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DOCTOR RABBIT
AND KI-YI COYOTE
[Illustration]
_THE GREENWOODS SERIES_
DOCTOR RABBIT
_AND_
KI-YI COYOTE
_By_
THOMAS CLARK HINKLE
[Illustration]
RAND McNALLY & COMPANY
CHICAGO
_Copyright, 1918_
By RAND MCNALLY & COMPANY
[Illustration]
_To_
Todu and Woddy Boy
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE CONTENTS
PAGE
DOCTOR RABBIT GETS A CALL 1
IN FEAR OF KI-YI COYOTE 8
THE HOLES UNDER THE TREES 13
DOCTORING BILLY RABBIT 17
KI-YI COYOTE CHASES DOCTOR RABBIT 21
DOCTOR RABBIT GETS A SCARE 27
DOCTOR RABBIT AND JACK RABBIT ESCAPE 32
KI-YI COYOTE WATCHES FOR DOCTOR RABBIT 38
DOCTOR RABBIT CALLS ON CHATTY SQUIRREL 44
FOOLING KI-YI COYOTE 49
KI-YI COYOTE CHASES DOCTOR RABBIT 53
DOCTOR RABBIT HAS A SCHEME 59
THE LITTLE CREATURES OF THE WOODS ARE EXCITED 64
DOCTOR RABBIT TALKS WITH BIG DOG YAPPY 70
DOCTOR RABBIT TALKS WITH JACK RABBIT 77
OLD UNCLE OWL GIVES GOOD ADVICE 83
YAPPY CHASES KI-YI COYOTE 89
KI-YI COYOTE’S STRANGE HIDING PLACE 95
CATCHING KI-YI COYOTE 100
THE LITTLE CREATURES OF THE WOODS ARE HAPPY AGAIN 103
[Illustration]
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
“Suppose Mr. Coyote should get after me!” 1
“Good day, Mr. Coyote, I have to be going!” 28
“Sakes alive!” Mr. Squirrel exclaimed. “How did you find out?” 46
Dr. Rabbit ... was certainly tickled about something 60
Mr. Jack Rabbit began to dance a little jig of joy 80
He ran straight for Mr. Farmer’s corn-crib 96
[Illustration]
[Illustration: “Suppose Mr. Coyote should get after me!”]
DOCTOR RABBIT
AND
KI-YI COYOTE
DOCTOR RABBIT GETS A CALL
Doctor Rabbit lived in the very biggest tree in the Big Green Woods. He
looked after all the other rabbits when they were ill and he doctored
quite a number of the other little creatures of the Big Woods too, when
they did not feel well. He was so jolly and cheerful, always trying so
hard to help others, that he had a great many friends.
Doctor Rabbit said when he came to live in the Big Green Woods he
didn’t have the least idea that he would have so many adventures.
“But then,” he said one day as he curled his mustache, “it’s a good
thing I have so many adventures. They make me take plenty of exercise,
and that’s fine for my constitution.” What he meant by this was that
exercise kept him in good health.
I said Doctor Rabbit looked after some of the other creatures when they
were ill. But there were some he did not dare go near. Well, I should
say not! For instance, there was Ki-yi Coyote, who lived out on the
Wide Prairie just outside the Big Green Woods. No, Doctor Rabbit never
went near Ki-yi Coyote. And if old Ki-yi had been ill and if all his
relatives had been so ill they never again would be able to get out of
bed, Doctor Rabbit would not have cared at all. No indeed, he would
have been glad of it, because Ki-yi Coyote and all his relatives, who
lived far away, were ready any time to gobble up Doctor Rabbit.
Now, one fine morning in spring Doctor Rabbit began to have trouble
with Ki-yi. On this morning Doctor Rabbit arose from his bed very early
and prepared a fine breakfast for himself. He cooked some nice new
potatoes and green peas he had found in Farmer Roe’s garden. After he
had eaten his breakfast he had to wash the dishes because there wasn’t
anybody else to do it. You see, he lived all alone in the big tree. He
didn’t like to wash dishes but he did it anyway. Then he put on his
second best pair of glasses and went out in his front yard to get some
fresh air and see if his neighbor, Blue Jay, was up.
There was a very good reason why he wanted to know whether Blue Jay
was up. Just now Doctor Rabbit was greatly troubled. Now, what do you
suppose he was troubled about? Why, word had been brought the night
before that Billy Rabbit, the small son of Jack and Mrs. Jack Rabbit,
who lived far out on the Wide Prairie, was ill. Blue Jay had come
flying in to tell the news. He said Mrs. Jack Rabbit told him if Billy
was not better by morning Doctor Rabbit would simply have to cross the
Wide Prairie even if it _was_ dangerous.
Now Doctor Rabbit was a cottontail rabbit, so of course he couldn’t
run faster than any other cottontail. He could not run anything like
so fast nor so far as could Jack Rabbit. So Doctor Rabbit was greatly
troubled this morning. He could not sit still, but kept walking slowly
round and round in his front yard. As he walked round and round he said
to himself, “I’ve never been so far out on the open Wide Prairie as
Jack Rabbit’s. Suppose I should go away out there to see little sick
Billy and Ki-yi Coyote should get after me! Goodness gracious! He would
be almost sure to catch me.” Doctor Rabbit trembled a little and looked
all around even though he was right in his own dooryard. He very much
hoped he would not be called to go so far out on the Wide Prairie.
But what he feared happened. Very soon Jack Rabbit came running fast,
and flying right along with him came Blue Jay. Busy Blue Jay generally
knows everything that is happening.
Jack Rabbit walked straight up to Doctor Rabbit and, bowing politely,
said:
“I’m so glad I found you at home, Doctor. My son Billy is no better. In
fact, he is much worse, and we are troubled about him. Can’t you run
over and see him right now?”
For a moment Doctor Rabbit did not know what to say. He feared Ki-yi
Coyote, but at the same time he hated to think of Billy Rabbit’s being
so ill with no one there to make him well. He thought and thought.
Finally he said:
“Of course, Friend Jack Rabbit, I shall try to get over to see your
son. But as you know, it’s very dangerous for me because I can’t run
more than half as fast as _you_ can. Now what could we do if old Ki-yi
Coyote should happen to get after us?”
