Baby has a Bunnie,
It is made of fur,
Baby always takes it
Up to bed with her.
It was Baby's Auntie
Gave her this nice toy,
Baby, when she saw it,
Clapp'd her hands for joy.
Such long ears has Bunnie,
Baby, so unkind!
Likes to pull and bite them,
But Bunnie doesn't mind.
And he does not scratch her,
When she treats him so,
For this pretty Bunnie
Is a toy, you know.
[Illustration]
My First Visit.
My name is Tim, and I am only a rough-haired terrier dog, so you must
not mind if I make mistakes in this story, because it is the first time
I have ever told a real, story book one.
I thought perhaps you would like to hear about some of the people I met
the first time I went on a visit with my master.
We went to stay at a big house in the country. There were no other
houses round it, only lots and lots of trees, and they kept the houses
away, I expect.
When we first arrived, I kept pretty quiet The train had made me feel
rather queer in my legs. I wasn't frightened; none of our family are
ever frightened of anything—certainly not of a silly old train that
doesn't even know how to growl properly.
[Illustration]
Well, after I began to get used to things, I went out into the garden to
see if I could find someone to play with. It was rather dull without Jo.
He is my brother, but he isn't old enough to go visiting like I do.
At first there did not seem to be anyone about at all. Then I saw an old
wooden tub.
I went and had a look at that. I have found some funny things in tubs
before now—sticks and boats, bits of cork that give you a pain inside if
you eat them—but never have I seen such a funny thing as there was in
this tub.
It was very small, with shiny black hair, a shiny red face, and it was
swimming about just like a fish. It smiled at me all the time, too. I
didn't like that a bit, so I barked as loud as I could; but it made no
difference. I could not make it out, and I got very angry, so I walked
off with my tail in the air.
In a sunny corner I found the Duke and Duchess. They were very rude to
me indeed. In fact, the Duchess spat at me, just like the common Tabby
family do at home.
[Illustration]
I very soon left them, and then I found Laddie, the fine old Scotch
collie, but he wasn't much fun; he is nearly deaf, and he was very busy
staring at some white woolly lambs on green stands. Laddie loves those
lambs; he once ate one when he was young. He told me so himself, and—it
was much worse than eating cork.
[Illustration]
Then I heard a great deal of barking, growling and snarling.
I knew it must be Bob, the bull dog. I had been longing to fight him
ever since I came. I ran to the field as fast as I could, my heart
beating very hard, for Bob had boasted to me of all the fights he had
won, and I was thirsting to beat him.
Then I saw him, tearing down the field, his tail tucked in between his
legs, his ears laid flat. He was running away from the old red bull. He
had made faces at him, and then ran away when the bull pretended to
chase him. I wasn't going to fight him after that. _I_ wouldn't run away
from an old bull.
Bob ran into the kitchen, and pretended to be asleep when I spoke to
him.
I went back to the tub after that, and I just went straight up to the
funny, smiling thing, and—I kissed it. After that, we were great
friends, and had lovely games every day till I went away. I wonder if
Bob ever plays with it. I will fight him if he does.