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diff --git a/21286-h/21286-h.htm b/21286-h/21286-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d66b42 --- /dev/null +++ b/21286-h/21286-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5219 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Mother West Wind "How" Stories, by Thornton W. Burgess. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 65%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + +.pagenum {/* left-margin page numbers */ + display: inline; /* set to "none" to make #s disappear */ + font-size: 70%; /* tiny type.. */ + text-align: right; /* ..right-justified.. */ + position: absolute; + right: 95%; /* ..in the right margin.. */ + padding: 0 0 0 0 ; /* ..very compact */ + margin: 0 0 0 0; + font-weight: 400; /* normal weight */ + font-style: normal; + text-decoration: none; + color: silver; + text-indent: 0; + } /* page numbers */ + + .totoc {position: absolute; right: 2%; font-size: 75%; text-align: right;} /* Table of contents anchor */ + .toill {position: absolute; right: 2%; font-size: 75%; text-align: right;} /* Illustrations anchor */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + a {text-decoration: none; } + + div.centered {text-align: center;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 1 */ + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 2 */ + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Mother West Wind "How" Stories, by Thornton W. Burgess + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mother West Wind "How" Stories + +Author: Thornton W. Burgess + +Illustrator: Harrison Cady + +Release Date: May 4, 2007 [EBook #21286] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER WEST WIND "HOW" STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Thomas Strong, Linda McKeown +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<span class="toill"><a href="#Illus">Illus</a></span> +<p class="center"><a name="image-1" id="image-1"><!-- Image 1 --></a> +<img src="images/illus-cover.jpg" height="480" width="388" alt="Book Cover and Spine" /></p> +<hr /> + +<a name="inside" id="inside"></a><span class="toill"><a href="#Illus">Illus</a></span> +<p class="center"><a name="image-2" id="image-2"><!-- Image 2 --></a> +<img src="images/illus-inside.jpg" height="485" width="640" alt="Inside Cover" /></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[Pg ii]</a></span></p> + +<a name="Caw" id="Caw"></a><span class="toill"><a href="#Illus">Illus</a></span> +<p class="center"><a name="image-3" id="image-3"><!-- Image 3 --></a> +<img src="images/illus-front.jpg" height="480" width="316" alt="Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw! yelled Blacky +at the top of his voice. See page 132." title="Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw! yelled Blacky at the top of his voice. See page 132." /></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw! yelled Blacky at the top of his voice. <i>See page</i> 132.</strong></p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">BURGESS <span class="u"><span class="smcap">Trade</span></span> QUADDIES <span class="u"><span class="smcap">Mark</span></span></p> +<hr /> +<h1>MOTHER WEST WIND<br /> +"HOW" STORIES</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>THORNTON W. BURGESS</h2> + +<p class="center"><i>Illustrations by</i><br /> +<i>HARRISON CADY</i></p> + +<p class="center">GROSSET & DUNLAP</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Publishers</span> <span class="smcap">New York</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>By arrangement with Little, Brown, and Company</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Copyright, 1916</i>,<br /> +<span class="smcap">By Thornton W. Burgess</span>.<br /> +<br /> +<i>All rights reserved</i><br /> +<br /> +PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</p><br /> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + +<p>To the cause of conservation of wild life and +to increase of love for our little friends of the +Green Forest and the Green Meadows through +awakened interest in them and a better understanding +of their value to us as faithful workers +in carrying out the plans of wise Old Mother +Nature, this little book is dedicated.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span></p> + +<a name="toc" id="toc"></a> +<h3>CONTENTS</h3> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents" style="width: 100%;"> +<tr> +<td align='left' style="width: 10%;"><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td> +<td align='right' style="width: 80%;"> </td> +<td align='right' style="width: 10%;"><span class="smcap">Page</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>I</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#I"><span class="smcap">How Old King Eagle Won His White Head</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>3</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>II</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#II"><span class="smcap">How Old Mr. Mink Taught Himself to Swim</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>17</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>III</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#III"><span class="smcap">How Old Mr. Toad Learned to Sing</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>31</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>IV</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#IV"><span class="smcap">How Old Mr. Crow Lost His Double Tongue</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>45</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>V</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#V"><span class="smcap">How Howler the Wolf Got His Name</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>59</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>VI</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#VI"><span class="smcap">How Old Mr. Squirrel Became Thrifty</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>73</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>VII</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#VII"><span class="smcap">How Lightfoot the Deer Learned to Jump</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>87</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>VIII</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#VIII"><span class="smcap">How Mr. Flying Squirrel Almost Got Wings</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>103</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>IX</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#IX"><span