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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tale of Tommy Fox, by Arthur Scott Bailey
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Tale of Tommy Fox
+
+Author: Arthur Scott Bailey
+
+Posting Date: January 26, 2013 [EBook #5955]
+Release Date: June, 2004
+First Posted: September 29, 2002
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF TOMMY FOX ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: "Run Along, Tommy Fox," the Squirrel Said]
+
+SLEEPY-TIME TALES
+
+
+THE TALE OF TOMMY FOX
+
+BY
+
+ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
+
+
+ILLUSTRATED BY
+
+HARRY L. SMITH
+
+
+
+
+Copyright, 1915, by
+A. S. BAILEY
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+CHAPTER
+
+    I TOMMY ENJOYS HIMSELF
+   II JOHNNIE GREEN GOES HUNTING
+  III TOMMY FOX LEARNS TO HUNT
+   IV MOTHER GROUSE'S CHILDREN
+    V TOMMY FOX IS HUNGRY
+   VI MR. GRAY SQUIRREL'S MISTAKE
+  VII TOMMY CHASES MR. WOODCHUCK
+ VIII SOMETHING MAKES TOMMY VERY PROUD
+   IX TOMMY FOX IN TROUBLE
+    X MRS. FOX OUTWITS DOG SPOT
+   XI TOMMY GROWS TOO CARELESS
+  XII OLD MR. CROW IS PLEASED
+ XIII JOHNNIE GREEN AND HIS NEW PET
+  XIV TOMMY FOX MAKES A STRANGE FRIEND
+   XV JOHNNIE GREEN FEELS SAD
+  XVI TOMMY BECOMES BOASTFUL
+ XVII PAYING A CALL ON A FRIEND
+XVIII THE WORLD TURNS WHITE
+  XIX TOMMY FOX LEARNS A NEW TRICK
+   XX THE DRUMMER OF THE WOODS
+  XXI THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF ALL
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+"RUN ALONG, TOMMY FOX," THE SQUIRREL SAID...... Frontispiece
+
+A CLOUD OF FEATHERS FLOATED DOWN FROM THE LIMB
+
+MR. WOODCHUCK WHISKED DOWN OUT OF SIGHT
+
+TOMMY DASHED FOR THE LITTLE DOOR
+
+TOMMY THOUGHT IT WAS HIS MOTHER'S VOICE
+
+MRS. FOX AND TOMMY STARTED TO RUN
+
+
+
+I
+
+TOMMY ENJOYS HIMSELF
+
+
+Tommy Fox was having a delightful time. If you could have come upon
+him in the woods you would have been astonished at his antics. He
+leaped high off the ground, and struck out with his paws. He opened
+his mouth and thrust his nose out and then clapped his jaws shut
+again, with a snap. Tommy burrowed his sharp face into the dead leaves
+at his feet and tossed his head into the air. And then he jumped up
+and barked just like a puppy.
+
+If you could have hid behind a tree and watched Tommy Fox you would
+have said that he was playing with something. But you never could have
+told what it was, because you couldn't have seen it. And you may have
+three guesses now, before I tell you what it was that Tommy Fox was
+playing with. ... It was a feather! Yes--Tommy had found a downy,
+brownish feather in the woods, which old Mother Grouse had dropped in
+one of her flights. And Tommy was having great sport with it, tossing
+it up in the air, and slapping and snapping at it, as it drifted
+slowly down to the ground again.
+
+He grew quite excited, did Tommy Fox. For he just couldn't help making
+believe that it was old Mother Grouse herself--and not merely one of
+her smallest feathers that he had found. And he leaped and bounded and
+jumped and tumbled about and made a great fuss over nothing but that
+little, soft, brownish feather.
+
+There was something about that feather that made Tommy's nose twitch
+and wrinkle and tremble. Tommy sniffed and sniffed at the bit of down,
+for he liked the smell of it. It made him feel very hungry. And at
+last he felt so hungry that he decided he would go home and see if his
+mother had brought him something to eat. So he started homewards.
+
+I must explain that Tommy lived with his mother and that their house
+was right in the middle of one of Farmer Green's fields, not far from
+the foot of Blue Mountain. When Tommy was quite small his mother had
+chosen that place for her house, which was really a den that she had
+dug in the ground. By having her house in the center of the field she
+knew that no one could creep up and catch Tommy when he was playing
+outside in the sunshine. Now Tommy was older, and had begun to roam
+about in the woods and meadows alone. But Mrs. Fox liked her home in
+the field, and so she continued to live there.
+
+Tommy was so hungry, now, and in such a hurry to reach home, that you
+might think that he would have gone straight toward his mother's
+house. But he didn't. He trotted along a little way, and suddenly gave
+a sidewise leap which carried him several feet away from the straight
+path he had been following. Again he trotted ahead for a short
+distance. And then he wheeled around and ran in a circle. And after he
+had made the circle he jumped to one side once more, and ran along on
+an old tree which had fallen upon the ground. He was not playing.
+No!--Tommy Fox was just trying to obey his mother. Ever since he had
+been big enough to wander off by himself she had told him that he must
+never go anywhere without making jumps and circles. "It takes longer,"
+she said; "but it is better to do that way, because it makes it hard
+for a dog to follow you. If you ran straight ahead, Farmer Green's dog
+could go smelling along in your footsteps, and if he didn't actually
+catch you he could follow you right home and then we would have to
+move, to say the least."
+
+Tommy was so afraid of dogs that he almost never forgot to do just as
+his mother told him. He was half-way home and passing through a clump
+of evergreens, when he suddenly stopped. The wind was blowing in his
+face, and brought to his nostrils a smell that made him tremble. It
+was not a frightened sort of tremble, but a delicious, joyful shiver
+that Tommy felt. For he smelled something that reminded him at once of
+that feather with which he had been playing. And Tommy stood as still
+as a statue and his sharp eyes looked all around. At first he could
+see nothing. But in a minute or two he noticed something on the
+ground, beneath one of the evergreen trees. He had looked at it
+carefully several times; and each time he had decided that it was only
+an old tree-root. But now he saw that he had been mistaken.
+
+Yes! It was old Mother Grouse herself!
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+JOHNNIE GREEN GOES HUNTING
+
+
+When Tommy Fox discovered old Mother Grouse crouched beneath the
+evergreen tree he grew hungrier than ever. And he decided that he
+would catch Mrs. Grouse and eat her on the spot.
+
+Tommy had never caught a grouse. But his mother had brought home some
+of old Mother Grouse's relations for him to eat; and Tommy knew of
+nothing that tasted any better.
+
+He thought that old Mother Grouse must be sleeping, she was so still.
+And he did not mean to wake her if he could help it--at least, not
+until he had caught her. So Tommy flattened himself out on his stomach
+and began to creep towards her, very slowly and very carefully. He
+didn't make the slightest noise. And soon he had stolen so close to
+old Mother Grouse that he was just about to spring up and rush upon
+her. Then all at once there was the most terrible noise. It was almost
+as loud as thunder, and it seemed to Tommy that the ground was rising
+right up in front of him. He was so startled that he fell over
+backward. And his heart thumped and pounded against his ribs.
+
+The next moment Tommy Fox felt very sheepish, for he realized that the
+noise was nothing but the beating of old Mother Grouse's wings against
+the air. And instead of the ground rising, it was old Mother Grouse
+herself who had jumped up and sailed away. She hadn't been asleep. She
+had seen him all the time.
+
+[Illustration: A Cloud of Feathers Floated Down From the Limb]
+
+And she had just waited until she saw that Tommy was trying to catch
+her before she flew off.
+
+Old Mother Grouse didn't fly far. She perched in a tree just a little
+way off and sat there and looked down at Tommy Fox and chuckled to
+herself. She knew that she was perfectly safe. And though Tommy Fox
+trotted up to the tree where she sat and stared longingly up at her
+she wasn't the least bit worried. For she knew quite well that Tommy
+couldn't climb a tree.
+
+Tommy felt very peevish. He was _so_ hungry! And he couldn't help
+thinking how good old Mother Grouse would have tasted. He couldn't
+reach her now. But still he didn't go along toward home. He simply
+couldn't keep his greedy eyes off fat old Mother Grouse! And he
+squatted down beside a bush and stared at her.
+
+Old Mother Grouse didn't mind that. She just stared back at Tommy Fox;
+and she didn't say a word to him, which somehow made Tommy still more
+peevish.
+
+How long Tommy would have stayed there it would be hard to tell. But
+in a little while something happened that sent him home on the run. If
+Mrs. Grouse and Tommy had been looking out as sharply as they
+generally did, Farmer Green's boy never could have crept up so close
+to them. But they were so busy staring at each other that they never
+saw Farmer Green's boy at all.
+
+Now, Johnnie Green had his gun with him, for he was hunting grouse. He
+did not see Tommy Fox at all, because Tommy was hidden behind the
+bush. But Johnnie Green saw old Mother Grouse; and almost as soon as
+he saw her he fired.
+
+The old shot-gun made a tremendous roar. The woods rang and echoed
+with the noise. And Tommy Fox saw a cloud of feathers float down from
+the limb where old Mother Grouse had been sitting. But old Mother
+Grouse herself flew away. The shot had knocked out some of her
+tail-feathers, but hadn't hurt her at all.
+
+It all happened very quickly. And Tommy Fox felt himself leaping high
+in the air. He was so frightened that he had jumped almost out of his
+skin. And he ran and ran, and ran faster than he had ever run before
+in all his rather short life.
+
+Johnnie Green saw him run. But his gun wasn't loaded now, and he
+couldn't shoot. And he didn't have his dog with him, either. It was
+lucky for Tommy Fox that there was no dog there. For Tommy was so
+scared that he forgot all about jumping sideways, and running in
+circles, as his mother had taught him. He just ran straight for his
+home in the middle of the big field; and when he got there he scurried
+through the door and scampered inside; and he never came out again all
+that day.
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+TOMMY FOX LEARNS TO HUNT
+
+
+Tommy Fox was hunting crickets in the field near his mother's house.
