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MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN
by
THORNTON W. BURGESS
Author of "Old Mother West Wind"
Illustrated by George Kerr
[Frontispiece: "Yap-yap-yap," barked Reddy Fox, as loud as he could.]
Grosset & Dunlap
Publishers
New York
By arrangement with Little, Brown and Company
Copyright, 1911,
by Thornton W. Burgess.
All rights reserved
TO
ALL THE LITTLE FRIENDS
OF
JOHNNY CHUCK AND REDDY FOX,
AND TO
ALL WHO LOVE THE GREEN MEADOWS
AND THE SMILING POOL,
THE LAUGHING BROOK AND THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES,
THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. DANNY MEADOW MOUSE LEARNS WHY HIS TAIL IS SHORT
II. WHY REDDY FOX HAS NO FRIENDS
III. WHY PETER RABBIT'S EARS ARE LONG
IV. REDDY FOX DISOBEYS
V. STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S POCKETS
VI. REDDY FOX, THE BOASTER
VII. JOHNNY CHUCK'S SECRET
VIII. JOHNNY CHUCK'S GREAT FIGHT
IX. MR. TOAD'S OLD SUIT
X. GRANDFATHER FROG GETS EVEN
XI. THE DISAPPOINTED BUSH
XII. WHY BOBBY COON WASHES HIS FOOD
XIII. THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES HAVE A BUSY DAY
XIV. WHY HOOTY THE OWL DOES NOT PLAY ON THE GREEN MEADOWS
XV. DANNY MEADOW MOUSE LEARNS TO LAUGH
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"YAP-YAP-YAP," BARKED REDDY FOX, AS LOUD
AS HE COULD . . . . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_
MR. RABBIT HAD A GREAT DEAL OF CURIOSITY,
A VERY GREAT DEAL, INDEED
THEN EVERYBODY SHOUTED "HAW! HAW! HAW!"
HE WAS SO SURPRISED HE FORGOT TO CLOSE IT
MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN
I
DANNY MEADOW MOUSE LEARNS WHY HIS TAIL IS SHORT
Danny Meadow Mouse sat in his doorway and looked down the Lone Little
Path across the Green Meadows. Way, way over near the Smiling Pool he
could see Old Mother West Wind's Children, the Merry Little Breezes, at
play. Sammy Jay was sitting on a fence post. He pretended to be
taking a sun bath, but really he was planning mischief. You never see
Sammy Jay that he isn't in mischief or planning it.
Reddy Fox had trotted past an hour before in a great hurry. Up on the
hill Danny Meadow Mouse could just see Jimmy Skunk pulling over every
old stick and stone he could find, no matter whose house it might be,
and excusing himself because he was hungry and was looking for beetles.
Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was playing at hide and seek behind some
fleecy white clouds. All the birds were singing and singing, and the
world was happy--all but Danny Meadow Mouse.
No, Danny Meadow Mouse was not happy. Indeed, he was very far from
happy, and all because his tail was short.
By and by up came old Mr. Toad. It was a warm day and Mr. Toad was
very hot and very, very thirsty. He stopped to rest beside the house
of Danny Meadow Mouse.
"Good morning, Danny Meadow Mouse," said old Mr. Toad, "it's a fine
morning."
"Morning," said Danny Meadow Mouse, grumpily.
"I hope your health is good this morning," continued old Mr. Toad, just
as if he hadn't noticed how short and cross Danny Meadow Mouse had
answered.
Now old Mr. Toad is very ugly to look upon, but the ugliness is all in
his looks. He has the sunniest of hearts and always he is looking for
a chance to help someone.
"Danny Meadow Mouse," said old Mr. Toad, "you make me think of your
grandfather a thousand times removed. You do indeed. You look just as
he did when he lost the half of his tail and realized that he never,
never could get it back again."
Danny Meadow Mouse sat up suddenly.
"What are you talking about, old Mr. Toad? What are you talking
about?" he asked. "Did my grandfather a thousand times removed lose
the half of his tail, and was it shorter then than mine is now? Was
it, old Mr. Toad? And how did he come to lose the half of it?"
Old Mr. Toad laughed a funny silent laugh. "It's a long story," said
old Mr. Toad, "and I'm afraid I can't tell it. Go down to the Smiling
Pool and ask Great-Grandfather Frog, who is my first cousin, how it
happened your grandfather a thousand times removed lost the half of his
tail. But before you go catch three fat, foolish, green flies and take
them with you as a present to Grandfather Frog."
Danny Meadow Mouse could hardly wait for old Mr. Toad to stop speaking.
In fact, he was in such a hurry that he almost forgot his manners. Not
quite, however, for he shouted "Thank you, Mr. Toad, thank you!" over
his shoulder as he rushed off down the Lone Little Path.
You see his short tail had always been a matter of mortification to
Danny Meadow Mouse. All his cousins in the Mouse family and the Rat
family have long, smooth, tapering tails, and they have always been a
source of envy to Danny Meadow Mouse. He had felt his queer short tail
to be a sort of disgrace. So when he would meet one of his cousins
dancing down the Lone Little Path, with his long, slim, tapering tail
behind him, Danny Meadow Mouse would slip out of sight under the long
grass, he was so ashamed of his own little tail. It looked so mean and
small! He had wondered and wondered if the Meadow Mice had always had
short tails. He used to ask everyone who came his way if they had ever
seen a Meadow Mouse with a long tail, but he had never found any one
who had.
"Perhaps," thought Danny Meadow Mouse as he hurried down the Lone
Little Path, "perhaps Grandfather Frog, who is very wise, will know why
my tail is short."
So he hurried this way and he hurried that way over the Green Meadows
in search of fat, foolish, green flies. And when he had caught three,
he caught one more for good measure. Then he started for the Smiling
Pool as fast as his short legs would take him.
