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[Illustration: Book Cover]
[Illustration: "I KNOW," HE SAID, "I KNOW A WAY" See page 110]
HOLLOW TREE
NIGHTS AND DAYS
BEING A CONTINUATION OF THE STORIES ABOUT
THE HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS PEOPLE
BY
ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE
AUTHOR OF
"THE HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS BOOK"
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
J. M. CONDÉ
[Illustration]
NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
* * * * *
BOOKS BY
ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE
_For Young Readers_
THE BOYS' LIFE OF MARK TWAIN
HOLLOW TREE NIGHTS AND DAYS
THE HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP-WOODS BOOK
THE HOLLOW TREE SNOWED-IN BOOK
_Small books of several stories each, selected
from the above Hollow Tree books:_
HOW MR. DOG GOT EVEN
HOW MR. RABBIT LOST HIS TAIL
MR. RABBIT'S BIG DINNER
MAKING UP WITH MR. DOG
MR. 'POSSUM'S GREAT BALLOON TRIP
WHEN JACK RABBIT WAS A LITTLE BOY
MR. RABBIT'S WEDDING
MR. CROW AND THE WHITEWASH
MR. TURTLE'S FLYING ADVENTURE
_For Grown-ups_
DWELLERS IN ARCADY
MARK TWAIN: A BIOGRAPHY
TH. NAST: HIS PERIOD AND HIS PICTURES
THE SHIP-DWELLERS (Humorous travel)
THE TENT-DWELLERS (Humorous camping)
FROM VAN-DWELLER TO COMMUTER
(Humorous, home life)
PEANUT (Story of a boy)
HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK
* * * * *
HOLLOW TREE NIGHTS AND DAYS
Copyright, 1915, 1916, by Harper & Brothers
Printed in the United States of America
* * * * *
TO J. P.
A FRIEND OF ALL HOLLOW TREE PEOPLE
* * * * *
[Illustration: A NEW MAP OF THE HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS COUNTRY]
EXPLANATION OF THE NEW MAP
This is a new map of the Deep Woods, showing a good many new things. The
three spots on the Edge of the World, away down, show where the Hollow
Tree people and Mr. Rabbit sat when they told their star stories. Mr.
'Coon leaned against the tree, so his spot does not show. The little
bush is the one that Mr. 'Possum curled his tail around when he wanted
to take a nap, to keep from falling over into the Deep Nowhere. Right
straight above the spots is the old well that Mr. 'Possum fell into and
lost his chicken. Over toward the Wide Blue Water is Cousin Redfield's
cave and his bear ladder. The path leads to where he fell in. You can
also find Mr. Turtle's fish-poles which he keeps set, just above his
house. The Hill there is where the Deep Woods people tried Mr. 'Possum's
car, and the thing that looks like a barber-pole is where they landed.
They put it up afterward to mark the place. If you follow the road
around you will come to Mr. 'Coon's bee-tree, and Mr. Robin's tree, near
the Race Track. There ought to be a good many more roads and things, but
the artists said if they put everything on the map it would look too
mixed up. Remember, with Deep Woods folks the top of the map is south.
GREETINGS FROM THE STORY TELLER AND THE ARTIST
Once upon a time, ever so long ago, the Story Teller told the Little
Lady all about the 'Coon and 'Possum and the Old Black Crow who lived in
three hollow branches of a Big Hollow Tree that stood in the far depths
of the Big Deep Woods. The Crow and 'Coon and 'Possum were great friends
and used to meet in the big family room down-stairs and have plenty of
good things to eat, and then sit by the fire and smoke and tell stories,
and sometimes they would invite the other Deep Woods people, like Mr.
Rabbit and Mr. Turtle and the rest, and even Mr. Dog, after they became
friends with him, though Mr. Dog did not really live _in_ the Deep
Woods, but only on the edge of it, with Mr. Man.
The Hollow Tree people never did get to be friends with Mr. Man. They
liked to watch him, sometimes, from a distance, and would borrow things
from him when he wasn't at home, but they never just felt like calling
on him or asking him to the Hollow Tree. You see, Mr. Man really
belonged to one world and the Hollow Tree people belonged to another,
and something is always likely to happen when any one, even an author,
goes to mixing up worlds.
Well, by and by the Story Teller, and the Artist who drew the pictures,
put the Hollow Tree and Deep Woods stories into a book to preserve them,
for they thought that was going to be all of them, because Mr. Dog, who
told them, had gone away and they did not know where they could ever
find any more. Even when other Little Ladies and their brothers wrote
and asked for more Hollow Tree stories there were no more to send for a
very long time. But then one day the Story Teller and the Artist
themselves moved into the very edge of the Big Deep Woods, and there
they found some more stories about the 'Coon and 'Possum and the Old
Black Crow, because Mr. Dog had left a young relative, very fine and
handsome, who was also friends with the Hollow Tree people and could
tell everything as it happened, right along. So the Story Teller and the
Artist made up _The Hollow Tree Snowed-In Book_ which was all about
once when the Hollow Tree people and their friends were "snowed in" and
had to sit around the fire and eat good things and play games and tell
stories to pass the time.
How Little Ladies do slip away from us! The first Hollow Tree stories
were told for one who is now a Big Lady, and the Snowed-In stories for
another, who will soon be a Big Lady, too. But in the Deep Woods the
years do not count. The Hollow Tree people never grow any older, but
stay always the same, and the Story Teller and the Artist have to keep
stepping backward to find out the new Hollow Tree stories and to tell
them to the new Little People that come along.
So now after a good many years we have a third Hollow Tree book, which
will surely be the last one, because things are so likely to go in
threes, like three cheers, and three trials, and three strikes and out.
The Deep Woods people will never desert the Hollow Tree, and though
after this we should not hear from them again, we may imagine they are
doing many of the same things, and keeping safe and happy during all the
future Hollow Tree Nights and Days.