+Being a young fox, not much more than half-grown, Tommy knew very
+little of hunting. In fact, crickets were about the only thing he
+could hunt and _catch_. Of course, any one can _hunt_. The hard part
+of it is to _catch_ what you are hunting.
+
+Tommy was glad that he knew how to capture crickets, for he was very
+fond of them. To be sure, it took a great many crickets to satisfy his
+hunger. But they were good when he wanted a light lunch; and there was
+fun, too, in hunting them.
+
+This is the way Tommy Fox caught crickets. He would stand very still
+in the tall grass and watch sharply. Wherever he saw the grass moving,
+Tommy would pounce upon that spot, bringing his two front paws down
+tight against the ground. And in the bunch of grass that lay beneath
+his paws Tommy almost always found a fat cricket.
+
+There was just one drawback about that kind of hunting. He could catch
+crickets only upon still days, when there was no wind; because when
+the wind blew, the grass waved everywhere, and Tommy couldn't tell
+whether it was crickets or whether it was wind that made the grass
+move.
+
+Well, upon this very day when Tommy Fox was amusing himself, and
+swallowing crickets as fast as he could grab them, his mother came out
+of her house and watched him for a little while. Tommy was feeling
+quite proud of his skill.
+
+"I can hunt--can't I, Mother?" he exclaimed. "Watch me! I get them
+almost every time!" he boasted.
+
+Mrs. Fox did not answer. She was thinking deeply. She knew that there
+were a great many things she must teach her son, because he was
+growing up; and some day he would be leaving home to go out into the
+world and take care of himself. And Mrs. Fox knew that Tommy would
+have to learn to catch bigger things than crickets in order to keep
+from starving.
+
+Pretty soon Mrs. Fox started across the field. She was gone rather a
+long time. But she came back at last, carrying something that squirmed
+and twisted and wriggled. Whatever it was that Mrs. Fox was bringing
+home, it was furry, and quite big and heavy. When Tommy saw it he
+stopped hunting crickets at once. He knew what his mother had. It was
+a woodchuck!
+
+"Hurrah!" he shouted. "I'm hungry! May I eat all of him I want?" You
+might think that he had swallowed so many crickets that he wouldn't
+want anything more to eat just then. But to tell the truth, it was
+very seldom that Tommy Fox wasn't hungry as a bear.
+
+"Not so fast!" Mrs. Fox said. "I'm going to teach you to hunt. And
+you're to begin with this woodchuck. Now I'm going to let him go, and
+you must catch him." So Mrs. Fox let the woodchuck slip away; and off
+he scampered, with Tommy after him. Mrs. Fox followed close behind.
+And soon she saw Tommy give a great spring and land right on top of
+the woodchuck.
+
+Tommy was greatly excited. But he was hungry, too, "May I eat him
+now?" he asked.
+
+"No! Let him go again," his mother commanded. "And see if you can
+catch him more quickly next time."
+
+Tommy obeyed. And though he overtook the woodchuck sooner, he was not
+so careful to avoid the 'chuck's sharp teeth, and he got a savage nip
+right on his nose.
+
+Tommy was surprised. He was so surprised that he dropped the
+woodchuck. And you may believe that Mr. Woodchuck lost no time. He
+scurried away as fast as his legs would carry him.
+
+Tommy began to whimper. His nose hurt; and he thought he had lost his
+dinner, too.
+
+But Mrs. Fox bounded after Mr. Woodchuck and brought him back again.
+She made Tommy stop crying. And he had to begin his lesson all over
+again.
+
+When Mrs. Fox thought that Tommy had learned enough for that day they
+both sat down and made a meal of that unfortunate Mr. Woodchuck. And
+Tommy felt that he had already become a mighty hunter. He hadn't the
+least doubt that he could go into the woods and catch almost anything
+he saw.
+
+We shall see later whether Tommy Fox knew as much as he thought he
+did.
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+MOTHER GROUSE'S CHILDREN
+
+
+The very next day after his first lesson in hunting, when his mother
+had brought home the live woodchuck, Tommy Fox went off into the woods
+alone. He had made up his mind that he would surprise his mother by
+bringing home some nice tidbit for dinner--a rabbit, perhaps, or maybe
+a squirrel. He wasn't quite sure _what_ it would be, because you know
+when hunting you have to take what you find--if you can catch it.
+
+Tommy Fox hadn't been long in the woods before he had even better luck
+than he had expected. He was creeping through a thicket, making no
+noise at all, when what should he see but that sly old Mother Grouse,
+with all her eleven children! They were very young, were old Mother
+Grouse's children; and they hadn't yet learned to fly. And there they
+were, all on the ground, with the proud old lady in their midst.
+
+Tommy Fox was so pleased that he almost laughed out loud. He tried to
+keep still; but he couldn't help snickering a little. And old Mother
+Grouse heard him. She started to fly. But instead of tearing off out
+of danger, she lighted on the ground quite near Tommy.
+
+"How stupid of her!" he thought. "I'll just catch the old lady first,
+and then get the youngsters afterward. _They_ can't fly away."
+
+So Tommy made a leap for old Mother Grouse. He just missed her.
+
+She rose in the nick of time and slipped away from him. But she didn't
+fly far. So Tommy followed. And he stole up very slyly; and once more,
+when he was quite near the old lady, he sprang at her.
+
+It was really very annoying. For again old Mother Grouse just escaped.
+Again she flew a little further away, lighted on the ground, and
+seemed to forget that Tommy Fox was so near.
+
+That same thing happened as many as a dozen times. And the twelfth
+time that Mrs. Grouse rose before one of Tommy's rushes she didn't
+come down again. She lighted in a tree. And since it appeared to Tommy
+that she had no intention of leaving her safe perch, he gave up in
+disgust. He was very angry because he hadn't caught old Mother Grouse.
+But there was her family! He would get _them_--the whole eleven of
+them! And he turned back toward the place where he had first come upon
+them.
+
+Now, sly old Mother Grouse had played a trick on Tommy Fox. If he had
+just left her alone he could have caught every one of her children.
+But she had tempted him to follow her. And every time she rose from
+the ground and flew a short distance, she led Tommy further away from
+her little ones.
+
+Tommy had some trouble in finding the exact spot where he had stumbled
+upon Mrs. Grouse and her children. But he found it again, at last. And
+little good it did him; for not a trace of those eleven young grouse
+could he discover. They had all disappeared--every single one of them!
+_They_ knew what to do when their mother led Tommy Fox away. Each of
+them found a safe hiding-place. Some of them burrowed beneath the
+fallen leaves; some of them hid behind old stumps; some of them crept
+into a hollow log. And try as he would, Tommy Fox was unable to find
+so much as one downy feather.
+
+He was so disappointed--and so ashamed--that he went home and stayed
+there. But he had learned something. Yes! Tommy Fox knew that if he
+ever met old Mother Grouse and her family again he would catch her
+children first. Afterward he would try to capture the sly old lady
+herself. But he didn't believe, just then, that he would ever be able
+to catch her. You see, Tommy realized that he wasn't quite so clever
+as he had thought.
+
+
+
+
+V
+
+TOMMY FOX IS HUNGRY
+
+
+Tommy Fox kept a sharp look-out to see what he could capture to eat.
+But he could discover nothing at all. To be sure, there were birds in
+the trees, and birds' nests too, and Tommy was very fond of birds'
+eggs. But he couldn't climb trees. The birds were out of his reach;
+and so were the squirrels. He saw plenty of red squirrels, and gray
+squirrels, and little striped chipmunks. They looked down from the
+branches and chattered and scolded at him. They were perfectly safe,
+and they knew it.
+
+Tommy Fox sat down to think. As I have said, he was hungry. And there
+is nothing that sharpens a fox's wits like hunger. He looked very
+innocent, as he rested under a big chestnut tree, and gazed up at a
+gray squirrel which was perched on a limb over his head.
+
+"Run along, Tommy Fox," the squirrel said to him.--"There's no use of
+your staying here. I shan't come down until you're gone."
+
+Tommy didn't say anything. He just whined a few times, and held his
+paw against his stomach. And he gave one or two groans.
+
+The gray squirrel came a little further down the tree and looked at
+Tommy again. He wondered if Tommy was ill. And then, when Tommy
+stretched himself out on the ground and lay quite still the gray
+squirrel was sure that Tommy Fox had eaten something that hurt him.
+
+"What is it?" the squirrel inquired.
+
+Tommy looked up and murmured something. The squirrel couldn't hear
+what he said, but he thought he caught the word _poison_. And he
+decided that Tommy had probably devoured a poisoned chicken-head which
+Farmer Green had thrown out for him.
+
+I am afraid that the squirrel didn't feel very sorry. He didn't like
+Tommy Fox, for Tommy was always trying to catch him. But if he wasn't
+sorry, he was curious. And he sat up on a low branch and looked at
+Tommy for a long time.
+
+Tommy Fox never moved again. His eyes were shut; his beautiful red
+tail, with its white tip, lay limp on the ground; and his legs stuck
+out as stiff as pokers.
+
+Mr. Gray Squirrel felt sure that Tommy was very ill. He called and
+called to Tommy. But he got no reply. And at last he decided that
+Tommy must be dead. So he slipped down the tree to the ground, to get
+a better look.
+
+At first Mr. Gray Squirrel stayed close to the tree, so that he could
+scamper up again in case he was mistaken. But Tommy Fox never moved an
+eyelash. And at last Mr. Gray Squirrel grew quite bold. He edged
+closer to Tommy. He had never been so near a fox before, and he was
+curious to see what he looked like. He stole up beside Tommy and was
+just about to call to his friends in the next tree-top to come down,
+when he received the surprise of his life.
+
+As Mr. Gray Squirrel watched, he thought he saw one of Tommy Fox's
+eyelids quiver. And a great fear seized him. Had he been mistaken? Was
+Tommy Fox playing dead?
