[‡Illustration: Decoration]
A FEW days after the big flood, Gogo and the Cook washed up the
breakfast dishes, cleaned the kitchen and set out in search of a
mushroom for lunch.
“There’s some powerful big fat ones over in de big field,” remarked
Gogo. “Why dere was one we all saw one day what was so big that fo’ of
us done stand under it while it was rainin’ and nevah a single drop done
touch us.”
“Listen,” whispered the Cook as the little fellows were making their way
through some tall grass, “what in the name of goodness is that awful
noise?”
“Sounds powerful funny like,” answered Gogo. “Suppose we go through the
weeds and see what it is.” The two Teenie Weenies pushed their way
quietly through the thick weeds and soon they saw a sight which made
them laugh. A young robin stood at the side of a freshly spaded flower
bed, and in his beak he held one end of a big, fat worm. The other end
of the worm was fast in a piece of earth and the robin, with his feet
braced, was holding on to the worm with all his might. The robin was
gurgling and trying to call for help through his half closed beak, and
the two Teenie Weenies quickly saw he needed help if he wished to save
the worm.
[‡Illustration: The Robin]
“Hold on tight!” shouted the Cook, running up to the bird, “and we’ll
get a pick and dig this old worm out for you.”
The bird nodded his head, while the two little chaps hurried over to the
shoe house, where they secured a pick and shouted to the rest of the
Teenie Weenies to follow.
The Turk caught hold of the bird’s tail and helped him hold on to the
worm, while the Dunce pushed on the robin’s chest with all his strength.
Gogo soon broke the piece of earth up with the pick and with one gulp
the robin swallowed the worm.
[‡Illustration: Decoration]
“Whee!” exclaimed the bird, as he moved his head around to ease the
stiffened muscles. “That was some hard job. I haven’t worked as hard as
that for my breakfast for a long time.
“I saw that worm and I grabbed onto him, but he was a strong old fellow,
for he certainly did hang onto that piece of earth with a powerful grip.
I hung right onto him, for I hadn’t had a worm for several days, and I
made up my mind I’d have him if I had to hold on all day.”
“Well, you certainly got him, all right!” laughed the Policeman.
[‡Illustration: Decoration]
“You bet I did, thanks to your help,” grinned the bird.
“How would you all like to hear a verse?” said the Poet, who had been
writing on a piece of tiny paper while the Teenie Weenies had been
helping the bird to get the worm.
“We’d like to hear it!” shouted the Teenie Weenies.
“This verse is entitled ‘Would You,’” said the Poet, as he stepped onto
a piece of earth in full view of the little people:
“I’d love to be a little bird and hop about the trees,
And aeroplane above the land and fly across the seas.
I wouldn’t like to eat the things that little birdies do,
For I don’t care a bit for worms, now honestly, do you?”
[‡Illustration: The Dunce]
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