +the elephant; didn't I? That's because I left it out of the story on +the page before this, where Curly had such a dreadful time with the +bad egg dog. + +Well, now, if I leave the elephant out of this story I promise that +I'll give each one of you an ice cream cone with a raisin in it. All +you'll have to do--in case I forget to tell about the elephant and +how he helped Flop--all you have to do, I say, is to come up to my +house and say "Magoozilum!" at me, just like that, and turn two +somersaults on the parlor rug, and the ice cream cone is yours for +the asking. + +But now let's get right at the story. You see it happened this way. +Once upon a time, when Curly and his brother Flop were out in the +yard of the piggy-house, playing "ring around the apple tree," their +mother called to them: + +"Oh, boys! come in here!" she said, and when they got to the kitchen +where she was working, she asked them: "Do you know what I'm +making?" + +"Pies," said Curly. + +"Pudding," suggested Flop, as he tried to make his slimpsy ear stand +up straight, but he couldn't. + +"Neither one," said their mother. "But if one of you will go to the +store for me I'll make a Johnny cake for supper." + +"A Johnny cake?" asked Curly. "Is it called that because a boy has +to be named Johnny to eat it?" + +"No," answered his mother with a laugh, "but lots of boys named +Johnny do eat it. However, just at the last minute I find that I +have no corn meal. Now who wants to go to the store for a bag full, +so I can make the Johnny cake?" + +"I went for the eggs, last time," said Curly, sort of slow and +thoughtful like. + +"Then I suppose it's Flop's turn to go for the bag of meal," said +his mother. "But I do hope the bad dog doesn't chase him." + +"Oh, I'm not afraid, mamma," said the little piggie boy. "If he +comes after me I'll throw corn meal dust in his nose and make him +sneeze, and then he can't see to catch me." + +"Very well," said Mrs. Twistytail, so she gave Flop the money for +the bag of meal. Off he started to the store, while his brother, +Curly, went back in the yard to play hop-skip-and-jump, all by +himself. + +Flop went along the street, whirling his tail in a little circle +like a pin-wheel, or a merry-go-round, and he was thinking how good +the Johnny cake would taste, when, all of a sudden, he heard a +noise. + +It was a noise something like thunder, yet not quite so loud, and +Flop was wondering what it was, when, all at once, as he turned +around the corner, he saw a big elephant sitting on a stump, and +crying as hard as he could cry. And this elephant had made the +noise. + +Ah ha! That's the time I caught you; I've got the elephant in this +story after all, so you can't have the ice cream cones this time. +But never mind, maybe some other day you may. + +Anyhow, there was the elephant crying, and he shed as many tears as +you could cry in a year, even if you've been vaccinated. And Flop +instead of being afraid, went right up to the big creature and said, +most politely: + +"What is the matter? Can I help you?" + +"Eh? What's that?" exclaimed the elephant. "Bless my trunk strap! +It's a little pig. Oh dear!" + +"What is the matter?" asked Flop. + +"Oh, I ran a big sliver in my left hind foot," said the elephant, +"and I can't get it out. I've tried to pull it with my tail, but my +tail isn't long enough, and I can't even reach it with my trunk. And +I was to go to the codfish ball tonight, and now I can't, for I +never could dance with a sliver in my foot." + +"Perhaps I can pull it out," said Flop, and when the elephant held +up his foot, which was nearly as large as a washtub, the little +piggie boy could see the splinter as plainly as anything. + +"I'll get it out," he exclaimed and then he wound his kinky, curly +tail around the splinter and pulled it right out of the elephant's +foot as quick as a wink. + +"Oh, how kind of you!" cried the big creature. "If ever I can do you +a favor I will. Now I can go to the party tonight and dance. But +I'll just sit here awhile and rest, before I go." + +So Flop went on to the store to get the corn meal, and he told the +man about how Mrs. Twistytail was going to make a Johnny cake and +how he had pulled the splinter out of the elephant's foot, and the +store man said: + +"You are a brave little piggie boy, and here is a lollypop for you." + +Well, Flop was on his way home, carrying the bag of meal, and he was +taking little nips and nibbles off the lolly-pop, when all at once +what should happen but that, out from behind a tree sprang the bad +skillery-scalery alligator. + +"Ah, ha!" he cried. "Now I have you. Now for some roast pork and +apple sauce!" and he made a grab for Flop, but he didn't quite catch +him, I'm glad to say. And how that little piggie boy did run! Faster +and faster he ran, carrying the bag of meal for the Johnny cake, but +still the 'gator came after him and almost had him. + +"Oh, will no one save me?" cried Flop, for he could hardly run any +more, and then all of a sudden, he came to the place where the +elephant was still sitting on a stump, resting himself. + +"Oh, help me! Help me!" cried Flop. + +"Indeed, I will!" shouted the elephant. And with that, in his strong +trunk, he lifted Flop up on his broad back. Still the skillery-scalery +alligator came on, and he cried in his rasping voice: + +"I want that pig!" + +"Oh you do, eh?" asked the elephant, sarcastic like. "Well, you +can't have him. Take that!" and then the elephant just reached +around back with his trunk and took some corn meal out of the bag +that Flop held and the elephant blew the meal in the alligator's +eyes and nose and mouth and then-- + +"A-choo! Aker-choo! Boo-hoo! Hoo hoo! Splitzie-doo! Foo-foo!" +sneezed the alligator, turning forty-'leven somersaults. "Oh, dear +me, what a cold I have!" and he sneezed so hard that all of his back +teeth dropped out, and he couldn't bite any one for nearly a week. +And then he crawled off, leaving Flop to go home in peace and +quietness and watch his mamma make a Johnny cake. + +And when the cake was baked they gave the kind elephant some to take +to the codfish ball with him, and that's the end of this story, if +you please. + +But on the next page, if I have left any of those ice cream cones +with raisins inside, to give to the trolley car conductor when he +punches my transfer, I'll tell you about the piggie boys at school. + + + + +STORY VII + +PIGGY BOYS AT SCHOOL + + +One day Curly, the little pig who had such a funny shaped tail, said +to his brother, Flop Ear: + +"Say, let's run off and look for adventures as Uncle Wiggily, the +old gentleman rabbit, used to do!" + +"Where shall we run?" asked Flop. + +"Oh, almost anywhere," answered Curly. "We'll go down the road, +toward Sylvan Way, and out beyond the old black stump, and turn the +corner around the place where the apple tree grows, and then we'll +see what will happen." + +"All right," agreed Flop, so the two little pig brothers started +off. Their mamma was making some red flannel pies in the kitchen, +ready for winter, and of course she did not see them go, or perhaps +she might have stopped them. + +Pretty soon, in a little while, oh, maybe in about an hour and a +half, Curly and Flop came to a building all made of red brick, with +a chimney sticking from the top for the smoke to come out of, and a +lot of doors and windows in it. + +"I wonder what that is?" said Flop. + +"Maybe it's where the skillery scalery alligator lives," suggested +Curly. + +"Oh, no, he lives in a rocky cave under the water," spoke Flop. +"This isn't his house." + +"Then it's where the bad fox lives," went on Curly as he put his +nose down in the dirt to see if he could find any hickory nuts +there. + +"No, the fox lives in a stump," said Flop. "I don't know what this +place can be." + +And then, all of a sudden, before you could take a brush and paint a +picture of a lion on a soda cracker, all of a sudden the piggie boys +heard a lot of voices singing a song like this: + + "We are little children, + To school we love to go; + We run along, + And sing a song, + In rain or hail or snow." + +"Oh, ho!" exclaimed Curly. "That's a school, that's what it is." + +"To be sure," agreed his brother. "Let's go in and learn our A B C's +and then we can go home and tell mamma all about it. This is an +adventure, all right." + +"I believe it is," said Curly. So the two little piggy boys walked +along through the front door of the school, right into the room +where the nice lady bug teacher was telling the children how to make +a straight line crooked by bending it, and how to put butter on +their bread, by spreading it. + +"Oh, my!" exclaimed a little rabbit girl, as she saw the two piggie +boys in school. "Look at that!" + +"Quiet! No talking!" said the lady bug teacher. + +"Oh, but this is like Mary's little lamb, only it's different," said +Jonny Bushytail, the squirrel boy, as he remembered the verse about +the lamb in school. Only this time it was pigs. + +And, all this while Curly and Flop just stood there, in the school +room looking about them and wondering what they had better do. For +they had never been to school before; not even in the kindergarten +class. + +"This is a funny place," said Flop. + +"Isn't it?" agreed Curly. "They all seem quite surprised to see us." + +"They do, indeed," agreed Flop and, as a matter of fact, all the +animal children in the school were laughing. But the teacher--she +didn't laugh. Instead, she said: + +"Quiet, if you please! Fold your paws, everybody! Now, that the +little pigs have come to school we must see how much they know, so +we can tell what class to put them in." So she said to Curly: + +"Spell cat:" + +"D-o-g," spelled the little pig boy. + +"Wrong," said the teacher. "I guess you will have to go in the +kindergarten class." Then she said to Flop Ear; "Spell boy." + +"G-i-r-l," spelled Flop. + +"Wrong," said the teacher. "You, too, will have to go in the +kindergarten class. Now, I wonder if either of you piggy boys can +make a paper bird in a cage." + +So she gave each of them a pair of scissors and some red paper, and +blue and pink and yellow and brown and all colors like that. But my +goodness sakes alive and some candy with cocoanut on the top! Curly +and Flop had never learned to cut things out of paper, and of course +they did not know how. They just cut and slashed and didn't make +anything but scrips and scraps. + +"Oh, dear!" exclaimed the teacher. "Such piggie boys I never saw! +They can't even be in the baby kindergarten class!" + +"Maybe they can do something," said Susie Littletail's new baby +sister. "Some trick or anything like that." + +"Of course we can!" cried Curly, who was ashamed that his brother +and himself could do nothing the teacher asked. "Just watch us!" he +cried. + +So he stood up on the end of his tail and spun around like a top, +and then he made a squealing noise like a horn and played a tune +called "Ham and Eggs are Very Fine, but Ice Cream Cones are Better." +Then Flop turned a somersault and stood on one leg, and then the two +piggie boys danced up and down together like leaves falling off a +tree. + +"Oh! those little fellows are smarter than I thought they were," +said the lady bug teacher. "I guess they can be in our first class +after all." + +And just then a great big, bad, black bear rushed into the +schoolroom, and he was going to grab up about forty-'leven of the +animal children. + +But Curly suddenly shouted: + +"Here, you scoot away from us or I'll make a bee sting you on the +nose!" and as the bear was very much afraid of being stung on the +end of his soft and tender nose, he ran away as fast as he could and +stayed in his den, eating postage stamps for nearly a week, and +didn't bother anybody. + +Then the teacher and all the animal children thought the piggie boys +were very clever indeed, and the lady bug invited them to come to +school whenever they wanted to. And Curly and Flop said they would +come. + +Then they ran home to dinner and that's all there is to this story. +But on the next page, in case the little girl with brown eyes +doesn't cut all the green grass for the rag baby's hair ribbon, I'll +tell you about Curly being vaccinated. + + + + +STORY VIII + +CURLY IS VACCINATED + + +About two days, or maybe three days and part of another one, after +Curly Twistytail and his brother, Flop, had run away to school and +had performed their funny tricks, as I told you in the story before +this one, something else happened. And this is the way it was: + +Curly was out in the yard in front of the piggy house one morning, +raking up the leaves and thinking what fun he would have making a +fire and roasting some ears of corn, when he heard his mamma +calling: + +"Oh, boys! Where are you?" + +"Here I am," answered Curly as he jumped over a pile of leaves and +fell into the middle of them. But it did not hurt him, as they were +so nice and soft. + +"And here I am, too!" exclaimed Flop, and the other little piggie +boy, who was up in a hammock, swinging with one of the Katy Dids, +jumped down and ran to the back kitchen door. + +"What is it, mother?" called both the little piggie boys together. + +"I want one of you to go to the store for me," she said, "I need +some chocolate to put on top of a cake." + +"Oh, I'll go!" exclaimed Floppy and Curly together, quickly, and you +could not tell which one spoke first. But Mrs. Twistytail said: + +"Well, I think I'll let Floppy go, and when he comes back I'll give +you each some of the cake." + +So off Flop ran to the store, squealing as hard as anything because +he was so happy. At first Curly felt a little sad that he couldn't +go to the store, for the man who kept it always gave the piggie boys +a sweet cracker or something like that. But, of course, only one was +needed to carry the chocolate. + +"Never mind," said Curly's mamma to him. "You may go next time." + +So then he felt better, and he was thinking what fun it would be to +have a piece of chocolate cake, when all of a sudden he stopped to +think. + +"I guess I'll go to school again!" he exclaimed. "That will be fun. +Yes, I'll go to school!" + +So off he started, while his brother was getting the chocolate at +the store, and pretty soon Curly came to the place where the lady +bug school teacher had her classes of animal children in a hollow +stump. + +Curly knocked at the door, and when the teacher came to open it he +made his best bow. + +"Well, what is it, little piggie boy?" asked the teacher, kindly. + +"If you please," said Curly, "I want to come to school." + +"Very good," said the teacher. "I think you may. You and your +brother were so kind as to scare off the bear, so you may come to +our class. But, first, let me ask you--have you been vaccinated?" + +"Vaccinated?" repeated Curly. "Is that like a lollypop?" + +"No, that is having the doctor scratch your leg with a toothpick so +you won't get sick and have the epizootic," said the teacher. "Let +me see your paw." + +So she looked at Curly's paw, which he held out, and she saw that he +had never been vaccinated, so she said he would have to have that +done to him before he could come to school every day. + +"You go home," said the teacher to the little piggie boy, "and get +vaccinated. Then come back in about a week." + +So, as Curly wanted to go to school very much, on his way home he +went past Dr. Possum's office. And going in, he said: + +"I want to be vaccinated, doctor, so I can go to school." + +"Very well," answered Dr. Possum. "We'll do it." + +So Curly rolled up his sleeve, and the doctor scratched his paw with +a toothpick, and put some funny kind of yellow salve on it, and +wrapped it up in a little celluloid cap to keep the snowflakes from +it, and also that no mosquitos could bite it. + +"Now, in about a week your arm will begin to itch," said the doctor, +"and it will tickle you, and then, after a bit, you will be +vaccinated, and you can go to school." + +"Very good," said Curly, and he wondered why all little animal +children had to be vaccinated, and have the mumps and the measles-pox +and epizootic, and all things like that, but he couldn't guess, +and so he didn't try. + +He was rolling down his sleeve, and Dr. Possum was putting away the +toothpick with which he had vaccinated the little piggie boy, when, +all of a sudden, into the room jumped a big fuzzy fox, crying out: + +"Oh, Joy! Oh, good luck! Oh, hungriness! Here I have a pig dinner +and an opossum dinner all at once! Oh, happiness!" + +Then he made a jump, and was just going to grab Dr. Possum and Curly +too, when the little piggie boy cried out: + +"Vaccinate him! Vaccinate him, Dr. Possum. That will make him so +itchy that he can't bite us." + +"The very thing!" cried Dr. Possum, and before the big fuzzy fox +could get out of the way Dr. Possum vaccinated him on the end of his +nose with the toothpick all covered with the funny yellow salve, and +the fox was so kerslostrated that he jumped over his tail seven +times, and then leaped out of the window, leaving Curly and Dr. +Possum in peace. And in about a week--oh, how that fox's nose did +itch! Wow! And some sandpaper besides! + +As for Curly, he was vaccinated very nicely, indeed, and he could go +to school when his arm got well. And what happened next I'll tell +you in the story after this, and it will be about Curly and the +spinning top--that is, it will if the pink parasol coming up the +street doesn't slip on the horse chestnut and make the pony cart +fall down the coal hole. + + + + +STORY IX + +CURLY AND THE SPINNING TOP + + +"Oh dear!" cried Curly one morning, before his papa, Mr. Twistytail, +the pig gentleman, had started for work. "Oh dear, how dreadful I +feel!" + +"Why, what is the matter?" asked his papa, as he looked in the back +of the shiny dishpan to see if his collar was on straight. + +"Oh, my arm hurts so!" went on Curly. "It all seems swelled up, and +it has a lump under it and I don't feel a bit good. Oh dear!" + +"It's his vaccination," said his mamma. "It is beginning to 'take' +now, and it pains him." + +"What is beginning to 'take', mamma?" asked Curly. "It is beginning +to take the pain away? Because if it isn't I wish it was. Oh dear!" + +"It will soon be better," said Mrs. Twistytail. "Would you like some +nice yellow cornmeal ice cream, or some lollypops, flavored with +sour milk?" + +"Neither, mamma," answered the piggie boy. "But I would like +something to amuse me." + +"All right," answered the pig lady. "Then I'll send Flop Ear down to +the store to get you a toy. Come Floppy," she called, "go and get +something with which to amuse your brother," for you see Flop hadn't +yet been vaccinated, and his arm was not sore. + +"What would you like?" asked Flop of his brother. "Shall I get you a +mouth organ, or a kite, so you can fly away up to the clouds?" + +"Neither one," said Curly. "I want a spinning top that I can make go +around when I lie down in bed. And I want it to make music and jump +around on a plate and slide on a string and all things like that." + +"All right," said Flop Ear. "I'll try to get it for you." + +So he went down to the eleven-and-six-cent store to buy a spinning +top for his brother. And he found it, too. It was a top all painted +red and blue and yellow and green, and when you wound it up, and +pressed a spring, it spun around and around as fast as anything, +making soft and low music like the wind blowing through the trees on +a summer night, and sending the mosquitoes all sailing away to the +north pole. + +"I know Curly Tail will like this," said Flop Ear. + +So the store man wrapped the top up for him in a nice piece of blue +paper, tied with a pink string, just the kind they have in the drug +store, and Flop started back with the top to amuse his little sick, +vaccinated brother. + +And when Curly saw that top, all colored red and green, and blue and +yellow and skilligminkpurple, as it was, he felt better at once, +and, sitting up in bed, he began to spin it on a nice smooth board +that his brother brought up from the woodpile for him. + +Around and around on the board spun the top, looking like a pinwheel +on the night before Fourth of July, and Curly's sore arm began to +feel better all at once. + +Then Flop started to run down in the yard to play hop scotch with +Peetie and Jackie Bow Wow, the puppy dogs, and Curly said: + +"Some day, Flop, when you've been vaccinated, I'll get you a top to +amuse you." + +"Thank you," spoke Flop most politely, as he slid down the banisters +and bumped off on the last step with a bounce. + +So Curly played with his spinning top, and his brother was down in +the yard, having fun, when, all at once in at the window where Curly +was in bed, jumped a great big snail. Now a snail is an animal that +has horns, and he lives in a shell that grows on his back, and he +goes very slowly. But sometimes, when he has eaten red pepper for +his lunch, he can go as fast as anything. And this was what had +happened to this snail. He had eaten red pepper, and he fairly +jumped in at the window where Curly was lying in bed. + +"Bur-r-r-r!" warbled the snail, "Here I am," and he made a grab for +the little piggie boy, for he was a very large snail indeed, as big +as a dog house. + +"Look out for my vaccination!" cried Curly. "Don't hit my arm, +please." + +"Oh, what do I care for vaccinations!" cried the snail. "If you +don't give it to me at once, so I can throw it away, I'll stick you +with my horns," and he wiggled them at Curly just as a mooley cow +would have done. + +"Give you my vaccination!" cried Curly. "Why, how can I, when it's +fast on my leg?" + +"No matter!" snapped and snipped the snail. "Give it to me at once," +and he reached over, and he was just going to squeeze Curly Tail's +vaccination, and maybe hurt him like anything for all I know, when, +all of a sudden, the little piggie boy thought of his spinning top. + +It was all wound up, ready to spin, so Curly just pushed the spring, +and whizzicum-whazzicum, around and around went the top, on the +board in bed, right in front of the snail. And when the queer +creature, with his home on his back, saw it he cried out: + +"Oh, merry-go-rounds! Oh, pin wheels! Oh, circus hoops!" For it made +him dizzy to see the top spinning around, you see. "Stop it!" he +begged, but Curly would not, and at last the snail got so dizzy from +watching the spinning top that he fell right over backward on it, +and around and around he went, faster and faster, until, all of a +sudden, just as when you get off a merry-go-round before it stops +moving, that snail was tossed off from the top right out of the +window into the mulberry bush, where he belonged, and so he didn't +stick Curly with his horns after all. Wasn't that good? + +So that's how Curly, with his spinning top, got the best of the +snippery snail, and a few days later the little piggy boy could go +to school whenever he wanted, for his vaccination was all better. +And as for that snail, well, the less said about him the better--at +least in this story. + +And pretty soon, in case the man who is taking up the dried leaves +in the street, doesn't put the rag baby in his bag and take her off +to gather chestnuts, I'll tell you about Flop Ear and the frozen +turtle. + + + + +STORY X + +FLOP AND THE TURTLE + + +"Bur-r-r! Whew! Ice cream!" exclaimed Curly, the little piggie boy, +one morning, as he hopped out of his bed in the clean straw and ran +to the head of the stairs to see if breakfast was ready. "It's cold! +Terrible cold!" + +"Of course it is," agreed Flop, his brother. "It will soon be winter +and time for chestnuts and popcorn and sliding down hill and all +that. Of course it's cold." + +"I hope there is some warm water to wash in," went on Curly. + +"Warm water! What's that!" cried his papa from the next room. +"Nonsensicalness! Cold water is better for you. It will make your +skin nice and rosy. Wash in cold water." + +So Curly, whether he wanted to or no, had to sozzle and splash +himself all over in cold water, and really it did him good, for it +made him feel nice and warm and made his ears and nose as red as a +pink flannel blanket. + +Then the two piggie boys were ready for breakfast, and they had hot +corn meal cakes, with sour-milk and maple syrup sprinkled on them, +and eggs, with the shells taken off, and warm milk and all things +like that. + +Then it was time for Curly to go to school, but as for Flop, he had +not yet been vaccinated, and so he could not go to blackboard +classes and learn how to add two and two together and make a mud pie +of them, or how to write his name with red chalk that made blue +marks. + +"What are you going to do while I'm at school?" asked Curly of his +little piggie brother, who was playing in the front yard. + +"Oh, I think I'll build myself a little house out of corncobs," said +Flop, "and then I'll go over and tell Jennie Chipmunk that she can +put her rag doll to sleep in it." + +"Fine!" cried Curly. "And when I come home from school I'll bring +you each a lollypop." + +So Curly put on his warm checker-pattern coat and stuck his paws in +little red mittens, for it was quite cold that morning, and off he +went to school. + +But his brother, who had to stay home because he was not vaccinated, +looked out in the yard, and pretty soon he said: + +"Oh, I guess I'll go out and take a walk. Maybe I can find something +or have an adventure." + +So out Flop walked in the yard, and pretty soon, in a little while, +not so very long, he came to a place where there was something that +looked like a black stone with yellow marks on it. + +"That's just what I'm looking for," said Flop, as he saw the queer +stone. "I heard my mamma saying the other day that she needed some +weight to keep the kitchen door from blowing shut. This stone will +be the very thing for her." + +So over he ran to where he saw the thing that looked like a stone, +and he picked it up, no matter if it was cold. For there was frost +on the ground--white frost that made everything look as though a +little shower of snow had fallen--and everything was cold and +frozen. + +Into the house ran Flop, the little piggie boy, carrying his black +stone, all streaked with yellow. + +"Oh, see what I have found for you, mamma!" he exclaimed. "It will +keep the kitchen door from blowing shut." + +"So it will," said his mamma. "What a kind boy you are." So she took +the stone and placed it where it would keep the kitchen door from +slamming, and going shut, and then she made a custard pie so that +Curly could have some when he came home from school. + +Pretty soon the pie was done, and Flop was almost asleep in the nice +warm kitchen waiting for his piece. His mamma suddenly called to +him: + +"Flop, will you watch the pie for a minute while I run across the +street and borrow a yeast cake from Mrs. Wibblewobble, the duck +lady?" + +"Yes, of course I will," said Flop, rubbing his sleepy eyes. Then he +looked all around the kitchen, and on the table where it was cooling +he saw the nice pies his mamma had made, and he thought how good a +piece would be, and then he also saw something else. + +Into the kitchen came creeping a bad old egg dog--the same one who +had tried to get the eggs from Curly a few days before. + +"Pies!" cried the bad egg dog! "Custard pies! How I love 'em! Yum-yum!" +and with that he made a jump and he was just going to eat the +lovely custard pie Mrs. Twistytail had made when Flop said: + +"Here, you let that pie alone, if you please. It isn't yours. It's +my mamma's." + +"No matter!" growled the bad egg dog. "I will eat it anyhow, and you +can't stop me!" + +And with that he started to throw Flop out of the window, but the +little piggie boy cried: + +"Oh, what shall I do? Will no one help me?" + +"Yes, of course. I will!" answered a voice, and then that queer +object, which Flop had thought was a stone, began to move. Out of a +shell came a long neck, and a head with a sharp mouth on the end, +and out came four sharp claws, and instead of a stone there was a +mud turtle as large as life. Really there was, I'm not fooling a +bit! + +"I'll help you!" cried the brave turtle. + +"Oh, you!" said Flop. "I thought you were a stone to keep the +kitchen door from swinging shut." + +"No, I am a turtle--a frozen turtle," said the voice. "At least I +WAS frozen. The cold weather made me so slimpsy-slopsy that I +couldn't move, if you will kindly excuse me saying so. But as soon +as I got warmed up in your nice kitchen I became as lively as ever. +I'll soon fix that dog. Watch me!" + +And all of a sudden the turtle bit that dog on the end of its tail, +and the dog ran off howling, and so he didn't get any of the nice +pie, and he didn't bother Flop, nor Curly and his vaccination, any +more, and that night they gave the turtle some hot lemonade so he +wouldn't catch any more cold from having been almost frozen by the +frosts. And as for that dog, why a dentist pulled one of his ears +next day. + +So you see what Flop thought was a stone turned out to be a frozen +turtle who did him a great favor. And ever after that whenever Mrs. +Twistytail made pie the turtle was always in the kitchen to keep the +door open, and drive out any bad dogs in case they happened to get +in. + +And so no more now, if you please, as I am sleepy, and I know you +must be, too. But in case the little girl in Montclair doesn't drop +her doll on the sidewalk, and spill the sawdust all over the stick +of molasses candy I'll tell you next about Curly and the chestnuts. + + + + +STORY XI + +CURLY AND THE CHESTNUTS + + +"Why, Curly," exclaimed the nice old lady owl school teacher one +day, when the class in drawing was doing its lesson. "Why, Curly +Twistytail! I'm certainly surprised at you!" + +Of course, all the animal children looked over at the little piggie +boy, and at his brother Flop, also; but Flop had done nothing. And +what do you suppose it was that Curly had done? + +Why, instead of drawing a picture of a pail of sour milk, as the +teacher had told him to do, he had made a picture of a monkey-doodle +sitting on top of a Jack o'Lantern pumpkin. Wasn't that just awful! +Well, I guess yes, and some tooth brushes besides. + +"Oh, Curly, how could you?" asked the owl teacher, in a sorrowful +voice. + +"I--I didn't mean to," spoke the little piggie boy. "I--I guess it +just--happened." + +You see, during the drawing lesson, when the animal children were +supposed to make different pictures on their papers, the teacher +would fly around the room softly and come up from behind the desks. +Thus, she could look over the animal children's shoulders and see +what they were doing, when they didn't know it. It was then that she +had seen what Curly, the pig, drew. + +"Well, Curly," went on the owl teacher, sadly, "of course, it was +wrong of you to make that kind of a picture, and, though I do not +like to do it, I shall have to punish you. You will have to stay in +after school." + +And so that's how it was that Curly did not go out with the other +animal children when school was dismissed. He had to stay in and +clean off the blackboards, but he didn't mind that much, and really +he was sorry for being a little bit bad. + +"You may go now," said the owl school teacher, after a while, and +Curly hurried home, feeling a little sad, and wondering what his +mamma would say to him. He also wanted to hurry and have some fun +with his brother, Flop. + +Well, as Curly was going through the woods, all of a sudden, under a +tree, something fell and hit him on the nose. He jumped to one side +and exclaimed: + +"Who is throwing stones at me?" + +But no one answered, and Curly went on. Soon something else fell +down, and hit him on the ear. + +"I say!" he cried. "Would you please stop that? Is that the +skillery-scalery alligator, or the fuzzy fox?" + +But no one answered him, and Curly hurried on, thinking that perhaps +bad fairies might be trying to have fun with him, or maybe turn him +into a ham, or a piece of bacon, or something like that. + +Well, he had not gone on much farther when, all at once, another +something pattered down from a high tree, and struck him on the nose +again. + +"Oh, I say!" cried Curly, "please stop!" for this time it had been +something sharp that hit him. "That isn't fair!" went on the little +piggie boy. "Who is throwing things at me?" + +He looked down on the ground, and there he saw something like a +rubber ball, only it was a sort of greenish brown color, and had +stickers all over on it. And then it burst open, and out rolled +three little brown things. + +"My word!" cried Curly, just like an English piggie boy. "My word! +What is this?" + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed a voice behind him, and turning quickly around +Curly saw Jacko Kinkytail, a hand organ monkey, hanging by his tail +from a tree branch. "Ha! Ha!" laughed the monkey again. "Don't you +know what those brown things on the ground are?" + +"No indeed," replied the piggie boy. "What are they?" + +"Chestnuts," said Jacko the hand organ monkey. "They are chestnuts, +and they fell off the trees and hit you. No one was throwing stones +at you, though the prickly burrs inside of which the chestnuts are, +seem as large as stones." + +"Chestnuts, eh?" spoke Curly. "What good are they?" + +"To eat," answered the monkey. "We will build a fire and roast some, +and you will like them very much." + +"Goodie-oodie!" squealed Curly, and, as he and the monkey began to +gather up the chestnuts, the piggie boy was rather glad, after all, +that he had been kept in, though of course he was sorry that he had +made the wrong picture in drawing class. + +So while Curly gathered up the chestnuts, rooting them out from +under the leaves with his nose, that was like a piece of rubber, and +stamping them out of the prickly burrs with his sharp feet--while he +was doing this, I say, the monkey was making a fire to roast the +nuts. + +Soon Curly had quite a pile of them by an old stump, and the monkey +had built a hot fire. + +"Now, we will roast the chestnuts," spoke Jacko, and he put several +pawsful on the hot coals. + +"And when will they be roasted?" asked Curly. + +"Soon," answered the monkey. "We will have a game of tag while we +are waiting." + +And, all of a sudden, as they were playing tag, out from under a big +flat stone, came the bad skillery-scalery alligator, with a tin horn +on his back. Oh! but he was a bad fellow! + +"Ah, ha!" he cried. "Now I have you! Now I will have a piggie boy to +eat and a monkey boy to wait on the table. Come along, both of you!" +and the bad alligator made a grab for the two friends and was about +to carry them off to his den. + +"Oh, please let me go!" begged Curly. + +"Yes do!" asked the monkey. "Let us go." + +"No! No!" snapped the alligator. And just then there sounded this +noise: + +"Bang! Bang! Snap! Crack! Bang! Boom!" + +"Oh I what is that?" cried the 'gator. "Oh! the hunters with their +guns are after me. I must run! This is no place for me!" + +Then, dropping Curly and the monkey, the bad alligator ran away as +fast as he could, and didn't hurt either of them, and the "bang-bang!" +noises kept getting louder and louder. + +"Oh, what are they?" asked Curly, who was almost as much frightened +as the alligator had been at the strange sounds. + +"Nothing but the roasting chestnuts," answered Jacko the monkey. +"They are bursting and making noises like guns because the fire is +so hot, and because I forgot to make holes in the nuts to let the +steam out. But it is a good thing I did, for they burst and scared +the alligator." + +"Indeed, they did," agreed Curly. + +"And we'll roast some more chestnuts in place of the burst ones," +said the monkey, and he did, and Curly had as many as he wanted, and +some to take home. Soon he arrived at the piggie-house, and every +one was glad to see him and the chestnuts, and that's all to this +story. + +But in case the pretty Red Cross nurse with the blue eyes and the +jolly laugh says that it's all right for the trolley car to jump +over the house and play tag with the chimney, I'll tell you next +about Baby Pinky and the doctor. + + + + +STORY XII + +BABY PINKY AND THE DOCTOR + + +One night, in the piggie house where Mr. and Mrs. Twisty tail lived +with their three children, there was a crying noise. + +"Hey! What's that?" asked Curly, one of the piggie boys, as he threw +some of the straw from his bed over on the one where his brother +Floppy slept. + +"Oh, I don't know. Cats howling, I guess," answered Flop. "Go to +sleep and don't mind 'em." + +So he and Curly tried hard to go to sleep again, but you know how it +is, sometimes, the more you try to close your eyes, and dream, the +wider awake you get. It was this way with the two piggie boys, +though you can hardly blame them for not sleeping, as the crying +noise sounded louder and louder. + +"That isn't cats," said Curly, after a while. + +"No," agreed Flop. "I guess it isn't. Sounds more like Baby Pinky +crying. I wonder what's the matter?" + +"Let's get up and look," suggested Curly who always liked to be +doing something, even at night. So the two piggie boys crawled +softly from their beds and looked out of the door. They saw in the +next room their papa scooting around in his bare feet, carrying a +kettle of hot water, and then they heard their mamma saying: + +"There, there now, little one. Your pain will soon be better. Don't +cry and wake up the boys." + +"Oh, we are awake!" exclaimed Curly through the open door of his +room. + +"What's the matter?" asked his brother. "Is somebody sick?" + +"Baby Pinky is," answered Mrs. Twistytail. "But go to sleep. We'll +call you if we want you." The two piggie boys saw their papa getting +more hot water, and other things, from the kitchen, and they heard +their mamma walking around with their baby sister, and they tried to +go to sleep, but they didn't rest much, for they were too anxious. + +During the night they managed to doze off, but still they heard +noises through the house, and when it was almost morning, but when +the stars were still twinkling, they heard their papa go softly out +of the front door. And they heard their mamma say: "Tell the doctor +to come as soon as he can, Archibald." You see, Mr. Twistytail's +first name was Archibald. And he answered: + +"Yes, I'll get him soon," and then the two boys heard their papa +sort of blowing his nose hard and coughing, as if he had a bad cold. +You see, papa pigs feel as badly when their little children get sick +as real papas do, every bit. + +Now in the morning, when the sun was up, there was a busy time at +the pig-house. First came Grandfather Squealer, the oldest pig of +them all, and he was a very nice gentleman. + +"You boys must be very good and quiet," he said to Curly and Flop. +"For your little sister is very sick, and may have to go to the +hospital." + +"What's a hospital?" asked Curly. + +"It's a place where they make sick folks get well," answered +Grandfather Squealer. "Now, you boys get ready for school. The +doctor is still here, and may be for some time." + +And so Dr. Possum was--up in the room looking after poor sick Pinky. +There was something the matter inside her--I didn't know what it +was, but anyhow she had to go to the hospital to have it fixed, just +as when the clock doesn't go, the jeweler has to put new wheels in +it, or fix the old ones. + +"But I don't want to go to the hospital," squealed Pinky, when they +told her she would have to. "I want to stay home," and she made such +a fuss that Dr. Possum said: + +"This isn't good for her. We must get her to be more quiet, or she +will be very ill." + +"Oh, please let us try to get her quiet," begged Curly, who, with +his brother, heard what was said. "We'll do some funny tricks, and +stand on our tails, and sing a little song, and then Pinky will want +to go to the hospital." + +"Very well," spoke Dr. Possum, so the two piggie boys did all the +tricks they could think of, from whirling around on the ends of +their tails to rolling themselves down a hill, like a hoop, with an +apple in their mouths. As Pinky watched them, she felt a little +better, and when the big ambulance automobile came to take her to +the hospital she was almost laughing. + +And even when she got in the nice big hospital, so clean and neat, +she wasn't frightened, for the little squirrel nurses were so kind +to her and they looked so pretty in their caps and blue dresses that +Pinky felt sure she was going to like it there. And then the doctor +said to her. + +"Now, Pinky, little girl, I will have to hurt you the least bit, but +no more than I can help, and after it is over you will be all better +and you will have no pain and you will be well. Are you going to be +a brave little piggie and stand for it?" + +"Ye--yes," faltered Pinky, but when the time came for them to really +make her better, and when it hurt, she cried out: + +"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" and she wiggled so hard that the +nurses and doctors could hardly hold her, just as when some children +get vaccinated. + +"This will never do," said Dr. Possum. "If she doesn't keep quiet we +cannot make her get well." + +"I can't!" cried Pinky. "I can't! I can't!" + +Well, no one knew what to do, until just then Uncle Wiggily +Longears, the old gentleman rabbit, came along, and he saw at once +what was the matter. + +"I'll fix it!" he exclaimed. "If Curly and Flop will stand outside +the hospital and sing funny songs while the doctor is fixing Pinky, +she will not mind it in the least." + +"We'll try it," said Dr. Possum. So the two piggie boys began to +sing funny songs under Pinky's window. They sang about the mousie +who had a rubber nose, and every time he blew it he bounced on his +tiptoes. Then there was another one about a doggie, who could not +wag his tail, because he'd fastened on it the monkey's drinking +pail. And when Pinky heard these songs she felt much better, and she +let the doctor do whatever he had to do to her. + +And when he hurt her quite badly (though, of course, he did not mean +to, for it was to make her better), and when Pinky cried, Curly and +Flop danced harder than ever and sang about the kittie who had a +penny hat, and when the ribbons all fell off she gave it to a rat. + +Pinky laughed at that, and when her two brothers chased after Sammie +Littletail, the rabbit, and made him jump over a telegraph pole just +for fun, she felt so jolly that Dr. Possum could finish making her +all better, and she never cried once again. + +So this shows you that even little animal children can go to the +hospital and not mind it at all, though I hope none of you boys and +girls ever get ill enough to have to go. And in a short time Pinky +was all better, and she was glad she had let the doctor do what he +had to. + +So on the next page, in case the baking powder doesn't shoot the +sponge cake in the bathtub and make the towel ring the bell, I'll +tell you about Curly and the big apple. + + + + +STORY XIII + +CURLY AND THE BIG APPLE + + +One day, oh, I guess it was about a week after Baby Pinky went to +the hospital, something else happened to the two piggie brothers. +And, as most of it happened to Curly, I have named this story for +him, though Flop had a part in it. + +When her piggie boys came home from school one afternoon Mrs. +Twistytail said to them: + +"I wonder if you don't want to go to the store for me?" + +"Of course we do mamma," spoke Curly as quickly as ice cream melts +on a hot day. + +"Certainly," added Flop, and the funny part of it was that the two +brothers had just planned to go off in the woods and play soldier +and Indian after school. + +But as soon as they heard that their mamma wanted them to go on an +errand for her, they at once made up their minds that they would go +to the store first and play afterward. + +"What do you want, mamma?" asked Curly. "Is it a cake of milk +chocolate, because if it is--" + +"We'll help eat it," finished Flop quickly with a laugh. + +"No, all I need is some cornmeal to make pancakes with in the +morning," spoke the pig lady. "Run along now, but you need not hurry +back, and you may play on the way." + +Curly and Flop whistled through their noses at hearing this, for +they knew they could have some fun after all, and away they started +for the store. The old gentleman duck who kept it, and who was a +forty 'leventh cousin to Grandfather Goosey Gander, wrapped the +cornmeal in two separate bags, so that Curly could carry one, and +Flop the other. + +"That will make it even," said the store duck, as he gave the piggie +boys each a sweet cracker. + +Back home they started, playing tag, and hide the acorn, and all +such games like that, including one called "Please Don't Pull My +Tail and I Won't Pull Yours." That's a very funny game. + +Well, all of a sudden, as Curly and Flop were going along, they came +past a field where a kind old rat gentleman was picking his apples +off the trees. There were many of the apples, and they had to be put +in barrels and brought into the cellar. + +"Oh, don't those apples smell good," said Flop as he leaned over the +fence and looked at them. + +"Indeed they do," agreed Curly. "They remind me of apple pie and +cheese." + +Then the rat gentleman looked up, saw the piggie, and said: + +"Come in, boys, and you may each have one apple. Help yourselves." + +"Thank you, very much," spoke Curly. "Come on!" he cried to his +brother Flop, "we'll each take a big apple, and there will be enough +for a pie when we get home." + +"Oh, but we can't carry big apples, with the bags of meal," said +Flop. "I'm going to take a middle-sized apple." + +"Well, I'm not. I'm going to take the largest I can find in the +field," declared Curly, and he went hunting for a specially large +one. + +Of course, in a way, it was all right to do this, for the rat +gentleman had told them to help themselves, but you just wait and +see what happens. + +Curly picked out a very large apple--the very biggest one that grew +on the trees, but Flop was content with a smaller one. Then the +piggie brothers started for home again. + +Curly had hard work to carry the big apple and also his bag of corn +meal, and first he would have to put one down to rest his legs, and +then put down the other to rest his paws. But Flop could easily +carry his middle-sized apple and the meal. Finally Curly said: + +"Flop, can't you help me?" + +"I'm afraid