NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES
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MOTHER WEST WIND'S
ANIMAL FRIENDS
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
1C. THE ADVENTURES OF POOR MRS. QUACK
17. THE ADVENTURES OF BORRY COON
18. THE ADVENTURES OF JIMMY SKUNK
19. THE ADVENTURES OF BOB WHITE
20. THE ADVENTURES OF OL' MISTAII 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
Suddenly he met Mr. Panther. FRONTISPIECE. See page 43.
BURGESS !A5 QUADDIES
MOTHER WEST WIND'S
ANIMAL FRIENDS
BY
THORNTON W. BURGESS
Author of "Old Mother West Wind," and
" Mother West Wind's Children"
Illustrated by George Kerr
NON-REFERTl
') I r^YA/Tv/"* ruf\^tv^l CJ
CQ
BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1920
Copyright, 191S,
BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
All rights reserved
IN TENDER, LOVING, REVERENT MEMORY OF MY MOTHER,
WHO LOVED LITTLE CHILDREN AND WAS BELOVED
OP THEM, AND TO WHOM I OWE A DEBT
OF AFFECTION AND OF GRATITUDE
BEYOND MY POWER TO PAY
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGB
I. THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES SAVE
THE GREEN MEADOWS . . 1
II. THE STRANGER IN THE GREEN
FOREST ... . . . 13
III. How PRICKLY PORKY GOT His
QUILLS . .29
IV. PETEH RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING . 47
V. How JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY . 63
VI. PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE . 77
VII. A JOKER FOOLED .... 93
VIII. THE Fuss IN THE BIG PINE . . 109
IX. JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS A USE FOR
His BACK DOOR . . . .123
X. BILLY MINK GOES DINNERLESS . 135
XI. GRANDFATHER FROG'S JOURNEY . 149
XII. WHY BLACKY THE CROW WEARS
MOURNING 161
XIII. STRIPED CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER
RABBIT ...... 177
XIV. JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE . 195
XV. PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN 211
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
SUDDENLY HE MET MR. PANTHER Frontispiece
REDDY STRUTTED OUT IN FRONT OF HIM.
" WHO ARE YOU? ' HE DEMANDED PAGE 21
" PLEASE, PLEASE WAIT FOR ME, PETER
RABBIT," PANTED JOHNNY CHUCK . 69
" COME ON WITH us TO THE BIG RIVER,
FISHING," CALLED BlLLY MlNK . " 138
PETER WAS so SURPRISED THAT HE
NEARLY FELL BACKWARD . . . 189
" I'M GOING TO BUILD A HOUSE," RE-
PLIED JERRY MUSKRAT . . " 200
THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES SAVE
THE GREEN MEADOWS
MOTHER WEST WIND'S
ANIMAL FRIENDS
THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES SAVE THE
GREEN MEADOWS
LD MOTHER WEST WIND'S
family is very big, very big in-
deed. There are dozens and doz-
ens of Merry Little Breezes, all children
of Old Mother West Wind. Every
morning she comes down from the Purple
Hills and tumbles them out of a great
bag on to the Green Meadows. Every
night she gathers them into the great bag
and, putting it over her shoulder, takes
them to their home behind the Purple
Hills.
4 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
One morning, just as usual, Old Mother
West Wind turned the Merry Little
Breezes out to play on the Green Mead-
ows. Then she hurried away to fill the
sails of the ships and blow them across
the great ocean. The Merry Little
Breezes hopped and skipped over the
Green Meadows looking for some one
to play with. It was then that one of
them discovered something - - something
very dreadful.
It was a fire! Yes, Sir, it was a fire
in the meadow grass! Some one had
dropped a lighted match, and now little
red flames were running through the
grass in all directions. The Merry Little
Breeze hastened to tell all the other
Little Breezes and all rushed over as fast
as they could to see for themselves.
They saw how the little red flames
were turning to smoke and ashes every-
thing they touched, and how black and
THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES 5
ugly, with nothing alive there, became
that part of the Green Meadows where
the little flames ran. It was dreadful!
Then one of them noticed that the little
red flames were running in the direction
of Johnny Chuck's new house. Would the
little red flames burn up Johnny Chuck,
as they burned up the grass and the
flowers?
" Hi! " cried the Merry Little Breeze,
" We must warn Johnny Chuck and all
the other little meadow people! '
So he caught up a capful of smoke and
raced off as fast as he could go to Johnny
Chuck's house. Then each of the Merry
Little Breezes caught up a capful of
smoke and started to warn one of the
little meadow people or forest folks.
So pretty soon jolly, round, red Mr.
Sun, looking down from the blue sky,
saw Johnny Chuck, Jimmy Skunk, Peter
Rabbit, Striped Chipmunk, Danny
6 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Meadow Mouse, Reddy Fox, Bobby
Coon, Happy Jack Squirrel, Chatterer
the Red Squirrel, Jumper the Hare and
old Mr. Toad all hurrying as fast as
they could to the Smiling Pool where live
Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter and
Jerry Muskrat and Spotty the Turtle
and Great-Grandfather Frog. There
they would be quite safe from the little
red flames.
" Oh," gasped Johnny Chuck, puffing
very hard, for you know he is round
and fat and roly-poly and it was hard
work for him to run, " what will become
of my nice new house and what will
there be left to eat? :
The Merry Little Breeze who had
brought him the warning in a capful
of smoke thought for a minute. Then he
called all the other Little Breezes to
him.
u We must get Farmer Brown's help
THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES 7
or we will have no beautiful Green
Meadows to play on," said the Merry
Little Breeze.
So together they rushed back to where
the little red flames had grown into
great, angry, red flames that were licking
up everything in their way. The Merry
Little Breezes gathered a great cloud
of smoke and, lifting all together, they
carried it over and dropped it in Farmer
Brown's dooryard. Then one of them
blew a little of the smoke in at an open
window, near which Farmer Brown was
eating breakfast. Farmer Brown coughed
and strangled and sprang from his chair.
" Phew! ' cried Farmer Brown, "I
smell smoke! There must be a fire on
the meadows."
Then he shouted for his boy and for
his hired man and the three, with shovels
in their hands, started for the Green
Meadows to try to put the fire out.
8 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
I
The Merry Little Breezes sighed with
relief and followed to the fire. But when
they saw how fierce and angry the red
flames had become they knew that
Farmer Brown and his boy and his hired
man would not be able to put the fire
out. Choking with smoke, they hurried
over to tell the dreadful news to the
little meadow people and forest folks
gathered at the Smiling Pool.
" Chug-a-rum! Why don't you help
put the fire out? ' asked Grandfather
Frog.
" We warned Farmer Brown and his
boy and his hired man; what more can
we do? ' asked one of the Merry Little
Breezes.
" Go find and drive up a rain cloud,"
replied Grandfather Frog.
" Splendid! " cried all the little meadow
people and forest folks. "Hurry! hurry!
Oh, do hurry! "
THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES 9
So the Merry Little Breezes scattered
in all directions to hunt for a rain cloud.
"It is a good thing that Old Mother
West Wind has such a big family/ 3
said Grandfather Frog, " for one of them
is sure to find a wandering rain cloud
some where. "
Then all the little meadow people
and forest folks sat down around the
Smiling Pool to wait. They watched
the smoke roll up until it hid the face
of jolly, round, red Mr. Sun. Their
hearts almost stood still with fear as
they saw the fierce, angry, red flames
leap into the air and climb tall trees
on the edge of the Green Forest.
Splash! Something struck in the
Smiling Pool right beside Grandfather
Frog's big, green, lily-pad.
Spat! Something hit Johnny Chuck
right on the end of his funny little, black
nose.
10 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
They were drops of water.
" Hurrah! ' cried Johnny Chuck,
whirling about. Sure enough, they were
drops of water rain drops. And
there, coming just as fast as the Merry
Little Breezes could push it, and they
were pushing very hard, very hard in-
deed, was a great, black, rain cloud,
spilling down rain as it came.
When it was just over the fire, the
great, black, rain cloud split wide open,
and the water poured down so that the
fierce, angry, red flames were drowned
in a few minutes.
" Phew! " said Farmer Brown, mopping
his face with his handkerchief, " that
was warm work! That shower came up
just in time and it is lucky it did."
But you know and I know and all
the little meadow people and forest
folks know that it wasn't luck at all, but
the quick work and hard work of Old
THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES 11
Mother West Wind's big family of Merry
Little Breezes, which saved the Green
Meadows. And this, too, is one reason
why Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck
and Bobby Coon and all the other
little meadow and forest people love
the Merry Little Breezes who play every
day on the Green Meadows.
II
THE STRANGER IN THE GREEN FOREST
ii
THE STRANGER IN THE GREEN FOREST
LD MOTHER WEST WIND,
hurrying down from the Purple
Hills with her Merry Little
Breezes, discovered the newcomer in the
Green Forest on the edge of the Green
Meadows. Of course the Merry Little
Breezes saw him, too, and as soon as
Old Mother West Wind had turned
them loose on the Green Meadows they
started out to spread the news.
As they hurried along the Crooked
Little Path up the hill, they met Reddy
Fox.
" Oh, Reddy Fox," cried the Merry
Little Breezes, so excited that all talked
16 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
together, " there's a stranger in the
Green Forest! '
Reddy Fox sat down and grinned at
the Merry Little Breezes. The grin of
Reddy Fox is not pleasant. It irritates
and exasperates. It made the Merry
Little Breezes feel very uncomfortable.
" You don't say so," drawled Reddy
Fox. " Do you mean to say that you've
just discovered him? Why, your news
is so old that it is stale; it is no news at
all. I thought you had something really
new to tell me.' 3
The Merry Little Breezes were dis-
appointed. Their faces fell. They had
thought it would be such fun to carry
the news through the Green Forest and
over the Green Meadows, and now the
very first one they met knew all about it.
" Who is he, Reddy Fox? " asked one
of the Merry Little Breezes.
Reddy Fox pretended not to hear.
THE STRANGER IN THE FOREST 17
" I must be going/' said he, rising and
stretching. " I have an engagement
with Billy Mink down at the Smiling
Pool."
Reddy Fox started down the Crooked
Little Path while the Merry Little Breezes
hurried up the Crooked Little Path to
tell the news to Jimmy Skunk, who was
looking for beetles for his breakfast.
Now Ready Fox had not told the
truth. He had known nothing whatever
of the stranger in the Green Forest.
In fact he had been as surprised as the
Merry Little Breezes could have wished,
but he would not show it. And he had
told another untruth, for he had no in-
tention of going down to the Smiling
Pool. No, indeed! He just waited
until the Merry Little Breezes were out
of sight, then he slipped into the Green
Forest to look for the stranger seen by
the Merry Little Breezes.
18 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Now Reddy Fox does nothing openly.
Instead of walking through the Green
Forest like a gentleman, he sneaked
along under the bushes and crept from
tree to tree, all the time looking for
the stranger of whom the Merry Little
Breezes had told him. All around
through the Green Forest sneaked Reddy
Fox, but nothing of the stranger could
he see. It didn't occur to him to look
anywhere but on the ground.
" I don't believe there is a stranger
here," said Reddy to himself.
Just then he noticed some scraps of
bark around the foot of a tall maple.
Looking up to see where it came from
he saw what do you think? Why, the
stranger who had come to the Green
Forest. Reddy Fox dodged back out
of sight, for he wanted to find out all
he could about the stranger before the
stranger saw him.
THE STRANGER IN THE FOREST 19
Reddy sat down behind a big stump
and rubbed his eyes. He could hardly
believe what he saw There at the top
of the tall maple, stripping the branches
of their bark and eating it, was the
stranger, sure enough. He was big,
much bigger than Reddy. Cculd lie
be a relative of Happy Jack Squirrel?
He didn't look a bit, not the least little
bit like Happy Jack. And he moved
slowly, very slowly, indeed, while Happy
Jack and his cousins move quickly.
Reddy decided that the stranger could
not be related to Happy Jack.
The longer Reddy looked the more he
was puzzled. Also, Reddy begrai to
feel just a little bit jealous,, You soo all
the little meadow people pud forest
folks are afraid of Reddy Fox, but this
stranger was so b:g that Reddy began
to feel something very like fear in his
own heart.
20 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
The Merry Little Breezes had told
the news to Jimmy Skunk and then
hurried over the Green Meadows telling
every one they met of the stranger in
the Green Forest Billy Mink, Little
Joe Otter, Johnny Chuck, Peter Rabbit,
Happy Jack Squirrel, Danny Meadow
Mouse, Striped Chipmunk, old Mr. Toad,
Great-Grandfather Frog, Sammy Jay,
Blacky the Crow, and each as soon as he
heard the news started for the Green
Forest to welcome the newcomer. Even
Great-Grandfather Frog left his beloved
big, green lily-pad and started for the
Green Forest.
So it was that when finally the stranger
decided that he had eaten enough bark
for his breakfast, and climbed slowly
down the tall maple, he found all the
little meadow people and forest folks
sitting in a big circle waiting for him.
The stranger was anything but handsome,
THE STRANGER IN THE FOREST 21
but his size filled them with respect.
The nearer he got to the ground the bigger
he looked. Down he came, and Reddy
Fox, noting how slow and clumsy in his
movements was the stranger, decided
that there was nothing to fear.
If the stranger was slow and clumsy
in the tree, he was clumsier still on the
ground. His eyes were small and dull.
His coat was rough, long and almost
black. His legs were short and stout.
His tail was rather short and broad.
Altogether he was anything but hand-
some. But when the little meadow
people and forest folks saw his huge
front teeth they regarded him with
greater respect than ever, all but Reddy
Fox.
Reddy strutted out in front of him.
" Who are you? ' he demanded.
The stranger paid no attention to
Reddy Fox.
22 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" What business have you in our
Green Forest? ' demanded Reddy, show-
ing all his teeth.
The stranger just grunted and ap-
peared not to see Reddy Fox. Reddy
swelled himself out until every hair stood
on end and he looked twice as big as he
really is. He strutted back and forth
in front of the stranger.
" Don't you know that I'm afraid of
nothing and nobody? : snarled Reddy
Fox.
The stranger refused to give him so
much as a glance. He just grunted
and kept right on about his business.
All the little meadow people and forest
folks began to giggle and then to laugh.
Reddy knew that they were laughing
at him and he grew very angry, for no
one likes to be laughed at, least of all
Reddy Fox.
"You're a pig!" taunted Reddy.
THE STRANGER IN THE FOREST 23
You're afraid to fight. I bet you're
afraid of Danny Meadow Mouse ! '
Still the stranger just grunted and
paid no further attention to Reddy
Fox.
Now, with all his boasting Reddy Fox
had kept at a safe distance from the
stranger. Happy Jack Squirrel had no-
ticed this. " If you're so brave, why
don't you drive him out, Reddy Fox ? 3
asked Happy Jacjv, skipping behind a,
tree. " You don't dare to!'
Reddy turned and glared at Happy
Jack. " I'm not afraid! ' he shouted.
"I'm not afraid of anything nor any-
body! "
But though he spoke so bravely it
was noticed that he went no nearer
the stranger.
Now it happened that that morning
Bowser the Hound took it into his head
to take a walk in the Green Forest.
24 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Blacky the Crow, sitting on the tip-top
of a big pine, was the first to see him
coming. From pure love of mischief
Blacky waited until Bowser was close
to the circle around the stranger. Then
he gave the alarm.
" Here's Bowser the Hound! Run! '
screamed Blacky the Crow. Then he
laughed so that he had to hold his
sides to see the fright down below.
Reddy Fox forgot that he was afraid
of nothing and nobody. He was the
first one out of sight, running so fast
that his feet seemed hardly to touch
the ground. Peter Rabbit turned a
back somersault and suddenly remem-
bered that he had important business
down on the Green Meadows. Johnny
Chuck dodged into a convenient hole.