When finally he reached the edge of the Smiling Pool he was quite out
of breath. There sat Great-Grandfather Frog on his big, green lily
pad. He was blinking his great goggle eyes at jolly, round, red Mr.
Sun.
"Oh, Grandfather Frog," said Danny Meadow Mouse in a very small voice,
for you know he was quite out of breath with running, "Oh, Grandfather
Frog, I've brought you four fat, foolish, green flies."
Grandfather Frog put a hand behind an ear and listened. "Did I hear
someone say 'foolish, green flies?'" asked Grandfather Frog.
"Yes, Grandfather Frog, here they are," said Danny Meadow Mouse, still
in a very small voice. Then he gave Grandfather Frog the four fat,
foolish, green flies.
"What is it that you want me to do for you, Danny Meadow Mouse?" asked
Grandfather Frog as he smacked his lips, for he knew that Danny Meadow
Mouse must want something to bring him four fat, foolish, green flies.
"If you please," said Danny Meadow Mouse, very politely, "if you
please, Grandfather Frog, old Mr. Toad told me that you could tell me
how Grandfather Meadow Mouse a thousand times removed lost half of his
tail. Will you, Grandfather Frog--will you?"
"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog. "My cousin, Mr. Toad, talks too
much."
But he settled himself comfortably on the big lily pad, and this is
what he told Danny Meadow Mouse:
"Once upon a time, when the world was young, Mr. Meadow Mouse, your
grandfather a thousand times removed, was a very fine gentleman. He
took a great deal of pride in his appearance, did Mr. Meadow Mouse, and
they used to say on the Green Meadows that he spent an hour, a full
hour, every day combing his whiskers and brushing his coat.
"Anyway, he was very fine to look upon, was Mr. Meadow Mouse, and not
the least attractive thing about him was his beautiful, long, slim
tail, of which he was very proud.
"Now about this time there was a great deal of trouble on the Green
Meadows and in the Green Forest, for some one was stealing--yes,
stealing! Mr. Rabbit complained first. To be sure, Mr. Rabbit was
lazy and his cabbage patch had grown little more than weeds while he
had been minding other folks' affairs rather than his own, but, then,
that was no reason why he should lose half of the little which he did
raise. And that is just what he said had happened.
"No one really believed what Mr. Rabbit said, for he had such a bad
name for telling things which were not so that when he did tell the
truth no one could be quite sure of it.
"So no one paid much heed to what Mr. Rabbit said until Happy Jack
Squirrel one day went to his snug little hollow in the big chestnut
tree where he stores his nuts and discovered half had been stolen.
Then Striped Chipmunk lost the greater part of his winter store of
corn. A fat trout was stolen from Billy Mink.
"It was a terrible time, for every one suspected every one else, and no
one on the Green Meadows was happy.
"One evening Mr. Meadow Mouse went for a stroll along the Crooked
Little Path up the hill. It was dark, very dark indeed. But just as
he passed Striped Chipmunk's granary, the place where he stores his
supply of corn and acorns for the winter, Mr. Meadow Mouse met his
cousin, Mr. Wharf Rat. Now Mr. Wharf Rat was very big and strong and
Mr. Meadow Mouse had for a long time looked up to and admired him.
"'Good evening, Cousin Meadow Mouse,' said Mr. Wharf Rat, swinging a
bag down from his shoulder. 'Will you do a favor for me?'
"Now Mr. Meadow Mouse felt very much flattered, and as he was a very
obliging fellow anyway, he promptly said he would.
"'All right,' said Mr. Wharf Rat. 'I'm going to get you to tote this
bag down the Crooked Little Path to the hollow chestnut tree. I've got
an errand back on top of the hill.'
"So Mr. Meadow Mouse picked up the bag, which was very heavy, and swung
it over his shoulder. Then he started down the Crooked Little Path.
Half way down he met Striped Chipmunk.
"'Good evening, Mr. Meadow Mouse,' said Striped Chipmunk. 'What are
you toting in the bag across your shoulder?'
"Now, of course, Mr. Meadow Mouse didn't know what was in the bag and
he didn't like to admit that he was working for another, for he was
very proud, was Mr. Meadow Mouse.
"So he said: 'Just a planting of potatoes I begged from Jimmy Skunk,
just a planting of potatoes, Striped Chipmunk.'
"Now no one had ever suspected Mr. Meadow Mouse of stealing--no indeed!
Striped Chipmunk would have gone his way and thought no more about it,
had it not happened that there was a hole in the bag and from it
something dropped at his feet. Striped Chipmunk picked it up and it
_wasn't_ a potato. It was a fat acorn. Striped Chipmunk said nothing
but slipped it into his pocket.
"'Good night,' said Mr. Meadow Mouse, once more shouldering the bag.
"'Good night,' said Striped Chipmunk.
"No sooner had Mr. Meadow Mouse disappeared in the darkness down the
Crooked Little Path than Striped Chipmunk hurried to his granary. Some
one had been there and stolen all his acorns!
"Then Striped Chipmunk ran to the house of his cousin, Happy Jack
Squirrel, and told him how the acorns had been stolen from his granary
and how he had met Mr. Meadow Mouse with a bag over his shoulder and
how Mr. Meadow Mouse had said that he was toting home a planting of
potatoes he had begged from Jimmy Skunk. 'And this,' said Striped
Chipmunk, holding out the fat acorn, 'is what fell out of the bag.'
"Then Striped Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel hurried over to Jimmy
Skunk's house, and, just as they expected, they found that Mr. Meadow
Mouse had not begged a planting of potatoes of Jimmy Skunk.
"So Striped Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel and Jimmy Skunk hurried
over to Mr. Rabbit's and told him all about Mr. Meadow Mouse and the
bag of potatoes that dropped acorns. Mr. Rabbit looked very grave,
very grave indeed. Then Striped Chipmunk and Happy Jack Squirrel and
Jimmy Skunk and Mr. Rabbit started to tell Mr. Coon, who was cousin to
old King Bear.