Friend Jack Rabbit scratched his head and said he hadn’t thought
about that. It was a very serious matter, too. For suppose Ki-yi
Coyote should gobble up good Doctor Rabbit! Then what would the woods
creatures do? They must certainly plan some means of going in safety.
“Say!” said Doctor Rabbit suddenly, “I’ve thought of a plan. I’ll just
ride on your back and we’ll get there in no time!”
But Friend Jack Rabbit scratched his head again. He wasn’t sure he
could carry Doctor Rabbit, because the Doctor was very portly--that is,
he was pretty fat and heavy. But anyway he agreed to try the plan. So
Doctor Rabbit hurried into his house and put on his best pair of gold
glasses and his best clothes. He always liked, he said, to look his
best before his patients. Then with his medicine case in hand he sprang
upon Jack Rabbit’s back.
“See how fast you can run to the edge of the Big Green Woods. That will
be a good test!” shouted Doctor Rabbit, and Jack Rabbit answered,
“Very well. If you’re ready I’ll try!”
IN FEAR OF KI-YI COYOTE
Just as Jack Rabbit started for the edge of the Big Green Woods with
Doctor Rabbit on his back, Blue Jay flew along ahead of them. Then
came Robin-the-Red, whistling Red Bird and others. They had never seen
Doctor Rabbit ride before and they all laughed and shouted at the funny
appearance he made.
Away went Jack Rabbit as fast as he could for the edge of the Woods.
“This is fine!” cried Doctor Rabbit. “Keep it up, Jack Rabbit, and
we’ll be at your house in a jiffy!”
“Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Blue Jay and the others as they flew along near
the ground watching them. “Look at Doctor Rabbit in his new automobile!
Look at him!” they shouted. Then they all laughed again. As they raced
along Stubby Woodchuck came out of his house to see the funny sight,
and so did Cheepy Chipmunk and Chatty Red Squirrel and Frisky Gray
Squirrel and many others.
They all wondered if Jack Rabbit could hold out carrying Doctor Rabbit
so far. They thought he must be mighty strong if he could. But when he
reached the edge of the woods he stopped and said he would have to give
it up. He lay down and panted for a while. By and by he said he hadn’t
the least idea that Doctor Rabbit was so heavy. Indeed, he said it
seemed as if he was carrying a house on his back by the time he reached
the edge of the woods.
Then they talked the matter over and decided they would both walk--or
run if they had to. Doctor Rabbit was a good deal worried. He looked
out across the Wide Prairie and saw how far it was to Jack Rabbit’s
little house. How he did hate to start! Then he had an idea. He saw
several small trees out on the Prairie some distance apart. “Say! Jack
Rabbit,” said he, “I wonder if there are any holes among the roots of
those trees so I could ‘hole up’ [he meant run into a hole] if I had
to. I mean if Ki-yi Coyote should get after us.”
“Sure enough!” cried Jack Rabbit. “The rain has washed bare the top
roots of every one of those trees and there are two or three holes
under every tree!”
Doctor Rabbit looked very straight at Jack Rabbit and said, “Now are
you right sure about that?”
“Yes, I am sure,” Jack Rabbit said; “as sure as anything. It happens
that I was at every one of those trees just yesterday and I sniffed and
snuffed round every one of those holes. I didn’t go into any of them
for I don’t like to go into holes. But those holes are certainly there.
And if Ki-yi Coyote should get after us when we get pretty well out on
the Prairie, you could make for a tree and I’d let him chase me. I’m
not much afraid of him because I’ve run away from him many a time.”
“All right,” agreed Doctor Rabbit. “We’ll go straight for the first
tree. When we get there we’ll look all around for the least sign of
slinky Ki-yi, and if we don’t see anything we’ll move on to the next
tree.”
“Sure thing,” Jack Rabbit said; “that will make you as safe as
anything.” So they started out. As they hurried along Jack Rabbit said:
“When we leave the last tree we’ll have only a little way to go to my
home. It’s just a little farther on beside an oak fence post.”
So they kept going, hoppity, hoppity, hop. And as they went Doctor
Rabbit’s courage rose little by little. After all, thought he, perhaps
Ki-yi Coyote would not see them.
Even so, he kept a sharp eye out for anything that might be moving in
the grass. And he told Jack Rabbit to do the same.
“Indeed I will, sir,” Jack Rabbit answered. “I always do look out. I
should say I do! And if Ki-yi Coyote starts up I’ll see him quick as a
flash!”
Then they hurried a bit faster because Doctor Rabbit said he wanted to
get to the first tree and examine the holes for himself.
THE HOLES UNDER THE TREES
Doctor Rabbit and Mr. Jack Rabbit moved across the Wide Prairie and
looked about them in every direction. There was a great deal of bunch
grass on the Wide Prairie, and this made them very nervous. They knew
how easy it would be for Ki-yi Coyote to hide behind one of those
bunches of grass until an innocent rabbit came very near.
Doctor Rabbit stopped and said, “I really believe we should keep just
as far as possible from every bunch of grass.” Then he jumped backward,
because he saw something moving in the grass. But it proved to be
nothing but a sunflower; so they walked on.
By and by they came to the first tree, and how glad they were! Doctor
Rabbit went into the hole there to look about. After a little time
he came out and said a gray squirrel had been there, but it had been
a good while before. He said it looked to him like an old house that
people had lived in once, but not for a long time. You know how the
grass grows up tall in the front yard, and the windows get broken, and
the doors creak when you open them, and there is a damp, musty smell in
a house. Well, Doctor Rabbit said it was that way in the hole under the
tree. Some animal, a gray squirrel, maybe, had lived there, and perhaps
some other small animal before the gray squirrel; but they were gone
now.
Doctor Rabbit said there was one thing that bothered him a little.
“What’s that?” Friend Jack Rabbit wanted to know. “Why,” replied wise
Doctor Rabbit, “I was just thinking that possibly Ki-yi Coyote knows
who lived here, and why they are gone. Maybe he made a breakfast of
them!”
They didn’t say any more about that part of it, and pretty soon they
came to the next tree. Doctor Rabbit went into the hole here, also.