Billy Mink ran into a hollow tree. Striped
Chipmunk hid in an old stump.
Happy Jack Squirrel climbed the near-
THE STRANGER IN THE FOREST 25
est tree. In a twinkling the stranger
was alone, facing Bowser the Hound.
Bowser stopped and looked at the
stranger in sheer surprise. Then the
hair on the back of his neck stood on
end and he growled a deep, ugly growl.
Still the stranger did not run. Bowser
didn't know just what to make of it.
Never before had he had such an ex-
perience. Could it be that the stranger
was not afraid of him? Bowser walked
around the stranger, growling fiercely.
As he walked the stranger turned, so
as always to face him. It was perplexing
and very provoking. It really seemed
as if the stranger had no fear of him.
" Bow, wow, wow! * cried Bowser
the Hound in his deepest voice, and
sprang at the stranger.
Then something happened, so sur-
prising that Blacky the Crow lost his
balance on the top of the pine where
26 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
he was watching. The instant that
Bowser sprang, the stranger rolled him-
self into a tight round ball and out of
the long hair of his coat sprang hundreds
of sharp little yellowish white barbed
spears. The stranger looked for all the
world like a huge black and yellow
chestnut burr.
Bowser the Hound was as surprised
as Blacky the Crow. He stopped short
and his eyes looked as if they would
pop out of his head. He looked so
puzzled and so funny that Happy Jack
Squirrel laughed aloud.
The stranger did not move. Bowser
backed away and began to circle around
again, sniffing and snuffing. Once in a
while he barked. Still the stranger
did not move. For all the sign of life
he made he might in truth have been
a giant chestnut burr.
Bowser sat down and looked at him.
THE STRANGER IN THE FOREST 27
Then he walked around to the other side
and sat down. " What a queer thing/ 3
thought Bowser. " What a very queer
thing. "
Bowser took a step nearer. Then he
took another step. Nothing happened.
Finally Bowser reached out, and with
his nose gingerly touched the prickly
ball. Slap! The stranger's tail had
struck Bowser full in the face.
Bowser yelled with pain and rolled
over and over on the ground. Sticking
in his tender lips were a dozen sharp little
spears, and claw and rub at them as
he would, Bowser could not get them out.
Every time he touched them he yelped
with pain. Finally he gave it up and
started for home with his tail between
his legs like a whipped puppy, and with
every step he yelped.
When he had disappeared and his
yelps had died away in the distance, the
28 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
stranger unrolled, the sharp little spears
disappeared in the long hair of his coat
and, just as if nothing at all had happened,
the stranger walked slowly over to a
tall maple and began to climb it.
And this is how Prickly Porky the
Porcupine came to the Green Forest,
and won the respect and admiration
of all the little meadow people and
forest folks, including Reddy Fox. Since
that day no one has tried to meddle with
Prickly Porky or his business.
Ill
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT HIS QUILLS
Ill
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT HIS QUILLS
^HE newcomer in the Green For-
est was a source of great interest
to the Merry Little Breezes.
Ever since they had seen him turn him-
self into a huge prickly ball, like a giant
chestnut burr, and with a slap of his
tail send Bowser the Hound yelping
home with his lips stuck full of little
barbed spears, they had visited the Green
Forest every day to watch Prickly Porky.
He was not very social. Indeed, he
was not social at all, but attended strictly
to his own business, which consisted
chiefly of stripping bark from the trees
and eating it. Never had the Merry
32 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Little Breezes seen such an appetite!
Already that part of the Green Forest
where he had chosen to live had many
bare stark trees, killed that Prickly
Porky the Porcupine might live. You see
a tree cannot live without bark, and
Prickly Porky had stripped them clean
to fill his stomach.
But if Prickly Porky was not social
he was not unfriendly. He seemed to
enjoy having the Merry Little Breezes
about, and did not in the least mind
having them rumple up the long hair of
his coat to feel the sharp little barbed
spears underneath. Some of these were
so loose that they dropped out. Peter
Rabbit's curiosity led him to examine
some of these among bits of bark at the
foot of a tree. Peter wished that he had
left them alone. One of the sharp little
barbs pierced his tender skin and Peter
could not get it out. He had to ask
HOW PRICKLY PORET GOT QUILLS 33
Johnny Chuck to do it for him, and it
had hurt dreadfully.
After that the little meadow people
and forest folks held Prickly Porky hi
greater respect than ever and left him
severely alone, which was just what he
seemed to want.
One morning the Merry Little Breezes
failed to find Prickly Porky in the Green
Forest. Could he have left as mysteri-
ously as he had come? TLey hurried
down to the Smiling Pool to tell Great-
Grandfather Frog. Bursting through
the bulrushes on the edge of the Smiling
Pool, they nearly upset Jerry Muskrat,
who was sitting on an old log intently
watching something out in the middle
of the Smiling Pool. It was Prickly
Porky. Some of the sharp little barbed
spears were standing on end; altogether
he was the queerest sight the Smiling
Pool had seen for a long time.
MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
He was swimming easily and you may
be sure no one tried to bother him.
Little Joe Otter and Billy Mink sat on
the Big Rock and for once they had for-
gotten to play tricks. When Prickly
Porky headed towards the Big Rock,
Little Joe Otter suddenly remembered
that he had business down the Laughing
Brook, and Billy Mink recalled that
Mother Mink had forbidden him to
play at the Smiling Pool. Prickly Porky
had the Smiling Pool quite to himself.
When he had swum to his heart's
content he climbed out, shook himself
and slowly ambled up the Lone Little
Path to the Green Forest. The Merry
Little Breezes watched him out of sight.
Then they danced over to the big green
lily-pad on which sat Grandfather Frog.
The Merry Little Breezes are great fa-
vorites with Grandfather Frog. As usual
they brought him some foolish green
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT QUILLS 35
flies. Grandfather Frog's eyes twinkled
as he snapped up the last foolish green
fly.
" Chug - a - rum ! ' said Grandfather
Frog, " and now I suppose you want
a story/ 3 And he folded his hands across
his white and yellow waistcoat.
" If you please! ' shouted the Merry
Little Breezes. " If you please, do tell
us how it is that Prickly Porky has spears
on his back! '
Grandfather settled himself comfort-
ably. " Chug-a-rum! ' said he. " Once
upon a time when the world was young,
Mr. Porcupine, the grandfather a thou-
sand times removed of Prickly Porky,
whom you all know, lived in the Green
Forest where old King Bear ruled. Mr.
Porcupine was a slow clumsy fellow, just
as his grandson a thousand times removed
is to-day. He was so slow moving, and
when he tried to hurry tumbled over him-
36 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
self so much, that he had hard work to get
enough to eat. Always some one reached
the berry patch before he did. The
beetles and the bugs were so spry that
seldom could he catch them. Hunger
was in his stomach, and little else most
of the time. Mr. Porcupine grew thin
and thinner and still more thin. His
long, shaggy coat looked twice too big
for him. Because he was so hungry
he could sleep little, and night as well
as day he roamed the forest, thinking
of nothing but his empty stomach, and
looking for something to put in it. So
he learned to see by night as well as by
day.
" One day he could not find a single
berry and not a beetle or a bug could
he catch. He was so hungry that he sat
down with his back against a big black
birch, and clasping both hands over his
lean stomach, he wept. There Sister
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT QUILLS 37
South Wind found him, and her heart
was moved to pity, for she knew that
his wits were as slow as his body. Softly
she stole up behind him.
" ' Try the bark of the black birch;
it's sweet and good/ whispered Sister
South Wind. Then she hurried on her
way.
" Mr. Porcupine still sat with his hands
clasped over his lean stomach, for it took
a long time for his slow wit to understand
what Sister South Wind meant. ' Bark,
bark, try bark/ said Mr. Porcupine over
and over to himself. He rolled his dull
little eyes up at the big black birch.
' I believe I will try it/ said Mr. Porcu-
pine at last.
" Slowly he turned and began to gnaw
the bark of the big black birch. It was
tough, but it tasted good. Clumsily
he began to climb, tearing off a mouthful
of bark here and there as he climbed.
38 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
The higher he got the tenderer and
sweeter the bark became. Finally he
reached the top of the tree, and there
on the small branches the bark was so
tender and so sweet that he ate and ate
and ate until for the first time in many
days Mr. Porcupine had a full stomach.
That night he curled up in a hollow log
and slept all the night through, dreaming
of great forests of black birch and all he
wanted to eat.
" The next day he hunted for and found
another black birch, and climbing to the
top, he ate and ate until his stomach
was full. From that time on Mr. Por-
cupine ceased to hunt for berries or
beetles or bugs. He grew stout and
stouter. He filled his shaggy coat until
it was so tight it threatened to burst.
" Now while Mr. Porcupine was so
thin and lean he had no enemies, but
when he grew stout and then fat, Mr.
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT QUILLS 39
Panther and Mr. Fisher and Mr. Bobcat
and even old King Bear began to cast
longing eyes upon him, for times were
hard and they were hungry. Mr. Por-
cupine began to grow afraid. By night
he hid in hollow trees and by day he
went abroad to eat only when he was
sure that no one bigger than himself was
about. And because he no longer dared
to move about as before, he no longer
depended upon the black birch alone, but
learned to eat and to like all kinds of
bark.
" One day he had made his breakfast
on the bark of a honey-locust. When
he came down the tree he brought with
him a strip of bark, and attached to it
were some of the long thorns with which
the honey-locust seeks to protect itself.
When he reached the ground whom should
he find waiting for him but Mr. Panther.
Mr. Panther was very lean and very
40 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
hungry, for hunting had been poor and
the times were hard.
" ' Good morning, Mr. Porcupine/ said
Mr. Panther, with a wicked grin. l How
fat you are! '
" ' Good morning, Mr. Panther/ said
Mr. Porcupine politely, but his long
hair stood on end with fright, as he
looked into Mr. Panther's cruel yellow
eyes.
" ' I say, how fat you are/ said Mr.
Panther, licking his chops and showing
all his long teeth. ' What do you find
to eat these hard times? '
" l Bark, Mr. Panther, just bark/
said Mr. Porcupine, while his teeth
chattered with fear. ' It really is very
nice and sweet. Won't you try a piece,
Mr. Panther? : Mr. Porcupine held out
the strip of locust bark which he had
brought down the tree for his lunch.
" Now Mr. Panther had never tried
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT QUILLS 41
bark, but he thought to himself that if
it made Mr. Porcupine so fat it must be
good. He would try the piece of bark
first and eat Mr. Porcupine afterward.
So he reached out and snapped up the
strip of bark.
" Now the locust thorns were long
and they were sharp. They pierced
Mr. Panther's tender lips and his tongue.
They stuck in the roof of his mouth.
Mr. Panther spat and yelled with pain
and rage and clawed frantically at his
mouth. He rolled over and over trying
to get rid of the thorns. Mr. Porcupine
didn't stay to watch him. For once in
his life he hurried. By the time Mr.
Panther was rid of the last thorn, Mr.
Porcupine was nowhere to be seen. He
was safely hidden inside a hollow log.
" Mr. Porcupine didn't sleep that
night. He just lay and thought and
thought and thought. The next morning,
42 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
very early, before any one else was astir,
he started out to call on old Mother
Nature.
" ' Good morning, Mr. Porcupine,
what brings you out so early? ' asked
old Mother Nature.
" Mr. Porcupine bowed very low. ' If
you please, Mother Nature, I want you
to help me/ said he.
" Then he told her all about his meet-
ing with Mr. Panther and how helpless
he was when he met his enemies, and he
begged her to give him stout claws and
a big mouth full of long teeth that he
might protect himself.
" Old Mother Nature thought a few
minutes. ' Mr. Porcupine/ said she,
' you have always minded your own busi-
ness. You do not know how to fight.
If I should give you a big mouth full of
long teeth you would not know how to
use them. You move too slowly. In-
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT QUILLS 43
stead, I will give you a thousand little
spears. They shall be hidden in the long
hair of your coat and only when you
are in danger shall you use them. Go
back to the Green Forest, and the next
time you meet Mr. Panther or Mr.
Fisher or Mr. Bobcat or old King Bear
roll yourself into a ball and the thousand
little spears will protect you. Now go! '
" Mr. Porcupine thanked old Mother
Nature and started back for the Green
Forest. Once he stopped to smooth
down his long, rough coat. Sure enough,
there, under the long hair, he felt a thou-
sand little spears. He went along hap-
pily until suddenly he met Mr. Panther.
Yes, Sir, he met Mr. Panther.
" Mr. Panther was feeling very ugly,
for his mouth was sore. He grinned
wickedly when he saw Mr. Porcupine
and stepped right out in front of him,
all the time licking his lips. Mr. Porcu-
44 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
pine trembled all over, but he remembered
what old Mother Nature had told him.
In a flash he had rolled up into a tight
ball. Sure enough, the thousand little
spears sprang out of his long coat, and
he looked like a huge chestnut burr.
" Mr. Panther was so surprised he
didn't know just what to do. He reached
out a paw and touched Mr. Porcupine.
Mr. Porcupine was nervous. He switched
his tail around and it struck Mr. Panther's
paw. Mr. Panther yelled, for there
were spears on Mr. Porcupine's tail and
they were worse than the locust thorns.
He backed away hurriedly and limped
off up the Lone Little Path, growling
horribly. Mr. Porcupine waited until
Mr. Panther was out of sight, then he
unrolled, and slowly and happily he
walked back to his home in the Green
Forest.
" And since that long-ago day when
HOW PRICKLY PORKY GOT QUILLS 45
the world was young, the Porcupines
have feared nothing and have attended
strictly to their own business. And
that is how they happen to have a thou-
sand little barbed spears, which are
called quills," concluded Grandfather
Frog.
The Merry Little Breezes drew a long
breath. " Thank you, Grandfather Frog,
thank you ever so much! ' they cried
all together. " We are going back now
to tell Prickly Porky that we know all
about his little spears and how he hap-
pens to have them/'
But first they blew a dozen fat, foolish,
green flies over to Grandfather Frog.
IV
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING
IV
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING
T was spring. Drummer the Wood-
pecker was beating the long roll on
the hollow limb of the old hickory,,
that all the world might know. Old
Mother West Wind, hurrying down from
the Purple Hills across the Green Mead-
ows, stopped long enough to kiss the
smiling little bluets that crowded along
the Lone Little Path. All up and down
the Laughing Brook were shy violets
turning joyful faces up to jolly, round,
red Mr. Sun. Johnny Chuck was sitting
on his doorstep, stretching one short leg
and then another, to get the kinks out,
after his long, long winter sleep. Very
50 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
beautiful, very beautiful indeed, were
the Green Meadows, and very happy
were all the little meadow people all
but Peter Rabbit, who sat at the top of
the Crooked Little Path that winds
down the hill. No, Sir, Peter Rabbit,
happy-go-lucky Peter, who usually
carries the lightest heart on the Green
Meadows, was not happy. Indeed, he
was very unhappy. As he sat there at
the top of the Crooked Little Path and
looked down on the Green Meadows, he
saw nothing beautiful at all because,
why, because his big soft eyes were full
of tears. Splash! A big tear fell at his
feet in the Crooked Little Path. Splash [
That was another tear. Splash ! splash !
" My gracious! My gracious! What
is the matter, Peter Rabbit? asked
a gruff voice close to one of Peter's long
ears.
Peter jumped. Then he winked the
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING 51
tears back and looked around. There
sat old Mr. Toad. He looked very sol-
emn, very solemn indeed. He was wear-
ing a shabby old suit, the very one he
had slept in all winter. Peter forgot
his troubles long enough to wonder
if old Mr. Toad would swallow his old
clothes when he got a new suit.
