tufted feathers on their heads; there were noisy, cackling geese,
strutting roosters; and several large families of pigs, who strolled in
and out of their houses, the little pink ones, with their tails in a
very tight curl, peering out from amid the straw of their beds: while
pretty, brown-eyed calves lowed in adjoining sheds for their absent
mothers. Entering the place, the children cautiously picked out their
footsteps around the mud puddles, until they reached the centre, when
the ire of a turkey-cock was excited by Nellie's red cloak. His angry
note, as he flapped his wings defiantly at her, was echoed not only by
his own family, but by the whole goose and duck tribe, until there was
a general clamor of indignation against the intruders.
"At this juncture, there appeared on the scene a choleric goat, with
venerable beard and sharply curved horns, who, after surveying the field
of action for a time, advanced with bent head and glowering visage.
Again they were compelled to take refuge in flight,--this time entering
a large barn which flanked the inclosure on one side, and closing the
door after them. By this act they excluded all light from the place,
save where a few rays penetrated the chinks of the boards, throwing
vague, uncertain lines over the hay-loft and into the darkness below.
They groped about the place in search of another door, but without
success; then they returned to the entrance, and peeped through a hole
in the woodwork, to see if it was possible to retrace their steps. The
goat had assumed a warlike attitude, giving hints of unabated rancor by
butting at the closed door; while the turkey-cock still puffed with
rage, and even the little pigs had ventured forth to see what was the
matter.
"'Oh, dear! what shall we do?' exclaimed Nellie most dismally. 'Will we
have to stay here until somebody comes?'
"'We must find another door,' said Bessie resolutely, as she led her
discouraged schoolmate on a second exploring expedition. Finally, after
stumbling down unexpected steps, knocking their heads against heavy
beams, and sneezing with dust, they found a small aperture, half choked
by rubbish, through which they crawled into a shed, and so out into a
meadow. Once more they clambered over a wall into the main road,
somewhat dilapidated and dusty after their adventures.
"'O Nellie! your shoes are covered with mud, your dress is torn, and
your face quite dirty,' cried Bessie.
"'O Bessie! your hat is crushed on one side, and your hair covered with
hay-seed,' retorted Nellie, who could not refrain from laughing, as she
contemplated their sorry plight.
"'Don't you think we had better go home?' said Bessie ruefully,
attempting to bend her disabled hat into shape.
"'Go home before noon, when we have had no fun yet?' replied Nellie, her
spirits reviving now that all danger was past; 'oh, no! we have our
dinner to eat, and lots of nice things to do.'
"Once more yielding to her playmate's superior sagacity, little Bessie
trotted along cheerfully, until they espied a fine rock on a sloping
hillside, which they immediately proposed converting into a
dining-table. To reach the spot, they were obliged to pass through a
piece of rough, ploughed ground, recently sown, near a little cottage,
with gray, overhanging roof, and narrow, closed windows.
"Spreading a napkin for table-cloth on the rock, they were soon
arranging their provisions; here a sandwich rested upon a pedestal of
apple, to prevent its tilting over a slice of custard pie; there a small
bottle, containing a mysterious fluid, suggestive of weak molasses and
water, dripped through its broken cork into a store of pickled limes.
But what matter if the gingerbread did taste of mustard, or if the
chicken was encrusted with spilled sugar, on a first of May picnic?
"After surveying the result of their labors with great satisfaction,
they were just preparing to enjoy the result, with appetites only
sharpened by previous misfortunes, when Bessie's attention was attracted
by the curtain of one of the cottage-windows being drawn aside, and a
head appearing behind the glass. It was such a hideous head, with
tangled white hair surmounted by a queer cap, and the face was so
sharp-nosed and wrinkled, that the little girl paused, with a chicken
wing elevated half-way to her mouth, to stare at the apparition fixedly.
"Nellie, noticing her sudden silence, turned also; and, when she saw the
face, gave a shriek, and commenced tumbling cakes, pies, and pickles
into the basket. Then the head disappeared from the window, and a
comical little old man, in a dressing-gown, popped out of the door, like
a spider from its hole. He hobbled towards them, shaking his cane, and
croaking like a hoarse old raven.
"'Get out, will ye, a-tramping of my rye, and a-bringing of your traps
under my very nose. Hullo, there! just wait till I catch ye.'
