look annoyed. Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter started off up the
Laughing Brook, where the water was clear. The Merry Little Breezes
danced away across the Green Meadows to play with Johnny Chuck, and
Grandfather Frog settled himself comfortably on his big green lily-pad
to dream of the days when the world was young and the frogs ruled the
world.
But Jerry Muskrat worked steadily, digging and piling sods in a circle
for the foundation of his house. In the center he dug out a chamber from
which he planned a long tunnel to his secret burrow far away in the
bank, and another to the deepest part of the Smiling Pool, where even in
the coldest weather the water would not freeze to the bottom as it would
do in the shallow places.
All day long while Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and the Merry Little
Breezes and Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Danny Meadow Mouse and all
the other little meadow people were playing or lazily taking sun naps,
Jerry Muskrat worked steadily. Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun, looking down
from the blue, blue sky, smiled to see how industrious the little fellow
was. That evening, when Old Mother West Wind hurried across the Green
Meadows on her way to her home behind the Purple Hills, she found Jerry
Muskrat sitting on the end of a log eating his supper of fresh-water
clams. Showing just above the water on the edge of the Smiling Pool was
the foundation of Jerry Muskrat's new house.
The next morning Jerry was up and at work even before Old Mother West
Wind, who is a very early riser, came down from the Purple Hills. Of
course every one was interested to see how the new house was coming
along and to offer advice.
"Are you going to build it all of mud?" asked one of the Merry Little
Breezes.
"No," said Jerry Muskrat, "I'm going to use green alder twigs and willow
shoots and bulrush stalks. It's going to be two stories high, with a
room down deep under water and another room up above with a beautiful
bed of grass and soft moss."
"That will be splendid!" cried the Merry Little Breezes.
Then one of them had an idea. He whispered to the other Little Breezes.
They all giggled and clapped their hands. Then they hurried off to find
Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter. They even hunted up Johnny Chuck and
Peter Rabbit and Danny Meadow Mouse.
Jerry Muskrat was so busy that he paid no attention to any one or
anything else. He was attending strictly to the business of building a
house that would keep him warm and comfortable when the long cold winter
should freeze up tight the Smiling Pool.
Pretty soon he was ready for some green twigs to use in the walls of the
new house. He swam across the Smiling Pool to the Laughing Brook, where
the alders grow, to cut the green twigs which he needed. What do you
think he found when he got there? Why, the nicest little pile of green
twigs, all cut ready to use, and Johnny Chuck cutting more.
"Hello, Jerry Muskrat," said Johnny Chuck. "I've cut all these green
twigs for your new house. I hope you can use them."
Jerry was so surprised that he hardly knew what to say. He thanked
Johnny Chuck, and with the bundle of green twigs swam back to his new
house. When he had used the last one he swam across to the bulrushes on
the edge of the Smiling Pool.
"Good morning, Jerry Muskrat," said some one almost hidden by a big pile
of bulrushes, all nicely cut. "I want to help build the new house."
It was Danny Meadow Mouse.
Jerry Muskrat was more surprised than ever. "Oh, thank you, Danny Meadow
Mouse, thank you!" he said, and pushing the pile of bulrushes before him
he swam back to his new house.
When he had used the rushes, Jerry wanted some young willow shoots, so
he started for the place where the willows grow. Before he reached them
he heard some one shouting:
"Hi, Jerry Muskrat! See the pile of willow shoots I've cut for your new
house." It was Peter Rabbit, who is never known to work.
Jerry Muskrat was more surprised than ever and so pleased that all he
could say was, "Thank you, thank you, Peter Rabbit!"
Back to the new house he swam with the pile of young willow shoots. When
he had placed them to suit him he sat up on the walls of his house to
rest. He looked across the Smiling Pool. Then he rubbed his eyes and
looked again. Could it be--yes, it certainly was a bundle of green alder
twigs floating straight across the Smiling Pool towards the new house!
When they got close to him Jerry spied a sharp little black nose pushing
them along, and back of the little black nose twinkled two little black
eyes.
"What are you doing with those alder twigs, Billy Mink?" cried Jerry.
"Bringing them for your new house," shouted Billy Mink, popping out from
behind the bundle of alder twigs.
And that was the beginning of the busiest day that the Smiling Pool had
ever known. Billy Mink brought more alder twigs and willow shoots and
bulrushes as fast as Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Danny Meadow
Mouse could cut them. Little Joe Otter brought sods and mud to hold them
in place.
Thick and high grew the walls of the new house. In the upper part Jerry
built the nicest little room, and lined it with grass and soft moss, so
that he could sleep warm and comfortable through the long cold winter.
Over all he built a strong, thick roof beautifully rounded.