" What's the matter, Peter Rabbit,
what's the matter? 3 repeated old Mr.
Toad.
Peter looked a little foolish. He hes-
itated, coughed, looked this way and
looked that way, hitched his trousers
up, and then, why then he found his
tongue and told old Mr. Toad all his
troubles.
" You see," said Peter Rabbit, " it's
almost Easter and I haven't found a
single egg.' :
"An egg!' exclaimed old Mr. Toad.
" Bless my stars! What do you want
52 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
of an egg, Peter Rabbit? You don't
eat eggs. 7 '
" I don't want just one egg, oh, no,
no indeed! I want a lot of eggs," said
Peter. " You see, Mr. Toad, I was going
to have an Easter egg rolling, and here
it is almost Easter and not an egg to
be found! ' Peter's eyes filled with
tears again.
Old Mr. Toad rolled one eye up at jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun and winked. " Have
you seen Mrs. Grouse and Mrs. Pheas-
ant? " asked old Mr. Toad.
" Yes," said Peter Rabbit, " and they
won't have any eggs until after Easter."
" Have you been to see Mrs. Quack? '
asked old Mr. Toad.
" Yes," said Peter Rabbit, " and she
says she can't spare a single one."
Old Mr. Toad looked very thoughtful.
He scratched the tip of his nose with
his left hind foot. Then he winked once
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING 53
more at jolly, round, red Mr. Sun.
" Have you been to see Jimmy Skunk? '
he inquired.
Peter Rabbit's big eyes opened very
wide. " Jimmy Skunk! ' he exclaimed.
" Jimmy Skunk! What does Jimmy
Skunk have to do with eggs? ;
Old Mr. Toad chuckled deep down in
his throat. He chuckled and chuckled
until he shook all over.
" Jimmy Skunk knows more about
eggs than all the other little meadow
people put together," said old Mr. Toad.
" You take my advice, Peter Rabbit,
and ask Jimmy Skunk to help you get
the eggs for your Easter egg roll-
ing."
Then old Mr. Toad picked up his cane
and started down the Crooked Little
Path to the Green Meadows. There he
found the Merry Little Breezes stealing
kisses from the bashful little wind flowers..
54 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Old Mr. Toad puffed out his throat and
pretended that he disapproved, disap-
proved very much indeed, but at the
same time he rolled one eye up at jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun and winked.
" Haven't you anything better to do
than make bashful little flowers hang
their heads? " asked old Mr. Toad
gruffly.
The Merry Little Breezes stopped their
dancing and gathered about old Mr.
Toad. " What's the matter with you
this morning, Mr. Toad? : asked one
of them. " Do you want us to go find
a breakfast for you? :
"No," replied old Mr. Toad sourly.
" I am quite able to get breakfast for
myself. But Peter Rabbit is up on the
hill crying because he cannot find any
eggs."
" Crying because he cannot find any
eggs! Now what does Peter Rabbit
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING 55
want of eggs? " cried the Merry Little
Breezes all together.
" Supposing you go ask him/ 3 replied
old Mr. Toad tartly, once more picking
up his cane and starting for the Smiling
Pool to call on his cousin, Great-Grand-
father Frog.
The Merry Little Breezes stared after
him for a few minutes, then they started
in a mad race up the Crooked Little
Path to find Peter Rabbit. He wasn't
at the top of the Crooked Little Path.
They looked everywhere, but not so
much as the tip of one of his long ears
could they see. Finally they met him
just coming away from Jimmy Skunk's
house. Peter was hopping, skipping,
jumping up in the air and kicking his long
heels as only Peter can. There was no
trace of tears in his big, soft eyes. Plainly
Peter Rabbit was in good spirits, in the
very best of spirits. When he saw the
56 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Merry Little Breezes he jumped twice as
high as he had jumped before, then sat
up very straight.
" Hello! " said Peter Rabbit.
" Hello yourself/' replied the Merry
Little Breezes. " Tell us what under
the sun you want of eggs, Peter Rabbit,
and we'll try to find some for you.' 3
Peter's eyes sparkled. " I'm going
to have an Easter egg rolling," said he,
" but you needn't look for any eggs,
for I am going to have all I want; Jimmy
Skunk has promised to get them for me."
" What is an Easter egg rolling? "
asked the Merry Little Breezes.
Peter looked very mysterious. " Wait
and see," he replied. Then a sudden
thought popped into his head. " Will
you do something for me? he asked.
Of course the Merry Little Breezes
were delighted to do anything they could
for Peter Rabbit, and told him so.
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING 57
So in a few minutes Peter had them
scattering in every direction with in-
vitations to all the little people of the
Green Meadows and all the little folks
of the Green Forest to attend his egg
rolling on Easter morning.
Very, very early on Easter morning
Old Mother West Wind hurried down
from the Purple Hills and swept all the
rain clouds out of the sky. Jolly, round,
red Mr. Sun climbed up in the sky,
smiling his broadest. All the little song
birds sang their sweetest, and some who
really cannot sing at all tried to just be-
cause they were so happy. Across the
beautiful Green Meadows came all the
little meadow people and forest folks;
to the smooth, grassy bank where the
big hickory grows. Peter Rabbit was
there waiting for them. He had brushed
his clothes until you would hardly have
known him. He felt very much excited
58 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
and very important and very, very happy,
for this was to be the very first egg
rolling the Green Meadows had ever
known, and it was all his very own.
Hidden behind the old hickory, tucked
under pieces of bark, scattered among
the bluets and wind flowers were big
eggs, little eggs and middle-sized eggs,
for Jimmy Skunk had been true to his
promise. Where they came from Jimmy
wouldn't tell. Perhaps if old Gray
Goose and Mrs. Quack could have been
ther^e, they would have understood why
it took so long to fill their nests. Perhaps
if Farmer Brown's boy had happened
along, he would have guessed why he
had to hunt so long in the barn and un-
der the henhouse to get enough eggs for
breakfast. But Jimmy Skunk held his
tongue and just smiled to see how happy
Peter Rabbit was.
First came Peter's cousin, Jumper
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING 59
the Hare. Then up from the Smiling
Pool came Jerry Muskrat, Little Joe
Otter, Billy Mink, Grandfather Frog
and Spotty the Turtle. Johnny Chuck,
Danny Meadow Mouse, and old Mr.
Toad came together. Of course Reddy
Fox was on hand promptly. Striped
Chipmunk came dancing out from the
home no one has been able to find. Out
from the Green Forest trotted Bobby
Coon, Happy Jack Squirrel and Chatterer
the Red Squirrel. Behind them shuffled
Prickly Porky. Last of all came Jimmy
Skunk, who never hurries, and Jimmy
wore his very best suit of black and white.
Up in the old hickory sat Blacky the
Crow, Sammy Jay and Drummer the
Woodpecker, to watch the fun.
When all had arrived, Peter Rabbit
started them to hunting for the eggs.
Everybody got in the way of everybody
else. Even old Mr. Toad caught the ex-
60 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
citement and hopped this way and hopped
that way hunting for eggs. Danny
Meadow Mouse found a goose egg bigger
than himself and had to get help to
bring it in. Bobby Coon stubbed his
toes and fell down with an egg under
each arm. Such a looking sight as he
was! He had to go down to the Smiling
Pool to wash.
By and by, when all the eggs had been
found, Peter Rabbit sent a big goose
egg rolling down the grassy bank and
then raced after it to bring it back and
roll it down again. In a few minutes
the green grassy bank was covered with
eggs- -big eggs, little eggs, all kinds of
eggs. Some were nearly round and rolled
swiftly to the bottom. Some were sharp
pointed at one end and rolled crook-
edly and sometimes turned end over
end. A big egg knocked Johnny Chuck's
legs from under him and, because Johnny
PETER RABBIT'S EGG ROLLING 61
Chuck is round and roly-poly, he just
rolled over and over after the egg clear
to the bottom of the green grassy bank.
And it was such fun that he scrambled
up and did it all over again.
Then Bobby Coon tried it. Pretty
soon every one was trying it, even Reddy
Fox, who seldom forgets his dignity.
For once Blacky the Crow and Sammy
Jay almost wished that they hadn't got
wings, so that they might join in the fun.
But the greatest fun of all was when
Prickly Porky decided that he, too, would
join in the rolling. He tucked his head
down in his vest and made himself into
a perfectly round ball. Now when he
did this, all his hidden spears stood out
straight, until he looked like a great,
giant, chestnut burr, and every one hur-
ried to get out of his way. Over and over,
faster and faster, he rolled down the green,
grassy bank until he landed - - where
62 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
do you think? Why right in the midst
of a lot of eggs that had been left when
the other little people had scampered
out of his way.
Now, having his head tucked into his
vest, Prickly Porky couldn't see where
he was going, so when he reached the
bottom and hopped to his feet he didn't
know what to make of the shout that went
up from all the little meadow people.
So foolish Prickly Porky lost his temper
because he was being laughed at, and
started off up the Lone Little Path to
his home in the Green Forest. And
what do you think? Why, stuck fast'
in a row on the spears on his back,
Prickly Porky carried off six of Peter
Rabbit's Easter eggs, and didn't know
it.
V
HOW JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY
V
HOW JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY
OHNNY CHUCK stood on the door-
step of his house and watched old
Mrs. Chuck start down the Lone
Little Path across the Green Meadows
towards Farmer Brown's garden. She
had her market basket on her arm, and
Johnny knew that when she returned
it would be full of the things he liked
best. But not even the thought of
these could chase away the frown that
darkened Johnny Chuck's face. He
had never been to Farmer Brown's
garden and he had begged very hard
to go that morning with old Mrs. Chuck.
But she had said " No. It isn't safe
66 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
for such a little chap as you.' 5 And
when Mrs. Chuck said " No/' Johnny
knew that she meant it, and that it
was of no use at all to beg.
So he stood with his hands in his
pockets and scowled and scowled as
he thought of old Mrs. Chuck's very last
words: " Now, Johnny, don't you dare
put a foot outside of the yard until I
get back."
Pretty soon along came Peter Rabbit.
Peter was trying to jump over his own
shadow. When he saw Johnny Chuck
he stopped abruptly. Then he looked
up at the blue sky and winked at jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun. " Looks mighty
showery 'round here," he remarked to
no one in particular.
Johnny Chuck smiled in spite of him-
self. Then he told Peter Rabbit how he
had got to stay at home and mind the
house and couldn't put his foot outsid
e
HOW JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY 67
the yard. Now Peter hasn't had the
best bringing up in the world, for his
mother has such a big family that she
is kept busy just getting them something
to eat. So Peter has been allowed to
bring himself up and do just about as he
pleases.
" How long will your mother be gone? '
asked Peter.
" Most all the morning," said Johnny
Chuck mournfully.
Peter hopped a couple of steps nearer.
" Say, Johnny," he whispered, " how
is she going to know whether you stay
in the yard all the time or not, so long
as you are here when she gets home?
I know where there's the dandiest sweet-
clover patch. We can go over there and
back easy before old Mrs. Chuck gets
home, and she won't know anything
about it. Come on!"
Johnny Chuck's mouth watered at
68 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
the thought of the sweet-clover, but still
he hesitated, for Johnny Chuck had been
taught to mind.
" Traid cat! 'Fraid cat! Tied to
your mother's apron strings! ' jeered
Peter Rabbit.
" I ain't either! ' ' cried Johnny Chuck.
And then, just to prove it, he thrust his
hands into his pockets and swaggered
out into the Lone Little Path.
" Where's your old clover patch? !
asked he.
" I'll show you," said Peter Rabbit,
and off he started, lipperty-lipperty-lip,
so fast that Johnny Chuck lost his breath
trying to make his short legs keep up.
And all the time Johnny's conscience was
pricking him.
Peter Rabbit left the Lone Little
Path across the Green Meadows for
some secret little paths of his own. His
long legs took him over the ground very
" Please, please wait for me, Peter Rabbit," panted Johnny
Chuck. Page 69. .
HOW JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY 69
fast. Johnny Chuck, running behind
him, grew tired and hot, for Johnny's
legs are short and he is fat and roly-
poly. At times all he could see was the
white patch on the seat of Peter Rabbit's
pants. He began to wish that he had
minded old Mrs. Chuck and stayed at
home. It was too late to go back now,
for he didn't know the way.
" Wait up, Peter Rabbit! " he called.
Peter Rabbit just flirted his tail and
ran faster.
" Please, please wait for me, Peter
Rabbit," panted Johnny Chuck, and
began to cry. Yes, Sir, he began to cry.
You see he was so hot and tired, and then
he was so afraid that he would lose sight
of Peter Rabbit. If he did he would
surely be lost, and then what should he
do? The very thought made him run
just a little faster.
Now Peter Rabbit is really one of the
70 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
best-hearted little fellows in the world,
just happy-go-lucky and careless. So
when finally he looked back and saw
Johnn}^ Chuck way, way behind, with the
tears running down his cheeks, and how
hot and tired he looked, Peter sat down
and waited. Pretty soon Johnny Chuck
came up, puffing and blowing, and threw
himself flat on the ground.
" Please, Peter Rabbit, is it very
much farther to the sweet-clover patch?
he panted, wiping his eyes with the backs
of his hands.
"No," replied Peter Rabbit, "just
a little way more. We'll rest here a
few minutes and then I won't run so
fast."
So Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck
lay down in the grass to rest while Johnny
Chuck recovered his breath. Every min-
ute or two Peter would sit up very
straight, prick up his long ears and look
HOW JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY 71
this way and look that way as if he
expected to see something unusual. It
made Johnny Chuck nervous.
'' What do you keep doing that for,
Peter Rabbit? ; he asked.
" Oh, nothing" replied Peter Rabbit.
But he kept right on doing it just the
same. Then suddenly, after one of these
looks abroad, he crouched down very
flat and whispered in Johnny Chuck's
ear in great excitement.
" Old Whitetail is down here and he's
headed this way. We'd better be mov-
ing," he said.
Johnny Chuck felt a chill of fear.
" Who is Old Whitetail? " he asked, as
he prepared to follow Peter Rabbit.
" Don't you know? ' asked Peter in
surprise. " Say, you are green! Why,
he's Mr. Marsh Hawk, and if he once
gets the chance he'll gobble you up, skin,
bones and all. There's an old stone
72 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
wall just a little way from here, and the
sooner we get there the better ! ;
Peter Rabbit led the way, and if he
had run fast before it was nothing to
the way he ran now. A great fear made
Johnny Chuck forget that he was tired,
and he ran as he had never run before in
all his short life. Just as he dived head-
first into a hole between two big stones,
a shadow swept over the grass and some-
thing sharp tore a gap in the seat of his
pants and made him squeal with fright
and pain. But he wriggled in beside Peter
Rabbit and was safe, while Mr. Marsh
Hawk flew off with a scream of rage and
disappointment.
Johnny Chuck had never been so fright-
ened in all his short life. He made him-
self as small as possible and crept as far
as he could underneath a friendly stone
in the old wall. His pants were torn and
his leg smarted dreadfully where one of
HOW JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY 73
Mr. Marsh Hawk's cruel, sharp claws
had scratched him. How he did wish
that he had minded old Mrs. Chuck and
stayed in his own yard, as she had told
him to.
Peter Rabbit looked at the tear in
Johnny Chuck's pants. " Pooh! J said
Peter Rabbit, " don't mind a little thing
like that,"
" But I'm afraid to go home with my
pants torn," said Johnny Chuck.
" Don't go home," replied Peter Rab-
bit. " I don't unless I feel like it. You
stay away a long time and then your
mother will be so glad to see you
that she won't ever think of the
pants."