"He looked so wild and angry, as he came towards them, all the time
wagging his head, and tapping the ground spitefully with his cane, that
they ran away across the rye as fast as ever they could; the old man
shrieking and chattering after them all the while, until they reached
the wall and stumbled over into the highway, Bessie still clutching her
chicken wing.
"Hurrying along as rapidly as possible, to escape from their dreadful
pursuer, they came to a place of cross roads, and, puzzled which
direction to take, they decided on a pleasant road turning to the right.
When they had proceeded a short distance, they noticed a high fence
running parallel with the road, in which was a door. Impelled by her
usual heedless curiosity, Nellie turned the knob and peeped into the
inclosure. The view of winding paths and shrubbery proved so inviting,
that they entered. They saw broad avenues bordered by rows of fine elms,
trim hedges, and flower parterres, all leading to a large mansion with
closed windows and doors, as if nobody lived there, while a dome of
glittering glass conservatories rose on one side. The children strolled
about, every moment discovering something new to admire,--now it was a
graceful-arched bridge; now it was a white statue gleaming through the
shrubbery; now it was a massive carved urn, filled with hardy, clinging
ivy vines.
"Seeing no one near, they determined once more to eat their dinner; and
so, selecting a pleasant bank for the purpose, were soon discussing
their good things.
"'Now you will find that May-day is nice, after all,' said Nellie
triumphantly, her mouth full of cake, as she poured some of the contents
of the bottle into a cup the size of a thimble.
"Oh, false hope! There was a crackling of dry twigs behind them, and,
with an alarming growl, a large, savage-looking dog bounded directly
into their midst. To see a huge black nose appear over one's head, and a
double row of sharp, white teeth displayed within a few inches of one's
eyes, is trying to the courage,--at least our little friends found it
so; for they not only abandoned their baggage to the enemy, but beat a
hasty retreat, Nellie rushing wildly down one alley, while Bessie
escaped by another.
"The dog, instead of following them, began to devour their repast,
selecting such dainty morsels from the _debris_ as best suited his
palate.
"Bessie found herself, she scarcely knew how, behind a summer-house,
where she crouched trembling for a time, until, summoning courage, she
ventured to call, in a quavering little voice, to her missing friend.
Receiving no response, she began a search, frightened that she was
alone. She peered about on every side, entreating Nellie to
appear,--first from under a bush that would not have concealed a cat;
then lifting a watering-pot left by the gardener, as though she expected
to find her companion rolled in a ball below the spout; until, with
heaving sobs, she paused by a bridge, and made a last desperate effort.
This time she heard a faint response, as Nellie presently crawled forth
from under an arch of the bridge, sadly splashed with water, her hat
gone, and her ankle sprained. What need to tell how they wandered
through avenue, grove, and by-way, hopelessly bewildered and
lost?--how, utterly discouraged and terrified at last, as the sun began
to slant towards the western horizon, they sat down by the road-side, to
indulge in a flood of tears?
"'It's not a bit like story-books,' sobbed Nellie. 'I am so hungry and
tired and cold. Oh, dear!'
"Just as they were preparing to rouse themselves to try and find their
way, a gayly painted express wagon came rattling along at a smart pace.
The good-natured driver stopped readily enough to answer their questions
as to the way home; and, when he had gleaned a few particulars of their
story, he took them into his conveyance, and carried them safely within
the city limits.
"When the sun had set, and the evening shadows fell cold and gray
through the narrow streets, two forlorn little forms, all travel-stained
and weary, crept along to their respective homes; ready to beg
forgiveness for their truancy, ready to acknowledge their folly, and
nestle into their soft, warm beds, to dream of the smiling woodland or
pleasant meadows in the story-books first of May."
"Where did you hear that?" asked the Spider.
"Who knows but I may be an author, too?" responded the Saucepan airily.
"Surely it is my own affair."
"I have been thinking of this story for a month," said the Spider, in a
patronizing tone. "Still I am glad you had the pleasure of telling it."
This was malicious on the part of the Spider, and of course the Saucepan
was in danger of losing her temper in consequence. The Caterpillar had
by this time recovered somewhat from his low spirits, and determined to
distinguish himself, because he feared they all must consider him a
person of inferior ability. When they again met, the Cricket hoped to
talk a little, as he had not had a single opportunity to do so since the
arrival of the three travellers; but he was again doomed to
disappointment.