He was gone so long that Jack Rabbit began to be quite troubled; but
finally Doctor Rabbit came out and said a cottontail rabbit had been in
there, but it had been a good while ago. He thought it likely that old
Ki-yi Coyote had gobbled up the cottontail who had lived there.
“However,” Doctor Rabbit said, “possibly he got away.” Then he
exclaimed, “I surely _hope_ he got away.”
Doctor Rabbit looked into the holes under the other two trees, and said
some small animals had once lived in them.
All this naturally made Doctor Rabbit more and more nervous. It looked
as if no animal was safe out so far on the Wide Prairie but fleet Jack
Rabbit, and even he had to watch out mighty close.
When they left the last tree, Doctor Rabbit said, “Now let’s run good
and fast the rest of the way!”
And they did--hoppity, hoppity, hoppity, so fast that they looked like
two long gray streaks going toward Jack Rabbit’s home.
DOCTORING BILLY RABBIT
When Doctor Rabbit at last reached Jack Rabbit’s home, he found
Billy Rabbit was suffering with nothing more than a case of acute
indigestion--that is, colic. Doctor Rabbit said this was caused by
Billy’s having eaten too many green peas from Farmer Roe’s garden.
Mrs. Jack Rabbit explained that kind friends and neighbors had brought
in all sorts of patent medicines. These medicines, they said, had cured
many of their family, even some who had lived before they were born.
“But,” said Mrs. Jack Rabbit, looking seriously at Doctor Rabbit,
“although I gave Billy all the medicine they brought, he is no better.
In fact, he is worse.”
Doctor Rabbit looked at Billy Rabbit and then looked over his gold
glasses at the neighbors and friends standing all around. Then he said,
“He grew worse, did he? Ahem! ahem! he grew worse! I see! I see! Well,
to tell you the truth, Mrs. Jack Rabbit, after all that dope I should
think he _would_ grow worse!”
Well, that was pretty plain. Some of the neighbors wanted to let it be
known that they were angry, but they didn’t dare. No, you see their own
work on Billy Rabbit was a failure. They had sent for the doctor, and
they had to do just what he said.
So they all kept still, and Doctor Rabbit, after he had cleared his
throat in a very dignified way, said, “Mrs. Jack Rabbit, I would thank
you for a tablespoon.”
When he got the tablespoon, Doctor Rabbit gave Billy Rabbit about the
nastiest tasting medicine in the world. Now, guess what it was! _Castor
Oil?_ That’s right, you guessed it the first time! Yes, that’s exactly
what Doctor Rabbit gave him--a whole tablespoonful.
Billy Rabbit swallowed the whole spoonful before he knew what it was.
Then, although he had before been lying quite still, he jumped around
in the bed, kicked off the covers, and said he never would take another
dose of medicine in his life.
But Doctor Rabbit just laughed and said that was the way little sick
rabbits usually talked. Then Doctor Rabbit ordered some grass tea for
his patient, and no more green peas for a whole week. “I shall have
to be going now,” he said, “and how I do wish I were back in the Big
Green Woods!”
Now all the jack rabbit neighbors were feeling pretty friendly by this
time, because they saw that Doctor Rabbit really was a very smart
doctor. They all wanted to go along with him for his protection.
But Doctor Rabbit said, “No, that will do no good. Ki-yi Coyote would
see _all_ of us sooner than two of us. Friend Jack Rabbit and I will go
back alone.”
So the two of them started back toward the woods.
KI-YI COYOTE CHASES DOCTOR RABBIT
Doctor Rabbit and Jack Rabbit hurried along across the Wide Prairie
until they came to the first tree. Here Doctor Rabbit said they had
better stop and look around a bit. So cautious Jack Rabbit went up on a
little hill and looked all around, but he said he couldn’t see a thing.
“Did you look mighty close in the direction of the Big Green Woods?”
Doctor Rabbit wanted to know. (You see this was the direction in which
they were going.)
“Indeed, I did look!” replied Jack Rabbit. “I looked more closely in
that direction than in any other, and there wasn’t a thing in sight.”
“All right,” said Doctor Rabbit, “we’ll go for the next tree.”
They came safely to the next tree, and pretty soon they came to the
last tree. Doctor Rabbit was feeling fine now. They stopped by the tree
and talked for a little while.
Doctor Rabbit said, “I don’t think I should care much if Ki-yi Coyote
did come after us. I could run away from him and be in the Big Green
Woods in no time!”
But Jack Rabbit had run away from Ki-yi Coyote a good many times, and
he _knew_. So he said pretty seriously, “I don’t know about that,
Doctor Rabbit. Ki-yi can run something awful.”
“I know,” said Doctor Rabbit, “but the Big Green Woods look so close
that I feel sure I could beat him that far.”
Then what do you suppose he said? Well, he didn’t realize what he was
saying, of course, but this is what he said: “Ha, ha, ha! Why, Friend
Jack Rabbit, I feel so sure about it that I wish old Ki-yi _would_ come
tearing out this way right now! Yes, sir! I wish he would. Just let him
come whenever he wants to. If he came, I’d run away and be in the Big
Green Woods so quick he could hardly see me.”
And then something happened, something that Doctor Rabbit was not ready
for at all, because he really was not expecting it. Just then Ki-yi
Coyote _did_ come tearing over the great Wide Prairie after them. And
he came from the direction of the _Big Green Woods_! Doctor Rabbit had
forgotten all about that. He certainly was very much surprised, and
very badly scared. He could have darted into the hole under the tree,
of course, and that is just what he should have done. But sometimes
when rabbits, like little boys and girls, get scared, they forget
all about what is the best thing to do. What Doctor Rabbit ought to
have done the very first thing when he saw Ki-yi coming was to say to
himself, “Now, I mustn’t be so scared that I don’t know what I’m doing.
I must be careful and get out of this, because I have no one to help
me.”
But he didn’t stop to think. No, he was so frightened he just hiked out
across the Wide Prairie!