not," answered his brother, "though I would if I could. +But I have all I can do to take care of my apple and the meal. Why +don't you get a smaller apple?" + +"Because I want the big one," said Curly quickly. + +Well, he was staggering along with the big apple and also his bag of +cornmeal, but his brother was going along much more easily, when, +all of a sudden, out from the bushes sprang the fuzzy fox. + +"Ah ha!" he cried. "This time I have good luck! Here are little pigs +to make roast pork, and they have with them the apples for apple +sauce. Oh, joy is me! Now for a fine dinner!" + +With that he made a grab for both the piggie brothers, but they +managed to jump away. Off ran Flop with his middle-sized apple and +the cornmeal, and after him came Curly, only he could not go so fast +because his apple was so big. + +"Wait! Wait!" begged Curly of his brother. + +"I can't!" was the answer. "I'll send a policeman back to help you. +But if you will let go of the big apple you can easily run away from +the fox, for he is old, and not a good runner. Drop the apple." + +"No, indeed!" cried Curly. "I want the biggest one I can find!" So +he held tightly to the apple, and also to the cornmeal, and on he +ran, but the fuzzy fox was getting nearer and nearer, and almost had +him. + +"I've got you!" suddenly snapped the fox. "I'll have roast pork and +apple sauce tonight all right!" and he was just going to grab Curly +and the apple and bag of meal, when out from the bushes jumped Uncle +Wiggily Longears, the old gentleman rabbit. + +"Here!" he cried to the fox. "You stop chasing Curly, and go home to +your den!" and with that Uncle Wiggily stuck out his rheumatism +crutch, and tripped up the fox so that went tumbling head over +heels, and when he got up he was so lame that he could not chase +even a snail for more than a week. + +"Run! Run!" called Uncle Wiggily to Curly and the little piggie boy +did run, and, after some trouble, he got safely home with his big +apple and the meal, but Flop was there ahead of him. + +"After this," said Uncle Wiggily, when he came up to the piggie +house, "after this, Curly, don't take such a large apple, and you +can run better when a fox chases you." + +"I'll be careful after this," promised the piggie boy, and I guess +he was. Anyhow it was a good lesson to him. And that night he and +his brother had cornmeal pancakes with apple sauce on, and Uncle +Wiggily stayed to supper. + +Now in case the automobile tire doesn't jump into the frying pan, +and pretend it's a sausage for the lady in the purple dress to eat, +I'll tell you next about the piggie boys and the pumpkin. + + + + +STORY XIV + +THE PIGGIES AND THE PUMPKIN + + +"Well, well!" exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail, the pig lady, as she went +to the cupboard and looked in. "Whoever would have believed it?" + +"Believed what, mamma?" asked Pinky, the little baby pig, who had +been in the hospital, but who was now much better. + +"Why, there isn't a bit of bread for supper!" went on Mrs. +Twistytail. "And your papa will come home from the office so hungry +as never was! Oh, my! I must run right out to the store and get a +loaf." + +"Can't Curly or Flop go?" asked the baby pig, as she looked to see +if her hair ribbon was on crooked, but it wasn't. I'm glad to say. + +"They aren't here," said the mamma pig. "I guess they must be off +playing football, or seeing if there is any ice on the skating +pond." + +"Then let me go, mamma," suggested little Pinky. "I'm sure I could +ask for a loaf of bread and carry it home, too." + +"No, you are quite too small," said the pig lady. "I'll go myself to +the store and I'll ask Mrs. Goosey Gander, next door to come in and +stay with you." + +But she didn't have to do that, for a few minutes later in came +Curly and Flop, the two nice boy piggies, and they were just as glad +as could be to go to the store for their mamma. + +Well, they started off all right, and soon they were at the bread +store, where the baker cat wrapped up a nice loaf in pink paper and +they started for home, going as fast as they could, so as to be +there before their papa came to supper. + +And, what do you think? Just as they reached the spot where stood +the old stump, with the knobs growing on the side of it, like warts +on a toad's back, they heard a voice saying: + +"I wonder what I shall do with it? It is quite too large to cook, +and I have no little boys to give it to. I think I must let it roll +down hill into the pond." + +"Who is that speaking?" asked Curly of his brother. + +"I don't know," said Flop Ear, "but it sounds like the kind +rat-gentleman who gave us the apples." + +"That's just who it is," said the voice. "And who are you, if I may +ask?" + +"Two piggie boys," was the answer. "Can we help you?" + +"Well, I have here a very large pumpkin," was what the rat gentleman +said. "It is too large to cut up into pies, and I thought maybe some +one might like it to make a Jack o' lantern of. Would you like it?" + +"Indeed we would!" cried Flop. And Curly said the same thing. + +So the nice old rat gentleman called the two piggie boys into his +farmhouse and he gave them the pumpkin. + +Oh! so big as it was! I'm sure I never could tell you what a fine, +large pumpkin he gave to Curly and Flop. The one that was turned +into a coach for Cinderella was very small along side of this. + +"What shall we do with it?" asked Flop Ear. + +"Make a lantern of it, of course," said his brother. "We can scoop +out the insides, and cut the eyes and nose and mouth, put a candle +in it, and have a lot of fun." + +"All right," said Flop, "we'll do it." + +So they tied a string around the pumpkin and lifted it between them, +each one carrying his share. And the loaf of bread was put on top, +where it would not fall off. + +Well, the piggie boys had not gone very far, carrying the pumpkin +home to make a Jack o'lantern, when, all of a sudden, out from +behind a lot of bushes, jumped a big wolf. Isn't it funny how those +bad creatures seem to always bother the piggie boys? Every once in a +while something is happening to them. + +I can't help it. I wish I could, but you know I have to write things +exactly as they happen. Anyhow, out from behind the bushes jumped +the wolf, and as soon as he saw those sweet, tender little piggies +he exclaimed: + +"Oh joy! Oh, happiness! Oh, appetite! Now is my chance! I shall +certainly grab those two piggies and carry them off to my den." + +And he chased after Flop and Curly. + +But, as luck would have it, they heard him coming, and they started +to run with the big pumpkin and the loaf of bread. Still the wolf +came closer and closer. + +"I'll have you in a few minutes!" he cried. + +"I believe he will!" exclaimed Flop. "What shall we do?" + +"What can we do?" asked Curly, as he helped his brother to jump over +a stone, and lifted the pumpkin at the same time. "What can we do?" + +"Why not make a Jack o'lantern of the pumpkin and scare the wolf?" +suggested Flop. "Some of our friends did that once." + +"We haven't time," said Curly. "If we stopped to make a Jack +o'lantern the wolf would catch up to us and grab us. I'll tell you +what to do. Let's scoop out a hollow place in the pumpkin and get +inside it. Then the wolf won't see us." + +"Good!" cried Flop. So he and his brother ran on as fast as they +could to get far ahead of the wolf. Then they stopped for a minute, +and, with their sharp hoofs, they cut the top off the pumpkin. Then, +with their digging noses, they dug out the soft seeds, and soon the +pumpkin was all hollowed out, so they could jump inside. + +"Get in!" cried Curly to Flop. + +"What about the loaf of bread?" asked his brother. + +"Never mind that. We can get another. We must get away from the +wolf," cried Curly. + +So they jumped inside the pumpkin, and only just in time, for the +wolf came rushing down the hill. But Curly and his brother wiggled +themselves inside the pumpkin, and away it rolled down toward the +piggies' house. The wolf saw the loaf of bread on the hill, and he +thought sure the piggie boys were near it. So he made a grab, but he +did not get them. + +For of course they were inside the pumpkin, rolling over and over, +like a rubber ball down hill. The wolf chewed up the bread, and then +he saw the rolling pumpkin. Then he happened to think: + +"Perhaps the pigs are inside that!" After it he ran, but it was too +late, for by that time the piggie boys were safely at home. Into +their front yard rolled the pumpkin, off flew the top, and out they +jumped to tell their papa and mamma and baby Pinky all about it. + +And Grandpa Goosey Gander loaned Mr. Twistytail a loaf of bread for +supper. As for the wolf, he ran back up the hill as mad as anything +about the way he had been fooled, and ever after that he never ate +any pumpkin pie. + +So that's all there is to this story, but in case the new brick +chimney doesn't fall down in the rice pudding and make the trained +nurse wild because her doll carriage has no wheels, I'll tell you on +the next page about the piggie boys in the corn field. + + + + +STORY XV + +THE PIGGIES IN A CORNFIELD + + +One day--oh! I guess it must have been about two grunts and a squeal +after Curly and Flop, the two piggie boys, had the adventure with +the pumpkin--something else happened to them. In the first place, +they had to stay in after school. + +Now, please don't get worried, nor think anything bad of them on +that account. They did not have to stay in because they whispered in +class, or anything like that. No, they stayed in to help their +teacher clean off the blackboards, but when they got out all the +other animal children were gone. + +"Come on, let's run," suggested Flop, "and maybe we can catch up to +them." + +"I wish we could!" exclaimed Curly, "for Jackie Bow Wow, the puppy +dog, borrowed my pencil and forgot to give it back." + +So the two piggie boys ran as fast as they could, but they could see +nothing of the other animal children--not even little Jennie +Chipmunk, who could not go very fast, for every time she saw any +dust on a stone or a tree stump she used to stop and brush it off +with her tail. She was so neat and clean, you see, and as she had to +stop quite often, on account of there being so much dust, she +couldn't go fast at all. + +But, as I said, Curly and Flop couldn't even catch up to her, which +shows you that they had stayed in after school for quite some time. + +"Oh! they'll all be home long before us," said Curly after a bit, +sitting down on a stone to rest. + +"I guess so," agreed his brother, as he made his two ears stand up +straight and then flop down again. "But never mind, I think you can +get your pencil from Jackie Bow Wow tomorrow." + +"Yes," spoke Curly, and then they went on a little farther until +they came to a corn field. The corn was all cut down, and stood in +big bunches, called shocks--not the kind of shocks you get from an +electric battery, though, but corn shocks. + +"Oh, let's take a short cut through the corn field," suggested +Curly. "Maybe then we can get ahead of the others." + +"All right," said Flop. "We'll do it." And, though they had never +gone through this corn field, because it was owned by a cross old +alligator gentleman, they now started to crawl under the fence. Just +as they were inside the field they heard a little voice crying: + +"Oh, dear! What shall I do. Oh, my poor tail!" + +"What's that?"' asked Flop in alarm. + +"I don't know," answered Curly. "Maybe it's the bad old fuzzy wolf." + +"Let's hide!" exclaimed Flop, and they were looking for a place to +hide when they happened to see a poor little girl mouse near a shock +of corn, and her tail was held fast by a stone that had fallen on +it. + +"Was that you crying?" asked Flop. + +"It was," said the mousie girl. "Oh my poor tail! How can I ever get +loose?" + +"We'll help you," spoke Curly. "We'll root up the stone with our +strong noses, and then you'll be all right." + +"Of course we will," agreed Flop. "Oh, how glad we are that you +aren't a wolf," he added, and then he and Curly, with their noses +which were made stretchy like a rubber ball, soon had the stone off +the mousie girl's tail, and she was all right, except that her tail +was sore. But when her mamma could put some salve on it that would +be all better, too. + +"Oh! I can't tell you how thankful I am to you," said the mousie +girl to the piggie boys. "Some day I will help you." + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed Flop. "How can a little mousie girl like you help +us two big boys?" + +"Hush!" exclaimed Curly. "It isn't polite to laugh when any one +offers to do you a favor, even if they are little. Besides, maybe +she MIGHT be able to help us some day." + +"Of course," spoke the mousie, and she felt rather badly because +Flop Ear had laughed. + +"Oh, excuse me!" exclaimed Flop. "I didn't mean to. I'm sure I hope +you can help us, little mousie." + +So the two piggie boys went on through the corn field, hoping they +wouldn't meet the cross old alligator man, who owned it, and who +didn't like animal boys. And the mousie went on her way. + +"I think we'll soon catch up to the others," said Flop after a bit. + +"I guess so," agreed Curly. "And when we do---" + +"Hark!" suddenly exclaimed Floppy. "Some one is coming!" Curly heard +it, too, and he stopped talking. He looked around the corner of a +stone and whispered: + +"It's the old alligator man himself. What shall we do?" + +"Run!" exclaimed Flop. "Run as fast as we can." + +So he and Curly started to run but my goodness me sakes alive and a +postage stamp! No sooner had they gone ten steps than the cross old +alligator man saw them, and after them he came as fast as he could +crawl on his four legs, wiggling his humpy tail. "Oh, he'll get us, +sure!" wailed Floppy. + +"Run faster!" urged Curly. + +Well, they both ran as fast as they could, squealing with fright, +and the alligator man was coming right after them, and he had almost +caught them when, all of a sudden, a little squeaky voice called +out: + +"In here, boys! Crawl right in here, under this shock of corn, and +he can't see you!" + +They looked, and there, in front of a sort of cave, that was made in +one of the upright piles of corn, stood the little mousie girl who +had been pinched by the stone on her tail. + +"In here!" she cried. "Quick, before he comes, and he won't know +where you have gone!" + +"But he'll know we're hiding in the corn," said Flop. + +"Quick! Get inside and talk afterward!" said the mousie girl. +"Besides there are so many piles of corn that the alligator man +won't know which one you're hiding in, and it will take him all +night to peek into them all. And after dark I'll show you the way +home." + +So into the shock of corn crawled Curly and Flop pulling a lot of +stalks behind them to close the hole, and they were only just in +time, for, an instant later, up rushed the alligator man. Of course +he could not see the piggy boys, and he was much surprised. + +"But I know they're hiding somewhere!" he growled. And it all +happened just as the mousie girl said. The alligator man peeked in +nearly all the corn shocks, but he didn't happen to look in the one +where Curly and Flop were hiding. And pretty soon it was dark, and +then the piggies came out and the mousie girl showed them the way +home, and the alligator man did not get them. So, you see, the +mousie helped the piggie boys after all. + +And next, in case the salt cellar doesn't hide in the pepper caster +and make believe it's a mustard plaster I'll tell you about Flop +having a tumble. + + + + +STORY XVI + +FLOP HAS A TUMBLE + + +"Come boys!" called Mamma Twistytail, the pig lady, one morning, to +her two little boys, Curly and Flop. "Come, hurry, or you'll be late +for school!" + +"Oh, I guess we have time enough," spoke Flop, as he looked around +for the football he and his brother had been playing with. "It's +early yet." + +"No, it isn't," answered his mamma. "Our clock is slow by your +papa's watch. Hurry now, I think I hear the bell ringing!" + +"All right," answered Curly. "Come along, Flop." You see, he +sometimes called his brother Flop, for short. So they kissed their +little sister, Baby Pinky, good-by, and went on to school. + +As they hurried along, they met Jackie Bow Wow, the puppy dog boy, +and Curly said: + +"Oh, Jackie, where is my pencil you borrowed?" + +"Here it is!" cried Jackie, turning a somersault, as he used to do +in the circus, and he handed the pencil to Curly on the end of his +nose--Jackie's nose I mean. + +"We chased after you last night, when we got out of school," +explained Curly, "and we had a dreadful adventure in the corn field +with the alligator man," and he told his doggie chum all about it, +just as I wrote it for you in the story before this one. + +So Jackie, and Curly and Flop hurried along together toward the +school, when, all at once, they came to a nice, big, slanting cellar +door, just right for sliding down, and on it was a sign which read: + + "NO ONE MUST SLIDE DOWN + THIS CELLAR DOOR!" + +"Now isn't that queer," said Jackie Bow Wow. + +"It certainly is," agreed Curly. + +"I wonder why no one is allowed to slide down," spoke Flop. "It's a +dandy door for sliding. I've a good notion to try it." + +"No, you mustn't!" said his brother. "We are almost late for school +now." + +"Oh, but I would just love to slide down it," went on Flop, sort of +hanging back, while his brother and Jackie went on ahead. "I wonder +if a giant lives under that door, or a fairy?" + +"Maybe that's the reason no one must slide down it," went on the +little piggie boy. But no one answered him and, though he looked all +around the cellar door, he could see no reason why he should not +slide down it. + +"Maybe it's got slivers in, and they'd stick in me," went on Flop, +as he came closer to the door, but it was as nice and smooth as +heart could wish. + +"Well, this is certainly queer," said Flop. "Here is the nicest +sliding cellar door in all the world and no one is allowed to slide +down it. I wonder who lives in the house," and he looked up at the +house to which the cellar door belonged, but it was all closed up, +and shutters were over the windows. + +"I guess no one is at home," thought the little piggie boy. + +"Say, aren't you coming to school?" called back Jackie Bow Wow, for +he and Curly were some distance down the street by this time. + +"Yes, come on, or you'll surely be late," said Flop Ear's brother. + +"I'm coming!" cried Flop, but he thought he would take just one more +look at the sliding door. + +"I would like to have just one slide on it," he said. "I believe +I'll try it." + +He looked ahead to where his brother and Jackie were and decided +that if he did take one slide he could run and catch up to them, and +not be late. + +"Here goes;" said Flop, and he laid his books down on a clean stone. + +Then he read the sign once more: + + "NO ONE MUST SLIDE DOWN + THIS CELLAR DOOR!" + +"I guess it's only a joke," decided Flop. "Now for one good slide +and then I'll go to school." + +So he went around to the side of the door, where there was a stone, +and, by stepping on this, and giving a little jump, the piggie boy +got to the top part of the sliding door, ready for a coast down. + +Of course he had no sled on which to slide, but his trousers were +good and thick, and he knew he could not wear a hole in the seat +just this once. So he gathered his legs together under him, gave +himself a little push and down the slanting door he went as nicely +as an icicle in the middle of the Fourth of July. + +"Wow! This is great!" cried Flop. "I guess the other fellows will +wish they'd taken a slide. This is nifty!" + +I don't know myself what "nifty" means, but Flop said it, so I have +to write it down. + +Faster and faster he slid down the cellar door. It was a long one, +and now he was half way to the bottom. + +"Oh, won't we have fun sliding after school!" the little piggie boy +cried. "I don't see why they looked rather sorrowfully after her +brothers and put up that sign not to slide. This is the best cellar +door I ever saw." + +Faster and faster he slid, laughing and shouting in glee, and he was +almost at the bottom and he was wondering if he would have time for +just one more coast before school, when all of a sudden: + +"Crack! Slam! Smash! Ker-bunk!" + +Right down through the cellar door fell poor Flop, and down the +cellar steps into a tub of water. Into that he went ker-splash! For, +you see, the cellar door had broken with him and let him right +through, almost half way to China, it seemed. + +Into the tub of water went Flop, getting wet all over. But he +managed to crawl out after a while, and as he stood there, +shivering, in the cellar, looking up at the broken door through +which he had fallen, a nice little old rat lady came out of the +house, and, looking at Flop, said: + +"Dear me! What a terrible accident. Too bad! Did you hurt yourself, +little piggie?" + +"N-no-not much," answered Flop. "But I--I'm all wet." + +"So I see," said the rat lady. "But I thought there was a sign on +the door, telling no one to slide down." + +"So there was," admitted Flop, "but I didn't see why it was there, +so I slid anyhow." + +"I put the sign there because the door was so rotten that I knew the +first one who slid down it would fall through," said the rat lady. +"And to think, some one did fall!" + +"Yes'm," said Flop, "I fell." + +"Well, don't do it again," said the rat lady, "and tomorrow I'll +have a new cellar door made. Now let me dry you off." + +So she kindly did, but Flop was late for school. And--well, I +suppose it couldn't be helped, even if he had to stay in. But on the +next page, in case the mousetrap doesn't catch the cheese by the +tail and make it squeal, I'll tell you about Mr. Twistytail's lost +hat. + + + + +STORY XVII + +MR. TWISTYTAIL'S LOST HAT + + +"Hey, Curly can you be out?" called Peetie and Jackie Bow Wow, the +puppy dogs, as they stood in front of the piggie boys' house one +morning when there was no school. I forget whether it was Saturday +or because the owl lady school teacher had to go and take her music +lesson. + +Anyhow, there was no school, and as Peetie and Jackie stood in front +of the pig house and called: + +"Hey, Curly! Hey, Flop! Come on out!" + +"Of course we will!" cried Curly. "What are you going to do?" and he +and his brother hurried with their breakfast and ran out in the +yard. + +"Let's play football game," suggested Jackie, "like we did the other +day." + +"No, let's go off in the woods and play camping out," suggested +Curly. + +"Yes, that will be more fun," added Flop, and then the two puppy dog +boys thought the same thing, so off to the woods they started. + +"I wish I could go," said Baby Pinky, as she their chums. + +"Never mind, Pinky," said Mrs. Twistytail. "I'm going to bake pies, +and I'll make a specially little one just for you." + +"Oh, goodie!" cried Pinky, and then she went out in the yard to play +in her go-cart. Pretty soon along came Jennie Chipmunk and she +played with Pinky, so the little pig girl didn't mind so much, after +all, that her brothers had gone away. + +But now let us see what happened to Curly and Flop, to say nothing +of Peetie and Jackie Bow Wow. On and on they went through the woods, +and pretty soon Jackie found a nice juicy bone, and Peetie found a +bit of meat, while Flop found an ear of corn and his brother picked +up a big turnip. + +"Oh, joyfulness!" exclaimed Flop. "Now we can have a lunch in the +woods, just like real camping out!" And so they did. Under a tree, +on the soft leaves that floated down from the branches above, with a +flat stone for a table, and sticks for knives and forks, the piggie +boys and their chums ate their lunch and had lots of fun. Then Curly +said: + +"Now let's play soldier," and so they did, with sticks for guns, and +when the boy animals called out: "Boom! Boom!" and "Bang! Bang!" it +sounded as real as anything. + +Well, they were running around in the woods, shouting and laughing +and making believe they were soldiers at war, when all at once, just +as Curly passed in front of a hole that seemed to go away under +ground, he saw something roll out. It was something round and black +and hollow, and at first the little piggie boy thought it was a big +black stone. But, when he looked a little closer, he saw that it was +a hat--a man-pig's hat--just the kind they always wear. + +"Oh, Flop! Oh, fellows! Come here!" called Curly. "See what rolled +out of the hole under this old tree." + +Of course, they all came running up at that, and stopped playing +soldier, and they gathered around the hat. + +"Whose is it?" asked Jackie Bow Wow. + +"Where did it come from?" inquired Peetie, making his tail go round +like a pin wheel. + +"It's our papa's hat!" suddenly cried Flop. "I can tell because it's +got his initials inside," and, surely enough there were the letters +"A.T." inside the hat, standing for "Archibald Twistytail." + +"Our papa's hat!" exclaimed Curly. "Is it possible?" + +"Of course, it is," said Floppy, as he picked it up. "Papa has lost +his hat." + +"But it rolled out of that hole," said Curly, "and it isn't lost, +for we have found it." + +"Then if papa's hat came out of that hole, our papa must be in +there," said Flop. + +"Why, of course," agreed Jackie Bow Wow. + +"But what is he doing in there?" asked Curly, "and what sort of a +place is it? I can't see him," he added, as he stooped down and +tried to look into the hole. + +"I don't know what he's doing in there," said Flop, "but I know what +sort of a place that hole is. It's a wolf's den, and the wolf has +our papa, Most likely he's eating him now, and he threw the hat out +because he couldn't chew it--the wolf, I mean." + +"Oh!" cried Curly, jumping up and down, he felt so badly. + +"Oh; oh!" barked Jackie Bow Wow. + +"Oh! oh! Double Oh!" growled Peetie Bow Wow. "What shall we do?" + +"We must get him out of there!" exclaimed Flop as quickly as a +rubber band can play the "Annie Laurie" song. "There are four of us +here, and we have our wooden guns. I guess we are a match for one +wolf. We must save our papa." + +"Of course!" agreed Curly, bravely. + +"But how?" asked Jackie Bow Wow. + +"Listen," said Flop, just like a telephone girl. + +"A wolf always have two doors to his den--a back one and a front +one. This is the front one--where our papa's hat rolled out. Now, +Jackie, you and Curly go to the back door, and make a noise like a +soup bone. The wolf will think some company has come to supper with +him, and he'll run to the back door. As soon as he gets there, +Jackie, you bark like anything, and, Curly, you fire off your wooden +gun." + +"But what will you do?" asked Curly of his brother. + +"Peetie and I will stay at the front door," said Flop. "As soon as +we hear you making the noise we'll rush in the den by the front door +and get papa and help him out. Then we'll all run away." + +Well, every one thought that was a fine plan, and they did just as +Flop said. The wolf came rushing to his back door when he heard the +noise there, and maybe he wasn't surprised to see Curly and the +puppy dog! Then Flop and Peetie rushed in the front door, and there, +inside the den, they found poor Mr. Twistytail tied to the table +leg. + +"Quick!" cried Flop. "Bite the ropes, Peetie." And the puppy dog +did, and Mr. Twistytail was free. "Now, come with us!" cried Flop, +and he and his papa and Peetie ran out of the wolf's den just in +time, for the bad creature, seeing he had been fooled at his back +door, rushed up to bite the pig gentleman. + +But he was too late, that wolf was, for the piggie boys and their +papa and the puppy dog boys got safely away, and the wolf didn't +dare follow because he was afraid of the wooden guns. Then when they +were all safe home, including the hat, Mr. Twistytail told how the +wolf caught him as he was coming back from work, and how his hat +accidently rolled out of the den. And if it hadn't been for the hat +maybe Mr. Twistytail would not have been saved. + +Anyway, he was not hurt a bit, and in the next story, in case the +bicycle doesn't roll over the egg basket and make an omelet out of +the pin cushion, I'll tell you about Mamma Twistytail's new bonnet. + + + + +STORY XVIII + +MOTHER TWISTYTAIL'S NEW BONNET + + +"Archibald," said Mrs. Twistytail, the lady pig, to her husband at +the breakfast table one morning, "I think I shall have to have some +money today." + +"Money? What for?" he asked. "Do the children need new shoes, or +have we no more coal left?" + +"No, I want the money for myself," said the pig lady. "I need a new +bonnet, and I am going down town this morning and get it at the five +and ten dollar store." + +"Very well," said Mr. Twistytail, good-naturedly, so he put his foot +in his pocket and took out a lot of money, which he gave to his +wife. Then he kissed Baby Pinky, and Curly and Flop good-by and went +to work in the phonograph factory where he put the squeaks in the +wheels. + +"Oh, if you are going shopping for a new bonnet, mamma!" exclaimed +Flop, "may I come with you?" + +"Yes, and may I?" asked Curly, as he spun around on his front paws +like a top under a Christmas tree. "And if you have any money left, +mamma, after getting your bonnet, maybe you will buy us each a hot +ice cream soda." + +"Oh you boys!" cried Mrs. Twistytail with a laugh. "No, I am afraid +I can't take you two with me, for it is Baby Pinky's turn. You boys +had a nice time the other day, playing in the woods, when you saved +your papa and his hat from the wolf's den, and so now it is Pinky's +turn to have some fun. I'll take her shopping with me." + +"Oh goodie!" cried Baby Pinky, and she jumped into her go-cart and +out again, making the springs jounce up and down like anything. + +"But I'll give you and Flop each a penny," said Mrs. Twistytail to +Curly, "and you can buy some corn candy with sour milk on top." + +That pleased the boy piggies very much, and they ran off to school +with their pennies, while Mrs. Twistytail got ready to go shopping +after her bonnet with Baby Pinky. Pretty soon they went down town +and in the five and ten dollar bonnet store. + +"Have you any bonnets?" asked Mrs. Twistytail. + +"Indeed I have," said the nice lady frog who kept the store. "I have +all kinds of bonnets," and then she sang a little song that went +something like this, to the tune "High diddle-diddle:" + + "I've bonnets of ribbon, and bonnets of paper, + I've bonnets both red, white and blue. + Some bonnets of leather, for cold stormy weather, + And bonnets of feathers and glue. + + "I've bonnets becoming, and some that are stunning; + I've bonnets to wear upside down. + And if you will try one, I'm sure you will buy one, + To go with your new party gown." + +"I'm sure I will, too," said Mrs. Twistytail, as the frog lady +finished and made a little bow to the looking-glass. "You may show +me the blue one," she went on, and frog lady did. + +"Oh, mamma! That is lovely!" cried Baby Pinky. "But I think one with +more flowers on would be nicer." + +"I think so, too," spoke the pig lady, and so she bought a bonnet +with a lot of flowers on it that looked as real as those which grow +in the woods and fields. Then Pinky and her mamma started for home, +Mrs. Twistytail wearing her new bonnet. + +"We'll take the short cut through the woods," said the pig lady when +they had alighted from the trolley car on which a nice toad +gentleman was the conductor, because he could hop on and off so +quickly, and not step on any one's toes. + +So through the woods went Mrs. Twistytail and Pinky, and they had +not gone very far when, just as they got to the wolf's hollow log +den out of which Mr. Twistytail's hat rolled that day, up sprang the +bad, impolite old animal himself and grabbed the pig lady and her +little daughter. + +"Ah, ha! Now I have you!" cried the wolf. "Your husband got away +from me, Mrs. Twistytail, but I have you, and you can't get away, +and I have Pinky, too!" and he held them both tightly, in his paws. + +"Oh, please let us go!" begged Pinky. + +"No," growled the wolf, sticking out his red tongue because he was +so hungry. + +"Oh, do!" pleaded Mrs. Twistytail. "I'll give you all the money I +have left from shopping if you'll let us go." + +"No! No!" answered the wolf, more growlier than before. "You have +none left. Besides money is no good to me--I can't eat money!" + +"Oh, mercy!" cried Pinky. "Are you going to eat us?" + +"Indeed I am," said the wolf, smacking his jaws, and then Pinky and +her mamma tried as hard as they could to get away from the wolf, but +they could not. Holding them tightly in his paws, the wolf started +for his den, and, seeing Mrs. Twistytail's new bonnet, he took it +off her head, roughly like, and said: + +"And I can't eat this! I guess I'll throw that away, as I did your +husband's hat. But no one will see it and come to rescue you as they +did him." + +"Oh, my lovely new bonnet!" cried Mrs. Twistytail, and Pinky felt so +badly that she cried. But you just wait a minute and see what +happens to that bad old wolf. + +The wolf was just going to toss the bonnet, all covered with almost +real flowers as it was, away up in a tree and just about to carry +the pig lady and Pinky down into his den, when, all at once, there +was a buzzing sound in the air and a voice cried: + +"Ah, ha! Here are some flowers. Now we can get some honey!" + +"Indeed we can," said another voice up in the air. "It is rather +late for such blossoms, but I am glad we saw them in time. Come on, +now, everybody, get the honey!" + +And with that a whole swarm of stingery honey bees flew down from +the sky toward Mrs. Twistytail's flowered bonnet that the wolf held +in his paw. You see, the bees thought the flowers were real and that +they could gather honey from them. + +And then, just as Pinky saw the bees, she had an idea and she cried +out: + +"Oh, dear little bees! That is my mamma's new bonnet, and the wolf +has caught us. Please sting him and make him let us go!" + +"Don't you dare sting me!" growled the wolf. "Take the bonnet if you +wish, but don't touch me," and he threw the bonnet to one side. + +Some of the bees alighted on the bonnet, and as soon as they found +that the flowers were not real they got quite angry. And they +thought the wolf had played a trick on them, so they flew at him, +and stung him on his nose and tail and eyes and lips and even on his +tongue, until he cried out with pain and fright. Then he let go of +Pinky and her mamma and ran down into his den, and the pig lady was +safe. The bees never stung them once, but were very kind to them, +and with their wings brushed the dirt off Mrs. Twistytail's bonnet +so that it was as good as new. + +Then the bees flew away, Mrs. Twistytail and Pinkey went safely +home, and the wolf had to stay in his den for a week and put witch +hazel on his stings. + +So that's all tonight, if you please, but next, in case the kitchen +stove doesn't go out on the porch and play hide-and-seek with the +hammock, I'll tell you about Curly and the sour milk. + + + + +STORY XIX + +CURLY AND THE SOUR MILK + + +"Oh, mamma!" exclaimed Curly the little piggie boy, as he rushed +into the house one noon and nearly upset his little sister Pinky, in +her new go-cart. "What do you think? There isn't going to be any +school for two weeks!" + +"Why not?" asked Mrs. Twistytail, who was just getting dinner. + +"Because the schoolhouse roof blew off in the storm last night," +said Flop, who was Curly's brother, "and it will take two weeks to +put a new one on. So the nice owl lady teacher said we could have a +vacation. Oh, I'm so glad!" + +"My goodness me, sakes alive and some Montclair caramels!" cried +Mrs. Twistytail. "A school vacation this time of year--so near +winter. I never heard of such a thing." + +"But it will be all the nicer," said Curly, "and we can go after +chestnuts every day. Hi-yi! Hurrah!" and he squealed and jumped +around the room, and so did Flop, and they were the two most +delighted little pigs you ever saw. Just then along came Uncle +Wiggily Longears, the old gentleman rabbit. + +"What's this!" he cried. "What is going on here?" + +"No school!" squealed Curly. "No school! We have a vacation!" + +"The very thing!" suddenly said the old gentleman rabbit. "I was +just wishing it was summer time, so some of my animal friends could +come away with me. I am going on a little vacation trip myself, and +I thought I would have to go alone. But if there is no school, then +Curly and Flop can come with me." + +"Where to?" asked Flop. + +"To Raccoon Island in Lake Hopatcong," answered Uncle Wiggily. +"We'll go up to my bungalow, stay two weeks and have a good time." + +"Oh, fine!" cried Curly. + +"Oh, joyousness!" squealed Flop, as he spun about on one leg and +tickled Baby Pinky with the other. + +Well, that afternoon, Mamma Twistytail got the two boys ready, and +off they went with Uncle Wiggily to Raccoon Island in Lake +Hopatcong, which is a very nice place. It was beginning to get dark +when they arrived, and, after they had eaten some candy, and Uncle +Wiggily had opened the bungalow, he looked around and said: + +"Now, boys, you will have to go to the store for something for +supper." + +"What shall we get?" asked Flop. + +"Well, see if you can get a cabbage or a turnip for me," spoke the +old gentleman rabbit, "and for yourselves whatever you like. Here is +the money." + +"I want some sour milk," spoke Curly, for you know piggie boys like +sour milk as well as you do sweet. + +"And I want a corncob cake," went on Flop. + +"Very well, go down to Pop Goes the Weasel's store and get it," said +Uncle Wiggily, and the two boys started off to the other end of the +island, where Pop Goes the Weasel kept a grocery store. Flop got his +corncob cakes first, and as Curly had to wait for the milk to get +sour he said to his brother: + +"Now, Flop, you hurry back with Uncle Wiggily's cabbage and carrots, +and I'll soon come with my sour milk." + +"Won't you be afraid?" asked Flop, for the woods were now quite +dark. + +"Afraid! Nonsensicalness no!" exclaimed Curly, "and a bouquet of wild +flowers besides. Run along." + +So Flop ran back toward the bungalow, and pretty soon Pop Goes the +Weasel said the milk was sour enough, and he gave it to Curly in a +pail. + +Through the dark woods went the little piggie boy, and he had not +gone very far before he heard some one crying, and a voice saying: + +"Oh, dear! I'm lost! I can't find my bungalow, and I can't find my +motorboat, and I'm afraid--dreadfully afraid!" + +"Ha! I wonder who that can be?" thought Curly Tail. "Perhaps it may +be the bad alligator trying to scare Cora Janet. No, that can't be," +he went on, "for Cora Janet is down in Montclair, making funny music +tunes on the piano." + +Then he heard the gentle little crying voice again, and he knew it +was somebody in trouble, Curly did, and he called out: + +"Who is there?" + +"I am," sobbed a voice. + +"And who are you?" + +"My name is Ethel Rose," went on the voice, "and I am lost. Oh, +please help me. I'm so afraid!" + +"Of course, I'll help you," spoke Curly bravely. "But why is your +name Ethel Rose?--that is two names." + +"I don't know," answered the little girl, and then she stepped out +from the bushes where she had been crying, and the moon shone down +on her face and her ear-rings and dark hair, and Curly said: + +"Now I know why they call you Ethel Rose." + +"Why?" she asked. + +"Because you are as pretty as a rose," and at that Ethel laughed. +"But come," went on Curly, "I'll show you the way to our bungalow, +and then Uncle Wiggily will take care of you." + +"Oh, will he?" cried Ethel Rose, and so she walked along beside +Curly, who was carrying his pail of sour milk. And, all of a sudden, +when they were near the bungalow, there was a rustling in the +bushes, and out jumped a big black bear. + +"Ah, ha!" the bear cried. "Now I have you Curly, and you, too, Ethel +Rose! Oh, how nice! You come with me and I will tell your fortune!" + +"But I know my fortune already," said Ethel Rose, and she was just +ready to cry again, for she did not like bears. + +"Never mind, come along to my den, anyhow!" growled the bear. "I am +going to have roast pork for supper!" and he made a grab for Curly +and Ethel Rose, and caught them in his big claws. + +And then, all at once, he saw the pail Curly was carrying--that bear +did--and he growled out: + +"Ha! Ha! What have we here? Something good, I'll venture. Well, I'll +take that first!" And before Curly could stop him the bear tipped up +the pail and drank every drop of sour milk at one mouthful! And +then! Oh, dear! + +"Wow! Woof! Snickery-snee! Bur-r-r! Lemons! Vinegar! Sourgrass!" +cried the bear. And his mouth was puckered up so from the sour +milk--just as when you eat lemons if you have the mumps--that the bear +couldn't open his jaws to take even one bite. And Curly knew this, +so he cried: + +"Come on, Ethel Rose, we can get away now! Uncle Wiggily will save +us!" So Curly Tail helped Ethel Rose to run away and the bear's +mouth was so puckered up from the sour milk that he had to run down +to the lake to get a drink of water, and so Curly Tail and pretty +Ethel Rose got safely to the bungalow and away from the bear. And +that's all there is tonight, if you please. + +But the next story, in case the marshmallow doesn't stick on Ethel +Rose's hair ribbon, and make a pin cushion of it, will be about Flop +and the pie lady. + + + + +STORY XX + +FLOP AND THE PIE LADY + + +Uncle Wiggily Longears, the nice old gentleman rabbit, and the two +piggie boys, Flop Ear and Curly Tail, were sitting on the porch at +the bungalow at Raccoon Island, Lake Hopatcong, wondering what they +could do next for their autumn vacation fun. Curly was trying to +take some snapshot photographs of a little red squirrel, who was +jumping down across the cot beds, all in a row like soldiers, and +Flop was wondering whether he could catch any fish. + +"Well, we must do something," said Uncle Wiggily. "It isn't every +day you boys get a vacation after the regular summer one, so you +must enjoy it." + +"We wouldn't have gotten it if the roof hadn't blown off our +school," said Flop, "and, as long as we're here, I say let's go off +in the woods and look for chestnuts." + +"All right," said Curly, and they were just going to leave the +bungalow, when, all at once, there was a rustling in the bushes and +out came--no, not a bear or a wolf, or even a bad skillery-scalery +alligator, this time. No, it was a nice lady, with real soft, brown +hair, and the jolliest whistle you ever heard! + +What's that? You didn't know ladies could whistle? Well, this one +could, and play the piano at the same time. Out she came from the +bushes, and she said: + +"Oh, Uncle Wiggily, I'm so glad to see you and the two little piggie +boys." + +"Well, we are glad to see you, too," said Uncle Wiggily, politely +making his best bow, "but I'm afraid I don't know you." + +"Oh, yes, you do," said the lady. "I make pies, and if you like I'll +make one now." + +"Will you, really?" cried Flop. "Oh, I would dearly love an apple +pie, with a bit of sour milk cheese." + +"Then you shall have it," said the lady, as she trilled out a little +tune by whistling until it sounded like a bird in the lilac bush. +"Have you any apples?" she asked, puckering up her lips. + +"Yes!" exclaimed Flop. "Here they are!" and he brought out a +basketful. The lady said they would make a lovely pie, so she rolled +up her sleeves, and spoke, saying: + +"Now, I am sorry, but I would like you all to leave the bungalow. +You, Uncle Wiggily, and you, also, Flop and Curly. For when I make +apple pies I get all kerslostrated--which means fussed--if any one +is around. So kindly run away, and when you come back the pie will +be ready for you." + +"All right; we'll go," said Uncle Wiggily. "I'll go pull my +motorboat up on dry land, so it won't get caught in the ice when the +lake freezes this winter, and you boys can help me." + +So Curly and Flop went off to help Uncle Wiggily, and the pie lady--for +such they called her--started her baking. She peeled the apples +and cut them up, and then she got the piecrust mixed. Uncle Wiggily +had already built a fire so she did not have to do that. And all the +while she whistled and whistled, until it made you feel glad and +happy just to hear her. And when you smelled that apple pie baking--well, +say! I mustn't write any more about that, or I'll want to put +my typewriter down cellar, and go out hunting for the lady myself. + +Pretty soon Flop, who was helping Uncle Wiggily with the motorboat, +sniffed the air, grunted once or twice, and said: + +"I smell something good! I guess I'll go see what it is." + +"All right," said Curly, who was quite tired from having assisted +his rabbit uncle to haul up the boat. "I'll stay here, Flop, and +when you find the good thing that you smell, bring me some." + +So Flop promised, and he kept sniffling away, and the lovely smell +grew plainer and plainer as he moved toward the bungalow, until he +exclaimed: + +"Ah, I know what it is! The pie lady! Oh, I wonder if the pie is +done?" + +Nearer and nearer he went to the bungalow, and he heard a whistle, +and then he saw the pie lady bustling around with a long apron on, +and Flop asked: + +"Is the pie done?" + +"Almost, little piggie boy," she answered. + +"You may wait for it to come out of the oven. How old are you?" + +"Seven," said Flop, and then he asked the lady. + +"What is your name?" + +"Margaret," she answered. "Margaret More." + +"More what?" asked Flop. + +"More pies, I guess," laughed the pie lady as she whistled again, +this time just like a canary trilling when it swings at the top of +its cage in the sunshine. Curly laughed, too, and then the lady went +to the oven to take out the pie. + +And, would you ever believe it if I didn't tell you? No, I'm sure +you wouldn't. But, anyhow, all of a sudden, out from the bushes came +a bad, fuzzy old wolf, and he stood in front of the bungalow, +crying: + +"I smell apple pies! I smell apple pies! Also a little piggie boy! +Oh, what a fine lunch I am going to have!" + +Well, Flop was so frightened that he couldn't even walk, much less +run, and all he could do was to squeal, "Oh dear!" + +The pie lady heard him, and came running to the door of the +bungalow. + +"What is the