"Allow me to speak," said the Caterpillar, with a dignified manner.
Then he commenced:--
GRANDPAPA MOUSE AND HIS FAMILY.
"Grandpapa mouse was quite an old gentleman at the time of which I
write. He and his wife lived in a nice, large granary belonging to a
rich farmer, which would have made them a splendid home, but for one
reason. Do you know what that was? Why, they did not have to scamper all
about to find their living, as some mice do; for they had every thing
that was good piled up about them. They could nip a kernel from an ear
of corn here, or taste a bit of barley there; until they were so fat
they hardly knew what to do with themselves.
"Grandpapa was taken with the gout, and had to sit all day with one leg
wrapped in a wisp of hay, besides having to take nothing but water
gruel, which seemed to him a very sad case indeed.
"As for Grandmamma, she was so large round the waist, her grandchildren
had to nibble a hole twice the usual size for her to pass through, when
she wished to take the air.
"They were seated one winter's night each side of the fire, which
consisted of some shreds of corn-husk upon a pebble, and certainly made
as bright a blaze as need be. Grandpapa was feeling better; for the
mouse doctor had been to see him that day, and had given him a new
liniment of great virtue. He was whistling quite a gay tune, and staring
at the fire, when suddenly he exclaimed,--
"'It is almost Christmas time, my dear.'
"Grandmamma had been dozing over her knitting-work; so she rubbed her
eyes, and said,--
"'What?'
"'It is almost Christmas,' he repeated louder, for she was a trifle
deaf. 'I heard the farmer say so to-day, when he was counting his
turkeys out there. I think we had better give a dinner-party, and invite
all our children home.'
"'Perhaps we had,' assented Grandmamma with a sigh: she knew how much
work it would make. 'We have not enough spare rooms, though, I am
afraid.'
"'We can easily gnaw a few new ones,' said Grandpapa briskly. 'Let us
send our invitations by the postman to-morrow.'
"So they wrote to all their children; and the next morning the little
servant mouse had to watch under a bush until the letter-carrier came.
Now this postman was a snow-bird, who had promised always to take
messages for the mice, if they would steal him bits of bread and cake
from the pantry.
"'If you please, sir, my master has got some letters for you,' called
the little servant, in a wee, piping voice, for her nose was getting
cold out of doors.
"'Put them into my bag,' said the snow-bird, hopping along jauntily.
"So the little servant stood upon her hind legs to place the letters in
the tiny bag which the snow-bird carried under his left wing; then she
threw her apron over her head, and ran home.
"I suppose there never was such a sweeping and scratching and gnawing in
any other mouse family, as went on in this one for the next two weeks.
All of them worked so hard, making new holes for their expected guests,
that the little servant had an attack of mumps at the last minute, and
had to have her head tied up in a rag of cobweb.
"Christmas Eve came at last. Grandpapa had his coat of fur nicely
brushed, and Grandmamma wore a new cap with a ruffle round it.
"Presently there sounded the patter of little footsteps, which announced
the arrival of the eldest son, and his family of six children.
Grandmamma had scarcely kissed them all round, when in walked the eldest
daughter, with her husband and baby. She had only just been shown to her
room to take off her bonnet, when all the rest came,--a son from the
city; a daughter from the next village; and the youngest child, who
lived in a distant town, and was an old bachelor.
"What a time there was! Grandpapa grew quite hoarse with shouting at his
different sons; and as for the children, there were so many of them
tumbling about, it is only a wonder their mothers ever could tell them
apart.
"At last the elder ones had their supper and were sent to bed, where
they soon forgot every thing in sound sleep. Then all the mothers began
to talk together in one corner with Grandmamma about their houses and
cook-books, while the gentlemen discussed mouse politics in another. So
the evening passed away very pleasantly; and by ten o'clock they were
all asleep, too, except Grandpapa: he was so excited, that his wife had
to give him a Dover's powder before he could shut an eye.
"The next morning the children were awake bright and early, wanting all
sorts of things to eat, and poking into odd places where they should not
have gone.
"'O Grandpapa! is there no ice this morning?' cried an eager young
mouse; 'I have such a prime pair of skates!'
"'Can you cut a pigeon wing backwards?' asked one of the city cousins.
'I will show you how to do it in style.'