Then kind Jack Rabbit was certainly scared, not for himself, but for
Doctor Rabbit. So he started out after Doctor Rabbit, and when he
caught up he shouted in his ear as loud as he could, “What’s the
matter with you, Doctor Rabbit? You must be crazy! Now, I’ll take care
of Ki-yi Coyote and you dodge back for that hole under the tree.” Then
Doctor Rabbit remembered. Crafty Ki-yi was right close and tried hard
to seize him, but he didn’t, and Doctor Rabbit darted safely into the
hole.
It was a mighty close call. Ki-yi Coyote’s sharp teeth had snapped
twice at Doctor Rabbit, once so close that some of his tiny round tail
was bitten off.
All this time clever Jack Rabbit was close beside Doctor Rabbit,
shouting (just to fool Ki-yi Coyote, of course), “Oh, my! I’ve got a
broken leg! I’ve got a broken leg! What shall I do if Ki-yi Coyote
comes after me! Oh, good Ki-yi, please don’t come after me, ’cause I’ve
got a broken leg!”
Well, if it hadn’t been for this, I think that Ki-yi would certainly
have caught Doctor Rabbit, but after he had missed him once, and was
just going for him again, he heard Jack Rabbit’s moan. So he said,
“I’ll go after Jack Rabbit. He has a broken leg, and I can catch him
without half trying.” And off he started after Jack Rabbit.
DOCTOR RABBIT GETS A SCARE
When Jack Rabbit saw that Ki-yi Coyote was after him, he started away
on three legs for all the world as if one of his legs was broken.
It was very easy for him to play this little joke, because he had
practiced it a good deal when a small dog got after him.
“Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear! what shall I do?” clever Jack Rabbit
shouted back toward Ki-yi Coyote; and old Ki-yi thought now he would
surely have rabbit for dinner. So he ran as hard as ever he could.
“Ha! ha!” he yelled. “I always knew you’d break your leg some time,
and I’d get you. Ha! ha! Now I’m going to have a nice, big, fat rabbit
for dinner!” And Ki-yi Coyote took a long, swift jump to seize Jack
Rabbit--but he wasn’t there! He was farther away than ever. And much to
Ki-yi’s surprise and anger, Jack Rabbit put all four legs down on the
ground and said as he ran, “So you’re going to have rabbit for dinner,
are you? Well, it won’t be me, and it won’t be Doctor Rabbit, for he’s
safe. Good day, Ki-yi; I must be going!”
And away Jack Rabbit went running. But he wasn’t to get away so easily
this time, after all. Ki-yi was most terribly angry, and he made up his
mind to chase Jack Rabbit just as long as he could see him.
In the meantime, Doctor Rabbit lay down on the cool earth in the hole,
and panted and panted. He was dreadfully tired and frightened from his
run for life. He kept thinking that Ki-yi would thrust his long nose
into the hole and begin digging to get in. But Ki-yi didn’t, of
course.
[Illustration: “Good day, Mr. Coyote, I have to be going!”]
After Doctor Rabbit had rested a few minutes he began to be anxious to
know what had become of Friend Jack Rabbit. Had Ki-yi by any chance
caught him? Doctor Rabbit was scared even to think about it. He decided
he would try to find out what had happened. So he crept very cautiously
toward the opening of the hole and peeped out. First he put only his
nose out. Then he put his whole head out, and looked all around.
He had about decided that swift Jack Rabbit had given old Ki-yi the
slip. “Guess I’d better hike for the Big Green Woods,” said Doctor
Rabbit to himself, and he was just going to start when he saw something
that made him change his mind mighty quick. And this time he didn’t run
for the Big Green Woods, either. I should say he didn’t! No, he just
backed part way into the hole under the tree, and then stretched up his
head and watched what was coming.
What Doctor Rabbit saw was poor Jack Rabbit running as hard as he
could, and Ki-yi Coyote still after him!
As he came on toward the tree, Jack Rabbit shouted out ever so loud,
“Doctor Rabbit! Doctor Rabbit! Come out and help me a little. I’m about
to be caught! It’s my rheumatism. He’s almost got me now!” And just
then Jack Rabbit had to dodge very quickly to keep from being caught.
It certainly looked very bad for poor Jack Rabbit, and right then Ki-yi
Coyote came very near seizing him again! Doctor Rabbit was almost too
scared to breathe. He didn’t know what on earth to do except to spring
out and let Ki-yi chase him instead. And he was about to do this when
he thought of something else. So he just lay low and waited while Jack
Rabbit came running nearer and nearer the tree.
DOCTOR RABBIT AND JACK RABBIT ESCAPE
While Jack Rabbit, with Ki-yi Coyote close after him, was running
toward the tree, Doctor Rabbit shouted out, “Come right past this tree,
Jack Rabbit! Come right past this tree! I’ve got a plan! Come right
along, I’ll help you. Come on! Come on!”
That encouraged Friend Jack Rabbit wonderfully. He took a few extra
long jumps and managed to get a little farther ahead of Ki-yi Coyote.
Of course he didn’t know what Doctor Rabbit was going to do, but Jack
Rabbit always had great faith in Doctor Rabbit. So he ran right past
the hole under the tree.
Then, just as crafty Ki-yi was going by with his mouth wide open and
his tongue hanging out, Doctor Rabbit sprang up and threw a whole
bottle of his very nastiest medicine right into Ki-yi’s face!
Well, you should have seen old Ki-yi then. He was more surprised than
he ever had been before in his life. And mad! He was about the maddest
coyote you ever heard of. His mouth had been wide open, so of course
he got most of the medicine there. It tasted so nasty he stopped just
a moment to try to get it out of his mouth, but when he found he
couldn’t, he started out after Doctor Rabbit. He was angrier than ever,
and ran as hard as he could run.
Just as soon as Doctor Rabbit had thrown the bad-tasting medicine in
Ki-yi Coyote’s face, he started out for the Big Green Woods as fast as
his legs could carry him. Jack Rabbit had dodged over a little hill and
was out of sight.
When angry Ki-yi started after him again Doctor Rabbit was already near
the Big Green Woods, so he looked back and just laughed and shouted.
“Ha, ha, ha!” he laughed. “I guess you’re pretty mad, aren’t you, Mr.
Ki-yi? Ha, ha, ha! How do you like the medicine? Is it as good as--as
good as _jack rabbit_? Ha, ha, ha!” And with that, Doctor Rabbit
bounded into the Big Green Woods, and whisked out of sight.
