wings and her sweet disposition matches them so perfectly that it is a
very common occurrence to hear one of the tiny dwellers in Farmer
Green's meadow remark: "Why, the sun just has to smile on her!" Of
course, any lady so gifted is bound to have many admirers and Betsy is
no exception. But there are a few of her acquaintances who cannot keep
from showing their jealousy of her popularity and these try in various
unkind ways to make her disliked. The story of how she politely
overlooks these rude attempts, in that way causing herself to be all
the more thought of, is the best sort of example to any human girl or
boy who wishes to know how to be sure of making friends. You will find
that Betsy is a great girl for giving parties and perhaps she will
give you a few valuable ideas that will be useful sometime when you
have a party of your own.
BUSTER BUMBLEBEE
Buster's intentions are all very good, but he is so awkward and stupid
that he constantly stumbles into trouble, thereby causing his
acquaintances much unnecessary discomfiture and himself no end of
embarrassment. He is, furthermore, a terrific boaster, as you will
learn when you read of his many declarations of the pummeling he would
give the ferocious Robber Fly, if ever he chanced to meet that
devouring assassin. What Buster actually does when the unexpected
encounter takes place will afford you a good laugh at his expense,
and, finally, after you have romped and dallied with him through his
many happy excursions you will close the book with a feeling that it
has done you good to have known him, lazy and blundering though he is,
for he is indeed the best natured fellow, and he is so anxious to buzz
into everything that attracts his attention that you find you have
learned a great many things you never before dreamed of about the tiny
creatures of the fields.
THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY
Freddie Firefly is most anxious to lighten the cares of his friends in
Pleasant Valley for he is a most unselfish fellow and enjoys nothing
more than seeing other people as happy as he. He has one grave fault,
however, that prevents him from being a very great help, and that is
his inability to remain long in one place. He is so full of spry
gaiety that he never can be quite content unless he is dancing with
his relatives in the hollow near the swamp or darting about Farmer
Green's lawn. His friends often give him advice as to how he may use
the wonderful light which he always carries with him, and finally Mrs.
Ladybug tells him he should go to the railroad and work as a signalman
for the trains. You will hold your breath as you read about the
exciting adventure that follows this suggestion, and you will no doubt
agree with those to whom he later tells it that he is a very lucky
Freddie to escape.
Rusty Wren is another little neighbor in Pleasant Valley. His
particular home there is Farmer Green's yard where he lives in a
bright shiny home which is really a tin can with a hole in it! And
dear me! I forgot all about Rusty Wren's family--his wife and six baby
children who had to be given Wren food by Rusty and little Chippy, Jr.
You will laugh heartily when you read about Chippy growing so big and
fat that he gets stuck in Rusty's tiny doorway and can't get pulled
out. My, what an exciting time it was! And you will laugh again when
you watch Rusty Wren go way over to the bank of Black Creek all ready
for a party when there really is no party. Yes, you will agree with
Farmer Green's boy and the rest of our friends in Pleasant Valley that
Rusty certainly is a very interesting little neighbor.
THE TALE OF DADDY LONG-LEGS
Daddy is a person of such unusual appearance with, his eight scrawny
legs in contrast to ordinary people's two, and everything about his
private life is such a mystery to his neighbors that his acquaintances
give him credit for having a marvelous ability to look into the
future. In fact, there are many two-legged humans, even today, who
think he is a sort of soothsayer and mystery man. Perhaps, if you are
one of these, you will be inclined to change your mind after reading
about his contest with Old Mr. Crow to see which is really the wiser
of the two. And would you not naturally suppose that anybody with so
many legs to carry him would be the champion walker of the world?
Maybe Daddy finds that it takes time to decide which of his feet he
should put forward in taking the next step, or may be each separate
foot has a notion of choose; at any rate, he proves to be the slowest
traveler imaginable. But he is so popular among his neighbors and you
will like him too--he has so many quaint ideas.
THE TALE OF KIDDIE KATYDID
Kiddy Katydid and his relatives were in possession of a secret that
none of the Pleasant Valley folk can solve, though they waste much
time and energy trying to guess it. Even to this day it is doubtful if
anyone other than Kiddie himself really knows what Katy did! But his
friends are a curious lot and they work their brains over-time to
think of some scheme to make Kiddie tell. If you want to know what
they do accidentally discover about Kiddie himself and how excited
every body becomes as the rare news spreads from mouth to mouth, you
will find that and many other remarkable things about him in this
interesting story of his life in the Maple tree that grows in Farmer
Green's yard. You will like Kiddie. He is very modest and
retiring--behaving very much as any well raised youngster should,
and when you understand just how it happens that he keeps repeating
that funny remark about Katy, you can join him in the hearty laugh
he has on his friends.
THE TALE OF OLD MR. CROW
Mr. Crow has a very solemn look--unless you regard him closely. But it
is a very sly, knowing look, if you take pains to stare boldly into
his eyes. Like many human beings, he is fond of clothes, and he
particularly likes gay ones, but perhaps that is because he is so
black himself.
Anyhow, so long as he can wear a bright red coat and a yellow
necktie--or a bright red necktie and a yellow coat--he is generally quite
happy. One fall Mr. Crow decides to stay in Pleasant Valley during the
winter, instead of going South, and he remembers all at once that he
will need some warm clothing. Now, Mr. Frog, the tailor, and Jimmy
Rabbit, the shoemaker, know just how to talk to Mr. Crow to sell their
merchandise, playing upon his vanity to buy the latest, and even to
"set the styles," but they have to be pretty keen and sly to get the
best of Mr. Crow in the end. Mr. Crow has his good points as well as
his bad ones, and he helps Farmer Green a lot more than he injures him
it is said. Nevertheless, Farmer Green does not figure that way,--and
in justice to old "Jim Crow," you should read of his adventures for
yourself.
THE TALE OF SOLOMON OWL
All the folks down in Pleasant Valley know Solomon Owl. Well, It's
this way. If you hear Solomon Owl on a dark night when his "Wha-Wha!
Whoo-ah!" sends a chill 'way up your spine, and if you see him you can
never forget him, either. He has great, big, staring eyes that make
you feel queer when you look at his pale face. No, sir, little folks
like Mr. Frog, the tailor, certainly don't like to have any visits
from Solomon Owl when Solomon has a fine appetite. To be sure, Farmer
Green isn't happy when Solomon steals some of his fine chickens, and
neither are the chickens for that matter. But Solomon doesn't have all
the fun on some one else. Oh no! Reddy Woodpecker knows how to tease
him by tapping with his bill on Solomon's wooden house in the daytime,
when every owl likes to sleep and dream of all the nice frogs and fat
chickens they are going to feast on the next night, and then, out
comes Solomon all blinking with his big, black eyes. But this wise
owl, who really isn't as wise as he looks, you know, finds a good way
to fool Reddy and the rest of the folks who like to annoy him, and
lives his own happy life.
THE TALE OF JASPER JAY
Jasper Jay really is a good sort of a fellow even though he does make
a dreadful racket when he is around; but that is his way of talking.
He just likes to tease for the fun of teasing and so naturally he gets
into lots of scraps and seems bound to get into more. Of course, lots
of folks in Pleasant Valley don't like him because he plays tricks and
pranks on them and makes them feel all ruffled up. Why, he even thinks
he can spoil the Singing Society, but do you know, the Society fools
Jasper himself. And that time Jimmy Rabbit teaches Jasper Jay some
manners down by the cedar tree--the poor jay stays there until his
feet are frozen in the water before he finds out--well--you may
discover for yourself what happens next.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Tale of Tommy Fox, by Arthur Scott Bailey