"'May we go, too?' urged all the little mice in chorus.
"Grandpapa consented: so the small servant went to show them the way;
and they soon reached the pond, which was in reality a frozen puddle,
about twelve inches square, and very smooth, on the edge of a wood.
"All the country mice put on their skates, made of beech-nuts, with
crooked pins for runners, and began to caper about in a great way. The
vain young city mouse then fastened on his, which were tiny apple-seeds
beautifully polished, and strapped with gray horse-hairs.
"'See,' said he, 'my skates are rockers;' and sure enough they were, for
he soon toppled over backwards, while all the others laughed to behold
his fall. If a cat had happened to spy them, what a dainty Christmas
dinner she might have had! But no cat did; so they had a splendid time,
and went home as hungry as mice can be.
"As for the ladies, they had enjoyed the quiet in-doors very much
indeed. You must not suppose that all the children were able to scamper
out. There were ever so many babies, that looked just like little bits
of pink pigs. Those from the city had nurses, but those from the country
had not.
"'It is time for my baby's morning nap,' said the city mouse, looking at
her watch. 'Dear me! is there no cradle?'
"Then Grandmamma sent to the lumber room, and had one her children once
used brought out. It was half of a peach-pit, which, when lined with
soft paper, made an excellent bed for the fretful baby mouse.
"So the day wore on, and at last they began to get sniffs of nice things
cooking. Grandmamma bustled about with her cap-strings flying, and grew
very red in the face from scolding the little servant, who was all the
while going the wrong way, because she could do nothing but stare at the
finery of the nursery maids.
"At last dinner was quite ready; so Grandpapa took his place at the head
of the table, and Grandmamma hers at the foot: yet they could see
nothing but the tips of each other's noses, the pile of good things was
so high. Before the old gentleman was placed a dish of toasted cheese,
that made every mouse present smack his lips with delight; while before
his wife was a fine large egg; and the rest of the table held bits of
meat, cracker, and blades of wheat. The children had a smaller table to
themselves, with just as much to eat as their parents. They behaved
pretty well at first, until one roguish little mouse thrust his nose
into the cheese, and the next one gave him a push that sent him
sprawling across the table. This made all the others frolic, too, so
that the city mouse had to come and box their ears all around.
"While she was doing this, the little servant happened to come along,
carrying a nut-shell of honey; and what did she do but catch her foot in
the beautiful long tail of the city mouse, and spill the honey all down
her back. There was a regular uproar at this: the city mouse was so
angry, it seemed as though she never would take any more dinner.
"Grandpapa had been very still all this time: he was eating as if he
never expected to have the gout again. If his doctor had only seen him,
I am sure I do not know what in the world he would have said.
"When they had finished the meal, they made a circle around the fire;
and, the ladies not objecting, the gentlemen lit their cigars, which
were in reality straw tubes.
"'I wish somebody would tell a story,' said a little lame mouse, who had
been obliged to stay in the house all day, because it could not run and
jump like the others, but had to hobble along on a crutch made of a
lucifer match.
"'Yes, yes, Grandpapa, tell us a story,' cried all the other young mice
in a breath.
"'I don't know any stories,' said Grandpapa, puffing away at his straw
cigar. 'Ask your uncle.'
"So they began to clamor at the bachelor uncle, and he finally consented
to amuse them. Now, of all the family, he was the most doleful mouse
imaginable; and before he began his story Grandmamma whispered to one of
her daughters-in-law, that he had been disappointed in love, which
accounted for his melancholy. Whether this was true or not, I do not
know; but he also suffered from dyspepsia, and that is apt to make one
sad, it is said: so perhaps it was his liver, and not his heart, that
was affected. He now drew his seat closer to the fire, and began:--
"'I fear I shall not be able to tell you any thing very wonderful: still
I can give you some description of my own life since I left home; and,
when I have finished, I hope some of my brothers and sisters will also
tell us what they have been about. When I was a young mouse, my health
was very delicate: the doctor feared a throat affection, so I decided to
go farther south for change of air. There was no need for me to settle
anywhere: I was not a marrying mouse.' [Here Grandmamma nodded and
winked, as much as to say, "I told you so."]
"'Ordinary society did not suit me at all: to hear a mouse talk of
nothing but his dinner, seemed very tame. That reminds me it is time to
take my medicine two hours after eating. Dear, dear, I nearly forgot!'