As Doctor Rabbit ran along, he met Jack Rabbit, who also had managed to
get into the woods. They both kept running until they reached Doctor
Rabbit’s home in the big tree.
Here tired Jack Rabbit threw himself down on the grass and panted for
a long while. He said it was about the hardest race he ever had had in
his life, and that he guessed he must be getting old, for he couldn’t
run as fast as he used to. But after Doctor Rabbit had brought out some
liniment and rubbed him well, Jack Rabbit said he felt better. Then
after he had eaten a good dinner with Doctor Rabbit, he said he felt so
fine he believed he could run away from Ki-yi Coyote and not half try.
“What I need,” said Jack Rabbit, “is a little of that liniment around
the house, so my wife could rub me with it now and then. I believe it
would cure my rheumatism.”
“I am quite certain of it,” Doctor Rabbit told him, and he wrapped up
a bottle of it right away and gave it to Jack Rabbit to take home with
him. After that they sat down and talked.
“I wish,” said Jack Rabbit then, “that there were some way to run
Ki-yi Coyote clear out of the Wide Prairie, or some way to get rid of
him altogether.”
Doctor Rabbit was leaning against a tree curling his mustache and
frowning a little. When he was thinking hard, he usually did frown.
“I’ve been thinking about that, Friend Jack Rabbit,” he said, “and I
believe I know a way to get rid of crafty Ki-yi, so he’ll never bother
us again.”
“You do?” exclaimed Jack Rabbit eagerly, pricking up his long ears.
“What is your plan?”
Doctor Rabbit dropped his voice to a whisper and said, “I haven’t
thought it all out yet, but I will right soon, and I’ll let you know.”
Then he looked through the trees toward the edge of the woods, and
pointing one front foot, said:
“Look! look! Ki-yi’s sneaking along out there now!” Jack Rabbit looked
quickly, and sure enough, Ki-yi Coyote was slipping along and peering
into the woods.
“He doesn’t see us at all,” whispered Jack Rabbit, “and I think I’ll
skip out and go while I know where he is. Now, when you decide how
you’re going to run him out of the Wide Prairie and get rid of him, let
me know, will you?”
“I surely will,” Doctor Rabbit said, “and I’ll have it all thought out
by morning.”
Then Jack Rabbit slipped away to tell all his friends and relatives
that in some way, he didn’t just yet know how, Doctor Rabbit was going
to get rid of Ki-yi Coyote.
KI-YI COYOTE WATCHES FOR DOCTOR RABBIT
It was just as Doctor Rabbit had expected. He had not told Jack Rabbit
about it, but that very night Ki-yi Coyote came prowling around, just
as Doctor Rabbit thought he would.
Doctor Rabbit was in bed, but he had not gone to sleep, when he heard
a noise out in his front yard. Very quietly he put his head out of an
upstairs window.
Sure enough! There was slinky Ki-yi walking around out there and
mumbling to himself. He was saying, “I know well enough he lives
here. I can smell his tracks, and I can smell rabbit, too, as plain as
anything. He’s gone to bed now, no doubt, so I’ll hide out here and pay
him a call in the morning.”
“He, he, he!” Ki-yi chuckled softly to himself. He was so tickled to
think he had found where Doctor Rabbit lived. He thought now it would
be easy to surprise Doctor Rabbit and make a breakfast of him.
Only a little distance away flowed the Murmuring Brook, where Doctor
Rabbit went every morning for a drink.
There was a path that led from Doctor Rabbit’s house to the brook, and
Ki-yi Coyote thought he would hide right beside the path in the bushes.
Then when Doctor Rabbit came along in the morning, he could pounce upon
him and have him for breakfast.
So sly Ki-yi picked out a good place near the path and lay down to wait
until morning.
“I suppose I’ll get pretty tired waiting,” he said, “but a big fat
rabbit for breakfast is worth waiting for.” And he smacked his lips at
the very thought of it. Then he said, “My! I haven’t tasted rabbit for
two whole months. Yes, indeed, I’ll wait right here until morning!” And
again Ki-yi smacked his lips.
Now it so happened that Downy Screech Owl was in the tree right above
Ki-yi Coyote, and heard what he said.
“Get out of my woods!” Downy Screech Owl cried, in his strange voice.
Old Ki-yi jumped, he was so startled. Then he looked up and saw who it
was. “Never mind, Screechy,” he said, in his smoothest voice, “I just
came in for a cool drink at the Murmuring Brook and a little nap here.”
“You can’t fool me!” Downy Owl cried back in his very strange voice.
“You’re after something, and I know it! I know whom you are after, too.
You are after--”
Right here Downy Screech Owl stopped talking. He happened to think he
might say something that would get Doctor Rabbit into trouble. So he
made up his mind to keep still for the present, and slip over in a
little while and tell Doctor Rabbit where Ki-yi Coyote was. You see,
Downy Owl didn’t know that Doctor Rabbit was awake. He didn’t know that
Ki-yi Coyote had even been seen by anybody else.
Downy Screech Owl waited until Ki-yi Coyote curled himself up, as
if for a nap, and then flew around to Doctor Rabbit’s back door and
knocked very gently.
Doctor Rabbit opened the door only a very little crack, but when he saw
who it was, he let Downy Owl in. And Downy began right away, for he
was very much excited: “Ki-yi Coyote is right out there, hiding by the
path, waiting for you!” he said.
But to his surprise, Doctor Rabbit answered, “I know it. I’ve been
watching him all the time!”
“My, I’m certainly glad you have,” said Downy Screech Owl; “but what
are you going to do?”
“Don’t talk so loud!” Doctor Rabbit warned. “I’m going to do this: I’m
going to fool old Ki-yi worse than he ever was fooled before in his
life. The first joke I play on him will be funny. But the second joke I
play on him will take him clear away from the Big Green Woods and the
Wide Prairie for good and all.”
“My goodness me!” was all Downy Screech Owl could say, he was so
puzzled. “How are you going to play the jokes on sly Ki-yi, and what
are the jokes?” he wanted to know.