CONTENTS
PAGE
GREETINGS FROM THE STORY TELLER AND THE ARTIST 9
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND BUNTY BUN 19
MR. 'POSSUM'S SICK SPELL 35
MR. TURTLE'S FLYING ADVENTURE 51
THE DEEP WOODS ELOPEMENT 71
COUSIN REDFIELD AND THE MOLASSES 89
IN MR MAN'S CAR 105
MR. 'POSSUM'S CAR 121
MR. BEAR'S EARLY SPRING CALL 139
HOW MR. 'POSSUM'S TAIL BECAME BARE 155
A DEEP WOODS WAR 173
MR CROW AND THE WHITEWASH 189
MR CROW AND THE WHITEWASH II 199
MR 'COON'S STAR STORY 209
MR RABBIT'S STAR STORY 223
MR CROW'S STAR STORY 237
MR JACK RABBIT BRINGS A FRIEND 249
MR JACK RABBIT BRINGS A FRIEND II 259
MR RABBIT'S WEDDING 267
MR RABBIT'S WEDDING II 279
ILLUSTRATIONS
"I KNOW," HE SAID, "I KNOW A WAY" _Frontispiece_
A NEW MAP OF THE HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS COUNTRY vi
MR. RABBIT SAID HE CERTAINLY DID APPRECIATE BEING
INVITED TO THE HOLLOW TREE 21
I USED TO RUN OUT AND GET BEHIND, WITH BUNTY, AND
TAKE HER BOOKS 25
NEW FLOWERS THAT SHE WANTED ME TO DIG UP FOR HER 27
I HAD MADE A MISS-DIP, AND EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING AT ME 29
MR. RABBIT SAID HE COULD HARDLY GET TO HICKORY WHACK'S
DESK 31
MR. OWL LOOKED AT HIS TONGUE AND FELT HIS PULSE 37
IN A LITTLE WHILE HE HAD THIS FINE, FAT CHICKEN 39
MR. CROW SAID IF MR. 'POSSUM WAS STILL WITH THEM NEXT
MORNING THEY WOULD SEND FOR ANOTHER DOCTOR 41
WHEN THE DUMPLING WAS GONE HE FISHED UP A LEG AND
ATE THAT 43
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY SUNDAY COAT ON?" 47
A CATFISH NEARLY JERKED HIS POLE OUT OF HIS HANDS 53
OLD MAN MOCCASIN WAS ONLY ABOUT TWENTY FEET AWAY 57
"NOW FLY!" HE SAYS, AND DOWN I WENT 63
"YES," SAID MR. TURTLE, "THAT'S WHERE I STRUCK" 67
SHE WOULD MAKE WINTERS HELP MY YOUNG LADY COUSIN
DO THE DISHES 73
UNCLE SILAS HAD GONE TO SLEEP WITH A POTATO IN HIS HAND 77
THAT NIGHT WINTERS AND I TALKED IT OVER 79
SENT ME SAILING UP INTO THE SKY 83
HE LAUGHED MORE THAN I EVER SAW HIM LAUGH AT ANYTHING 85
HE DIDN'T EAT THE BREAD AT ALL, BUT JUST ATE UP THE
MOLASSES 91
SAT DOWN ON THE STONE TO THINK AGAIN AND CRY SOME
MORE 95
AND THEN PRETTY SOON IT COMMENCED TO RUN BETTER 97
IT GAVE HIM SUCH A SICK TURN THAT HE NEARLY DIED 101
MR. 'POSSUM TRIED TO TURN THE CRANK A LITTLE 109
MR. 'COON SAT UP IN THE FRONT SEAT 113
MADE A DIVE FOR THE REAR SEAT 115
HE USED TO WALK UP AND DOWN IN THE SUN AND SMOKE,
THINKING AND THINKING 123
SIGHTED ACROSS IT TO SEE THAT THEY WERE KEEPING IT
STRAIGHT 125
SO THEN MR. 'POSSUM GOT UP INTO THE SEAT TO STEER 129
GOING FASTER AND FASTER EVERY MINUTE 133
MR. TURTLE TOOK MR. 'POSSUM ON HIS BACK, AND EVERYBODY
SAID IT WAS FINE 135
MR. 'POSSUM CAME PUFFING UP THE STAIRS 141
DID NOT REALLY INTEND TO GO SOUND ASLEEP 143
WHEN MR. 'POSSUM HEARD THAT HE FAINTED DEAD AWAY 147
FLUNG HIMSELF AGAINST THE DOWN-STAIRS DOOR WITH A
GREAT BANG 149
"I HOPE MR. 'POSSUM'S FUNERAL WILL BE A SUCCESS" 151
ONE DAY A NEW AND VERY HANDSOME MR. 'POSSUM CAME
INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD 159
CALLING OUT, "MUCH OBLIGED, MR. PAINTER" 163
MR. WATERS HAD TO TAKE WHAT WAS LEFT 165
TOOK HIM ALL THE AFTERNOON TO PRY THE REST OF MY
ANCESTORS LOOSE 169
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT VIOLET COULD SEE IN HIM 177
ALL DAY LONG CARRIED HONEY OUT OF THE BEE-TREE 183
VIOLET AND THAT BIG CREATURE HAD STARTED HOUSEKEEPING 185
MR. CROW AND MR. RABBIT WENT BACK TO THE FENCE JOB 191
GAVE HIM ANOTHER AND VERY HEAVY COAT 195
WOKE UP AND TOOK ONE LOOK AT THE STRANGE, WHITE
CREATURE 197
"GOOD GRACIOUS ALIVE! IF THE HOLLOW TREE ISN'T ON
FIRE!" 203
MR. 'COON RODE DOWN ON IT LIKE A SLED 205
I WAS VERY YOUNG 211
BUT MOST OF ALL I WAS ANXIOUS TO SEE IN THAT BOX 215
A BIG YELLOW ONE JUST GRAZED MY LEFT EAR 217
I NOTICED A SCARED CHICKEN 219
TOLD WHAT A GRAND PLACE THE SKY WAS 225
THEY PILED UP THAT LADDER IN A STEADY STREAM 227
GRANDPAW WENT ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY UP HIS
LADDER, TO SEE 231
I ASKED MINERVA TO TELL ME IN A FEW SIMPLE WORDS
WHAT SHE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT AT THE MEETING 239
SHE JUST WHEELED AND GAVE ME A CLIP 241
I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW 243
EVERYBODY LOOKED UP AT THE TWINKLING SKY 245
I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING SO WONDERFUL AS THE WAY
SHE TELLS IT 251
MISS MYRTLE PAUSED AND WIPED HER EYES 255
SO I WENT HOME WITH MR. ROBIN 261
STOPPED TO TALK A LITTLE WITH EACH ONE 269
JACK RABBIT WOULD HAVE STAYED A BACHELOR IF SHE
HADN'T TRIPPED IN HER WEDDING-GOWN 273
"MAY YOU BE HAPPY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, AND LONGER" 277
AND YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN COUSIN REDFIELD DANCE 281
CALLED FOR THE FEATHER BED 285
WENT OUT ON THE OPEN TRACK AND TOOK A LITTLE RUN 287
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND BUNTY BUN
JACK RABBIT TELLS ABOUT HIS SCHOOL-DAYS,
AND WHY HE HAS ALWAYS
THOUGHT IT BEST TO LIVE ALONE
The Little Lady has been poring over a first reader, because she has
started to school now, and there are lessons almost every evening. Then
by and by she closes the book and comes over to where the Story Teller
is looking into the big open fire.