"The bachelor unfastened a bit of goose quill, corked at both ends, that
was hung about his neck with a string, and took a pill from it. He then
resumed his story:--
"'I journeyed on in frequent danger, until I reached the handsome town
where I now live. I had to cross a broad beach, and saw the ocean
rolling in great waves of foam, before I came to the houses. It was
night, and the stars shone brightly overhead; but I was so tired with my
day's tramp, that I crawled into a stone wall, to rest. I was soon
disturbed by a squirrel's scrambling in after me.
"'"Good evening, sir," I said; for my mother had always taught me to be
especially polite to strangers. "Will you tell me where I can find a
night's lodging?"
"'"Do you like gay company?" replied the squirrel, peering at me with
his bright eyes.
"'"I like grave people better."
"'"Why, then, I know the very place," cried he. "Go to the town library,
where you can find a set of students."
"'I thanked him, and went on until I arrived at the library, where I was
received most courteously by the society of literary mice, to which I
now belong. Perhaps you may have noticed the leather medal I wear upon
my left shoulder. Never shall I forget their kindness that night. They
first inquired if I was married, because they did not admit such
parties; and when I satisfied them I was not, they at once gave me the
hole recently occupied by a brother, who had died of brain fever,
brought on by overwork.
"'What a delightful time we have of it there! We spend the day getting
in stores of provisions, strolling about out of doors, or taking a nap;
then when evening comes, and the old librarian places all the books in
order before going home, we begin to scamper about, having the place all
to ourselves.
"'Our president (he has nibbled more books than any of us, and that is
why we elected him) calls us about him after a while, and asks what we
have seen that is interesting or new. This is a most agreeable
arrangement; since one of us is always appointed to be about the library
during the day, to hear what the people may say there. I have been
particularly useful in this way, and that is one reason I am so much of
a favorite.
"'One thing troubles me greatly at present, so that I must make off home
again as soon as ever I can: I left the whole of the society in such a
state of mind over it, that they were not going to allow themselves any
Christmas dinner.'
"'Pray what is the important question?' inquired Grandpapa.
"'Why, about a month ago,' replied the bachelor, warming one foot at the
blaze, 'it was my turn to visit the reading-room. I had crept around
very quietly for some time, hearing old gentlemen talk over their
newspapers, or watching ladies rustle in and out, when a young man and a
little girl came in. With them was a tan terrier, which began to trot
around, snuffing such mischief as he might, when he suddenly spied me
seated at my ease upon a large book, and leaped up at me, barking
furiously. If the young man had not seized him by the collar, I do not
know what would have become of me. As it was, there he sat under his
master's chair, winking, and ready to eat me alive any minute.
"'The little girl kept asking her brother strange questions about
different things, until he said,--
"'"Did you know, Mimi, that the moon is made of green cheese?"
"'She said, "No."
"'"It is," he continued. "The wise men that study the stars have just
found it out."
"'I pricked up my ears at this, and as I had a chance soon after to make
my escape, I did so.'
"'What!' exclaimed the whole mouse family. 'Is the moon nothing but a
big slice of cheese, then?'
"'Do you believe it, my son?' inquired Grandpapa, rubbing his nose with
a puzzled air.
"'Dear me, dear me!' sighed Grandmamma, wiping her spectacles, 'what
next?'
"'I don't know what to believe,' continued the bachelor. 'I told the
others of it that night, and I do not believe the president has slept a
wink since. We have searched everywhere to learn if it is really true;
we have set an extra watch of four to listen in the library; and if they
have not found out something when I go back, I, for one, shall start
direct for Harvard University, to settle the matter.
"'Now, you see, if the moon is really made of green cheese,' he added,
shaking his head wisely, 'I should suppose it would have been eaten up
long ago.'
"Here he stopped suddenly. Every one of his nephews and nieces had
fallen asleep, some in their mothers' laps, and others huddled together
in little balls upon the floor. A great deal they cared about the moon!
"The lame mouse, however, had listened to every word with bright eyes,
and this pleased the bachelor so much, that he patted her upon the head,
saying,--
"'You are a good child, my dear; I shall leave you something in my
will.'
"The others were then roused up, and trundled off to bed; but they were
so sleepy they did not once think to ask their uncle's pardon.