matter?" she asked, and then she saw the wolf. + +"Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "What shall I do?" + +"Nothing!" exclaimed the wolf, sticking out his red tongue. "I'll do +all that's necessary. But first I'll eat the apple pie, and then +I'll carry you and Flop off to my den!" + +Well, when Flop heard that--heard that the wolf was going to eat the +lovely pie--he became real brave, that little piggie boy did. + +"You shan't have that pie!" he cried. + +Then the wolf, with a big jump, started for the bungalow to get the +pie and the pie lady, but what do you think Flop did? He just +grabbed up the pan of apple peelings--long, curling peelings they +were--and he threw them at the wolf! Right at the bad creature's +legs he threw them, and the apple peelings tangled up in the wolf's +fur and in his tail, and his legs and paws, and head-over-heels he +went, falling down on the ground and bumping his nose on a hard +stone. + +"Oh, wow! Oh, woe is me! Oh too-badness!" growled the wolf, and he +ran away to his den to get some salve to put on his bumped nose, and +so he didn't get the pie lady, nor the pie, nor Flop, either, at +least not that day. + +Then the apple pie was done, and the pie lady whistled a nicer song +than ever, and Curly and Uncle Wiggily came to the bungalow and they +all ate pie and were as happy as happy could be. But, as for the +wolf, the less said about him the better. + +So on the next page, in case the door-knob doesn't tickle the dining +room bread-board and make the sawdust come out of the breakfast +oatmeal, I'll tell you about the piggie boys and the jelly. + + + + +STORY XXI + +THE PIGGIES AND THE JELLY + + +One day, when Curly and Flop, the two piggie boys, had been at Uncle +Wiggly's bungalow on Raccoon Island for some days, the old gentleman +rabbit said to them: + +"Now, boys, I have to go down to the store, kept by Pop Goes the +Weasle, to see about some butter and things for supper. Will you be +afraid to stay here alone?" + +"Indeed we will not!" exclaimed Curly. + +"Not even if the bad fuzzy wolf comes out of his den after more +apple pies?" asked the rabbit gentleman. + +"Not even then!" exclaimed Flop. "If he does, I'll throw more apple +peelings at him, and trip him up so that he bumps his nose again." + +"Good!" exclaimed Uncle Wiggily, as he limped off on his red, white +and blue rheumatism crutch. "And if the apple pie lady comes +whistling along again, get her to make us a prune pudding," he said. + +"We will," promised the piggie boys, and then they began to play +games in front of the Lake Hopatcong bungalow, while Uncle Wiggily +went to see Pop Goes the Weasle, who kept the grocery store. + +"Well, I guess she isn't coming," said Flop, after a while. + +"Who?" asked Curly. + +"The pie lady. I do wish she would, for I am hungry," and he looked +at the bushes, and, all of a sudden, they began to rustle, and the +piggie boys didn't know whether to run away or stay there. + +"Maybe it's the pie lady," said Curly. + +"Yes, and maybe it's the bad black bear," suggested Flop. "I'm going +to run into the bungalow!" + +Well, he was just going to run, and Curly was going to follow, when, +all at once, a sweet gentle voice said: + +"Oh, dear, I'm sure I'll never find any! Oh, and I want it so much! +I wonder where I could get any?" + +The two piggie boys looked, and there they saw an Indian maiden +coming out of the bushes. They knew she was an Indian maiden because +her hair was in two long braids, hanging down in front of her, and +she had a brown dress on, and she was very beautiful, just like a +picture. + +"We needn't be afraid of her," whispered Curly to his brother. + +"No indeed," agreed Flop. "I wonder what it is she is looking for?" + +"Jelly," answered the Indian maiden, who heard what the piggie boy +asked. "I am looking for a jar of jelly. Oh, I just love jelly, and +I haven't had any in so long that I forget how it tastes! Since +early morning I have been traveling looking for jelly, but I can't +find any. Some wild bees offered me honey, but I would like jelly. +Have you any?" and she looked at the bungalow. + +"Why, I think we have some," said Curly politely. + +"I'll go look!" exclaimed Flop, for they were both anxious to do +some kindness for the Indian maiden, whom they liked as soon as they +saw her. She was not a wild Indian, you know, but the kind that +lives in Montclair, maybe; a tame one. + +So Flop ran in the bungalow to look for the jelly and Curly picked a +nice bunch of flowers for the Indian maiden, and she put them in her +hair and looked prettier than ever. + +"Here is the jelly!" cried Flop, coming out with as much as he could +carry. "I'm sure Uncle Wiggily would want you to have it," he said, +and then he gave the Indian maiden a spoon and she began to eat +jelly and was as happy as anything. + +"Oh, that is very good!" she exclaimed. "I hope some time I can do +you piggie boys a favor for being so kind to me." So she ate all the +jelly up--that is, all that was good for her--and she was just going +away, having thanked Curly and Flop, when all at once, on a sudden, +out from behind a tree came the big black bear. He waved his paws in +the air, and, wrinkling up his black nose, he growled out: + +"Ha! I smell jelly! I'm going to have some, too, to eat on my roast +pork!" and he looked hungrily at the two piggie boys. They were both +too frightened to move, but the Indian maiden was brave. + +"Come! Come! Give me that jelly!" growled and grumbled the bear! +"Then I'll take you piggie boys off to my den and make the Indian +maiden cook you." + +"Oh, but I'll not do it!" said the Indian maiden whose name was +Pocohontas. "I like Curly and Flop, for they were kind to me and +gave me jelly." + +"Well, then, I want jelly, too!" growled the bear. He made a jump, +intending to take the jelly away from the Indian maiden, but Curly +and Flop cried out: + +"No, you don't! Get away from here at once, you bad bear." + +"Well, if I go, I'll take you with me!" said the bear. "If I can't +have jelly I'll have you piggie boys!" and he caught one of them +under each paw. + +"Oh, help!" cried Curly, trying to get loose, but he could not. + +"Save us! Save us!" begged Flop, making his tail spin like a +pinwheel. + +"I will save you!" called the Indian maiden. + +"Oh, if I only had a bow and arrow I would shoot the bear and rescue +the two piggie boys! I know what I'll do. I'll make a bow and find +an arrow." + +So she took a bent branch of a tree for the bow and for the string +she used some strands of her long braids. But the needed an arrow, +and all the while the bear was carrying Curly and Flop off to his +den. + +"I know!" cried the Indian maiden. "A hat pin! My very longest and +sharpest hat pin! That will do for an arrow!" + +She ran to where she had left her hat in the bushes when she was +looking for the jelly, and quickly got a hat pin. This she shot at +the bear from her bow. + +"Whizz!" it went through the air, hitting the bear on the end of his +soft and tender nose. + +"Oh, wow!" he cried. "Oh, woe is me!" and his nose pained him so +that he dropped Curly and Flop and back to the bungalow ran the +piggie boys as fast as they could. And the bear went off to put some +cooling mud on his nose, where the hat pin had hit him. + +So that's how the Indian maiden saved the piggie boys from the bear, +and they gave her more jelly and thanked her, and then, using a long +thorn instead of a hat pin, which the bear carried off in his nose, +Pocohontas went off looking for more jelly, and Curly and Flop went +to asleep. + +And next, in case the horse radish doesn't jump over the oysters and +scare them so they fall into the clam chowder, I'll tell you about +Flop and the marshmallows. + + + + +STORY XXII + +FLOP AND THE MARSHMALLOWS + + +"Boys," said Uncle Wiggily Longears, the old gentleman rabbit, to +Curly and Flop, the piggie chaps, one morning. "Boys, do you think +you can get along by yourselves this afternoon?" + +"Why, I guess so," answered Curly, as he looked off across the beach +at Raccoon Island in Lake Hopatcong. "But where are you going, Uncle +Wiggily?" + +"Oh, Pop Goes the Weasel wanted me to come down to his store and +have a game of Scotch checkers after dinner," said the old gentleman +rabbit. "He says he is lonesome since all the summer folk went +away." + +"Of course, we can get along all right," spoke Flop. "We'll have our +lunch and, we'll do the dishes, so you can go and play Scotch +checkers with Pop Goes the Weasel." + +"But what are Scotch checkers?" asked Curly. + +"Oh, when you play that game," said Uncle Wiggily, "you have a nice +Scotchman standing near you all the while to cook Scotch scones over +a hot fire. And scones are good to eat; something like pancakes, +with maple syrup on, only different. It is fun to play Scotch +checkers." + +"I should think so," said Flop. "And could you bring us a few +scones, Uncle Wiggily!" + +"I'll try," said the old gentleman rabbit, "though Pop Goes the +Weasel and I are very fond of eating them when we play checkers." + +So in the afternoon Uncle Wiggily went to visit his friend at the +store on Raccoon Island, and the two piggie boys stayed home to keep +house. And, when they had washed the dishes, Curly said: + +"Now, Flop suppose we go looking for adventures. I'll go one way and +you can go the other, and we'll see who can find an adventure +first." + +"All right," said the other little piggie boy. So they started away +from the bungalow. But as Curly fell asleep before he had gone much +farther than the Sylvan Way (which is a nice little rustic bench on +the island) no adventure happened to him. But wait until I tell you +what happened to Flop. + +Off he started, and he had not gone very far before he heard some +one crying out: + +"Oh, what shall I do with them? Oh, so many as there are! I never +can eat them all!" + +"My!" exclaimed Flop, "I wonder if that is a bad bear who has caught +a whole lot of piggie or rabbit children? Who ever it is can't eat +them all, so it must be something extra good. I wonder what it is?" + +So he hid behind a stump, and after a bit he peeked out and there he +saw his old friend, little Cora Janet, of Montclair, walking around +in the woods with a big box in her arms. And on the box was a sign +which read: + +CANDY + +"My gracious sakes alive and some lollypops!" exclaimed Flop. "She +has so much candy she doesn't know what to do with it! I wonder if I +can help her?" + +So Flop jumped out from behind a bush, made a low bow, and said, +most politely: + +"Can I help you, Cora Janet?" + +"Oh, yes, you can!" she exclaimed. "You see I came up here looking +for the Indian Maiden who likes jelly so much. I thought I would +give her some of my marshmallows, as I have a whole box full-many +more than I can eat. But I can't find the Indian Maiden--Pocohontas--and +now I shall have to eat all the marshmallows myself." + +"Why?" asked Flop, curious like. + +"Because," answered Cora Janet, "because there is a big bear chasing +after me. He smells the sweet candy and he is so hungry that he will +want to eat the marshmallows and me, too. But if I could only get +rid of the candies he might let me alone. Oh, what shall I do? I've +toasted them, and roasted them and eaten them just as they are out +of the box, and put them in a cake and everything, but still the +bear chases after me!" + +"Of course I do!" suddenly growled a voice in the bushes and just +then out popped the bear. The hat pin which the Indian maiden had +shot in his nose was out now, and that bear was as angry as +anything. He wanted to grab Cora Janet and take her off to his den I +guess. Anyhow he growled as angry as could be! + +"Oh, what shall I do!" called the little girl. "How can I get rid of +all these marshmallows, for if the bear takes them it will only make +him the more hungry and then he will want to eat me, and you too, +Flop." + +"That must never be!" exclaimed the little piggie boy. "Ha! I have +it!" he cried. "We will throw the marshmallows at the bear, and make +him so stuck up that he won't want ever to eat anything again except +pepper-hash!" + +"Good!" cried Cora Janet. So she and Flop opened the box of +marshmallows. Just then the bear made a rush for them, intending to +grab them both in his big, long claws and carry them off to his den. + +But Flop threw a sticky marshmallow candy, and it landed in one of +the bear's eyes and stayed there. + +"Oh, wow!" cried the shaggy creature, and he could only see out of +one eye. Then Cora Janet threw another marshmallow and it closed up +the bear's other eye. Then he couldn't see at all. + +"Oh, wow again! Double wow!" cried the bear. Then, as fast as they +could throw them, Flop and Cora Janet tossed the sticky marshmallow +candies. They stuck up the bear's nose so he couldn't hear, and got +in his ears so he couldn't smell. Oh! just listen to me, would you! +I'm so excited that I got that part wrong. But, anyhow, the bear +couldn't see, nor smell, nor hear. And then more marshmallows got in +his mouth, and they were like sponges, and he couldn't even bite any +one, for they stuck on his teeth like gum. Then Flop said: + +"We are safe now, Cora Janet, and we have enough marshmallows left +to roast at the camp fire tonight." + +And so they had. And that bear was so stuck up with the soft +marshmallow candies--in his eyes and nose and mouth and ears and +paws and tail and fur--that he had to go to sleep in the lake for a +week and a day to get them washed off. + +So he didn't bother Cora Janet nor Flop any more, and pretty soon +Curly awakened and came back to the bungalow to hear about his +brother's adventure. And Uncle Wiggily came back from playing Scotch +checkers with Pop Goes The Weasel, and everybody was happy, even +Cora Janet, and they had roast marshmallows for supper. + +And on the next page, in case the little boy across the street +doesn't slide down the front steps and scare the milkman's horse so +that it drinks up all the ice cream, I'll tell you about the piggie +boys and the big fish, and it will be a Hallowe'en story. + + + + +STORY XXIII + +THE PIGGIES AND THE FISH + + +On the morning of the day when it was to be Hallowe'en, Curly Tail, +and Flop Ear, the two piggie boys, awakened in Uncle Wiggily's +bungalow, on Raccoon Island in Lake Hopatcong, and Curly Tail +whispered: + +"What are you going to dress up like, Flop Ear?" + +"Oh, I guess I'll make believe I'm a loaf of bread. What are you +going to be?" + +"An apple pie," said the other little piggie boy, "I'll stick apples +all over myself, and some bits of pie crust, and when we get through +playing Hallowe'en we can eat them." + +"Fine!" cried Curly Tail. "I wish I was going dressed up like an ice +cream cone, but then I'd melt so fast I wouldn't have any fun. So I +guess I'll be a loaf of bread." + +"And we'll fool Uncle Wiggily, won't we?" said Flop Ear. + +"We surely will," declared his brother. But if they could have +looked into the next room, and have seen Uncle Wiggily laughing to +himself, and winking his eyes, and rubbing his leg that had +rheumatism in it--well, maybe those piggie boys wouldn't have felt +so funny. + +"Fool me, eh? Will they?" whispered Uncle Wiggily. "We'll see about +it," and then he hopped about on his crutch to help the boys get +breakfast. + +"We must have all the good times we can," said the old gentleman +rabbit, "for soon the new roof will be on your school and you will +have to begin studying your lessons again. Be happy while you're +here, for soon the snow will fly and the ice will come, and we will +have to go away from the lake." + +"Oh, we're going to have a good time, Uncle Wiggily," said Curly +Tail, or Curly, as I often call him for short, and then he looked at +his brother, and they both laughed and pretended it wasn't anything +at all. But Uncle Wiggily knew better. + +"Well," said the old gentleman rabbit, after breakfast, "I guess +I'll go down and play Scotch checkers with Pop Goes the Weasel. You +boys can stay here, but if the bad alligator or the fuzzy fox tries +to get you, just call for me." + +"All right," said Curly Tail, and when his uncle was out of sight he +and his brother began to dress up for Hollowe'en, which is the night +everyone puts on false faces you know. + +One of the piggie boys made a lot of flour paste, colored with brown +sugar, and that was to fix him so he would look like a loaf of +bread. And Flop Ear made himself look like an apple pie. + +"Now, we'll just practice, ready for tonight, when we're going to +fool Uncle Wiggily," said Curly Tail, and they did, having lots of +fun. + +Just before supper Uncle Wiggily came home from having played Scotch +checkers with Pop Goes the Weasel. The old gentleman had something +under his coat, but when Curly Tail and Flop Ear asked him what it +was he only laughed and said: + +"Oh, you'll soon see!" + +Well, it got pretty dark, and Curly Tail and his brother thought it +was time for them to dress up and play a trick on their uncle. So +they took their false faces, one like a lump of buttered bread and +the other like a piece of cheese, and went out in the woods to +dress. They intended to come and knock on the bungalow door and see +what Uncle Wiggily would do and say when he saw them. + +Pretty soon they were both ready, and, really, if I do say it +myself, Curly Tail looked just like a ten-cent loaf, with flour in +his buttonhole and all that, only he didn't have any real butter on, +as that was so greasy. And Flop Ear, or Flop, or Floppy, for short, +looked too cute for anything--just exactly like an apple pie, and +he even carried a bit of cheese to go with it, and a toasting fork. + +"Now, we'll fool Uncle Wiggily," they said, as they started for the +bungalow. But they didn't know what had happened to the rabbit +gentleman. They hadn't gone very far before, out in a boat on the +lake, not far from shore, they heard a voice calling: + +"Oh, help! Help! He's such a big one that I can't get him in, and +Percival has fallen overboard! Help! Help!" + +"My goodness! What's that?" asked Curly Tail, in surprise. + +"Some one must be in trouble," said Flop Ear. "Let's see who it is." + +"But it might be the bad skillery-scalery alligator, with the lumps +on his tail," said the other piggie boy. Then Flop Ear looked out on +the lake, where it was all lighted by the moon and he said: + +"I see a lady in a boat. Surely she would not harm us. And she spoke +of Percival--she must mean the old circus dog! I am going to see +what is the matter!" + +"Better not! Maybe it's a trick to catch us!" said Curly Tail. + +But just then a lady on the lake called again: "Oh help! He is such +a big one that I can't get him into the boat, and Percival has +fallen overboard!" + +Then there was a great splashing, and a rustling in the bushes and +Flop Ear called: + +"We're coming to help you, lady! What have you got that is so big?" + +"A fish," she answered. "My husband, Percival, is a great fisherman +and he caught the biggest fish in all the lake, but it pulled him +out of the boat. However, I have hold of the pole and line, and the +fish is still fast to the hook. Oh, help me to catch him!" + +So the piggie boys said they would, and they ran down to the shore, +and the lady in the boat passed them the pole. Then Curly and Flop +pulled as hard as they could, and old circus dog Percival scrambled +out of the water, and he helped pull, too, and, all of a sudden, +from the bushes along the edge of the lake--on dry land, but not in +the water--there suddenly flopped the biggest fish any one had ever +seen. + +"Oh, what long ears the fish has!" cried Curly Tail, when the moon +shone on the fish. "I never saw a fish with ears!" + +"I'm not a fish," said a voice. "Oh, please let me go. The hook is +caught in my collar. Please let me go!" + +"Who are you?" asked Percival, in wonder. + +"I'm Uncle Wiggily Longears," was the answer. "I dressed up like a +Hallowe'en fish to fool Curly Tail and Flop Ear. I was walking along +the shore in the dark, thinking I could catch the piggie boys, when, +all of a sudden, something caught in my coat collar, and I was +dragged through the bushes. I was choked so I could hardly speak, +and I didn't know what had happened to me." + +"Oh, that's too bad," said Percival. "I guess I happened to catch +you on my fishhook by mistake, when I was tossing it around. But why +are you all dressed up?" he asked Curly Tail and Flop Ear and Uncle +Wiggily. + +"Because it is Hallowe'en," said Flop Ear; "but I guess we have had +enough of it." + +"Yes," said Uncle Wiggily, "come up into the bungalow and we will +duck for apples, eat marshmallows and have fun." + +So Curly Tail took off his bread crumbs clothes, and Flop Ear his +apple pie suit, and Uncle Wiggily his fish scales, and they all took +off their false faces, and Percival and the lady whose name was +Gertrude, had a good time. + +And in the next story in case the ash can doesn't roll off the roof +and fall on the dog house to scare the puppy cake I'll tell you +about Curly Tail and the little afraid girl. + + + + +STORY XXIV + +CURLY AND THE AFRAID GIRL + + +One day, when Uncle Wiggily, the nice old gentleman rabbit, went +down to the store on Raccoon Island, in Lake Hopatcong, kept by Pop +Goes the Weasel, there was a letter there for Curly Tail and also +one for Flop Ear. + +"I wonder who can be writing to the piggie boys," said the rabbit +gentleman. "I'll take the letters to them." + +So he stopped to play just one game of Scotch checkers with Pop Goes +the Weasel, only they didn't quit finish it because Mr. Pop's cat +jumped on the middle of the board to catch a mosquito and scattered +the checkers all over. + +"Scat!" cried Pop Goes the Weasel. "Why did you do that?" + +"Never mind," said Uncle Wiggily. "She didn't mean to." + +And really the cat didn't mean to, and the mosquito got away after +all, and Pop Goes the Weasel began picking up the checkers, but the +rabbit gentleman said: + +"I'm afraid I can't stay to finish the game. I must get back with +the letters for Flop and Curly," calling them thus for short. + +"Very well," said Pop, "and take them some sour milk chocolate candy +with my best wishes, for the letters may be from home, telling them +to come back to school." + +And really, that is just what the letters said. They were from the +nice owl lady school teacher, saying that the roof was back on the +school now, and that in a few days all the animal children must +begin reciting their lessons again. + +"Well, then, we must have all the fun we can the few remaining days +that we are to be on Raccoon Island," said Flop Ear. + +"Correct," spoke Curly Tail. "Let's take a walk and see if we can +find an adventure." + +So off they started from Uncle Wiggily's bungalow, and when they +came to a place where there were two paths through the woods, Curly +Tail said: + +"Now, Flop Bar, you go one way and I'll go the other, and we will +see who first meets with an adventure." + +"Very well," agreed Flop Ear, and off he went through the woods, +but, as nothing happened to him except that he fell down a well and +had trouble getting out again, I shall not tell his adventure. +Instead, I will relate what happened to Curly Tail. + +On and on he went, and he was wondering what would happen to him, +when, all at once, as he came to a little river that flowed through +the island, he heard a voice saying: + +"Oh, I shall never get across. I know I shan't. I'm so afraid of +water, and I know there are cat-tails and pussy willows and all +sorts of things like that around here. Oh! what shall I do? I want +to get across to see my grandmother, but how can I?" + +"Hum! That is queer," thought Curly Tail. "I wonder who that can be? +I had better be careful, though, for it may be the fuzzy fox trying +to fool me." + +So, carefully hiding himself behind a stone, he peered over the top, +and once more he heard the voice saying: + +"Oh! isn't it dreadful to be afraid!" + +"Why, it's a little mousie girl," exclaimed Curly Tail out loud. + +"Of course, it is," said the little creature beside the river. "And +I'm afraid of the water, and the cat-tails and the pussy willows and +all that." + +"There are no pussy willows out now, they only come in the spring," +said Curly Tail. "Though there may be some cat-tails. But they are +not real cats, you know. They won't hurt you. Are you a little +afraid, mousie girl?" + +"Yes, but that isn't my name," she said. "My name is Edna, and I'm +dreadfully afraid of the water. How shall I get across?" + +"I'll get a big board and make believe it is a boat," said Curly +Tail. "Then you won't be afraid." + +"Oh, yes, I will," she said. "Can't you think of some other way?" + +Curly Tail shook his head, and even twisted up his ear, and then he +thought real hard. + +"I have it!" he cried. "You shall get on the board boat, and all the +while you must keep looking up at the sky. Then you will not see the +water, and you'll think you're flying and you won't be afraid." + +"The very thing!" cried Edna, the little afraid mousie girl. So +Curly Tail got a nice, big board for a boat, and pushed it into the +water. Then he got a pole to shove himself and the mousie girl +across the river, and they both got on the boat. + +"Now mind!" exclaimed Curly Tail. "Keep looking up, and you won't be +afraid." + +Off they started, and Edna wasn't much afraid. When they were about +halfway across, and she felt real glad that she would soon see her +grandmother, she said: + +"Oh, I guess I'm brave enough to look at the water now. I think I'm +not afraid with you, Curly Tail." + +"All right," spoke the little piggie boy, and he was just going to +tell the mousie girl to look down if she wanted to, when, all at +once, after the boat, with his big jaws open, and his tongue going +over his teeth like a nutmeg grater, came the bad skillery-scalery +old alligator, with a double hump on his tail. + +"Oh, my!" thought Curly Tail. "If she looks down now, and sees that +alligator, she'll surely be so afraid that she'll faint, and maybe +fall into the water, and then I'll have to jump in to save her, and +the alligator will get us both. What shall I do?" + +Well, the mousie girl was just going to look down, and she would +surely have seen the 'gator, when Curly Tail cried: + +"Don't look! Don't look! Oh, lobster salad! don't look!" + +"Why not?" asked the mousie girl. + +"Because--because it's--it's a surprise!" was all Curly could think +of to say. + +"Oh, if it's a surprise I must surely look!" said the mousie girl. +"I just love surprises!" + +"I guess she won't like this kind!" thought Curly Tail, but what he +said was: + +"Quick! Tie your handkerchief over your eyes, and make believe you +are playing blind man's bluff. Then you can't look until it's time. +Quick!" + +So the mousie girl, whose name was Edna, did as Curly Tail told her. +She blinded her eyes, and then, the piggie boy knew she would not +see the 'gator. On came the ferocious creature, ready to swallow the +boat, Curly Tail and little afraid girl all at once. But Curly Tail +just stuck the push pole down the alligator's throat, and that made +the 'gator so angry that he lashed out with his tail, made a big +wave, and that washed the boat and the piggie boy and the mousie +girl safely up on shore. And then they were all right, for on dry +land they could run faster than the 'gator could. + +"Where's the surprise?" asked Edna, as she took off the +handkerchief. + +"There he goes," said Curly Tail, showing her the alligator, who was +swimming away, and Edna was glad she had not seen it when on the +boat or she knew she surely would have fainted. Then she went on to +her grandmother's, after thanking Curly Tail, and the little piggie +boy went back to the bungalow. + +And on the next page, if the boys don't take my cocoanut cake for a +football and roll it up hill, I'll tell you about the piggies and +the dinner party. + + + + +STORY XXV + +THE PIGGIES AT THE PARTY + + +One day a nice lady stopped in front of the house where lived Curly +and Floppy Twistytail, the two piggie boys, and called to them as +they were playing football in the yard. + +"Is your mamma in?" asked the lady, as she looked to see if her +earrings were dingle-dangling. + +"Yes," replied Curly Tail, "she is. Would you like to see her?" + +"Indeed, I would!" exclaimed the lady, as she blinked her two eyes +and laughed in a jolly fashion. + +"But she is lying down," explained Flop Ear, "so if you want to sell +her some new kind of soap to make our faces clean or some baking +powder that will puff a cake up like a balloon, I don't believe she +wants any." + +"Bless your dear little pink noses!" exclaimed the lady. "I'm not +selling anything. I just came to ask your mamma if you could come to +my party." + +"A party?" cried Curly Tail. "Are you getting up a party for us?" + +"For all the animal children," explained the lady, whose name was +Sadie. "I want you all to come to my dinner party and have a good +time. It's going to be away up in Montclair." + +"Oh, I guess we can come," spoke Flop Ear. "Are you going to have +ice cream?" + +"Yes, ice cream," replied the Sadie lady, "and all sorts of good +things. Uncle Wiggily will be there, and all your friends, so I +wanted to ask your mamma if you could come." + +"Of course we can!" cried Curly Tail. "We'll be there!" + +"Very good," replied the lady whose name was Sadie. "Then I shall +expect you," and off she hurried to invite some other animal +children, her long earrings going dingle-dangle as she walked along, +and the rose in her hair falling over sideways. + +You see, Curly Tail and Flop Ear had come back from Raccoon Island +at Lake Hopatcong, where they went to visit Uncle Wiggily Longears, +the old gentleman rabbit, while a new roof was being put on their +school in place of the one that had blown off. The piggie boys had +now been back for some little time, and in a few days school would +open again. + +"But, before it does, we'll go to the lady's dinner party," said +Curly Tail, as he combed out the bristles on his back to make them +look like a paint brush. + +"Indeed we will!" exclaimed his brother, and then they heard their +mamma stirring about in the house, so they knew she was awake. + +"Let's go ask her!" suggested Curly Tail, and in they ran to tell +about the Sadie lady asking them to the party. + +Their mamma said they might go, and they felt so happy that they +even let their little sister, Baby Pinky, play football with them. +And it would have been all right, except that when Flop Ear kicked +the ball to Pinky, she couldn't get hold of it in time, and it flew +up and broke Grandpa Squealer's window. But he said he didn't mind. + +Well, in a few nights, it was time for the dinner party, and Curly +Tail and Flop Ear dressed in their best, with their velvet hats on +their heads, started for the high part of Montclair where the Sadie +lady lived. + +And Oh! How nice the house looked when they got there. It was all +lighted up, and there were paper roses on the piano, for it was too +late for real ones, and the table was all set with nice dishes and +things to eat, and all of the piggie boys' friends were there, from +Sammie and Susie Littletail, to Uncle Wiggily Longears, the rabbit +gentleman. + +Then they began to eat, for this Sadie lady was one who loved animal +children, and was always giving dinner parties, and affairs like +that for them. Oh! Such good things as there were to eat, and when +it was all over, and the candy and nuts were served, the Sadie lady +read some poetry about a funny little lake, all made of sweet ice +cream, and every time you fell in it you had a funny dream. + +Then, after supper, they all sat about the fire on the hearth--Uncle +Wiggily and Grandpa Goosey Gander and all the animal children, and +the Sadie lady and Uncle Wiggily told ghost stories, and all sorts +of other tales. + +And, all of a sudden, just at the most scary part, where the big +giant falls down stairs, jumps over the cot bed and scares Cora +Janet's doll and Pocahontas and Ethel Rose--all of a sudden, I say, +just as Uncle Wiggily got to that part, there was a noise out on the +porch, and a voice cried: + +"I want to come in! I must come in!" + +"Oh, dear!" gasped Flop Ear. + +"Who can that be?" asked Curly Tail, and he shivered so that you +would have thought he was eating cold ice cream again, only he +wasn't, for he was chewing on hot marshmallows. + +"Let me in! Let me in!" cried the voice again. + +"Oh, it's the bad skillery sealery alligator!" cried Flop Ear. "I +know it is." + +"Or else the fuzzy fox!" spoke Curly Tail, and just then there was a +noise at the window, and they all looked up, and there stood a big +black bear, tapping his paws on the glass. + +"Oh, wow!" cried Uncle Wiggily. + +"Sour milk and maple sugar pancakes!" yelled Grandpa Squealer, and +everyone was so frightened that no one knew what to do. But the +Sadie lady cried out: + +"Ha! I'm not going to have a bad bear break up my dinner party in +this way!" so she caught up a box of marshmallows, opened the +window, and tossed the white sugar coated candies right in the +bear's face. + +All over him they flew, and he was so surprised that he thought it +was snowing big white flakes. + +"Oh, wow!" the bear cried. "Winter is here, and I must hurry back to +my den before I get snowed in. I thought I was going to have a good +supper, but I guess I was mistaken. Oh, woe is me! It's snowing! +It's snowing!" + +Then he ran down off the porch as fast as he could, and the Sadie +lady called up the policeman dog on the telephone, and she hollered +like anything because she was so excited. + +But there was no need for the police, for the bear was so +kerslostrated by the marshmallows and the powdered sugar snow flying +all over him that he went and hid in his den for a week and a day, +and didn't bother anyone for sometime. + +Then Ethel Rose, one of the real pretty girls at the party, and +Pocahontas, the Indian maid, and Cora Janet's doll and everybody +else had more ice cream, and then they went home; and so did Curly +Tail and Flop Ear, and the Sadie lady's dinner party was over, but +every one said it was just fine, and they wanted to know when she +was going to have another. + +So that is all now, if you please, but on the next page, in case the +sewing machine doesn't pull all the threads out of my little dog's +hair ribbon, I'll tell you about Floppy and the bon fire. + + + + +STORY XXVI + +FLOPPY AND THE BONFIRE + + +One night, after an election in Woodland, where the Twistytail +family of pigs lived, Curly, one of the piggie boys, asked his +brother Floppy if they couldn't have some fun. + +"I guess so," spoke the other little piggie. "I have a big pile of +leaves, so why can't we make a bonfire?" + +"The very thing!" cried Curly Tail. "There are always bonfires after +election, and we'll have ours now." + +"And we'll invite all the other animal boys to help us," suggested +Curly Tail. "Sammie Littletail will want to come, I know, and so +will the squirrel boys, and Jimmie Wibblewobble, the duck, and the +Bow Wow puppy boys." + +So, as it was after school, and they had done their home work +lessons, the piggie boys could run out and play. In a vacant lot, +not far from their house, Flop Ear had collected a big pile of +leaves, ready for the fire, and he said to Curly Tail: + +"Now, if you go get the other fellows, I'll find some more leaves, +and some old boxes and barrels and we'll have a fine big fire." + +"All right, I will," agreed Curly Tail. So off he ran over the +fields and through the woods to call all his friends to the bonfire +which Flop Ear was going to make. + +"Now for a surprise!" exclaimed the little piggie boy who was left +near the pile of leaves. "I'll look for some potatoes and I'll put +them to roast in the bonfire and when it is all over we'll eat them, +and sit about the blaze, telling stories about the election." + +So he crawled through a fence into a field near by, where there were +some late potatoes, and soon, with his strong, rubbery nose, he was +rooting them up. The field belonged to Grandfather Goosey Gander, +and Flop knew the old gentleman goose would not mind if the boy +animals took a few potatoes. + +"Now to make the fire and roast them," spoke the little piggie boy, +and when he had shoved the leaves all up in a heap with his nose he +lit them with a match. + +"Won't Curly Tail and the others be surprised when they come up, and +see the fire already going?" thought Flop Ear. "And they'll be more +surprised when I pull out the roast potatoes for them. Oh! I almost +forgot! I must get some salt to eat on them." + +Into the house he ran, with his queer little kinky tail twisting +around like a piece of strawberry shortcake, and Floppy got the +salt. His mamma was busy getting supper, and she did not see him, +and as his sister, Baby Pinky, was practising her piano lesson on +the tin dishpan, she made so much noise Mrs. Twistytail did not hear +the piggie boy, so no one stopped Flop Ear. + +Maybe if mamma had known that he had a bonfire she would not have +liked it, and I want you children--especially you little ones--to +promise Uncle Wiggily that you will never, never make a fire unless +some older person is there to watch you. Fires are very bad, you +know--and burns--Bur-r-r-r! How burns do hurt! + +Well, anyhow, Flop Ear had his fire going, and the potatoes were +roasting in the hot leaves, and he had the salt all ready to eat on +them. As he came running back to the blaze, out of the shadows +stepped someone, and a voice said: + +"Ah ha! Good evening! I was wondering who had made this good fire +for me." + +"I--I did," said Flop Ear, "but I didn't make it for you. I made it +for us." + +"Never mind, it will do very well for me," went on the voice. "It +will save me the trouble of kindling one to roast my pork sausage +and chops--I mean you!" exclaimed the voice. + +Flop Ear gave a jump, and looked more closely at the figure in the +shadow by the fire. And then he saw that it was a big, bad old fox, +with a fuzzy tail. + +"Oh! Oh!" gasped the little piggie boy. "You don't mean that, do +you; that you're going to roast me!" + +"Exactly what I'm going to do," replied the fox, and he caught hold +of Flop Ear. "We will wait until the fire is a little hotter," he +said. + +Oh, how poor Flop Ear did try to get loose, but he couldn't because +the fox held him too tightly. And the fire got hotter and hotter, +and the little piggie boy was hoping that Curly Tail and the other +animal boys would come back in time to save him, but he could +neither see nor hear anything of them. + +"I guess I'm going to be roasted!" he cried. "Oh, if Uncle Wiggily +were only here. Or even Grandpa Squealer!" + +"Ha! No one will come to save you!" snarled the bad fox, and just +then, what do you think? Out from the fire rolled some of the +potatoes Flop Ear was roasting for his friends. Out rolled two big +potatoes, and the fox, seeing them, exclaimed: + +"Ha! What have we here? Something good to eat, I should say," and he +smelled the baked potato. "Oh Yum yum!" he cried, and he smacked his +lips. "That will go most excellently with roast pork. I think I will +eat one, and then I'll put you on the fire to cook," he said to Flop +Ear. + +The little piggie boy didn't say anything, but he felt very bad. And +the fox, holding him with one paw, took up a roasted potato in the +other, and cracked it open with his teeth. + +And then--! + +Well, you know how hot roast potatoes are, just out of the oven, I +dare say. This one, from Flop Ear's bonfire, was even hotter. It was +just roasting hot, and the fox had bitten into it. + +"Oh, wow!" cried the fuzzy creature. "Oh, double wow, and some ice +cream cones! Oh, pepper casters! Oh, mustard! Oh, my mouth, how it +burns! And my paws!" + +And then he had to let go of Flop Ear, and run to the brook to get a +drink of cold water--that fox did--because the hot potato burned +his mouth so, but I guess it served him right. + +Anyhow, Flop Ear was free, and the next minute along came Curly Tail +and all the other animal boys, and then of course the bad fox had to +run away and put cold cream on his tongue. Flop Ear told all that +had happened, and then the bonfire was made bigger than ever, and +when the roast potatoes were cool they all ate some, and had a fine +time. + +So, that's all now, but in the next story, in case the pear doesn't +fall off the apple tree and hit the ragman on the nose, I'll tell +you about Flop Ear and the skate wagon. + + + + +STORY XXVII + +FLOP AND THE SKATE WAGON + + +One morning Flop Ear, the little piggie boy, awakened in his bed of +straw, and said: + +"I don't feel very well today." + +"I wish I didn't, too," spoke Curly Tail. + +"Why?" asked his brother in surprise. "I'm not fooling. Honestly, I +don't feel well. Do you want to be sick, too?" + +"Just a little bit," answered Curly Tail. "Just sick enough so as +not to have to go to school." + +"Oh, that's so!" exclaimed Flop Ear. "There is school today. I +thought it was Saturday, and I was sorry I didn't feel well, but +now---" + +Well, as it happened it was Friday, instead of Saturday, and, of +course, there was school. But when Mrs. Twistytail heard that Flop +Ear did not feel well, she said: + +"Perhaps you had better not go today. Just lie abed and maybe you +will be better by afternoon." + +So Curly Tail had to go to school alone, and he felt rather +lonesome, and Flop Ear stayed at home, just like the little pig in +the story. + +But pretty soon, oh, I guess about 10 o'clock, when it was too late +to go to school, Flop Ear got out of bed and said: + +"I don't feel quite so badly now, mother. Maybe if I go out in the +air, I'll be all well." + +"All right," she said, and there was a funny little twinkle in her +eyes. "But first you must take some castor oil, and then I will be +sure you will be better," she added. + +Then Flop Ear wished he had gone to school, whether he felt well or +not, but there was no help for it; he had to take the castor oil. +After it was down--and it wasn't much fun swallowing it, let me tell +you--after it was down, Flop Ear walked out in the street sort of +slow and thoughtful-like, and wished he had someone to play with, or +something to do. + +"It isn't so much fun staying home as I thought it would be," he +said. Just then, in an ash barrel, he saw one roller skate. It was +pretty well battered and worn, but the four wheels of it were good +yet, and Flop Ear, as he took it out and knocked the ashes from it, +said: + +"Ha! One roller skate. Now if I had two I might have some fun, and +forget about the castor oil." + +"You can have fun with one roller skate," said a voice behind the +little piggie boy, and turning, Flop Ear saw Uncle Butter, the goat +gentleman, just coming back from having delivered all his milk. + +"How can you have fun with one roller skate?" asked Flop Ear. + +"By making a skate wagon," said the goat gentleman. "I saw some boy +animals up in Roseville playing on them yesterday, and I'll tell you +how to make one. First, you have to have a box, a long, narrow +board, a stick and some nails and string." + +"I can get all those!" exclaimed Flop Ear, and he did. Then Uncle +Butter took the roller skate apart at the place where it slid +together to be made smaller or larger. Right apart he took it, and +there were two wheels on one part and two on the other. + +The goat gentleman used the string to fasten two wheels on one end +of the long narrow board and two wheels on the other end. Then he +nailed the box on the front end of the board, right over the front +wheels, and on top of the box he nailed the stick for a handle, just +as on a bicycle, only this handle was straight and not curved. + +"There is your skate wagon," he said to Flop Ear. "You take it to +some street that runs down hill and you start at the top. Stand up +on the board, near the box, and lean against it so you won't fall +off. Take hold of the handles, and then push yourself off. Down the +hilly street you will roll on the skate wheels, just like a coaster +wagon." + +"Fine!" cried Flop Ear, as he thanked Uncle Butter. Then he ran to +the top of a hilly, smooth street to try his skate wagon. + +He stood up in the middle of the long narrow board, took hold of the +handles on top of the box, and steadied himself. Then, with one foot +he gave himself a good push, and down the hill he went as fast as +anything, making a noise just like a real roller skater boy only +louder. + +"Oh, this is great!" he cried as he reached the bottom of the hill, +and ran back for another coast down it. Then Flop Ear forgot all +about being sick, and he had lots of fun riding on his skate wagon, +so you see that even one roller skate may be good for something. + +Well Flop Ear was just going to coast down the hill for about the +forty-'leventh time when, all of a sudden, he heard a voice calling: + +"Save me! Save me! Oh, help me!" + +He looked around and there he saw a poor old lady cat being chased +by a bad dog that had once caught Uncle Butter to pull out his +horns. The lady cat was running as fast as she could with her tail +all swelled up like a bologna sausage. + +"Save me from the bad dog!" she cried. + +"Bow-wow! Woof! Woof! Bur-r-rr!" barked the dog. "I'll get you!" + +"No you won't!" cried Flop Ear. "Get on my skate wagon!" he called +to the old lady cat, and with one jump she landed in the box. Flop +Ear gave a good push, jumped on the wagon himself, and down the hill +he went faster and faster, with the dog coming after him. + +"Oh, he'll get us!" cried the lady cat. + +"No he won't!" shouted Flop Ear. Faster and faster went the skate +wagon down the hill, and the bad dog tried so hard to catch up to it +that, all of a sudden, his legs got tied up in a hard knot--yes, +sir, just as hard a knot as if a sailor had made it. And, of course, +that dog turned a somersault, and went head over heels and he +couldn't run any more until one of his friends untied the knots in +his legs. + +But by that time Flop Ear and the lady cat were safe at the bottom +of the hill on the skate wagon, and the dog could not get them. Then +the cat lady thanked the piggie boy very much, and gave him a penny, +and Flop Ear went to school that afternoon, and was all better, and +later he and Curly Tail had lots of fun on the