The little lady looks into the fire, too, and thinks. Then pretty soon
she climbs into the Story Teller's lap and leans back, and looks into
the fire and thinks some more.
"Did the Hollow Tree people ever go to school?" she says. "I s'pose they
did, though, or they wouldn't know how to read and write, and send
invitations and things."
The Story Teller knocks the ashes out of his pipe and lays it on the
little stand beside him.
"Why, yes indeed, they went to school," he says. "Didn't I ever tell you
about that?"
"You couldn't have," says the Little Lady, "because I never thought
about its happening, myself, until just now."
"Well, then," says the Story Teller, "I'll tell you something that Mr.
Jack Rabbit told about, one night in the Hollow Tree, when he had been
having supper with the 'Coon and 'Possum and the Old Black Crow, and
they were all sitting before the fire, just as we are sitting now. It
isn't really much about school, but it shows that Jack Rabbit went to
one, and explains something else, too."
Mr. Crow had cooked all his best things that evening, and everything had
tasted even better than usual. Mr. 'Possum said he didn't really feel as
if he could move from his chair when supper was over, but that he wanted
to do the right thing, and would watch the fire and poke it while the
others were clearing the table, so that it would be nice and bright for
them when they were ready to enjoy it. So then the Crow and the 'Coon
and Jack Rabbit flew about and did up the work, while Mr. 'Possum put on
a fresh stick, then lit his pipe, and leaned back and stretched out his
feet, and said it surely was nice to have a fine, cozy home like theirs,
and that he was always happy when he was doing things for people who
appreciated it, like those present.
[Illustration: MR. RABBIT SAID HE CERTAINLY DID APPRECIATE BEING INVITED
TO THE HOLLOW TREE]
Mr. Rabbit said he certainly did appreciate being invited to the Hollow
Tree, living, as he did, alone, an old bachelor, with nobody to share
his home; and then pretty soon the work was all done up, and Jack
Rabbit and the others drew up their chairs, too, and lit their pipes,
and for a while nobody said anything, but just smoked and felt happy.
Mr. 'Possum was first to say something. He leaned over and knocked the
ashes out of his pipe, then leaned back and crossed his feet, and said
he'd been thinking about Mr. Rabbit's lonely life, and wondering why it
was that, with his fondness for society and such a good home, he had
stayed a bachelor so long. Then the Crow and the 'Coon said so, too, and
asked Jack Rabbit why it was.
Mr. Rabbit said it was quite a sad story, and perhaps not very
interesting, as it had all happened so long ago, when he was quite
small.
"My folks lived then in the Heavy Thickets, over beyond the Wide
Grasslands," he said; "it was a very nice place, with a good school,
kept by a stiff-kneed rabbit named Whack--J. Hickory Whack--which seemed
to fit him. I was the only child in our family that year, and I suppose
I was spoiled. I remember my folks let me run and play a good deal,
instead of making me study my lessons, so that Hickory Whack did not
like me much, though he was afraid to be as severe as he was with most
of the others, my folks being quite well off and I an only child. Of
course, the other scholars didn't like that, and I don't blame them now,
though I didn't care then whether they liked it or not. I didn't care
for anything, except to go capering about the woods, gathering flowers
and trying to make up poetry, when I should have been doing my examples.
I didn't like school or J. Hickory Whack, and every morning I hated to
start, until, one day, a new family moved into our neighborhood. They
were named Bun, and one of them was a little girl named Bunty--Bunty
Bun."
When Mr. Rabbit got that far in his story he stopped a minute and
sighed, and filled his pipe again, and took out his handkerchief, and
said he guessed a little speck of ashes had got into his eye. Then he
said:
"The Buns lived close to us, and the children went the same way to
school as I did. Bunty was little and fat, and was generally behind, and
I stayed behind with her, after the first morning. She seemed a very
well-behaved little Miss Rabbit, and was quite plump, as I say, and used
to have plump little books, which I used to carry for her, and think how
nice it would be if I could always go on carrying them and helping Bunty
Bun over the mud-holes and ditches."
Mr. Rabbit got another speck of ashes in his eye, and had to wipe it
several times and blow his nose hard. Then he said:
"She wore a little red cape and a pretty linsey dress, and her ears were
quite slim and silky, and used to stand straight up, except when she was
sad over anything. Then they used to lop down quite flat; when I saw
them that way it made me sad, too. But when she was pleased and happy,
they set straight up and she seemed to laugh all over.
[Illustration: USED TO RUN OUT AND GET BEHIND, WITH BUNTY, AND TAKE HER
BOOKS]
"I forgot all about not liking school. I used to watch until I saw the
Bun children coming, and then run out and get behind, with Bunty, and
take her books, and wish there was a good deal farther to go. When it
got to be spring and flowers began to bloom, I would gather every one I
saw for Bunty Bun, and once I made up a poem for her. I remember it
still. It said:
"Oh, Bunty Bun,
The spring's begun,
The violet's are in bloom.