Johnny Chuck looked doubtful, but
before he could say anything Peter
Rabbit stuck his head out to see if the
way was clear. It was, and Peter's long
legs followed his head. " Come on,
74 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Johnny Chuck/ 5 he shouted. " I'm go-
ing over to the sweet-clover patch."
But Johnny Chuck was afraid. He
was almost sure that Old Whitetail was
waiting just outside to gobble him up.
It was a long time before he would put
so much as the tip of his wee black nose
out. But without Peter Rabbit it grew
lonesomer and lonesomer in under the
old stone wall. Besides, he was afraid
that he would lose Peter Rabbit, and
then he would be lost indeed, for he
didn't know the way home.
Finally Johnny Chuck ventured to
peep out. There was jolly, round, red
Mr. Sun smiling down just as if he was
used to seeing little runaway chucks
every day. Johnny looked and looked for
Peter Rabbit, but it was a long time before
he saw him, and when he did all he saw
were Peter Rabbit's funny long ears
above the tops of the waving grass, for
HOW JOHNNY CHUCK RAN AWAY 75
Peter Rabbit was hidden in the sweet-
clover patch, eating away for dear life.
It was only a little distance, but Johnny
Chuck had had such a fright that he
tried three times before he grew brave
enough to scurry through the tall grass
and join Peter Rabbit. My, how good
that sweet-clover did taste! Johnny
Chuck forgot all about Old Whitetail.
He forgot all about his torn pants. He
forgot that he had run away and didn't
know the way home. He just ate and
ate and ate until his stomach was so
full he couldn't stuff another piece of
sweet-clover into it.
Suddenly Peter Rabbit grabbed him
by a sleeve and pulled him down flat.
< r Sh-h-h," said Peter Rabbit, " don't
move/
Johnny Chuck's heart almost stopped
beating. What new danger could there
be now? In a minute he heard a queer
76 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
noise. Peeping between the stems of
sweet-clover he saw what do you
think? Why, old Mrs. Chuck cutting
sweet-clover to put in the basket of
vegetables she was taking home from
Farmer Brown's garden.
Johnny Chuck gave a great sigh of re-
lief, but he kept very still for he did
not want her to find him there after she
had told him not to put foot outside his
own dooryard. " You wait here/' whis-
pered Peter Rabbit, and crept off through
the clover. Pretty soon Johnny Chuck
saw Peter Rabbit steal up behind old
Mrs. Chuck and pull four big lettuce
leaves out of her basket. :/
VI
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE
VI
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE
WISH I hadn't run away," said
Johnny Chuck dolefully, as he and
Peter Rabbit peeped out from the
sweet-clover patch and watched old Mrs.
Chuck start for home with her market
basket on her arm.
" You ought to think yourself lucky
that your mother didn't find you here
in the sweet-clover patch. If it hadn't
been for me she would have," said Peter
Rabbit.
Johnny Chuck's face grew longer and
longer. His pants were torn, his leg
was stiff and sore where old Mr. Marsh
Hawk had scratched him that morning,
80 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
but worse still his conscience pricked him.
Yes, Sir, Johnny Chuck's conscience
was pricking him hard, very hard indeed,
because he had run away'from home with
Peter Rabbit after old Mrs. Chuck had
told him not to leave the yard while
she was away. Now he didn't know the
way home.
" Peter Rabbit, I want to go home,"
said Johnny Chuck suddenly. " Isn't
there a short cut so that I can get home
before my mother does?
" No, there isn't," said Peter Rabbit.
" And if there was what good would it
do you? Old Mrs. Chuck would see
that tear in your pants and then you'd
catch it ! '
" I don't care. Please won't you show
me the way home, Peter Rabbit?
begged Johnny Chuck.
Peter Rabbit yawned lazily as he re-
plied: "What's the use of going now?
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE 81
You'll catch it anyway, so you might as
well stay and have all the fun you can.
Say, I know a dandy old house up on the
hill. Jimmy Sk'unk used to live there,
but no one lives in it now. Let's go
up and see it. It's a dandy place."
Now right down in his heart Johnny
Chuck knew that he ought to go home,
but he couldn't go unless Peter Rabbit
would show him the way, and then he did
want to see that old house. Perhaps
Peter Rabbit was right (in his heart he
knew that he wasn't) and he had better
have all the fun he could. So Johnny
Chuck followed Peter Rabbit up the
hill to the old house of Jimmy Skunk.
Cobwebs covered the doorway. Johnny
Chuck was going to brush them away,
but Peter Rabbit stopped him. " Let's
see if there isn't a back door/' said he.
" Then we can use that, and if Bowser
the Hound or Farmer Brown's boy comes
82 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
along and finds this door they'll think
no one ever lives here any more and
you'll be safer than if you were right in
your own home.' 3
So they hunted and hunted, and by and
by Johnny Chuck found the back door
way off at one side and cunningly hidden
under a tangle of grass. Inside was a
long dark hall and at the end of that a
nice big room. It was very dirty, and
Johnny Chuck, who is very neat, at
once began to clean house and soon had
it spick and span. Suddenly they heard
a voice outside the front door.
" Doesn't look as if anybody lives here,
but seems as if I smell young rabbit
and - - yes, I'm sure I smell young chuck,
too. Guess I'll have a look inside."
" It's old Granny Fox," whispered
Peter Rabbit, trembling with fright.
Then Peter Rabbit did a very brave
thing. He remembered that Johnny
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE 83
Chuck could not run very fast and that
if it hadn't been for him, Johnny Chuck
would be safe at home. " You stay
right here/' whispered Peter Rabbit.
Then he slipped out the back door.
Half-way down the hill he stopped and
shouted :
" Old Granny Fox
Is slower than an ox! '
Then he started for the old brier patch
as fast as his long legs could take him,
and after him ran Granny Fox.
Peter Rabbit was running for his life.
There was no doubt about it. Right
behind him, grinding her long white teeth,
her eyes snapping, ran old Granny Fox.
Peter Rabbit did not like to think what
would happen to him if she should catch
him.
Peter Rabbit was used to running
for his life. He had to do it at least
84 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
once every day. But usually he was near
a safe hiding place and he rather en-
joyed the excitement. This time, how-
ever, the only place of safety he could
think of was the friendly old brier patch,
and that was a long way off.
Back at the old house on the hill,
where Granny Fox had discovered Peter
Rabbit, was little Johnny Chuck, trem-
bling with fright. He crept to the back
door of the old house to watch. He saw
Granny Fox getting nearer and nearer to
Peter Rabbit.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! She'll catch
Peter Rabbit! She'll catch Peter Rab-
bit!" wailed Johnny Chuck, wringing his
hands in despair.
It certainly looked as if Granny Fox
would. She was right at Peter Rabbit's
heels. Poor, happy-go-lucky, little Peter
Rabbit! Two more jumps and Granny
Fox would have him! Johnny Chuck
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE 85
shut his eyes tight, for he didn't want to
see.
But Peter Rabbit had no intention
of being caught so easily. While he had
seemed to be running his very hardest,
really he was not. And all the time he
was watching Granny Fox, for Peter
Rabbit's big eyes are so placed that he
can see behind him without turning his
head. So he knew when Granny Fox
was near enough to catch him in one more
jump. Then Peter Rabbit dodged. Yes,
Sir, Peter Rabbit dodged like a flash,
and away he went in another direction
lipperty-lipperty-lip, as fast as he could
go.
Old Granny Fox had been so sure that
in another minute she would have tender
young rabbit for her dinner that she had
begun to smile and her mouth actually
watered. She did not see where she was
going. All she saw was the white patch
86 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
on the seat of Peter Rabbit's trousers
bobbing up and down right in front of
her nose.
When Peter Rabbit dodged, something
surprising happened. Johnny Chuck, who
had opened his eyes to see if all was
over, jumped up and shouted for joy,
and did a funny little dance in the door-
way of the old house on the hill. Peter
had dodged right in front of a wire
fence, a fence with ugly, sharp barbs, and
right smack into it ran Granny Fox! It
scratched her face and tore her bright
red cloak. It threw her back flat on
the ground, with all the wind knocked
out of her body.
When finally she had gotten her breath
and scrambled to her feet, Peter Rabbit
was almost over to the friendly old brier
patch. He stopped and sat up very
straight. Then he put his hands on his
hips and shouted:
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE 87
'Run, Granny, run!
Here comes a man who's got a gun! '
Granny Fox started nervously and
looked this way and looked that way.
There was no one in sight. Then she
shook a fist at Peter Rabbit and started
to limp off home.
Johnny Chuck gave a great sigh of
relief. " My/' said he, " I wish I was
as smart as Peter Rabbit ! '
" You will be if you live long enough/ 3
said a voice right behind him. It was
old Mr. Toad.
Mr. Toad and Johnny Chuck sat in
the doorway of the old house on the hill
and watched old Granny Fox limp off
home. " I wonder what it would seem
like not to be afraid of anything in the
whole world/' said Johnny Chuck.
; People who mind their own business
and don't get into mischief don't need
to be afraid of anything/' said Mr. Toad.
88 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Johnny Chuck remembered how safe
he had always felt at home with old Mrs.
Chuck and how many times and how
badly he had been frightened since he
ran away that morning. " I guess per-
haps you are right, Mr. Toad," said
Johnny Chuck doubtfully.
" Of course I'm right," replied Mr.
Toad. " Of course I'm right. Look
at me; I attend strictly to my own affairs
and no one ever bothers me/ 3
" That's because you are so homely
that no one wants you for a dinner when
he can find anything else," said Peter
Rabbit, who had come up from the
friendly old brier patch.
" Better be homely than to need eyes
in the back of my head to keep my skin
whole," retorted Mr. Toad. " Now I
don't know what it is to be afraid.' 1
"Not of old Granny Fox?" asked
Johnny Chuck.
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE 89
"No," said Mr. Toad.
" Nor Bowser the Hound? "
"No," said Mr. Toad. "He's a
friend of mine.' : Then Mr. Toad swelled
himself up very big. "I'm not afraid
of anything under the sun/ 3 boasted Mr.
Toad.
Peter Rabbit looked at Johnny Chuck
and slowly winked one eye. " I guess
I'll go up the hill and have a look around/'
said Peter Rabbit, hitching up his trou-
sers. So Peter Rabbit went off up the
hill, while Mr. Toad smoothed down his
dingy white waistcoat and told Johnny
Chuck what a foolish thing fear is.
By and by there was a queer rustling
in the grass back of them. Mr. Toad
hopped around awkwardly. " What was
that? he whispered.
' Just the wind in the grass, I guess/ 3
said Johnny Chuck.
For a while all was still and Mr. Toad
90 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
settled himself comfortably and began
to talk once more. " No, Sir /'said Mr.
Toad, "I'm not afraid of any thing. "
Just then there was another rustle in
the grass, a little nearer than before.
Mr. Toad certainly was nervous. He
stretched up on the tips of his toes and
looked in the direction of the sound.
Then Mr. Toad turned pale. Yes, Sir,
Mr. Toad actually turned pale! His
big, bulging eyes looked as if they would
pop oat of his head.
"I I must be going," said Mr.
Toad hastily. " I quite forgot an im-
portant engagement down on the Green
Meadows. If Mr. Blacksnake should
happen to call, don't mention that you
have seen me, will you, Johnny Chuck?
Johnny Chuck looked over in the grass.
Something long and slim and black was
wriggling through it. When he turned
about again, Mr. Toad was half-way down
PETER RABBIT'S RUN FOR LIFE 91
the hill, going with such big hops that
three times he fell flat on his face, and
when he picked himself up he didn't
even stop to brush off his clothes.
" I wonder what it seems like not to
be afraid of anything in the world?
said a voice right behind Johnny Chuck.
There stood Peter Rabbit laughing
so that he had to hold his sides, and in
one hand was the end of an old leather
strap which he had fooled Mr. Toad
into thinking was Mr. Blacksnake.
VII
A JOKER FOOLED
VII
A JOKER FOOLED
>ETER RABBIT and Johnny Chuck
sat in the doorway of Jimmy
Skunk's deserted old house on
the hill and looked down across the Green
Meadows. Every few minutes Peter
Rabbit would chuckle as he thought of
how he had fooled Mr. Toad into think-
ing that an old leather strap was Mr.
Blacksnake.
" Is Mr. Blacksnake so very danger-
ous? asked Johnny Chuck, who had
seen very little of the world.
" Not for you or me/ 3 replied Peter
Rabbit, " because we've grown too big
for him to swallow. But he would like
96 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
nothing better than to catch Mr. Toad
for his dinner. But if you ever meet
Mr. Blacksnake, be polite to him. He is
very quick tempered, is Mr. Blacksnake,
but if you don't bother him he'll not
bother you. My goodness, I wonder
what's going on down there in the al-
ders! "
Johnny Chuck looked over to the alder
thicket. He saw Sammy Jay, Blacky
the Crow and Mrs. Redwing sitting in the
alders. They were calling back and
forth, apparently very much excited.
Peter Rabbit looked this way and that
way to see if the coast was clear.
" Come on, Johnny Chuck, let's go
down and see what the trouble is," said
he, for you know Peter Rabbit has a great
deal of curiosity.
So down to the alder thicket skipped
Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck as
fast as they could go. Half-way there
A JOKER FOOLED 97
they were joined by Danny Meadow
Mouse, for he too had heard the fuss and
wanted to know what it all meant.
" What's the matter? : asked Peter
Rabbit of Sammy Jay, but Sammy was
too excited to answer and simply pointed
down into the middle of the alder thicket.
So the three of them, one behind the other,
very softly crept in among the alders.
A great commotion was going on among
the dead leaves. Danny Meadow Mouse
gave one look, then he turned as pale as
did Mr. Toad when Peter Rabbit fooled
him with the old leather strap. " This
is no place for me! ' exclaimed Danny
Meadow Mouse, and started for home
as fast as he could run.
Partly under an old log lay Mr. Black-
snake. There seemed to be something
the matter with him. He looked sick,
and threshed and struggled till he made
the leaves fly. Sammy Jay and Blacky
98 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
the Crow and Mrs. Redwing called all
sorts of insulting things to him, but he
paid no attention to them. Once Mrs.
Redwing darted down and pecked him
sharply. But Mr. Blacksnake seemed
quite helpless.
"What's the matter with him? " asked
Johnny Chuck in a whisper.
" Nothing. Wait and you'll see. Sammy
Jay and Mrs. Redwing better watch out
or they'll be sorry," replied Peter Rabbit.
Just then Mr. Blacksnake wedged
his head in under the old log and began
to push and wriggle harder than ever.
Then Johnny Chuck gasped. Mr. Black-
snake was crawling out of his clothes!
Yes, Sir, his old suit was coming off
wrong side out, just like a glove, and un-
derneath he wore a splendid new suit
of shiny black !
" It's time for us to be moving,"
whispered Peter Rabbit. " After Mr,
A JOKER FOOLED 99
Blacksnake has changed his clothes he
is pretty short tempered. Just hear him
hiss at Mrs. Redwing and Sammy Jay! '
They tiptoed out of the alder thicket
and started back for the old house on the
hill. Peter Rabbit suddenly giggled out
loud. " To-morrow/' said Peter Rabbit
" we'll come back and get Mr. Black-
snake's old suit and have some fun with
Danny Meadow Mouse.' 3
The next morning Danny Meadow
Mouse sat on his doorstep nodding. He
was dreaming that his tail w T as long like
the tails of all his cousins. One of
Old Mother West Wind's Merry Little
Breezes stole up and whispered in his
ear. Danny Meadow Mouse was awake,
wide awake in an instant. " So Peter
Rabbit is going to play a joke on me and
scare me into fits! " said Danny Meadow
Mouse.
" Yes," said the Merry Little Breeze,
100 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" for I overheard him telling Johnny
Chuck all about it."