+
+
+
+
+VI
+
+MR. GRAY SQUIRREL'S MISTAKE
+
+
+Mr. Gray Squirrel certainly was mistaken, when he thought that Tommy
+Fox was dead and came down out of the chestnut tree to look at him.
+Tommy wasn't even ill. You remember that he was very hungry? And that
+he had not been able to find anything to eat? Tommy could not climb
+the tree, where Mr. Gray Squirrel sat. So the only thing left for him
+to do was to make Mr. Gray Squirrel come down where _he_ was.
+
+That was what Tommy Fox was thinking about, when he sat there on his
+haunches and looked up so innocently at Mr. Gray Squirrel. As Tommy
+sat there a bright idea came to him. So he held his paw to his stomach
+and pretended to be ill. And as soon as he saw that Mr. Gray Squirrel
+thought he was ill, Tommy fell over on his side and made believe he
+was dead.
+
+Though his eyes were shut tight, Tommy's ears were so sharp that he
+could tell when Mr. Gray Squirrel came down the tree. And he could
+hear him slowly picking his way nearer and nearer. Tommy's nose was
+sharp, too, and he could smell Mr. Gray Squirrel. He smelled so good
+that Tommy couldn't help opening one eye the least bit, just to see
+him. That was when Mr. Gray Squirrel noticed that his eyelid quivered.
+And Tommy saw at once that Mr. Gray Squirrel had caught that flicker
+of his eyelid, and that he was frightened. Tommy knew then that he
+must act quickly.
+
+He jumped up like a flash. But quick as he was, Mr. Gray Squirrel was
+even quicker. He reached the tree just ahead of Tommy Fox; and though
+Tommy leaped high up the trunk, he was too late. Mr. Gray Squirrel
+scrambled up the tree so fast that his big, bushy tail just whisked
+across Tommy's face. And in another second he was safe in the
+tree-top, chattering and scolding, and calling Tommy names.
+
+Tommy Fox felt very foolish. He realized that if he had jumped up
+without first opening his eye he would not have given Mr. Gray
+Squirrel any warning; and then he would have caught the plump old
+fellow. But it was too late now. Another time he would know better.
+And he sneaked off, to try the same trick on one of Mr. Gray
+Squirrel's friends.
+
+It was no use. Mr. Squirrel followed him, jumping from one tree-top to
+another, and made a great noise, calling after him, and jeering at
+him, and telling all his friends about the mean trick Tommy had tried
+to play on him.
+
+And to Tommy's great disgust, an old crow high up in a tall tree heard
+the story, and haw-hawed loudly, he was so amused. He made such a
+racket that all the forest-people heard him; and Tommy knew that there
+was no sense in trying to catch a squirrel around there _that_ day. He
+went down into the meadow and began hunting crickets. And though he
+didn't have as good a lunch as he wanted, probably he ate all that was
+good for him.
+
+
+
+
+VII
+
+TOMMY CHASES MR. WOODCHUCK
+
+
+Tommy Fox went up into Farmer Green's back-pasture, which, lay even
+nearer Blue Mountain than the field where Tommy and his mother lived.
+He skulked along among the rocky hummocks, and the old stumps which
+dotted the pasture thickly. His ears and his eyes and his nose were
+all alert to discover any small animal that might be
+stirring--especially his nose; for Tommy could smell things when
+they were a long way off.
+
+Tommy's mother had explained to him that he must always hunt with the
+wind blowing in his face; because then the breeze brought to him the
+scent of any animal that might be in front of him, whether it happened
+to be an animal that Tommy was hunting, or some animal that was
+hunting _him_. In that way Tommy would be able to know what was ahead
+of him, even if he couldn't see it.
+
+[Illustration: Mr. Woodchuck Whisked Down Out of Sight]
+
+But if he were careless, and trotted along with the wind blowing
+_behind him_--ah! that was quite different. The other forest-people
+would all know he was coming, for then _they_ would be able to get
+Tommy's scent. And some day, if he were so foolish as to go about with
+the wind at his back, some day he might stumble right onto a wildcat,
+or a dog, or a man, or some other terrible creature.
+
+Well--Tommy remembered all these things that his mother had told him.
+The wind blew fresh in his face. And to his delight all at once he
+smelled a woodchuck. There was no mistaking that savoury smell. It
+affected Tommy very pleasantly--much as you are affected by catching a
+whiff of hot peanuts, or pop-corn, or candy cooking on the stove.
+
+Tommy stole along very carefully. And as he peered around a stump he
+saw, not ten jumps ahead of him, a fine, fat woodchuck. Tommy crept up
+a little closer; and then he sprang for Mr. Woodchuck with a rush.
+
+Pudgy Mr. Woodchuck saw Tommy just in time. He turned tail and ran for
+his life; and he was so spry, though he was quite a fat, elderly
+gentleman, that he reached his hole and whisked down out of sight just
+as Tommy was about to seize him.
+
+Tommy was disappointed. But he was determined to get that woodchuck,
+and he began to dig away at Mr. Woodchuck's hole. You see, Mr.
+Woodchuck was smaller than Tommy Fox, and since the underground tunnel
+that led to his home was only big enough to admit _him_, Tommy was
+obliged to make it larger. Though Mr. Woodchuck's hole was under a
+shady oak tree, Tommy found digging to be somewhat warm work, so he
+took off his neat, red coat and hung it carefully upon a bush.
+
+He worked very hard, for he was eager to find Mr. Woodchuck. In fact,
+the further Tommy dug into the ground the more excited he grew. And he
+had just decided that he had almost reached the end of the tunnel, and
+that a little more digging would bring him inside of Mr. Woodchuck's
+house, when he met with an unexpected check.
+
+To Tommy's dismay, Mr. Woodchuck's tunnel led between two roots of the
+big oak, and Tommy could not squeeze between them. He reached his paws
+through the narrow opening and crowded his nose in as far as it would
+go. But that was all he could do. He did not doubt that somewhere in
+beyond, in the darkness, Mr. Woodchuck was having a good laugh because
+Tommy had done all that work for nothing.
+
+I am sorry to say that Tommy Fox lost his temper. He called after Mr.
+Woodchuck. Yes--he shouted some rather bad names after him. But of
+course that didn't do a bit of good. And Tommy Fox put on his coat and
+went home to think about what he could do. He didn't care to ask his
+mother's advice, because he didn't want her to know that Mr. Woodchuck
+had got away from him. But he hoped to find some way in which he could
+catch the old gentleman.
+
+
+
+
+VIII
+
+SOMETHING MAKES TOMMY VERY PROUD
+
+
+Tommy Fox could think of nothing but Mr. Woodchuck. He thought there
+could be no use in going back to the hole beneath the big oak in the
+pasture until the next day, because Mr. Woodchuck would probably be
+afraid that Tommy was waiting for him to come out. Yes--Tommy decided
+that Mr. Woodchuck would stay in his house down among the roots of the
+big tree and not show himself again until he felt quite sure that his
+enemy had grown tired of watching and had given up the idea of
+catching him.
+
+But Tommy guessed that by another day old Mr. Woodchuck would be so
+hungry that he would have to go out of doors again to get something to
+eat. And Tommy Fox could hardly wait for the night to pass. But
+another day came at last; and it found Tommy up and hurrying to Farmer
+Green's back-pasture, where Mr. Woodchuck lived. It was just growing
+light; and there was a heavy dew upon the grass, which Tommy didn't
+like at all, because he just hated to get his feet wet.
+
+Tommy did not go near Mr. Woodchuck's hole. Although he was just a
+young fox, he was too wise to do that. He knew that if he went nosing
+around Mr. Woodchuck's dooryard the old gentleman would smell his
+tracks as soon as he poked his head out. So Tommy was careful to keep
+away from the hole where he had dug so hard the day before. He sneaked
+around until he had passed Mr. Woodchuck's house; and then he crept up
+behind the big oak close by. And there he waited.
+
+Tommy kept smiling. He was _so_ pleased, because his plan was working
+out very well. The wind blew towards him, and Tommy saw that Mr.
+Woodchuck wouldn't be able to smell him when the old fellow came up
+into the open air.
+
+For a long time Tommy waited there. He kept very still. And he stayed
+hidden behind the tree, with only one eye peeping round the tree-trunk,
+so that he could watch for Mr. Woodchuck. He was very patient--was
+Tommy. You have to be patient, you know, when you are hunting. He
+crouched behind the tree for at least an hour, and never once took his
+eye off that hole. And at last he saw Mr. Woodchuck's nose come
+popping out.
+
+If Tommy hadn't been watching very closely he wouldn't have seen it at
+all; for Mr. Woodchuck just stuck his head up for a second, took one
+quick look all around, and jumped back again. He hadn't seen anything
+to frighten him. But he thought it best to be very careful.
+
+Tommy waited. And pretty soon that small nose came sticking out again.
+This time it stayed longer. And to Tommy's great delight, in another
+minute he saw Mr. Woodchuck climb up and take a good look all about.
+
+Tommy Fox hardly breathed. He didn't see how the old gentleman could
+help spying him. But he didn't. And then Mr. Woodchuck started off
+across the pasture, to find something for breakfast. He was very
+hungry, for he hadn't had any supper the night before.
+
+Tommy Fox waited until Mr. Woodchuck had gone just a few steps away
+from his doorway. And then Tommy stole after him. This time Tommy was
+between Mr. Woodchuck and his house. And Mr. Woodchuck couldn't
+escape.
+
+It was all over in a second. And Tommy Fox felt very proud of himself
+when he reached home and showed his mother what he had brought.
+
+"I can hunt--can't I, Mother?" he said. "To-morrow I'm going up on the
+mountain and catch a bear."
+
+"Don't be silly," Mrs. Fox said. "You know you couldn't catch a bear."
+But she was much pleased, in spite of what she said. For she saw that
+Tommy was really beginning to learn something.