Oh, Bunty Bun,
I'll pick you one,
All full of sweet perfume.
"The sun is bright,
Our hearts are light,
And we will skip and run.
Prick up your ears,
And dry your tears,
Dear bunny, Bunty Bun."
"Mr. Rabbit said he didn't suppose it was the best poetry, but that it
had meant so much to him then that he couldn't judge it now, and,
anyway, it was no matter any more. The other children used to tease them
a good deal, Mr. Rabbit said, but that he and Bunty had not minded it so
very much, only, of course, he wouldn't have had them see his poem for
anything. The trouble began when Bunty Bun decided to have a
flower-garden.
"She used to see new flowers along the way to and from school that she
wanted me to dig up for her so she could set them out in her garden. I
liked to do it better than anything, too, only not _going_ to school,
because the ground was pretty soft and sticky, and it made my hands so
dirty, and Hickory Whack was particular about the children having clean
hands. I used to hide the flower plants under the corner of the
school-house every morning, and hurry in and wash my hands before school
took up, and the others used to watch me and giggle, for they knew what
all that dirt came from. Our school was just one room, and there were
rows of nails by the door to hang our things on, and there was a bench
with the wash-basin and the water-pail on it, the basin and the pail
side by side. It was a misfortune for me that they were put so close
together that way. But never mind--it is a long time ago.
[Illustration: NEW FLOWERS THAT SHE WANTED ME TO DIG UP FOR HER]
"One morning in April when it was quite chilly Bunty Bun saw several
pretty plants on the way to school that she wanted me to dig up for her,
root and all, for her garden. I said it would be better to get them on
the way home that night, but Bunty said some one might come along and
take them and that she wouldn't lose those nice plants for anything. So
I got down on my knees and dug and dug with my hands in the cold, sticky
dirt, until I got the roots all up for her, and my hands were quite
numb and a sight to look at. Then we hurried on to school, for it was
getting late.
"When we got to the door I pushed the flower plants under the edge of
the house, and we went in, Bunty ahead of me. School had just taken up,
and all the scholars were in their seats except us. Bunty Bun went over
to the girls' side to hang up her things, and I stuck my hat on a nail
on our side, and stepped as quick as I could to the bench where the
water was, to wash my hands.
"There was some water in the basin, and I was just about to dip my hands
in when I looked over toward Bunty Bun and saw her little ears all
lopped down flat, for the other little girl rabbits were giggling at her
for coming in with me and being late. The boy rabbits were giggling at
me, too, which I did not mind so much. But I forgot all about the basin,
for a minute, looking at Bunty Bun's ears, and when I started to wash my
hands I kept looking at Bunty, and in that way made an awful mistake;
for just when the water was feeling so good to my poor chilled hands,
and I was waving them about in it, all the time looking at Bunty's
droopy ears, somebody suddenly called out, 'Oh, teacher, Jacky Rabbit's
washing his hands in the water-pail! Jacky Rabbit's washing his hands in
the water-pail, teacher!'
[Illustration: I HAD MADE A MISS-DIP, AND EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING AT ME]
"And sure enough, I was! Looking at Bunty Bun and pitying her, I had
made a miss-dip, and everybody was looking at me; and J. Hickory Whack
said, in the most awful voice, 'Jack Rabbit, you come here, at once!'"
[Illustration: MR. RABBIT SAID HE COULD HARDLY GET TO HICKORY WHACK'S
DESK]
Mr. Rabbit said he could hardly get to Hickory Whack's desk, he was so
weak in the knees, and when Mr. Whack had asked him what he had meant by
such actions he had been almost too feeble to speak.
"I couldn't think of a word," he said, "for, of course, the only thing I
could say was that I had been looking at Bunty Bun's little droopy ears,
and that would have made everybody laugh, and been much worse. Then the
teacher said he didn't see how he was going to keep himself from
whipping me soundly, he felt so much that way, and he said it in such an
awful tone that all the others were pretty scared, too, and quite still,
all of them but just one--one scholar on the girls' side, who giggled
right out loud--and I know you will hardly believe it when I tell you
that it was Bunty Bun! I was sure I knew her laugh, but I couldn't
believe it and, scared as I was, I turned to look, and there she sat,
looking really amused, her slim little ears sticking straight up as they
always did when she enjoyed anything."
Mr. Rabbit rose and walked across the room and back, and sat down again,
quite excitedly.
"Think of it, after all I had done for her! I saw at once that there
would be no pleasure in carrying her books and helping her over the
mud-puddles in the way I had planned. And just then Hickory Whack
grabbed a stick and reached for me. But he didn't reach quite far
enough, for I was always rather spry, and I was half-way to the door
with one spring, and out of it and on the way home, the next. Of course
he couldn't catch me, with his stiff leg, and he didn't try. When I got
home I told my folks that I didn't feel well, and needed a change of
scene. So they said I could visit some relatives in the Big Deep
Woods--an old aunt and uncle, and I set out on the trip within less than
five minutes, for I was tired of the Thickets. My aunt and uncle were so
glad to see me that I stayed with them, and when they died they left me
their property. So I've always stayed over this way, and live in it
still. Sometimes I go over to the Heavy Thickets, and once I saw Bunty
Bun. She is married, and shows her age. She used to be fat and pretty
and silly. Now she is just fat and silly, though I don't suppose she can
help those things. Still, I had a narrow escape, and I've never thought
of doing garden work since then for anybody but myself and my good
friends, like those of the Hollow Tree."
[Illustration: MR. 'POSSUM'S SICK SPELL]
MR. 'POSSUM'S SICK SPELL
MR. 'POSSUM HAS A NIGHT ADVENTURE
WHICH CAUSES EXCITEMENT
Once upon a time, said the Story Teller, something very sad nearly
happened in the Hollow Tree. It was Mr. 'Possum's turn, one night, to go
out and borrow a chicken from Mr. Man's roost, and coming home he fell
into an old well and lost his chicken. He nearly lost himself, too, for
the water was icy cold and Mr. 'Possum thought he would freeze to death
before he could climb out, because the rocks were slippery and he fell
back several times.