Danny Meadow Mouse began to laugh
softly to himself. " Will you do some-
thing for me? : he asked the Merry Lit-
tle Breeze.
"Sure," replied the Merry Little
Breeze.
" Then go find Cresty the Fly-catcher
and tell him that I want to see him/ 3
said Danny Meadow Mouse.
The Merry Little Breeze hurried away,
and pretty soon back he came with Cresty
the Fly-catcher.
Now all this time Peter Rabbit had
been very busy planning his joke on
Danny Meadow Mouse. He and Johnny
Chuck had gone down to the alder thicket,
where they had seen Mr. Blacksnake
change his clothes, and they had found
his old suit just as he had left it.
" We'll take this up and stretch it
A JOKER FOOLED 101
out behind a big tussock of grass near
the home of Danny Meadow Mouse/ 3
chuckled Peter Rabbit. " Then I'll in-
vite Danny Meadow Mouse to take a
walk, and when we come by the tussock
of grass he will think he sees Mr. Black-
snake himself all ready to swallow him.
Then we'll see some fun,"
So they carried Mr. Blacksnake's old
suit of clothes and hid it behind the big
tussock of grass, and arranged it to look
as much like Mr. Blacksnake as they
could. Then Johnny Chuck went back
to the old house on the hill to watch
the fun, while Peter Rabbit went to call
on Danny Meadow Mouse.
" Good morning, Peter Rabbit/ 3 said
Danny Meadow Mouse politely.
" Good morning, Danny Meadow
Mouse," replied Peter Rabbit. " Don't
you want to take a walk with me this
fine morning? '
102 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" I'll be delighted to go," said Danny
Meadow Mouse, reaching for his hat.
So they started out to walk and pres-
ently they came to the big tussock of
grass.
Peter Rabbit stopped. " Excuse me,
while I tie up my shoe. You go ahead
and I'll join you in a minute," said Peter
Rabbit.
So Danny Meadow Mouse went ahead.
As soon as his back was turned Peter
Rabbit clapped both hands over his
mouth to keep from laughing, for you
see he expected to see Danny Meadow
Mouse come flying back in great fright
the minute he turned the big tussock
and saw Mr. Blacksnake's old suit.
Peter Rabbit waited and waited, but
no Danny Meadow Mouse. What did
it mean? Peter stopped laughing and
peeped around the big tussock. There
sat Danny Meadow Mouse with both
A JOKER FOOLED 103
hands clapped over his mouth, and laugh-
ing till the tears rolled down his cheeks,
and Mr. Blacksnake's old suit was no-
where to be seen.
" He laughs best who laughs last/'
said Danny Meadow Mouse to himself,
late that afternoon, as he sat on his door-
step and chuckled softly.
When he had first heard from a Merry
Little Breeze that Peter Rabbit and
Johnny Chuck were planning to play a
joke on him and scare him into fits with
a suit of Mr. Blacksnake's old clothes,
he had tried very hard to think of some
way to turn the joke on the jokers. Then
he had remembered Cresty the Fly-
catcher and had sent for him.
Now Cresty the Fly-catcher is a hand-
some fellow. In fact he is quite the
gentleman, and does not look at all like
one who would be at all interested in
any one's old clothes. But he is. He is
104 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
never satisfied until he has lined the
hollow in the old apple-tree, which is his
home, with the old clothes of Mr. Snake.
So when Danny Meadow Mouse sent
for him and whispered in his ear Cresty
the Fly-catcher smiled broadly and
winked knowingly. " I certainly will be
there, Danny Meadow Mouse, I cer-
tainly will be there," said he. And he
was there. He had hidden in a tree
close by the big tussock of grass, behind
which Peter Rabbit had planned to
place Mr. Blacksnake's old suit so as
to scare Danny Meadow Mouse. His
eyes had sparkled when he saw what a
fine big suit it was. " My, but this will
save me a lot of trouble," said he to him-
self. " It's the finest old suit I've ever
seen. 1
The minute Peter Rabbit and Johnny
Chuck had turned their backs down
dropped Cresty the Fly-catcher, picked
A JOKER FOOLED 105
up Mr. Blacksnake's old suit, and taking
it with him, once more hid in the tree.
Presently back came Peter Rabbit with
Danny Meadow Mouse. You know
what had happened then.
Cresty the Fly-catcher had nearly
dropped his prize, it tickled him so to
see Peter Rabbit on one side of the big
tussock laughing fit to kill himself at
the scare he thought Danny Meadow
Mouse would get when he first saw Mr.
Blacksnake's old suit, and on the other
side of the big tussock Danny Meadow
Mouse laughing fit to kill himself over
the surprise Peter Rabbit would get
when he found that Mr. Blacksnake's
old clothes had disappeared.
Pretty soon Peter Rabbit had stopped
laughing and peeped around the big
tussock. There sat Danny Meadow
Mouse laughing fit to kill himself, but
not a trace of the old suit which was to
106 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
have given him such a scare. Peter
couldn't believe his own eyes, for he had
left it there not three minutes before.
Of course it wouldn't do to say anything
about it, so he had hurried around the
big tussock as if he was merely trying to
catch up.
" What are you laughing at, Danny
Meadow Mouse? ' asked Peter Rabbit.
" I was thinking what a joke it would
be if we could only find an old suit of
Mr. Blacksnake's and fool old Mr. Toad
into thinking that it was Mr. Black-
snake himself/ 3 replied Danny Meadow
Mouse. " What are you looking for,
Peter Rabbit? Have you lost some-
thing? "
" No," said Peter Rabbit. " I thought
I heard footsteps, and I was looking to
see if it could be Reddy Fox creeping
through the grass.' 3
Danny Meadow Mouse had stopped
A JOKER FOOLED 107
laughing. " Excuse me, Peter Rabbit,"
said he hurriedly, "I've just remembered
an important engagement.' 3 And off
he started for home as fast as he could go.
And to this day Peter Rabbit doesn't
know what became of. Mr. Blacksnake's
old clothes.
VIII
THE FUSS IN THE BIG PINE
VIII
THE FUSS IN THE BIG PINE
!ETER RABBIT hopped down the
Crooked Little Path to the Lone
Little Path and down the Lone
Little Path to the home of Johnny Chuck.
Johnny Chuck sat on his doorstep dream-
ing. They were very pleasant dreams,
very pleasant dreams indeed. They were
such pleasant dreams that for once Johnny
Chuck forgot to put his funny little
ears on guard. So Johnny Chuck sat
on his doorstep dreaming and heard noth-
ing.
Lipperty-lipperty-lip down the Lone
Little Path came Peter Rabbit. He saw
Johnny Chuck and he stopped long
112 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
enough to pluck a long stem of grass.
Then very, very softly he stole up behind
Johnny Chuck. Reaching out with the
long stem of grass, he tickled one of
Johnny Chuck's ears.
Johnny Chuck slapped at his ear with
a little black hand, for he thought a fly
was bothering him, just as Peter Rabbit
meant that he should. Peter tickled the
other ear. Johnny Chuck shook his
head and slapped at this with the other
little black hand. Peter almost giggled.
He sat still a few minutes, then tickled
Johnny Chuck again. Johnny slapped
three or four times at the imaginary fly.
This time Peter clapped both hands over
his mouth to keep from laughing.
Once more he tickled Johnny Chuck.
This time Johnny jumped clear off his
doorstep. Peter laughed before he could
clap his hands over his mouth. Of course
Johnny Chuck heard him and whirled
THE FUSS IN THE BIG PINE 113
about. When he saw Peter Rabbit and
the long stem of grass he laughed,
too.
" Hello, Peter Rabbit! You fooled
me that time. Where 'd you come from? 5
asked Johnny Chuck.
" Down the Lone Little Path from
the Crooked Little Path and down the
Crooked Little Path from the top of the
Hill," replied Peter Rabbit.
Then they sat down side by side on
Johnny Chuck's doorstep to watch Reddy
Fox hunting for his dinner on the Green
Meadows.
Pretty soon they heard Blacky the
Crow cawing very loudly. They could
see him on the tip-top of a big pine in
the Green Forest on the edge of the Green
Meadows.
" Caw, caw, caw," shouted Blacky
the Crow, at the top of his lungs.
In a few minutes they saw all of Blacky 's
114 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
aunts and uncles and cousins flying over
to join Blacky at the big pine in the
midst of the Green Forest. Soon there
was a big crowd of crows around the big
pine, all talking at once. Such a racket!
Such a dreadful racket! Every few min-
utes one of them would fly into the big
pine and yell at the top of his lungs. Then
all would caw together. Another would
fly into the big pine and they would do
it all over again.
Peter Rabbit began to get interested,
for you know Peter has a very great deal
of curiosity.
" Now I wonder what Blacky the Crow
and his aunts and his uncles and his
cousins are making such a fuss about,' 3
said Peter Rabbit.
" I'm sure I don't know," replied
Johnny Chuck. " They seem to be
having a good time, anyway. My
gracious, how noisy they are! "
THE FUSS IN THE BIG PINE 115
Just then along came Sammy Jay, who
is, as you know, first cousin to Blacky
the Crow. He was coming from the
direction of the big pine.
" Sammy! Oh, Sammy Jay! What
is all that fuss about over in the big
pine? : shouted Peter Rabbit.
Sammy Jay stopped and carefully
brushed his handsome blue coat, for
Sammy Jay is something of a dandy.
He appeared not to have heard Peter
Rabbit.
" Sammy Jay, are you deaf? " inquired
Peter Rabbit.
Now of course Sammy Jay had seen
Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck all the
time, but he looked up as if very much
surprised to find them there.
" Oh, hello, Peter Rabbit! " said Sammy
Jay. " Did you speak to me?
" No, oh, no/' replied Peter Rabbit
in disgust. " I was talking to myself,
116 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
just thinking out loud. I was wondering
how many nuts a Jay could steal if he
had the chance.' 3
Johnny Chuck chuckled and Sammy
Jav looked foolish. He couldn't find a
*/
word to say, for he knew that all the
little meadow people knew how he once
was caught stealing Happy Jack's store
of nuts.
" I asked what all that fuss over in
the big pine is about/ 3 continued Peter
Rabbit.
" Oh," said Sammy Jay, " my cousin,
Blacky the Crow, found Hooty the Owl
asleep over there, and now he and his
aunts and his uncles and his cousins
are having no end of fun with him. You
know Hooty the Owl cannot see in the
daytime very well, and they can do al-
most anything to him that they want
to. It's great sport."
a I don't see any sport in making other
THE FUSS IN THE BIG PINE 117
people uncomfortable," said Johnny
Chuck.
"Nor I," said Peter Rabbit. " I'd
be ashamed to own a cousin like Blacky
the Crow. I like people who mind their
own affairs and leave other people
alone. r>
Sammy Jay ran out his tongue at
Peter Rabbit.
" You are a nice one to talk about
minding other folk's affairs! " jeered
Sammy Jay.
Peter Rabbit's ears are long;
I wonder why! I wonder why!
Because to hear what others say
He's bound to try! he's bound to try."
It was Peter Rabbit's turn to look dis-
discomfited.
" Anyway, I don't try to bully and
torment others and I don't steal," he
retorted.
118 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
'' Sammy Jay's a handsome chap
And wears a coat of blue.
I wonder if ib's really his
Or if he stole that, too."
Just then Johnny Chuck's sharp eyes
caught sight of something stealing along
the edge of the Green Meadows toward
the Green Forest and the big pine.
" There's Farmer Brown's boy with
a gun/' cried Johnny Chuck. " There's
going to be trouble at the big pine if
Blacky the Crow doesn't watch out.
That's what comes of being so noisy. "
Peter Rabbit and Sammy Jay stopped
quarreling to look. Sure enough, there
was Farmer Brown's boy with his gun.
He had heard Blacky the Crow and his
aunts and his uncles and his cousins
and he had hurried to get his gun, hoping
to take them by surprise.
But Blacky the Crow has sharp eyes,
too. Indeed, there are none sharper.
THE FUSS IN THE BIG PINE 119
Then, too, he is a mischief-maker. Mis-
chief-makers are always on the watch
lest they get caught in their mischief.
So Blacky the Crow, sitting on the tip-
top of the big pine, kept one eye out for
trouble while he enjoyed the torment-
ing of Hooty the Owl by his aunts and
his uncles and his cousins. He had
seen Farmer Brown's boy even before
Johnny Chuck had. But he couldn't
bear to spoil the fun of tormenting
Hooty the Owl, so he waited just as
long as he dared. Then he gave the
signal.
" Caw, caw, caw, caw! ' shouted
Blacky at the top of his lungs.
" Caw, caw, caw, caw! ' replied all
his aunts and uncles and cousins, rising
into the air in a black cloud. Then, with
Blacky in the lead, they flew over on to
the Green Meadows, laughing and talking
noisily as they went.
120 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Farmer Brown's boy did not try to
follow them, for he knew that it was of
not the least bit of use. But he was
curious to learn what the crows had been
making such a fuss about, so he kept
on towards the big pine.
Johnny Chuck watched him go. Sud-
denly he remembered Hooty the Owl,
and that Hooty cannot see well in the
daytime. Very likely Hooty would think
that the crows had become tired of tor-
menting him and had gone off of their
own accord. Farmer Brown's boy would
find him there and then - - Johnny
Chuck shuddered as he thought of what
might happen to Hooty the Owl.
" Run, Peter Rabbit, run as fast as
you can down on the Green Meadows
where the Merry Little Breezes are at
play and send one of them to tell Hooty
the Owl that Farmer Brown's boy is
corning with a gun to the big pine!
THE FUSS IN THE BIG PINE 121
Hurry, Peter, hurry! ' cried Johnny
Chuck.
Peter did not need to be told twice.
He saw the danger of Hooty the Owl,
and he started down the Lone Little
Path on to the Green Meadows so fast
that in a few minutes all Johnny Chuck
and Sammy Jay could see of him was a
little spot of white, which was the patch
on the seat of Peter's pants, bobbing
through the grass on the Green Meadows,.
Johnny Chuck would have gone him-
self, but he is round and fat and roly-
poly and cannot run fast, while Peter
Pcabbit's legs are long and meant for
running. In a few minutes Johnny Chuck
saw one of the Merry Little Breezes start
for the big pine as fast as he could go.
Johnny gave a great sigh of relief.
Farmer Brown's boy kept on to the
big pine. When he got there he found
no one there, for Hooty the Owl had
122 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
heeded the warning of the Merry Little
Breeze and had flown into the deepest,
darkest part of the Green Forest, where
not even the sharp eyes of Blacky the
Crow were likely to find him.
And back on his doorstep Johnny
Chuck chuckled to himself, for he was
happy, was Johnny Chuck, happy be-
cause he possessed the best thing in the
world, which is contentment.
And this is all I am going to tell you
about the fuss in the big pine.
IX
JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS A USE FOR HIS
BACK DOOR
IX
JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS A USE FOR HIS BACK
DOOR
JOHNNY CHUCK sat in his doorway
looking over the Green Meadows.
He felt very fine. He had had a
good breakfast in the sweet-clover patch.
He had had a good nap on his own door-
step. By and by he saw the Merry Little
Breezes of old Mother West Wind hurry-
ing in his direction. They seemed in a
very great hurry. They didn't stop to
kiss the buttercups or tease the daisies.
Johnny pricked up his small ears and
watched them hurry up the hill.
" Good morning, Johnny Chuck," 1
panted the first Merry Little Breeze
tl
u
126 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
to reach him, " have you heard the
news? :
What news," asked Johnny Chuck.
The news about old Mother Chuck,"
replied the Merry Little Breezes.
Johnny shook his head.
"No," said he. " What is it? "
The Merry Little Breezes grew very,
very sober.
" It is bad news," they replied.
" What is it? Tell me quick! " begged
Johnny.
