water. Then she led him to his home in the great hollow in the big
chestnut tree, and when she had seen him curled up in a tight little
ball among the dried leaves she put him into the long sleep as she had
old King Bear.
"In the spring, when gentle Sister South Wind kissed away all the snow
and ice, old King Bear, who was king no longer, and Mr. Coon awoke and
both were very thin, and both were very hungry, oh very, very hungry
indeed. Old King Bear, who was king no longer, wasn't the least mite
fussy about what he had to eat, but ate gladly any food he could find.
"But Mr. Coon remembered the burning of his stomach and mouth and could
not forget it. So whenever he found anything to eat he first took it
to the Laughing Brook or the Smiling Pool and washed it very carefully,
lest there be some mustard on it.
"And ever since that long ago time, when the world was young, the Coon
family has remembered that experience of Mr. Coon, who was second
cousin to old King Bear, and that is why Bobby Coon washes his food,
travels about at night, and sleeps all winter," concluded Grandfather
Frog, fixing his great goggle eyes on a foolish green fly headed his
way.
"Oh thank you, thank you, Grandfather Frog," cried the Merry Little
Breezes as they danced away over the Green Meadows. But one of them
slipped back long enough to get behind the foolish green fly and blow
him right up to Grandfather Frog's big lily pad.
"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog, smacking his lips.
XIII
THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES HAVE A BUSY DAY
Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the shadowy
coolness of the early morning, before even jolly, round, red Mr. Sun
had thrown off his rosy coverlids for his daily climb up through the
blue sky. The last little star was blinking sleepily as Old Mother
West Wind turned her big bag upside down on the Green Meadows and all
her children, the Merry Little Breezes, tumbled out on the soft green
grass.
Then Old Mother West Wind kissed them all around and hurried away to
hunt for a rain cloud which had gone astray. The Merry Little Breezes
watched her go. Then they played hide and seek until jolly, round, red
Mr. Sun had climbed out of bed and was smiling down on the Green
Meadows.
Pretty soon along came Peter Rabbit, lipperty-lipperty-lip.
"Hello, Peter Rabbit!" shouted the Merry Little Breezes. "Come play
with us!"
"Can't," said Peter Rabbit. "I have to go find some tender young
carrots for my breakfast," and away be hurried, lipperty-lipperty-lip.
In a few minutes Jimmy Skunk came in sight and he seemed to be almost
hurrying along the Crooked Little Path down the hill. The Merry Little
Breezes danced over to meet him.
"Hello, Jimmy Skunk!" they cried. "Come play with us!"
Jimmy Skunk shook his head. "Can't," said he. "I have to go look for
some beetles for my breakfast," and off he went looking under every old
stick and pulling over every stone not too big for his strength.
The Merry Little Breezes watched him for a few minutes and then raced
over to the Laughing Brook. There they found Billy Mink stealing
softly down towards the Smiling Pool.
"Oh, Billy Mink, come play with us," begged the Merry Little Breezes.
"Can't," said Billy Mink. "I have to catch a trout for Grandfather
Mink's breakfast," and he crept on towards the Smiling Pool.
Just then along came Bumble the Bee. Now Bumble the Bee is a lazy
fellow who always makes a great fuss, as if he was the busiest and most
important fellow in the world.
"Good morning, Bumble," cried the Merry Little Breezes. "Come play
with us!"
"Buzz, buzz, buzz," grumbled Bumble the Bee. "Can't, for I have to get
a sack of honey," and off he hurried to the nearest dandelion.
Then the Merry Little Breezes hunted up Johnny Chuck. But Johnny Chuck
was busy, too busy to play. Bobby Coon was asleep, for he had been out
all night. Reddy Fox also was asleep. Striped Chipmunk was in such a
hurry to fill the pockets in his cheeks that he could hardly stop to
say good morning. Happy Jack Squirrel just flirted his big tail and
rushed away as if he had many important things to attend to.
Finally the Merry Little Breezes gave it up and sat down among the
buttercups and daisies to talk it over. Every one seemed to have
something to do, every one but themselves. It was such a busy world
that sunshiny morning! Pretty soon one of the Merry Little Breezes
hopped up very suddenly and began the maddest little dance among the
buttercups.
"As we haven't anything to do for ourselves let's do something for
somebody else!" he shouted.
Up jumped all the Little Breezes, clapping their hands.
"Oh let's!" they shouted.
Way over across the Green Meadows they could see two long ears above
the nodding daisies.
"There's Peter Rabbit," cried one. "Let's help him find those tender
young carrots!"