“Never mind now,” Doctor Rabbit whispered; “you just slip back and see
if Ki-yi is still there. If he is, try to keep him there.”
DOCTOR RABBIT CALLS ON CHATTY SQUIRREL
Little Downy Owl flew back to the tree. There was Ki-yi Coyote still
lying below on the grass, all curled up just as if he were fast asleep.
Downy Screech Owl looked at him for a while and then, out of curiosity,
flew down on a limb a little closer. Still Ki-yi Coyote did not move,
so Downy Owl flew a little closer. Just then he saw sly Ki-yi move his
ear the tiniest bit, and heard him mumble something to himself. Little
Downy flew up high in the tree as quick as winking.
“I’ll just wait,” he said very softly to himself, “and if old Ki-yi
starts to go away, I’ll talk to him and try to keep him here until I
see what Doctor Rabbit is going to do.”
When it was almost morning, Doctor Rabbit got out of bed and peeped out
toward the place where Ki-yi had been. Yes, sir! He was still there.
Indeed, he was. Doctor Rabbit saw him stretch his head up and look
toward the house in the tree.
Doctor Rabbit was so tickled he just laughed to himself. Then he
slipped out at his back door and went very quietly through the woods
until he came to the tree where Chatty Red Squirrel lived.
Chatty Red was still asleep, but when Doctor Rabbit thumped on the
door, he came down to see who was there. When he saw Doctor Rabbit, he
said, “Anyone sick over this way, Doctor?”
“No,” said Doctor Rabbit, “I just wanted you to help me out a little.”
“I certainly will, if I can,” Chatty Squirrel said. You see, he had
once had the colic very bad, and Doctor Rabbit had come right over and
cured him, so he felt deeply grateful. “What do you want me to do?”
Chatty asked.
“Well,” Doctor Rabbit said, “first I want to tell you that Ki-yi Coyote
is in the Big Green Woods. In fact, he’s hiding near my house this very
minute, and expects to make a breakfast of me when I go down to the
Murmuring Brook for a drink.”
“Sakes alive!” Chatty exclaimed. “How did you find out?”
Then Doctor Rabbit told him that he had been awake and listening,
and that Downy Screech Owl was up in the tree watching Ki-yi, and if
necessary would talk to him to keep him there.
[Illustration: “Sakes alive!” Mr. Squirrel exclaimed. “How did you find
out?”]
“Well, well, well!” exclaimed Chatty Squirrel, rubbing his eyes. He had
hardly been awake when Doctor Rabbit knocked on the door, but now
he was getting wider awake every minute. “What do you want me to do?”
Chatty asked again, with his eyes wide open and very bright.
“First I want to play a joke on him,” said Doctor Rabbit, “and I’ll
tell you how to do it. Ki-yi is now right under that big elm tree
between my house and the Murmuring Brook. You slip over through the
trees as quick as you can and climb up to that old nest Jim Crow used
to live in. There’s a stone in the nest that Farmer Roe’s boy threw at
you the other day. Do you remember?”
“Indeed I do remember, because Farmer Roe’s boy almost hit me with that
stone,” Chatty Squirrel said.
“Very well, then,” said Doctor Rabbit, “you get into that nest and get
hold of that stone, and when you have a good chance, drop it down right
on Ki-yi Coyote. Then lie flat on the limb and keep perfectly still, so
he won’t know where the stone came from.”
“But where are you going to be, and what will you do?” Chatty Squirrel
wanted to know. He was very nervous about it.
“You wait and see; I’ll attend to that,” Doctor Rabbit said softly.
“And now you hurry along before Ki-yi Coyote decides to go away.”
FOOLING KI-YI COYOTE
Chatty Red Squirrel remembered well enough how Farmer Roe’s boy had
thrown that rock up at him a few days before when he had taken refuge
in Jim Crow’s old nest.
It so happened that Chatty Squirrel was not much hurt. In fact he was
only bruised a little when the stone fell into the nest. But he had
been badly scared--indeed he had, because the stone was big enough to
do him terrible harm if it had struck him squarely.
Chatty Squirrel thought it would be a mighty fine joke to slip over and
drop that stone on Ki-yi Coyote. He naturally hated old Ki-yi as much
as anybody, because for breakfast--or just any time--Ki-yi was quite as
fond of tender squirrel as he was of fat little rabbit or juicy little
owl.
So when Doctor Rabbit slipped away toward a little bridge over the
Murmuring Brook, Chatty Squirrel started off through the tree tops
toward the big elm under which Ki-yi Coyote lay waiting.
It was just daylight when Chatty Red reached the big elm and got into
the old crow’s nest where the stone was. He peeped over the edge of
the nest and down. Yes, sir! There was old Ki-yi Coyote! He had his
ears pricked up, and he was squinting through the trees toward Doctor
Rabbit’s house.
“He’ll come this way now, very soon!” greedy Ki-yi said, and smacked
his lips. Chatty heard him, and was so angry he almost scolded out
loud. But he didn’t. He kept perfectly still and thought about the
stone. Ki-yi Coyote moved a little, and now he was right under the old
crow’s nest.
Chatty Red wondered where Doctor Rabbit was, and looked down on the
ground and all around, but he couldn’t see him.
“I’ll obey orders, anyway,” Chatty whispered to himself, and he got his
nose under the stone and began to work it toward the edge of the nest.
Ki-yi Coyote didn’t know what was going on, of course, so he just lay
still, smacked his lips, and kept a sharp eye on Doctor Rabbit’s house.
After a little work, Chatty Squirrel got the stone to the edge of the
nest, and then just as Ki-yi Coyote stretched his head a little, Chatty
pushed the big stone over. _Kerplunk!_ the stone hit Ki-yi right on the
ear! Well, he was about the scaredest coyote that ever was. He yelped
and sprang up in the air, and jumped all around.
Then right from the other side of the Murmuring Brook came the voice of
Doctor Rabbit. “Ha, ha, ha! Well, well, foxy Ki-yi, what made you jump
so? Ha, ha, ha! guess you didn’t know I could throw so straight! Ha,
ha, ha!”