As it was, he got home almost dead, and next morning was sicker than he
had ever been before in his life. He had pains in his chest and other
places, and was all stuffed up in his throat and very scared. The 'Coon
and the Crow who lived in the Hollow Tree with him were scared, too.
They put him to bed in the big room down-stairs, and said they thought
they ought to send for somebody, and Mr. Crow said that Mr. Owl was a
good hand with sick folks, because he looked so wise and didn't say
much, which always made the patient think he knew something.
[Illustration: MR. OWL LOOKED AT HIS TONGUE AND FELT HIS PULSE]
So Mr. Crow hurried over and brought Mr. Owl, who put on his glasses and
looked at Mr. 'Possum's tongue, and felt of his pulse, and listened to
his breathing, and said that the cold water seemed to have struck in and
that the only thing to do was for Mr. 'Possum to stay in bed and drink
hot herb tea and not eat anything, which was a very sad prescription for
Mr. 'Possum, because he hated herb tea and was very partial to eating.
He groaned when he heard it and said he didn't suppose he'd ever live to
enjoy himself again, and that he might just as well have stayed in the
well with the chicken, which was a great loss and doing no good to
anybody. Then Mr. Owl went away, and told the Crow outside that Mr.
'Possum was a very sick man, and that at his time of life and in his
state of flesh his trouble might go hard with him.
So Mr. Crow went back into the kitchen and made up a lot of herb tea and
kept it hot on the stove, and Mr. 'Coon sat by Mr. 'Possum's bed and
made him drink it almost constantly, which Mr. 'Possum said might cure
him if he didn't die of it before the curing commenced.
He said if he just had that chicken, made up with a good platter of
dumplings, he believed it would do him more good than anything, and he
begged the 'Coon to go and fish it out, or to catch another one, and
try it on him, and then if he did die he would at least have fewer
regrets.
[Illustration: IN A LITTLE WHILE HE HAD THIS FINE, FAT CHICKEN]
But the Crow and the 'Coon said they must do as Mr. Owl ordered, unless
Mr. 'Possum wanted to change doctors, which was not a good plan until
the case became hopeless, and that would probably not be before some
time in the night. Mr. 'Coon said, though, there was no reason why that
nice chicken should be wasted, and as it would still be fresh, he would
rig up a hook and line and see if he couldn't save it. So he got out his
fishing things and made a grab hook and left Mr. Crow to sit by Mr.
'Possum until he came back. He could follow Mr. 'Possum's track to the
place, and in a little while he had the fine, fat chicken, and came home
with it and showed it to the patient, who had a sinking spell when he
looked at it, and turned his face to the wall and said he seemed to have
lived in vain.
Mr. Crow, who always did the cooking, said he'd better put the chicken
on right away, under the circumstances, and then he remembered a bottle
of medicine he had once seen sitting on Mr. Man's window-sill outside,
and he said while the chicken was cooking he'd just step over and get
it, as it might do the patient good, and it didn't seem as if anything
now could do him any harm.
[Illustration: MR. CROW SAID IF MR. 'POSSUM WAS STILL WITH THEM NEXT
MORNING THEY WOULD SEND FOR ANOTHER DOCTOR]
So the Crow dressed the nice chicken and put it in the pot with the
dumplings, and while Mr. 'Coon dosed Mr. 'Possum with the hot herb tea
Mr. Crow slipped over to Mr. Man's house and watched a good chance
when the folks were at dinner, and got the bottle and came back with it
and found Mr. 'Possum taking a nap and the 'Coon setting the table; for
the dinner was about done and there was a delicious smell of dumplings
and chicken, which made Mr. 'Possum begin talking in his sleep about
starving to death in the midst of plenty. Then he woke up and seemed to
suffer a good deal, and the Crow gave him a dose of Mr. Man's medicine,
and said that if Mr. 'Possum was still with them next morning they'd
send for another doctor.
Mr. 'Possum took the medicine and choked on it, and when he could speak
said he wouldn't be with them. He could tell by his feelings, he said,
that he would never get through this day of torture, and he wanted to
say some last words. Then he said that he wanted the 'Coon to have his
Sunday suit, which was getting a little tight for him and would just
about fit Mr. 'Coon, and that he wanted the Crow to have his pipe and
toilet articles, to remember him by. He said he had tried to do well by
them since they had all lived together in the Hollow Tree, and he
supposed it would be hard for them to get along without him, but that
they would have to do the best they could. Then he guessed he'd try to
sleep a little, and closed his eyes. Mr. 'Coon looked at Mr. Crow and
shook his head, and they didn't feel like sitting down to dinner right
away, and pretty soon when they thought Mr. 'Possum was asleep they
slipped softly up to his room to see how sad it would seem without him.
Well, they had only been gone a minute when Mr. 'Possum woke up, for the
smell of that chicken and dumpling coming in from Mr. Crow's kitchen was
too much for him. When he opened his eyes and found that Mr. 'Coon and
Mr. Crow were not there, and that he felt a little better--perhaps
because of Mr. Man's medicine--he thought he might as well step out and
take one last look at chicken and dumpling, anyway.
[Illustration: WHEN THE DUMPLING WAS GONE HE FISHED UP A LEG AND ATE
THAT]
It was quite warm, but, being all in a sweat, he put the bed-sheet
around him to protect him from the draughts and went out to the stove
and looked into the pot, and when he saw how good it looked he thought
he might as well taste of it to see if it was done. So he did, and it
tasted so good and seemed so done that he got out a little piece of
dumpling on a fork, and blew on it to cool it, and ate it, and then
another piece, and then the whole dumpling, which he sopped around in
the gravy after each bite. Then when the dumpling was gone he fished up
a chicken leg and ate that, and then a wing, and then the gizzard, and
felt better all the time, and pretty soon poured out a cup of coffee and
drank that, all before he remembered that he was sick abed and not
expected to recover. Then he happened to think, and started back to bed,
but on the way there he heard Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow talking softly in
his room and he forgot again that he was so sick and went up to see
about it.
Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow had been quite busy up in Mr. 'Possum's room.
They had looked at all the things, and Mr. Crow remarked that there
seemed to be a good many which Mr. 'Possum had not mentioned, and which
they could divide afterward. Then he picked up Mr. Possum's pipe and
tried it to see if it would draw well, as he had noticed, he said, that
Mr. 'Possum sometimes had trouble with it, and the 'Coon went over to
the closet and looked at Mr. 'Possum's Sunday suit, and pretty soon got
it out and tried on the coat, which wouldn't need a thing done to it to
make it fit exactly. He said he hoped Mr. 'Possum was resting well,
after the medicine, which he supposed was something to make him sleep,
as he had seemed drowsy so soon after taking it. He said it would be
sad, of course, though it might seem almost a blessing, if Mr. 'Possum
should pass away in his sleep, without knowing it, and he hoped Mr.
'Possum would rest in peace and not come back to distress people, as one
of Mr. 'Coon's own ancestors had done, a good while ago. Mr. 'Coon said
his mother used to tell them about it when she wanted to keep them at
home nights, though he didn't really believe in such things much, any
more, and he didn't think Mr. 'Possum would be apt to do it, anyway,
because he was always quite a hand to rest well. Of course, _any one_
was likely to _think_ of such things, he said, and get a little
nervous, especially at a time like this--and just then Mr. 'Coon looked
toward the door that led down to the big room, and Mr. Crow he looked
toward that door, too, and Mr. 'Coon gave a great jump, and said:
"Oh, my goodness!" and fell back over Mr. 'Possum's trunk.
And Mr. Crow he gave a great jump, too, and said:
"Oh, my gracious!" and fell back over Mr. 'Possum's chair.
For there in the door stood a figure shrouded all in white, all except
the head, which was Mr. 'Possum's, though very solemn, its eyes looking
straight at Mr. 'Coon, who still had on Mr. 'Possum's coat, though he
was doing his best to get it off, and at Mr. Crow, who still had Mr.
'Possum's pipe, though he was trying every way to hide it, and both of
them were scrabbling around on the floor and saying, "Oh, Mr. 'Possum,
go away--please go away, Mr. 'Possum--we always loved you, Mr.
'Possum--we can prove it."
But Mr. 'Possum looked straight at Mr. 'Coon, and said in a deep voice:
[Illustration: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY SUNDAY COAT ON?"]
"What were you doing with my Sunday coat on?"
And Mr. 'Coon tried to say something, but only made a few weak noises.
And Mr. 'Possum looked at Mr. Crow and said:
"What were you doing with my pipe?"
And a little sweat broke out on Mr. Crow's bill, and he opened his mouth
as if he were going to say something, but couldn't make a sound.
Then Mr. 'Possum said, in a slow voice, so deep that it seemed to come
from down in the ground:
"_Give me my things!_"
And Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow said, very shaky:
"Oh y-yes, Mr. 'Possum, w-we meant to, a-all the t-time."
And they tried to get up, but were so scared and weak they couldn't, and
all at once Mr. 'Possum gave a great big laugh and threw off his sheet
and sat down on a stool, and rocked and laughed, and Mr. 'Coon and Mr.
Crow realized then that it was Mr. 'Possum himself, and not just his
appearance, as they had thought. Then they sat up, and pretty soon began
to laugh, too, though not very gaily at first, but feeling more cheerful
every minute, because Mr. 'Possum himself seemed to enjoy it so much.
Then Mr. 'Possum told them about everything, and how Mr. Man's medicine
must have made him well, for all his pains and sorrows had left him, and
he invited them down to help finish up the chicken which had cost him so
much suffering.
So then they all went down to the big room and the Crow brought in the
big platter of dumplings, and a pan of biscuits and some molasses, and
a pot of coffee, and they all sat down and celebrated Mr. 'Possum's
recovery. And when they were through, and everything was put away, they
smoked, and Mr. 'Possum said he was glad he was there to use his
property a little more, and that probably his coat would fit him again
now, as his sickness had caused him to lose flesh. He said that Mr.
Man's medicine was certainly wonderful; but just then Mr. Rabbit dropped
in, and when they told him about it, he said of course the medicine
might have had some effect, but that the dumplings and chicken caused
the real cure. He said there was an old adage to prove that--one that
his thirty-fifth great-grandfather had made for just such a case of this
kind. This, Mr. Rabbit said, was the adage:
"If you want to live forever
Stuff a cold and starve a fever."
Mr. 'Possum's trouble had come from catching cold, he said, so the
dumplings were probably just what he needed. Then Mr. Owl dropped in to
see how his patient was, and when he saw him sitting up, and smoking,
and well, he said it was wonderful how his treatment had worked, and the
Hollow Tree people didn't tell him any different, for they didn't like
to hurt Mr. Owl's feelings.
MR. TURTLE'S FLYING ADVENTURE
MR. TURTLE TELLS ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD
AND EXPLAINS A VERY OLD FABLE
Once upon a time, when it was early summer in the Big Deep Woods, the
Hollow Tree people and Jack Rabbit went over to spend the day with Mr.
Turtle, who lives in a very nice stone house which he built himself on
the edge of the Wide Blue Water. Mr. Turtle fishes a good deal, and
makes most of his living that way, and knows all the best places, so
when his friends came he said that perhaps they would enjoy fishing a
little--which they could do and sit in a pleasant place at the same
time, and talk, and look out over the Wide Blue Water, which was
especially blue at this season.
[Illustration: A CATFISH NEARLY JERKED HIS POLE OUT OF HIS HANDS]
That just suited the Hollow Tree people, for they enjoyed fishing when
they had somebody to pick out a good place, and Mr. 'Possum found a nice
stump to lean back against, and presently went to sleep, but was waked
up soon after, when a big catfish nearly jerked his pole out of his
hands. Mr. 'Possum had to use all his strength to pull it out.