+
+
+
+
+IX
+
+TOMMY FOX IN TROUBLE
+
+
+A few days after Tommy Fox caught old Mr. Woodchuck, something
+happened that set him thinking. Perhaps I should say _"a few nights"_
+instead of _"days."_ For one night his mother came home with a fat hen
+slung across her shoulders. She had been down to Farmer Green's
+hen-house, right in the middle of the night, when Farmer Green and his
+family were asleep; and she had snatched one of the sleeping hens off
+the roost and stolen away with it without waking anybody.
+
+Only a very wise old fox could do that. "You mustn't go near Farmer
+Green's hen-house," Mrs. Fox said to Tommy, as they picked the bones
+of the fat hen together. "You are not old enough to get one of Farmer
+Green's hens."
+
+You notice that Mrs. Fox didn't speak of _"stealing"_ a hen. She
+called it "getting" one. For foxes believe that it is only fair to
+take a farmer's hen now and then, in return for killing field-mice and
+woodchucks, which eat the farmer's grain. But the farmer never stops
+to think of that. He only thinks of the hens that he loses.
+
+Tommy Fox never said a word while his mother was talking to him. He
+was very busy, eating. But that was not the only reason why he kept
+still. He heard his mother's warning, but he thought she was silly. He
+really believed that he was quite old enough and quite big enough and
+quite wise enough to go down to Farmer Green's and get a hen himself.
+After catching old Mr. Woodchuck Tommy felt that he was able to do
+about everything his mother could do. And he made up his mind right
+then and there that he would show her. He would pay a visit to the
+hen-house that very night.
+
+Tommy Fox could not wait for night to come. In fact, he could wait
+only until the close of day--he was in such a hurry to capture a hen.
+The sun had scarcely sunk out of sight in the west and the sky was
+still red, when he crept slyly up to Farmer Green's hen-house.
+
+Tommy had heard that Farmer Green went to bed very early, after
+working hard in the fields each day. And since he saw nobody stirring
+about the place he thought that everyone was asleep.
+
+The hens were asleep. There was no doubt of that. Peeping inside their
+little house, Tommy could see them roosting in rows. And he lost no
+time in squeezing through one of the small doors. He felt a bit timid,
+once he was inside. And for a moment he almost wished that he hadn't
+come. But he was determined to take a hen home with him; so he reached
+up and grabbed the very first hen he came to, on the lowest perch of
+all.
+
+It was a big, old, white hen that Tommy Fox seized. She awoke the
+moment he touched her, and began to squall. And to Tommy's alarm, all
+the rest of the hens heard her and began to cackle loudly. The noise
+was deafening. And Tommy made a dash for the little door, with old
+Mrs. White Hen in his mouth. She was flapping her wings and kicking as
+hard as she could. And Tommy was dismayed to find that he could not
+get her through the narrow door. Every time he tried to push through,
+one of Mrs. White Hen's legs, or a wing, or her head, struck against
+the edge of the doorway.
+
+Then a dog barked. And Tommy heard something running around the
+chicken-house. He just knew that it was a man. And he dropped the old
+hen in a hurry and slipped through the door.
+
+He was just in time. He heard a man shout, "After him, Spot!" And
+giving one frightened glance over his shoulder, Tommy saw that Farmer
+Green's dog was close behind him.
+
+
+
+
+X
+
+MRS. FOX OUTWITS DOG SPOT
+
+
+Poor Tommy Fox! How he wished that he had obeyed his mother, and kept
+away from Farmer Green's hen-house! Now Farmer Green's dog Spot was
+chasing him. Tommy could hear him baying joyfully as he followed. But
+you may be sure that Tommy was not joyful. He was terribly frightened.
+He could think of nothing to do except to run, run, run! as fast as he
+could go. He was headed straight for home, and he only hoped that he
+would get there before the dog Spot caught him.
+
+Now, Tommy was doing just about the worst thing he could do. He never
+once jumped sideways, or ran around in a circle. And though he might
+have waded a little way in the shallow brook in the meadow, where Spot
+would have lost his trail, Tommy used the bridge to get across the
+stream; so the dog Spot had no trouble at all in following him. And
+Spot kept drawing nearer and nearer.
+
+It happened that Mrs. Fox heard the baying of the dog. And she knew
+what Spot was saying. He was crying--"I've almost got him! I've almost
+got him!"
+
+A shiver passed over Mrs. Fox; for she thought at once of Tommy. He
+was not at home, and she wondered if by any chance he was in trouble.
+She hurried through the field to see who it was that Spot was chasing.
+And sure enough! pretty soon Mrs. Fox saw Tommy come tearing through
+the field, panting hard, with his tongue hanging out, and a most
+frightened look upon his face.
+
+[Illustration: Tommy Dashed for the Little Door]
+
+Mrs. Fox hastened to meet him. The dog Spot was then on the other side
+of a low hill, and running along with his nose to the ground.
+
+"Jump!" Mrs. Fox said to Tommy, as soon as he joined her.
+
+Tommy remembered, then, what his mother had always told him. So he
+gave a long leap to one side.
+
+"Now make a big circle, and jump again. Then go home!" That was all
+Mrs. Fox had time to say. She stopped just long enough to see Tommy
+dash off; and then she started right in the opposite direction.
+
+The dog Spot saw her and gave a yelp of delight. He did not know what
+had been happening. He only thought that now he was going to catch the
+fox, which was the stupidest fox he had ever chased, running as it
+did, straight away, with never a leap or a circle, or any other sort
+of trick to fool him. Little did Spot guess that old Mrs. Fox had not
+the slightest idea of being caught. She had been followed by Spot
+himself many times; and she knew exactly how to escape him. She just
+lingered for a few moments, to make sure that Tommy was safe, and that
+Spot was chasing _her_. And then how she did run! In no time at all
+she left Spot far behind.
+
+Now, Mrs. Fox knew that there was a ploughed field nearby, and that
+was just what she wanted. She scampered towards it at great speed and
+went straight across it. And when she had reached the other side of
+the ploughed ground she sat down for a short breathing spell.
+
+You see, Mrs. Fox was very wise indeed. She knew that in dry weather,
+such as there was then, a ploughed field takes no scent at all. She
+knew that when Spot reached that loose dirt Spot could not smell her
+footsteps. And so she just sat there on her haunches, and caught her
+breath again.
+
+A grim smile crossed Mrs. Fox's face as she heard Spot barking away in
+the distance. It was a very different bark from what she had heard
+when he was chasing Tommy. This time Spot was saying, "Oh, dear! oh,
+dear! I've lost him!" over and over again.
+
+When Mrs. Fox reached home she found Tommy safe inside their house. He
+was crying, because he was afraid he would never see his mother again.
+And after his mother found out how Spot had happened to chase him,
+Tommy cried some more--but for an entirely different reason.
+
+Who can guess what the reason was?
+
+
+
+
+XI
+
+TOMMY GROWS TOO CARELESS
+
+
+By the time summer was nearly over, Tommy Fox was much bigger than he
+had been in the spring. So many things had happened, and he had
+learned so much, that he began to be quite bold. And he had grown so
+saucy that his mother often had to scold him. Tommy had fallen into
+the bad habit of going about calling all the forest-people names; and
+in that way he had gained for himself the ill-will of all the
+creatures who lived near the foot of Blue Mountain. It interfered with
+his hunting, because whenever he started out to get something to eat,
+as soon as they saw him the forest-people told one another that he was
+coming. Old Mr. Crow especially was the worst of all. He was forever
+calling "Stop, thief!" after Tommy Fox; and then he would haw-haw in a
+manner that was frightfully annoying. In fact, he made matters so
+unpleasant that after a time Tommy began to roam far down the valley,
+along Swift River, where he tried to catch fish. The fish, at least,
+couldn't call him names, and there was some satisfaction in that fact,
+even if he hadn't much luck as a fisherman.
+
+And just for excitement Tommy began to worry Farmer Green's Spot. He
+delighted in barking at Spot. And Spot would always stop what he was
+doing and rush pell-mell after Tommy Fox.
+
+Then Tommy would skip away with a laugh. First he always ran for the
+river, and jumped from one stone to another, and waded where the water
+was shallow.
+
+Then he would dash off through the meadows, leaving so crooked a trail
+behind him that when Spot at last found the place where Tommy had left
+the river, he never could follow him very far.
+
+But one day Tommy stumbled upon Spot quite by accident. There was no
+wind at all that day, to bring any scent to Tommy's sharp nose. And he
+suddenly found that Spot was right in front of him, between him and
+the river.
+
+Tommy Fox turned and ran. He laughed, too; because he felt quite sure
+that he could outwit old Spot. And he leaped and twisted and turned
+about, and made so many circles, that he felt sure Spot couldn't
+follow him.
+
+Yes--Tommy felt so safe that he stopped running and was trotting
+slowly along through the field in which he lived. He was almost home,
+when he heard a noise behind him. He looked around and to his great
+surprise there was Spot almost upon him.
+
+There was no time to lose. There was only one thing Tommy could do.
+The door of his mother's house was only a short distance off and Tommy
+made for it. Luckily, he managed to reach it. Once inside, he could
+hear the dog Spot barking in the opening. But he knew that Spot was
+too big to follow him.
+
+Although Tommy was very glad to be safe at home, he was worried. For
+now Spot know where he and his mother lived; and they would have to
+move. Tommy was afraid his mother would be very angry with him for
+being so stupid as to let Spot follow him. But he couldn't help it
+now.
+
+Meanwhile, old Spot continued to bark, and scratch at the door of
+Tommy's home. But at last he stopped. And all was still.
+
+Tommy wondered where his mother was. She was not at home. And he
+wanted to see her, even if he was afraid that she would punish him.
+For Tommy did not know exactly what to do. He did not dare go out for
+fear Spot might be lying in wait for him. So Tommy stayed there. And
+still his mother did not come home. He wondered where she could be.
+
+
+
+
+XII
+
+OLD MR. CROW IS PLEASED
+
+
+There was a very good reason why Mrs. Fox did not come home that day
+when the dog Spot chased Tommy Fox into his house. She had heard old
+Spot barking in the field and she had hurried toward home as fast as
+she could, to see what was the matter.