"On the way they met Hooty the Owl, and because he could fly softly and
quickly, they sent Hooty the Owl to tell all the meadow people who were
awake to come to the hollow chestnut tree. So Hooty the Owl flew away
to tell all the little meadow people who were awake to meet at the
hollow chestnut tree.
"When they reached the hollow chestnut tree whom should they find there
but Mr. Meadow Mouse fast asleep beside the bag he had brought for Mr.
Wharf Rat, who had wisely stayed away.
"Very softly Striped Chipmunk stole up and opened the bag. Out fell
his store of fat acorns. Then they waked Mr. Meadow Mouse and marched
him off to old Mother Nature, where they charged him with being a thief.
"Old Mother Nature listened to all they had to say. She saw the bag of
acorns and she heard how Mr. Meadow Mouse had said that he had a
planting of potatoes. Then she asked him if he had stolen the acorns.
Yes, Sir, she asked him right out if he had stolen the acorns.
"Of course Mr. Meadow Mouse said that he had not stolen the acorns.
"'Then where did you get the bag of acorns?' asked old Mother Nature.
"When she asked this, Mr. Wharf Rat, who was sitting in the crowd of
meadow people, got up and softly tiptoed away when he thought no one
was looking. But old Mother Nature saw him. You can't fool old Mother
Nature. No, Sir, you can't fool old Mother Nature, and it's of no use
to try.
"Mr. Meadow Mouse didn't know what to say. He knew now that Mr. Wharf
Rat must be the thief, but Mr. Wharf Rat was his cousin, and he had
always looked up to him as a very fine gentleman. He couldn't tell the
world that Mr. Wharf Rat was a thief. So Mr. Meadow Mouse said nothing.
"Three times old Mother Nature asked Mr. Meadow Mouse where he got the
bag of acorns, and each time Mr. Meadow Mouse said nothing.
"'Mr. Meadow Mouse,' said old Mother Nature, and her voice was very
stern, 'I know that you did not steal the acorns of Striped Chipmunk.
I know that you did not even guess that there were stolen acorns in
that bag. Everyone else thinks that you are the thief who caused so
much trouble on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest. But I know
who the real thief is and he is stealing away as fast as he can go down
the Lone Little Path this very minute.'
"All of the little meadow people and forest folks turned to look down
the Lone Little Path, but it was so dark none could see, none but Hooty
the Owl, whose eyes are made to see in the dark.
"'I see him!' cried Hooty the Owl. 'It's Mr. Wharf Rat!'
"'Yes,' said old Mother Nature, 'it's Mr. Wharf Rat--he is the thief.
And this shall be his punishment: Always hereafter he will be driven
out wherever he is found. He shall no longer live in the Green Meadows
or the Green Forest. Everyone will turn their backs upon him. He will
live on what others throw away. He will live in filth and there will
be no one to say a good word for him. He will become an outcast
instead of a fine gentleman.'
"'And you, Mr. Meadow Mouse, in order that you may remember always to
avoid bad company, and that while it is a splendid thing to be loyal to
your friends and not to tell tales, it is also a very, very wrong thing
to shield those who have done wrong when by so doing you simply help
them to keep on doing wrong--you shall no longer have the splendid long
tail of which you are so proud, but it shall be short and stubby.'
"Even while old Mother Nature was speaking, Mr. Meadow Mouse felt his
tail grow shorter and shorter, and when she had finished he had just a
little mean stub of a tail.
"Of course he felt terribly. And while Striped Chipmunk hurried to
tell him how sorry he felt, and while all the other little meadow
people also hurried to tell him how sorry they felt, he could not be
comforted. So he slipped away as quickly as he could, and because he
was so ashamed he crept along underneath the long grass that no one
should see his short tail. And ever since that long ago time when the
world was young," concluded Grandfather Frog, "the Meadow Mice have had
short tails and have always scurried along under cover of the long
grass where no one will see them. And the Wharf Rats have never again
lived in the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest, but have lived on
filth and garbage around the homes of men, with every man's hand
against them."
"Thank you, Grandfather Frog," said Danny Meadow Mouse, very soberly.
"Now I understand why my tail is short and I shall not forget."
"But it isn't your fault at all, Danny Meadow Mouse," cried the Merry
Little Breezes, who had been listening, "and we love you just as much
as if your tail was long!"
Then they played tag with him all the way up the Lone Little Path to
his house, till Danny Meadow Mouse quite forgot that he had wished that
his tail was long.
II
WHY REDDY FOX HAS NO FRIENDS
The Green Meadows lay peaceful and still. Mother Moon, sailing high
overhead, looked down upon them and smiled and smiled, flooding them
with her silvery light. All day long the Merry Little Breezes of Old
Mother West Wind had romped there among the asters and goldenrod. They
had played tag through the cat rushes around the Smiling Pool. For
very mischief they had rubbed the fur of the Field Mice babies the
wrong way and had blown a fat green fly right out of Grandfather Frog's
mouth just as his lips came together with a smack. Now they were
safely tucked in bed behind the Purple Hills, and so they missed the
midnight feast at the foot of the Lone Pine.
But Reddy Fox was there. You can always count on Reddy Fox to be about
when mischief or good times are afoot, especially after Mr. Sun has
pulled his nightcap on.
Jimmy Skunk was there. If there is any mischief Reddy Fox does not
think of Jimmy Skunk will be sure to discover it.
Billy Mink was there. Yes indeed, Billy Mink was there! Billy Mink is
another mischief maker. When Reddy Fox and Jimmy Skunk are playing
pranks or in trouble of any kind you are certain to find Billy Mink
close by. That is, you are certain to find him if you look sharp
enough. But Billy Mink is so slim, he moves so quickly, and his wits
are so sharp, that he is not seen half so often as the others.