Then he was so proud he didn't think about going to sleep again, and
told how all his family had been quite smart at catching fish; and
pretty soon Jack Rabbit caught a good-sized perch, and Mr. 'Coon hooked
a croppie, which got away the first time, though he caught it the next;
and Mr. Crow caught a "punkin-seed," which made the others laugh,
because it is a funny little fish; while Mr. Turtle just went right
along pulling out one kind after another, without saying a word, because
fishing is his business and doesn't excite him.
Then by and by the fish stopped biting, as they 'most always do, by
spells, and the Deep Woods people leaned back and looked out over the
Wide Blue Water, and away out there saw Mr. Eagle swoop down and pick up
something which looked at first like a shoe-string; then they saw it
wriggle, and knew it was a small water-snake, which was going to be Mr.
Eagle's dinner; and they talked about it and wondered how he could enjoy
such food.
Mr. Turtle said that Mr. Eagle enjoyed a good many kinds of food, and
that he was reminded of an adventure he once had himself with Mr. Eagle,
when he (Mr. Turtle, of course) was quite small. Then they all asked Mr.
Turtle to tell them his adventure, because they thought it must have
been exciting if it was anything like the snake's adventure which they
had just witnessed. Mr. Turtle said it was--quite a good deal like it,
in some ways--then he said:
"That was the only time I ever flew, or ever had a chance to, or ever
wanted to, that I can remember. Very likely you have already heard how
once, a long time ago, I thought I could fly, and persuaded an eagle to
take me up in the air to give me a start. That old story has been told a
good deal, and I believe has even been put into some of Mr. Man's books
for his children to read."
Mr. Turtle paused, and the others all said they did remember something
of a story of that sort, but never thought it had really happened,
because, knowing Mr. Turtle as they did, they didn't believe any of his
family would try such an experiment.
"Well," said Mr. Turtle, "it did really happen, though not in the way
you have heard. You are right about thinking my family would not care to
experiment in that way, and would not do it unless somebody else
arranged it for them and gave the experiment a good start."
Mr. Turtle went on to say that in this case it was Mr. Eagle and one of
the ancient ancestors of the little water-snake he had just carried off
that had started the experiment, though he thought none of it had been
really planned.
"I was very small then," Mr. Turtle went on, "about the size of Mr.
Man's fist, though I suppose much heavier, for my shell was very thick
for my age, and everybody said that if I lived a thousand years or so I
might have a shell as big and thick as the one that Father Storm Turtle,
up at the Forks, uses to make the thunder with.[1] Then they would laugh
and say that Old Man Moccasin, up at the Drifts, would certainly have
trouble with his digestion if he ever caught me; which used to scare my
mother, for Old Man Moccasin was the biggest water-snake that anybody
ever saw, and there was nobody around the Wide Blue Water that didn't
give him room, especially fish-fry, and Mr. Frog, and young turtles like
me, and even some older ones. My mother used to warn us children all the
time, and scold us every day about going away so far from the house and
not keeping a good watch-out for Old Man Moccasin, who would surely get
us, she said, unless we were more careful. Then she would tell us to
look out for Mr. Eagle, too, who was likely any time to come soaring
about, and would pick up any food he saw lying handy.
"Well, it used to scare us when we thought about it. Old Man Moccasin
was seven feet long, and I judge about a half a foot thick. He could
lift himself two feet out of the water when he was swimming, and with
his far-sighted glasses on could see a mile. Mr. Eagle was fully twice
as big as any of the Eagle family I know of nowadays, and didn't need
any glasses to see an article the size of a bug floating on the Wide
Blue Water, no matter how high he was flying. We tried to keep a lookout
in several directions, but, of course, as we got older without
accidents, we grew careless, and our mother used to count us every night
and be surprised that we were all there, and give us a good scolding to
go to bed on.
"Nothing happened to any of us for a good while, and then it happened to
me. I was the biggest and strongest of our lot, and had the thickest
shell, and I liked to show how grown-up I was, and would swim out
farther, and make believe I wasn't afraid any more of Mr. Eagle and Old
Man Moccasin, which wasn't true, of course, for Mr. Eagle could have
handled me with one claw and Old Man Moccasin could have swallowed me
like a pill and enjoyed the operation.
"Well, one day I was showing off more than usual and had paddled out
farther toward the Drifts, saying to the others that I was going to pay
a call on Old Man Moccasin. I kept on farther than I intended, for it
was a nice summer day and the water felt good. I didn't know how far I
had gone until I turned around to look, and then I didn't think about
that any more, for a quarter of a mile away, and between me and the
shore, was Old Man Moccasin, coming straight in my direction. He was a
good two feet out of the water and had on his far-sighted glasses, and I
knew he was after me. He was coming, too. He was swimming with a wide,
wavy motion, and making a little curl of white foam in front, and
leaving a long trail behind.
"I was so scared, at first, that I couldn't do anything. Then I thought
I'd better dive, but I knew that Old Man Moccasin could swim faster
under the water than on top of it, and see just as well. I began to
paddle for dear life toward the other side of the Wide Blue Water, which
was a long way off, with Old Man Moccasin gaining fast. I knew he was
bound to overtake me before I got across, and I was getting weaker every
minute, from being so scared and trying so hard, and I could hear Old
Man Moccasin's steady swimming noise coming closer all the time.
[Illustration: OLD MAN MOCCASIN WAS ONLY ABOUT TWENTY FEET AWAY]
"Of course it wasn't very long until I gave up. I was too worn out to
swim another stroke. Old Man Moccasin was only about twenty feet away,
and when I looked back at him over my shoulder I saw that he was smiling
because he was so sure he had me. It was an awful smile, and I don't
like to remember it often, even now, and that was ever so long ago, as
much as three hundred and fourteen or fifteen years, this spring.