+
+To her great dismay, when she leaped up on the stone-wall not far from
+her house Mrs. Fox could see Spot scratching at her door. And she
+guessed at once that he had driven Tommy inside.
+
+The poor old lady hardly knew what to do. But she hid in the grass,
+hoping that Spot would grow tired of his task and go home. But old dog
+Spot kept up a great barking. He howled so loudly that they heard him
+way off at the farm-house; and Mrs. Fox nearly wept when she saw
+Farmer Green and his boy Johnnie come hurrying across the fields.
+
+Pretty soon Johnnie Green returned to the farm-house; and when he came
+back Mrs. Fox could see that he carried a steel trap. For a short time
+Johnnie and his father busied themselves at her doorway. And then they
+went away, calling old dog Spot after them.
+
+After they had gone, Mrs. Fox stole sadly across the field to the home
+she had liked so well. She knew that she could live there no longer in
+peace and quiet. Yes--she would have to move. And now the first thing
+to be done was to get Tommy safely out of the house.
+
+Mrs. Fox reached her door-yard. And there she paused. There was no
+trap to be seen, anywhere. But the path leading to her door was
+sprinkled thick with fresh earth; and wise old Mrs. Fox knew that
+hidden underneath it, somewhere, lay that cruel trap, with its jaws
+wide open, waiting to catch her if she stepped between them.
+
+She crept as close to her door as she dared, and called softly to
+Tommy. I don't need to say that her son was delighted to hear his
+mother's voice. He poked his nose out of the hole at once. And he
+would have jumped out and fallen right into the trap if his mother had
+not warned him.
+
+"Don't come out!" she cried sharply, "There's a trap here, beneath
+this dirt. Now, do just as I tell you, or you'll be caught!"
+
+Tommy Fox was frightened. For once, at least, he believed, that his
+mother knew more than he did. And he didn't dare move, except when she
+ordered. He didn't dare put a foot down except where she told him to.
+
+Tommy had taken several careful steps, and his mother had begun to
+think that he was almost safely past the trap, when a very unfortunate
+thing happened. Tommy was just about to set one of his front feet down
+upon a spot that his mother had pointed out to him, when somebody
+suddenly called, "Stop, thief!"
+
+Tommy Fox was so startled that he gave a quick jump. _Snap!_ went the
+trap. And though Tommy sprang up into the air, he was just too late.
+The trap closed tightly across the tips of his toes. It was only one
+foot that was caught; but that was enough. He could not get away--no
+matter how hard he pulled.
+
+It was old Mr. Crow who had called "Stop, thief!" He was laughing now.
+His "Haw-haw! haw-haw!" could be heard plainly enough, as he flapped
+away in great glee, to tell all the forest-people that Tommy Fox would
+trouble them no more.
+
+
+
+
+XIII
+
+JOHNNIE GREEN AND HIS NEW PET
+
+
+Tommy Fox was in a terrible fix. He was caught fast by the foot in a
+trap; and if that isn't being in a fix, I should like to know what is.
+
+All night long he whimpered and cried. All night long he tugged and
+pulled, trying to get free. But the more he tugged the more the trap
+hurt his foot. And the harder he cried.
+
+Mrs. Fox couldn't help Tommy at all. She stayed with him throughout
+the night, and tried to comfort him. And she only left when morning
+came and she smelled men coming across the fields. Then, with one last
+sorrowful look at Tommy, she crept sadly away.
+
+In a few minutes more Farmer Green and his boy Johnnie reached Mrs.
+Fox's door. And they were both greatly pleased when they saw that the
+trap had done its work so well.
+
+"It's a young cub," Farmer Green said, as soon as he spied Tommy Fox.
+
+"May I have him, Father?" Johnnie asked quickly. "I'd like him for a
+pet."
+
+Tommy Fox was terribly frightened when he heard that. You see, he
+didn't know what a "pet" was. He thought that probably it was
+something like a stew, for he had been told that people ate things
+like that; and he could see himself, in his mind's eye, being cut up
+and tossed into a pot.
+
+"A pet, eh?" said Farmer Green. "Well, I suppose so. He's hardly worth
+skinning. You may have him, I guess. But look out that he doesn't bite
+you."
+
+Johnnie Green was delighted. He helped his father put Tommy into an
+old sack, and taking the trap too, they started toward the farm-house.
+When they reached Farmer Green's home Johnnie and his father fitted a
+stout collar about Tommy's neck. And they fastened one end of a chain
+to it; and the other end they tied to a long stake, which they drove
+into the ground in Farmer Green's door-yard. Then Johnnie Green set a
+big wooden box close beside the stake. He tipped the box over on its
+side, and threw some straw into it. And that was Tommy Fox's new home.
+
+You might think that it was a much nicer home than he had before. But
+Tommy did not like it at all. All the people on the farm came and
+looked at him, inside the box; and Johnnie Green never left him for
+more than ten minutes all the rest of that day.
+
+Tommy made up his mind that he would make a house of his own. And that
+very night he dug a hole in Farmer Green's dooryard, where he could
+crawl out of sight of everyone. Tommy liked that much better. No
+matter how hard Johnnie Green pulled on the chain, he couldn't drag
+Tommy out unless he wanted to come.
+
+But after a few days Tommy began to get used to being a pet. He found
+that it was not such a terrible thing, after all. He did miss the fine
+runs he used to have; and the hunts; and he missed his mother, too. He
+could hear her often, at night, calling to him from the fields. And
+then Tommy would answer, and tug at his chain. But he couldn't get
+away. And after a while he would go to sleep and dream pleasant
+dreams, about catching crickets in the long grass.
+
+
+
+
+XIV
+
+TOMMY FOX MAKES A STRANGE FRIEND
+
+
+There was one thing, especially, that surprised Tommy Fox. And I think
+it surprised the dog Spot even more. Tommy and Spot became friends.
+
+At first, whenever Spot came near, Tommy would run into his hole, as
+far as his chain would allow him. But after a time he began to peep
+out at his visitor. And finally he grew so bold that when Spot came to
+see him he stayed above ground, though to be sure he sat close to the
+door of his house, so that he could whisk out of sight if Spot should
+come too near him.
+
+Since Spot often came to look at Johnnie Green's new pet, he began to
+like Tommy. And instead of growling, he would wag his tail, and try to
+be friendly. And the first thing they knew, they were playing
+together, and rolling and tumbling about, pretending to bite each
+other.
+
+Now, Spot was much bigger than Tommy Fox, and stronger. And sometimes
+when they played together he would get so rough that Tommy would run
+down into his underground house and hide. But he never lost his
+temper, because he knew that Spot did not mean to hurt him. And Tommy
+was always ready to come out again and play some more.
+
+Johnnie Green was very proud of his new pet. And one day when he was
+going to drive to the village he took Tommy Fox with him. He tied
+Tommy's chain to the wagon and Tommy sat up on the seat beside his
+young master. He had a fine ride. It frightened him at first, to see
+so many people, for it was market-day, when the farmers for miles
+around came to the village to sell their butter and eggs and
+vegetables. There was a great number of dogs, too, running about the
+village streets. Tommy was glad that he was high up on the seat of the
+wagon, beside Johnnie Green, for he knew that he was perfectly safe
+there. He saw so many strange sights that after that first day
+whenever he saw Johnnie starting off for the village he was never
+satisfied unless he went too.
+
+On the whole, Tommy Fox did not have a bad time, being Johnnie Green's
+pet. And although Farmer Green often complained that Johnnie would
+rather play with his young fox than drive the cows, or feed the
+chickens, or fetch water from the pump, still Farmer Green himself
+rather enjoyed watching Tommy Fox.
+
+But at last something happened that made Farmer Green very angry. One
+morning he discovered that a fine hen had disappeared during the
+night. And the following night another hen vanished.
+
+Farmer Green was puzzled. Old Spot had been loose all the time, and he
+had never barked once. That was what made Farmer Green suspicious.
+
+Farmer Green went out into his door-yard, where Tommy Fox was basking
+in the sunshine. Tommy looked up at Farmer Green very innocently. You
+would have thought he had never done anything wrong in all his life.
+
+Farmer Green began to examine the ground about Tommy's house. He
+didn't find anything unusual. But when he knelt down and peered into
+the hole Tommy Fox had dug for himself, what should he see but several
+hen-feathers!
+
+That was enough for Farmer Green. He knew then where his fat hens had
+gone. But he was puzzled. There was Tommy, chained fast to the stake.
+How could he ever have visited the hen-house?
+
+Farmer Green picked up Tommy's chain. And to his surprise he found
+that the end of it wasn't fastened to the stake at all! It had worked
+loose, somehow. And Tommy had been free to wander about as much as he
+pleased.
+
+
+
+
+XV
+
+JOHNNIE GREEN FEELS SAD
+
+
+Yes--there was trouble when Farmer Green discovered that Tommy Fox had
+been stealing his hens. He fastened the end of Tommy's chain to the
+stake once more. And then he went out to the barn, where his boy
+Johnnie was watering the horses.
+
+"We'll have to kill that fox," he said to Johnnie. "He's got loose,
+somehow, and he's stolen two hens. I can't have him on the place any
+longer. He's made friends with old Spot and the dog will let him do
+anything he likes."
+
+Poor Johnnie Green! He felt so sad! And he begged his father not to
+kill Tommy. But Fanner Green was very angry with Tommy.
+
+[Illustration with caption: Tommy Thought It Was His Mother's Voice]
+
+"No!" he said. "That cub's so tricky there's no knowing when he'll get
+loose again." But Johnnie begged so hard that his father promised that
+he might keep Tommy one more day.
+
+Johnnie Green was in despair. He could not bear to have his pet
+killed. And when he went to bed that night he never fell asleep at
+all. He was very tired; but he managed to keep awake. And in the
+middle of the night Johnnie got out of bed and put on his clothes. He
+didn't dare to light his candle. But the moonbeams streamed in through
+his little gable-window and Johnnie could see very well without any
+other light.