With Billy Mink came his cousin, Shadow the Weasel, who is sly and
cruel. No one likes Shadow the Weasel.
Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat came. They were late, for the legs
of Little Joe Otter are so short that he is a slow traveler on land,
while Jerry Muskrat feels much more at home in the water than on the
dry ground.
Of course Peter Rabbit was there. Without him no party on the Green
Meadows would be complete, and Peter likes to be abroad at night even
better than by day. With Peter came his cousin, Jumper the Hare, who
had come down from the Pine Forest for a visit.
Boomer the Nighthawk and Hooty the Owl completed the party, though
Hooty had not been invited and no one knew that he was there.
Each was to contribute something to the feast--the thing that he liked
best. Such an array as Mother Moon looked down upon! Reddy Fox had
brought a plump, tender chicken, stolen from Farmer Brown's dooryard.
Very quietly, like a thin, brown shadow, Billy Mink had slipped up to
the duck pond and--alas! Now Mother Quack had one less in her pretty
little flock than when as jolly, round, red Mr. Sun went to bed behind
the Purple Hills, she had counted her babies as they tucked their heads
under their wings.
Little Joe Otter had been fishing and he brought a great fat brother of
the lamented Tommy Trout, who didn't mind.
Jerry Muskrat brought up from the mud of the river bottom some fine
fresh water clams, of which he is very fond.
Jimmy Skunk stole three big eggs from the nest of old Gray Goose.
Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare rolled up a great, tender, fresh
cabbage.
Boomer the Nighthawk said that he was very sorry, but he was on a diet
of insects, which he must swallow one at a time, so to save trouble he
had swallowed them as he caught them.
Now Hooty the Owl is a glutton and is lazy. "Reddy Fox and Jimmy Skunk
and Billy Mink are sure to bring somethink [Transcriber's note:
something?] I like, so what is the use of spending my time hunting for
what someone else will get for me?" said he to himself. So Hooty the
Owl went very early to the Lone Pine and hid among the thick branches
where no one could see him.
Shadow the Weasel is sly and a thief and lives by his wits. So because
he had rather steal than be honest, he too went to the midnight spread
with nothing but his appetite.
Now Reddy Fox is also a glutton and very, very crafty. When he saw the
plump duck brought by Billy Mink, his mouth watered, for Reddy Fox is
very, very fond of young spring ducks. So straightway he began to plan
how he could get possession of Billy Mink's duck.
And when Billy Mink saw the fat trout Little Joe Otter had brought, his
eyes danced and his heart swelled with envy, for Billy Mink is very,
very fond of fish. At once he began to plan how he could secure that
particular fat trout Little Joe Otter guarded so carefully.
Jimmy Skunk was quite contented with the eggs he had stolen from old
Gray Goose--that is, he was until he saw the plump chicken Reddy Fox
had brought from Farmer Brown's dooryard. Then suddenly his stomach
became very empty, very empty indeed for chicken, and Jimmy Skunk began
to think of a way to add the chicken of Reddy Fox to his own stolen
eggs.
Because Reddy Fox is the largest he was given the place of honor at the
head of the table under the Lone Pine. On his right sat Little Joe
Otter and on his left Jerry Muskrat. Shadow the Weasel was next to
Little Joe Otter, while right across from him was Jimmy Skunk. Peter
Rabbit was next, sitting opposite his cousin, Jumper the Hare. At the
extreme end, facing Reddy Fox, sat Billy Mink, with the plump duck
right under his sharp little nose.
Boomer the Nighthawk excused himself on the plea that he needed
exercise to aid digestion, and as he had brought nothing to the feast,
his excuse was politely accepted.
Reddy Fox is very, very cunning, and his crafty brain had been busily
working out a plan to get all these good things for himself. "Little
brothers of the Green Meadows," began Reddy Fox, "we have met here
to-night for a feast of brotherly love."
Reddy Fox paused a moment to look hungrily at Billy Mink's duck. Billy
Mink cast a longing eye at Little Joe Otter's trout, while Jimmy Skunk
stole an envious glance at Reddy Fox's chicken.
"But there is one missing to make our joy complete," continued Reddy
Fox. "Who has seen Bobby Coon?"
No one had seen Bobby Coon. Somehow happy-go-lucky Bobby Coon had been
overlooked when the invitations were sent out.
"I move," continued Reddy Fox, "that because Billy Mink runs swiftly,
and because he knows where Bobby Coon usually is to be found, he be
appointed a committee of one to find Bobby Coon and bring him to the
feast."
Now nothing could have been less to the liking of Billy Mink, but there
was nothing for him to do but to yield as gracefully as he could and go
in search of Bobby Coon.
No sooner had Billy Mink disappeared down the Lone Little Path than
Reddy Fox recalled a nest of grouse eggs he had seen that day under a
big hemlock, and he proposed that inasmuch as Jimmy Skunk already wore
stripes for having stolen a nest of eggs from Mrs. Grouse, he was just
the one to go steal these eggs and bring them to the feast.
Of course there was nothing for Jimmy Skunk to do but to yield as
gracefully as he could and go in search of the nest of eggs under the
big hemlock.
No sooner had Jimmy Skunk started off than Reddy Fox remembered a big
shining sucker Farmer Brown's boy had caught that afternoon and tossed
among the rushes beside the Smiling Pool. Little Joe Otter listened
and his mouth watered and watered until he could sit still no longer.
"If you please," said Little Joe Otter, "I'll run down to the Smiling
Pool and get that sucker to add to the feast."
No sooner was Little Joe Otter out of sight than Reddy Fox was reminded
of a field of carrots on the other side of the Green Meadows. Now
Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare are very fond of tender young carrots
and they volunteered to bring a supply for the feast. So away they
hurried with big jumps down the Lone Little Path and out across the
Green Meadows.