"Well, when I saw Old Man Moccasin at that close distance, and smiling
in that glad way, and his spectacles shining, because he was so pleased
at the prospect, I said to myself, I'm gone now, for certain, unless
something happens right off; though, of course, I didn't see how
anything _could_ happen, placed as I was. But just as I said those
words, something did happen--and about the last thing I would have
expected. The first I saw was a big shadow, and the first I heard was a
kind of swish in the air, and the first I knew I wasn't in the water any
more, but was on the way to the sky with Mr. Eagle, who had one great
claw around my hind leg and another hooked over my shell, not seeming to
mind my weight at all, and paying no attention to Old Man Moccasin, who
was beating his tail on the water and calling Mr. Eagle bad names and
threatening him with everything he could think of. I didn't know where I
was going, and couldn't see that I was much better off than before, but
I did enjoy seeing Old Man Moccasin carry on about losing me, and I
called a few things to him that didn't make him feel any better. I said
Mr. Eagle and I were good friends, and asked him how he liked the trick
we had played on him. I even sang out to him:
"'Old Man Moccasin,
See you by and by;
Mr. Eagle's teaching me
How to learn to fly.'
which was a poem, and about the only one I ever made, but it seemed to
just come into my head as we went sailing along. Mr. Eagle, he heard it,
too, and said:
"'Look here,' he said, 'what are you talking about? You don't think you
could ever learn to fly, I hope?'
"'Why, yes, Mr. Eagle,' I said, 'if I just had somebody like you to
give me a few lessons. Of course, nobody could ever fly as well as you
can, but I'm sure I could learn to fly some.'
"Then I thanked him for having saved me from Old Man Moccasin, and said
how kind he was, and told him how my folks had always told us what a
great bird Mr. Eagle was--so strong and grand, and the best flyer in the
world--and how we must always admire and respect him and not get in his
way, and how I thought if I could only fly a little--perhaps about as
much as a hen--I could keep from being caught by Old Man Moccasin, which
was the worst thing that could happen, and wouldn't Mr. Eagle please
give me a lesson.
"Then Mr. Eagle said, very politely, that he guessed he'd keep me from
being caught by Old Man Moccasin, but it wouldn't be by teaching me to
fly.
"'You couldn't fly any more than a stone,' he said, 'and a stone can't
fly at all.'
"'But a stone can't swim, either, Mr. Eagle,' I said, 'and I can swim
fine. I could learn to swim right through the air--I know I could--I can
tell by the way I feel,' and I made some big motions with my front legs,
and kicked with my free hind leg to show him how I would do it; and I
really did feel, the way that air was blowing past, so fresh and strong,
that if he would let go of me I could swim in it a little; anyway.
"But Mr. Eagle laughed, and said:
"'You have to have wings to fly with,' he said. 'You couldn't fly a
foot. If I should drop you, you'd go down like a shot, and would
probably break all to pieces!'
"I was looking down as he spoke, and I noticed that we were passing over
Mr. Man's marsh meadows, for we were not flying very high, and I could
see locations quite plain, and even some objects. I knew those meadows
were soft in places, for I had been there once to a spring overflow
picnic. There were also a great number of little hay-piles, which Mr.
Man had raked up, getting ready to make his big stacks when the hay was
dry. So I said, as quick as I could:
"'Oh, Mr. Eagle, I am certain I could fly this minute. I never felt so
much like it in my life. Just give me a big swing, Mr. Eagle, and let me
try. If I fall and break, it won't be your fault, and you can take the
pieces home to your family. I'll be handier for them that way than any
other.'
"When Mr. Eagle heard that, he laughed, and said:
"'Well, that's so, anyway. You people always are a tough proposition for
my young folks. Much obliged for the suggestion.'
"And just as he said that, Mr. Eagle quit flying straight ahead and
started to circle around, as if he were looking for something, and
pretty soon I saw down there a flat stone, and Mr. Eagle saw it, too,
and stopped still in the air right over it, as near as he could judge,
making all the time a big flapping sound with his wings, until he got me
aimed to suit him, and I could feel him beginning to loosen up his hold
on my hind leg and shell. Then, all of a sudden, he let me go.
[Illustration: "NOW FLY!" HE SAYS, AND DOWN I WENT]
"'Now fly!' he says, and down I went.
"Well, Mr. Eagle certainly told the truth about the way he said I'd
drop. I made the biggest kind of swimming motions in the direction of
one of those little haycocks, but if I made any headway in that
direction I couldn't notice it. I didn't have time, anyway. It seemed to
me that I struck bottom almost before I started from the top; still, I
must have turned myself over, for I landed on my back, exactly in the
center of that flat stone, Mr. Eagle being a center shot.
"He was wrong, though, about me breaking to pieces, and so was the story
you've heard. Our family don't break very easy, and as I said before, my
shell was thick and tough for my age. It was the stone that broke, and
probably saved my life, for if I had hit in a soft place in that marsh
meadow I'd have gone down out of sight and never been able to dig out.
"As it was, I bounced some, and landed right side up close to one of
those little haycocks, and had just about sense and strength enough left
to scrabble under it before Mr. Eagle came swooping down after me, for
he saw what had happened and didn't lose any time.
"But he was too late, for I was under that haycock, and Mr. Eagle had
never had much practice in pitching hay. He just clawed at it on
different sides and abused me as hard as he could for deceiving him, as
he called it, and occasionally I called back to him, and tried to soothe
him, and told him I was sorry not to come out and thank him in person,
but I was so shaken up by the fall that I must rest and collect myself.
Then, by and by he pretended to be very sweet, and said I had done so
well the first time, I ought to take another lesson, and if I'd come out
we'd try it again.
"But I said I couldn't possibly take another lesson to-day, and for him
to come back to-morrow, when I had got over the first one; and then I
heard him talking to himself and saying it was growing late, and he must
be getting home with something to eat for those brats, and pretty soon I
heard his big wing sound; but I didn't come out, for I thought he was
most likely just trying to fool me, and was sailing around overhead and
waiting, which I still think he was, for a while. After a long time,
though, I worked over where I could see out a little, and then I found
it was night, and, of course, Mr. Eagle had really gone home.
"So then I worked along across the meadows, being pretty sore and
especially lame in the left hind leg, where Mr. Eagle had gripped me,
though I felt better when I got into the Wide Blue Water and was
swimming toward home. It took me all night to get there, and the folks
were so worried they couldn't sleep, for some one had seen Old Man
Moccasin out in the middle of the water, chasing something, during the
afternoon.