No sooner proposed than off they all raced to see who could reach Peter
first. Peter was sitting up very straight, looking this way and
looking that way for some tender young carrots, but not one had he
found, and his stomach was empty. The Merry Little Breezes stopped
just long enough to tickle his long ears and pull his whiskers, then
away they raced, scattering in all directions, to see who could first
find a tender young carrot for Peter Rabbit. By and by when one of
them did find a field of tender young carrots he rushed off, taking the
smell of them with him to tickle the nose of Peter Rabbit.
Peter wriggled his nose, his funny little nose, very fast when it was
tickled with the smell of tender young carrots, and the Merry Little
Breeze laughed to see him.
"Come on, Peter Rabbit, for this is my busy day!" he cried.
Peter Rabbit didn't have to be invited twice. Away he went,
lipperty-lipperty-lip, as fast as his long legs could take him after
the Merry Little Breeze. And presently they came to the field of
tender young carrots.
"Oh thank you, Merry Little Breeze!" cried Peter Rabbit, and
straightway began to eat his breakfast.
Another Merry Little Breeze, slipping up the Crooked Little Path on the
hill, spied the hind legs of a fat beetle sticking out from under a
flat stone. At once the Little Breeze remembered Jimmy Skunk, who was
hunting for beetles for his breakfast. Off rushed the Little Breeze in
merry whirls that made the grasses sway and bend and the daisies nod.
When after a long, long hunt he found Jimmy Skunk, Jimmy was very much
out of sorts. In fact Jimmy Skunk was positively cross. You see, he
hadn't had any breakfast, for hunt as he would he couldn't find a
single beetle.
When the Merry Little Breeze danced up behind Jimmy Skunk and, just in
fun, rumpled up his black and white coat, Jimmy quite lost his temper.
In fact he said some things not at all nice to the Merry Little Breeze.
But the Merry Little Breeze just laughed. The more he laughed the
crosser Jimmy Skunk grew, and the crosser Jimmy Skunk grew the more the
Merry Little Breeze laughed. It was such a jolly laugh that pretty
soon Jimmy Skunk began to grin a little sheepishly, then to really
smile and finally to laugh outright in spite of his empty stomach. You
see it is very hard, very hard indeed and very foolish, to remain cross
when someone else is perfectly good natured.
Suddenly the Merry Little Breeze danced up to Jimmy Skunk and whispered
in his right ear. Then he danced around and whispered in his left ear.
Jimmy Skunk's eyes snapped and his mouth began to water.
"Where, Little Breeze, where?" he begged.
"Follow me," cried the Merry Little Breeze, racing off up the Crooked
Little Path so fast that Jimmy Skunk lost his breath trying to keep up,
for you know Jimmy Skunk seldom hurries.
When they came to the big flat stone Jimmy Skunk grasped it with both
hands and pulled and pulled. Up came the stone so suddenly that Jimmy
Skunk fell over flat on his back. When he had scrambled to his feet
there were beetles and beetles, running in every direction to find a
place to hide.
"Thank you, thank you, Little Breeze," shouted Jimmy Skunk as he
started to catch beetles for his breakfast.
And the Little Breeze laughed happily as he danced away to join the
other Merry Little Breezes on the Green Meadows. There he found them
very, very busy, very busy indeed, so busy that they could hardly find
time to nod to him. What do you think they were doing? They were
toting _gold_! Yes, Sir, toting gold! And this is how it happened:
While the first Little Breeze was showing Peter Rabbit the field of
tender young carrots, and while the second Little Breeze was leading
Jimmy Skunk to the flat stone and the beetles, the other Merry Little
Breezes had found Bumble the Bee. Now Bumble the Bee is a lazy fellow,
though he pretends to be the busiest fellow in the world, and they
found him grumbling as he buzzed with a great deal of fuss from one
flower to another.
"What's the matter, Bumble?" cried the Merry Little Breezes.
"Matter enough," grumbled Bumble the Bee. "I've got to make a sack of
honey, and as if that isn't enough, old Mother Nature has ordered me to
carry a sack of gold from each flower I visit to the next flower I
visit. If I don't I can get no honey. Buzz-buzz-buzz," grumbled
Bumble the Bee.
The Merry Little Breezes looked at the million little flowers on the
Green Meadows, each waiting a sack of gold to give and a sack of gold
to receive. Then they looked at each other and shouted happily, for
they too would now be able to cry "busy, busy, busy."
From flower to flower they hurried, each with a bag of gold over his
shoulder. Wherever they left a bag they took a bag, and all the little
flowers nodded happily to see the Merry Little Breezes at work.
Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun climbed higher and higher and higher in the
blue sky, where he can look down and see all things, great and small.
His smile was broader than ever as he watched the hurrying, scurrying
Little Breezes working instead of playing. Yet after all it was a kind
of play, for they danced from flower to flower and ran races across
bare places where no flowers grew.
By and by the Merry Little Breezes met Peter Rabbit. Now Peter Rabbit
had made a good breakfast of tender young carrots, so he felt very
good, very good indeed.
"Hi!" shouted Peter Rabbit, "come play with me."
"Can't," cried the Merry Little Breezes all together, "we have work to
do!"
Off they hurried, while Peter Rabbit stretched himself out full length
in a sunny spot, for Peter Rabbit also is a lazy fellow.
Down the Crooked Little Path onto the Green Meadows came Jimmy Skunk.
"Ho!" shouted Jimmy Skunk as soon as he saw the Little Breezes, "come
play with me."
"Can't," cried the Little Breezes, "for we are busy, busy, busy," and
they laughed happily.
When they reached the Laughing Brook they found Billy Mink curled up in
a round ball, fast asleep. It isn't often that Billy Mink is caught
napping, but he had had a good breakfast of trout, he had found no one
to play with and, as he never works and the day was so bright and warm,
he had first looked for a place where he thought no one would find him
and had then curled himself up to sleep, One of the Little Breezes laid
down the bag of gold he was carrying and creeping ever so softly over
to Billy Mink began to tickle one of Billy's ears with a straw.
At first Billy Mink didn't open his eyes, but rubbed his ear with a
little black hand. Finally he jumped to his feet wide awake and ready
to fight whoever was bothering him. But all he saw was a laughing
Little Breeze running away with a bag of gold on his back.
So all day long, till Old Mother West Wind came with her big bag to
carry them to their home behind the Purple Hills, the Merry Little
Breezes hurried this way and that way over the Green Meadows. No wee
flower was too tiny to give and receive its share of gold, and not one
was overlooked by the Merry Little Breezes.
Old Mother Nature, who knows everything, heard of the busy day of the
Merry Little Breezes. Nobody knows how she heard of it. Perhaps
jolly, round, red Mr. Sun told her. Perhaps--but never mind. You
can't fool old Mother Nature anyway and it's of no use to try.
So old Mother Nature visited the Green Meadows to see for herself, and
when she found how the Merry Little Breezes had distributed the gold
she was so pleased that straightway she announced to all the world that
thenceforth and for all time the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother
West Wind should have charge of the distribution of the gold of the
flowers on the Green Meadows, which they have to this day.
And since that day the Merry Little Breezes have been merrier than
ever, for they have found that it is not nearly so much fun to play all
the time, but that to work for some good in the world is the greatest
fun of all.
So every year when the gold of the flowers, which some people do not
know is gold at all but call pollen, is ready you will find the Merry
Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind very, very busy among the
flowers on the Green Meadows. And this is the happiest time of all.
XIV
WHY HOOTY THE OWL DOES NOT PLAY ON THE GREEN MEADOWS
The Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were having a
good-night game of tag down on the Green Meadows. They were having
_such_ a jolly time while they waited for Old Mother West Wind and her
big bag to take them to their home behind the Purple Hills. Jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun had already put his nightcap on. Black shadows
crept softly out from the Purple Hills onto the Green Meadows. The
Merry Little Breezes grew sleepy, almost too sleepy to play, for Old
Mother West Wind was very, very late.
Farther and farther and farther out onto the Green Meadows crept the
black shadows. Suddenly one seemed to separate from the others.
Softly, oh so softly, yet swiftly, it floated over towards the Merry
Little Breezes. One of them happened to look up and saw it coming. It
was the same Little Breeze who one time stayed out all night. When he
looked up and saw this seeming shadow moving so swiftly he knew that it
was no shadow at all.
"Here comes Hooty the Owl," cried the Little Breeze.
Then all the Merry Little Breezes stopped their game of tag to look at
Hooty the Owl. It is seldom they have a chance to see him, for usually
Hooty the Owl does not come out on the Green Meadows until after the
Merry Little Breezes are snugly tucked in bed behind the Purple Hills.
"Perhaps Hooty the Owl will tell us why it is that he never comes out
to play with us," said one of the Little Breezes.