+
+As soon as he was dressed Johnnie stole down the stairs, carrying his
+shoes in his hand, so he wouldn't make any noise. In spite of all his
+caution, the old stairs would creak now and then. But luckily nobody
+heard him; and soon Johnnie was out of the house.
+
+He found Tommy Fox wide awake, sitting on his haunches in the
+moonlight, listening. Far away in the distance a fox was barking and
+Tommy thought it sounded like his mother's voice.
+
+Tommy was surprised to see Johnnie Green at that hour. And he was
+astonished when Johnnie untied the chain from the stake and started
+away with him. They went off across the fields, toward Blue Mountain,
+right in the direction of that barking.
+
+The meadows smelled sweet; and Tommy Fox began to wish that he could
+slip his head out of his collar and scamper away.
+
+And that was exactly what happened.
+
+After they had gone some distance, Johnnie Green stopped. He unbuckled
+Tommy's collar, and gave Tommy a push.
+
+At first Tommy was not quite sure that he wanted to leave his good
+master. But there was that fox, yelping and calling. Something seemed
+to draw Tommy toward that sound. He just couldn't help himself. And
+the first thing he knew he was bounding off over the meadow running as
+fast as his legs would carry him, and barking as loudly as he could
+bark.
+
+Johnnie Green went slowly home again. He crept into the house and
+stole upstairs, and cried himself to sleep. But he was glad of one
+thing. Tommy Fox would not be killed the next morning.
+
+
+
+
+XVI
+
+TOMMY BECOMES BOASTFUL
+
+
+When Johnnie Green turned Tommy Fox loose, out in the meadow, in the
+moonlight, Tommy hurried across the fields as fast as he could go. You
+remember that he heard a fox barking, near the foot of Blue Mountain,
+and he thought it sounded like his mother. So Tommy barked, too. And
+as he ran he could hear that other fox coming towards him. Pretty soon
+they met, and such a joyful meeting you never saw in all your life.
+For it _was_ old Mrs. Fox. And she was so delighted to see Tommy that
+she licked him all over with her tongue, and looked at him carefully,
+to see if he was hurt anywhere. Mrs. Fox had never expected to see
+Tommy again. But there he was, bigger than ever, and altogether _too_
+fat, for Johnnie had fed him well; and then, there were those two hens
+that Tommy had stolen.
+
+Tommy Fox was very glad indeed to see his mother once more. He frisked
+about her, and yelped, and jumped up and down. And when she saw that
+Tommy had come back safe and sound Mrs. Fox danced a little bit, too.
+And then she took Tommy home.
+
+You remember that when Farmer Green caught Tommy in a trap, right at
+the door of his mother's house, Mrs. Fox had been obliged to move. Her
+new home was not far away from the old one. It was snug and cozy, and
+on the whole was a pretty nice sort of house, though the dooryard was
+not quite so sunny as she would have preferred, for the branches of a
+big tree shaded it.
+
+Tommy had to answer a great many questions. His mother wanted to know
+everything that had happened to him. She was astonished when she found
+that he had been in the village, right in the daytime. He was the only
+fox she knew of who had ever been there. And when she heard of Tommy's
+friendship with the dog Spot Mrs. Fox was more surprised than ever.
+She couldn't understand it. And she shook her head over and over again
+as Tommy told her what good times he and Spot had had together. Mrs.
+Fox actually began to think that Tommy was telling stories.
+
+The other forest-people, too, thought that Tommy was fibbing when he
+bragged about his strange adventures. And old Mr. Crow began to cry
+"Stop, liar!" after him, instead of "Stop, thief!" as he used to do.
+
+But Tommy Fox didn't mind that very much. He knew that he was telling
+the truth. And he more than half guessed that old Mr. Crow was jealous
+of him, because he had so many wonderful things to tell.
+
+Though the forest-people always listened to Tommy's stories, they
+disliked him more than ever. For he was always going about boasting of
+what he had seen, and what he had done, and what _his_ friend, the dog
+Spot, said.
+
+"If you're such good friends with old dog Spot, why don't you go down
+to the farm-yard and see him?" Mr. Crow said to Tommy one day. This
+was long after Tommy had come back to live with his mother. In fact,
+it was quite late in the fall, and the weather was growing cold.
+
+"All right! I will!" Tommy said. He was not going to let old Mr. Crow
+get the better of him. "I'll go now," Tommy said. And with that he
+started down the valley toward Farmer Green's buildings.
+
+
+
+
+XVII
+
+PAYING A CALL ON A FRIEND
+
+
+Mr. Crow had dared Tommy Fox to go down to pay a call on his friend
+dog Spot, at Farmer Green's place. And Tommy was trotting along across
+the fields. He was quite near Farmer Green's house when he heard a dog
+bark not far away.
+
+"There's Spot now!" Tommy said to himself. And he turned at once in
+the direction of the barking. He was smiling, for he knew Spot would
+be greatly pleased to see him, and very much surprised, too.
+
+Tommy stole slyly up toward the place where the dog was barking. The
+sound came from beyond some bushes. And Tommy thought he would jump
+out from behind the bushes and startle Spot. So he crept up to the
+bushes and then suddenly gave a yelp and leaped clean over them.
+
+It was Tommy Fox himself who got the surprise. For there was a strange
+dog! And as soon as he saw Tommy he sprang after him.
+
+Tommy did not wait a second. He left that place a great deal faster
+than he came. And as he went skimming over the fields, a red streak
+against the brown stubble, he could hear Mr. Crow laughing heartily.
+The old fellow had sailed along high over Tommy's head, to see what
+happened; and he was greatly pleased with himself. You see, he knew
+that Farmer Green's hired man had brought home a new dog just a few
+days before, and Mr. Crow hoped that if Tommy went to the farm-yard he
+would meet the strange dog.
+
+Tommy was very angry. He saw at once that old Mr. Crow had tricked him
+and he made up his mind that if he ever had a chance he would get even
+with the old gentleman. But now he had no time to think about that.
+There was that strange dog, following hot on his trail. Tommy had
+quite enough to worry him, without bothering his head over Mr. Crow
+just then.
+
+Now, even if Tommy Fox was conceited, he was really a very bright
+youngster. And as he bounded along he thought of a pretty clever
+scheme. Yes, he thought of a fine trick to play on that dog. The idea
+came to him all at once. And as soon as the thought popped into his
+head, Tommy turned toward Swift River. He was at the bank in no time,
+and he skipped nimbly down to the river's edge.
+
+Tommy Fox could see no water at all running in Swift River. And you
+might think he was disappointed. But he wasn't. He found exactly what
+he had hoped for. He could see no water running, down there in the bed
+of the river, because _the river was covered with ice._ It was just a
+thin shell of ice; but it was strong enough to bear Tommy's weight. He
+ran across it quickly. And then what do you suppose he did? He sat
+right down on the opposite bank!
+
+Tommy Fox wanted to see the fun. He had to wait only a minute. For
+pretty soon the strange dog came rushing down the opposite bank of the
+river and leaped far out from the edge of the stream.
+
+There was a crash, and a splitting, crackling noise! And the strange
+dog was floundering in the cold water. The ice was not thick enough to
+hold him up, and he had hard work to scramble back to the bank again.
+But he climbed out of the water at last, and tucked his tail between
+his legs and made off.
+
+Old Mr. Crow saw what happened. He stopped laughing. And he sailed
+away silently, thinking that Tommy Fox was a pretty smart young cub,
+after all.
+
+
+
+
+XVIII
+
+THE WORLD TURNS WHITE
+
+
+After he outwitted the strange dog, Tommy Fox became more of a
+braggart than ever. He thought that he knew just about all there was
+to know. But with the coming of winter Tommy found that he had many
+things to learn. It was almost like living in a different world, for
+the ground was white everywhere. And though Tommy Fox loved to play in
+the snow, he discovered one thing about it that he did not like at
+all. It frightened him when he saw how plainly his footprints showed
+after a fresh snow-fall. And he wondered how he would ever be able to
+escape being caught, should any strange dog chase him.
+
+As the winter days passed, Tommy learned that it was very hard for him
+to run fast in a light, dry snow--that through such snow a dog could
+run much faster than he could. But when there was a thin crust he
+could go skipping along like the wind, while dogs, being heavier,
+broke through the crust and floundered about in the softer snow
+beneath.
+
+One day Tommy and his mother were out hunting. The snow was very deep
+everywhere, for it was mid-winter. And it had thawed and frozen so
+often that the snow was quite hard, except for just about an inch of
+fresh snow which had fallen during the night. Tommy and his mother
+could see rabbit tracks all around them; and they had very good luck
+hunting. But something happened that wasn't exactly lucky. They had
+turned toward home, when a dog bayed somewhere behind them, and pretty
+soon Mrs. Fox saw that they were being followed.
+
+She and Tommy started to run. And Tommy saw that there was one more
+bad thing about winter. Swift River, and all the little brooks, were
+covered with thick ice and there was no chance at all for him and his
+mother to run through shallow water and throw the dog off their scent.
+
+It was that strange dog that was chasing them--the one that belonged
+to Farmer Green's hired man. He was a very fast runner, and in spite
+of the usual tricks that foxes know, Mrs. Fox and Tommy could not lose
+him.
+
+Tommy began to be frightened. And old Mrs. Fox herself was somewhat
+worried. But she still had a few tricks up her sleeve. She didn't
+intend to let that dog catch them if she could help it.
+
+[Illustration with caption: Mrs. Fox and Tommy Started to Run]
+
+"Oh, Mother! whatever shall we do?" Tommy said. "Do you think we can
+get away from him?"
+
+"Of course," Mrs. Fox answered. "But you must do just as I tell you.
+Now, follow right in my tracks, and don't be frightened, I'm going to
+show you a new trick--one that my own mother taught me when I was no
+older than you are."
+
+Mrs. Fox turned to the right and started back across the valley. She
+was going straight toward Swift River.
+
+"Oh, dear!" Tommy cried. "Don't you know that the river is frozen
+solid, Mother? The dog can follow us across it, as easy as anything."