No sooner were Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare fairly started than
Reddy Fox began to tell of some luscious sweet apples he had noticed
under a wild apple tree a little way back on the hill. Now Jerry
Muskrat is quite as fond of luscious sweet apples as of fresh-water
clams, so quietly slipping away, he set out in quest of the wild apple
tree a little way back on the hill.
No sooner was Jerry Muskrat lost in the black shadows than Reddy Fox
turned to speak to Shadow the Weasel. But Shadow the Weasel believes
that a feast in the stomach is worth two banquets untasted, so while
the others had been talking, he had quietly sucked dry the three big
eggs stolen by Jimmy Skunk from old Gray Goose, and then because he is
so slim and so quick and so sly, he slipped away without anyone seeing
him.
So when Reddy Fox turned to speak to Shadow the Weasel, he found
himself alone. At least he thought himself alone, and he smiled a
wicked, selfish smile as he walked over to Billy Mink's duck. He was
thinking how smart he had been to get rid of all the others, and of how
he would enjoy the feast all by himself.
As Reddy Fox stooped to pick up Billy Mink's duck, a great shadow
dropped softly, oh so softly, out of the Lone Pine down onto the plump
chicken. Then without the teeniest, weeniest bit of noise, it floated
back into the Lone Pine and with it went the plump chicken.
Reddy Fox, still with his wicked, selfish smile, trotted back with
Billy Mink's duck, but he dropped it in sheer surprise when he
discovered that his plump chicken had disappeared. Now Reddy Fox is
very suspicious, as people who are not honest themselves are very apt
to be. So he left Billy Mink's duck where he had dropped it and
trotted very, very softly up the Lone Little Path to try to catch the
thief who had stolen his plump chicken.
No sooner was his back turned than down out of the Lone Pine floated
the great shadow, and when a minute later Reddy Fox returned, Billy
Mink's duck had also disappeared.
Reddy Fox could hardly believe his eyes. He didn't smile now. He was
too angry and too frightened. Yes, Reddy Fox was frightened. He
walked in a big circle round and round the place where the plump
chicken and the duck had been, and the more he walked, the more
suspicious he became. He wrinkled and wrinkled his little black nose
in an effort to smell the intruder, but not a whiff could he get. All
was as still and peaceful as could be. Little Joe Otter's trout lay
shining in the moonlight. The big head of cabbage lay just where Peter
Rabbit and Jumper the Hare had left it. Reddy Fox rubbed his eyes to
make sure that he was not dreaming and that the plump chicken and the
duck were not there too.
Just then Bowser the Hound, over at Farmer Brown's, bayed at the moon.
Reddy Fox always is nervous and by this time he was so fidgety that he
couldn't stand still. When Bowser the Hound bayed at the moon Reddy
Fox jumped a foot off the ground and whirled about in the direction of
Farmer Brown's house. Then he remembered that Bowser the Hound is
always chained up at night, so that he had nothing to fear from him.
After listening and looking a moment Reddy Fox decided that all was
safe. "Well," said he to himself, "I'll have that fat trout anyway,"
and turned to get it.
But the fat trout he had seen a minute before shining in the moonlight
had also disappeared. Reddy Fox looked and looked until his eyes
nearly popped out of his head. Then he did what all cowards do--ran
home as fast as his legs could carry him.
Now of course Billy Mink didn't find Bobby Coon, and when he came back
up the Lone Little Path he was very tired, very hungry and very cross.
And of course Jimmy Skunk failed to find the nest of Mrs. Grouse, and
Little Joe Otter could find no trace of the shining big sucker among
the rushes beside the Smiling Pool. They also were very tired, very
hungry and very cross.
When the three returned to the Lone Pine and found nothing there but
the big head of cabbage, which none of them liked, the empty egg shells
of old Gray Goose and Jerry Muskrat's clams, they straightway fell to
accusing each other of having stolen the duck and the fat trout and the
eggs and began to quarrel dreadfully.
Pretty soon up came Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare, who had failed to
find the tender young carrots. And up came Jerry Muskrat, who had
found no luscious sweet apples.
"Where is Reddy Fox?" asked Peter Rabbit.
Sure enough, where was Reddy Fox? Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and
Jimmy Skunk stopped quarreling and looked at each other.
"Reddy Fox is the thief!" they cried all together.
Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Jerry Muskrat agreed that Reddy
Fox must be the thief, and had sent them all away on false errands that
he might have the feast all to himself.
So because there was nothing else to do, Billy Mink and Little Joe
Otter, tired and hungry and angry, started for their homes beside the
Laughing Brook. And Jimmy Skunk, also tired and hungry and angry,
started off up the Crooked Little Path to look for some beetles.
But Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare sat down to enjoy the big head of
cabbage, while close beside them sat Jerry Muskrat smacking his lips
over his clams, they tasted so good. Mother Moon looked down and
smiled and smiled, for she knew that each had a clear conscience, for
they had done no harm to anyone.
And up in the thick top of the great pine Hooty the Owl nodded
sleepily, for his stomach was very full of chicken and duck and trout,
although he had not been invited to the party.
And this is why Reddy Fox has no true friends on the Green Meadows.
III
WHY PETER RABBIT'S EARS ARE LONG
The Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were tired. Ever
since she had turned them out of her big bag onto the Green Meadows
early that morning they had romped and played tag and chased
butterflies while Old Mother West Wind herself went to hunt for a
raincloud which had wandered away before it had watered the thirsty
little plants who were bravely trying to keep the Green Meadows lovely
and truly green. Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun wore his broadest smile and
the more he smiled the warmer it grew. Mr. Sun is never thirsty
himself, never the least little bit, or perhaps he would have helped
Old Mother West Wind find the wandering raincloud.
The Merry Little Breezes threw themselves down on the edge of the
Smiling Pool, where the rushes grow tall, and there they took turns
rocking the cradle which held Mrs. Redwing's four babies.