An hour before it was time for Old Mother West Wind to come for the
Merry Little Breezes, Jerry Muskrat's new house was finished. Then such
a frolic as there was in and around the Smiling Pool! Little Joe Otter
made a new slippery slide down one side of the roof. Billy Mink said
that the new house was better to dive off of than the Big Rock. Then the
two of them, with Jerry Muskrat, cut up all sorts of monkey-shines in
the water, while Johnny Chuck, Peter Rabbit, Danny Meadow Mouse and the
Merry Little Breezes danced on the shore and shouted themselves hoarse.
When at last jolly, round, red Mr. Sun went to bed behind the Purple
Hills, and the black shadows crept ever so softly out across the Smiling
Pool, Jerry Muskrat sat on the roof of his house eating his supper of
fresh-water clams. He was very tired, was Jerry Muskrat, very tired
indeed, but he was very happy, for now he had no fear of the long cold
winter. Best of all his heart was full of love--love for his little
playmates of the Smiling Pool and the Green Meadows.
XV
PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN
Jumper the Hare had come down out of the Great Woods to the Green
Meadows. He is first cousin to Peter Rabbit, you know, and he looks just
like Peter, only he is twice as big. His legs are twice as long and he
can jump twice as far.
All the little meadow people were very polite to Jumper the Hare, all
but Reddy Fox, who is never polite to any one unless he has a favor to
ask. Peter Rabbit was very proud of his big cousin, very proud indeed.
He showed Jumper the Hare all the secret paths in the Green Forest and
across the Green Meadows. He took him to the Smiling Pool and the
Laughing Brook, and everywhere Jumper the Hare was met with the greatest
politeness.
But Jumper the Hare was timid, oh, very timid indeed. Every few jumps he
sat up very straight to look this way and look that way, and to listen
with his long ears. He jumped nervously at the least little noise. Yes,
Sir, Jumper the Hare certainly was very timid.
"He's a coward!" sneered Reddy Fox.
And Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and Jimmy Skunk, even Johnny Chuck,
seeing Jumper the Hare duck and dodge at the shadow of Blacky the Crow,
agreed with Reddy Fox. Still, they were polite to him for the sake of
Peter Rabbit and because Jumper really was such a big, handsome fellow.
But behind his back they laughed at him. Even little Danny Meadow Mouse
laughed.
Now it happens that Jumper the Hare had lived all his life in the Great
Woods, where Mr. Panther and Tufty the Lynx and fierce Mr. Fisher were
always hunting him, but where the shadows were deep and where there were
plenty of places to hide. Indeed, his whole life had been a game of hide
and seek, and always he had been the one sought. So on the Green
Meadows, where hiding places were few and far between, Jumper the Hare
was nervous.
But the little meadow people, not knowing this, thought him a coward,
and while they were polite to him they had little to do with him, for no
one really likes a coward. Peter Rabbit, however, could see no fault in
his big cousin. He showed him where Farmer Brown's tender young carrots
grow, and the shortest way to the cabbage patch. He made him acquainted
with all his own secret hiding places in the old brier patch.
Then one bright sunny morning something happened. Johnny Chuck saw it.
Jimmy Skunk saw it. Happy Jack Squirrel saw it. Sammy Jay saw it. And
they told all the others.
Very early that morning Reddy Fox had started out to hunt for his
breakfast. He was tiptoeing softly along the edge of the Green Forest
looking for wood mice when whom should he see but Peter Rabbit. Peter
was getting his breakfast in the sweet-clover bed, just beyond the old
brier patch.
Reddy Fox squatted down behind a bush to watch. Peter Rabbit looked
plump and fat. Reddy Fox licked his chops. "Peter Rabbit would make a
better breakfast than wood mice, a very much better breakfast," said
Reddy Fox to himself. Beside, he owed Peter Rabbit a grudge. He had not
forgotten how Peter had tried to save his little brother from Reddy by
bringing up Bowser the Hound.
Reddy Fox licked his chops again. He looked this way and he looked that
way, but he could see no one watching. Old Mother West Wind had gone
about her business. The Merry Little Breezes were over at the Smiling
Pool to pay their respects to Grandfather Frog. Even jolly, round, red
Mr. Sun was behind a cloud. From his hiding place Reddy could not see
Johnny Chuck or Jimmy Skunk or Happy Jack Squirrel or Sammy Jay. "No one
will know what becomes of Peter Rabbit," thought Reddy Fox.
Very cautiously Reddy Fox crept out from behind the bush into the tall
meadow grass. Flat on his stomach he crawled inch by inch. Every few
minutes he stopped to listen and to peep over at the sweet-clover bed.