queer wagon Uncle +Butter had told how to make. + +And so in case the rose bush doesn't scratch the lilac leaves off +the pie plant and make the clothes line catch cold, I'll tell you +next about Baby Pinkie and the lemon. + + + + +STORY XXVIII + +PINKY AND THE LEMON + + +One day, when Flop Ear and Curly Tail were at school, Mrs. +Twistytail, the pig lady, said to Baby Pinky, her little girl: + +"Pinky, I am going to run across the street for a minute to ask Mrs. +Wibblewobble to lend me a spool of thread. It is so chilly out that +I don't want to take you along. So will you be afraid to stay here +alone, just a little while?" + +"No, indeed, mamma," spoke Pinky. "Why, what is there to be afraid +of?" she asked with a laugh. + +"Nothing in the least," replied her mother, "but sometimes little +girls, and boys, too, for that matter, are afraid to stay alone, +even when their mamma wants to go get a drink of water." + +"Oh! I hope I'm not that kind, mamma," spoke Pinky. + +"Then I'll just run across the street for a minute," went on Mrs. +Twistytail. "Everything is all right here. There is nothing on the +stove to boil over, but be careful not to go near the fire." + +"No, I'll stay right here, mamma," said Pinky. "I'll look out of the +window, and watch the leaves dancing up and down in the breeze." + +So Mrs. Twistytail went over to Mrs. Wibblewobble, the duck lady's +house, and Pinky sat down to wait for her to come back. But you know +how it is sometimes, when ladies get talking together, they have so +many things to say, about how to make the loaf of bread last longer, +and how high the butter is--so high that they have to get on a step +ladder to reach it--and how boys wear out their shoes and trousers +so fast and the newest way to fix your hair, and what to do when +your best dress gets all spotted with ice cream, and how scarce coal +is, and what a long winter we're going to have--all things like that +ladies find to talk about, and it was that way with Mrs. Twistytail +and Mrs. Wibblewobble. + +Well, do you know, the first thing Mrs. Twistytail knew she had +forgotten all about what she came after--let's see now, what was it--I +declare I've forgotten myself. Just excuse me while I look back +and see. Oh! I remember, it was a spool of thread. + +Yes, Mrs. Twistytail got so interested talking to the duck lady +about a new way to make a tight dress loose that she forgot all +about the spool of thread. + +"Well, mamma is staying quite a long time," said Baby Pinky after a +bit, as she sat by the window. "I hope nothing has happened to her." +She looked, but she could not see her mamma coming back, and then +Pinky said: + +"I guess I'll just dust off the piano, to keep busy, and it won't +seem so long until mamma comes home." + +So she began knocking the dust off the piano to the floor just as +Jennie Chipmunk did it with her tail brush, and Pinky made so much +noise that she did not hear the door open and some one come in. That +is she did not until she heard some one walking in the room behind +her, and then the little piggie girl turned around and exclaimed: + +"Oh, mamma! How you frightened me." + +But, oh my! when she saw who was in the room, poor Pinky was +frightened more than ever. For there, with his face all swollen, +stood a bad old baboon who had escaped from the monkey circus down +the street. + +"Bur-r-f! Ah ha! Wow! Now I have you!" barked the baboon, for they +make a noise something like a dog with the chicken-pox. + +"Why, why, what is the matter?" asked Pinky, never dreaming that +there would be trouble, for she was such a gentle little thing. "Why +is your face all swelled up?" she asked. + +"I have the mumps," explained the baboon, who had a blue nose. "I +have the mumps, and I am hungry. Little pigs are good for the mumps, +I have been told. I guess I'll take you." + +"Oh! I'm sure you must be mistaken," said Pinky, politely. "Surely +you are wrong. I am not good for mumps, and I'm sure they're not +good for me." + +"Nor me, either," cried the baboon, putting his paw to his swollen +jaw. "I don't want 'em but I have to have 'em, and, as you are the +only thing that's good for them, I'm going to take you away with me. +No, on second thought, I'll eat you up here and now." + +"Oh, please don't!" cried Baby Pinky, and she wished, Oh! how she +did wish her mamma would come back. "How did you get in here?" she +asked. + +"I just waited until I saw Mrs. Twistytail go out," said the +blue-nosed baboon, "and then I knew you were here alone. So in I came, +here I am, and now this is the end of you!" + +"Oh, please don't hurt me!" cried Baby Pinky, but that savage +baboon, rubbing his blue nose with the end of his tail--for he had a +red tail--that baboon, I say, made a jump for Pinky. + +"Oh!" she cried, as she leaped out of the way. "I'll get you +something to eat, and then you won't have to take me," and out into +the kitchen she ran, with the mumpy baboon after her. All Pinky saw +on the table was a lemon, and, thinking the baboon might like +lemonade, she caught hold of it, cut it open with a knife, and then-- + +Well, that baboon made a jump for her, and, as he did so, Pinky +accidentally squeezed the lemon. Now, as everybody knows, when you +have the mumps, if a person even says "pickles," or "vinegar," or +"lemons" to you, it makes your throat all pucker up and pain you +like anything, and you can't even seem to swallow. Mumps and sour +things don't seem to go together. + +And when the sour lemon juice got in the baboon's mouth and eyes, +and some trickled down on his mumpy throat. Oh, wow! if you will +excuse me saying so. + +"Bur-r-! Scumpf! Fuffphmn, Xzvbgetyriep! Bfrewcript! +Xvbnhytrwewqauitopekgsteredse!" cried that baboon, and no one could +understand what he said, not even a phonograph, for you see his +mouth and throat were nearly closed up by the puckery lemon. + +And of course he couldn't eat Pinky, for he could not even swallow +some slippery elm, which as everybody knows, is the slipperiest +thing there is. + +"B-r-r-r!" cried the baboon again. + +"Zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba!" and he said the alphabet backward. +Then, holding his mumpy jaws in both paws and winding his red tail +around his blue nose, out of the house he ran, leaving the little +piggie girl safe. And her mamma saw the baboon running away, and, +without even stopping for the spool of thread, she came home and +felt very badly that Pinky had been frightened. + +"But you were very brave to hand the mumpy baboon a lemon," she +said, and I think so, too, for it was just the right thing. + +And next, in case the fire shovel doesn't burn a hole in the +tablecloth and let the sugar run out and catch cold, I'll tell you +about the piggies and Santa Claus. + + + + +STORY XXIX + +THE PIGGIES AND SANTA CLAUS + + +"Oh, so many things as I have for you to do today!" exclaimed Mrs. +Twistytail, the pig lady, to her two boys, Flop Ear and Curly Tail, +one morning. "Such a lot of work!" + +"My!" exclaimed Flop Ear. "What is it, mamma? Have we wood to chop +or water to bring in?" + +"Oh, neither one," said Mrs. Twistytail, with a smile, as she shook +the crumbs off the tablecloth, for the family had just finished +dinner. "I mean we have so many things yet to get for Christmas. +There are plums to buy for the plum pudding, and the candy and nuts +and oranges and figs and dates and the sour milk lollypops and +everything that Santa Claus hasn't time to bring." + +"Why!" exclaimed Baby Pinky, who was putting on her new lemonade-colored +hair ribbon, "I thought Santa Claus brought everything." + +"No, not quite everything," explained Mrs. Twistytail. "He brings +all the presents, of course, but he lets the papas and mammas get +the good things to eat, because different children like different +things. You wouldn't like, for instance, to have nothing but hickory +nuts, or walnuts, or chestnuts in your stockings, would you, boys?" + +"No, indeed!" exclaimed Curly Tail and Flop Ear together, just like +twins, though they weren't. + +"For those things are for Billie and Johnny Bushytail, the squirrel +boys," went on Mrs. Twistytail. "And they wouldn't like to have sour +milk, and cold boiled potatoes, and the things that you like. + +"So, as I say, there are lots of things for us to do to get ready +for Christmas, and you boys will have to help me. I think today I'll +send you to the store for some raisins and citron and plums and +other things to make puddings and pies." + +"Oh, goodie!" cried Flop Ear. + +"And maybe we can clean out same of the cake and pie dishes after +you get through baking," suggested his brother. + +"I think you may," said their mamma. + +"But what can I do?" asked Baby Pinky, the littlest pig of them all. +"Can I go to the store for anything?" + +"You will stay home with me," said Mrs. Twistytail, "and help me +bake. Now, boys, you had better start, so as to get home before +dark. Here are the things I want," and she gave them a list written +out on paper. + +Oh! so many lovely victuals as there were! I can't write about them, +for I haven't had my supper yet, and I'm so hungry, when I think of +the good things, that I might even take a bite out of my typewriter, +and then I couldn't print any more stories for you, and that would +be too bad for me. + +Anyhow, there were many good things that Mrs. Twistytail wanted, and +soon Curly and Flop were on their way to the store with a big +basket. + +They got them all, and they took sniffs and smells, though not so +much as weenyteeny nibble of the Christmas things. But, oh! how they +did wish the time would come when they might really eat them! + +"What do you most want for Christmas?" asked Curly as he and his +brother tramped on through the snow-covered woods. + +"A toy steam engine," replied Flop Ear. "And what do you want, Curly +Tail?" + +"A make-believe automobile." + +"I hope we get them," went on Flop Ear with a sigh, and pretty soon, +off in the woods, they heard a voice calling: + +"Whoa, now! Stand still there, if you please. Some of the things are +slipping off my sleigh, and I want to fasten them on. Whoa there, +reindeer!" + +"Listen to that, would you now!" whispered Curly Tail to his +brother, as they hid down behind some bushes. + +"Reindeer!" exclaimed Flop Ear. "There's only one person who has +reindeer and he is--" + +"Santa Claus!" interrupted Curly Tail. "We've found Santa Claus, +Floppy, and this is the best chance in the world to tell him what +presents we want for Christmas!" + +"That's right," agreed the other piggie boy. "We'll speak to him," +and then they walked on a little farther and they saw the dear old +saint himself, with his red coat, all trimmed with white fur, and +his white beard, and he was as round and fat and jolly as anything. + +"What ho! Hello!" cried Santa Claus, when he saw the piggie boys. +"What are you doing here?" + +"We are on our way home from buying Christmas things," said Flop +Ear. "But have you really Christmas presents there, Mr. Santa +Claus?" + +"I have indeed," replied the jolly old saint, with a twinkle in his +eyes. "But no one is allowed to see them until the right time. You +see I am traveling about, measuring the sizes of different chimneys, +so I can tell whether or not I can slide down them. Just as I got +here some of the toys began to slip off the sleigh and I stopped to +fasten them on. But I suppose you have your toys all picked out?" + +"Yes," replied Flop Ear. "I want a toy steam engine, and Curly wants +a toy automobile." + +"Oh, my!" exclaimed Santa Claus, and his voice seemed rather sad. + +"Why, what is the matter?" asked Curly. + +"Alas," said Santa Claus. "This year I have only one toy engine, and +a poor little lame boy has asked for that in a letter he sent to me +up the chimney the other night. And I have only one toy auto, and a +little boy who has no papa or mamma, and who is very poor, has asked +for that. I was going to give the toys to them, but since you have +met me in the woods I must grant your request, since whoever meets +Santa Claus face to face, can have just what they ask of him. + +"But I know the little lame boy and the other poor little boy will +be much disappointed. Still it can't be helped. I will grant your +wishes, Floppy and Curly, but--" + +"Stop!" suddenly cried Flop Ear. + +"Hold on!" exclaimed Curly Tail. + +Then, somehow, into their hearts there came a feeling of sadness, +and yet not so much sadness as gladness and happiness. + +"I--I guess I don't want a toy steam engine," said Flop Ear. "Give +it to the lame boy." + +"Good," cried Santa Claus. + +"And I don't need the toy auto very much," went on Curly Tail. "Give +it to the poor little boy." + +"Good!" cried Santa Claus again, and then his face seemed to shine +like the sun, and there seemed to be wreaths of holly and bunches of +mistletoe sticking all over him, and he sprang into his sleigh, the +reindeer shook their horns, making the bells jingle like anything, +and then, off on top of the snowflakes rode Santa Claus, calling +back: + +"All right, piggie boys, I won't forget you, or any of the earth +children. It will soon be Christmas, and if you don't get autos or +steam engines you'll get something else," and then he vanished from +sight, and Flop Ear and Curly Tail went home, wondering very much at +what had happened. + +And in the next story, in case the telephone man doesn't crawl +through the water pipe and scare the window shutter so that it goes +bang-bang all day, I'll tell you about Flop Ear and the stockings. + + + + +STORY XXX + +FLOPPY AND THE STOCKINGS + + +"Flop Ear," said Mrs. Twistytail, the pig lady, to her son one +afternoon, "I think you will have to go to the store for me now." + +"All right, I'm ready to go," said Flop Ear, "only I thought Curly +Tail just went, and that I could stay home and read my picture +book." + +"He did go," said the pig lady, "but after I sent him for the +cocoanut to make the Christmas cake, I happened to remember that I +needed some chocolate to make a chocolate cake, so I think you will +have to go for that. I could send Baby Pinky, only she is over at +Jennie Chipmunk's, playing with her dolls." + +"Oh, I'll go!" said Flop Ear, and he laid aside his book, and got +ready to go to the store. It was getting nearer and nearer to +Christmas every day, and, though the piggie boys hadn't seen Santa +Claus himself since that one time in the woods, they had seen a lot +of people dressed up like him. + +You know jolly old St. Nicholas lets folks do that so he won't be +bothered so much when he is so busy. He has so much to do, arranging +about the presents that are to go in the stockings and down the +chimneys, that if he was interfered with, or talked to too much, +he'd never get done. + +So he allows a lot of make-believe Santa Clauses to go around the +streets and in stores, making the children as happy as they can. But +they are not the real ones, only make-believes, though some of them +are very nice. Then the real Santa Claus has his time to himself. + +And Floppy and Curly were not a bit sad that they had given up their +two chief toys, as I told you in the story last night, to the poor +boy and the lame boy. + +Well, in a little while, not so very long, Flop Ear got to the +store, and he bought the cake of chocolate for his mother. + +"And here is something for yourself," said the store man to the +piggie boy, and he gave him a cookie, with caraway seeds and little +candies on the top. + +Then Flop Ear was glad he had gone to the store, and he was walking +along, nibbling on the cookie, and saving a bit for his brother and +Baby Pinky, his sister, when, all at once he heard a voice say: + +"Here, little piggie boy, I want you!" + +He looked all around, thinking it might be the fuzzy wolf or the bad +skillery-scalery alligator, but all he saw was good kind Nurse Jane +Fuzzy Wuzzy. + +"Oh, I beg your pardon for thinking you were some one else," said +Flop Ear. "I took you for a wolf. What can I do for you?" + +"I have dropped my ball of yarn, from which I was knitting a pair of +mittens for Sammie Littletail," said the kind muskrat. "The ball +dropped in the dirt and I can't find it. I wonder if you could?" + +So Flop Ear hurried over to the rabbit house, where Nurse Jane +lived; she was the only one at home that day. And, by rooting around +in the dirt with his rubbery-ubbery nose, Flop Ear soon found the +ball of yarn. + +"Oh, how smart you are!" exclaimed Nurse Jane. "And, as a little +present to you I am going to give you a pair of stockings that I +knitted myself. You can hang them up for Santa Claus on Christmas." + +"Oh, thank you!" cried Flop Ear, as he took the stockings, which +were very big. Far too big they were for him, but he was too polite +to say so. And he thought, in case he couldn't wear them, that it +was all the better to have them big for Christmas, since Santa Claus +could put so much more in them. + +Then Flop Ear, with the stockings, and the cake of chocolate, having +helped Nurse Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy, started for home. And on the way he +passed a place where there were a lot of dried leaves, and he +thought to himself: + +"I'll fill one of the stockings with dried leaves and take them +home. They will make a good bed for Baby Pinky's doll," and so he +did fill one of the big stockings with leaves. + +Then he went on a little further, carrying the one empty stocking +and the one filled with leaves, which was almost as large as Flop +Ear himself. + +All of a sudden, as the piggie boy was going along, he came to a +hole in the ground, and while he was wondering who lived there, all +at once out popped a big fox, with a tail as large as a dusting +brush. + +"This is where I get you!" cried the fox, and he made a spring for +the piggie boy. But Flop Ear was too quick for him, and away he +sprang, with the big-tailed creature after him. + +"Stop! Stop! Wait for me!" cried the fox. + +"I can't--I haven't time," answered Flop, and on he went, faster +than before. But a fox is a good racer, and soon he was almost up to +the piggie. Just then Flop Ear dashed behind a big log, and there he +found a little mouse sitting. + +"Why are you in such a hurry?" asked the mouse. + +"Because the fox is after me," replied Flop Ear, "and he is right +behind me, ready to grab me." + +"Squeak!" cried the mouse. "The only way to get clear from a fox is +to fool him. Now what have you there besides the cake of chocolate?" +asked the mouse, for he could see that plainly enough. + +"A stocking full of leaves," answered Flop, "and one empty. Also +part of a cookie." + +"Very well," spoke the mouse. "Give me the cookie, and I will tell +you how to fool the fox." + +Well, Flop Ear did not want to give away his cookie, but he thought +it was better to do that than to be eaten himself, so he gave the +sweet little cake to the mouse, who said: + +"Now, when the fox comes up here, just toss out over the log the +stocking filled with leaves. The fox will think it is you, and he +will carry it off to his den before he finds out his mistake. By +that time you can run off home." + +"But I will lose the Christmas stocking," said the piggie boy. + +"It is better to lose one stocking than your life," said the mouse. +"Besides, one of those stockings is big enough for any piggie boy +for Christmas." + +Then Flop Ear did as he was told. Just as the fox came running +along, over the log the piggie boy tossed the stocking filled with +leaves. The fuzzy creature grabbed it, crying out: + +"Ah, this is the time I have Floppy!" and he imagined the pig was in +the stocking. Without stopping to look, off to his den ran the fox +with the stocking filled with leaves, and when he found out his +mistake--oh wow! Wasn't he disappointed though! + +But Floppy got safely home with the other stocking and the cake of +chocolate and nothing else happened that night, except that Mrs. +Twistytail sent the kind mouse a souvenir postal inviting him to +come to the Christmas dinner. + +And on the next page, provided the pussy cat draws a pail of pink +lemonade from the white inkwell, and gives the rubber doll a drink, +I'll tell you about the Twistytails' Christmas. + + + + +STORY XXXI + +THE TWISTYTAILS' CHRISTMAS + + +"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a +creature was stirring, not even--an automobile," read Curly Tail, +the little piggie boy as he sat by the open fireplace in his house. + +"Hold on!" cried his brother Flop Ear, "that isn't right, Curly. It +should be not a mouse stirring--I know that poem." + +"You're right, Floppy dear," admitted Curly Tail, "I read it wrong, +but anyhow tomorrow is Christmas, and I was thinking so much about +the toy automobile I want, that I guess I put one in the verse by +mistake." + +"All right, then I'll forgive you," said Floppy, who was sitting by +the fireplace, stringing red, white and blue popcorn for Baby +Pinky's rag doll's Christmas tree. "And I'm thinking of the toy +steam engine I want," went on Flop Ear. "Oh! why doesn't Christmas +hurry up and come?" + +"That's what I want to know," put in Pinky, as she dressed her doll +in her best dress, all ready for the holiday that was soon to be +there. + +Oh such goings on as there were in the Twistytail house! The holly +with its red berries, and its prickly leaves, had been put in the +windows and on the gas chandeliers had been hung the magical +mystical mistletoe, with its white berries, and whoever stood under +it would have to love everybody else. + +And such good smells as there were coming from the kitchen! Pumpkin +pies, and sour milk pudding, and apple cake, to say nothing of +cornmeal lollypops with chocolate in the middle. + +Mrs. Twistytail was as busy as anything, and as for Papa Twistytail, +he had stayed home from the office on purpose to help decorate the +house. Flop Ear and Curly Tail and Baby Pinky had written letters to +Santa Claus the night before, and put them near the chimney. And, in +the morning, would you believe it? those letters were gone! Yes, +siree! not a trace of them left! + +"Oh, goody!" cried Baby Pinky, "Santa Claus came in his reindeer +sleigh and took them. Now we'll get just what we want." + +Busier and busier became everything in the Twistytail house, and for +that matter, there were busy times in the homes of Sammie and Susie +Littletail, and Johnnie and Billy Bushytail, and the Wibblewobble +duck children, and Jackie and Peetie Bow Wow, the puppy dogs. And as +for Uncle Wiggily Longears, the old rabbit gentleman, who was quite +rich since he found his fortune, he was so busy that he wore out two +rheumatism crutches and Nurse Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy had to gnaw him +another from a broom stick, instead of a corn stalk. + +Then it began to snow. Oh, how the white flakes did swirl down out +of the sky, blowing here and there like feathers. They piled up in +drifts, and the animal children raced through them, kicking their +feet about, tossing the white flakes up in the air, falling down in +the drifts and making snowballs. And the wind came down the chimney +like a fairy blowing a blast on a trumpet. Oh, it was the most jolly +time of all the year! Uncle Wiggily said to himself, and he ought to +know, if anybody does. + +"You must go to bed early this night, children," said Mrs. +Twistytail after supper. "The sooner you are asleep the sooner will +it be Christmas." + +"We will," said Curly Tail and Flop Ear and Baby Pinky, and off they +trotted, after kissing their papa and mamma good-night, their little +kinky tails flopping up and down like a lady's earrings when she +runs after a trolley car. + +Darker and darker it grew, and still the snowflakes kept coming down +until all the ground was white and the roofs of houses, too, and the +gate posts and the pump in the yard and everything--all white, +ready for Christmas. + +"Santa Claus' reindeer can easily pull the sleigh tonight," said +Baby Pinky, as she looked from the window. + +"Come, get back into bed!" called Curly Tail, "or Santa Claus won't +come." + +It was close to midnight, and still the snow came down. Outside the +Twistytail house, just as outside of every other house where the +children believe in Santa Claus, there was heard the ringing of +bells. Then some one called: + +"Whoa, there, reindeer!" + +Then there was a noise in the chimney. Maybe it was the wind, or +maybe it was a little bird crawling in to get warm. I don't know. +Anyway, there was a noise, but the piggie children never woke up. + +And then--and then--and then--in a little while it was Christmas +morning. Somewhere a horn blew. Curly Tail heard it first, and, +though it was scarcely daylight, he hopped out of bed. + +"Wake up!" he cried, "Wake up everybody! It's Christmas! Merry +Christmas!" + +"Merry Christmas!" cried Flop Ear. + +"Merry Christmas!" echoed Baby Pinky, and they all rushed +downstairs. + +"Mercy me!" exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail, rubbing her eyes. "Christmas +so soon?" + +"Yes, indeed!" shouted the children. "Oh, come and see what we +have!" + +Well, if I were to tell you all that happened at the Twistytail +house that day, and about all the presents the children got, I'm +sure I would be so long finishing that you would get hungry. But oh! +everything was lovely! + +"I've got my toy steam engine!" cried Flop Ear. + +"And I have my toy auto!" said his brother. + +"Oh, I see my new doll carriage--and a new doll in it--and look at +her little Christmas tree!" cried Baby Pinky! "Oh, how lovely +everything is!" + +"Merry Christmas!" cried a voice at the door, and there stood Uncle +Wiggily Longears, with a lot of bundles under his paws. "Santa Claus +left these at my house by mistake," he said. "They belong here!" and +there was a sled, and skates and a football, and a rocking horse, +and a jumping jack, and I don't know what all. + +"Merry Christmas!" cried another voice, and there stood Grandpa +Squealer, the oldest pig of them all, and in his paws he had a lot +of packages, and an extra one tied to his tail. + +"Santa Claus left these at my house by mistake," he said, "they +belong here." + +And there was a blackboard and some building blocks, and a toy top, +and toy horns, and a printing press and a phonograph, and oh! I +don't know what all else besides. + +"Look at my auto!" cried Curly Tail. "It goes like everything!" and +he wound it up, and whizz! it went right at Uncle Wiggily. + +"Hold on! Stop it! Don't let it bite me!" cried the old gentleman +rabbit, and he tried to get out of the way, but he slipped on his +broomstick crutch and fell down, and a piece of prickly holly fell +on him and tickled him so that he sneezed. + +"Look at my steam engine!" cried Flop Ear. And he started it going, +and all of a sudden it darted right for Grandpa Squealer. + +"Stop it! Hold it! Don't let it get me!" cried the old gentleman +pig. But the engine went right at him and ran over his toe, but it +didn't hurt much, because it was so little--I mean the engine was, +not Grandpa Squealer's toe. But he slipped, too, and fell, and some +mistletoe got tangled in his paws, but that only made everybody the +more happy. + +"Merry Christmas!" cried Uncle Wiggily. + +"Merry Christmas!" grunted Grandpa Squealer, and Mr. and Mrs. +Twistytail and the children. And from the outside the house all +their animal friends shouted the happy words, and the horns blew, +and the bells rang, and it was Christmas at last. + +And so to one and all of you, children and big folks, I wish you a +Merry Christmas, ten thousand million of them, and one more for good +luck, and may you all be happy! And Uncle Wiggily says the same +thing. + +So now, as there are as many stories in this book as it can hold, +even with pinching and squeezing, if I tell you any more they will +have to be printed in another book. And the name of that will be: +"Bedtime Stories; Toodle and Noodle Flat-tail." + +The stories will be about some funny little beaver boys, and the +queer things they did. Uncle Wiggily will be in that book, too, and +so will many more of your animal friends, not forgetting Grandpa +Whacker, the oldest beaver of them all. + +So, until those stories are ready, which will be next season, I'll +bid you all good-bye! + +THE END + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Curly and Floppy Twistytail, by Howard R. 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Garis + +Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5262] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on June 19, 2002] +[Date last updated: April 20, 2005] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURLY AND FLOPPY TWISTYTAIL *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +BED TIME STORIES + + +CURLY AND FLOPPY TWISTYTAIL +(THE FUNNY PIGGIE BOYS) + + +BY + + +HOWARD R. GARIS + + +Author of "SAMMIE AND SUSIE LITTLETAIL," "JACKO AND JUMPO +KINKYTAIL," "THE UNCLE WIGGILY STORIES," "THE DADDY SERIES," "CIRCUS +ANIMAL STORIES," "THE ISLAND BOYS," ETC. + + +ILLUSTRATED BY LOUIS WISA + + + + +CONTENTS + +Curly Twistytail Is Named + +Floppy Gets His Name + +Pinky's Rubber Ball + +How Curly Helped Mother + +Curly and the Elephant + +Flop and the Bag of Meal + +Piggy Boys at School + +Curly Is Vaccinated + +Curly and the Spinning Top + +Flop and the Turtle + +Curly and the Chestnuts + +Baby Pinky and the Doctor + +Curly and the Big Apple + +The Piggies and the Pumpkin + +The Piggies In a Cornfield + +Flop Has a Tumble + +Mr. Twistytail's Lost Hat + +Mother Twistytail's New Bonnet + +Curly and the Sour Milk + +Flop and the Pie Lady + +The Piggies and the Jelly + +Flop and the Marshmallows + +The Piggies and the Fish + +Curly and the Afraid Girl + +The Piggies At the Party + +Floppy and the Bonfire + +Flop and the Skate Wagon + +Pinky and the Lemon + +The Piggies and Santa Claus + +Floppy and the Stockings + +The Twistytails' Christmas + + + + +STORY I + +CURLY TWISTYTAIL IS NAMED + + +Once upon a time, not so very many years ago, in the days when there +were fairies and giants and all things like that, there lived in a +little house, on the edge of a wood, a family of pigs. Now these +pigs weren't like the pigs, which perhaps you children have seen on +most farms. No, indeed! They were just the nicest cleanest, sweetest +pigs you ever dreamed of--not that pigs on a farm can't be clean, if +they want to, but, somehow or other, no one seems to have time to +see that they are clean. I guess it would take some one like Jennie +Chipmunk to sweep and dust their pen for them. + +Anyhow the pigs I am going to tell you about were very different +from most pigs, and they had some very funny adventures. + +First, there was the papa pig, and his name was Mr. Archibald +Twistytail though no one ever called him anything but Mr. Twistytail +except maybe his wife, when he forgot to bring up a scuttle of coal +so she could do the washing. And then, of course there was Mrs. +Twistytail--she was the mamma pig. And there were two little boy +pigs, and for a time they didn't have any names, as their papa and +mamma were so busy that they couldn't think what to call them. So +they just said "Here sonny!" or "Hi, Bubby," whenever they wanted +them to come in, or eat their dinner. + +One of these little boy pigs always wore short trousers with stripes +painted on them, and the other little piggie chap's trousers were +like a checker-board. + +And then--oh, but I almost forgot about the little baby pig. She was +the sweetest little creature you can imagine, and her right name was +Pinky, because she was so pink, just like a baby's toes when she +sleeps in her crib. But Pinky was hardly ever called by her right +name, almost every one said just "Baby," and that answered very +well. + +And now I'm going to tell you how one of the pigs got his name. He +was the oldest pig of the three children, and one day he and his +brother thought they would go out for a walk. + +"Come along!" exclaimed the oldest boy pig. "Maybe we will have an +adventure, such as Uncle Wiggily Longears used to have," for you see +the pigs knew Uncle Wiggly almost as well as you do. + +"All right," said the younger boy pig. "Where shall we go?" + +"Off in the woods," spoke his brother. "The woods are full of +adventures." + +So they strolled out of their house, and started for the woods. I +forgot to say that the Twistytail family of pigs lived in a regular +house--of course not the kind you boys and girls live in, but still +it was a very good house for pigs. It had tables in it, and chairs +and beds and all things like that. And the reason they were called +"Twistytail" was because their tails did have a sort of twist or +turn in them. + +Well, the two pig boys wandered on through the woods, and pretty +soon they came to two paths, one leading to left and the other to +the right. + +"Let's go this way," said the older pig boy, who yet didn't have any +name, and he pointed his leg toward the right-hand path. + +"No, I think we will find an adventure on this road," said his +younger brother, and he started off to the left. + +"Oh, there you go!" cried the older pig boy. "You never want to do +what I like!" + +"Well, I've got just as good a right to go this way as you have to +go that way," answered the younger piggie-iggie, and so those two +brothers, instead of keeping together and looking for adventures, +separated, and one went one way, while the other went the other way. +And now you just wait and see what happens. + +All of a sudden, as the older piggie boy was walking along, digging +up nice sweet roots with his nose--for you know that is the way +piggies dig--all of a sudden, I say, there was a growling noise in +the bushes, and before the little pig boy could jump out of the way, +or even call for his mamma or papa, a big black bear sprang out from +inside a hollow stump, and grabbed him. Right in his paws he grabbed +that little pig boy. + +"Oh, ho!" growled the big black bear. "You are just what I've been +waiting for. Now for a nice roast pork dinner. Oh, yum! yum!" + +"Oh!" squealed the little pig boy. "Surely you don't mean to eat me, +Mr. Bear! Please let me go!" + +"Indeed I'll not!" exclaimed the bear. "I was hiding here, hoping +Sammie Littletail or Uncle Wiggily would come along, so I could have +a rabbit dinner, but you will do just as well. Come along!" + +And so the bear carried off the little piggie boy farther into the +woods, intending to take him to a den where there was a good hot +fire. And all the while the little piggie tried to get away but he +couldn't because the bear held him so tightly in his paws. + +Pretty soon the bear came to his den. Then he said: + +"Let me see, now. I must have some apple sauce to go with my roast +pork dinner. I'll just tie this little pig to the fence while I go +off and get some apples to make into sauce. I can cook the apples +and the pig on the same fire." + +Then the bear looked blinkingly at the little pig, and said: + +"Let me see. How can I tie him to the fence? Oh, I know, by his +tail. I'll just fasten him by his tail." And that's what he did, +tying the poor little piggie to the fence by his tail, with a piece +of wild grape vine for a string. And the bear wound the grape vine +string, that was fast to the little pig's tail around and around the +round rail of the fence. Then the bear went off after apples for +sauce. + +Well, of course the poor little pig felt very badly, and he didn't +know what to do. He even cried a little bit, but I'm sure you won't +blame him for that, will you? And he said: + +"Oh, I wish my little brother was here. He might help me!" + +And then, all of a sudden, there was a rustling in the bushes, and +the little pig, who was tied by his tail to the fence, thought it +was the bear coming back. But it wasn't, for all at once a voice +called out: + +"Oh, brother! What has happened to you?" And there was the piggie's +little brother looking for him. + +"Oh!" cried the pig boy who was tied to the fence by his tail. "A +bear caught me. A big black bear! He is going to eat me as soon as +he comes back with the apple sauce. Save me!" + +"Indeed I will," said the little brother. And with his sharp teeth +he gnawed through the grape vine string, and then his brother was +free. "Come on!" exclaimed the littlest pig. "We must run home away +from the bear!" + +And they did, getting back to their house safely, and oh! how +disappointed that bear was when he returned with the apples and +found his pig dinner gone. He was so peevish that he threw all the +apples away. + +And when Mrs. Twistytail saw her little boy she exclaimed: + +"Oh, my sakes alive! How did you get that curl in your tail?" + +"I--I guess that was where the bear tied me to the fence," said the +piggie boy, and so it was. His tail was all curled tight, like a +little girl's hair. His mamma tried to take the curl out with a warm +flatiron, but the kink stayed in the tail, and so Mr. Twistytail +said: + +"I guess we'll have to call our piggie boy by the name of Curly +after this," and so they did, and that's how one piggie boy got the +name of "Curly Twistytail." + +And in case the shells don't all come off the eggs and leave the +feathers sticking out for a sofa cushion, I'll tell you next how the +other little pig got his name. + + + + +STORY II + +FLOPPY GETS HIS NAME + + +One day, oh, I guess it must have been about a week after Curly +Twistytail, the little pig boy, had the adventure with the bear, and +his brother rescued him, as I told you in the story before this +one,--one day Curly's brother, who hadn't any name as yet, said: + +"Oh, Curly, let's go out for another walk, and maybe something will +happen to us." + +"All right," agreed Curly, "only I hope a bear doesn't happen. It's +no fun to think you're going to be turned into roast pork and eaten +with apple sauce," for that is what the bear was going to do, you +know. + +So off the two little pig brothers started, and their mamma called +after them: + +"Now, stay together. Don't go one on one path, and one on another, +as you did before, and have trouble. Stay together, and help one +another." + +"We will!" they answered, and really they meant to, but, you see, +little pigs sometimes forget, just as real children do. + +On they went together. Curly and his brother who hadn't any name, +except that sometimes people called him "Bub," or maybe "Son," or +even "Hey, Johnnie!" though that wasn't his real name at all. + +Pretty soon, in about as long as it takes to eat a lollypop if you +don't hurry to get down to the stick part of it--pretty soon the two +piggie boys met Grandfather Squealer, who was the grandpapa of all +the pigs in that part of the country. + +"Oh, ho!" exclaimed the old gentleman pig, "Oh, ho! How are you +today, Curly?" + +"Very well, sir, thank you," replied the pig boy politely, and he +looked around to see if the curly kink had come out of his tail +where the bear had tied him to the round fence rail, but the curl +was still there. + +"And how is this other little chap?" went on Grandpa Squealer, as he +took a pinch of snuff, and then looked in his vest pocket to see if +he had any spare pennies. "How are you, Bub?" he asked. "You haven't +any name yet, have you?" + +"No sir," answered the brother of Curly. "I wish I had, though," and +he also wished that Grandpa Squealer would find a penny so that he +and his brother could buy a lollypop, and that wish came true, if +you will kindly believe me. For the old gentleman pig did find two +pennies. + +"There now, boys," he said, "run along to the candy store. And maybe +you can buy a name for yourself," and he playfully pulled the ears +of Curly's brother. Then Grandpa Squealer sneezed again and walked +on, and so did the two boy pigs. + +"I'm going to buy a corn lollypop," said Curly. + +"I think I'll buy a sour-milk one," said his brother, for you know +little pigs, and big ones, too, like sour milk as much as you like +yours sweet. Isn't that funny? + +So they walked on together, talking of different things, and pretty +soon they came to a place where there were two stores. One was +painted red and the other was painted blue. + +"I'm going in the red store for my lollypop," said Curly. + +"Oh, let's go in the blue one," suggested his brother. "Maybe I can +buy a name for myself in there. I am tired of being called 'Bub' and +'Johnny,' and names like that." + +But the two brothers couldn't agree, so Curly went in the red store +and his brother in the blue one. The blue store was kept by an old +lady dog, and when the little pig, who, as yet, had no name, +entered, the old lady dog storekeeper looked over the counter and +asked: + +"Well, little pig boy, what do you want?" + +"If you please," he answered, "do you keep names to sell?" + +"Why, what a funny question!" barked the dog lady. "The only names I +have are names of candy, and I'm sure you don't want any of those, +do you? There is peppermint and spearmint and cinnamon and lemon +drops and cocoanut kisses and lollypops and jaw-breakers and tootsie +rolls and chocolate--do you want any of those names?" + +"No," replied the little pig boy, "I don't think I like any of those +names for myself. I wouldn't want to be called Cocoanut Kisses, nor +yet Lollypops, nor even Tootsie Rolls. Oh dear! I wish I could get a +name such as my brother Curly has. But maybe I will some day. And +now, if you please, I'll have a sour-milk lollypop." + +So the old lady dog storekeeper gave it to the little pig boy, and +he handed her his penny. He was just taking the paper off the +lollypop, and was going to eat it--the lollypop, not the paper, you +understand--and go out and see if his brother had come out of the +red store, when, all of a sudden, a little puppy dog boy who had +just come in from school saw the pig boy in the store, and right at +him he sprang with a bow wow bark. + +"Here! Come back!" cried the lady storekeeper who was the mother of +the puppy dog boy. "Let that little pig alone." + +"I'm only going to play tag with him," answered the puppy dog, and +with that he sprang at the piggie and caught him by the ear. He +really didn't mean to, but his teeth closed fast on poor piggie's +ear, and there they stuck. + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" howled piggie. "I'm caught! Oh let me go. Please let +me go!" + +"Yes, let go of him at once, you naughty boy!" cried the doggie's +mamma, as she made a grab for his tail. But just then piggie began +to run, squealing as hard as he could, and as the doggie did not let +go of his ear, the little barking chap was dragged along too. And +then out from the red store ran Curly and he squealed and his +brother squealed, also, and the boy dog barked, and so did the +storekeeper lady dog, and such a time you never heard in all your +life! Oh! such a racket! + +"Let go my ear! Let go my ear!" squealed the pig, and the doggie boy +tried to let go but he couldn't, until Curly got hold of him by the +left leg and pulled him loose. + +"Oh dear! Oh dear!" cried the piggie who had bought the sour milk +lollypop. "Is my ear pulled off, Curly?" + +"No, but it is hanging down like anything," said his brother. "I +guess its broken!" + +"Oh, I am so sorry!" exclaimed the little boy dog. "I didn't mean to +do it. I was only going to tag you, but I slipped. Come in the house +and my mamma will put some salve on your ear, and I'll give you an +ice cream cone." + +And just then Grandfather Squealer came past, and he saw Curly's +little brother, with his ear hanging down, going flippity-flop, and +the old gentleman said: + +"Oh ho! I think I will call you Flopear, or Floppy for short. That +is a good name, and it just fits you." And so after that the second +little pig was always called Floppy for his ear never stood up again +but always hung down like a bell clapper. But the salve soon made it +well, and the storekeeper lady gave Floppy and Curly each an ice +cream cone. + +So that's all now, if you please, but in case the butcherman doesn't +throw the loaf of bread at the candlestick and scare the lamp +chimney I'll tell you in the story after this about Pinky +Twistytail's rubber ball. + + + + +STORY III + +PINKY'S RUBBER BALL. + + +"Now, children," exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail, the pig lady, one +morning, when she had given Curly and Floppy and Baby Pinky their +breakfast of sour milk with cornmeal stirred in it, "now, children, +run out and play. I have the sweeping and dusting to do, and then I +am going to make an apple pie." + +"Oh, goodie!" cried Curly. "Do you want us to help you, mamma?" + +"No, I'm afraid you would eat more apples than you would put in the +pie," said Mrs. Twistytail with a laugh. "Run along now." + +"Come on Curly," said Floppy and he ran out and turned a somersault, +even though it was near winter, for he felt happy, now that he had a +name and didn't have to be called "Bub" or "Johnny" or something +like that. + +"What shall we do?" asked Curly. + +"Let's build a fort and play soldier," suggested Floppy. "Pinky can +be a prisoner and we'll make believe capture her, and then we'll +rescue her, and shoot off make-believe guns, and--" + +"No--No!" cried Baby Pinky, as she tried to stand up on the end of +her twisty tail, but she couldn't, for it was too slimpsy and not +stiff enough. She fell down, but her brothers picked her up, and +then the curl came back in her tail. + +You see, after the bear had tied Curly to the fence and made his +tail all frizzy-like, all the other pigs, including Pinky and Floppy +wanted their tails to curl also, and their mamma had to do it for +them, twisting them around the rolling-pin. And she even curled her +own, and her husband's, that that's why all pigs have curly tails +now, because it's stylish, you see. + +"Why don't you want to play soldier?" asked Floppy of his little +sister. + +"Oh, it's too scary!" she said. "And the guns make so much noise. If +you won't shoot off any guns I'll play." + +"Pooh!" exclaimed Curly, "all soldiers have to shoot guns! You +couldn't be a soldier with a gun that didn't make any noise." + +"Then I'm not going to play," said Pinky, who was just the color of +the inside of a shiny sea shell. "I'll bounce my rubber ball," she +went on, "and you boys can play soldier." + +So she bounced her ball that Grandfather Squealer had given her, +while Curly and Floppy as I'll call him for short, made a