Pretty soon one of the Merry Little Breezes, peeping through the
rushes, spied Peter Rabbit sitting up very straight on the edge of the
Green Meadows. His long ears were pointed straight up, his big eyes
were very wide open and he seemed to be looking and listening with a
great deal of curiosity.
"I wonder why it is that Peter Rabbit has such long ears," said the
Merry Little Breeze.
"Chug-a-rum!" replied a great, deep voice right behind him.
All the Merry Little Breezes jumped up and ran through the rushes to
the very edge of the Smiling Pool. There on a great green lily pad sat
Great-Grandfather Frog, his hands folded across his white and yellow
waistcoat and his green coat shining spick and span.
"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.
"Oh, Grandfather Frog," cried the Merry Little Breezes all together,
"do tell us why it is that Peter Rabbit has such long ears."
Grandfather Frog cleared his throat. He looked to the east and cleared
his throat again. Then he looked to the west, and cleared his throat.
He looked north and he looked south, and each time he cleared his
throat, but said nothing. Finally he folded his hands once more over
his white and yellow waistcoat, and looking straight up at jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun he remarked in his very deepest Voice and to no one
in particular:
"If I had four fat, foolish, green flies, it is just possible that I
might remember how it happens that Peter Rabbit has such long ears."
Then up jumped all the Merry Little Breezes and away they raced. Some
of them went east, some of them went west, some of them went north,
some of them went south, all looking for fat, foolish, green flies for
Grandfather Frog.
By and by they came skipping back, one by one, to the edge of the
Smiling Pool, each with a fat, foolish, green fly, and each stopping to
give Mrs. Redwing's cradle a gentle push.
When Grandfather Frog had swallowed all the fat, foolish, green flies
brought by the Merry Little Breezes, he settled himself comfortably on
his big lily pad once more and began:
"Once upon a time, very long ago, when the world was young, Mr.
Rabbit--not our Peter Rabbit, but his grandfather a thousand times
removed--had short ears like all the other meadow people, and also his
four legs were all of the same length, just exactly the same length.
"Now Mr. Rabbit had a great deal of curiosity, a very great deal,
indeed. He was forever pushing his prying little nose into other
people's affairs, which, you know, is a most unpleasant habit. In
fact, Mr. Rabbit had become a nuisance."
[Illustration: Mr. Rabbit had a great deal of curiosity, a very great
deal, indeed.]
"Whenever Billy Mink stopped to pass the time of day with Jerry Muskrat
they were sure to find Mr. Rabbit standing close by, listening to all
they said. If Johnny Chuck's mother ran over to have a few minutes'
chat with Jimmy Skunk's mother, the first thing they knew Mr. Rabbit
would be squatting down in the grass right behind them.
"The older he grew the worse Mr. Rabbit became. He would spend his
evenings going from house to house, tiptoeing softly up to the windows
to listen to what the folks inside were saying. And the more he heard
the more Mr. Rabbit's curiosity grew.
"Now, like most people who meddle in other folks' affairs, Mr. Rabbit
had no time to tend to his own business. His cabbage patch grew up to
weeds. His house leaked, his fences fell to pieces, and altogether his
was the worst looking place on the Green Meadows.
"Worse still, Mr. Rabbit was a trouble maker. He just couldn't keep
his tongue still. And like most gossips, he never could tell the exact
truth.
"Dear me! dear me!" said Grandfather Frog, shaking his head solemnly.
"Things had come to a dreadful pass on the Green Meadows. Reddy Fox
and Bobby Coon never met without fighting. Jimmy Skunk and Johnny
Chuck turned their backs on each other. Jerry Muskrat, Little Joe
Otter, and Billy Mink called each other bad names. All because Mr.
Rabbit had told so many stories that were not true.
"Now when old Mother Nature visited the Green Meadows she soon saw what
a dreadful state all the meadow people were in, and she began to
inquire how it all came about.
"'It's all because of Mr. Rabbit,' said Reddy Fox.
"'No one is to blame but Mr. Rabbit,' said Striped Chipmunk.
"Everywhere old Mother Nature inquired it was the same--Mr. Rabbit, Mr.
Rabbit, Mr. Rabbit.
"So then old Mother Nature sent for blustering great Mr. North Wind,
who is very strong. And she sent for Mr. Rabbit.
"Mr. Rabbit trembled in his shoes when he got old Mother Nature's
message. He would have liked to run away and hide. But he did not
dare do that, for he knew that there was nowhere he could hide that
Mother Nature would not find him sooner or later. And besides, his
curiosity would give him no peace. He just _had_ to know what old
Mother Nature wanted.
"So Peter Rabbit put on his best suit, which was very shabby, and set
out for the Lone Pine to see what old Mother Nature wanted. When he
got there, he found all the little people of the Green Meadows and all
the little folks of the Green Forest there before him. There were
Reddy Fox, Johnny Chuck, Striped Chipmunk, Happy Jack Squirrel, Mr.
Black Snake, old Mr. Crow, Sammy Jay, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter,
Jerry Muskrat, Spotty the Turtle, old King Bear, his cousin, Mr. Coon,
and all the other little people.
"When he saw all who had gathered under the Lone Pine, and how they all
looked crossly at him, Mr. Rabbit was so frightened that his heart went
pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, and he wanted more than ever to run
away. But he didn't dare to. No, Sir, he didn't dare to. And then he
was so curious to know what it all meant that he wouldn't have run if
he had dared.
"Old Mother Nature made Mr. Rabbit sit up on an old log where all could
see him. Then in turn she asked each present who was the cause of all
the trouble on the Green Meadows. And each in turn answered 'Mr.
Rabbit.'
"'Mr. Rabbit,' said old Mother Nature, 'you are lazy, for your cabbage
patch has all gone to weeds. You are shiftless, for your house leaks.