There sat Peter Rabbit, eating, eating, eating the tender young clover
as if he hadn't a care in the world but to fill his little round
stomach.
Nearer and nearer crawled Reddy Fox. Now he was almost near enough to
spring. "Thump, thump, thump!" The sound came from the brier patch.
"Thump, thump!"
This was Peter Rabbit hitting the ground with one of his hind feet. He
had stopped eating and was sitting up very straight.
"Thump, thump, thump!" came the signal from the brier patch.
"Thump, thump!" responded Peter Rabbit, and started to run.
With a snarl Reddy Fox sprang after him. Then the thing happened. Reddy
Fox caught a glimpse of something going over him and at the same time
he received a blow that rolled him over and over in the grass.
In an instant he was on his feet and had whirled about, his eyes yellow
with anger. There right in front of him sat Jumper the Hare. Reddy Fox
could hardly believe his own eyes! Could it be that Jumper the Hare, the
coward, had dared to strike him such a blow? Reddy forgot all about
Peter Rabbit. With a snarl he rushed at Jumper the Hare.
Then it happened again. As light as a feather Jumper leaped over him,
and as he passed, those big hind legs, at which Reddy Fox had laughed,
came back with a kick that knocked all the breath out of Reddy Fox.
Reddy Fox was furious. Twice more he sprang, and twice more he was sent
sprawling, with the breath knocked out of his body. That was enough.
Tucking his tail between his legs, Reddy Fox sneaked away towards the
Green Forest. As he ran he heard Peter Rabbit thumping in the old brier
patch.
"I'm safe," signaled Peter Rabbit.
"Thump, thump, thump, thump! The coast is clear," replied Jumper the
Hare.
Reddy Fox looked back from the edge of the Green Forest and gnashed his
teeth. Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare were rubbing noses and
contentedly eating tender young clover leaves.
"Now who's the coward?" jeered Sammy Jay from the top of the Lone Pine.
Reddy Fox said nothing, but slunk out of sight. Late that afternoon he
sat on the hill at the top of the Crooked Little Path, and looked down
on the Green Meadows. Over near the Smiling Pool were gathered all the
little meadow people having the jolliest time in the world. While he
watched they joined hands in a big circle and began to dance, Johnny
Chuck, Jimmy Skunk, Bobby Coon, Little Joe Otter, Billy Mink, Happy Jack
Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Danny Meadow Mouse, Peter Rabbit, Spotty the
Turtle, even Grandfather Frog and old Mr. Toad. And in the middle,
sitting very straight, was Jumper the Hare.
And since that day Peter Rabbit has been prouder than ever of his big
cousin, Jumper the Hare, for now no one calls him a coward.
THE END
* * * * *
BOOKS BY THORNTON W. BURGESS
BEDTIME STORY-BOOKS
1. THE ADVENTURES OF REDDY FOX
2. THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY CHUCK
3. THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTONTAIL
4. THE ADVENTURES OF UNC' BILLY POSSUM
5. THE ADVENTURES OF MR. MOCKER
6. THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY MUSKRAT
7. THE ADVENTURES OF DANNY MEADOW MOUSE
8. THE ADVENTURES OF GRANDFATHER FROG
9. THE ADVENTURES OF CHATTERER, THE RED SQUIRREL
10. THE ADVENTURES OF SAMMY JAY
11. THE ADVENTURES OF BUSTER BEAR
12. THE ADVENTURES OF OLD MR. TOAD
13. THE ADVENTURES OF PRICKLY PORKY
14. THE ADVENTURES OF OLD MAN COYOTE
15. THE ADVENTURES OF PADDY THE BEAVER
16. THE ADVENTURES OF POOR MRS. QUACK
17. THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY COON
18. THE ADVENTURES OF JIMMY SKUNK
19. THE ADVENTURES OF BOB WHITE
20. THE ADVENTURES OF OL' MISTAH BUZZARD
MOTHER WEST WIND SERIES
1. OLD MOTHER WEST WIND
2. MOTHER WEST WIND'S CHILDREN
3. MOTHER WEST WIND'S ANIMAL FRIENDS
4. MOTHER WEST WIND'S NEIGHBORS
5. MOTHER WEST WIND "WHY" STORIES
6. MOTHER WEST WIND "HOW" STORIES
7. MOTHER WEST WIND "WHEN" STORIES
8. MOTHER WEST WIND "WHERE" STORIES
GREEN MEADOW SERIES
1. HAPPY JACK
2. MRS. PETER RABBIT
3. BOWSER THE HOUND
4. OLD GRANNY FOX
THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN
THE BURGESS ANIMAL BOOK FOR CHILDREN