Just then Reddy Fox came hopping
and skipping down the Lone Little
Path.
"Hi, Johnny Chuck, have you heard
the news?
"No," said Johnny Chuck, " do tell
me quick! '
Reddy Fox grinned maliciously, for
Reddy likes to torment others. " It's
about old Mrs. Chuck," said Reddy.
tt
((
A USE FOR HIS BACK DOOR 127
I know that already," replied Johnny,
but, please, what is it?
" Farmer Brown's boy has caught
old Mrs. Chuck, and now I wouldn't
wonder but what he will come up here
and catch you," replied Reddy, turning
a somersault.
Johnny Chuck grew pale. He had not
seen Mother Chuck to speak to since he
ran away from home. Now he was glad
that he had run away, and yet sorry,
oh, so sorry that anything had happened
to Mrs. Chuck. Two big tears came into
his eyes and ran down his funny little
black nose. The Merry Little Breezes
saw this, and one of them hurried over
and whispered in Johnny Chuck's ear.
" Don't cry, Johnny Chuck," whispered
the Merry Little Breeze. " Old Mother
Chuck got away, and Farmer Brown's
boy is still wondering how she did it."
Johnny's heart gave a great throb of
128 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
relief. " I don't believe that Farmer
Brown's boy will catch me," said Johnny
Chuck, " for my house has two back
doors.' 3
Johnny Chuck awoke very early the
next morning. He stretched and yawned
and then just lay quietly enjoying him-
self for a few minutes. His bedchamber,
way down underground, was snug and
warm and very, very comfortable. By
and by, Johnny Chuck heard a noise up
by his front door.
" I wonder what is going on out there,"
said Johnny Chuck to himself, and jump-
ing up, he tiptoed softly up the long
hall until he had almost reached his
doorway. Then he heard a voice which
he had heard before, and it made little
shivers run all over him. It was the
voice of Granny Fox.
" So this is where that fat little Chuck
has made his home," said Granny Fox.
A USE FOR HIS BACK DOOR 129
" Yes," replied another voice, " this
is where Johnny Chuck lives, for I saw
him here yesterday."
Johnny pricked up his ears, for that
was the voice of Reddy Fox.
" Do you think he is in here now?
inquired Granny Fox.
" I am sure of it," replied Reddy,
" for I have been watching ever since
jolly, round, red Mr. Sun threw his
nightcap off this morning, and Johnny
Chuck has not put his nose out
yet."
" Good," said Granny Fox, " I think
fat Chuck will taste good for breakfast."
Johnny felt the cold shivers run over
him again as he heard Granny Fox and
Reddy Fox smack their lips. Then
Granny Fox spoke again:
" You lie down behind that bunch
of grass over there, Reddy, and I will
lie down behind the old apple-tree. When
130 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
he comes out, you just jump into his
doorway and I will catch him before he
can say Jack Robinson."
Johnny waited and listened and lis-
tened, but all was as still as still could
be. Then Johnny Chuck tiptoed back
along the hall to his bedroom and sat
down to think. He felt sure that Granny
Fox and Reddy were waiting for him,
just as he had heard them plan.
" However am I going to know when
they leave? ' said Johnny Chuck to him-
self. Then he remembered the back
doors which he had taken such care to
make, and which Peter Rabbit had
laughed at him for taking the trouble to
make. He had hidden one so cunningly
in the long grass and had so carefully
removed all sand from around it that
he felt quite sure that no one had
found it.
Very softly Johnny Chuck crept along
A USE FOR HIS BACK DOOR 131
the back passageway. Very, very cau-
tiously he stuck his little black nose out
the doorway and sniffed. Yes, he could
smell foxes, but he knew that they were
not at his back door. Little by little
he crept out until he could peep through
the grass. There lay Reddy Fox behind
a big clump of grass, his eyes fixed on
Johnny Chuck's front door, and there
behind the apple-tree lay Granny Fox
taking her ease, but all ready to jump
when Reddy should give the word.
Johnny Chuck almost giggled out loud
as he saw how eagerly Reddy Fox was
watching for him. Then Johnny Chuck
had an idea that made him giggle harder.
His black eyes snapped and he chuckled
to himself.
Pretty soon along came Bumble the
Bee, looking for honey. He came bus-
tling and humming through the tall
grass and settled on a dandelion right
132 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
on the doorstep of Johnny Chuck's
back door.
" Good morning/' grumbled Bumble
the Bee.
Johnny put a hand on his lips and
beckoned Bumble to come inside.
Now Bumble the Bee is a gruff and
rough fellow, but he is a good fellow,
too, when you know him. Johnny Chuck
had many times told him of places where
the flowers grew thick and sweet, so
when Johnny beckoned to him, Bumble
came at once.
" Will you do something for me,
Bumble? ! whispered Johnny Chuck.
" Of course, I will," replied Bumble,
in his gruff voice. " What is it? :
Then Johnny Chuck told Bumble the
Bee how Granny and Reddy Fox were
waiting for him to come out for his
breakfast and how they had planned
to gobble him up for their own break-
A USE FOR HIS BACK DOOR 133
fast. Bumble the Bee grew very indig-
nant.
" What do you want me to do, Johnny
Chuck? " he asked. " If I can help you,
just tell me how."
Johnny whispered something to Bum-
ble the Bee, and Bumble laughed right
out loud. Then he buzzed up out of
the doorway, and Johnny crept up to
watch. Straight over to where Reddy
Fox was squatting behind the clump of
grass flew Bumble the Bee, so swiftly
that Johnny could hardly see him. Sud-
denly Reddy gave a yelp and sprang
into the air. Johnny Chuck clapped
both hands over his mouth to keep from
laughing out loud, for you see Bumble
the Bee had stuck his sharp little lance
into one of the ears of Reddy Fox.
Granny Fox looked up and scowled.
" Keep still," she whispered.
Just then Reddy yelped louder than
134 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
before, for Bumble had stung him in the
other ear.
" What's the matter? " snapped Granny
Fox.
" I don't know/ 3 cried Reddy Fox,
hanging on to both ears.
" You are ' began Granny Fox, but
Johnny Chuck never knew what she was
going to say Reddy Fox was, for you see
just then Bumble the Bee thrust his
sharp little lance into one of her ears,
and before she could turn around he had
done the same thing to the other ear.
Granny Fox didn't wait for any more.
She started off as fast as she could go,
with Reddy Fox after her, and every few
steps they rubbed their ears and shook
their heads as if they thought they could
shake out the pain.
X
BILLY MINK GOES DINNERLESS
X
BILLY MINK GOES DINNERLESS
DOWN the Laughing Brook came
Billy Mink. He was feeling
very good that morning, was
Billy Mink, pleased with the world in
general and with himself in particular.
When he reached the Smiling Pool he
swam out to the Big Rock. Little Joe
Otter was already there, and not far
away, lazily floating, with his head and
back out of water, was Jerry Muskrat.
"Hello, Billy Mink," cried Little Joe
Otter.
" Hello yourself/' replied Billy Mink,
with a grin.
" Where are you going? 3 asked Little
Joe Otter.
138 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" Nowhere in particular/' replied Billy
Mink.
" Let's go fishing down to the Big
River," said Little Joe Otter.
" Let's! } cried Billy, diving from the
highest point on the Big Rock.
So off they started across the Green
Meadows towards the Big River. Half
way there they met Reddy Fox.
" Hello, Reddy! Come on with us
to the Big River, fishing," called Billy
Mink.
Now Reddy Fox is no fisherman, though
he likes fish to eat well enough. He re-
membered the last time he went fishing
and how Billy Mink had laughed at him
when he fell into the Smiling Pool. He
was just about to say " no ' when he
changed his mind.
"All right, I'll go," said Reddy
Fox.
So the three of them raced merrily
" Come on with us to the Big River, fishing," called Billy
Mink. Page 138.
BILLY MINK GOES DINNERLESS 139
across the Green Meadows until they
came to the Big River. Now Billy
Mink and Little Joe Otter are famous
fishermen and can swim even faster than
the fish themselves. But Reddy Fox is
a poor swimmer and must depend upon
his wits. When they reached the bank
of the Big River they very carefully
crawled down to a sandy beach. There,
just a little way out from shore, a school
of little striped perch were at play.
Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter prepared
to dive in and each grab a fish, but Reddy
Fox knew that he could not swim well
enough for that.
" Wait a minute/ 3 whispered Reddy.
" Billy Mink, you go up the river a little
way and swim out beyond where the fish
are at play. Little Joe Otter, you go
down the river a little way and swim out
to join Billy Mink. Then both together
rush in as fast as you can swim. The
140 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
fish will be so frightened they will rush
in where the water is shallow. Of course
you will each catch one, anyway, and
perhaps I may be so lucky as to catch
one in the shallow water ."
Billy Mink and little Joe Otter agreed,
and did just as Reddy Fox had told them
to. When they were between the playing
fish and deep water they started in with
a rush. The little striped perch were
young and foolish. When they saw Billy
Mink and Little Joe Otter they rushed
madly away from them without looking
to see where they were going to. As
Reddy Fox had foreseen would be the
case, a lot of them became stranded
where the water was too shallow for
swimming, and there they jumped and
flapped helplessly.
Reddy was waiting for them and in a
twinkling his little black paw had scooped
half a dozen fish high and dry on the
BILLY MINK GOES DINNERLESS 141
beach. Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter
were too busy watching the fish to see
what Reddy was doing. He had caught
six fish and these he hid under a log.
When Billy Mink and Little Joe Otter
swam ashore, Reddy was the picture of
disappointment, for he had nothing to
show, while the others each had a plump
little fish.
" Never mind/ 5 said Little Joe Otter,
" I'll give you the next one I catch.' 5
But Billy Mink jeered at Reddy Fox.
" Pooh! you're no fisherman, Reddy
Fox! If I couldn't catch fish when they
are chased right into my hands I'd never
go fishing.' 1
Reddy Fox pretended to be indignant.
" I tell you what, Billy Mink," said he,
" if I don't catch more fish than you do
to-day I'll bring you the plumpest chicken
in Farmer Brown's dooryard, but if I do
catch more fish than you do you will
142 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
give me the biggest one you catch.
Do you agree? :
Now Billy Mink is very fond of plump
chicken and here was a chance to get one
without danger of meeting Bowser the
Hound, who guards Farmer Brown's
chickens. So Billy Mink agreed to give
Reddy Fox the biggest fish he caught
that day if Reddy could show more
fish than he could at the end of the day.
All the time he chuckled to himself, for
you know Billy Mink is a famous fisher-
man, and he knew that Reddy Fox is
a poor swimmer and does not like the
water.
By and by they came to another sandy
beach like the first one. They could
see another school of foolish young fish
at play. As before, Reddy Fox remained
on shore while the others swam out and
drove the fish in. As before Reddy
caught half a dozen, while Billy Mink
BILLY MINK GOES DINNERLESS 143
and Little Joe Otter each caught one
this time. Reddy hid five and then pre-
tended to be so tickled over catching
one, the smallest of the lot, that Billy
Mink didn't once suspect a trick.
Two or three times more Reddy Fox
repeated this. Then he discovered a big
pickerel sunning himself beside an old
log floating in deep water. Reddy
couldn't catch Mr. Pickerel, for the water
was deep. What should he do? Reddy
sat down to think. Finally he thought
of a plan. Very cautiously he backed
away so as not to scare the big fish. Then
he called Billy Mink. When Billy saw
the big pickerel, his mouth watered, too,
and his little black eyes sparkled.
Very quietly Billy slipped into the
water back of the old log. There was not
so much as a ripple to warn the big pick-
erel. Drawing a long breath, Billy dived
under the log, and coming up under the
144 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
big pickerel, seized it by the middle.
There was a tremendous thrashing and
splashing, and then Billy Mink swam
ashore and proudly laid the big fish on
the bank.
" Don't you wish it was yours? '
asked Billy Mink.
" It ought to be mine, for I saw it
first/ 3 said Reddy Fox.
" But you didn't catch it and I did,"
retorted Billy Mink. "I'm going to
have it for my dinner. My, but I do
like fat pickerel! ' Billy smacked his
lips.
Reddy Fox said nothing, but tried
his best to look disappointed and de-
jected. All the time he was chuckling
inwardly.
For the rest of the day the fishing was
poor. Just as Old Mother West Wind
started for the Green Meadows to take
her children, the Merry Little Breezes,
BILLY MINK GOES DINXERLESS 145
to their home behind the Purple Hills,
the three little fishermen started to
count up their catch. Then Reddy
brought out all the fish that he had
hidden. When they saw the pile of fish
Reddy Fox had, Billy Mink and Little
Joe Otter v^ere so surprised that their
eyes popped out and their jaws dropped.
Very foolish they looked, very foolish
indeed, for Reddy had four times as
many as either of them.
Reddy walked over to the big pickerel
and picking it up, carried it over to his
pile. " What are you doing with my
fish? " shouted Billy Mink angrily.
" It isn't yours, it's mine! ' retorted
Reddy Fox.
Billy Mink fairly danced up and down
he was so angry. " It's not yours! "
he shrieked. " It's mine, for I caught
it! "
" And you agreed that your biggest
146 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
fish should be mine if I caught more fish
than you did. I've caught four times
as many, so the pickerel is mine/' re-
torted Reddy, winking at Little Joe
Otter.
Then Billy Mink did a very foolish
thing; he lost his temper completely.
He called Reddy Fox bad names. But
he did not dare try to take the big pick-
erel away from Reddy, for Reddy is
much bigger than he. Finally he worked
himself into such a rage that he ran off
home leaving his pile of fish behind.
Reddy Fox and Little Joe Otter took
care not to touch Billy Mink's fish, but
Reddy divided his big pile with Little
Joe Otter. Then they, too, started for
home, Reddy carrying the big pickerel.
Late that night, when he had recovered
his temper, Billy Mink began to grow
hungry. The more he thought of his
fish the hungrier he grew. Finally he
BILLY MINK GOES DINNERLESS 147
could stand it no longer and started for
the Big River to see what had become
of his fish. He reached the strip of beach
where he had so foolishly left them just
in time to see the last striped perch
disappear down the long throat of Mr.
Night Heron.
And this is how it happened that BilJy
Mink went dinnerless to bed. But he
had learned three things, had Billy,
and he never forgot them - that wit
is often better than skill; that it is
not only mean but is very foolish to
sneer at another; and that to lose one's
temper is the most foolish thing in the
world.
XI
GRANDFATHER FROG'S JOURNEY
XI
GRANDFATHER FROG'S JOURNEY
RANDFATHER FROG sat on his
big green lily-pad in the Smiling
Pool and - Grandfather Frog
was asleep! There was no doubt about
it, Grandfather Frog was really and
truly asleep. His hands were folded
across his white and yellow waistcoat
and his eyes were closed. Three times
the Merry Little Breezes blew a foolish
green fly right past his nose; - - Grand-
father Frog didn't so much as blink.
Presently Billy Mink discovered that
Grandfather Frog was asleep. Billy's
little black eyes twinkled with mischief
as he hurried over to the slippery slide
in search of Little Joe Otter. Then the
152 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
two scamps hunted up Jerry Muskrat.
They found him very busy storing away
a supply of food in his new house. At
first Jerry refused to listen to what they
had to say, but the more they talked the
more Jerry became interested.
" We won't hurt Grandfather Frog,
not the least little bit/ 3 protested Billy
Mink. " It will be just the best joke
and the greatest fun ever, and no harm
done.' :
The more Jerry thought over Billy
Mink's plan, the funnier the joke seemed.
Finally Jerry agreed to join Billy Mink
and Little Joe Otter. Then the three
put their heads together and with a lot
of giggling and chuckling they planned
their joke on Grandfather Frog.