You are a sneak, for you creep up where you are not wanted and listen
to things which do not concern you. You are a thief, for you steal the
secrets of others. You are a prevaricator, for you tell things which
are not so. Mr. Rabbit, you are all these--a lazy, shiftless sneak,
thief and prevaricator.'
"It was dreadful. Mother Nature paused, and Mr. Rabbit felt oh so
ashamed. He did not look up, but he felt, he just _felt_, all the eyes
of all the little meadow people and forest folk burning right into him.
So he hung his head and two great tears fell splash, right at his feet.
You see Mr. Rabbit wasn't altogether bad. It was just this dreadful
curiosity.
"Old Mother Nature knew this and down in her heart she loved Mr. Rabbit
and was oh so sorry for him.
"'Mr. Rabbit,' continued old Mother Nature, 'because your curiosity is
so great, your ears shall be made long, that every one who sees you may
know that it is not safe to talk when you are near. Because you are a
sneak and steal up to people unseen, your-hind legs shall be made long,
so that whenever you sit up straight you will be tall and every one can
see you, and whenever you run, you will go with great jumps, and every
one will know who it is running away. And because you are shiftless
and your house leaks, you will hereafter live in a hole in the ground.'
"Then old Mother Nature took Mr. Rabbit by his two ears and big, strong
Mr. North Wind took Peter Rabbit by his hind legs, and they both
pulled. And when they put him down Peter Rabbit's ears and his hind
legs were long, many times longer than they used to be. When he tried
to run away to hide his shame, he found that the only way he could go
was with great jumps, and you may be sure he jumped as fast as he could.
"And ever since that long ago time, when the world was young, rabbits
have had long ears and long hind legs, all because of the curiosity of
their grandfather a thousand times removed. And now you know why Peter
Rabbit's ears are long, and why he is always sitting up and listening,"
concluded Great-Grandfather Frog.
"Thank you, thank you, Grandfather Frog!" shouted all the Merry Little
Breezes, and raced away to help old Mother West Wind drive up the
wandering raincloud, which she had found at last.
IV
REDDY FOX DISOBEYS
On the brow of the hill by the Lone Pine sat Reddy Fox. Every few
moments he pointed his little black nose up at the round, yellow moon
and barked. Way over across the broad White Meadows, which in summer
time are green, you know, in the dooryard of Farmer Brown's house,
Bowser the Hound sat and barked at the moon, too.
"Yap-yap-yap," barked Reddy Fox, as loud as he could.
"Bow-wow-wow," said Bowser the Hound in his deepest voice.
Then both would listen and watch the million little stars twinkle and
twinkle in the frosty sky. Now just why Reddy Fox should bark at the
moon he did not know. He just had to. Every night for a week he had
sat at the foot of the Lone Pine and barked and barked until his throat
was sore. Every night old Mother Fox had warned him that noisy
children would come to no good end, and every night Reddy had promised
that he would bark no more. But every night when the first silver
flood of witching light crept over the hill and cast strange shadows
from the naked branches of the trees, Reddy forgot all about his
promise. Deep down under his little red coat was a strange feeling
which he could not explain. He simply _must_ bark, so up to the Lone
Pine he would go and yap and yap and yap, until all the little meadow
people who were not asleep knew just where Reddy Fox was.
Bowser the Hound knew, too, and he made up his mind that Reddy Fox was
making fun of him. Now Bowser did not like to be made fun of any more
than little boys and girls do, and he made up his mind that if ever he
could break his chain, or that if ever Farmer Brown forgot to chain him
up, he would teach Reddy Fox a lesson that Reddy would never forget.
"Yap-yap-yap," barked Reddy Fox, and then listened to hear Bowser's
deep voice reply. But this time there was no reply. Reddy listened,
and listened, and then tried it again. Way off on a distant hill he
could hear Hooty the Owl. Close by him Jack Frost was busy snapping
sticks. Down on the White Meadows he could see Jimmy Skunk prowling
about. Once he heard a rooster crow sleepily in Farmer Brown's
hen-house, but he thought of Bowser the Hound, and though his mouth
watered, he did not dare risk a closer acquaintance with the big dog.
So he sat still and barked, and pretty soon he forgot all else but the
moon and the sound of his own voice.
Now Bowser the Hound had managed to slip his collar. "Aha," thought
Bowser, "now I'll teach Reddy Fox to make fun of me," and like a shadow
he slipped through the fence and across the White Meadows towards the
Lone Pine.
Reddy Fox had just barked for the hundreth time when he heard a twig
crack just back of him. It had a different sound from the noisy crack
of Jack Frost, and Reddy stopped a yap right in the middle and whirled
about to see what it might be. There was Bowser the Hound almost upon
him, his eyes flashing fire, his great, red jaws wide open, and every
hair on his back bristling with rage.
Reddy Fox didn't wait to say "Good evening," or to see more. Oh, no!
He turned a back somersault and away he sped over the hard, snowy crust
as fast as his legs could carry him. Bowser baying at the moon he
liked to hear, but Bowser baying at his heels was another matter, and
Reddy ran as he had never run before. Down across the White Meadows he
sped, Bowser frightening all the echoes with the roar of his big voice
as he followed in full cry.
How Reddy did wish that he had minded Mother Fox! How safe and snug
and warm was his home under the roots of the old hickory tree, and how
he did wish that he was safely there! But it would never do to go
there now, for that would tell Bowser where he lived, and Bowser would
take Farmer Brown there, and that would be the end of Reddy Fox and of
Mother Fox and of all the brother and sister foxes.
So Reddy twisted and turned, and ran this way and ran that way, and the
longer he ran, the shorter his breath grew. It was coming in great
pants now. His bushy tail, of which he was so proud, had become very
heavy. How Reddy Fox did wish and wish that he had minded Mother Fox!
He twisted and turned, and doubled this way and that way, and all the
time Bowser the Hound got closer and closer.