+
+"Stop fussing!" Mrs. Fox said, looking over her shoulder at Tommy.
+"We're not going to the river. You just mind me and you'll see, in a
+few minutes, that we can fool that dog." And she kept on running, with
+Tommy right at her heels.
+
+
+
+
+XIX
+
+TOMMY FOX LEARNS A NEW TRICK
+
+
+Now, there was a road that ran through the valley, along the bank of
+Swift River. And when Mrs. Fox reached it, with Tommy close behind
+her, she turned again--this time to the left--and ran along in the
+beaten track which the horses and sleighs had made.
+
+Tommy Fox thought it very strange that his mother should lead him to
+the road, where they were sure to find people driving. Tommy followed
+her. But he was very unhappy. They swung into the road just ahead of a
+farmer, who was driving along in a sleigh. The sleigh-bells tinkled
+merrily as the horse trotted smartly down the road. But the jingling
+of the bells did not sound at all pleasant to Tommy Fox. It only
+frightened him all the more.
+
+The farmer in the sleigh did not see Tommy and his mother, for the
+snow rose high on both sides, and the road wound in and out. Little
+did he know that Mrs. Fox and Tommy were scampering along in front of
+him. Of course, he couldn't catch them, anyhow. Tommy knew that much.
+But if they ran very far down the road they would be sure to meet some
+other man.
+
+To Tommy it seemed bad enough to have that dog chasing them, without
+going where they were sure to find other enemies. Tommy could hear the
+dog baying. And he knew dogs well enough to know that that dog felt
+very sure he was going to catch them. But pretty soon Tommy heard the
+dog talking in a very different fashion. He gave a number of short
+barks, which meant that he was in trouble.
+
+Mrs. Fox looked over her shoulder and smiled at Tommy. She knew that
+they were safe. She knew that the dog had not reached the road until
+the farmer had driven right over their footsteps and spoiled their
+scent. After the horse had passed over their trail the dog could smell
+only the horse's footprints, instead of theirs. And Mrs. Fox could
+tell what was happening back there in the road. She knew just exactly
+as well as if she had been there herself--she knew that the dog had
+stopped short, and was running all around, with his nose to the
+ground, trying to find where she and Tommy had gone. But he never
+found out.
+
+You see, he wasn't half as clever as Mrs. Fox. It never once occurred
+to him that Tommy and his mother had turned into the road just ahead
+of that farmer in his sleigh. And finally the stupid dog gave up the
+chase and went back to Farmer Green's house.
+
+By that time Mrs. Fox and Tommy were safe at home. Yes--they were even
+having a good laugh over the way they had fooled the dog. And Tommy
+had quite forgotten how frightened he had been. In fact, he began to
+feel very well pleased with himself. For he never once remembered that
+it was his mother, and not himself, who had thought of that trick. He
+ought to have felt very grateful to his grandmother, for having taught
+his mother that clever way of cheating a dog out of his dinner. But
+Tommy Fox was so conceited that if his grandmother had been there with
+them he would have thought he knew ten times as much as she did. I've
+no doubt that he would even have tried to teach her to suck eggs--never
+once stopping to think that she knew all about such things many
+years before he was born.
+
+
+
+
+XX
+
+THE DRUMMER OF THE WOODS
+
+
+Tommy Fox stopped short and listened. It was early spring, and the
+snow was still deep on the sides of Blue Mountain.
+
+_Thump--thump--thump, thump, thump, thump! Rub--rub--rub--rub,
+r-r-r-r-r-r-r!_ If you had heard that sound you would have said that
+there was a boy hidden somewhere on the mountain; and that he was
+playing a drum. But Tommy Fox knew better than that. He knew that it
+was Mr. Grouse, calling to Mrs. Grouse. And Tommy knew that he made
+that noise by beating the air with his strong wings.
+
+Now, Tommy Fox had not eaten a grouse for a long, long time. He had
+never captured a grouse himself. In fact, he had never even tried,
+since that time in the summer, when old Mother Grouse had played a
+trick on him, and led him away from her children.
+
+Tommy made up his mind now that he was old enough and wise enough to
+capture Mr. Grouse. But he thought he had better wait until night,
+when Mr. Grouse couldn't see well. Tommy Fox's eyes, you know, were
+even sharper at night than they were in the daytime.
+
+Well! Tommy Fox went home. And that very night he stole back again to
+the clump of evergreens where he had heard Mr. Grouse drumming.
+
+It was pretty dark up there on the mountain. But Tommy had no trouble
+at all in finding his way. And he kept looking up at the thick
+branches of the evergreens, for he hoped that Mr. Grouse was asleep on
+a low branch, which he could reach with a good, high jump.
+
+Yes--it was dark. And it was very cold up there on Blue Mountain, for
+all it was early springtime. And the evergreen trees bowed beneath a
+burden of snow, which had fallen only the day before.
+
+It was very still in the forest. And when Tommy Fox suddenly heard a
+cry of _"Whoo--whoo--whoo!"_ he jumped, in spite of himself. Tommy
+knew, right away, that it was only Mr. Owl. And he felt very sheepish.
+And then all at once Tommy jumped again. This time he was terribly
+frightened, for the strangest thing happened. The snow rose right up
+beneath his feet, and flew in his face. And something struck him a
+good, hard blow under his chin. Tommy fell over backward in the snow,
+he was so surprised. And a roar like thunder rang through the forest.
+
+Tommy knew then what had happened. Maybe you have guessed, too. For it
+was Mr. Grouse himself. He had burrowed his way into the snow, so that
+he might have a warm blanket to cover him during the night. And Tommy
+Fox had stepped squarely on top of him.
+
+It was no wonder Mr. Grouse had sprung up in a hurry. He was just as
+frightened as Tommy himself, because he had been sound asleep, and he
+had no idea what was the matter.
+
+As for Tommy Fox, it was a huge joke on him. But it was a joke that
+didn't please Tommy at all. He felt very silly, when it was all over.
+
+
+
+
+XXI
+
+THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF ALL
+
+
+It was a pretty big surprise for Tommy Fox, when Mr. Grouse sprang out
+of the snow, right beneath his feet. But it was nothing at all,
+compared with the surprise Tommy had when he reached home.
+
+Very late at night Tommy stole into his mother's house. In fact, it
+was nearly morning. And Tommy crept in very quietly, for he hardly
+expected that his mother would be awake and he did not want to disturb
+her.
+
+Tommy had just curled up on his bed and was all ready to go to sleep,
+when to his great astonishment he heard his mother talking. She was
+not talking to _him_, but to someone near her, for she spoke so low
+that Tommy could not hear what she was saying.
+
+He thought right away that somebody had come to pay them a visit. And
+he called out--
+
+"Who's here, Mother? Is it a visitor?"
+
+"Yes, Tommy," Mrs. Fox answered. "Come here and see who it is."
+
+Tommy jumped out of bed and hopped across the room. At first he
+couldn't see anybody but his mother.
+
+"It's just a joke!" Tommy exclaimed. "You're only fooling!"
+
+"Look sharp!" said Mrs. Fox. "It's a surprise. What do you call this?"
+She moved aside a bit, and pointed to a little, soft, woolly thing
+which lay close beside her. Tommy had to look two or three times to
+see what it was. And even then he wasn't sure.
+
+"Is it--is it--a baby?" he asked.
+
+"That's just what it is," his mother said.
+
+Tommy certainly was surprised. And before he could find his voice
+again Mrs. Fox showed him another baby fox, and another and another
+and another.
+
+Yes--there they were--five of them all together, small and soft and
+woolly. They weren't nearly so brightly colored as Tommy and his
+mother--just a pale, brownish red. Tommy Fox could hardly believe it.
+As he stared at them he suddenly noticed something strange about the
+baby foxes. "Why--they're all blind--every one of them!" he cried.
+"Hadn't we better send them back and get some good ones?" he asked.
+
+Mrs. Fox laughed.
+
+"Of course they're blind," she said. "You were blind when you were
+their age. Their eyes will be open in a few days.... Well--what do you
+think of them, Tommy?" she asked; for Tommy Fox seemed to be lost in
+thought.
+
+"I was wondering how they would ever be able to hunt--they're so
+small."
+
+"Oh! I'll have to hunt for them, for a long time," his mother
+explained. "When they get big enough I shall teach them to hunt for
+themselves, just as I taught you.
+
+"Now you see why I showed you how to catch mice and rabbits and
+woodchucks," Mrs. Fox said. "You'll have to look out for yourself now,
+Tommy. For I shall have all I can do to find enough for myself and
+five children to eat, without feeding a big fellow like you."
+
+That made Tommy Fox feel very proud. He felt bigger, and stronger, and
+wiser than ever before.
+
+"I shall get along all right," Tommy said. "I almost caught Mr. Grouse
+tonight. But he got away." Tommy yawned, for he was very sleepy. And
+pretty soon he was curled up on his little bed again, dreaming of a
+wonderful bird that he had caught, which was so big that he and his
+mother and his five little brothers and sisters made a fine meal off
+it.
+
+But of course it was only a dream.
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+A WORD TO GROWN UPS
+
+
+To you;--parents, guardians, teachers and all others upon whom
+devolves the supremely important responsibility of directing the early
+years of development of childhood, this series of TUCK-ME-IN TALES
+which sketch such vivid and delightful scenes of the vibrant life of
+meadow and woodland should have tremendous appeal. In this collection
+of stories you will find precisely the sort of healthy, imaginative
+entertainment that is an essential in stimulating thought germs in the
+child mind.
+
+Merely from the standpoint of their desirability for helping the
+growing tot to pass an idle half hour, any one of these volumes would
+be worth your while. But the author had something further than that in
+mind. He has, with simplicity and grace, worthy of high commendation,
+sought to convey a two-fold lesson throughout the entire series, the
+first based upon natural history and the second upon the elementary
+principles of living which should be made clear to every child at the
+earliest age of understanding.