Naturally Ki-yi Coyote thought Doctor Rabbit _had_ thrown the stone,
and he was terribly angry. Away he started. Yes, sir, he just ground
his teeth and said he certainly would get Doctor Rabbit, and get him in
a hurry, too. But luckily Murmuring Brook was between them, so Doctor
Rabbit laughed and shouted again and darted out of sight in the woods.
KI-YI COYOTE CHASES DOCTOR RABBIT
As soon as Ki-yi Coyote started after Doctor Rabbit, Chatty Squirrel
began scolding as hard as he could. Ki-yi was running so fast he
didn’t hear, but Chatty scolded anyway. It seemed to relieve his angry
feelings.
My! How angry Chatty Squirrel was! He was angrier than he had ever been
in all his life before.
“The idea,” Chatty Squirrel scolded, “of Ki-yi Coyote’s coming into
the Big Green Woods to make a breakfast of Doctor Rabbit! And he would
make a breakfast of me, too, or of Blue Jay, or of any of us, if he had
a chance. I wish I were as big as the big brown bear for a minute. I’d
show old Ki-yi Coyote!”
And Chatty Squirrel scolded so fast and so loud that presently his
neighbors heard him and came flocking around to see what the trouble
was.
“What’s that you say?” asked Stubby Woodchuck, running up to the foot
of the tree.
“What’s that? What’s that? What’s that?” cried Blue Jay, and Jim Crow,
and ever so many others as they came up.
“You’d better say, ‘What’s that?’” Chatty Squirrel chattered. “I just
now dropped a stone on Ki-yi Coyote, who was lying right down there in
those bushes. He was all ready to pounce on Doctor Rabbit and gobble
him up!”
“Indeed!” exclaimed Blue Jay in his shrill voice.
“Indeed!” Jim Crow called in his hoarse voice.
“Indeed!” said big Uncle Owl in his deep bass voice. “Indeed! Indeed!”
he exclaimed again seriously, as he straightened his spectacles. Now
Uncle Owl hardly ever said more than one word, and when he said _three_
words without stopping, it meant something very unusual had happened to
him. He was _almost_ excited.
All the little creatures of the Big Green Woods kept a respectful
silence, even Chatty Squirrel, and listened respectfully for Uncle Owl
to speak. So big Uncle Owl (he was more than twice as big as little
Downy Owl) cleared his throat and looked straight at Chatty Squirrel.
Then he said, “Well, well, why didn’t you _kill_ him?”
“I wish I could have killed him,” Chatty Squirrel chattered angrily.
“But anyway I hit him. And Doctor Rabbit fooled him ever so much,
because, you see, Doctor Rabbit was on the other side of Murmuring
Brook and ran away from Ki-yi as easily as anything. But what are we
going to do?” Chatty went on. “Haven’t we got enough to do to live
without having old Ki-yi Coyote sneaking around in the Big Green Woods?
I tell you, my friends, it’s an outrage!”
Then they all looked at big Uncle Owl, and after a while he said in his
deep voice, “My friends, I think we should have Doctor Rabbit call a
meeting at once and see if we can’t get rid of this danger. It would
be serious, very serious indeed, if Ki-yi Coyote should decide to live
in the Big Green Woods. He might make a meal of almost any of us. I’ve
noticed that he is not at all particular what he eats, whether it’s
a bird or an animal. Only yesterday I saw him spring from some bunch
grass in the prairie and seize a friend of mine, a small owl that had
just come out of an old hole prairie-dog Paddy-Paws used to live in.
“Yes, indeed,” old Uncle Owl went on, much excited for him, “yes,
indeed! We must find Doctor Rabbit, and see what he has to say about
it. I’ll not rest until this terrible Ki-yi Coyote is driven entirely
away from our Big Green Woods.” And with that, stately Uncle Owl
waddled back to his hole in the tree, where he stood looking out.
The other little creatures of the Big Green Woods then talked the
matter over. Blue Jay said that if only they all could make as much
noise as he could, he was sure they could drive Ki-yi Coyote away with
noise alone. But since the others couldn’t make as much noise, this
plan had to be given up.
Gay Red Bird said he surely did wish he could think of some scheme
to scare Ki-yi away, but being a mere bird he couldn’t. Robin-the-Red
said so too. Stubby Woodchuck and Cheepy Chipmunk both said they’d like
to do it, but they didn’t know how, either. They all looked at one
another, and each one waited for some one else to speak. And just then
they saw Doctor Rabbit coming across the woods toward them.
He wasn’t running as if he were the least bit scared. Oh, no, he was
acting as if he were glad about something. There was no doubt about
that, because every now and then he would kick up his heels and laugh.
And the nearer he came the more he danced and laughed.
DOCTOR RABBIT HAS A SCHEME
Doctor Rabbit came up jumping and dancing and laughing. He was
certainly very much tickled about something, that was plain.
“Good morning, my friends,” he said finally. “I suppose you all have
come out here to see what Chatty Squirrel is scolding about. Has he
told you?”
“Yes, yes, about Ki-yi Coyote!” they all said together.
“Well,” Doctor Rabbit said, and he laughed again, “I gave old Ki-yi
the slip pretty easily that time. Indeed I did, and Chatty Squirrel
and I certainly did fool him! I guess we did fool him! Ha, ha, ha!”
And Doctor Rabbit was so tickled he just had to hold his sides when he
remembered how Ki-yi Coyote had jumped, and how puzzled he had looked
when the stone hit him.
“The last I saw of him,” Doctor Rabbit said, “he was sneaking along the
Wide Prairie at the edge of the woods, looking for Jack Rabbit; and
he was mumbling to himself and saying he was going to get me and Jack
Rabbit too. But I’ll take care of that. He thinks I’m not smart enough
for him, but just let him wait and see! When I ran away from him and
got into the briar patch, he shouted in at me and said:
“‘All right for this time, Doctor Rabbit, but I’ll get you the next
time, and some of your friends, too. In fact, I think I like the Big
Green Woods, and I’m going to live here. Perhaps I’ll live here right
along!’”
[Illustration: Dr. Rabbit ... was certainly tickled about something]
That troubled everybody but Doctor Rabbit. All the other little
creatures of the Big Green Woods looked seriously at one another,
and Stubby Woodchuck climbed up on a stump and looked nervously around.