But just as Hooty the Owl floated over to them up came Old Mother West
Wind, and she was in a great hurry, for she was late, and she was
tired. She had had a busy day, a very busy day indeed, hunting for a
rain cloud which had gone astray. So now she just opened her big bag
and tumbled all the Merry Little Breezes into it as fast as she could
without giving them so much as a chance to say "Good evening" to Hooty
the Owl. Then she took them off home behind the Purple Hills.
Of course the Merry Little Breezes were disappointed, very much
disappointed. But they were also very sleepy, for they had played hard
all day.
"Never mind," said one of them, drowsily, "to-morrow we'll ask
Great-Grandfather Frog why it is that Hooty the Owl never comes out to
play with us on the Green Meadows. He'll know."
The next morning Old Mother West Wind was late in coming down from the
Purple Hills. When she finally did turn the Merry Little Breezes out
of her big bag onto the Green Meadows jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was
already quite high in the blue sky. The Merry Little Breezes waited
just long enough to say "Good-by" to Old Mother West Wind, and then
started a mad race to see who could reach the Smiling Pool first.
There they found Great-Grandfather Frog sitting on his big green lily
pad as usual. He was very contented with the world, was Grandfather
Frog, for fat green flies had been more foolish than usual that morning
and already he had all that he could safely tuck inside his white and
yellow waistcoat.
"Good morning, Grandfather Frog," shouted the Merry Little Breezes.
"Will you tell us why it is that Hooty the Owl never comes out to play
with us on the Green Meadows?"
"Chug-a-rum," said Great-Grandfather Frog, gruffly, "how should I know?"
You see, Grandfather Frog likes to be teased a little.
"Oh, but you do know, for you are so old and so very wise," cried the
Merry Little Breezes all together.
Grandfather Frog smiled, for he likes to be thought very wise, and also
he was feeling very good, very good indeed that morning.
"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog. "If you'll sit perfectly still
I'll tell you what I know about Hooty the Owl. But remember, you must
sit perfectly still, _per-fect-ly_ still."
The Merry Little Breezes sighed, for it is the hardest thing in the
world for them to keep perfectly still unless they are asleep. But
they promised that they would, and when they had settled down, each one
in the heart of a great white water lily, Grandfather Frog began:
"Once upon a time, when the world was young, Hooty the Owl's
grandfather a thousand times removed used to fly about in daylight with
the other birds. He was very big and very strong and very fierce, was
Mr. Owl. He had great big claws and a hooked bill, just as Hooty the
Owl has now, and he was afraid of nothing and nobody.
"Now when people are very big and very strong and afraid of nothing and
nobody they are very apt to care for nothing and nobody but themselves.
So it was with Mr. Owl. Whatever he saw that he wanted he took, no
matter to whom it belonged, for there was no one to stop him.
"As I have already told you, Mr. Owl was very big and very strong and
very fierce and he was a very great glutton. It took a great many
little birds and little animals to satisfy his appetite. But he didn't
stop there! No, Sir, he didn't stop there! He used to kill harmless
little meadow people just for the fun of killing, and because he could.
Every day he grew more savage. Finally no one smaller than himself
dared stir on the Green Meadows when he was around. The little birds
no longer sang. The Fieldmice children no longer played among the
meadow grasses. Those were sad days, very sad days indeed on the Green
Meadows," said Grandfather Frog, with a sigh.
"At last old Mother Nature came to visit the Green Meadows and she soon
saw what a terrible state things were in. No one came to meet her, for
you see no one dared to show himself for fear of fierce old Mr. Owl.
"Now I have told you that Mr. Owl was afraid of nothing and nobody, but
this is not quite true, for he was afraid, very much afraid of old
Mother Nature. When he saw her coming he was sitting on top of a tall
dead stump and he at once tried to look very meek and very innocent.
"Old Mother Nature wasted no time. 'Where are all my little meadow
people and why do they not come to give me greeting?' demanded old
Mother Nature of Mr. Owl.
"Mr. Owl bowed very low. 'I'm sure I don't know. I think they must
all be taking a nap,' said he.
"Now you can't fool old Mother Nature and it's of no use to try. No,
Sir, you can't fool old Mother Nature. She just looked at Mr. Owl and
she looked at the feathers and fur scattered about the foot of the dead
stump. Mr. Owl stood first on one foot and then on the other. He
tried to look old Mother Nature in the face, but he couldn't. You see,
Mr. Owl had a guilty conscience and a guilty conscience never looks
anyone straight in the face. He did wish that Mother Nature would say
something, did Mr. Owl. But she didn't. She just looked and looked
and looked and looked straight at Mr. Owl. The longer she looked the
uneasier he got and the faster he shifted from one foot to the other.