Now Jerry Muskrat can stay a very
long time under water, and his teeth
are long: and sharp in order to cut the
roots on which he depends for much of
GRANDFATHER FROG'S JOURNEY 153
his food. So Jerry swam out to the big
green lily-pad on which sat Grandfather
Frog fast asleep. Diving way to the
bottom of the Smiling Pool, Jerry cut
off the stem of the big green lily-pad
close to its root way down in the mud.
While Jerry was at work doing this,
Billy Mink sent the Merry Little Breezes
hurrying over the Green Meadows to
call all the little meadow people to the
Smiling Pool. Then, when Jerry Musk-
rat came up for a breath of air, Billy
Mink dived down and, getting hold of
the end of the lily-pad stem, he began
to swim, towing the big green lily-pad
after him very slowly and gently so as
not to waken Grandfather Frog. When
Billy had to come up for air, Little Joe
Otter took his place. Then Jerry Muskrat
took his turn.
Across the Smiling Pool, past the Big
Rock, they towed the big green lily-pad,
154 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
while Grandfather Frog slept peacefully,
his hands folded over his white and yellow
waistcoat. Past the bulrushes and Jerry
Muskrat's new house, past Little Joe
Otter's slippery slide sailed Grandfather
Frog, and still he slept and dreamed of
the days when the world was young.
Out of the Smiling Pool and into the
Laughing Brook, where the brown water
flows smoothly, the three little swimmers
towed the big green lily-pad. It floated
along of itself now, and all they had to
do was to steer it clear of rocks and old
logs. Once it almost got away from them,
on the edge of a tiny waterfall, but all
three pulling together towed it out of
danger. At last, in a dear little pool
with a mossy green bank, they anchored
the big green lily-pad.
Then Billy Mink hurried back to the
Smiling Pool to tell the little meadow
people where to find Grandfather Frog.
GRANDFATHER FROG'S JOURNEY 155
Little Joe Otter climbed out on the mossy
green bank and Jerry Muskrat joined
him there to rest and dry off. One by
one the little meadow people came hurry-
ing up. Reddy Fox was the first. Then
came Johnny Chuck and Striped Chip-
munk. Of course Peter Rabbit was
on hand. You can always count Peter
in, when there is anything going on
among the little meadow people. Danny
Meadow Mouse and Happy Jack Squirrel
arrived quite out of breath. Sammy
Jay and Blacky the Crow were not far
behind. Last of all came Jimmy Skunk,
who never hurries.
Each in turn peeped over the edge of
the mossy green bank to see Grandfather
Frog still sleeping peacefully on his big
green lily-pad in the dear little pool.
Then all hid where they could see him
when he awoke, but where he could not
see them.
156 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Presently Billy Mink reached out with
a long straw and tickled Grandfather
Frog on the end of his nose. Grand-
father Frog opened his eyes and yawned
sleepily. Right over his head he saw
jolly, round, red Mr. Sun smiling down
on him just as he last saw him before
falling asleep. He yawned again and
then looked to see if Billy Mink was sit-
ting on the Big Rock.
Where was the Big Rock? Grand-
father Frog sat up very suddenly and
rubbed his eyes. There wasn't any Big
Rock! Grandfather Frog pinched him-
self to make sure that he was aw r ake.
Then he rubbed his eyes again and looked
down at the big green lily-pad. Yes,
that was his, the very same lily-pad on
which he sat every day.
Grandfather Frog was more perplexed
than ever. Slowly he looked around.
Where were the slippery slide and Jerry
GRANDFATHER FROG'S JOURNEY 157
Muskrat's new house? Where were the
bulrushes and where - - where was the
Smiling Pool? Grandfather Frog's jaw
dropped as he looked about him. His
own big green lily-pad was the only lily-
pad in sight. Had the world turned
topsy-turvy while he slept?
" Chug - a - rum! ' said Grandfather
Frog. " This is very strange, very
strange, indeed! '
Then he turned around three times and
pinched himself again. " Very strange,
very strange, indeed/' muttered Grand-
father Frog over and over again. He
scratched his head first with one hand and
then with the other, and the more he
scratched the stranger it all seemed.
Just then he heard a giggle up on the
mossy green bank. Grandfather Frog
whirled around. " Chug-a-rum! '' he ex-
claimed. " Billy Mink, come out from
behind that tall grass and tell me where
158 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
I am and what this means! I might
have known that you were at the bottom
of it."
Then out jumped all the little meadow
people and the Merry Little Breezes to
shout and laugh and dance and roll over
and over on the mossy green bank.
Grandfather Frog looked at one and then
at another and gradually he began to
smile. Pretty soon he was laughing as
hard as any of them, as Billy Mink told
how they had towed him down to the
dear little pool.
" And now, Grandfather Frog, we'll
take you home again/ 3 concluded Billy
Mink.
So, as before, Billy Mink and Little
Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat took turns
towing the big green lily-pad, while in
the middle of it sat Grandfather Frog,
catching foolish green flies which the
Merry Little Breezes blew over to him.
GRANDFATHER FROG'S JOURNEY 159
Reddy Fox, Johnny Chuck, Peter
Rabbit, Danny Meadow Mouse, Striped
Chipmunk, Happy Jack Squirrel and
Jimmy Skunk raced and capered along
the bank and shouted encouragement to
the three little swimmers, while over-
head flew Sammy Jay and Blacky the
Crow. And, never once losing his balance,
Grandfather Frog sat on the big green
lily-pad, enjoying his strange ride and
smacking his lips over the foolish green
flies.
And so they came once more to the
Smiling Pool, past the slippery slide,
past the bulrushes and Jerry Muskrat's
new house and the Big Rock, until
Grandfather Frog and his queer craft
were once more anchored safe and sound
in the old familiar place.
" Chug - a - rum! ' said Grandfather
Frog. " I think I'd like to go again."
XII
WHY BLACKY THE CROW WEARS
MOURNING
XII
WHY BLACKY THE CROW WEARS MOURNING
GRANDFATHER FROG sat on his
big green lily-pad in the Smiling
Pool. Grandfather Frog felt very
good that morning, very good indeed,
because why, because his white and
yellow waistcoat was full of foolish green
flies. It is doubtful, very, very doubtful
if Grandfather Frog could have swallowed
another foolish green fly to save his life.
So he sat with his hands folded across
his white and yellow waistcoat, and into
his eyes, his great goggly eyes, there
crept a far, far, far away look. Grand-
father Frog was dreaming of the days
when the world was young and the frogs
ruled the world.
164 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Pretty soon the Merry Little Breezes
of Old Mother West Wind came over to
the Smiling Pool to rock Mrs. Redwing's
babies to sleep in their cradle in the
bulrushes. But when they saw Grand-
father Frog they forgot all about Mrs.
Redwing and her babies.
" Good morning, Grandfather Frog! '
they shouted.
Grandfather Frog awoke from his
dream with a funny little jump.
" Goodness, how you startled me! '
said Grandfather Frog, smoothing down
his white and yellow waistcoat.
The Merry Little Breezes giggled.
" We didn't mean to, truly we didn't/'
said the merriest one of all. " We just
wanted to know how you do this fine
morning, and - - and -
" Chug - a - rum/' said Grandfather
Frog, " you want me to tell you a story.' 3
The Merry Little Breezes giggled again.
WHY BLACKY WEARS MOURNING 165
" How did you ever guess it? ' ' they cried.
" It must be because you are so very,
very wise. Will you tell us a story,
Grandfather Frog? Will you please? J
Grandfather Frog looked up and
winked one big, goggly eye at jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun, who was smiling
down from the blue sky. Then he sat
still so long that the Merry Little Breezes
began to fear that Grandfather Frog
was out of sorts and that there would
be no story that morning. They fidgeted
about among the bulrushes and danced
back and forth across the lily-pads.
They had even begun to think again of
Mrs. Redwing's babies.
" Chug-a-rum! ' said Grandfather
Frog suddenly. " What shall I tell you
about? "
Just then a black shadow swept across
the Smiling Pool. " Caw, caw, caw,
caw! " shouted Blacky the Crow noisily.
166 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
as he flew over toward Farmer Brown's
cornfield.
" Tell us why Blacky the Crow al-
ways wears a coat of black, as if he were
in mourning," shouted the Merry Little
Breezes.
Grandfather Frog watched Blacky
disappear behind the Lone Pine. Then,
when the Merry Little Breezes had set-
tled down, each in the golden heart of
a white water-lily, he began :
, " Once upon a time, when the world was
young, old Mr. Crow, the grandfather
a thousand times removed of Blacky,
whom you all know, lived in the Green
Forest on the edge of the Green Meadows,
just as Blacky does now, and with him
lived his brothers and sisters, his uncles
and aunts, his cousins and all his poor
relations.
" Now Mr. Crow was very smart.
Indeed, he was the smartest of all the
WHY BLACKY WEARS MOURNING 167
birds. There wasn't anything that old
Mr. Crow couldn't do or didn't know.
At least he thought there wasn't. All
the little meadow people and forest folks
began to think so, too, and one after
another they got in the habit of coming
to him for advice, until pretty soon they
were bringing all their affairs to Mr.
Crow for settlement.
" Now for a while Mr. Crow showed
great wisdom, and this so: pleased Old
Mother Nature that she gave him a suit
of pure, dazzling white, so that all seeing
him might look up to him as a shining
example of wisdom and virtue. Of
course all his brothers and sisters, his
uncles and aunts, his cousins and all
his poor relations at once put on white,
that all might know that they were of
Mr. Crow's family. And of course every
one showed them the greatest attention
out of respect to old Mr. Crow, so that
168 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
presently they began to hold their heads
very high and to think that because they
were related to old Mr. Crow they were
a little better than any of the other little
meadow people and forest folks. When
they met old Mr. Rabbit they would pre-
tend not to see him, because he wore a
white patch on the seat of his trousers.
When old Mr. Woodchuck said ' good
morning/ they would pretend not to
hear, for you know Mr. Woodchuck
wore a suit of dingy yellow and lived in
a hole in the ground. Old Mr. Toad was
ugly to look upon. Besides, he worked
for his living in a garden. So when they
happened to meet him on the road they
always turned their backs.
" For a long time old Mr. Crow him-
self continued to be a very fine gentle-
man and to hold the respect of all his
neighbors. He was polite to every one,
and to all who came to him he freely
WHY BLACKY WEARS MOURNING 169
gave of his advice as wisely as he knew
how. Of course it wasn't long before he
knew all about his neighbors and their
private affairs. Now it isn't safe to
know too much about your neighbors
and what they are doing. It is dangerous
knowledge, very dangerous knowledge
indeed/' said Grandfather Frog solemnly.
" To be ' sure it would have been safe
enough/' he continued, " if Mr. Crow
had kept it to himself. But after a
while Mr. Crow became vain. Yes, Sir,
that is just what happened to old Mr.
Crow - - he became vain. He liked to
feel that all the little meadow people
and forest folks looked up to him with
respect, and whenever he saw one of
them coming he would brush his white
coat, swell himself up and look very im-
portant. After a while he began to
brag among his relatives of how much
he knew about his neighbors. Of course
170 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
they were very much interested, very
much interested indeed, and this flattered
Mr. Crow so that almost before he knew
it he was telling some of the private af-
fairs which had been brought to him for
his advice. Oh, dear me, Mr. Crow
began to gossip.
u Now, gossiping is one of the worst
habits in all the world, one of the very
worst. No good ever comes of it. It just
makes trouble, trouble, trouble. It was
so now. Mr. Crow's relatives repeated
the stories that they heard. But they
took great care that no one should know
where they came from. My, my, my,
how trouble did spread on the Green
Meadows and in the Green Forest! No
one suspected old Mr. Crow, so he was
more in demand than ever to straighten
matters out. His neighbors came to
him so much that they began to be
ashamed to ask his advice for nothing,
WHY BLACKY WEARS MOURNING 171
so they brought him presents so that
no more need Mr. Crow hunt for things
to eat. Instead, he lived on the fat of
the land without working, and grew fat
and lazy.
" As I have told you, Mr. Crow was
smart. Yes, indeed, he certainly was
smart. It did not take him long to see
that the more trouble there was among
his neighbors the more they would need
his advice, and the more they needed
his advice the more presents he would
receive. He grew very crafty. He would
tell tales just to make trouble, and some-
times, when he saw a chance, he would
give advice that he knew would make
more trouble. The fact is, old Mr.
Crow became a mischief-maker, the very
worst kind of a mischief-maker. And all
the time he appeared to be the fine gentle-
man that he used to be. He wore his
fine white coat as proudly as ever.
172 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" Matters grew worse and worse. Never
had there been so much trouble on the
Green Meadows or so many quarrels in
the Green Forest. Old Mr. Mink never
met old Mr. Otter without picking a fight.
Old Mrs. Skunk wouldn't speak to old
Mrs. Coon. Old Mr. Chipmunk turned
his back on his cousin, old Mr. Red
Squirrel, whenever their paths crossed.
Even my grandfather a thousand times
removed, old Mr. Frog, refused to see
his nearest relative, old Mr. Toad. And
all the time old Mr. Crow wore his beau-
tiful suit of white and grew rich and fat,
chuckling to himself over his ill-gotten
wealth.
" Then one day came Old Mother
Nature to visit the Green Meadows.
It didn't take her long to find that some-
thing was wrong, very wrong indeed.
Old Mr. Crow and all his relatives
hastened to pay their, respects and to
WHY BLACKY WEARS MOURNING 173
tell her how much they appreciated
their beautiful white suits. Old Mr.
Crow made a full report of all the troubles
that had been brought to him, but he
took great care not to let her know that
he had had any part in making trouble.
He looked very innocent, oh, very, very
innocent, but not once did he look her
straight in the face.
" Now the eyes of Old Mother Nature
are wonderfully sharp and they seemed
to bore right through old Mr. Crow. You
can't fool Old Mother Nature. No, Sir,
you can't fool Old Mother Nature, and
it's of no use to try. She listened to all
that Mr. Crow had to say. Then she
sent Mr. North Wind to blow his great
trumpet and call together all the little
people of the Green Meadows and all
the little folks of the Green Forest.
" When they had all come together
she told them all that had happened.
174 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
She told just how Mr. Crow had started
the stories in order to make trouble
so that they would seek his advice and
bring him presents to pay for it. When
the neighbors of old Mr. Crow heard this
they were very angry, and they demanded
of Old Mother Nature that Mr. Crow be
punished.
"'Look!' said Old Mother Nature,
pointing at old Mr. Crow. ' He has
been punished already/
" Every one turned to look at Mr.
Crow. At first they hardly knew him.
Instead of his suit of spotless white
his clothes were black, as black as the
blackest night. So were the clothes of
his uncles and aunts, his brothers and
sisters, his cousins and all his poor re-
lations.
" And ever since that long-ago day,
when the world was young, the Crows
have been mischief-makers and have
WHY BLACKY WEARS MOURNING 175
worn black, that all who look may know
that they bring nothing but trouble,"
concluded Grandfather Frog.
" Thank you! Thank you, Grand-
father Frog," shouted the Merry Little
Breezes, jumping up to go rock the Red-
wing babies.
" Caw, caw, caw, caw! ' shouted
Blacky the Crow, flying over their heads
with a mouthful of corn he had stolen
from Farmer Brown's cornfield.
XIII
STRIPED CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER
RABBIT
XIII
STRIPED CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT
PETER RABBIT sat at the top
of the Crooked Little Path where
it starts down the hill. He was
sitting there when jolly, round, red Mr.
Sun threw his nightcap off and began
his daily climb up into the blue, blue
sky. He saw Old Mother West Wind
hurry down from the Purple Hills and
turn her Merry Little Breezes out to
play on the Green Meadows.