fort out +of cobs from which they had gnawed all the corn, and they had a fine +time. They were off playing in the woods, while Pinky stayed near +the house. + +She was hoping her mamma would soon have the apple pie baked and +would call her in and give her a piece, when, all of a sudden, as +Pinky bounced her ball, it went high in the air, but it didn't come +down again right away. + +"My! What can have happened?" thought little Pinky, and she looked +around, and there she saw a great big fuzzy fox, standing behind +her. And the fox cried out, as he rubbed his nose: + +"Did you hit me with that rubber ball?" + +"Yes--yes--perhaps I did," said poor Baby Pinky, trembling so that +she nearly shook the curl out of her tail. "I tossed my ball up in +the air, but I'm sure I didn't mean to hit you with it. Please +forgive me." + +"No, indeed, I will not!" exclaimed the fox. "Your rubber ball hit +me right on the nose when it came down, and I caught it. And, just +for that, I am going to carry you away with me and make a pork pie +of you!" + +"Oh, please don't!" begged Pinky, shaking more than ever, and she +squealed as loudly as she could, but her mamma did not hear her, for +she was beating up some eggs to make a cake, and the egg beater made +so much noise that she couldn't hear her own little girl. And Curly +and Floppy were shooting off their make-believe guns, and making so +much noise in the woods that they couldn't hear, and there was the +fox about to carry off the poor little piggie girl to his den. Oh, +wasn't it terrible? + +"Here we go!" cried the fox, and with that he grabbed up poor Pinky, +tossing her rubber ball on the ground. Up it bounced, and, hardly +knowing what she did, the little pig girl caught it in her foot, +holding it tight. Then the fox slung her across his back and ran off +with her, Pinky squealing all the while as hard as she could. + +"Squeal away!" growled the old fuzzy fox. "You'll soon stop it when +I put you in the pork pie!" + +And Pinky kept on squealing. Pretty soon the fox ran through the +woods where Curly and Flop were playing soldier, but the fox didn't +know that. Pinky did, however, and when she got beneath the trees +she squealed louder than ever, hoping her brothers would hear. + +"Keep quiet!" barked the fox. + +"No! No!" exclaimed Pinky, and she squealed again. Oh! she squealed +like anything. Then Curly heard her. So did Flop. + +"That sounds like Pinky," said Curly, blinking his eyes. + +"It surely does," agreed his brother. "Something must have happened +to her." They ran out of the fort they had made of corncobs piled +one on the other, and they saw their little baby sister being +carried off by the fox. Wow! Think of that! + +"Here, you let our Pinky alone!" cried Curly bravely. + +"No! No! No!" answered the bad fox. + +"Then we'll shoot you!" shouted Flop. "Shoot him, Curly!" + +Then those two brave pig boys shot their make-believe guns at the +fox. "Bang! Bang! Bung! Bung!" But do you s'pose he stopped for +that? Not a bit of it! On he ran, faster than ever, carrying away +Pinky, and Curly and Flop ran after him, but what could they do? It +looked as if the little pig girl would soon be made into pork pie, +when she suddenly called out: + +"Oh, boys! My rubber ball! Fill it with water and squirt it at the +fox!" and she threw her ball to Curly. + +"Don't you dare squirt rubber-ball water at me!" howled the fox, for +he was very much afraid of getting his tail wet. + +"Yes we will!" shouted Curly and with that he caught the ball his +sister tossed to him. It only took him a second to stop at a mud +puddle and fill the ball with water. Then, taking careful aim, just +as a brave pig soldier boy should, he squeezed the ball, and "Zip!" +out squirted the water all over the bad fox. + +"Oh wow! Double wow, and pumpkin pie! That water went right into my +eye!" howled the fox, and then, with his tail all wet, so that it +weighed ten pounds, or more, that fox was so utterly frightened and +kerslostrated that he let go of poor little Pinky and ran off to his +den, and he didn't have any pork pie for a long time afterward. + +"Oh, you saved me!" cried Pinky to her two brothers, when they had +picked her up, and started back home with her. + +"You helped save yourself," said Curly. "You and your rubber ball," +and he and Flop were very glad their sister had not been carried off +by the bad fox. + +And on the next page, if the washtub doesn't fall out of its crib +and knock a hole in the tea kettle so that all the lemonade runs +out, I'll tell you how Curly helped his mamma. + + + + +STORY IV + +HOW CURLY HELPED MOTHER + + +"Well, this is certainly a fine day for washing!" exclaimed Mrs. +Twistytail, the pig lady, one morning as she got up from the nice, +clean, straw bed where she had slept with little Pinky. "I must get +right to work and hang out the sheets and pillow-cases so the sun +will make them nice and white." + +So she hurried through with the breakfast of sour milk with corn +meal and sugar cakes, and as soon as Mr. Twistytail had gone to the +factory, where he helped make sausage for buckwheat cakes, Mrs. +Twistytail said: + +"Now, children, do you want to help me wash?" + +"Oh, yes, mamma!" they all cried at once. + +"I'll turn the wringer," said Curly, "for I am good and strong." + +"And I'll put the clothes pins in the basket and have them all +ready," said Pinky, for, though she was only a little girl pig she +could easily carry the clothes pins. + +"What can I do?" asked Flop, the other little pig boy. His real name +was Floppy, or Flop Ear, but I call him Flop for short you see. + +"Oh, you can bring me in the sticks to make the fire," said his +mamma, and soon the three piggie children were working away as fast +as they could, helping their mamma, who was busy sorting out the +clothes. + +Soon the fire was made, and the sudsie-soapy water was boiling the +clothes to sort of cook them nice and clean, and Pinky had the +clothes pins all ready. Flop had put up the line, after he had +brought in the firewood, and Curly was all ready with the wringer. + +Well, you should have seen Mrs. Twistytail rub-adub-dub the clothes +up and down on the washboard. My! how she did scatter the suds all +over, and once some splashed right up in her eye, but she only +laughed and sang a funny little song. + +"Ready now, Curly!" she called to her eldest little boy. "Ready to +wring out the clothes through the first water!" + +So Curly turned the wringer, which doesn't ring like a bell, you +know, but squeezes all the water out of the clothes so they will dry +better. Around and around Curly turned the wringer handle, and the +clothes came out like corn out of the popper. + +"Oh, what fun!" cried the little pig boy, and his brother and sister +thought it was very jolly to help their mamma. + +"Now, you may run away and play for a while," said the pig lady. "I +have to get the rinsing and bluing waters ready." + +So Curly and Flop and Pinky ran out in the yard to play. Flop and +Pinky saw a little boy and girl pig whom they knew, and they began +playing, but Curly walked about, thinking maybe he might find a +penny, when all of a sudden he saw his mamma hurrying out of the +kitchen. + +"Where are you going, mamma?" he called to her. "Is the washing all +done? Can't I wring any more clothes?" + +"Oh, yes," she answered. "There are plenty more to wring out even +yet, but they must wait. Mrs. Littletail, who lives down the street, +has just sent in to say that her little rabbit boy Sammie has the +stomach ache and I am taking over some hot peppermint tea for him. +The washing can wait until I get back." + +On ran Mrs. Twistytail to make Sammie Littletail feel better, and +just then her own little boy Curly had a great idea. + +"I'll just slip in and finish the washing for mamma," he said to +himself, as he saw that Flop and Pinky were still playing tag. +"Won't she be s'prised when she comes in and sees the clothes all +hung up to dry?" + +So Curly hurried into the kitchen and there he saw a lot of water in +a tub, and the pile of clothes in the basket ready to be rinsed and +blued and hung out to dry. Then Curly began to help his mamma to +make her surprised. + +Into the tub he plumped the clothes, and then, fastening on the +wringer, he began to wring them out as dry as he could. There were a +lot of sheets and pillow-cases, and these last were like bags, full +of wind and water when you put the open end in between the rubber +rollers first. And then, when they came toward the closed end. My! +how they would puff out and make a funny sissing noise. + +Curly always liked to wring out the pillow-cases this way, and he +had lots of fun. Soon he had a big basket of clothes ready to hang +on the line. Wasn't he the smart little piggie boy, though? + +Out into the yard he carried the basket of clothes. It was hard +work, but he managed it. And how the wind did blow! It was all Curly +could do to hold the big sheets from blowing away, but somehow he +did, and he didn't want to call Flop or Pinky to help, for he wanted +to surprise them, too, as well as his mamma. + +Well, he had hung up quite a lot of clothes to dry, and then came a +large pillow-case. The wind was blowing harder than ever, and as +Curly tried to hang the case on the line a big, strong breeze just +took hold of it, puffed it out like a balloon, and then--and then, +my goodness me, sakes alive! the wind took the pillow-case right up +in the air, and as Curly was hanging tightly to it, he went up also! + +Right up into the air he went, sailing and sailing, just like an +aeroplane, and he cried out: + +"Mamma! Papa! Flop Ear! Pinky! Save me!" But none of them heard him, +and he went higher and higher until the pillow-case, full of air +like a balloon, caught in a tree, and there was the little piggie +boy held where he couldn't get down. Oh, dear me, wasn't that +terrible? + +Curly didn't know what to do. The tree was too big for him to jump +down and he couldn't climb very well. He thought he would have to +stay up there forever, maybe. But he didn't. Pretty soon Sammie +Littletail's stomach ache was all better and Mrs. Twistytail came +home. The first things she saw were the clothes hanging out on the +line--that is, all but the pillow-case that had taken Curly up in +the tall tree. + +"My goodness me! sakes alive and a corn cob," exclaimed Mrs. +Twistytail. "The children must have done this to help me. My, but I +am surprised. But I wonder where they are?" Then she saw Flop and +Pinky playing tag, but she couldn't see Curly. + +"Oh, Curly, Curly, where are you?" she called, and her little boy +answered: + +"I'm up in the tree with the pillow-case!" Then his mamma saw him +and she nearly fainted. But she didn't quite faint, and then she +telephoned for a fireman with a long ladder, who came and got Curly +safely down. + +So that's how he helped his mamma, and he surprised her more than he +meant to, but it all came out right in the end. And soon the washing +was all done, and the firemen gave each of the pig children a penny. + +So that's all now, but in the next story, in case the oil can +doesn't slide down the clothes pole and break the handle off the +pump, so the angle worm can't get his ice cream cone, I'll tell you +about Curly and the elephant. + + + + +STORY V + +CURLY AND THE ELEPHANT + + +When Curly Twistytail, the little pig boy, was digging away with his +nose in the front yard, one day, hunting for lollypops, or maybe ice +cream cones, under the grass, for all that I know; one day, I say, +as he was rooting away, he heard his mamma calling: + +"Oh, Curly; Oh, Flop Ear! I want some one to go to the store for +me." + +"That means I've got to go," thought Curly, as he looked around to +see if his tail was still kinked into a little twist. + +"I'll have to go because Flop is off playing ball with Bully the +frog. Well, there's no use getting cross about it," so, giving a +cheerful grunt or two, just to show that he didn't at all mind, +Curly ran around to the back door and said: + +"What is it, mamma? I'll go to the store for you?" + +"Oh, there you are!" exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail. "Well, I want a +dozen eggs, and be sure to get fresh ones, and don't smash them on +the way home." + +"I won't," said the little piggie boy, and with that he ran down the +street squealing a tune about a little monkey who hung down by his +tail, and when he went to sleep he sat inside the water pail. + +Well, Curly got the eggs all right, and he was on his way home with +them, when, all at once, as he came to the corner of the woods, +where an old stump stood, out from behind it jumped a bad dog. + +"Ha, what have you in that bag, little piggie boy?" asked the bad +dog, catching hold of Curly by his ear so that he could not run +away. + +"Eggs," answered Curly. "There are eggs in this bag for a cake my +mamma is going to bake." + +"No, you are mistaken," said the dog, gritting his teeth. "Those +eggs are for me, I want to eat them," and he reached out his paw for +the paper bag. + +Now, though Curly did not know it, this was a bad egg dog--that is, +he liked to eat eggs raw, without ever boiling or frying them, and +that kind of a dog is the worst there is. No one likes him, not even +the old rooster who crows in the morning. + +"I'll just take those eggs," said the bad dog, "and, though I don't +know how to make a cake, still I can manage to eat them," and with +that he took an egg out of the bag, chipped a little hole in the +shell, and drank up the yellow and white part just as you would +drink an ice cream soda. And, mind you, that dog never even winked +an eye! What do you think of that? + +"Number one!" the dog exclaimed, as he reached for another egg. "Now +for number two!" + +And oh! how badly Curly felt when he saw his mamma's eggs going that +way. It was almost as bad as if he had dropped the bag on the +sidewalk and smashed them, only, of course, it was not his fault. + +Then the little piggie boy decided to be brave and bold. The bad dog +was eating the second egg, and he had his nose tipped up in the air, +so the white and yellow of the egg would run out of the shell down +his throat, when, all of a sudden, Curly pulled himself loose from +the dog's paw and grabbed up the bag with the ten eggs in it and ran +away as fast as he could. + +"Here! Come back!" cried the bad egg dog, as he threw the empty +shell at Curly. "Come back here with the rest of my eggs!" + +"Your eggs! No indeed!" cried Curly, and he didn't in the least mind +when the egg shell hit him on the end of his nose, for, being empty, +you understand, the shell didn't hurt any more than a piece of paper +would have done. + +"Ha! If you won't come back I'll chase after you!" barked the bad +egg dog, and with that he began chasing after Curly. + +Faster and faster ran Curly, and faster and faster came the dog +after him, until he had nearly caught the little piggie boy. Then +Curly thought to himself: + +"Well, maybe if I roll one more egg to him he'll stop to eat that +and let me alone. Anyhow, nine eggs will be enough for a cake, and I +can tell mamma how it happened that the others were lost." + +So the piggie boy stopped running long enough to take an egg out of +the bag and roll it along the sidewalk toward the dog. + +"Ah, ha!" growled the dog. "Egg Number Three!" and he stopped to eat +the yellow and white part of it. Of course, Curly ran on, and he got +some distance ahead, but you see the more eggs the dog ate the +faster he could run, so on he came, and he had almost caught up to +Curly when the little piggie boy thought again: + +"Well, here goes for another egg!" + +So he rolled a second one toward that bad dog, who ate it, hardly +stopping at all, and on he came again. + +"Now, I have you!" the dog cried, as he threw the empty shell at +Curly, striking him on the nose once more. "Now, I'll get all the +eggs, and besides, I'll bite your tail off for running away!" + +"Oh, how dreadful!" thought Curly, and he wondered how it would feel +to have no tail. He was running as fast as he could, and he was +wishing a policeman or fireman would save him from the bad dog, +when, all at once, out from a yard with a high fence around it +sprang something big and white, with yellow legs, and there came a +hissing sound, just as if water were being squirted out of a hose. +Then a voice said: + +"Here, you bad dog, let my friend Curly alone! Run away, now, or +I'll nip you on your toes and nose! Skip! Hiss! Scoot!" + +And that dog was so frightened that he didn't think a single thing +more about eggs, but he just tucked his tail between his legs, where +it wouldn't get in his way, and off he ran. + +"Oh, saved at last!" gasped Curly, as he sat down on the curbstone +to rest, "and I still have eight eggs left for mamma's cake." Then +he looked up to see who had rescued him, and it was old Grandfather +Goosey Gander, the father of all the geese. The brave creature had +hissed at the bad egg dog and frightened him away. + +"Oh, how thankful I am to you," said Curly, politely, "and when the +cake is baked you shall have a piece, Grandpa Goosey." + +So he went on home with the rest of the eggs and--well, I do +declare! I have forgotten all about the elephant! I know he was to +be in this story, somewhere, but there's no room now, so I'll have +to put him in the next one, which will be about Flop and the bag of +meal--that is, if the clothes-basket doesn't fall on the gas stove +and make the rice pudding go down the cellar to hide away from the +rag doll. + + + + +STORY VI + +FLOP AND THE BAG OF MEAL + + +Now, let me see, I promised to put in this story, something about +the elephant; didn't I? That's because I left it out of the story on +the page before this, where Curly had such a dreadful time with the +bad egg dog. + +Well, now, if I leave the elephant out of this story I promise that +I'll give each one of you an ice cream cone with a raisin in it. All +you'll have to do--in case I forget to tell about the elephant and +how he helped Flop--all you have to do, I say, is to come up to my +house and say "Magoozilum!" at me, just like that, and turn two +somersaults on the parlor rug, and the ice cream cone is yours for +the asking. + +But now let's get right at the story. You see it happened this way. +Once upon a time, when Curly and his brother Flop were out in the +yard of the piggy-house, playing "ring around the apple tree," their +mother called to them: + +"Oh, boys! come in here!" she said, and when they got to the kitchen +where she was working, she asked them: "Do you know what I'm +making?" + +"Pies," said Curly. + +"Pudding," suggested Flop, as he tried to make his slimpsy ear stand +up straight, but he couldn't. + +"Neither one," said their mother. "But if one of you will go to the +store for me I'll make a Johnny cake for supper." + +"A Johnny cake?" asked Curly. "Is it called that because a boy has +to be named Johnny to eat it?" + +"No," answered his mother with a laugh, "but lots of boys named +Johnny do eat it. However, just at the last minute I find that I +have no corn meal. Now who wants to go to the store for a bag full, +so I can make the Johnny cake?" + +"I went for the eggs, last time," said Curly, sort of slow and +thoughtful like. + +"Then I suppose it's Flop's turn to go for the bag of meal," said +his mother. "But I do hope the bad dog doesn't chase him." + +"Oh, I'm not afraid, mamma," said the little piggie boy. "If he +comes after me I'll throw corn meal dust in his nose and make him +sneeze, and then he can't see to catch me." + +"Very well," said Mrs. Twistytail, so she gave Flop the money for +the bag of meal. Off he started to the store, while his brother, +Curly, went back in the yard to play hop-skip-and-jump, all by +himself. + +Flop went along the street, whirling his tail in a little circle +like a pin-wheel, or a merry-go-round, and he was thinking how good +the Johnny cake would taste, when, all of a sudden, he heard a +noise. + +It was a noise something like thunder, yet not quite so loud, and +Flop was wondering what it was, when, all at once, as he turned +around the corner, he saw a big elephant sitting on a stump, and +crying as hard as he could cry. And this elephant had made the +noise. + +Ah ha! That's the time I caught you; I've got the elephant in this +story after all, so you can't have the ice cream cones this time. +But never mind, maybe some other day you may. + +Anyhow, there was the elephant crying, and he shed as many tears as +you could cry in a year, even if you've been vaccinated. And Flop +instead of being afraid, went right up to the big creature and said, +most politely: + +"What is the matter? Can I help you?" + +"Eh? What's that?" exclaimed the elephant. "Bless my trunk strap! +It's a little pig. Oh dear!" + +"What is the matter?" asked Flop. + +"Oh, I ran a big sliver in my left hind foot," said the elephant, +"and I can't get it out. I've tried to pull it with my tail, but my +tail isn't long enough, and I can't even reach it with my trunk. And +I was to go to the codfish ball tonight, and now I can't, for I +never could dance with a sliver in my foot." + +"Perhaps I can pull it out," said Flop, and when the elephant held +up his foot, which was nearly as large as a washtub, the little +piggie boy could see the splinter as plainly as anything. + +"I'll get it out," he exclaimed and then he wound his kinky, curly +tail around the splinter and pulled it right out of the elephant's +foot as quick as a wink. + +"Oh, how kind of you!" cried the big creature. "If ever I can do you +a favor I will. Now I can go to the party tonight and dance. But +I'll just sit here awhile and rest, before I go." + +So Flop went on to the store to get the corn meal, and he told the +man about how Mrs. Twistytail was going to make a Johnny cake and +how he had pulled the splinter out of the elephant's foot, and the +store man said: + +"You are a brave little piggie boy, and here is a lollypop for you." + +Well, Flop was on his way home, carrying the bag of meal, and he was +taking little nips and nibbles off the lolly-pop, when all at once +what should happen but that, out from behind a tree sprang the bad +skillery-scalery alligator. + +"Ah, ha!" he cried. "Now I have you. Now for some roast pork and +apple sauce!" and he made a grab for Flop, but he didn't quite catch +him, I'm glad to say. And how that little piggie boy did run! Faster +and faster he ran, carrying the bag of meal for the Johnny cake, but +still the 'gator came after him and almost had him. + +"Oh, will no one save me?" cried Flop, for he could hardly run any +more, and then all of a sudden, he came to the place where the +elephant was still sitting on a stump, resting himself. + +"Oh, help me! Help me!" cried Flop. + +"Indeed, I will!" shouted the elephant. And with that, in his strong +trunk, he lifted Flop up on his broad back. Still the skillery- +scalery alligator came on, and he cried in his rasping voice: + +"I want that pig!" + +"Oh you do, eh?" asked the elephant, sarcastic like. "Well, you +can't have him. Take that!" and then the elephant just reached +around back with his trunk and took some corn meal out of the bag +that Flop held and the elephant blew the meal in the alligator's +eyes and nose and mouth and then-- + +"A-choo! Aker-choo! Boo-hoo! Hoo hoo! Splitzie-doo! Foo-foo!" +sneezed the alligator, turning forty-'leven somersaults. "Oh, dear +me, what a cold I have!" and he sneezed so hard that all of his back +teeth dropped out, and he couldn't bite any one for nearly a week. +And then he crawled off, leaving Flop to go home in peace and +quietness and watch his mamma make a Johnny cake. + +And when the cake was baked they gave the kind elephant some to take +to the codfish ball with him, and that's the end of this story, if +you please. + +But on the next page, if I have left any of those ice cream cones +with raisins inside, to give to the trolley car conductor when he +punches my transfer, I'll tell you about the piggie boys at school. + + + + +STORY VII + +PIGGY BOYS AT SCHOOL + + +One day Curly, the little pig who had such a funny shaped tail, said +to his brother, Flop Ear: + +"Say, let's run off and look for adventures as Uncle Wiggily, the +old gentleman rabbit, used to do!" + +"Where shall we run?" asked Flop. + +"Oh, almost anywhere," answered Curly. "We'll go down the road, +toward Sylvan Way, and out beyond the old black stump, and turn the +corner around the place where the apple tree grows, and then we'll +see what will happen." + +"All right," agreed Flop, so the two little pig brothers started +off. Their mamma was making some red flannel pies in the kitchen, +ready for winter, and of course she did not see them go, or perhaps +she might have stopped them. + +Pretty soon, in a little while, oh, maybe in about an hour and a +half, Curly and Flop came to a building all made of red brick, with +a chimney sticking from the top for the smoke to come out of, and a +lot of doors and windows in it. + +"I wonder what that is?" said Flop. + +"Maybe it's where the skillery scalery alligator lives," suggested +Curly. + +"Oh, no, he lives in a rocky cave under the water," spoke Flop. +"This isn't his house." + +"Then it's where the bad fox lives," went on Curly as he put his +nose down in the dirt to see if he could find any hickory nuts +there. + +"No, the fox lives in a stump," said Flop. "I don't know what this +place can be." + +And then, all of a sudden, before you could take a brush and paint a +picture of a lion on a soda cracker, all of a sudden the piggie boys +heard a lot of voices singing a song like this: + + "We are little children, + To school we love to go; + We run along, + And sing a song, + In rain or hail or snow." + +"Oh, ho!" exclaimed Curly. "That's a school, that's what it is." + +"To be sure," agreed his brother. "Let's go in and learn our A B C's +and then we can go home and tell mamma all about it. This is an +adventure, all right." + +"I believe it is," said Curly. So the two little piggy boys walked +along through the front door of the school, right into the room +where the nice lady bug teacher was telling the children how to make +a straight line crooked by bending it, and how to put butter on +their bread, by spreading it. + +"Oh, my!" exclaimed a little rabbit girl, as she saw the two piggie +boys in school. "Look at that!" + +"Quiet! No talking!" said the lady bug teacher. + +"Oh, but this is like Mary's little lamb, only it's different," said +Jonny Bushytail, the squirrel boy, as he remembered the verse about +the lamb in school. Only this time it was pigs. + +And, all this while Curly and Flop just stood there, in the school +room looking about them and wondering what they had better do. For +they had never been to school before; not even in the kindergarten +class. + +"This is a funny place," said Flop. + +"Isn't it?" agreed Curly. "They all seem quite surprised to see us." + +"They do, indeed," agreed Flop and, as a matter of fact, all the +animal children in the school were laughing. But the teacher--she +didn't laugh. Instead, she said: + +"Quiet, if you please! Fold your paws, everybody! Now, that the +little pigs have come to school we must see how much they know, so +we can tell what class to put them in." So she said to Curly: + +"Spell cat:" + +"D-o-g," spelled the little pig boy. + +"Wrong," said the teacher. "I guess you will have to go in the +kindergarten class." Then she said to Flop Ear; "Spell boy." + +"G-i-r-l," spelled Flop. + +"Wrong," said the teacher. "You, too, will have to go in the +kindergarten class. Now, I wonder if either of you piggy boys can +make a paper bird in a cage." + +So she gave each of them a pair of scissors and some red paper, and +blue and pink and yellow and brown and all colors like that. But my +goodness sakes alive and some candy with cocoanut on the top! Curly +and Flop had never learned to cut things out of paper, and of course +they did not know how. They just cut and slashed and didn't make +anything but scrips and scraps. + +"Oh, dear!" exclaimed the teacher. "Such piggie boys I never saw! +They can't even be in the baby kindergarten class!" + +"Maybe they can do something," said Susie Littletail's new baby +sister. "Some trick or anything like that." + +"Of course we can!" cried Curly, who was ashamed that his brother +and himself could do nothing the teacher asked. "Just watch us!" he +cried. + +So he stood up on the end of his tail and spun around like a top, +and then he made a squealing noise like a horn and played a tune +called "Ham and Eggs are Very Fine, but Ice Cream Cones are Better." +Then Flop turned a somersault and stood on one leg, and then the two +piggie boys danced up and down together like leaves falling off a +tree. + +"Oh! those little fellows are smarter than I thought they were," +said the lady bug teacher. "I guess they can be in our first class +after all." + +And just then a great big, bad, black bear rushed into the +schoolroom, and he was going to grab up about forty-'leven of the +animal children. + +But Curly suddenly shouted: + +"Here, you scoot away from us or I'll make a bee sting you on the +nose!" and as the bear was very much afraid of being stung on the +end of his soft and tender nose, he ran away as fast as he could and +stayed in his den, eating postage stamps for nearly a week, and +didn't bother anybody. + +Then the teacher and all the animal children thought the piggie boys +were very clever indeed, and the lady bug invited them to come to +school whenever they wanted to. And Curly and Flop said they would +come. + +Then they ran home to dinner and that's all there is to this story. +But on the next page, in case the little girl with brown eyes +doesn't cut all the green grass for the rag baby's hair ribbon, I'll +tell you about Curly being vaccinated. + + + + +STORY VIII + +CURLY IS VACCINATED + + +About two days, or maybe three days and part of another one, after +Curly Twistytail and his brother, Flop, had run away to school and +had performed their funny tricks, as I told you in the story before +this one, something else happened. And this is the way it was: + +Curly was out in the yard in front of the piggy house one morning, +raking up the leaves and thinking what fun he would have making a +fire and roasting some ears of corn, when he heard his mamma +calling: + +"Oh, boys! Where are you?" + +"Here I am," answered Curly as he jumped over a pile of leaves and +fell into the middle of them. But it did not hurt him, as they were +so nice and soft. + +"And here I am, too!" exclaimed Flop, and the other little piggie +boy, who was up in a hammock, swinging with one of the Katy Dids, +jumped down and ran to the back kitchen door. + +"What is it, mother?" called both the little piggie boys together. + +"I want one of you to go to the store for me," she said, "I need +some chocolate to put on top of a cake." + +"Oh, I'll go!" exclaimed Floppy and Curly together, quickly, and you +could not tell which one spoke first. But Mrs. Twistytail said: + +"Well, I think I'll let Floppy go, and when he comes back I'll give +you each some of the cake." + +So off Flop ran to the store, squealing as hard as anything because +he was so happy. At first Curly felt a little sad that he couldn't +go to the store, for the man who kept it always gave the piggie boys +a sweet cracker or something like that. But, of course, only one was +needed to carry the chocolate. + +"Never mind," said Curly's mamma to him. "You may go next time." + +So then he felt better, and he was thinking what fun it would be to +have a piece of chocolate cake, when all of a sudden he stopped to +think. + +"I guess I'll go to school again!" he exclaimed. "That will be fun. +Yes, I'll go to school!" + +So off he started, while his brother was getting the chocolate at +the store, and pretty soon Curly came to the place where the lady +bug school teacher had her classes of animal children in a hollow +stump. + +Curly knocked at the door, and when the teacher came to open it he +made his best bow. + +"Well, what is it, little piggie boy?" asked the teacher, kindly. + +"If you please," said Curly, "I want to come to school." + +"Very good," said the teacher. "I think you may. You and your +brother were so kind as to scare off the bear, so you may come to +our class. But, first, let me ask you--have you been vaccinated?" + +"Vaccinated?" repeated Curly. "Is that like a lollypop?" + +"No, that is having the doctor scratch your leg with a toothpick so +you won't get sick and have the epizootic," said the teacher. "Let +me see your paw." + +So she looked at Curly's paw, which he held out, and she saw that he +had never been vaccinated, so she said he would have to have that +done to him before he could come to school every day. + +"You go home," said the teacher to the little piggie boy, "and get +vaccinated. Then come back in about a week." + +So, as Curly wanted to go to school very much, on his way home he +went past Dr. Possum's office. And going in, he said: + +"I want to be vaccinated, doctor, so I can go to school." + +"Very well," answered Dr. Possum. "We'll do it." + +So Curly rolled up his sleeve, and the doctor scratched his paw with +a toothpick, and put some funny kind of yellow salve on it, and +wrapped it up in a little celluloid cap to keep the snowflakes from +it, and also that no mosquitos could bite it. + +"Now, in about a week your arm will begin to itch," said the doctor, +"and it will tickle you, and then, after a bit, you will be +vaccinated, and you can go to school." + +"Very good," said Curly, and he wondered why all little animal +children had to be vaccinated, and have the mumps and the measles- +pox and epizootic, and all things like that, but he couldn't guess, +and so he didn't try. + +He was rolling down his sleeve, and Dr. Possum was putting away the +toothpick with which he had vaccinated the little piggie boy, when, +all of a sudden, into the room jumped a big fuzzy fox, crying out: + +"Oh, Joy! Oh, good luck! Oh, hungriness! Here I have a pig dinner +and an opossum dinner all at once! Oh, happiness!" + +Then he made a jump, and was just going to grab Dr. Possum and Curly +too, when the little piggie boy cried out: + +"Vaccinate him! Vaccinate him, Dr. Possum. That will make him so +itchy that he can't bite us." + +"The very thing!" cried Dr. Possum, and before the big fuzzy fox +could get out of the way Dr. Possum vaccinated him on the end of his +nose with the toothpick all covered with the funny yellow salve, and +the fox was so kerslostrated that he jumped over his tail seven +times, and then leaped out of the window, leaving Curly and Dr. +Possum in peace. And in about a week--oh, how that fox's nose did +itch! Wow! And some sandpaper besides! + +As for Curly, he was vaccinated very nicely, indeed, and he could go +to school when his arm got well. And what happened next I'll tell +you in the story after this, and it will be about Curly and the +spinning top--that is, it will if the pink parasol coming up the +street doesn't slip on the horse chestnut and make the pony cart +fall down the coal hole. + + + + +STORY IX + +CURLY AND THE SPINNING TOP + + +"Oh dear!" cried Curly one morning, before his papa, Mr. Twistytail, +the pig gentleman, had started for work. "Oh dear, how dreadful I +feel!" + +"Why, what is the matter?" asked his papa, as he looked in the back +of the shiny dishpan to see if his collar was on straight. + +"Oh, my arm hurts so!" went on Curly. "It all seems swelled up, and +it has a lump under it and I don't feel a bit good. Oh dear!" + +"It's his vaccination," said his mamma. "It is beginning to 'take' +now, and it pains him." + +"What is beginning to 'take', mamma?" asked Curly. "It is beginning +to take the pain away? Because if it isn't I wish it was. Oh dear!" + +"It will soon be better," said Mrs. Twistytail. "Would you like some +nice yellow cornmeal ice cream, or some lollypops, flavored with +sour milk?" + +"Neither, mamma," answered the piggie boy. "But I would like +something to amuse me." + +"All right," answered the pig lady. "Then I'll send Flop Ear down to +the store to get you a toy. Come Floppy," she called, "go and get +something with which to amuse your brother," for you see Flop hadn't +yet been vaccinated, and his arm was not sore. + +"What would you like?" asked Flop of his brother. "Shall I get you a +mouth organ, or a kite, so you can fly away up to the clouds?" + +"Neither one," said Curly. "I want a spinning top that I can make go +around when I lie down in bed. And I want it to make music and jump +around on a plate and slide on a string and all things like that." + +"All right," said Flop Ear. "I'll try to get it for you." + +So he went down to the eleven-and-six-cent store to buy a spinning +top for his brother. And he found it, too. It was a top all painted +red and blue and yellow and green, and when you wound it up, and +pressed a spring, it spun around and around as fast as anything, +making soft and low music like the wind blowing through the trees on +a summer night, and sending the mosquitoes all sailing away to the +north pole. + +"I know Curly Tail will like this," said Flop Ear. + +So the store man wrapped the top up for him in a nice piece of blue +paper, tied with a pink string, just the kind they have in the drug +store, and Flop started back with the top to amuse his little sick, +vaccinated brother. + +And when Curly saw that top, all colored red and green, and blue and +yellow and skilligminkpurple, as it was, he felt better at once, +and, sitting up in bed, he began to spin it on a nice smooth board +that his brother brought up from the woodpile for him. + +Around and around on the board spun the top, looking like a pinwheel +on the night before Fourth of July, and Curly's sore arm began to +feel better all at once. + +Then Flop started to run down in the yard to play hop scotch with +Peetie and Jackie Bow Wow, the puppy dogs, and Curly said: + +"Some day, Flop, when you've been vaccinated, I'll get you a top to +amuse you." + +"Thank you," spoke Flop most politely, as he slid down the banisters +and bumped off on the last step with a bounce. + +So Curly played with his spinning top, and his brother was down in +the yard, having fun, when, all at once in at the window where Curly +was in bed, jumped a great big snail. Now a snail is an animal that +has horns, and he lives in a shell that grows on his back, and he +goes very slowly. But sometimes, when he has eaten red pepper for +his lunch, he can go as fast as anything. And this was what had +happened to this snail. He had eaten red pepper, and he fairly +jumped in at the window where Curly was lying in bed. + +"Bur-r-r-r!" warbled the snail, "Here I am," and he made a grab for +the little piggie boy, for he was a very large snail indeed, as big +as a dog house. + +"Look out for my vaccination!" cried Curly. "Don't hit my arm, +please." + +"Oh, what do I care for vaccinations!" cried the snail. "If you +don't give it to me at once, so I can throw it away, I'll stick you +with my horns," and he wiggled them at Curly just as a mooley cow +would have done. + +"Give you my vaccination!" cried Curly. "Why, how can I, when it's +fast on my leg?" + +"No matter!" snapped and snipped the snail. "Give it to me at once," +and he reached over, and he was just going to squeeze Curly Tail's +vaccination, and maybe hurt him like anything for all I know, when, +all of a sudden, the little piggie boy thought of his spinning top. + +It was all wound up, ready to spin, so Curly just pushed the spring, +and whizzicum-whazzicum, around and around went the top, on the +board in bed, right in front of the snail. And when the queer +creature, with his home on his back, saw it he cried out: + +"Oh, merry-go-rounds! Oh, pin wheels! Oh, circus hoops!" For it made +him dizzy to see the top spinning around, you see. "Stop it!" he +begged, but Curly would not, and at last the snail got so dizzy from +watching the spinning top that he fell right over backward on it, +and around and around he went, faster and faster, until, all of a +sudden, just as when you get off a merry-go-round before it stops +moving, that snail was tossed off from the top right out of the +window into the mulberry bush, where he belonged, and so he didn't +stick Curly with his horns after all. Wasn't that good? + +So that's how Curly, with his spinning top, got the best of the +snippery snail, and a few days later the little piggy boy could go +to school whenever he wanted, for his vaccination was all better. +And as for that snail, well, the less said about him the better--at +least in this story. + +And pretty soon, in case the man who is taking up the dried leaves +in the street, doesn't put the rag baby in his bag and take her off +to gather chestnuts, I'll tell you about Flop Ear and the frozen +turtle. + + + + +STORY X + +FLOP AND THE TURTLE + + +"Bur-r-r! Whew! Ice cream!" exclaimed Curly, the little piggie boy, +one morning, as he hopped out of his bed in the clean straw and ran +to the head of the stairs to see if breakfast was ready. "It's cold! +Terrible cold!" + +"Of course it is," agreed Flop, his brother. "It will soon be winter +and time for chestnuts and popcorn and sliding down hill and all +that. Of course it's cold." + +"I hope there is some warm water to wash in," went on Curly. + +"Warm water! What's that!" cried his papa from the next room. +"Nonsensicalness! Cold water is better for you. It will make your +skin nice and rosy. Wash in cold water." + +So Curly, whether he wanted to or no, had to sozzle and splash +himself all over in cold water, and really it did him good, for it +made him feel nice and warm and made his ears and nose as red as a +pink flannel blanket. + +Then the two piggie boys were ready for breakfast, and they had hot +corn meal cakes, with sour-milk and maple syrup sprinkled on them, +and eggs, with the shells taken off, and warm milk and all things +like that. + +Then it was time for Curly to go to school, but as for Flop, he had +not yet been vaccinated, and so he could not go to blackboard +classes and learn how to add two and two together and make a mud pie +of them, or how to write his name with red chalk that made blue +marks. + +"What are you going to do while I'm at school?" asked Curly of his +little piggie brother, who was playing in the front yard. + +"Oh, I think I'll build myself a little house out of corncobs," said +Flop, "and then I'll go over and tell Jennie Chipmunk that she can +put her rag doll to sleep in it." + +"Fine!" cried Curly. "And when I come home from school I'll bring +you each a lollypop." + +So Curly put on his warm checker-pattern coat and stuck his paws in +little red mittens, for it was quite cold that morning, and off he +went to school. + +But his brother, who had to stay home because he was not vaccinated, +looked out in the yard, and pretty soon he said: + +"Oh, I guess I'll go out and take a walk. Maybe I can find something +or have an adventure." + +So out Flop walked in the yard, and pretty soon, in a little while, +not so very long, he came to a place where there was something that +looked like a black stone with yellow marks on it. + +"That's just what I'm looking for," said Flop, as he saw the queer +stone. "I heard my mamma saying the other day that she needed some +weight to keep the kitchen door from blowing shut. This stone will +be the very thing for her." + +So over he ran to where he saw the thing that looked like a stone, +and he picked it up, no matter if it was cold. For there was frost +on the ground--white frost that made everything look as though a +little shower of snow had fallen--and everything was cold and +frozen. + +Into the house ran Flop, the little piggie boy, carrying his black +stone, all streaked with yellow. + +"Oh, see what I have found for you, mamma!" he exclaimed. "It will +keep the kitchen door from blowing shut." + +"So it will," said his mamma. "What a kind boy you are." So she took +the stone and placed it where it would keep the kitchen door from +slamming, and going shut, and then she made a custard pie so that +Curly could have some when he came home from school. + +Pretty soon the pie was done, and Flop was almost asleep in the nice +warm kitchen waiting for his piece. His mamma suddenly called to +him: + +"Flop, will you watch the pie for a minute while I run across the +street and borrow a yeast cake from Mrs. Wibblewobble, the duck +lady?" + +"Yes, of course I will," said Flop, rubbing his sleepy eyes. Then he +looked all around the kitchen, and on the table where it was cooling +he saw the nice pies his mamma had made, and he thought how good a +piece would be, and then he also saw something else. + +Into the kitchen came creeping a bad old egg dog--the same one who +had tried to get the eggs from Curly a few days before. + +"Pies!" cried the bad egg dog! "Custard pies! How I love 'em! Yum- +yum!" and with that he made a jump and he was just going to eat the +lovely custard pie Mrs. Twistytail had made when Flop said: + +"Here, you let that pie alone, if you please. It isn't yours. It's +my mamma's." + +"No matter!" growled the bad egg dog. "I will eat it anyhow, and you +can't stop me!" + +And with that he started to throw Flop out of the window, but the +little piggie boy cried: + +"Oh, what shall I do? Will no one help me?" + +"Yes, of course. I will!" answered a voice, and then that queer +object, which Flop had thought was a stone, began to move. Out of a +shell came a long neck, and a head with a sharp mouth on the end, +and out came four sharp claws, and instead of a stone there was a +mud turtle as large as life. Really there was, I'm not fooling a +bit! + +"I'll help you!" cried the brave turtle. + +"Oh, you!" said Flop. "I thought you were a stone to keep the +kitchen door from swinging shut." + +"No, I am a turtle--a frozen turtle," said the voice. "At least I +WAS frozen. The cold weather made me so slimpsy-slopsy that I +couldn't move, if you will kindly excuse me saying so. But as soon +as I got warmed up in your nice kitchen I became as lively as ever. +I'll soon fix that dog. Watch me!" + +And all of a sudden the turtle bit that dog on the end of its tail, +and the dog ran off howling, and so he didn't get any of the nice +pie, and he didn't bother Flop, nor Curly and his vaccination, any +more, and that night they gave the turtle some hot lemonade so he +wouldn't catch any more cold from having been almost frozen by the +frosts. And as for that dog, why a dentist pulled one of his ears +next day. + +So you see what Flop thought was a stone turned out to be a frozen +turtle who did him a great favor. And ever after that whenever Mrs. +Twistytail made pie the turtle was always in the kitchen to keep the +door open, and drive out any bad dogs in case they happened to get +in. + +And so no more now, if you please, as I am sleepy, and I know you +must be, too. But in case the little girl in Montclair doesn't drop +her doll on the sidewalk, and spill the sawdust all over the stick +of molasses candy I'll tell you next about Curly and the chestnuts. + + + + +STORY XI + +CURLY AND THE CHESTNUTS + + +"Why, Curly," exclaimed the nice old lady owl school teacher one +day, when the class in drawing was doing its lesson. "Why, Curly +Twistytail! I'm certainly surprised at you!" + +Of course, all the animal children looked over at the little piggie +boy, and at his brother Flop, also; but Flop had done nothing. And +what do you suppose it was that Curly had done? + +Why, instead of drawing a picture of a pail of sour milk, as the +teacher had told him to do, he had made a picture of a monkey-doodle +sitting on top of a Jack o'Lantern pumpkin. Wasn't that just awful! +Well, I guess yes, and some tooth brushes besides. + +"Oh, Curly, how could you?" asked the owl teacher, in a sorrowful +voice. + +"I--I didn't mean to," spoke the little piggie boy. "I--I guess it +just--happened." + +You see, during the drawing lesson, when the animal children were +supposed to make different pictures on their papers, the teacher +would fly around the room softly and come up from behind the desks. +Thus, she could look over the animal children's shoulders and see +what they were doing, when they didn't know it. It was then that she +had seen what Curly, the pig, drew. + +"Well, Curly," went on the owl teacher, sadly, "of course, it was +wrong of you to make that kind of a picture, and, though I do not +like to do it, I shall have to punish you. You will have to stay in +after school." + +And so that's how it was that Curly did not go out with the other +animal children when school was dismissed. He had to stay in and +clean off the blackboards, but he didn't mind that much, and really +he was sorry for being a little bit bad. + +"You may go now," said the owl school teacher, after a while, and +Curly hurried home, feeling a little sad, and wondering what his +mamma would say to him. He also wanted to hurry and have some fun +with his brother, Flop. + +Well, as Curly was going through the woods, all of a sudden, under a +tree, something fell and hit him on the nose. He jumped to one side +and exclaimed: + +"Who is throwing stones at me?" + +But no one answered, and Curly went on. Soon something else fell +down, and hit him on the ear. + +"I say!" he cried. "Would you please stop that? Is that the +skillery-scalery alligator, or the fuzzy fox?" + +But no one answered him, and Curly hurried on, thinking that perhaps +bad fairies might be trying to have fun with him, or maybe turn him +into a ham, or a piece of bacon, or something like that. + +Well, he had not gone on much farther when, all at once, another +something pattered down from a high tree, and struck him on the nose +again. + +"Oh, I say!" cried Curly, "please stop!" for this time it had been +something sharp that hit him. "That isn't fair!" went on the little +piggie boy. "Who is throwing things at me?" + +He looked down on the ground, and there he saw something like a +rubber ball, only it was a sort of greenish brown color, and had +stickers all over on it. And then it burst open, and out rolled +three little brown things. + +"My word!" cried Curly, just like an English piggie boy. "My word! +What is this?" + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed a voice behind him, and turning quickly around +Curly saw Jacko Kinkytail, a hand organ monkey, hanging by his tail +from a tree branch. "Ha! Ha!" laughed the monkey again. "Don't you +know what those brown things on the ground are?" + +"No indeed," replied the piggie boy. "What are they?" + +"Chestnuts," said Jacko the hand organ monkey. "They are chestnuts, +and they fell off the trees and hit you. No one was throwing stones +at you, though the prickly burrs inside of which the chestnuts are, +seem as large as stones." + +"Chestnuts, eh?" spoke Curly. "What good are they?" + +"To eat," answered the monkey. "We will build a fire and roast some, +and you will like them very much." + +"Goodie-oodie!" squealed Curly, and, as he and the monkey began to +gather up the chestnuts, the piggie boy was rather glad, after all, +that he had been kept in, though of course he was sorry that he had +made the wrong picture in drawing class. + +So while Curly gathered up the chestnuts, rooting them out from +under the leaves with his nose, that was like a piece of rubber, and +stamping them out of the prickly burrs with his sharp feet--while he +was doing this, I say, the monkey was making a fire to roast the +nuts. + +Soon Curly had quite a pile of them by an old stump, and the monkey +had built a hot fire. + +"Now, we will roast the chestnuts," spoke Jacko, and he put several +pawsful on the hot coals. + +"And when will they be roasted?" asked Curly. + +"Soon," answered the monkey. "We will have a game of tag while we +are waiting." + +And, all of a sudden, as they were playing tag, out from under a big +flat stone, came the bad skillery-scalery alligator, with a tin horn +on his back. Oh! but he was a bad fellow! + +"Ah, ha!" he cried. "Now I have you! Now I will have a piggie boy to +eat and a monkey boy to wait on the table. Come along, both of you!" +and the bad alligator made a grab for the two friends and was about +to carry them off to his den. + +"Oh, please let me go!" begged Curly. + +"Yes do!" asked the monkey. "Let us go." + +"No! No!" snapped the alligator. And just then there sounded this +noise: + +"Bang! Bang! Snap! Crack! Bang! Boom!" + +"Oh I what is that?" cried the 'gator. "Oh! the hunters with their +guns are after me. I must run! This is no place for me!" + +Then, dropping Curly and the monkey, the bad alligator ran away as +fast as he could, and didn't hurt either of them, and the "bang- +bang!" noises kept getting louder and louder. + +"Oh, what are they?" asked Curly, who was almost as much frightened +as the alligator had been at the strange sounds. + +"Nothing but the roasting chestnuts," answered Jacko the monkey. +"They are bursting and making noises like guns because the fire is +so hot, and because I forgot to make holes in the nuts to let the +steam out. But it is a good thing I did, for they burst and scared +the alligator." + +"Indeed, they did," agreed Curly. + +"And we'll roast some more chestnuts in place of the burst ones," +said the monkey, and he did, and Curly had as many as he wanted, and +some to take home. Soon he arrived at the piggie-house, and every +one was glad to see him and the chestnuts, and that's all to this +story. + +But in case the pretty Red Cross nurse with the blue eyes and the +jolly laugh says that it's all right for the trolley car to jump +over the house and play tag with the chimney, I'll tell you next +about Baby Pinky and the doctor. + + + + +STORY XII + +BABY PINKY AND THE DOCTOR + + +One night, in the piggie house where Mr. and Mrs. Twisty tail lived +with their three children, there was a crying noise. + +"Hey! What's that?" asked Curly, one of the piggie boys, as he threw +some of the straw from his bed over on the one where his brother +Floppy slept. + +"Oh, I don't know. Cats howling, I guess," answered Flop. "Go to +sleep and don't mind 'em." + +So he and Curly tried hard to go to sleep again, but you know how it +is, sometimes, the more you try to close your eyes, and dream, the +wider awake you get. It was this way with the two piggie boys, +though you can hardly blame them for not sleeping, as the crying +noise sounded louder and louder. + +"That isn't cats," said Curly, after a while. + +"No," agreed Flop. "I guess it isn't. Sounds more like Baby Pinky +crying. I wonder what's the matter?" + +"Let's get up and look," suggested Curly who always liked to be +doing something, even at night. So the two piggie boys crawled +softly from their beds and looked out of the door. They saw in the +next room their papa scooting around in his bare feet, carrying a +kettle of hot water, and then they heard their mamma saying: + +"There, there now, little one. Your pain will soon be better. Don't +cry and wake up the boys." + +"Oh, we are awake!" exclaimed Curly through the open door of his +room. + +"What's the matter?" asked his brother. "Is somebody sick?" + +"Baby Pinky is," answered Mrs. Twistytail. "But go to sleep. We'll +call you if we want you." The two piggie boys saw their papa getting +more hot water, and other things, from the kitchen, and they heard +their mamma walking around with their baby sister, and they tried to +go to sleep, but they didn't rest much, for they were too anxious. + +During the night they managed to doze off, but still they heard +noises through the house, and when it was almost morning, but when +the stars were still twinkling, they heard their papa go softly out +of the front door. And they heard their mamma say: "Tell the doctor +to come as soon as he can, Archibald." You see, Mr. Twistytail's +first name was Archibald. And he answered: + +"Yes, I'll get him soon," and then the two boys heard their papa +sort of blowing his nose hard and coughing, as if he had a bad cold. +You see, papa pigs feel as badly when their little children get sick +as real papas do, every bit. + +Now in the morning, when the sun was up, there was a busy time at +the pig-house. First came Grandfather Squealer, the oldest pig of +them all, and he was a very nice gentleman. + +"You boys must be very good and quiet," he said to Curly and Flop. +"For your little sister is very sick, and may have to go to the +hospital." + +"What's a hospital?" asked Curly. + +"It's a place where they make sick folks get well," answered +Grandfather Squealer. "Now, you boys get ready for school. The +doctor is still here, and may be for some time." + +And so Dr. Possum was--up in the room looking after poor sick Pinky. +There was something the matter inside her--I didn't know what it +was, but anyhow she had to go to the hospital to have it fixed, just +as when the clock doesn't go, the jeweler has to put new wheels in +it, or fix the old ones. + +"But I don't want to go to the hospital," squealed Pinky, when they +told her she would have to. "I want to stay home," and she made such +a fuss that Dr. Possum said: + +"This isn't good for her. We must get her to be more quiet, or she +will be very ill." + +"Oh, please let us try to get her quiet," begged Curly, who, with +his brother, heard what was said. "We'll do some funny tricks, and +stand on our tails, and sing a little song, and then Pinky will want +to go to the hospital." + +"Very well," spoke Dr. Possum, so the two piggie boys did all the +tricks they could think of, from whirling around on the ends of +their tails to rolling themselves down a hill, like a hoop, with an +apple in their mouths. As Pinky watched them, she felt a little +better, and when the big ambulance automobile came to take her to +the hospital she was almost laughing. + +And even when she got in the nice big hospital, so clean and neat, +she wasn't frightened, for the little squirrel nurses were so kind +to her and they looked so pretty in their caps and blue dresses that +Pinky felt sure she was going to like it there. And then the doctor +said to her. + +"Now, Pinky, little girl, I will have to hurt you the least bit, but +no more than I can help, and after it is over you will be all better +and you will have no pain and you will be well. Are you going to be +a brave little piggie and stand for it?" + +"Ye--yes," faltered Pinky, but when the time came for them to really +make her better, and when it hurt, she cried out: + +"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" and she wiggled so hard that the +nurses and doctors could hardly hold her, just as when some children +get vaccinated. + +"This will never do," said Dr. Possum. "If she doesn't keep quiet we +cannot make her get well." + +"I can't!" cried Pinky. "I can't! I can't!" + +Well, no one knew what to do, until just then Uncle Wiggily +Longears, the old gentleman rabbit, came along, and he saw at once +what was the matter. + +"I'll fix it!" he exclaimed. "If Curly and Flop will stand outside +the hospital and sing funny songs while the doctor is fixing Pinky, +she will not mind it in the least." + +"We'll try it," said Dr. Possum. So the two piggie boys began to +sing funny songs under Pinky's window. They sang about the mousie +who had a rubber nose, and every time he blew it he bounced on his +tiptoes. Then there was another one about a doggie, who could not +wag his tail, because he'd fastened on it the monkey's drinking +pail. And when Pinky heard these songs she felt much better, and she +let the doctor do whatever he had to do to her. + +And when he hurt her quite badly (though, of course, he did not mean +to, for it was to make her better), and when Pinky cried, Curly and +Flop danced harder than ever and sang about the kittie who had a +penny hat, and when the ribbons all fell off she gave it to a rat. + +Pinky laughed at that, and when her two brothers chased after Sammie +Littletail, the rabbit, and made him jump over a telegraph pole just +for fun, she felt so jolly that Dr. Possum could finish making her +all better, and she never cried once again. + +So this shows you that even little animal children can go to the +hospital and not mind it at all, though I hope none of you boys and +girls ever get ill enough to have to go. And in a short time Pinky +was all better, and she was glad she had let the doctor do what he +had to. + +So on the next page, in case the baking powder doesn't shoot the +sponge cake in the bathtub and make the towel ring the bell, I'll +tell you about Curly and the big apple. + + + + +STORY XIII + +CURLY AND THE BIG APPLE + + +One day, oh, I guess it was about a week after Baby Pinky went to +the hospital, something else happened to the two piggie brothers. +And, as most of it happened to Curly, I have named this story for +him, though Flop had a part in it. + +When her piggie boys came home from school one afternoon Mrs. +Twistytail said to them: + +"I wonder if you don't want to go to the store for me?" + +"Of course we do mamma," spoke Curly as quickly as ice cream melts +on a hot day. + +"Certainly," added Flop, and the funny part of it was that the two +brothers had just planned to go off in the woods and play soldier +and Indian after school. + +But as soon as they heard that their mamma wanted them to go on an +errand for her, they at once made up their minds that they would go +to the store first and play afterward. + +"What do you want, mamma?" asked Curly. "Is it a cake of milk +chocolate, because if it is--" + +"We'll help eat it," finished Flop quickly with a laugh. + +"No, all I need is some cornmeal to make pancakes with in the +morning," spoke the pig lady. "Run along now, but you need not hurry +back, and you may play on the way." + +Curly and Flop whistled through their noses at hearing this, for +they knew they could have some fun after all, and away they started +for the store. The old gentleman duck who kept it, and who was a +forty 'leventh cousin to Grandfather Goosey Gander, wrapped the +cornmeal in two separate bags, so that Curly could carry one, and +Flop the other. + +"That will make it even," said the store duck, as he gave the piggie +boys each a sweet cracker. + +Back home they started, playing tag, and hide the acorn, and all +such games like that, including one called "Please Don't Pull My +Tail and I Won't Pull Yours." That's a very funny game. + +Well, all of a sudden, as Curly and Flop were going along, they came +past a field where a kind old rat gentleman was picking his apples +off the trees. There were many of the apples, and they had to be put +in barrels and brought into the cellar. + +"Oh, don't those apples smell good," said Flop as he leaned over the +fence and looked at them. + +"Indeed they do," agreed Curly. "They remind me of apple pie and +cheese." + +Then the rat gentleman looked up, saw the piggie, and said: + +"Come in, boys, and you may each have one apple. Help yourselves." + +"Thank you, very much," spoke Curly. "Come on!" he cried to his +brother Flop, "we'll each take a big apple, and there will be enough +for a pie when we get home." + +"Oh, but we can't carry big apples, with the bags of meal," said +Flop. "I'm going to take a middle-sized apple." + +"Well, I'm not. I'm going to take the largest I can find in the +field," declared Curly, and he went hunting for a specially large +one. + +Of course, in a way, it was all right to do this, for the rat +gentleman had told them to help themselves, but you just wait and +see what happens. + +Curly picked out a very large apple--the very biggest one that grew +on the trees, but Flop was content with a smaller one. Then the +piggie brothers started for home again. + +Curly had hard work to carry the big apple and also his bag of corn +meal, and first he would have to put one down to rest his legs, and +then put down the other to rest his paws. But Flop could easily +carry his middle-sized apple and the meal. Finally Curly said: + +"Flop, can't you help me?" + +"I'm afraid not," answered his brother, "though I would if I could. +But I have all I can do to take care of my apple and the meal. Why +don't you get a smaller apple?" + +"Because I want the big one," said Curly quickly. + +Well, he was staggering along with the big apple and also his bag of +cornmeal, but his brother was going along much more easily, when, +all of a sudden, out from the bushes sprang the fuzzy fox. + +"Ah ha!" he cried. "This time I have good luck! Here are little pigs +to make roast pork, and they have with them the apples for apple +sauce. Oh, joy is me! Now for a fine dinner!" + +With that he made a grab for both the piggie brothers, but they +managed to jump away. Off ran Flop with his middle-sized apple and +the cornmeal, and after him came Curly, only he could not go so fast +because his apple was so big. + +"Wait! Wait!" begged Curly of his brother. + +"I can't!" was the answer. "I'll send a policeman back to help you. +But if you will let go of the big apple you can easily run away from +the fox, for he is old, and not a good runner. Drop the apple." + +"No, indeed!" cried Curly. "I want the biggest one I can find!" So +he held tightly to the apple, and also to the cornmeal, and on he +ran, but the fuzzy fox was getting nearer and nearer, and almost had +him. + +"I've got you!" suddenly snapped the fox. "I'll have roast pork and +apple sauce tonight all right!" and he was just going to grab Curly +and the apple and bag of meal, when out from the bushes jumped Uncle +Wiggily Longears, the old gentleman rabbit. + +"Here!" he cried to the fox. "You stop chasing Curly, and go home to +your den!" and with that Uncle Wiggily stuck out his rheumatism +crutch, and tripped up the fox so that went tumbling head over +heels, and when he got up he was so lame that he could not chase +even a snail for more than a week. + +"Run! Run!" called Uncle Wiggily to Curly and the little piggie boy +did run, and, after some trouble, he got safely home with his big +apple and the meal, but Flop was there ahead of him. + +"After this," said Uncle Wiggily, when he came up to the piggie +house, "after this, Curly, don't take such a large apple, and you +can run better when a fox chases you." + +"I'll be careful after this," promised the piggie boy, and I guess +he was. Anyhow it was a good lesson to him. And that night he and +his brother had cornmeal pancakes with apple sauce on, and Uncle +Wiggily stayed to supper. + +Now in case the automobile tire doesn't jump into the frying pan, +and pretend it's a sausage for the lady in the purple dress to eat, +I'll tell you next about the piggie boys and the pumpkin. + + + + +STORY XIV + +THE PIGGIES AND THE PUMPKIN + + +"Well, well!" exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail, the pig lady, as she went +to the cupboard and looked in. "Whoever would have believed it?" + +"Believed what, mamma?" asked Pinky, the little baby pig, who had +been in the hospital, but who was now much better. + +"Why, there isn't a bit of bread for supper!" went on Mrs. +Twistytail. "And your papa will come home from the office so hungry +as never was! Oh, my! I must run right out to the store and get a +loaf." + +"Can't Curly or Flop go?" asked the baby pig, as she looked to see +if her hair ribbon was on crooked, but it wasn't. I'm glad to say. + +"They aren't here," said the mamma pig. "I guess they must be off +playing football, or seeing if there is any ice on the skating +pond." + +"Then let me go, mamma," suggested little Pinky. "I'm sure I could +ask for a loaf of bread and carry it home, too." + +"No, you are quite too small," said the pig lady. "I'll go myself to +the store and I'll ask Mrs. Goosey Gander, next door to come in and +stay with you." + +But she didn't have to do that, for a few minutes later in came +Curly and Flop, the two nice boy piggies, and they were just as glad +as could be to go to the store for their mamma. + +Well, they started off all right, and soon they were at the bread +store, where the baker cat wrapped up a nice loaf in pink paper and +they started for home, going as fast as they could, so as to be +there before their papa came to supper. + +And, what do you think? Just as they reached the spot where stood +the old stump, with the knobs growing on the side of it, like warts +on a toad's back, they heard a voice saying: + +"I wonder what I shall do with it? It is quite too large to cook, +and I have no little boys to give it to. I think I must let it roll +down hill into the pond." + +"Who is that speaking?" asked Curly of his brother. + +"I don't know," said Flop Ear, "but it sounds like the kind rat- +gentleman who gave us the apples." + +"That's just who it is," said the voice. "And who are you, if I may +ask?" + +"Two piggie boys," was the answer. "Can we help you?" + +"Well, I have here a very large pumpkin," was what the rat gentleman +said. "It is too large to cut up into pies, and I thought maybe some +one might like it to make a Jack o' lantern of. Would you like it?" + +"Indeed we would!" cried Flop. And Curly said the same thing. + +So the nice old rat gentleman called the two piggie boys into his +farmhouse and he gave them the pumpkin. + +Oh! so big as it was! I'm sure I never could tell you what a fine, +large pumpkin he gave to Curly and Flop. The one that was turned +into a coach for Cinderella was very small along side of this. + +"What shall we do with it?" asked Flop Ear. + +"Make a lantern of it, of course," said his brother. "We can scoop +out the insides, and cut the eyes and nose and mouth, put a candle +in it, and have a lot of fun." + +"All right," said Flop, "we'll do it." + +So they tied a string around the pumpkin and lifted it between them, +each one carrying his share. And the loaf of bread was put on top, +where it would not fall off. + +Well, the piggie boys had not gone very far, carrying the pumpkin +home to make a Jack o'lantern, when, all of a sudden, out from +behind a lot of bushes, jumped a big wolf. Isn't it funny how those +bad creatures seem to always bother the piggie boys? Every once in a +while something is happening to them. + +I can't help it. I wish I could, but you know I have to write things +exactly as they happen. Anyhow, out from behind the bushes jumped +the wolf, and as soon as he saw those sweet, tender little piggies +he exclaimed: + +"Oh joy! Oh, happiness! Oh, appetite! Now is my chance! I shall +certainly grab those two piggies and carry them off to my den." + +And he chased after Flop and Curly. + +But, as luck would have it, they heard him coming, and they started +to run with the big pumpkin and the loaf of bread. Still the wolf +came closer and closer. + +"I'll have you in a few minutes!" he cried. + +"I believe he will!" exclaimed Flop. "What shall we do?" + +"What can we do?" asked Curly, as he helped his brother to jump over +a stone, and lifted the pumpkin at the same time. "What can we do?" + +"Why not make a Jack o'lantern of the pumpkin and scare the wolf?" +suggested Flop. "Some of our friends did that once." + +"We haven't time," said Curly. "If we stopped to make a Jack +o'lantern the wolf would catch up to us and grab us. I'll tell you +what to do. Let's scoop out a hollow place in the pumpkin and get +inside it. Then the wolf won't see us." + +"Good!" cried Flop. So he and his brother ran on as fast as they +could to get far ahead of the wolf. Then they stopped for a minute, +and, with their sharp hoofs, they cut the top off the pumpkin. Then, +with their digging noses, they dug out the soft seeds, and soon the +pumpkin was all hollowed out, so they could jump inside. + +"Get in!" cried Curly to Flop. + +"What about the loaf of bread?" asked his brother. + +"Never mind that. We can get another. We must get away from the +wolf," cried Curly. + +So they jumped inside the pumpkin, and only just in time, for the +wolf came rushing down the hill. But Curly and his brother wiggled +themselves inside the pumpkin, and away it rolled down toward the +piggies' house. The wolf saw the loaf of bread on the hill, and he +thought sure the piggie boys were near it. So he made a grab, but he +did not get them. + +For of course they were inside the pumpkin, rolling over and over, +like a rubber ball down hill. The wolf chewed up the bread, and then +he saw the rolling pumpkin. Then he happened to think: + +"Perhaps the pigs are inside that!" After it he ran, but it was too +late, for by that time the piggie boys were safely at home. Into +their front yard rolled the pumpkin, off flew the top, and out they +jumped to tell their papa and mamma and baby Pinky all about it. + +And Grandpa Goosey Gander loaned Mr. Twistytail a loaf of bread for +supper. As for the wolf, he ran back up the hill as mad as anything +about the way he had been fooled, and ever after that he never ate +any pumpkin pie. + +So that's all there is to this story, but in case the new brick +chimney doesn't fall down in the rice pudding and make the trained +nurse wild because her doll carriage has no wheels, I'll tell you on +the next page about the piggie boys in the corn field. + + + + +STORY XV + +THE PIGGIES IN A CORNFIELD + + +One day--oh! I guess it must have been about two grunts and a squeal +after Curly and Flop, the two piggie boys, had the adventure with +the pumpkin--something else happened to them. In the first place, +they had to stay in after school. + +Now, please don't get worried, nor think anything bad of them on +that account. They did not have to stay in because they whispered in +class, or anything like that. No, they stayed in to help their +teacher clean off the blackboards, but when they got out all the +other animal children were gone. + +"Come on, let's run," suggested Flop, "and maybe we can catch up to +them." + +"I wish we could!" exclaimed Curly, "for Jackie Bow Wow, the puppy +dog, borrowed my pencil and forgot to give it back." + +So the two piggie boys ran as fast as they could, but they could see +nothing of the other animal children--not even little Jennie +Chipmunk, who could not go very fast, for every time she saw any +dust on a stone or a tree stump she used to stop and brush it off +with her tail. She was so neat and clean, you see, and as she had to +stop quite often, on account of there being so much dust, she +couldn't go fast at all. + +But, as I said, Curly and Flop couldn't even catch up to her, which +shows you that they had stayed in after school for quite some time. + +"Oh! they'll all be home long before us," said Curly after a bit, +sitting down on a stone to rest. + +"I guess so," agreed his brother, as he made his two ears stand up +straight and then flop down again. "But never mind, I think you can +get your pencil from Jackie Bow Wow tomorrow." + +"Yes," spoke Curly, and then they went on a little farther until +they came to a corn field. The corn was all cut down, and stood in +big bunches, called shocks--not the kind of shocks you get from an +electric battery, though, but corn shocks. + +"Oh, let's take a short cut through the corn field," suggested +Curly. "Maybe then we can get ahead of the others." + +"All right," said Flop. "We'll do it." And, though they had never +gone through this corn field, because it was owned by a cross old +alligator gentleman, they now started to crawl under the fence. Just +as they were inside the field they heard a little voice crying: + +"Oh, dear! What shall I do. Oh, my poor tail!" + +"What's that?"' asked Flop in alarm. + +"I don't know," answered Curly. "Maybe it's the bad old fuzzy wolf." + +"Let's hide!" exclaimed Flop, and they were looking for a place to +hide when they happened to see a poor little girl mouse near a shock +of corn, and her tail was held fast by a stone that had fallen on +it. + +"Was that you crying?" asked Flop. + +"It was," said the mousie girl. "Oh my poor tail! How can I ever get +loose?" + +"We'll help you," spoke Curly. "We'll root up the stone with our +strong noses, and then you'll be all right." + +"Of course we will," agreed Flop. "Oh, how glad we are that you +aren't a wolf," he added, and then he and Curly, with their noses +which were made stretchy like a rubber ball, soon had the stone off +the mousie girl's tail, and she was all right, except that her tail +was sore. But when her mamma could put some salve on it that would +be all better, too. + +"Oh! I can't tell you how thankful I am to you," said the mousie +girl to the piggie boys. "Some day I will help you." + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed Flop. "How can a little mousie girl like you help +us two big boys?" + +"Hush!" exclaimed Curly. "It isn't polite to laugh when any one +offers to do you a favor, even if they are little. Besides, maybe +she MIGHT be able to help us some day." + +"Of course," spoke the mousie, and she felt rather badly because +Flop Ear had laughed. + +"Oh, excuse me!" exclaimed Flop. "I didn't mean to. I'm sure I hope +you can help us, little mousie." + +So the two piggie boys went on through the corn field, hoping they +wouldn't meet the cross old alligator man, who owned it, and who +didn't like animal boys. And the mousie went on her way. + +"I think we'll soon catch up to the others," said Flop after a bit. + +"I guess so," agreed Curly. "And when we do---" + +"Hark!" suddenly exclaimed Floppy. "Some one is coming!" Curly heard +it, too, and he stopped talking. He looked around the corner of a +stone and whispered: + +"It's the old alligator man himself. What shall we do?" + +"Run!" exclaimed Flop. "Run as fast as we can." + +So he and Curly started to run but my goodness me sakes alive and a +postage stamp! No sooner had they gone ten steps than the cross old +alligator man saw them, and after them he came as fast as he could +crawl on his four legs, wiggling his humpy tail. "Oh, he'll get us, +sure!" wailed Floppy. + +"Run faster!" urged Curly. + +Well, they both ran as fast as they could, squealing with fright, +and the alligator man was coming right after them, and he had almost +caught them when, all of a sudden, a little squeaky voice called +out: + +"In here, boys! Crawl right in here, under this shock of corn, and +he can't see you!" + +They looked, and there, in front of a sort of cave, that was made in +one of the upright piles of corn, stood the little mousie girl who +had been pinched by the stone on her tail. + +"In here!" she cried. "Quick, before he comes, and he won't know +where you have gone!" + +"But he'll know we're hiding in the corn," said Flop. + +"Quick! Get inside and talk afterward!" said the mousie girl. +"Besides there are so many piles of corn that the alligator man +won't know which one you're hiding in, and it will take him all +night to peek into them all. And after dark I'll show you the way +home." + +So into the shock of corn crawled Curly and Flop pulling a lot of +stalks behind them to close the hole, and they were only just in +time, for, an instant later, up rushed the alligator man. Of course +he could not see the piggy boys, and he was much surprised. + +"But I know they're hiding somewhere!" he growled. And it all +happened just as the mousie girl said. The alligator man peeked in +nearly all the corn shocks, but he didn't happen to look in the one +where Curly and Flop were hiding. And pretty soon it was dark, and +then the piggies came out and the mousie girl showed them the way +home, and the alligator man did not get them. So, you see, the +mousie helped the piggie boys after all. + +And next, in case the salt cellar doesn't hide in the pepper caster +and make believe it's a mustard plaster I'll tell you about Flop +having a tumble. + + + + +STORY XVI + +FLOP HAS A TUMBLE + + +"Come boys!" called Mamma Twistytail, the pig lady, one morning, to +her two little boys, Curly and Flop. "Come, hurry, or you'll be late +for school!" + +"Oh, I guess we have time enough," spoke Flop, as he looked around +for the football he and his brother had been playing with. "It's +early yet." + +"No, it isn't," answered his mamma. "Our clock is slow by your +papa's watch. Hurry now, I think I hear the bell ringing!" + +"All right," answered Curly. "Come along, Flop." You see, he +sometimes called his brother Flop, for short. So they kissed their +little sister, Baby Pinky, good-by, and went on to school. + +As they hurried along, they met Jackie Bow Wow, the puppy dog boy, +and Curly said: + +"Oh, Jackie, where is my pencil you borrowed?" + +"Here it is!" cried Jackie, turning a somersault, as he used to do +in the circus, and he handed the pencil to Curly on the end of his +nose--Jackie's nose I mean. + +"We chased after you last night, when we got out of school," +explained Curly, "and we had a dreadful adventure in the corn field +with the alligator man," and he told his doggie chum all about it, +just as I wrote it for you in the story before this one. + +So Jackie, and Curly and Flop hurried along together toward the +school, when, all at once, they came to a nice, big, slanting cellar +door, just right for sliding down, and on it was a sign which read: + + "NO ONE MUST SLIDE DOWN + THIS CELLAR DOOR!" + +"Now isn't that queer," said Jackie Bow Wow. + +"It certainly is," agreed Curly. + +"I wonder why no one is allowed to slide down," spoke Flop. "It's a +dandy door for sliding. I've a good notion to try it." + +"No, you mustn't!" said his brother. "We are almost late for school +now." + +"Oh, but I would just love to slide down it," went on Flop, sort of +hanging back, while his brother and Jackie went on ahead. "I wonder +if a giant lives under that door, or a fairy?" + +"Maybe that's the reason no one must slide down it," went on the +little piggie boy. But no one answered him and, though he looked all +around the cellar door, he could see no reason why he should not +slide down it. + +"Maybe it's got slivers in, and they'd stick in me," went on Flop, +as he came closer to the door, but it was as nice and smooth as +heart could wish. + +"Well, this is certainly queer," said Flop. "Here is the nicest +sliding cellar door in all the world and no one is allowed to slide +down it. I wonder who lives in the house," and he looked up at the +house to which the cellar door belonged, but it was all closed up, +and shutters were over the windows. + +"I guess no one is at home," thought the little piggie boy. + +"Say, aren't you coming to school?" called back Jackie Bow Wow, for +he and Curly were some distance down the street by this time. + +"Yes, come on, or you'll surely be late," said Flop Ear's brother. + +"I'm coming!" cried Flop, but he thought he would take just one more +look at the sliding door. + +"I would like to have just one slide on it," he said. "I believe +I'll try it." + +He looked ahead to where his brother and Jackie were and decided +that if he did take one slide he could run and catch up to them, and +not be late. + +"Here goes;" said Flop, and he laid his books down on a clean stone. + +Then he read the sign once more: + + "NO ONE MUST SLIDE DOWN + THIS CELLAR DOOR!" + +"I guess it's only a joke," decided Flop. "Now for one good slide +and then I'll go to school." + +So he went around to the side of the door, where there was a stone, +and, by stepping on this, and giving a little jump, the piggie boy +got to the top part of the sliding door, ready for a coast down. + +Of course he had no sled on which to slide, but his trousers were +good and thick, and he knew he could not wear a hole in the seat +just this once. So he gathered his legs together under him, gave +himself a little push and down the slanting door he went as nicely +as an icicle in the middle of the Fourth of July. + +"Wow! This is great!" cried Flop. "I guess the other fellows will +wish they'd taken a slide. This is nifty!" + +I don't know myself what "nifty" means, but Flop said it, so I have +to write it down. + +Faster and faster he slid down the cellar door. It was a long one, +and now he was half way to the bottom. + +"Oh, won't we have fun sliding after school!" the little piggie boy +cried. "I don't see why they looked rather sorrowfully after her +brothers and put up that sign not to slide. This is the best cellar +door I ever saw." + +Faster and faster he slid, laughing and shouting in glee, and he was +almost at the bottom and he was wondering if he would have time for +just one more coast before school, when all of a sudden: + +"Crack! Slam! Smash! Ker-bunk!" + +Right down through the cellar door fell poor Flop, and down the +cellar steps into a tub of water. Into that he went ker-splash! For, +you see, the cellar door had broken with him and let him right +through, almost half way to China, it seemed. + +Into the tub of water went Flop, getting wet all over. But he +managed to crawl out after a while, and as he stood there, +shivering, in the cellar, looking up at the broken door through +which he had fallen, a nice little old rat lady came out of the +house, and, looking at Flop, said: + +"Dear me! What a terrible accident. Too bad! Did you hurt yourself, +little piggie?" + +"N-no-not much," answered Flop. "But I--I'm all wet." + +"So I see," said the rat lady. "But I thought there was a sign on +the door, telling no one to slide down." + +"So there was," admitted Flop, "but I didn't see why it was there, +so I slid anyhow." + +"I put the sign there because the door was so rotten that I knew the +first one who slid down it would fall through," said the rat lady. +"And to think, some one did fall!" + +"Yes'm," said Flop, "I fell." + +"Well, don't do it again," said the rat lady, "and tomorrow I'll +have a new cellar door made. Now let me dry you off." + +So she kindly did, but Flop was late for school. And--well, I +suppose it couldn't be helped, even if he had to stay in. But on the +next page, in case the mousetrap doesn't catch the cheese by the +tail and make it squeal, I'll tell you about Mr. Twistytail's lost +hat. + + + + +STORY XVII + +MR. TWISTYTAIL'S LOST HAT + + +"Hey, Curly can you be out?" called Peetie and Jackie Bow Wow, the +puppy dogs, as they stood in front of the piggie boys' house one +morning when there was no school. I forget whether it was Saturday +or because the owl lady school teacher had to go and take her music +lesson. + +Anyhow, there was no school, and as Peetie and Jackie stood in front +of the pig house and called: + +"Hey, Curly! Hey, Flop! Come on out!" + +"Of course we will!" cried Curly. "What are you going to do?" and he +and his brother hurried with their breakfast and ran out in the +yard. + +"Let's play football game," suggested Jackie, "like we did the other +day." + +"No, let's go off in the woods and play camping out," suggested +Curly. + +"Yes, that will be more fun," added Flop, and then the two puppy dog +boys thought the same thing, so off to the woods they started. + +"I wish I could go," said Baby Pinky, as she their chums. + +"Never mind, Pinky," said Mrs. Twistytail. "I'm going to bake pies, +and I'll make a specially little one just for you." + +"Oh, goodie!" cried Pinky, and then she went out in the yard to play +in her go-cart. Pretty soon along came Jennie Chipmunk and she +played with Pinky, so the little pig girl didn't mind so much, after +all, that her brothers had gone away. + +But now let us see what happened to Curly and Flop, to say nothing +of Peetie and Jackie Bow Wow. On and on they went through the woods, +and pretty soon Jackie found a nice juicy bone, and Peetie found a +bit of meat, while Flop found an ear of corn and his brother picked +up a big turnip. + +"Oh, joyfulness!" exclaimed Flop. "Now we can have a lunch in the +woods, just like real camping out!" And so they did. Under a tree, +on the soft leaves that floated down from the branches above, with a +flat stone for a table, and sticks for knives and forks, the piggie +boys and their chums ate their lunch and had lots of fun. Then Curly +said: + +"Now let's play soldier," and so they did, with sticks for guns, and +when the boy animals called out: "Boom! Boom!" and "Bang! Bang!" it +sounded as real as anything. + +Well, they were running around in the woods, shouting and laughing +and making believe they were soldiers at war, when all at once, just +as Curly passed in front of a hole that seemed to go away under +ground, he saw something roll out. It was something round and black +and hollow, and at first the little piggie boy thought it was a big +black stone. But, when he looked a little closer, he saw that it was +a hat--a man-pig's hat--just the kind they always wear. + +"Oh, Flop! Oh, fellows! Come here!" called Curly. "See what rolled +out of the hole under this old tree." + +Of course, they all came running up at that, and stopped playing +soldier, and they gathered around the hat. + +"Whose is it?" asked Jackie Bow Wow. + +"Where did it come from?" inquired Peetie, making his tail go round +like a pin wheel. + +"It's our papa's hat!" suddenly cried Flop. "I can tell because it's +got his initials inside," and, surely enough there were the letters +"A.T." inside the hat, standing for "Archibald Twistytail." + +"Our papa's hat!" exclaimed Curly. "Is it possible?" + +"Of course, it is," said Floppy, as he picked it up. "Papa has lost +his hat." + +"But it rolled out of that hole," said Curly, "and it isn't lost, +for we have found it." + +"Then if papa's hat came out of that hole, our papa must be in +there," said Flop. + +"Why, of course," agreed Jackie Bow Wow. + +"But what is he doing in there?" asked Curly, "and what sort of a +place is it? I can't see him," he added, as he stooped down and +tried to look into the hole. + +"I don't know what he's doing in there," said Flop, "but I know what +sort of a place that hole is. It's a wolf's den, and the wolf has +our papa, Most likely he's eating him now, and he threw the hat out +because he couldn't chew it--the wolf, I mean." + +"Oh!" cried Curly, jumping up and down, he felt so badly. + +"Oh; oh!" barked Jackie Bow Wow. + +"Oh! oh! Double Oh!" growled Peetie Bow Wow. "What shall we do?" + +"We must get him out of there!" exclaimed Flop as quickly as a +rubber band can play the "Annie Laurie" song. "There are four of us +here, and we have our wooden guns. I guess we are a match for one +wolf. We must save our papa." + +"Of course!" agreed Curly, bravely. + +"But how?" asked Jackie Bow Wow. + +"Listen," said Flop, just like a telephone girl. + +"A wolf always have two doors to his den--a back one and a front +one. This is the front one--where our papa's hat rolled out. Now, +Jackie, you and Curly go to the back door, and make a noise like a +soup bone. The wolf will think some company has come to supper with +him, and he'll run to the back door. As soon as he gets there, +Jackie, you bark like anything, and, Curly, you fire off your wooden +gun." + +"But what will you do?" asked Curly of his brother. + +"Peetie and I will stay at the front door," said Flop. "As soon as +we hear you making the noise we'll rush in the den by the front door +and get papa and help him out. Then we'll all run away." + +Well, every one thought that was a fine plan, and they did just as +Flop said. The wolf came rushing to his back door when he heard the +noise there, and maybe he wasn't surprised to see Curly and the +puppy dog! Then Flop and Peetie rushed in the front door, and there, +inside the den, they found poor Mr. Twistytail tied to the table +leg. + +"Quick!" cried Flop. "Bite the ropes, Peetie." And the puppy dog +did, and Mr. Twistytail was free. "Now, come with us!" cried Flop, +and he and his papa and Peetie ran out of the wolf's den just in +time, for the bad creature, seeing he had been fooled at his back +door, rushed up to bite the pig gentleman. + +But he was too late, that wolf was, for the piggie boys and their +papa and the puppy dog boys got safely away, and the wolf didn't +dare follow because he was afraid of the wooden guns. Then when they +were all safe home, including the hat, Mr. Twistytail told how the +wolf caught him as he was coming back from work, and how his hat +accidently rolled out of the den. And if it hadn't been for the hat +maybe Mr. Twistytail would not have been saved. + +Anyway, he was not hurt a bit, and in the next story, in case the +bicycle doesn't roll over the egg basket and make an omelet out of +the pin cushion, I'll tell you about Mamma Twistytail's new bonnet. + + + + +STORY XVIII + +MOTHER TWISTYTAIL'S NEW BONNET + + +"Archibald," said Mrs. Twistytail, the lady pig, to her husband at +the breakfast table one morning, "I think I shall have to have some +money today." + +"Money? What for?" he asked. "Do the children need new shoes, or +have we no more coal left?" + +"No, I want the money for myself," said the pig lady. "I need a new +bonnet, and I am going down town this morning and get it at the five +and ten dollar