Now way off on the hill behind the White Meadows Mother Fox had been
hunting for her supper. She had heard the "Yap-yap-yap" of Reddy Fox
as he barked at the moon, and she had heard Bowser baying over in the
barnyard of Farmer Brown. Then she had heard the "yap" of Reddy Fox
cut short in the middle and the roar of Bowser's big voice as he
started to chase Reddy Fox. She knew that Reddy could run fast, but
she also knew that Bowser the Hound had a wonderful nose, and that
Bowser would never give up. So Mother Fox pattered down the Crooked
Little Path onto the White Meadows, where she could see the chase.
When she got near enough, she barked twice to tell Reddy that she would
help him.
Now Reddy Fox was so tired that he was almost in despair when he heard
Mother Fox bark. But he knew that Mother Fox was so wise, and she had
so often fooled Bowser the Hound, that if he could hold out just a
little longer she would help him. So for a few minutes he ran faster
than ever and he gained a long way on Bowser the Hound. As he passed a
shock of corn that had been left standing on the White Meadows, Mother
Fox stepped out from behind it. "Go home, Reddy Fox," said she,
sharply, "go home and stay there until I come." Then she deliberately
sat down in front of the shock of corn to wait until Bowser the Hound
should come in sight.
Now Bowser the Hound kept his eyes and nose on the track of Reddy Fox,
looking up only once in a while to see where he was going, so he did
not see Reddy Fox slip behind the corn shock, and when he did look up,
he saw only Mother Fox sitting there waiting for him.
Now Bowser the Hound thinks slowly. When he saw old Mother Fox sitting
there, he did not stop to think that it was not Reddy Fox whom he had
been following, or he would have known better than to waste his time
following old Mother Fox. He would have just hunted around until he
had found where Reddy had gone to. But Bowser the Hound thinks slowly.
When he saw old Mother Fox sitting there, he thought it was Reddy Fox
and that now he had him.
With a great roar of his big voice, he sprang forward. Mother Fox
waited until he was almost upon her, then springing to one side, she
trotted off a little way. At once Bowser the Hound started after her.
She pretended to be very tired. Every time he rushed forward she
managed to just slip out of his grasp.
Little by little she led him across the White Meadows back towards
Farmer Brown's barnyard. Pretty soon old Mother Fox began to run as
fast as she could, and that is very fast indeed. She left Bowser the
Hound a long, long way behind. When she came to a stone wall she
jumped up on the stone wall and ran along it, just like a squirrel.
Every once in a while she would make a long jump and then trot along a
little way again. She knew that stones do not carry the scent well,
and that Bowser the Hound would have hard work to smell her on the
stone wall. Way down at the end of the pasture an old apple tree
stretched a long limb out towards the stone wall. When she got
opposite to this she jumped onto this long limb and ran up into the
tree. There in the crotch, close to the trunk, she sat and watched.
Bowser the Hound, making a tremendous noise, followed her trail up to
the stone wall. Then he was puzzled. He sniffed this way, and he
sniffed that way, but he could not tell where Mother Fox had
disappeared to. He looked up at old Mother Moon and bayed and bayed,
but old Mother Moon did not help him a bit. Then he jumped over the
stone wall and looked, and looked, and smelled, and smelled, but no
track of Mother Fox could he find. Then he ran up along the stone wall
a little way, and then down along the stone wall a little way, but
still he could not find a track of Mother Fox. The longer he hunted,
the angrier he grew.
Old Mother Fox, sitting in the apple tree, watched him and laughed and
laughed to herself. Then when she grew tired of watching him, she made
a long jump out into the field and trotted off home to punish Reddy Fox
for his disobedience. When she got there she found Reddy Fox very much
ashamed, very tired and very sorrowful, and since that time Reddy Fox
has never barked at the moon.
V
STRIPED CHIPMUNK'S POCKETS
It was one of Striped Chipmunk's busy days. Every day is a busy day
with Striped Chipmunk at this season of the year, for the sweet acorns
are ripe and the hickory nuts rattle down whenever Old Mother West Wind
shakes the trees, while every night Jack Frost opens chestnut burrs
just to see the squirrels scamper for the plump brown nuts the next
morning.
So Striped Chipmunk was very busy, very busy indeed! He whisked in and
out of the old stone wall along one edge of the Green Meadows. Back
and forth, back and forth, sometimes to the old hickory tree, sometimes
to the hollow chestnut tree, sometimes to the great oak on the edge of
the Green Forest Striped Chipmunk scampered.
Old Mother West Wind, coming down from the Purple Hills very early in
the morning, had found Striped Chipmunk up before her and hard at work.
Later, when jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had climbed up into the sky, the
Merry Little Breezes had spied Striped Chipmunk whisking along the old
stone wall and had raced over to play with him, for the Merry Little
Breezes are very fond of Striped Chipmunk. They got there just in time
to see him disappear under a great stone in the old wall. In a minute
he was out again and off as fast as he could go to the old hickory tree.
"Oh, Striped Chipmunk, come play with us," shouted the Merry Little
Breezes, running after him.
But Striped Chipmunk just flirted his funny little tail and winked with
both his bright eyes at them.
"Busy! busy! busy!" said Striped Chipmunk, hurrying along as fast as
his short legs could take him.
The Merry Little Breezes laughed, and one of them, dancing ahead,
pulled the funny little tail of Striped Chipmunk.
"It's a beautiful day; do come and play with us," cried the Merry
Little Breeze.
But Striped Chipmunk flirted his tail over his back once more.
"Busy! busy! busy!" he shouted over his shoulder and ran faster than
ever.
In a few minutes he was back again, but such a queer-looking fellow as
he was! His head was twice as big as it had been before and you would
hardly have known that it was Striped Chipmunk but for the saucy way he
twitched his funny little tail and the spry way he scampered along the
old stone wall.