Peter yawned. The fact is, Peter had
been out nearly all night, and now he
didn't know just what to do with him-
self. Presently he saw Striped Chipmunk
whisk up on top of an old log. As usual
the pockets in Striped Chipmunk's
180 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
cheeks were stuffed so full that his head
looked to be twice as big as it really is,
and as usual he seemed to be very busy,
very busy indeed. He stopped just long
enough to wink one of his saucy black
eyes and shout: " Good morning, Peter
Rabbit! "
Then he disappeared as suddenly as
he had come. A few minutes later he
was back on the old log, but this time
his cheeks were empty.
" Fine day, Peter Rabbit ," said Striped
Chipmunk, and whisked out of sight.
Peter Rabbit yawned again. Then
he closed his eyes for j ust a minute. When
he opened them there was Striped Chip-
munk on the old log just as before, and
the pockets in both cheeks were so full
that it seemed as if they would burst.
" Nice morning to work, Peter Rabbit/ 3
said Striped Chipmunk, in spite of his
full cheeks. Then he was gone.
CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT 181
Once more Peter Rabbit closed his
eyes, but hardly were they shut when
Striped Chipmunk shouted:
" Oh, you Peter Rabbit, been out all
night? "
Peter snapped his eyes open just in
time to see the funny little tail of Striped
Chipmunk vanish over the side of the
old log. Peter scratched one of his long
ears and yawned again, for Peter was
growing more and more sleepy. It was
a long yawn, but Peter cut it off right
in the middle, for there was Striped
Chipmunk back on the old log, and both
pockets in his cheeks were stuffed full.
Now Peter Rabbit is as curious as
he is lazy, and you know he is very, very
lazy. The fact is, Peter Rabbit's curi-
osity is his greatest fault, and it gets
him into a great deal of trouble. It is
because of this and the bad, bad habit
of meddling in the affairs of other people
182 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
into which it has led him that Peter
Rabbit has such long ears.
For a while Peter watched busy
Striped Chipmunk. Then he began to
wonder what Striped Chipmunk could
be doing. The more he wondered the
more he felt that he really must know.
The next time Striped Chipmunk ap-
peared on the old log, Peter shouted to
him.
" Hi, Striped Chipmunk, what are you
so busy about? Why don't you play a
little? "
Striped Chipmunk stopped a minute.
" I'm building a new house," said he.
" Where? " asked Peter Rabbit.
" That's telling/' replied Striped Chip-
munk, and whisked out of sight.
Now Peter Rabbit knew where Reddy
Fox and Jimmy Skunk and Bobby Coon
and Happy Jack Squirrel and Johnny
Chuck and Danny Meadow Mouse lived.
CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT 183
He knew all the little paths leading to
their homes. But he did not know where
Striped Chipmunk lived. He never had
known. He thought of this as he watched
Striped Chipmunk hurrying back and
forth. The more he thought of it the
more curious he grew. He really must
know. Pretty soon along came Jimmy
Skunk, looking for some beetles.
" Hello, Jimmy Skunk," said Peter
Rabbit.
" Hello, Peter Rabbit," said Jimmy
Skunk.
" Do you know where Striped Chip-
munk lives? ' asked Peter Rabbit.
" No, I don't know where Striped Chip-
munk lives, and I don't care; it's none
of my business/ 3 replied Jimmy Skunk.
"Have you seen any beetles this morn-
ing? "
Peter Rabbit hadn't seen any beetles, so
Jimmy Skunk went on down the Crooked
((
(t
184 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Little Path, still looking for his break-
fast.
By and by along came Johnny Chuck.
" Hello, Johnny Chuck! " said Peter
Rabbit.
Hello, yourself! " said Johnny Chuck.
Do you know where Striped Chip-
munk lives? ' asked Peter Rabbit.
" No, I don't, for it's none of my busi-
ness," said Johnny Chuck, and started
on down the Crooked Little Path to
the Green Meadows.
Then along came Bobby Coon.
" Hello, Bobby Coon! " said Peter
Rabbit.
" Hello! " replied Bobby Coon shortly,
for he too had been out all night and was
very sleepy.
" Do you know where Striped Chip-
munk lives? ' asked Peter Rabbit.
" Don't know and don't want to; it's
none of my business, " said Bobby Coon
CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT 185
even more shortly than before, and started
on for his hollow chestnut tree to sleep
the long, bright day away.
Peter Babbit could stand it no longer.
Curiosity had driven away all desire
to sleep. He simply had to know where
Striped Chipmunk lived.
" I'll just follow Striped Chipmunk and
see for myself where he lives/' said Peter
to himself.
So Peter Rabbit hid behind a tuft
of grass close by the old log and sat
very, very still. It was a very good
place to hide, a very good place. Prob-
ably if Peter Rabbit had not been so
brimming over with curiosity he would
have succeeded in escaping the sharp
eyes of Striped Chipmunk. But people
full of curiosity are forever pricking up
their ears to hear things which do not
in the least concern them. It was so
with Peter Rabbit. He was so afraid
186 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
that he would miss something that both
his long ears were standing up straight,
and they came above the grass behind
which Peter Rabbit was hiding.
Of course Striped Chipmunk saw them
the very instant he jumped up on the
old log with both pockets in his cheeks
stuffed full. He didn't say a word, but
his sharp little eyes twinkled as he jumped
off the end of the old log and scurried
along under the bushes, for he guessed
what Peter Rabbit was hiding for, and
though he did not once turn his head he
knew that Peter was following him.
You see Peter runs with big jumps,
lipperty-lipperty-lip, and people who
jump must make a noise.
So, though he tried very hard not to
make a sound, Peter was in such a hurry
to keep Striped Chipmunk in sight that
he really made a great deal of noise.
The more noise Peter made, the more
CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT 187
Striped Chipmunk chuckled to him-
self.
Presently Striped Chipmunk stopped.
Then he sat up very straight and looked
this way and looked that way, just as
if trying to make sure that no one was
watching him. Then he emptied two
pocketfuls of shining yellow gravel on to
a nice new mound which he was building.
Once more he sat up and looked this way
and looked that way. Then he scuttled
back towards the old log. As he ran
Striped Chipmunk chuckled and chuckled
to himself, for all the time he had seen
Peter Rabbit lying flat down behind a
little bush and knew that Peter Rabbit
was thinking to himself how smart he had
been to find Striped Chipmunk's home
when no one else knew where it was.
No sooner was Striped Chipmunk out
of sight than up jumped Peter Rabbit.
He smiled to himself as he hurried over
188 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
to the shining mound of yellow gravel.
You see Peter's curiosity was so great
that not once did he think how mean he
was to spy on Striped Chipmunk.
" Now," thought Peter, " I know
where Striped Chipmunk lives. Jimmy
Skunk doesn't know. Johnny Chuck
doesn't know. Bobby Coon doesn't
know. But / know. Striped Chipmunk
may fool all the others, but he can't
fool me.' :
By this time Peter Ptabbit had reached
the shining mound of yellow gravel.
At once he began to hunt for the doorway
to Striped Chipmunk's home. But
there wasn't any doorway. No, Sir,
there wasn't any doorway! Look as he
would, Peter Rabbit could not find the
least sign of a doorway. He walked
'round and 'round the mound and looked
here and looked there, but not the least
sign of a door was to be seen. There
LJ
CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT 189
was nothing but the shining mound
of yellow gravel, the green grass, the
green bushes and the blue, blue sky,
with jolly, round, red Mr. Sun looking
down and laughing at him.
Peter Rabbit sat down on Striped Chip-
munk's shining mound of yellow gravel
and scratched his left ear with his left
hindfoot. Then he scratched his right ear
with his right hindfoot. It was very
perplexing. Indeed, it was so perplex-
ing that Peter quite forgot that Striped
Chipmunk would soon be coming back.
Suddenly right behind Peter's back
Striped Chipmunk spoke.
" How do you like my sand pile, Peter
Rabbit? Don't you think it is a pretty
nice sand pile? : asked Striped Chip-
munk politely. And all the time he
was chuckling away to himself.
Peter was so surprised that he very
nearly fell backward off the shining
190 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
mound of yellow gravel. For a minute
he didn't know what to say. Then he
found his tongue.
" Oh/' said Peter Rabbit, apparently
in the greatest surprise, " is this your
sand pile, Striped Chipmunk? It's a
very nice sand pile indeed. Is this
where you live? :
Striped Chipmunk shook his head.
' ' No, oh, my, no! " said he. "I wouldn't
think of living in such an exposed place!
My goodness, no indeed! Everybody
knows where this is. I'm building a
new home, you know, and of course I
don't want the gravel to clutter up my
dooryard. So I've brought it all here.
Makes a nice sand pile, doesn't it? You
are very welcome to sit on my sand pile
whenever you feel like it, Peter Rabbit.
It's a good place to take a sun bath; I
hope you'll come often. r '
All the time Striped Chipmunk was
CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT 191
saying this his sharp little eyes twinkled
with mischief and he chuckled softly
to himself.
Peter Rabbit was more curious than
ever. " Where is your new home, Striped
Chipmunk? 3 ' he asked.
" Not far from here; come call on
me/' said Striped Chipmunk.
Then with a jerk of his funny little
tail he was gone. It seemed as if the earth
must have swallowed him up. Striped
Chipmunk can move very quickly, and
he had whisked out of sight in the
bushes before Peter Rabbit could turn
his head to watch him.
Peter looked behind every bush and
under every stone, but nowhere could
he find Striped Chipmunk or a sign of
Striped Chipmunk's home, excepting the
shining mound of yellow gravel. At last
Peter pushed his inquisitive nose right
into the doorway of Bumble the Bee.
192 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
Now Bumble the Bee happened to be
at home, and being very short of temper,
he thrust a sharp little needle into the
inquisitive nose of Peter Rabbit.
"Oh! oh! oh!" shrieked Peter,
clapping both hands to his nose, and
started off home as fast as he could go.
And though he didn't know it and
doesn't know it to this day, he went
right across the doorstep of Striped
Chipmunk's home. So Peter still won-
ders and wonders where Striped Chip-
munk lives, and no one can tell him,
not even the Merry Little Breezes. You
see there is not even a sign of a path
leading to his doorway, for Striped Chip-
munk never goes or comes twice the same
way. His doorway is very small, just
large enough for him to squeeze through,
and it is so hidden in the grass that often
the Merry Little Breezes skip right over
it without seeing it.
CHIPMUNK FOOLS PETER RABBIT 193
Every grain of sand and gravel from
the fine long halls and snug chambers
Striped Chipmunk has built underground
he has carefully carried in the pockets
in his cheeks to the shining mound of
yellow gravel found by Peter Rabbit.
Not so much as a grain is dropped on his
doorstep to let his secret out.
So in and out among the little meadow
people skips Striped Chipmunk all the
long day, and not one has found out where
he lives. But no one really cares except-
ing Peter Rabbit, who is still curious.
XIV
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE
XIV
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE
JERRY MUSKRAT wouldn't play.
Billy Mink had tried to get him to.
Little Joe Otter had tried to get him
to. The Merry Little Breezes had tried
to get him to. It was of no use, no use
at all. Jerry Muskrat wouldn't play.
" Come on, Jerry, come on play with
us," they begged all together.
But Jerry shook his head. " Can't/ 3
said he.
" Why not? Won't your mother let
you? demanded Billy Mink, making
a long dive into the Smiling Pool. He
was up again in time to hear Jerry re-
piy:
198 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" Yes, my mother will let me. It isn't
that. It's because we are going to have
a long winter and a cold winter and I
must prepare for it."
Every one laughed, every one except
Great-Grandfather Frog, who sat on
his big green lily-pad watching for foolish
green flies.
" Pooh! ' exclaimed Little Joe Otter.
" A lot you know about it, Jerry Muskrat!
Ho, ho, ho! A lot you know about it!
Are you clerk of the weather? It is
only fall now - - what can you know about
what the winter will be? Oh come,
Jerry Muskrat, don't pretend to be so
wise. I can swim twice across the Smiling
Pool while you are swimming across once
come on! '
Jerry Muskrat shook his head.
" Haven't time," said he. " I tell you
we are going to have a long winter and
a hard winter, and I've got to prepare
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE 199
for it. When it comes you'll remember
what I have told you/ 3
Little Joe Otter made a wry face and
slid down his slippery slide, splash into
the Smiling Pool, throwing water all
over Jerry Muskrat, who was sitting
on the end of a log close by. Jerry shook
the water from his coat, which is water-
proof, you know. Everybody laughed,
that is, everybody but Grandfather Frog.
He did not even smile.
11 Chug - a - rum ! ' said Grandfather
Frog, who is very wise. " Jerry Musk-
rat knows. If Jerry says that we are
going to have a long cold winter you may
be sure that he knows what he is talking
about/ 3
Billy Mink turned a back somersault
into the Smiling Pool so close to the big
green lily-pad on which Grandfather
Frog sat that the waves almost threw
Grandfather Frog into the water.
200 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" Pooh/' said Billy Mink, " how can
Jerry Muskrat know anything more
about it than we do?
Grandfather Frog looked at Billy Mink
severely. He does not like Billy Mink,
who has been known to gobble up some
of Grandfather Frog's children when he
thought that no one was looking.
" Old Mother Nature was here and
told him," said Grandfather Frog gruffly.
" Oh! " exclaimed Billy Mink and Little
Joe Otter together. " That's different,"
and they looked at Jerry Muskrat with
greater respect.
How are you going to prepare for
the long cold winter, Jerry Muskrat? "
asked one of the Merry Little Breezes.
1 I'm going to build a house, a big,
warm house," replied Jerry Muskrat,
' and I'm going to begin right now."
Splash! Jerry had disappeared into
the Smiling Pool. Presently, over on the
01
M
CO
t-i
4)
1-5
tK
"3
O
"o
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE 201
far side where the water was shallow, it
began to bubble and boil as if a great
fuss was going on underneath the sur-
face. Jerry Muskrat had begun work.
The water grew muddy, very muddy
indeed, so muddy that Little Joe Otter
and Billy Mink climbed out on the Big
Rock in disgust. When finally Jerry
Muskrat swam out to rest on the end
of a log they shouted to him angrily.
" Hi, Jerry Muskrat, you're spoiling
our swimming water! p What are you
doing anyway?
" I'm digging for the foundations for
my new house, and it isn't your water
any more than it's mine/ 5 replied Jerry
Muskrat, drawing a long breath before
he disappeared under water again.
The water grew muddier and muddier,
until even Grandfather Frog began to
look annoyed. Billy Mink and Little
Joe Otter started off up the Laughing
202 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
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
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE 203
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.
204 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
" Are you going to build it all of
mud? asked one of the Merry Little
Breezes.
" No," said Jerry Muskrat, " I'm go-
ing 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
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE 205
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
206 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
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/ 3
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.' 3 It was Peter Rabbit, who is
never known to work.
Jerry Muskrat was more surprised
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE 207
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.
208 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
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
JERRY MUSKRAT'S NEW HOUSE 209
4
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 Mead-
ows.
XV
PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN
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
214 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
took him to the Smiling Pool and the
Laughing Brook, and everywhere Jumper
the Hare was met with the greatest polite-
ness.
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.
PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN 215
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 hunt-
ing 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
216 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
own secret hiding places in the old brier
patch.
Then one bright sunny morning some-
thing 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 Rab-
PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN 217
bit 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 Great - 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/ 7 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 min-
218 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
utes 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! J 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
PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN 21&
over him and at the same time he re-
ceived 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 j 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
ti
u
220 MOTHER WEST WIND'S FRIENDS
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/ 3 signaled Peter Rabbit.
Thump, thump, thump, thump! The
coast is clear,' 3 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 eat-
ing 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
PETER RABBIT'S BIG COUSIN 221
people having the j oiliest 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 Great-Grand-
father 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