+
+The first of these aims he has accomplished by adapting every one of
+his bird characters to its living counterpart in the realm of biology.
+The child learns very definite truths about which the story is woven;
+learns in such a fascinating manner that he will not quickly forget,
+and is brought into such pleasant intimacy that his immediate sympathy
+is aroused.
+
+The author accomplishes the purpose of driving home simple lessons on
+good conduct by attributing the many of the same traits of character
+to his feathered heroes and heroines that are to be found wherever the
+human race made its habitation. The praise-worthy qualities of
+courage, love, unselfishness, truth, industry, and humility are
+portrayed in the dealings of the field and forest folk and the
+consequential reward of these virtues is clearly shown; he also
+reveals the unhappy results of greed, jealousy, trickery and other
+character weaknesses. The effect is to impress indelibly upon the
+imagination of the child that certain deeds are their own desirable
+reward while certain others are much better left undone.
+
+If any further recommendation is necessary, would it not be well to
+resort to the court of final appeal, the child himself? Simply
+purchase a trial copy from your bookseller with the understanding that
+if it meets with the disapproval of the little man or woman for whom
+it is intended, he will accept its return.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF JOLLY ROBIN
+
+Of course, there is a time when Jolly Robin is only a nestling. Then
+one day, after he tumbles out of the apple tree and falls squawking
+and fluttering to the ground, he takes his first lesson in flying. So
+pleased is Jolly to know that he can actually sail through the air on
+his wings, that he goes out into the wide, wide world to shift for
+himself. One day, after advising with Jimmy Rabbit, he decides to
+become general laugh-maker to the inhabitants of Pleasant Valley, and
+he becomes one of Mother Nature's happiest little feathered folk,
+going about trying to make things a bit better in the world.
+
+True, he falls into many blunders and has many strange experiences,
+but his intentions are always the best, remember. Slyly tucked away in
+this story of Jolly Robin and of his adventures, is much bird lore and
+philosophy,--both instructive and entertaining.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF BETSY BUTTERFLY
+
+Betsy Butterfly is the owner of a pair of such beautifully colored
+wings and her sweet disposition matches them so perfectly that it is a
+very common occurrence to hear one of the tiny dwellers in Farmer
+Green's meadow remark: "Why, the sun just has to smile on her!" Of
+course, any lady so gifted is bound to have many admirers and Betsy is
+no exception. But there are a few of her acquaintances who cannot keep
+from showing their jealousy of her popularity and these try in various
+unkind ways to make her disliked. The story of how she politely
+overlooks these rude attempts, in that way causing herself to be all
+the more thought of, is the best sort of example to any human girl or
+boy who wishes to know how to be sure of making friends. You will find
+that Betsy is a great girl for giving parties and perhaps she will
+give you a few valuable ideas that will be useful sometime when you
+have a party of your own.
+
+
+
+BUSTER BUMBLEBEE
+
+Buster's intentions are all very good, but he is so awkward and stupid
+that he constantly stumbles into trouble, thereby causing his
+acquaintances much unnecessary discomfiture and himself no end of
+embarrassment. He is, furthermore, a terrific boaster, as you will
+learn when you read of his many declarations of the pummeling he would
+give the ferocious Robber Fly, if ever he chanced to meet that
+devouring assassin. What Buster actually does when the unexpected
+encounter takes place will afford you a good laugh at his expense,
+and, finally, after you have romped and dallied with him through his
+many happy excursions you will close the book with a feeling that it
+has done you good to have known him, lazy and blundering though he is,
+for he is indeed the best natured fellow, and he is so anxious to buzz
+into everything that attracts his attention that you find you have
+learned a great many things you never before dreamed of about the tiny
+creatures of the fields.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY
+
+Freddie Firefly is most anxious to lighten the cares of his friends in
+Pleasant Valley for he is a most unselfish fellow and enjoys nothing
+more than seeing other people as happy as he. He has one grave fault,
+however, that prevents him from being a very great help, and that is
+his inability to remain long in one place. He is so full of spry
+gaiety that he never can be quite content unless he is dancing with
+his relatives in the hollow near the swamp or darting about Farmer
+Green's lawn. His friends often give him advice as to how he may use
+the wonderful light which he always carries with him, and finally Mrs.
+Ladybug tells him he should go to the railroad and work as a signalman
+for the trains. You will hold your breath as you read about the
+exciting adventure that follows this suggestion, and you will no doubt
+agree with those to whom he later tells it that he is a very lucky
+Freddie to escape.
+
+Rusty Wren is another little neighbor in Pleasant Valley. His
+particular home there is Farmer Green's yard where he lives in a
+bright shiny home which is really a tin can with a hole in it! And
+dear me! I forgot all about Rusty Wren's family--his wife and six baby
+children who had to be given Wren food by Rusty and little Chippy, Jr.
+You will laugh heartily when you read about Chippy growing so big and
+fat that he gets stuck in Rusty's tiny doorway and can't get pulled
+out. My, what an exciting time it was! And you will laugh again when
+you watch Rusty Wren go way over to the bank of Black Creek all ready
+for a party when there really is no party. Yes, you will agree with
+Farmer Green's boy and the rest of our friends in Pleasant Valley that
+Rusty certainly is a very interesting little neighbor.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF DADDY LONG-LEGS
+
+Daddy is a person of such unusual appearance with, his eight scrawny
+legs in contrast to ordinary people's two, and everything about his
+private life is such a mystery to his neighbors that his acquaintances
+give him credit for having a marvelous ability to look into the
+future. In fact, there are many two-legged humans, even today, who
+think he is a sort of soothsayer and mystery man. Perhaps, if you are
+one of these, you will be inclined to change your mind after reading
+about his contest with Old Mr. Crow to see which is really the wiser
+of the two. And would you not naturally suppose that anybody with so
+many legs to carry him would be the champion walker of the world?
+Maybe Daddy finds that it takes time to decide which of his feet he
+should put forward in taking the next step, or may be each separate
+foot has a notion of choose; at any rate, he proves to be the slowest
+traveler imaginable. But he is so popular among his neighbors and you
+will like him too--he has so many quaint ideas.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF KIDDIE KATYDID
+
+Kiddy Katydid and his relatives were in possession of a secret that
+none of the Pleasant Valley folk can solve, though they waste much
+time and energy trying to guess it. Even to this day it is doubtful if
+anyone other than Kiddie himself really knows what Katy did! But his
+friends are a curious lot and they work their brains over-time to
+think of some scheme to make Kiddie tell. If you want to know what
+they do accidentally discover about Kiddie himself and how excited
+every body becomes as the rare news spreads from mouth to mouth, you
+will find that and many other remarkable things about him in this
+interesting story of his life in the Maple tree that grows in Farmer
+Green's yard. You will like Kiddie. He is very modest and
+retiring--behaving very much as any well raised youngster should,
+and when you understand just how it happens that he keeps repeating
+that funny remark about Katy, you can join him in the hearty laugh
+he has on his friends.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF OLD MR. CROW
+
+Mr. Crow has a very solemn look--unless you regard him closely. But it
+is a very sly, knowing look, if you take pains to stare boldly into
+his eyes. Like many human beings, he is fond of clothes, and he
+particularly likes gay ones, but perhaps that is because he is so
+black himself.
+
+Anyhow, so long as he can wear a bright red coat and a yellow
+necktie--or a bright red necktie and a yellow coat--he is generally quite
+happy. One fall Mr. Crow decides to stay in Pleasant Valley during the
+winter, instead of going South, and he remembers all at once that he
+will need some warm clothing. Now, Mr. Frog, the tailor, and Jimmy
+Rabbit, the shoemaker, know just how to talk to Mr. Crow to sell their
+merchandise, playing upon his vanity to buy the latest, and even to
+"set the styles," but they have to be pretty keen and sly to get the
+best of Mr. Crow in the end. Mr. Crow has his good points as well as
+his bad ones, and he helps Farmer Green a lot more than he injures him
+it is said. Nevertheless, Farmer Green does not figure that way,--and
+in justice to old "Jim Crow," you should read of his adventures for
+yourself.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF SOLOMON OWL
+
+All the folks down in Pleasant Valley know Solomon Owl. Well, It's
+this way. If you hear Solomon Owl on a dark night when his "Wha-Wha!
+Whoo-ah!" sends a chill 'way up your spine, and if you see him you can
+never forget him, either. He has great, big, staring eyes that make
+you feel queer when you look at his pale face. No, sir, little folks
+like Mr. Frog, the tailor, certainly don't like to have any visits
+from Solomon Owl when Solomon has a fine appetite. To be sure, Farmer
+Green isn't happy when Solomon steals some of his fine chickens, and
+neither are the chickens for that matter. But Solomon doesn't have all
+the fun on some one else. Oh no! Reddy Woodpecker knows how to tease
+him by tapping with his bill on Solomon's wooden house in the daytime,
+when every owl likes to sleep and dream of all the nice frogs and fat
+chickens they are going to feast on the next night, and then, out
+comes Solomon all blinking with his big, black eyes. But this wise
+owl, who really isn't as wise as he looks, you know, finds a good way
+to fool Reddy and the rest of the folks who like to annoy him, and
+lives his own happy life.
+
+
+
+THE TALE OF JASPER JAY
+
+Jasper Jay really is a good sort of a fellow even though he does make
+a dreadful racket when he is around; but that is his way of talking.
+He just likes to tease for the fun of teasing and so naturally he gets
+into lots of scraps and seems bound to get into more. Of course, lots
+of folks in Pleasant Valley don't like him because he plays tricks and
+pranks on them and makes them feel all ruffled up. Why, he even thinks
+he can spoil the Singing Society, but do you know, the Society fools
+Jasper himself. And that time Jimmy Rabbit teaches Jasper Jay some
+manners down by the cedar tree--the poor jay stays there until his
+feet are frozen in the water before he finds out--well--you may
+discover for yourself what happens next.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Tale of Tommy Fox, by Arthur Scott Bailey
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALE OF TOMMY FOX ***
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