Finally he shifted so fast that he seemed to be dancing on top of the
old stump.
"Gradually, a few at a time, the little meadow people crept out from
their hiding places and formed a great circle around the old dead
stump. With old Mother Nature there they felt sure that no harm could
come to them. Then they began to laugh at the funny sight of fierce
old Mr. Owl hopping from one foot to the other on top of the old dead
stump. It was the first laugh on the Green Meadows for a long, long,
long time.
"Of course Mr. Owl saw them laughing at him, but he could think of
nothing but the sharp eyes of old Mother Nature boring straight through
him, and he danced faster than ever. The faster he danced the funnier
he looked, and the funnier he looked the harder the little meadow
people laughed.
"Finally old Mother Nature slowly raised a hand and pointed a long
forefinger at Mr. Owl. All the little meadow people stopped laughing
to hear what she would say.
"'Mr. Owl,' she began, 'I know and you know why none of my little
meadow people were here to give me greeting. And this shall be your
punishment: From now on your eyes shall become so tender that they
cannot stand the light of day, so that hereafter you shall fly about
only after round, red Mr. Sun has gone to bed behind the Purple Hills.
No more shall my little people who play on the Green Meadows all the
day long have cause to fear you, for no more shall you see to do them
harm.'
"When she ceased speaking all the little meadow people gave a great
shout, for they knew that it would be even as Mother Nature had said.
Then began such a frolic as the Green Meadows had not known for many a
long day.
"But Mr. Owl flew slowly and with difficulty over to the darkest part
of the deep wood, for the light hurt his eyes dreadfully and he could
hardly see. And as he flew the little birds flew around him in a great
cloud and plucked out his feathers and tormented him for he could not
see to harm them."
Grandfather Frog paused and looked dreamily across the Smiling Pool.
Suddenly he opened his big mouth and then closed it with a snap. One
more foolish green fly had disappeared inside the white and yellow
waistcoat.
"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog, "those were sad days, sad days
indeed for Mr. Owl. He couldn't hunt for his meals by day, for the
light blinded him. At night he could see but little in the darkness.
So he got little to eat and he grew thinner and thinner and thinner
until he was but a shadow of his former self. He was always hungry,
was Mr. Owl, always hungry. No one was afraid of him now, for it was
the easiest thing in the world to keep out of his way.
"At last old Mother Nature came again to visit the Green Meadows and
the Green Forest. Far, far in the darkest part of the deep wood she
found Mr. Owl. When she saw how very thin and how very, very miserable
he was her heart was moved to pity, for old Mother Nature loves all her
subjects, even the worst of them. All the fierceness was gone from Mr.
Owl. He was so weak that he just sat huddled in the thickest part of
the great pine. You see he had been able to catch very little to eat.
"'Mr. Owl,' said old Mother Nature gently, 'you now know something of
the misery and the suffering which you have caused others, and I think
you have been punished enough. No more may you fly abroad over the
Green Meadows while the day is bright, for still is the fear of you in
the hearts of all my little meadow people, but hereafter you shall not
find it so difficult to get enough to eat. Your eyes shall grow big,
bigger than the eyes of any other bird, so that you shall be able to
see in the dusk and even in the dark. Your ears shall grow large,
larger than the ears of any of the little forest or meadow people, so
that you can hear the very least sound. Your feathers shall become as
soft as down, so that when you fly none shall hear you.'
"And from that day it was even so. Mr. Owl's eyes grew big and bigger
until he could see as well in the dusk as he used to see in the full
light of day. His ears grew large and larger until his hearing became
so keen that he could hear the least rustle, even at a long distance.
And when he flew he made no sound, but floated like a great shadow.
"The little meadow people no longer feared him by day, but when the
shadows began to creep out from the Purple Hills each night and they
heard his voice 'Whoo-too-whoo-hoo-hoo' they felt all the old fear of
him. If they were wise they did not stir, but if they were foolish and
so much as shivered Mr. Owl was sure to hear them and silently pounce
upon them.
"So once more Mr. Owl grew strong and fierce. But only at night had
anyone cause to fear him, and then only the foolish and timid.
"And now you know," concluded Grandfather Frog, "why it is that Hooty
the Owl never comes out to play with you on the Green Meadows, and why
his eyes are so big and his ears so large."
"Thank you, thank you, Grandfather Frog!" cried the Merry Little
Breezes, springing up from the white water lilies and stretching
themselves. "We'll bring you the first foolish green fly we can find."
Then away they rushed to hunt for it.
XV