“I wish we could drive Ki-yi Coyote ten miles away, and I wish he never
could get back!” Stubby Woodchuck said, with a very scared look on his
face.
“Let’s do it!” shouted Blue Jay. Blue Jay didn’t have the least idea
how it could be done, but he was willing to try, even as small as he
was.
“Perhaps Doctor Rabbit has a plan,” said Robin-the-Red. “He usually
helps us out.”
Then they all looked at Doctor Rabbit. Even old Uncle Owl looked from
his hole in the tree.
“Well,” said Doctor Rabbit, cheerfully, “I have been thinking about
this since yesterday. First I thought out a way for us to catch Ki-yi,
but that would be pretty dangerous for us, so I have decided to try
another plan. I think my scheme will work, and none of us will have to
get very close to Ki-yi Coyote, either. In fact, I think Jack Rabbit
and I can do it ourselves, though we shall need the help of one very
savage creature. I will tell you about him later.”
“Let’s do it right now!” shouted busy Blue Jay.
“No,” Doctor Rabbit said, “it will take a little time. I’m going over
to see Jack Rabbit this very afternoon,” he continued. “After I have
talked with him and we are all ready, I’ll tell Friend Blue Jay and
he’ll tell you. Then all you’ll need to do will be to come close to
this big tree, and hide, and watch. You must excuse me now,” he said.
“I must go over and see one of Frisky Grey Squirrel’s children who has
been eating too many green nuts. Early in the morning Blue Jay will
tell you when we shall be ready.”
And with that Doctor Rabbit went away, hoppity, hoppity, hoppity, to
see the little sick squirrel.
THE LITTLE CREATURES OF THE WOODS ARE EXCITED
The next day all the little creatures of the Big Green Woods talked
of nothing but fierce Ki-yi Coyote. They wondered how Doctor Rabbit
ever would drive him out of the Wide Prairie. They were all unusually
careful, of course, because they did not know what moment Ki-yi Coyote
might come tearing along.
Stubby Woodchuck was afraid to get up on his stump to sun himself.
He only put his head a little way out of his door and looked around.
Cheepy Chipmunk was frisking around his stump and, seeing his neighbor,
Stubby Woodchuck, he called out, “Come on over, Friend Stubby. I have
some fine vegetables for breakfast!”
“No, thank you,” Stubby Woodchuck said from his doorway. “We had all
better keep indoors until that dreadful Ki-yi Coyote leaves the woods
entirely,” and Stubby closed his door and went back into his kitchen,
for he had not had his breakfast.
While Cheepy Chipmunk was frisking around he got a terrible scare. He
had just jumped up on his stump when he was sure he saw Ki-yi’s long
tail showing from behind a near-by tree. Poor Cheepy fell off backward,
he was so scared. He picked himself up as fast as he could, but when he
looked again, he saw it was only Chatty Red Squirrel’s tail, blowing
from behind the tree.
“Cheer! cheer! cheer!” shouted Blue Jay, who had seen Cheepy Chipmunk
fall off the stump. “What’s the matter, Cheepy? Ha, ha, ha!”
“You’d better go and attend to your business, if you have any,”
retorted Cheepy Chipmunk angrily. But saucy Blue Jay only laughed
again. He understood Cheepy Chipmunk, and he knew he would not stay
angry very long.
“I’ll wager anything you fell because you thought you saw Ki-yi
Coyote,” shouted saucy Blue Jay; “I’m going out to see where he is!”
And away he flew.
Cheepy Chipmunk went inside, where Mrs. Chipmunk was getting the
vegetables ready for breakfast. Little Jimmy Chipmunk, Cheepy and Mrs.
Cheepy’s small son, was running around after his mother as she worked,
and asking her questions. He had never seen Ki-yi Coyote, and so had no
idea about his size. “Mamma,” he asked, “is Ki-yi Coyote as big as one
of Farmer Roe’s horses?”
“Why, of course not,” Mother Chipmunk answered. “But he’s big enough,
and fierce enough too, for that matter; and for the present you must
not so much as poke your nose outside the door.”
“Will Doctor Rabbit find some way to drive Ki-yi Coyote out of the Big
Green Woods?” Jimmy Chipmunk asked.
“I believe he will; I do hope so,” Mother Chipmunk said. She was a good
deal worried about Jimmy Chipmunk, because he was so often careless,
and went out without telling her a thing about it.
“I wish,” said Jimmy, crossly, “that old Ki-yi would fall down a well
so deep he never could climb out again. I just hate to stay in the
house. I want to go over right now and play with Johnny Woodchuck. I
told him I’d come this morning.”
“I wouldn’t let you go for the world,” Mother Chipmunk said; and then,
very quietly, she slipped out at the back door and climbed up on the
stump. But the minute she got up on the stump she nearly fell off
backward, she was so scared. You see, Mother Chipmunk’s near neighbor
climbed up on _her_ stump at the very same time, and they were both so
surprised to see each other that they were dreadfully frightened.
“My sakes alive!” Sophy Woodchuck’s voice trembled. “How you did
frighten me, Neighbor Chipmunk! I suppose we all are pretty easily
frightened at this time. One never knows when that terrible Ki-yi
Coyote will spring out and make an end of us!”
“I have great faith in Doctor Rabbit,” Mother Chipmunk said. She had
overheard what Doctor Rabbit had promised the day before. “He told us
yesterday,” she continued, “that he will drive Ki-yi Coyote clear out
of the Big Green Woods and clear out of the Wide Prairie.”
“I wonder how in the world he will do it!” Sophy Woodchuck said.
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” her neighbor replied.
“Well,” Sophy Woodchuck said, “we don’t care how he does it, so long as
the thing is done.”
“No, indeed!” Mother Chipmunk exclaimed. “If only Ki-yi Coyote is
driven away.”
DOCTOR RABBIT TALKS WITH BIG DOG YAPPY
You remember how badly scared Sophy Woodchuck and Neighbor Chipmunk
were when they both climbed up on their stumps at the same time. Well,
after their scare was over, they sat on their stumps--which were their
homes, of course--and went on talking about various things that had
happened among their neighbors of late; but in particular they talked
about the terrible Ki-yi Coyote.