store." + +"Very well," said Mr. Twistytail, good-naturedly, so he put his foot +in his pocket and took out a lot of money, which he gave to his +wife. Then he kissed Baby Pinky, and Curly and Flop good-by and went +to work in the phonograph factory where he put the squeaks in the +wheels. + +"Oh, if you are going shopping for a new bonnet, mamma!" exclaimed +Flop, "may I come with you?" + +"Yes, and may I?" asked Curly, as he spun around on his front paws +like a top under a Christmas tree. "And if you have any money left, +mamma, after getting your bonnet, maybe you will buy us each a hot +ice cream soda." + +"Oh you boys!" cried Mrs. Twistytail with a laugh. "No, I am afraid +I can't take you two with me, for it is Baby Pinky's turn. You boys +had a nice time the other day, playing in the woods, when you saved +your papa and his hat from the wolf's den, and so now it is Pinky's +turn to have some fun. I'll take her shopping with me." + +"Oh goodie!" cried Baby Pinky, and she jumped into her go-cart and +out again, making the springs jounce up and down like anything. + +"But I'll give you and Flop each a penny," said Mrs. Twistytail to +Curly, "and you can buy some corn candy with sour milk on top." + +That pleased the boy piggies very much, and they ran off to school +with their pennies, while Mrs. Twistytail got ready to go shopping +after her bonnet with Baby Pinky. Pretty soon they went down town +and in the five and ten dollar bonnet store. + +"Have you any bonnets?" asked Mrs. Twistytail. + +"Indeed I have," said the nice lady frog who kept the store. "I have +all kinds of bonnets," and then she sang a little song that went +something like this, to the tune "High diddle-diddle:" + + "I've bonnets of ribbon, and bonnets of paper, + I've bonnets both red, white and blue. + Some bonnets of leather, for cold stormy weather, + And bonnets of feathers and glue. + + "I've bonnets becoming, and some that are stunning; + I've bonnets to wear upside down. + And if you will try one, I'm sure you will buy one, + To go with your new party gown." + +"I'm sure I will, too," said Mrs. Twistytail, as the frog lady +finished and made a little bow to the looking-glass. "You may show +me the blue one," she went on, and frog lady did. + +"Oh, mamma! That is lovely!" cried Baby Pinky. "But I think one with +more flowers on would be nicer." + +"I think so, too," spoke the pig lady, and so she bought a bonnet +with a lot of flowers on it that looked as real as those which grow +in the woods and fields. Then Pinky and her mamma started for home, +Mrs. Twistytail wearing her new bonnet. + +"We'll take the short cut through the woods," said the pig lady when +they had alighted from the trolley car on which a nice toad +gentleman was the conductor, because he could hop on and off so +quickly, and not step on any one's toes. + +So through the woods went Mrs. Twistytail and Pinky, and they had +not gone very far when, just as they got to the wolf's hollow log +den out of which Mr. Twistytail's hat rolled that day, up sprang the +bad, impolite old animal himself and grabbed the pig lady and her +little daughter. + +"Ah, ha! Now I have you!" cried the wolf. "Your husband got away +from me, Mrs. Twistytail, but I have you, and you can't get away, +and I have Pinky, too!" and he held them both tightly, in his paws. + +"Oh, please let us go!" begged Pinky. + +"No," growled the wolf, sticking out his red tongue because he was +so hungry. + +"Oh, do!" pleaded Mrs. Twistytail. "I'll give you all the money I +have left from shopping if you'll let us go." + +"No! No!" answered the wolf, more growlier than before. "You have +none left. Besides money is no good to me--I can't eat money!" + +"Oh, mercy!" cried Pinky. "Are you going to eat us?" + +"Indeed I am," said the wolf, smacking his jaws, and then Pinky and +her mamma tried as hard as they could to get away from the wolf, but +they could not. Holding them tightly in his paws, the wolf started +for his den, and, seeing Mrs. Twistytail's new bonnet, he took it +off her head, roughly like, and said: + +"And I can't eat this! I guess I'll throw that away, as I did your +husband's hat. But no one will see it and come to rescue you as they +did him." + +"Oh, my lovely new bonnet!" cried Mrs. Twistytail, and Pinky felt so +badly that she cried. But you just wait a minute and see what +happens to that bad old wolf. + +The wolf was just going to toss the bonnet, all covered with almost +real flowers as it was, away up in a tree and just about to carry +the pig lady and Pinky down into his den, when, all at once, there +was a buzzing sound in the air and a voice cried: + +"Ah, ha! Here are some flowers. Now we can get some honey!" + +"Indeed we can," said another voice up in the air. "It is rather +late for such blossoms, but I am glad we saw them in time. Come on, +now, everybody, get the honey!" + +And with that a whole swarm of stingery honey bees flew down from +the sky toward Mrs. Twistytail's flowered bonnet that the wolf held +in his paw. You see, the bees thought the flowers were real and that +they could gather honey from them. + +And then, just as Pinky saw the bees, she had an idea and she cried +out: + +"Oh, dear little bees! That is my mamma's new bonnet, and the wolf +has caught us. Please sting him and make him let us go!" + +"Don't you dare sting me!" growled the wolf. "Take the bonnet if you +wish, but don't touch me," and he threw the bonnet to one side. + +Some of the bees alighted on the bonnet, and as soon as they found +that the flowers were not real they got quite angry. And they +thought the wolf had played a trick on them, so they flew at him, +and stung him on his nose and tail and eyes and lips and even on his +tongue, until he cried out with pain and fright. Then he let go of +Pinky and her mamma and ran down into his den, and the pig lady was +safe. The bees never stung them once, but were very kind to them, +and with their wings brushed the dirt off Mrs. Twistytail's bonnet +so that it was as good as new. + +Then the bees flew away, Mrs. Twistytail and Pinkey went safely +home, and the wolf had to stay in his den for a week and put witch +hazel on his stings. + +So that's all tonight, if you please, but next, in case the kitchen +stove doesn't go out on the porch and play hide-and-seek with the +hammock, I'll tell you about Curly and the sour milk. + + + + +STORY XIX + +CURLY AND THE SOUR MILK + + +"Oh, mamma!" exclaimed Curly the little piggie boy, as he rushed +into the house one noon and nearly upset his little sister Pinky, in +her new go-cart. "What do you think? There isn't going to be any +school for two weeks!" + +"Why not?" asked Mrs. Twistytail, who was just getting dinner. + +"Because the schoolhouse roof blew off in the storm last night," +said Flop, who was Curly's brother, "and it will take two weeks to +put a new one on. So the nice owl lady teacher said we could have a +vacation. Oh, I'm so glad!" + +"My goodness me, sakes alive and some Montclair caramels!" cried +Mrs. Twistytail. "A school vacation this time of year--so near +winter. I never heard of such a thing." + +"But it will be all the nicer," said Curly, "and we can go after +chestnuts every day. Hi-yi! Hurrah!" and he squealed and jumped +around the room, and so did Flop, and they were the two most +delighted little pigs you ever saw. Just then along came Uncle +Wiggily Longears, the old gentleman rabbit. + +"What's this!" he cried. "What is going on here?" + +"No school!" squealed Curly. "No school! We have a vacation!" + +"The very thing!" suddenly said the old gentleman rabbit. "I was +just wishing it was summer time, so some of my animal friends could +come away with me. I am going on a little vacation trip myself, and +I thought I would have to go alone. But if there is no school, then +Curly and Flop can come with me." + +"Where to?" asked Flop. + +"To Raccoon Island in Lake Hopatcong," answered Uncle Wiggily. +"We'll go up to my bungalow, stay two weeks and have a good time." + +"Oh, fine!" cried Curly. + +"Oh, joyousness!" squealed Flop, as he spun about on one leg and +tickled Baby Pinky with the other. + +Well, that afternoon, Mamma Twistytail got the two boys ready, and +off they went with Uncle Wiggily to Raccoon Island in Lake +Hopatcong, which is a very nice place. It was beginning to get dark +when they arrived, and, after they had eaten some candy, and Uncle +Wiggily had opened the bungalow, he looked around and said: + +"Now, boys, you will have to go to the store for something for +supper." + +"What shall we get?" asked Flop. + +"Well, see if you can get a cabbage or a turnip for me," spoke the +old gentleman rabbit, "and for yourselves whatever you like. Here is +the money." + +"I want some sour milk," spoke Curly, for you know piggie boys like +sour milk as well as you do sweet. + +"And I want a corncob cake," went on Flop. + +"Very well, go down to Pop Goes the Weasel's store and get it," said +Uncle Wiggily, and the two boys started off to the other end of the +island, where Pop Goes the Weasel kept a grocery store. Flop got his +corncob cakes first, and as Curly had to wait for the milk to get +sour he said to his brother: + +"Now, Flop, you hurry back with Uncle Wiggily's cabbage and carrots, +and I'll soon come with my sour milk." + +"Won't you be afraid?" asked Flop, for the woods were now quite +dark. + +"Afraid! Nonsensicalness no!" exclaimed Curly, "and a bouquet of wild +flowers besides. Run along." + +So Flop ran back toward the bungalow, and pretty soon Pop Goes the +Weasel said the milk was sour enough, and he gave it to Curly in a +pail. + +Through the dark woods went the little piggie boy, and he had not +gone very far before he heard some one crying, and a voice saying: + +"Oh, dear! I'm lost! I can't find my bungalow, and I can't find my +motorboat, and I'm afraid--dreadfully afraid!" + +"Ha! I wonder who that can be?" thought Curly Tail. "Perhaps it may +be the bad alligator trying to scare Cora Janet. No, that can't be," +he went on, "for Cora Janet is down in Montclair, making funny music +tunes on the piano." + +Then he heard the gentle little crying voice again, and he knew it +was somebody in trouble, Curly did, and he called out: + +"Who is there?" + +"I am," sobbed a voice. + +"And who are you?" + +"My name is Ethel Rose," went on the voice, "and I am lost. Oh, +please help me. I'm so afraid!" + +"Of course, I'll help you," spoke Curly bravely. "But why is your +name Ethel Rose?--that is two names." + +"I don't know," answered the little girl, and then she stepped out +from the bushes where she had been crying, and the moon shone down +on her face and her ear-rings and dark hair, and Curly said: + +"Now I know why they call you Ethel Rose." + +"Why?" she asked. + +"Because you are as pretty as a rose," and at that Ethel laughed. +"But come," went on Curly, "I'll show you the way to our bungalow, +and then Uncle Wiggily will take care of you." + +"Oh, will he?" cried Ethel Rose, and so she walked along beside +Curly, who was carrying his pail of sour milk. And, all of a sudden, +when they were near the bungalow, there was a rustling in the +bushes, and out jumped a big black bear. + +"Ah, ha!" the bear cried. "Now I have you Curly, and you, too, Ethel +Rose! Oh, how nice! You come with me and I will tell your fortune!" + +"But I know my fortune already," said Ethel Rose, and she was just +ready to cry again, for she did not like bears. + +"Never mind, come along to my den, anyhow!" growled the bear. "I am +going to have roast pork for supper!" and he made a grab for Curly +and Ethel Rose, and caught them in his big claws. + +And then, all at once, he saw the pail Curly was carrying--that bear +did--and he growled out: + +"Ha! Ha! What have we here? Something good, I'll venture. Well, I'll +take that first!" And before Curly could stop him the bear tipped up +the pail and drank every drop of sour milk at one mouthful! And +then! Oh, dear! + +"Wow! Woof! Snickery-snee! Bur-r-r! Lemons! Vinegar! Sourgrass!" +cried the bear. And his mouth was puckered up so from the sour milk-- +just as when you eat lemons if you have the mumps--that the bear +couldn't open his jaws to take even one bite. And Curly knew this, +so he cried: + +"Come on, Ethel Rose, we can get away now! Uncle Wiggily will save +us!" So Curly Tail helped Ethel Rose to run away and the bear's +mouth was so puckered up from the sour milk that he had to run down +to the lake to get a drink of water, and so Curly Tail and pretty +Ethel Rose got safely to the bungalow and away from the bear. And +that's all there is tonight, if you please. + +But the next story, in case the marshmallow doesn't stick on Ethel +Rose's hair ribbon, and make a pin cushion of it, will be about Flop +and the pie lady. + + + + +STORY XX + +FLOP AND THE PIE LADY + + +Uncle Wiggily Longears, the nice old gentleman rabbit, and the two +piggie boys, Flop Ear and Curly Tail, were sitting on the porch at +the bungalow at Raccoon Island, Lake Hopatcong, wondering what they +could do next for their autumn vacation fun. Curly was trying to +take some snapshot photographs of a little red squirrel, who was +jumping down across the cot beds, all in a row like soldiers, and +Flop was wondering whether he could catch any fish. + +"Well, we must do something," said Uncle Wiggily. "It isn't every +day you boys get a vacation after the regular summer one, so you +must enjoy it." + +"We wouldn't have gotten it if the roof hadn't blown off our +school," said Flop, "and, as long as we're here, I say let's go off +in the woods and look for chestnuts." + +"All right," said Curly, and they were just going to leave the +bungalow, when, all at once, there was a rustling in the bushes and +out came--no, not a bear or a wolf, or even a bad skillery-scalery +alligator, this time. No, it was a nice lady, with real soft, brown +hair, and the jolliest whistle you ever heard! + +What's that? You didn't know ladies could whistle? Well, this one +could, and play the piano at the same time. Out she came from the +bushes, and she said: + +"Oh, Uncle Wiggily, I'm so glad to see you and the two little piggie +boys." + +"Well, we are glad to see you, too," said Uncle Wiggily, politely +making his best bow, "but I'm afraid I don't know you." + +"Oh, yes, you do," said the lady. "I make pies, and if you like I'll +make one now." + +"Will you, really?" cried Flop. "Oh, I would dearly love an apple +pie, with a bit of sour milk cheese." + +"Then you shall have it," said the lady, as she trilled out a little +tune by whistling until it sounded like a bird in the lilac bush. +"Have you any apples?" she asked, puckering up her lips. + +"Yes!" exclaimed Flop. "Here they are!" and he brought out a +basketful. The lady said they would make a lovely pie, so she rolled +up her sleeves, and spoke, saying: + +"Now, I am sorry, but I would like you all to leave the bungalow. +You, Uncle Wiggily, and you, also, Flop and Curly. For when I make +apple pies I get all kerslostrated--which means fussed--if any one +is around. So kindly run away, and when you come back the pie will +be ready for you." + +"All right; we'll go," said Uncle Wiggily. "I'll go pull my +motorboat up on dry land, so it won't get caught in the ice when the +lake freezes this winter, and you boys can help me." + +So Curly and Flop went off to help Uncle Wiggily, and the pie lady-- +for such they called her--started her baking. She peeled the apples +and cut them up, and then she got the piecrust mixed. Uncle Wiggily +had already built a fire so she did not have to do that. And all the +while she whistled and whistled, until it made you feel glad and +happy just to hear her. And when you smelled that apple pie baking-- +well, say! I mustn't write any more about that, or I'll want to put +my typewriter down cellar, and go out hunting for the lady myself. + +Pretty soon Flop, who was helping Uncle Wiggily with the motorboat, +sniffed the air, grunted once or twice, and said: + +"I smell something good! I guess I'll go see what it is." + +"All right," said Curly, who was quite tired from having assisted +his rabbit uncle to haul up the boat. "I'll stay here, Flop, and +when you find the good thing that you smell, bring me some." + +So Flop promised, and he kept sniffling away, and the lovely smell +grew plainer and plainer as he moved toward the bungalow, until he +exclaimed: + +"Ah, I know what it is! The pie lady! Oh, I wonder if the pie is +done?" + +Nearer and nearer he went to the bungalow, and he heard a whistle, +and then he saw the pie lady bustling around with a long apron on, +and Flop asked: + +"Is the pie done?" + +"Almost, little piggie boy," she answered. + +"You may wait for it to come out of the oven. How old are you?" + +"Seven," said Flop, and then he asked the lady. + +"What is your name?" + +"Margaret," she answered. "Margaret More." + +"More what?" asked Flop. + +"More pies, I guess," laughed the pie lady as she whistled again, +this time just like a canary trilling when it swings at the top of +its cage in the sunshine. Curly laughed, too, and then the lady went +to the oven to take out the pie. + +And, would you ever believe it if I didn't tell you? No, I'm sure +you wouldn't. But, anyhow, all of a sudden, out from the bushes came +a bad, fuzzy old wolf, and he stood in front of the bungalow, +crying: + +"I smell apple pies! I smell apple pies! Also a little piggie boy! +Oh, what a fine lunch I am going to have!" + +Well, Flop was so frightened that he couldn't even walk, much less +run, and all he could do was to squeal, "Oh dear!" + +The pie lady heard him, and came running to the door of the +bungalow. + +"What is the matter?" she asked, and then she saw the wolf. + +"Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "What shall I do?" + +"Nothing!" exclaimed the wolf, sticking out his red tongue. "I'll do +all that's necessary. But first I'll eat the apple pie, and then +I'll carry you and Flop off to my den!" + +Well, when Flop heard that--heard that the wolf was going to eat the +lovely pie--he became real brave, that little piggie boy did. + +"You shan't have that pie!" he cried. + +Then the wolf, with a big jump, started for the bungalow to get the +pie and the pie lady, but what do you think Flop did? He just +grabbed up the pan of apple peelings--long, curling peelings they +were--and he threw them at the wolf! Right at the bad creature's +legs he threw them, and the apple peelings tangled up in the wolf's +fur and in his tail, and his legs and paws, and head-over-heels he +went, falling down on the ground and bumping his nose on a hard +stone. + +"Oh, wow! Oh, woe is me! Oh too-badness!" growled the wolf, and he +ran away to his den to get some salve to put on his bumped nose, and +so he didn't get the pie lady, nor the pie, nor Flop, either, at +least not that day. + +Then the apple pie was done, and the pie lady whistled a nicer song +than ever, and Curly and Uncle Wiggily came to the bungalow and they +all ate pie and were as happy as happy could be. But, as for the +wolf, the less said about him the better. + +So on the next page, in case the door-knob doesn't tickle the dining +room bread-board and make the sawdust come out of the breakfast +oatmeal, I'll tell you about the piggie boys and the jelly. + + + + +STORY XXI + +THE PIGGIES AND THE JELLY + + +One day, when Curly and Flop, the two piggie boys, had been at Uncle +Wiggly's bungalow on Raccoon Island for some days, the old gentleman +rabbit said to them: + +"Now, boys, I have to go down to the store, kept by Pop Goes the +Weasle, to see about some butter and things for supper. Will you be +afraid to stay here alone?" + +"Indeed we will not!" exclaimed Curly. + +"Not even if the bad fuzzy wolf comes out of his den after more +apple pies?" asked the rabbit gentleman. + +"Not even then!" exclaimed Flop. "If he does, I'll throw more apple +peelings at him, and trip him up so that he bumps his nose again." + +"Good!" exclaimed Uncle Wiggily, as he limped off on his red, white +and blue rheumatism crutch. "And if the apple pie lady comes +whistling along again, get her to make us a prune pudding," he said. + +"We will," promised the piggie boys, and then they began to play +games in front of the Lake Hopatcong bungalow, while Uncle Wiggily +went to see Pop Goes the Weasle, who kept the grocery store. + +"Well, I guess she isn't coming," said Flop, after a while. + +"Who?" asked Curly. + +"The pie lady. I do wish she would, for I am hungry," and he looked +at the bushes, and, all of a sudden, they began to rustle, and the +piggie boys didn't know whether to run away or stay there. + +"Maybe it's the pie lady," said Curly. + +"Yes, and maybe it's the bad black bear," suggested Flop. "I'm going +to run into the bungalow!" + +Well, he was just going to run, and Curly was going to follow, when, +all at once, a sweet gentle voice said: + +"Oh, dear, I'm sure I'll never find any! Oh, and I want it so much! +I wonder where I could get any?" + +The two piggie boys looked, and there they saw an Indian maiden +coming out of the bushes. They knew she was an Indian maiden because +her hair was in two long braids, hanging down in front of her, and +she had a brown dress on, and she was very beautiful, just like a +picture. + +"We needn't be afraid of her," whispered Curly to his brother. + +"No indeed," agreed Flop. "I wonder what it is she is looking for?" + +"Jelly," answered the Indian maiden, who heard what the piggie boy +asked. "I am looking for a jar of jelly. Oh, I just love jelly, and +I haven't had any in so long that I forget how it tastes! Since +early morning I have been traveling looking for jelly, but I can't +find any. Some wild bees offered me honey, but I would like jelly. +Have you any?" and she looked at the bungalow, + +"Why, I think we have some," said Curly politely. + +"I'll go look!" exclaimed Flop, for they were both anxious to do +some kindness for the Indian maiden, whom they liked as soon as they +saw her. She was not a wild Indian, you know, but the kind that +lives in Montclair, maybe; a tame one. + +So Flop ran in the bungalow to look for the jelly and Curly picked a +nice bunch of flowers for the Indian maiden, and she put them in her +hair and looked prettier than ever. + +"Here is the jelly!" cried Flop, coming out with as much as he could +carry. "I'm sure Uncle Wiggily would want you to have it," he said, +and then he gave the Indian maiden a spoon and she began to eat +jelly and was as happy as anything. + +"Oh, that is very good!" she exclaimed. "I hope some time I can do +you piggie boys a favor for being so kind to me." So she ate all the +jelly up--that is, all that was good for her--and she was just going +away, having thanked Curly and Flop, when all at once, on a sudden, +out from behind a tree came the big black bear. He waved his paws in +the air, and, wrinkling up his black nose, he growled out: + +"Ha! I smell jelly! I'm going to have some, too, to eat on my roast +pork!" and he looked hungrily at the two piggie boys. They were both +too frightened to move, but the Indian maiden was brave. + +"Come! Come! Give me that jelly!" growled and grumbled the bear! +"Then I'll take you piggie boys off to my den and make the Indian +maiden cook you." + +"Oh, but I'll not do it!" said the Indian maiden whose name was +Pocohontas. "I like Curly and Flop, for they were kind to me and +gave me jelly." + +"Well, then, I want jelly, too!" growled the bear. He made a jump, +intending to take the jelly away from the Indian maiden, but Curly +and Flop cried out: + +"No, you don't! Get away from here at once, you bad bear." + +"Well, if I go, I'll take you with me!" said the bear. "If I can't +have jelly I'll have you piggie boys!" and he caught one of them +under each paw. + +"Oh, help!" cried Curly, trying to get loose, but he could not. + +"Save us! Save us!" begged Flop, making his tail spin like a +pinwheel. + +"I will save you!" called the Indian maiden. + +"Oh, if I only had a bow and arrow I would shoot the bear and rescue +the two piggie boys! I know what I'll do. I'll make a bow and find +an arrow." + +So she took a bent branch of a tree for the bow and for the string +she used some strands of her long braids. But the needed an arrow, +and all the while the bear was carrying Curly and Flop off to his +den. + +"I know!" cried the Indian maiden. "A hat pin! My very longest and +sharpest hat pin! That will do for an arrow!" + +She ran to where she had left her hat in the bushes when she was +looking for the jelly, and quickly got a hat pin. This she shot at +the bear from her bow. + +"Whizz!" it went through the air, hitting the bear on the end of his +soft and tender nose. + +"Oh, wow!" he cried. "Oh, woe is me!" and his nose pained him so +that he dropped Curly and Flop and back to the bungalow ran the +piggie boys as fast as they could. And the bear went off to put some +cooling mud on his nose, where the hat pin had hit him. + +So that's how the Indian maiden saved the piggie boys from the bear, +and they gave her more jelly and thanked her, and then, using a long +thorn instead of a hat pin, which the bear carried off in his nose, +Pocohontas went off looking for more jelly, and Curly and Flop went +to asleep. + +And next, in case the horse radish doesn't jump over the oysters and +scare them so they fall into the clam chowder, I'll tell you about +Flop and the marshmallows. + + + + +STORY XXII + +FLOP AND THE MARSHMALLOWS + + +"Boys," said Uncle Wiggily Longears, the old gentleman rabbit, to +Curly and Flop, the piggie chaps, one morning. "Boys, do you think +you can get along by yourselves this afternoon?" + +"Why, I guess so," answered Curly, as he looked off across the beach +at Raccoon Island in Lake Hopatcong. "But where are you going, Uncle +Wiggily?" + +"Oh, Pop Goes the Weasel wanted me to come down to his store and +have a game of Scotch checkers after dinner," said the old gentleman +rabbit. "He says he is lonesome since all the summer folk went +away." + +"Of course, we can get along all right," spoke Flop. "We'll have our +lunch and, we'll do the dishes, so you can go and play Scotch +checkers with Pop Goes the Weasel." + +"But what are Scotch checkers?" asked Curly. + +"Oh, when you play that game," said Uncle Wiggily, "you have a nice +Scotchman standing near you all the while to cook Scotch scones over +a hot fire. And scones are good to eat; something like pancakes, +with maple syrup on, only different. It is fun to play Scotch +checkers." + +"I should think so," said Flop. "And could you bring us a few +scones, Uncle Wiggily!" + +"I'll try," said the old gentleman rabbit, "though Pop Goes the +Weasel and I are very fond of eating them when we play checkers." + +So in the afternoon Uncle Wiggily went to visit his friend at the +store on Raccoon Island, and the two piggie boys stayed home to keep +house. And, when they had washed the dishes, Curly said: + +"Now, Flop suppose we go looking for adventures. I'll go one way and +you can go the other, and we'll see who can find an adventure +first." + +"All right," said the other little piggie boy. So they started away +from the bungalow. But as Curly fell asleep before he had gone much +farther than the Sylvan Way (which is a nice little rustic bench on +the island) no adventure happened to him. But wait until I tell you +what happened to Flop. + +Off he started, and he had not gone very far before he heard some +one crying out: + +"Oh, what shall I do with them? Oh, so many as there are! I never +can eat them all!" + +"My!" exclaimed Flop, "I wonder if that is a bad bear who has caught +a whole lot of piggie or rabbit children? Who ever it is can't eat +them all, so it must be something extra good. I wonder what it is?" + +So he hid behind a stump, and after a bit he peeked out and there he +saw his old friend, little Cora Janet, of Montclair, walking around +in the woods with a big box in her arms. And on the box was a sign +which read: + +CANDY + +"My gracious sakes alive and some lollypops!" exclaimed Flop. "She +has so much candy she doesn't know what to do with it! I wonder if I +can help her?" + +So Flop jumped out from behind a bush, made a low bow, and said, +most politely: + +"Can I help you, Cora Janet?" + +"Oh, yes, you can!" she exclaimed. "You see I came up here looking +for the Indian Maiden who likes jelly so much. I thought I would +give her some of my marshmallows, as I have a whole box full-many +more than I can eat. But I can't find the Indian Maiden--Pocohontas +--and now I shall have to eat all the marshmallows myself." + +"Why?" asked Flop, curious like. + +"Because," answered Cora Janet, "because there is a big bear chasing +after me. He smells the sweet candy and he is so hungry that he will +want to eat the marshmallows and me, too. But if I could only get +rid of the candies he might let me alone. Oh, what shall I do? I've +toasted them, and roasted them and eaten them just as they are out +of the box, and put them in a cake and everything, but still the +bear chases after me!" + +"Of course I do!" suddenly growled a voice in the bushes and just +then out popped the bear. The hat pin which the Indian maiden had +shot in his nose was out now, and that bear was as angry as +anything. He wanted to grab Cora Janet and take her off to his den I +guess. Anyhow he growled as angry as could be! + +"Oh, what shall I do!" called the little girl. "How can I get rid of +all these marshmallows, for if the bear takes them it will only make +him the more hungry and then he will want to eat me, and you too, +Flop." + +"That must never be!" exclaimed the little piggie boy. "Ha! I have +it!" he cried. "We will throw the marshmallows at the bear, and make +him so stuck up that he won't want ever to eat anything again except +pepper-hash!" + +"Good!" cried Cora Janet. So she and Flop opened the box of +marshmallows. Just then the bear made a rush for them, intending to +grab them both in his big, long claws and carry them off to his den. + +But Flop threw a sticky marshmallow candy, and it landed in one of +the bear's eyes and stayed there. + +"Oh, wow!" cried the shaggy creature, and he could only see out of +one eye. Then Cora Janet threw another marshmallow and it closed up +the bear's other eye. Then he couldn't see at all. + +"Oh, wow again! Double wow!" cried the bear. Then, as fast as they +could throw them, Flop and Cora Janet tossed the sticky marshmallow +candies. They stuck up the bear's nose so he couldn't hear, and got +in his ears so he couldn't smell. Oh! just listen to me, would you! +I'm so excited that I got that part wrong. But, anyhow, the bear +couldn't see, nor smell, nor hear. And then more marshmallows got in +his mouth, and they were like sponges, and he couldn't even bite any +one, for they stuck on his teeth like gum. Then Flop said: + +"We are safe now, Cora Janet, and we have enough marshmallows left +to roast at the camp fire tonight." + +And so they had. And that bear was so stuck up with the soft +marshmallow candies--in his eyes and nose and mouth and ears and +paws and tail and fur--that he had to go to sleep in the lake for a +week and a day to get them washed off. + +So he didn't bother Cora Janet nor Flop any more, and pretty soon +Curly awakened and came back to the bungalow to hear about his +brother's adventure. And Uncle Wiggily came back from playing Scotch +checkers with Pop Goes The Weasel, and everybody was happy, even +Cora Janet, and they had roast marshmallows for supper. + +And on the next page, in case the little boy across the street +doesn't slide down the front steps and scare the milkman's horse so +that it drinks up all the ice cream, I'll tell you about the piggie +boys and the big fish, and it will be a Hallowe'en story. + + + + +STORY XXIII + +THE PIGGIES AND THE FISH + + +On the morning of the day when it was to be Hallowe'en, Curly Tail, +and Flop Ear, the two piggie boys, awakened in Uncle Wiggily's +bungalow, on Raccoon Island in Lake Hopatcong, and Curly Tail +whispered: + +"What are you going to dress up like, Flop Ear?" + +"Oh, I guess I'll make believe I'm a loaf of bread. What are you +going to be?" + +"An apple pie," said the other little piggie boy, "I'll stick apples +all over myself, and some bits of pie crust, and when we get through +playing Hallowe'en we can eat them." + +"Fine!" cried Curly Tail. "I wish I was going dressed up like an ice +cream cone, but then I'd melt so fast I wouldn't have any fun. So I +guess I'll be a loaf of bread." + +"And we'll fool Uncle Wiggily, won't we?" said Flop Ear. + +"We surely will," declared his brother. But if they could have +looked into the next room, and have seen Uncle Wiggily laughing to +himself, and winking his eyes, and rubbing his leg that had +rheumatism in it--well, maybe those piggie boys wouldn't have felt +so funny. + +"Fool me, eh? Will they?" whispered Uncle Wiggily. "We'll see about +it," and then he hopped about on his crutch to help the boys get +breakfast. + +"We must have all the good times we can," said the old gentleman +rabbit, "for soon the new roof will be on your school and you will +have to begin studying your lessons again. Be happy while you're +here, for soon the snow will fly and the ice will come, and we will +have to go away from the lake." + +"Oh, we're going to have a good time, Uncle Wiggily," said Curly +Tail, or Curly, as I often call him for short, and then he looked at +his brother, and they both laughed and pretended it wasn't anything +at all. But Uncle Wiggily knew better. + +"Well," said the old gentleman rabbit, after breakfast, "I guess +I'll go down and play Scotch checkers with Pop Goes the Weasel. You +boys can stay here, but if the bad alligator or the fuzzy fox tries +to get you, just call for me." + +"All right," said Curly Tail, and when his uncle was out of sight he +and his brother began to dress up for Hollowe'en, which is the night +everyone puts on false faces you know. + +One of the piggie boys made a lot of flour paste, colored with brown +sugar, and that was to fix him so he would look like a loaf of +bread. And Flop Ear made himself look like an apple pie. + +"Now, we'll just practice, ready for tonight, when we're going to +fool Uncle Wiggily," said Curly Tail, and they did, having lots of +fun. + +Just before supper Uncle Wiggily came home from having played Scotch +checkers with Pop Goes the Weasel. The old gentleman had something +under his coat, but when Curly Tail and Flop Ear asked him what it +was he only laughed and said: + +"Oh, you'll soon see!" + +Well, it got pretty dark, and Curly Tail and his brother thought it +was time for them to dress up and play a trick on their uncle. So +they took their false faces, one like a lump of buttered bread and +the other like a piece of cheese, and went out in the woods to +dress. They intended to come and knock on the bungalow door and see +what Uncle Wiggily would do and say when he saw them. + +Pretty soon they were both ready, and, really, if I do say it +myself, Curly Tail looked just like a ten-cent loaf, with flour in +his buttonhole and all that, only he didn't have any real butter on, +as that was so greasy. And Flop Ear, or Flop, or Floppy, for short, +looked too cute for anything--just exactly like an apple pie, and +he even carried a bit of cheese to go with it, and a toasting fork. + +"Now, we'll fool Uncle Wiggily," they said, as they started for the +bungalow. But they didn't know what had happened to the rabbit +gentleman. They hadn't gone very far before, out in a boat on the +lake, not far from shore, they heard a voice calling: + +"Oh, help! Help! He's such a big one that I can't get him in, and +Percival has fallen overboard! Help! Help!" + +"My goodness! What's that?" asked Curly Tail, in surprise. + +"Some one must be in trouble," said Flop Ear. "Let's see who it is." + +"But it might be the bad skillery-scalery alligator, with the lumps +on his tail," said the other piggie boy. Then Flop Ear looked out on +the lake, where it was all lighted by the moon and he said: + +"I see a lady in a boat. Surely she would not harm us. And she spoke +of Percival--she must mean the old circus dog! I am going to see +what is the matter!" + +"Better not! Maybe it's a trick to catch us!" said Curly Tail. + +But just then a lady on the lake called again: "Oh help! He is such +a big one that I can't get him into the boat, and Percival has +fallen overboard!" + +Then there was a great splashing, and a rustling in the bushes and +Flop Ear called: + +"We're coming to help you, lady! What have you got that is so big?" + +"A fish," she answered. "My husband, Percival, is a great fisherman +and he caught the biggest fish in all the lake, but it pulled him +out of the boat. However, I have hold of the pole and line, and the +fish is still fast to the hook. Oh, help me to catch him!" + +So the piggie boys said they would, and they ran down to the shore, +and the lady in the boat passed them the pole. Then Curly and Flop +pulled as hard as they could, and old circus dog Percival scrambled +out of the water, and he helped pull, too, and, all of a sudden, +from the bushes along the edge of the lake--on dry land, but not in +the water--there suddenly flopped the biggest fish any one had ever +seen. + +"Oh, what long ears the fish has!" cried Curly Tail, when the moon +shone on the fish. "I never saw a fish with ears!" + +"I'm not a fish," said a voice. "Oh, please let me go. The hook is +caught in my collar. Please let me go!" + +"Who are you?" asked Percival, in wonder. + +"I'm Uncle Wiggily Longears," was the answer. "I dressed up like a +Hallowe'en fish to fool Curly Tail and Flop Ear. I was walking along +the shore in the dark, thinking I could catch the piggie boys, when, +all of a sudden, something caught in my coat collar, and I was +dragged through the bushes. I was choked so I could hardly speak, +and I didn't know what had happened to me." + +"Oh, that's too bad," said Percival. "I guess I happened to catch +you on my fishhook by mistake, when I was tossing it around. But why +are you all dressed up?" he asked Curly Tail and Flop Ear and Uncle +Wiggily. + +"Because it is Hallowe'en," said Flop Ear; "but I guess we have had +enough of it." + +"Yes," said Uncle Wiggily, "come up into the bungalow and we will +duck for apples, eat marshmallows and have fun." + +So Curly Tail took off his bread crumbs clothes, and Flop Ear his +apple pie suit, and Uncle Wiggily his fish scales, and they all took +off their false faces, and Percival and the lady whose name was +Gertrude, had a good time. + +And in the next story in case the ash can doesn't roll off the roof +and fall on the dog house to scare the puppy cake I'll tell you +about Curly Tail and the little afraid girl. + + + + +STORY XXIV + +CURLY AND THE AFRAID GIRL + + +One day, when Uncle Wiggily, the nice old gentleman rabbit, went +down to the store on Raccoon Island, in Lake Hopatcong, kept by Pop +Goes the Weasel, there was a letter there for Curly Tail and also +one for Flop Ear. + +"I wonder who can be writing to the piggie boys," said the rabbit +gentleman. "I'll take the letters to them." + +So he stopped to play just one game of Scotch checkers with Pop Goes +the Weasel, only they didn't quit finish it because Mr. Pop's cat +jumped on the middle of the board to catch a mosquito and scattered +the checkers all over. + +"Scat!" cried Pop Goes the Weasel. "Why did you do that?" + +"Never mind," said Uncle Wiggily. "She didn't mean to." + +And really the cat didn't mean to, and the mosquito got away after +all, and Pop Goes the Weasel began picking up the checkers, but the +rabbit gentleman said: + +"I'm afraid I can't stay to finish the game. I must get back with +the letters for Flop and Curly," calling them thus for short. + +"Very well," said Pop, "and take them some sour milk chocolate candy +with my best wishes, for the letters may be from home, telling them +to come back to school." + +And really, that is just what the letters said. They were from the +nice owl lady school teacher, saying that the roof was back on the +school now, and that in a few days all the animal children must +begin reciting their lessons again. + +"Well, then, we must have all the fun we can the few remaining days +that we are to be on Raccoon Island," said Flop Ear. + +"Correct," spoke Curly Tail. "Let's take a walk and see if we can +find an adventure." + +So off they started from Uncle Wiggily's bungalow, and when they +came to a place where there were two paths through the woods, Curly +Tail said: + +"Now, Flop Bar, you go one way and I'll go the other, and we will +see who first meets with an adventure." + +"Very well," agreed Flop Ear, and off he went through the woods, +but, as nothing happened to him except that he fell down a well and +had trouble getting out again, I shall not tell his adventure. +Instead, I will relate what happened to Curly Tail. + +On and on he went, and he was wondering what would happen to him, +when, all at once, as he came to a little river that flowed through +the island, he heard a voice saying: + +"Oh, I shall never get across. I know I shan't. I'm so afraid of +water, and I know there are cat-tails and pussy willows and all +sorts of things like that around here. Oh! what shall I do? I want +to get across to see my grandmother, but how can I?" + +"Hum! That is queer," thought Curly Tail. "I wonder who that can be? +I had better be careful, though, for it may be the fuzzy fox trying +to fool me." + +So, carefully hiding himself behind a stone, he peered over the top, +and once more he heard the voice saying: + +"Oh! isn't it dreadful to be afraid!" + +"Why, it's a little mousie girl," exclaimed Curly Tail out loud. + +"Of course, it is," said the little creature beside the river. "And +I'm afraid of the water, and the cat-tails and the pussy willows and +all that." + +"There are no pussy willows out now, they only come in the spring," +said Curly Tail. "Though there may be some cat-tails. But they are +not real cats, you know. They won't hurt you. Are you a little +afraid, mousie girl?" + +"Yes, but that isn't my name," she said. "My name is Edna, and I'm +dreadfully afraid of the water. How shall I get across?" + +"I'll get a big board and make believe it is a boat," said Curly +Tail. "Then you won't be afraid." + +"Oh, yes, I will," she said. "Can't you think of some other way?" + +Curly Tail shook his head, and even twisted up his ear, and then he +thought real hard. + +"I have it!" he cried. "You shall get on the board boat, and all the +while you must keep looking up at the sky. Then you will not see the +water, and you'll think you're flying and you won't be afraid." + +"The very thing!" cried Edna, the little afraid mousie girl. So +Curly Tail got a nice, big board for a boat, and pushed it into the +water. Then he got a pole to shove himself and the mousie girl +across the river, and they both got on the boat. + +"Now mind!" exclaimed Curly Tail. "Keep looking up, and you won't be +afraid." + +Off they started, and Edna wasn't much afraid. When they were about +halfway across, and she felt real glad that she would soon see her +grandmother, she said: + +"Oh, I guess I'm brave enough to look at the water now. I think I'm +not afraid with you, Curly Tail." + +"All right," spoke the little piggie boy, and he was just going to +tell the mousie girl to look down if she wanted to, when, all at +once, after the boat, with his big jaws open, and his tongue going +over his teeth like a nutmeg grater, came the bad skillery-scalery +old alligator, with a double hump on his tail. + +"Oh, my!" thought Curly Tail. "If she looks down now, and sees that +alligator, she'll surely be so afraid that she'll faint, and maybe +fall into the water, and then I'll have to jump in to save her, and +the alligator will get us both. What shall I do?" + +Well, the mousie girl was just going to look down, and she would +surely have seen the 'gator, when Curly Tail cried: + +"Don't look! Don't look! Oh, lobster salad! don't look!" + +"Why not?" asked the mousie girl. + +"Because--because it's--it's a surprise!" was all Curly could think +of to say. + +"Oh, if it's a surprise I must surely look!" said the mousie girl. +"I just love surprises!" + +"I guess she won't like this kind!" thought Curly Tail, but what he +said was: + +"Quick! Tie your handkerchief over your eyes, and make believe you +are playing blind man's bluff. Then you can't look until it's time. +Quick!" + +So the mousie girl, whose name was Edna, did as Curly Tail told her. +She blinded her eyes, and then, the piggie boy knew she would not +see the 'gator. On came the ferocious creature, ready to swallow the +boat, Curly Tail and little afraid girl all at once. But Curly Tail +just stuck the push pole down the alligator's throat, and that made +the 'gator so angry that he lashed out with his tail, made a big +wave, and that washed the boat and the piggie boy and the mousie +girl safely up on shore. And then they were all right, for on dry +land they could run faster than the 'gator could. + +"Where's the surprise?" asked Edna, as she took off the +handkerchief. + +"There he goes," said Curly Tail, showing her the alligator, who was +swimming away, and Edna was glad she had not seen it when on the +boat or she knew she surely would have fainted. Then she went on to +her grandmother's, after thanking Curly Tail, and the little piggie +boy went back to the bungalow. + +And on the next page, if the boys don't take my cocoanut cake for a +football and roll it up hill, I'll tell you about the piggies and +the dinner party. + + + + +STORY XXV + +THE PIGGIES AT THE PARTY + + +One day a nice lady stopped in front of the house where lived Curly +and Floppy Twistytail, the two piggie boys, and called to them as +they were playing football in the yard. + +"Is your mamma in?" asked the lady, as she looked to see if her +earrings were dingle-dangling. + +"Yes," replied Curly Tail, "she is. Would you like to see her?" + +"Indeed, I would!" exclaimed the lady, as she blinked her two eyes +and laughed in a jolly fashion. + +"But she is lying down," explained Flop Ear, "so if you want to sell +her some new kind of soap to make our faces clean or some baking +powder that will puff a cake up like a balloon, I don't believe she +wants any." + +"Bless your dear little pink noses!" exclaimed the lady. "I'm not +selling anything. I just came to ask your mamma if you could come to +my party." + +"A party?" cried Curly Tail. "Are you getting up a party for us?" + +"For all the animal children," explained the lady, whose name was +Sadie. "I want you all to come to my dinner party and have a good +time. It's going to be away up in Montclair." + +"Oh, I guess we can come," spoke Flop Ear. "Are you going to have +ice cream?" + +"Yes, ice cream," replied the Sadie lady, "and all sorts of good +things. Uncle Wiggily will be there, and all your friends, so I +wanted to ask your mamma if you could come." + +"Of course we can!" cried Curly Tail. "We'll be there!" + +"Very good," replied the lady whose name was Sadie. "Then I shall +expect you," and off she hurried to invite some other animal +children, her long earrings going dingle-dangle as she walked along, +and the rose in her hair falling over sideways. + +You see, Curly Tail and Flop Ear had come back from Raccoon Island +at Lake Hopatcong, where they went to visit Uncle Wiggily Longears, +the old gentleman rabbit, while a new roof was being put on their +school in place of the one that had blown off. The piggie boys had +now been back for some little time, and in a few days school would +open again. + +"But, before it does, we'll go to the lady's dinner party," said +Curly Tail, as he combed out the bristles on his back to make them +look like a paint brush. + +"Indeed we will!" exclaimed his brother, and then they heard their +mamma stirring about in the house, so they knew she was awake. + +"Let's go ask her!" suggested Curly Tail, and in they ran to tell +about the Sadie lady asking them to the party. + +Their mamma said they might go, and they felt so happy that they +even let their little sister, Baby Pinky, play football with them. +And it would have been all right, except that when Flop Ear kicked +the ball to Pinky, she couldn't get hold of it in time, and it flew +up and broke Grandpa Squealer's window. But he said he didn't mind. + +Well, in a few nights, it was time for the dinner party, and Curly +Tail and Flop Ear dressed in their best, with their velvet hats on +their heads, started for the high part of Montclair where the Sadie +lady lived. + +And Oh! How nice the house looked when they got there. It was all +lighted up, and there were paper roses on the piano, for it was too +late for real ones, and the table was all set with nice dishes and +things to eat, and all of the piggie boys' friends were there, from +Sammie and Susie Littletail, to Uncle Wiggily Longears, the rabbit +gentleman. + +Then they began to eat, for this Sadie lady was one who loved animal +children, and was always giving dinner parties, and affairs like +that for them. Oh! Such good things as there were to eat, and when +it was all over, and the candy and nuts were served, the Sadie lady +read some poetry about a funny little lake, all made of sweet ice +cream, and every time you fell in it you had a funny dream. + +Then, after supper, they all sat about the fire on the hearth--Uncle +Wiggily and Grandpa Goosey Gander and all the animal children, and +the Sadie lady and Uncle Wiggily told ghost stories, and all sorts +of other tales. + +And, all of a sudden, just at the most scary part, where the big +giant falls down stairs, jumps over the cot bed and scares Cora +Janet's doll and Pocahontas and Ethel Rose--all of a sudden, I say, +just as Uncle Wiggily got to that part, there was a noise out on the +porch, and a voice cried: + +"I want to come in! I must come in!" + +"Oh, dear!" gasped Flop Ear. + +"Who can that be?" asked Curly Tail, and he shivered so that you +would have thought he was eating cold ice cream again, only he +wasn't, for he was chewing on hot marshmallows. + +"Let me in! Let me in!" cried the voice again. + +"Oh, it's the bad skillery sealery alligator!" cried Flop Ear. "I +know it is." + +"Or else the fuzzy fox!" spoke Curly Tail, and just then there was a +noise at the window, and they all looked up, and there stood a big +black bear, tapping his paws on the glass. + +"Oh, wow!" cried Uncle Wiggily. + +"Sour milk and maple sugar pancakes!" yelled Grandpa Squealer, and +everyone was so frightened that no one knew what to do. But the +Sadie lady cried out: + +"Ha! I'm not going to have a bad bear break up my dinner party in +this way!" so she caught up a box of marshmallows, opened the +window, and tossed the white sugar coated candies right in the +bear's face. + +All over him they flew, and he was so surprised that he thought it +was snowing big white flakes. + +"Oh, wow!" the bear cried. "Winter is here, and I must hurry back to +my den before I get snowed in. I thought I was going to have a good +supper, but I guess I was mistaken. Oh, woe is me! It's snowing! +It's snowing!" + +Then he ran down off the porch as fast as he could, and the Sadie +lady called up the policeman dog on the telephone, and she hollered +like anything because she was so excited. + +But there was no need for the police, for the bear was so +kerslostrated by the marshmallows and the powdered sugar snow flying +all over him that he went and hid in his den for a week and a day, +and didn't bother anyone for sometime. + +Then Ethel Rose, one of the real pretty girls at the party, and +Pocahontas, the Indian maid, and Cora Janet's doll and everybody +else had more ice cream, and then they went home; and so did Curly +Tail and Flop Ear, and the Sadie lady's dinner party was over, but +every one said it was just fine, and they wanted to know when she +was going to have another. + +So that is all now, if you please, but on the next page, in case the +sewing machine doesn't pull all the threads out of my little dog's +hair ribbon, I'll tell you about Floppy and the bon fire. + + + + +STORY XXVI + +FLOPPY AND THE BONFIRE + + +One night, after an election in Woodland, where the Twistytail +family of pigs lived, Curly, one of the piggie boys, asked his +brother Floppy if they couldn't have some fun. + +"I guess so," spoke the other little piggie. "I have a big pile of +leaves, so why can't we make a bonfire?" + +"The very thing!" cried Curly Tail. "There are always bonfires after +election, and we'll have ours now." + +"And we'll invite all the other animal boys to help us," suggested +Curly Tail. "Sammie Littletail will want to come, I know, and so +will the squirrel boys, and Jimmie Wibblewobble, the duck, and the +Bow Wow puppy boys." + +So, as it was after school, and they had done their home work +lessons, the piggie boys could run out and play. In a vacant lot, +not far from their house, Flop Ear had collected a big pile of +leaves, ready for the fire, and he said to Curly Tail: + +"Now, if you go get the other fellows, I'll find some more leaves, +and some old boxes and barrels and we'll have a fine big fire." + +"All right, I will," agreed Curly Tail. So off he ran over the +fields and through the woods to call all his friends to the bonfire +which Flop Ear was going to make. + +"Now for a surprise!" exclaimed the little piggie boy who was left +near the pile of leaves. "I'll look for some potatoes and I'll put +them to roast in the bonfire and when it is all over we'll eat them, +and sit about the blaze, telling stories about the election." + +So he crawled through a fence into a field near by, where there were +some late potatoes, and soon, with his strong, rubbery nose, he was +rooting them up. The field belonged to Grandfather Goosey Gander, +and Flop knew the old gentleman goose would not mind if the boy +animals took a few potatoes. + +"Now to make the fire and roast them," spoke the little piggie boy, +and when he had shoved the leaves all up in a heap with his nose he +lit them with a match. + +"Won't Curly Tail and the others be surprised when they come up, and +see the fire already going?" thought Flop Ear. "And they'll be more +surprised when I pull out the roast potatoes for them. Oh! I almost +forgot! I must get some salt to eat on them." + +Into the house he ran, with his queer little kinky tail twisting +around like a piece of strawberry shortcake, and Floppy got the +salt. His mamma was busy getting supper, and she did not see him, +and as his sister, Baby Pinky, was practising her piano lesson on +the tin dishpan, she made so much noise Mrs. Twistytail did not hear +the piggie boy, so no one stopped Flop Ear. + +Maybe if mamma had known that he had a bonfire she would not have +liked it, and I want you children--especially you little ones--to +promise Uncle Wiggily that you will never, never make a fire unless +some older person is there to watch you. Fires are very bad, you +know--and burns--Bur-r-r-r! How burns do hurt! + +Well, anyhow, Flop Ear had his fire going, and the potatoes were +roasting in the hot leaves, and he had the salt all ready to eat on +them. As he came running back to the blaze, out of the shadows +stepped someone, and a voice said: + +"Ah ha! Good evening! I was wondering who had made this good fire +for me." + +"I--I did," said Flop Ear, "but I didn't make it for you. I made it +for us." + +"Never mind, it will do very well for me," went on the voice. "It +will save me the trouble of kindling one to roast my pork sausage +and chops--I mean you!" exclaimed the voice. + +Flop Ear gave a jump, and looked more closely at the figure in the +shadow by the fire. And then he saw that it was a big, bad old fox, +with a fuzzy tail. + +"Oh! Oh!" gasped the little piggie boy. "You don't mean that, do +you; that you're going to roast me!" + +"Exactly what I'm going to do," replied the fox, and he caught hold +of Flop Ear. "We will wait until the fire is a little hotter," he +said. + +Oh, how poor Flop Ear did try to get loose, but he couldn't because +the fox held him too tightly. And the fire got hotter and hotter, +and the little piggie boy was hoping that Curly Tail and the other +animal boys would come back in time to save him, but he could +neither see nor hear anything of them. + +"I guess I'm going to be roasted!" he cried. "Oh, if Uncle Wiggily +were only here. Or even Grandpa Squealer!" + +"Ha! No one will come to save you!" snarled the bad fox, and just +then, what do you think? Out from the fire rolled some of the +potatoes Flop Ear was roasting for his friends. Out rolled two big +potatoes, and the fox, seeing them, exclaimed: + +"Ha! What have we here? Something good to eat, I should say," and he +smelled the baked potato. "Oh Yum yum!" he cried, and he smacked his +lips. "That will go most excellently with roast pork. I think I will +eat one, and then I'll put you on the fire to cook," he said to Flop +Ear. + +The little piggie boy didn't say anything, but he felt very bad. And +the fox, holding him with one paw, took up a roasted potato in the +other, and cracked it open with his teeth. + +And then--! + +Well, you know how hot roast potatoes are, just out of the oven, I +dare say. This one, from Flop Ear's bonfire, was even hotter. It was +just roasting hot, and the fox had bitten into it. + +"Oh, wow!" cried the fuzzy creature. "Oh, double wow, and some ice +cream cones! Oh, pepper casters! Oh, mustard! Oh, my mouth, how it +burns! And my paws!" + +And then he had to let go of Flop Ear, and run to the brook to get a +drink of cold water--that fox did--because the hot potato burned +his mouth so, but I guess it served him right. + +Anyhow, Flop Ear was free, and the next minute along came Curly Tail +and all the other animal boys, and then of course the bad fox had to +run away and put cold cream on his tongue. Flop Ear told all that +had happened, and then the bonfire was made bigger than ever, and +when the roast potatoes were cool they all ate some, and had a fine +time. + +So, that's all now, but in the next story, in case the pear doesn't +fall off the apple tree and hit the ragman on the nose, I'll tell +you about Flop Ear and the skate wagon. + + + + +STORY XXVII + +FLOP AND THE SKATE WAGON + + +One morning Flop Ear, the little piggie boy, awakened in his bed of +straw, and said: + +"I don't feel very well today." + +"I wish I didn't, too," spoke Curly Tail. + +"Why?" asked his brother in surprise. "I'm not fooling. Honestly, I +don't feel well. Do you want to be sick, too?" + +"Just a little bit," answered Curly Tail. "Just sick enough so as +not to have to go to school." + +"Oh, that's so!" exclaimed Flop Ear. "There is school today. I +thought it was Saturday, and I was sorry I didn't feel well, but +now---" + +Well, as it happened it was Friday, instead of Saturday, and, of +course, there was school. But when Mrs. Twistytail heard that Flop +Ear did not feel well, she said: + +"Perhaps you had better not go today. Just lie abed and maybe you +will be better by afternoon." + +So Curly Tail had to go to school alone, and he felt rather +lonesome, and Flop Ear stayed at home, just like the little pig in +the story. + +But pretty soon, oh, I guess about 10 o'clock, when it was too late +to go to school, Flop Ear got out of bed and said: + +"I don't feel quite so badly now, mother. Maybe if I go out in the +air, I'll be all well." + +"All right," she said, and there was a funny little twinkle in her +eyes. "But first you must take some castor oil, and then I will be +sure you will be better," she added. + +Then Flop Ear wished he had gone to school, whether he felt well or +not, but there was no help for it; he had to take the castor oil. +After it was down--and it wasn't much fun swallowing it, let me tell +you--after it was down, Flop Ear walked out in the street sort of +slow and thoughtful-like, and wished he had someone to play with, or +something to do. + +"It isn't so much fun staying home as I thought it would be," he +said. Just then, in an ash barrel, he saw one roller skate. It was +pretty well battered and worn, but the four wheels of it were good +yet, and Flop Ear, as he took it out and knocked the ashes from it, +said: + +"Ha! One roller skate. Now if I had two I might have some fun, and +forget about the castor oil." + +"You can have fun with one roller skate," said a voice behind the +little piggie boy, and turning, Flop Ear saw Uncle Butter, the goat +gentleman, just coming back from having delivered all his milk. + +"How can you have fun with one roller skate?" asked Flop Ear. + +"By making a skate wagon," said the goat gentleman. "I saw some boy +animals up in Roseville playing on them yesterday, and I'll tell you +how to make one. First, you have to have a box, a long, narrow +board, a stick and some nails and string." + +"I can get all those!" exclaimed Flop Ear, and he did. Then Uncle +Butter took the roller skate apart at the place where it slid +together to be made smaller or larger. Right apart he took it, and +there were two wheels on one part and two on the other. + +The goat gentleman used the string to fasten two wheels on one end +of the long narrow board and two wheels on the other end. Then he +nailed the box on the front end of the board, right over the front +wheels, and on top of the box he nailed the stick for a handle, just +as on a bicycle, only this handle was straight and not curved. + +"There is your skate wagon," he said to Flop Ear. "You take it to +some street that runs down hill and you start at the top. Stand up +on the board, near the box, and lean against it so you won't fall +off. Take hold of the handles, and then push yourself off. Down the +hilly street you will roll on the skate wheels, just like a coaster +wagon." + +"Fine!" cried Flop Ear, as he thanked Uncle Butter. Then he ran to +the top of a hilly, smooth street to try his skate wagon. + +He stood up in the middle of the long narrow board, took hold of the +handles on top of the box, and steadied himself. Then, with one foot +he gave himself a good push, and down the hill he went as fast as +anything, making a noise just like a real roller skater boy only +louder. + +"Oh, this is great!" he cried as he reached the bottom of the hill, +and ran back for another coast down it. Then Flop Ear forgot all +about being sick, and he had lots of fun riding on his skate wagon, +so you see that even one roller skate may be good for something. + +Well Flop Ear was just going to coast down the hill for about the +forty-'leventh time when, all of a sudden, he heard a voice calling: + +"Save me! Save me! Oh, help me!" + +He looked around and there he saw a poor old lady cat being chased +by a bad dog that had once caught Uncle Butter to pull out his +horns. The lady cat was running as fast as she could with her tail +all swelled up like a bologna sausage. + +"Save me from the bad dog!" she cried. + +"Bow-wow! Woof! Woof! Bur-r-rr!" barked the dog. "I'll get you!" + +"No you won't!" cried Flop Ear. "Get on my skate wagon!" he called +to the old lady cat, and with one jump she landed in the box. Flop +Ear gave a good push, jumped on the wagon himself, and down the hill +he went faster and faster, with the dog coming after him. + +"Oh, he'll get us!" cried the lady cat. + +"No he won't!" shouted Flop Ear. Faster and faster went the skate +wagon down the hill, and the bad dog tried so hard to catch up to it +that, all of a sudden, his legs got tied up in a hard knot--yes, +sir, just as hard a knot as if a sailor had made it. And, of course, +that dog turned a somersault, and went head over heels and he +couldn't run any more until one of his friends untied the knots in +his legs. + +But by that time Flop Ear and the lady cat were safe at the bottom +of the hill on the skate wagon, and the dog could not get them. Then +the cat lady thanked the piggie boy very much, and gave him a penny, +and Flop Ear went to school that afternoon, and was all better, and +later he and Curly Tail had lots of fun on the queer wagon Uncle +Butter had told how to make. + +And so in case the rose bush doesn't scratch the lilac leaves off +the pie plant and make the clothes line catch cold, I'll tell you +next about Baby Pinkie and the lemon. + + + + +STORY XXVIII + +PINKY AND THE LEMON + + +One day, when Flop Ear and Curly Tail were at school, Mrs. +Twistytail, the pig lady, said to Baby Pinky, her little girl: + +"Pinky, I am going to run across the street for a minute to ask Mrs. +Wibblewobble to lend me a spool of thread. It is so chilly out that +I don't want to take you along. So will you be afraid to stay here +alone, just a little while?" + +"No, indeed, mamma," spoke Pinky. "Why, what is there to be afraid +of?" she asked with a laugh. + +"Nothing in the least," replied her mother, "but sometimes little +girls, and boys, too, for that matter, are afraid to stay alone, +even when their mamma wants to go get a drink of water." + +"Oh! I hope I'm not that kind, mamma," spoke Pinky. + +"Then I'll just run across the street for a minute," went on Mrs. +Twistytail. "Everything is all right here. There is nothing on the +stove to boil over, but be careful not to go near the fire." + +"No, I'll stay right here, mamma," said Pinky. "I'll look out of the +window, and watch the leaves dancing up and down in the breeze." + +So Mrs. Twistytail went over to Mrs. Wibblewobble, the duck lady's +house, and Pinky sat down to wait for her to come back. But you know +how it is sometimes, when ladies get talking together, they have so +many things to say, about how to make the loaf of bread last longer, +and how high the butter is--so high that they have to get on a step +ladder to reach it--and how boys wear out their shoes and trousers +so fast and the newest way to fix your hair, and what to do when +your best dress gets all spotted with ice cream, and how scarce coal +is, and what a long winter we're going to have--all things like that +ladies find to talk about, and it was that way with Mrs. Twistytail +and Mrs. Wibblewobble. + +Well, do you know, the first thing Mrs. Twistytail knew she had +forgotten all about what she came after--let's see now, what was it +--I declare I've forgotten myself. Just excuse me while I look back +and see. Oh! I remember, it was a spool of thread. + +Yes, Mrs. Twistytail got so interested talking to the duck lady +about a new way to make a tight dress loose that she forgot all +about the spool of thread. + +"Well, mamma is staying quite a long time," said Baby Pinky after a +bit, as she sat by the window. "I hope nothing has happened to her." +She looked, but she could not see her mamma coming back, and then +Pinky said: + +"I guess I'll just dust off the piano, to keep busy, and it won't +seem so long until mamma comes home." + +So she began knocking the dust off the piano to the floor just as +Jennie Chipmunk did it with her tail brush, and Pinky made so much +noise that she did not hear the door open and some one come in. That +is she did not until she heard some one walking in the room behind +her, and then the little piggie girl turned around and exclaimed: + +"Oh, mamma! How you frightened me." + +But, oh my! when she saw who was in the room, poor Pinky was +frightened more than ever. For there, with his face all swollen, +stood a bad old baboon who had escaped from the monkey circus down +the street. + +"Bur-r-f! Ah ha! Wow! Now I have you!" barked the baboon, for they +make a noise something like a dog with the chicken-pox. + +"Why, why, what is the matter?" asked Pinky, never dreaming that +there would be trouble, for she was such a gentle little thing. "Why +is your face all swelled up?" she asked. + +"I have the mumps," explained the baboon, who had a blue nose. "I +have the mumps, and I am hungry. Little pigs are good for the mumps, +I have been told. I guess I'll take you." + +"Oh! I'm sure you must be mistaken," said Pinky, politely. "Surely +you are wrong. I am not good for mumps, and I'm sure they're not +good for me." + +"Nor me, either," cried the baboon, putting his paw to his swollen +jaw. "I don't want 'em but I have to have 'em, and, as you are the +only thing that's good for them, I'm going to take you away with me. +No, on second thought, I'll eat you up here and now." + +"Oh, please don't!" cried Baby Pinky, and she wished, Oh! how she +did wish her mamma would come back. "How did you get in here?" she +asked. + +"I just waited until I saw Mrs. Twistytail go out," said the blue- +nosed baboon, "and then I knew you were here alone. So in I came, +here I am, and now this is the end of you!" + +"Oh, please don't hurt me!" cried Baby Pinky, but that savage +baboon, rubbing his blue nose with the end of his tail--for he had a +red tail--that baboon, I say, made a jump for Pinky. + +"Oh!" she cried, as she leaped out of the way. "I'll get you +something to eat, and then you won't have to take me," and out into +the kitchen she ran, with the mumpy baboon after her. All Pinky saw +on the table was a lemon, and, thinking the baboon might like +lemonade, she caught hold of it, cut it open with a knife, and then-- + +Well, that baboon made a jump for her, and, as he did so, Pinky +accidentally squeezed the lemon. Now, as everybody knows, when you +have the mumps, if a person even says "pickles," or "vinegar," or +"lemons" to you, it makes your throat all pucker up and pain you +like anything, and you can't even seem to swallow. Mumps and sour +things don't seem to go together. + +And when the sour lemon juice got in the baboon's mouth and eyes, +and some trickled down on his mumpy throat. Oh, wow! if you will +excuse me saying so. + +"Bur-r-! Scumpf! Fuffphmn, Xzvbgetyriep! Bfrewcript! +Xvbnhytrwewqauitopekgsteredse!" cried that baboon, and no one could +understand what he said, not even a phonograph, for you see his +mouth and throat were nearly closed up by the puckery lemon. + +And of course he couldn't eat Pinky, for he could not even swallow +some slippery elm, which as everybody knows, is the slipperiest +thing there is. + +"B-r-r-r!" cried the baboon again. + +"Zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba!" and he said the alphabet backward. +Then, holding his mumpy jaws in both paws and winding his red tail +around his blue nose, out of the house he ran, leaving the little +piggie girl safe. And her mamma saw the baboon running away, and, +without even stopping for the spool of thread, she came home and +felt very badly that Pinky had been frightened. + +"But you were very brave to hand the mumpy baboon a lemon," she +said, and I think so, too, for it was just the right thing. + +And next, in case the fire shovel doesn't burn a hole in the +tablecloth and let the sugar run out and catch cold, I'll tell you +about the piggies and Santa Claus. + + + + +STORY XXIX + +THE PIGGIES AND SANTA CLAUS + + +"Oh, so many things as I have for you to do today!" exclaimed Mrs. +Twistytail, the pig lady, to her two boys, Flop Ear and Curly Tail, +one morning. "Such a lot of work!" + +"My!" exclaimed Flop Ear. "What is it, mamma? Have we wood to chop +or water to bring in?" + +"Oh, neither one," said Mrs. Twistytail, with a smile, as she shook +the crumbs off the tablecloth, for the family had just finished +dinner. "I mean we have so many things yet to get for Christmas. +There are plums to buy for the plum pudding, and the candy and nuts +and oranges and figs and dates and the sour milk lollypops and +everything that Santa Claus hasn't time to bring." + +"Why!" exclaimed Baby Pinky, who was putting on her new lemonade- +colored hair ribbon, "I thought Santa Claus brought everything." + +"No, not quite everything," explained Mrs. Twistytail. "He brings +all the presents, of course, but he lets the papas and mammas get +the good things to eat, because different children like different +things. You wouldn't like, for instance, to have nothing but hickory +nuts, or walnuts, or chestnuts in your stockings, would you, boys?" + +"No, indeed!" exclaimed Curly Tail and Flop Ear together, just like +twins, though they weren't. + +"For those things are for Billie and Johnny Bushytail, the squirrel +boys," went on Mrs. Twistytail. "And they wouldn't like to have sour +milk, and cold boiled potatoes, and the things that you like. + +"So, as I say, there are lots of things for us to do to get ready +for Christmas, and you boys will have to help me. I think today I'll +send you to the store for some raisins and citron and plums and +other things to make puddings and pies." + +"Oh, goodie!" cried Flop Ear. + +"And maybe we can clean out same of the cake and pie dishes after +you get through baking," suggested his brother. + +"I think you may," said their mamma. + +"But what can I do?" asked Baby Pinky, the littlest pig of them all. +"Can I go to the store for anything?" + +"You will stay home with me," said Mrs. Twistytail, "and help me +bake. Now, boys, you had better start, so as to get home before +dark. Here are the things I want," and she gave them a list written +out on paper. + +Oh! so many lovely victuals as there were! I can't write about them, +for I haven't had my supper yet, and I'm so hungry, when I think of +the good things, that I might even take a bite out of my typewriter, +and then I couldn't print any more stories for you, and that would +be too bad for me. + +Anyhow, there were many good things that Mrs. Twistytail wanted, and +soon Curly and Flop were on their way to the store with a big +basket. + +They got them all, and they took sniffs and smells, though not so +much as weenyteeny nibble of the Christmas things. But, oh! how they +did wish the time would come when they might really eat them! + +"What do you most want for Christmas?" asked Curly as he and his +brother tramped on through the snow-covered woods. + +"A toy steam engine," replied Flop Ear. "And what do you want, Curly +Tail?" + +"A make-believe automobile." + +"I hope we get them," went on Flop Ear with a sigh, and pretty soon, +off in the woods, they heard a voice calling: + +"Whoa, now! Stand still there, if you please. Some of the things are +slipping off my sleigh, and I want to fasten them on. Whoa there, +reindeer!" + +"Listen to that, would you now!" whispered Curly Tail to his +brother, as they hid down behind some bushes. + +"Reindeer!" exclaimed Flop Ear. "There's only one person who has +reindeer and he is--" + +"Santa Claus!" interrupted Curly Tail. "We've found Santa Claus, +Floppy, and this is the best chance in the world to tell him what +presents we want for Christmas!" + +"That's right," agreed the other piggie boy. "We'll speak to him," +and then they walked on a little farther and they saw the dear old +saint himself, with his red coat, all trimmed with white fur, and +his white beard, and he was as round and fat and jolly as anything. + +"What ho! Hello!" cried Santa Claus, when he saw the piggie boys. +"What are you doing here?" + +"We are on our way home from buying Christmas things," said Flop +Ear. "But have you really Christmas presents there, Mr. Santa +Claus?" + +"I have indeed," replied the jolly old saint, with a twinkle in his +eyes. "But no one is allowed to see them until the right time. You +see I am traveling about, measuring the sizes of different chimneys, +so I can tell whether or not I can slide down them. Just as I got +here some of the toys began to slip off the sleigh and I stopped to +fasten them on. But I suppose you have your toys all picked out?" + +"Yes," replied Flop Ear. "I want a toy steam engine, and Curly wants +a toy automobile." + +"Oh, my!" exclaimed Santa Claus, and his voice seemed rather sad. + +"Why, what is the matter?" asked Curly. + +"Alas," said Santa Claus. "This year I have only one toy engine, and +a poor little lame boy has asked for that in a letter he sent to me +up the chimney the other night. And I have only one toy auto, and a +little boy who has no papa or mamma, and who is very poor, has asked +for that. I was going to give the toys to them, but since you have +met me in the woods I must grant your request, since whoever meets +Santa Claus face to face, can have just what they ask of him. + +"But I know the little lame boy and the other poor little boy will +be much disappointed. Still it can't be helped. I will grant your +wishes, Floppy and Curly, but--" + +"Stop!" suddenly cried Flop Ear. + +"Hold on!" exclaimed Curly Tail. + +Then, somehow, into their hearts there came a feeling of sadness, +and yet not so much sadness as gladness and happiness. + +"I--I guess I don't want a toy steam engine," said Flop Ear. "Give +it to the lame boy." + +"Good," cried Santa Claus. + +"And I don't need the toy auto very much," went on Curly Tail. "Give +it to the poor little boy." + +"Good!" cried Santa Claus again, and then his face seemed to shine +like the sun, and there seemed to be wreaths of holly and bunches of +mistletoe sticking all over him, and he sprang into his sleigh, the +reindeer shook their horns, making the bells jingle like anything, +and then, off on top of the snowflakes rode Santa Claus, calling +back: + +"All right, piggie boys, I won't forget you, or any of the earth +children. It will soon be Christmas, and if you don't get autos or +steam engines you'll get something else," and then he vanished from +sight, and Flop Ear and Curly Tail went home, wondering very much at +what had happened. + +And in the next story, in case the telephone man doesn't crawl +through the water pipe and scare the window shutter so that it goes +bang-bang all day, I'll tell you about Flop Ear and the stockings. + + + + +STORY XXX + +FLOPPY AND THE STOCKINGS + + +"Flop Ear," said Mrs. Twistytail, the pig lady, to her son one +afternoon, "I think you will have to go to the store for me now." + +"All right, I'm ready to go," said Flop Ear, "only I thought Curly +Tail just went, and that I could stay home and read my picture +book." + +"He did go," said the pig lady, "but after I sent him for the +cocoanut to make the Christmas cake, I happened to remember that I +needed some chocolate to make a chocolate cake, so I think you will +have to go for that. I could send Baby Pinky, only she is over at +Jennie Chipmunk's, playing with her dolls." + +"Oh, I'll go!" said Flop Ear, and he laid aside his book, and got +ready to go to the store. It was getting nearer and nearer to +Christmas every day, and, though the piggie boys hadn't seen Santa +Claus himself since that one time in the woods, they had seen a lot +of people dressed up like him. + +You know jolly old St. Nicholas lets folks do that so he won't be +bothered so much when he is so busy. He has so much to do, arranging +about the presents that are to go in the stockings and down the +chimneys, that if he was interfered with, or talked to too much, +he'd never get done. + +So he allows a lot of make-believe Santa Clauses to go around the +streets and in stores, making the children as happy as they can. But +they are not the real ones, only make-believes, though some of them +are very nice. Then the real Santa Claus has his time to himself. + +And Floppy and Curly were not a bit sad that they had given up their +two chief toys, as I told you in the story last night, to the poor +boy and the lame boy. + +Well, in a little while, not so very long, Flop Ear got to the +store, and he bought the cake of chocolate for his mother. + +"And here is something for yourself," said the store man to the +piggie boy, and he gave him a cookie, with caraway seeds and little +candies on the top. + +Then Flop Ear was glad he had gone to the store, and he was walking +along, nibbling on the cookie, and saving a bit for his brother and +Baby Pinky, his sister, when, all at once he heard a voice say: + +"Here, little piggie boy, I want you!" + +He looked all around, thinking it might be the fuzzy wolf or the bad +skillery-scalery alligator, but all he saw was good kind Nurse Jane +Fuzzy Wuzzy. + +"Oh, I beg your pardon for thinking you were some one else," said +Flop Ear. "I took you for a wolf. What can I do for you?" + +"I have dropped my ball of yarn, from which I was knitting a pair of +mittens for Sammie Littletail," said the kind muskrat. "The ball +dropped in the dirt and I can't find it. I wonder if you could?" + +So Flop Ear hurried over to the rabbit house, where Nurse Jane +lived; she was the only one at home that day. And, by rooting around +in the dirt with his rubbery-ubbery nose, Flop Ear soon found the +ball of yarn. + +"Oh, how smart you are!" exclaimed Nurse Jane. "And, as a little +present to you I am going to give you a pair of stockings that I +knitted myself. You can hang them up for Santa Claus on Christmas." + +"Oh, thank you!" cried Flop Ear, as he took the stockings, which +were very big. Far too big they were for him, but he was too polite +to say so. And he thought, in case he couldn't wear them, that it +was all the better to have them big for Christmas, since Santa Claus +could put so much more in them. + +Then Flop Ear, with the stockings, and the cake of chocolate, having +helped Nurse Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy, started for home. And on the way he +passed a place where there were a lot of dried leaves, and he +thought to himself: + +"I'll fill one of the stockings with dried leaves and take them +home. They will make a good bed for Baby Pinky's doll," and so he +did fill one of the big stockings with leaves. + +Then he went on a little further, carrying the one empty stocking +and the one filled with leaves, which was almost as large as Flop +Ear himself. + +All of a sudden, as the piggie boy was going along, he came to a +hole in the ground, and while he was wondering who lived there, all +at once out popped a big fox, with a tail as large as a dusting +brush. + +"This is where I get you!" cried the fox, and he made a spring for +the piggie boy. But Flop Ear was too quick for him, and away he +sprang, with the big-tailed creature after him. + +"Stop! Stop! Wait for me!" cried the fox. + +"I can't--I haven't time," answered Flop, and on he went, faster +than before. But a fox is a good racer, and soon he was almost up to +the piggie. Just then Flop Ear dashed behind a big log, and there he +found a little mouse sitting. + +"Why are you in such a hurry?" asked the mouse. + +"Because the fox is after me," replied Flop Ear, "and he is right +behind me, ready to grab me." + +"Squeak!" cried the mouse. "The only way to get clear from a fox is +to fool him. Now what have you there besides the cake of chocolate?" +asked the mouse, for he could see that plainly enough. + +"A stocking full of leaves," answered Flop, "and one empty. Also +part of a cookie." + +"Very well," spoke the mouse. "Give me the cookie, and I will tell +you how to fool the fox." + +Well, Flop Ear did not want to give away his cookie, but he thought +it was better to do that than to be eaten himself, so he gave the +sweet little cake to the mouse, who said: + +"Now, when the fox comes up here, just toss out over the log the +stocking filled with leaves. The fox will think it is you, and he +will carry it off to his den before he finds out his mistake. By +that time you can run off home." + +"But I will lose the Christmas stocking," said the piggie boy. + +"It is better to lose one stocking than your life," said the mouse. +"Besides, one of those stockings is big enough for any piggie boy +for Christmas." + +Then Flop Ear did as he was told. Just as the fox came running +along, over the log the piggie boy tossed the stocking filled with +leaves. The fuzzy creature grabbed it, crying out: + +"Ah, this is the time I have Floppy!" and he imagined the pig was in +the stocking. Without stopping to look, off to his den ran the fox +with the stocking filled with leaves, and when he found out his +mistake--oh wow! Wasn't he disappointed though! + +But Floppy got safely home with the other stocking and the cake of +chocolate and nothing else happened that night, except that Mrs. +Twistytail sent the kind mouse a souvenir postal inviting him to +come to the Christmas dinner. + +And on the next page, provided the pussy cat draws a pail of pink +lemonade from the white inkwell, and gives the rubber doll a drink, +I'll tell you about the Twistytails' Christmas. + + + + +STORY XXXI + +THE TWISTYTAILS' CHRISTMAS + + +"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a +creature was stirring, not even--an automobile," read Curly Tail, +the little piggie boy as he sat by the open fireplace in his house. + +"Hold on!" cried his brother Flop Ear, "that isn't right, Curly. It +should be not a mouse stirring--I know that poem." + +"You're right, Floppy dear," admitted Curly Tail, "I read it wrong, +but anyhow tomorrow is Christmas, and I was thinking so much about +the toy automobile I want, that I guess I put one in the verse by +mistake." + +"All right, then I'll forgive you," said Floppy, who was sitting by +the fireplace, stringing red, white and blue popcorn for Baby +Pinky's rag doll's Christmas tree. "And I'm thinking of the toy +steam engine I want," went on Flop Ear. "Oh! why doesn't Christmas +hurry up and come?" + +"That's what I want to know," put in Pinky, as she dressed her doll +in her best dress, all ready for the holiday that was soon to be +there. + +Oh such goings on as there were in the Twistytail house! The holly +with its red berries, and its prickly leaves, had been put in the +windows and on the gas chandeliers had been hung the magical +mystical mistletoe, with its white berries, and whoever stood under +it would have to love everybody else. + +And such good smells as there were coming from the kitchen! Pumpkin +pies, and sour milk pudding, and apple cake, to say nothing of +cornmeal lollypops with chocolate in the middle. + +Mrs. Twistytail was as busy as anything, and as for Papa Twistytail, +he had stayed home from the office on purpose to help decorate the +house. Flop Ear and Curly Tail and Baby Pinky had written letters to +Santa Claus the night before, and put them near the chimney. And, in +the morning, would you believe it? those letters were gone! Yes, +siree! not a trace of them left! + +"Oh, goody!" cried Baby Pinky, "Santa Claus came in his reindeer +sleigh and took them. Now we'll get just what we want." + +Busier and busier became everything in the Twistytail house, and for +that matter, there were busy times in the homes of Sammie and Susie +Littletail, and Johnnie and Billy Bushytail, and the Wibblewobble +duck children, and Jackie and Peetie Bow Wow, the puppy dogs. And as +for Uncle Wiggily Longears, the old rabbit gentleman, who was quite +rich since he found his fortune, he was so busy that he wore out two +rheumatism crutches and Nurse Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy had to gnaw him +another from a broom stick, instead of a corn stalk. + +Then it began to snow. Oh, how the white flakes did swirl down out +of the sky, blowing here and there like feathers. They piled up in +drifts, and the animal children raced through them, kicking their +feet about, tossing the white flakes up in the air, falling down in +the drifts and making snowballs. And the wind came down the chimney +like a fairy blowing a blast on a trumpet. Oh, it was the most jolly +time of all the year! Uncle Wiggily said to himself, and he ought to +know, if anybody does. + +"You must go to bed early this night, children," said Mrs. +Twistytail after supper. "The sooner you are asleep the sooner will +it be Christmas." + +"We will," said Curly Tail and Flop Ear and Baby Pinky, and off they +trotted, after kissing their papa and mamma good-night, their little +kinky tails flopping up and down like a lady's earrings when she +runs after a trolley car. + +Darker and darker it grew, and still the snowflakes kept coming down +until all the ground was white and the roofs of houses, too, and the +gate posts and the pump in the yard and everything--all white, +ready for Christmas. + +"Santa Claus' reindeer can easily pull the sleigh tonight," said +Baby Pinky, as she looked from the window. + +"Come, get back into bed!" called Curly Tail, "or Santa Claus won't +come." + +It was close to midnight, and still the snow came down. Outside the +Twistytail house, just as outside of every other house where the +children believe in Santa Claus, there was heard the ringing of +bells. Then some one called: + +"Whoa, there, reindeer!" + +Then there was a noise in the chimney. Maybe it was the wind, or +maybe it was a little bird crawling in to get warm. I don't know. +Anyway, there was a noise, but the piggie children never woke up. + +And then--and then--and then--in a little while it was Christmas +morning. Somewhere a horn blew. Curly Tail heard it first, and, +though it was scarcely daylight, he hopped out of bed. + +"Wake up!" he cried, "Wake up everybody! It's Christmas! Merry +Christmas!" + +"Merry Christmas!" cried Flop Ear. + +"Merry Christmas!" echoed Baby Pinky, and they all rushed +downstairs. + +"Mercy me!" exclaimed Mrs. Twistytail, rubbing her eyes. "Christmas +so soon?" + +"Yes, indeed!" shouted the children. "Oh, come and see what we +have!" + +Well, if I were to tell you all that happened at the Twistytail +house that day, and about all the presents the children got, I'm +sure I would be so long finishing that you would get hungry. But oh! +everything was lovely! + +"I've got my toy steam engine!" cried Flop Ear. + +"And I have my toy auto!" said his brother. + +"Oh, I see my new doll carriage--and a new doll in it--and look at +her little Christmas tree!" cried Baby Pinky! "Oh, how lovely +everything is!" + +"Merry Christmas!" cried a voice at the door, and there stood Uncle +Wiggily Longears, with a lot of bundles under his paws. "Santa Claus +left these at my house by mistake," he said. "They belong here!" and +there was a sled, and skates and a football, and a rocking horse, +and a jumping jack, and I don't know what all. + +"Merry Christmas!" cried another voice, and there stood Grandpa +Squealer, the oldest pig of them all, and in his paws he had a lot +of packages, and an extra one tied to his tail. + +"Santa Claus left these at my house by mistake," he said, "they +belong here." + +And there was a blackboard and some building blocks, and a toy top, +and toy horns, and a printing press and a phonograph, and oh! I +don't know what all else besides. + +"Look at my auto!" cried Curly Tail. "It goes like everything!" and +he wound it up, and whizz! it went right at Uncle Wiggily. + +"Hold on! Stop it! Don't let it bite me!" cried the old gentleman +rabbit, and he tried to get out of the way, but he slipped on his +broomstick crutch and fell down, and a piece of prickly holly fell +on him and tickled him so that he sneezed. + +"Look at my steam engine!" cried Flop Ear. And he started it going, +and all of a sudden it darted right for Grandpa Squealer. + +"Stop it! Hold it! Don't let it get me!" cried the old gentleman +pig. But the engine went right at him and ran over his toe, but it +didn't hurt much, because it was so little--I mean the engine was, +not Grandpa Squealer's toe. But he slipped, too, and fell, and some +mistletoe got tangled in his paws, but that only made everybody the +more happy. + +"Merry Christmas!" cried Uncle Wiggily. + +"Merry Christmas!" grunted Grandpa Squealer, and Mr. and Mrs. +Twistytail and the children. And from the outside the house all +their animal friends shouted the happy words, and the horns blew, +and the bells rang, and it was Christmas at last. + +And so to one and all of you, children and big folks, I wish you a +Merry Christmas, ten thousand million of them, and one more for good +luck, and may you all be happy! And Uncle Wiggily says the same +thing. + +So now, as there are as many stories in this book as it can hold, +even with pinching and squeezing, if I tell you any more they will +have to be printed in another book. And the name of that will be: +"Bedtime Stories; Toodle and Noodle Flat-tail." + +The stories will be about some funny little beaver boys, and the +queer things they did. Uncle Wiggily will be in that book, too, and +so will many more of your animal friends, not forgetting Grandpa +Whacker, the oldest beaver of them all. + +So, until those stories are ready, which will be next season, I'll +bid you all good-bye! + +THE END + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Curly and Floppy Twistytail, by Howard R. Garis + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURLY AND FLOPPY TWISTYTAIL *** + +This file should be named crflt10.txt or crflt10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, crflt11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, crflt10a.txt + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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