class="smcap">How Mr. Weasel Was Made an Outcast</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>117</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>X</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#X"><span class="smcap">How the Eyes of Old Mr. Owl Became Fixed</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>131</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>XI</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#XI"><span class="smcap">How It Happens Johnny Chuck Sleeps All Winter</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>145</td></tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>XII</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#XII"><span class="smcap">How Old Mr. Otter Learned to Slide</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>161</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>XIII</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#XIII"><span class="smcap">How Drummer the Woodpecker Came by His Red Cap</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>175</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>XIV</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#XIV"><span class="smcap">How Old Mr. Tree Toad Found Out How To Climb</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>191</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>XV</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#XV"><span class="smcap">How Old Mr. Heron Learned Patience</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>205</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='right'>XVI</td> +<td align='left'><a href="#XVI"><span class="smcap">How Tufty the Lynx Happens to Have a Stump of a Tail</span></a></td> +<td align='right'>219</td> +</tr> +</table></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span></p> + +<a name="Illus" id="Illus"></a> +<h3>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h3> + + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents" style="width: 100%;"> +<tr> +<td align='left' style="width: 80%;"><span class="smcap"> </span></td> +<td align='right' style="width: 20%;"><span class="smcap">Page</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left'>"<a href="#inside"><span class="smcap">Inside Cover</span></a>"</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left'>"<a href="#Caw"><span class="smcap">Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw!" yelled Blacky<br /> + at the top of his voice</span></a></td> +<td align='right'><i>Frontispiece</i></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left'>"<a href="#Bear"><span class="smcap">Old King Bear, who was king no longer,<br /> + would growl a deep, rumbly-grumbly growl</span></a>"</td> +<td align='right'>64</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left'>"<a href="#Mice"><span class="smcap">One day Mr. Rabbit surprised Mr. Weasel<br /> + making a meal of young mice</span></a>"</td> +<td align='right'>120</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align='left'>"<a href="#Long"><span class="smcap">His legs were so long and his neck was<br /> + so long that all his neighbors laughed at him</span></a>"</td> +<td align='right'>216</td> +</tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>I</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD KING EAGLE WON HIS WHITE HEAD</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> + +<h1>MOTHER WEST WIND<br /> +"HOW" STORIES</h1> + +<h2><a name="I" id="I">I</a></h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD KING EAGLE WON HIS WHITE HEAD</h3> + +<p>Peter Rabbit sat on the edge +of the dear Old Briar-patch, +staring up into the sky with his +head tipped back until it made his neck +ache. Way, way up in the sky was a +black speck sailing across the snowy +white face of a cloud. It didn't seem +possible that it could be alive way up +there. But it was. Peter knew that it +was, and he knew who it was. It was +King Eagle. By and by it disappeared +over towards the Great Mountain.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> +Peter rubbed the back of his neck, +which ached because he had tipped his +head back so long. Then he gave a +little sigh.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what it seems like to be +able to fly like that," said he out loud, +a way he sometimes has.</p> + +<p>"Are you envious?" asked a voice +so close to him that Peter jumped. +There was Sammy Jay sitting in a little +tree just over his head.</p> + +<p>"No!" snapped Peter, for it made +him a wee bit cross to be so startled.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not envious, Sammy Jay. +I'm not envious of any bird. The +ground is good enough for me. I was +just wondering, that's all."</p> + +<p>"Have you ever seen King Eagle +close to?" asked Sammy.</p> + +<p>"Once," replied Peter. "Once he +came down to the Green Meadows and +sat in that lone tree over there, and I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> +was squatting in a bunch of grass quite +near and could see him very plainly. +He is big and fierce-looking, but he +looks his name, every inch a king. I've +wondered a good many times since how +it happens that he has a white head."</p> + +<p>"Because," replied Sammy, "he is +just what he looks to be,—king of the +birds,—and that white head is the sign +of his royalty given his great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +by Old Mother Nature, way back in the beginning +of things."</p> + +<p>Peter's eyes sparkled. "Tell me +about it, Sammy," he begged. "Tell +me about it, and I won't quarrel with +you any more."</p> + +<p>"All right, Peter. I'll tell you the +story, because it will do you good to +hear it. I supposed everybody knew it. +All birds do. That is why we all look +up to King Eagle," replied Sammy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Way back in the beginning of +things, old King Bear ruled in the +Green Forest, as you know. That is, +he ruled the animals and all the little +people who lived on the ground, but he +didn't rule the birds. You see the +birds were not willing to be ruled over +by an animal. They wanted one of +their own kind. So they refused to +have old King Bear as their king and +went to Old Mother Nature to ask her +to appoint a king of the air. Now Mr. +Eagle was one of the biggest and +strongest and most respected of all the +birds of the air. There were some, like +Mr. Goose and Mr. Swan, who were +bigger, but they spent most of their +time on the water or the earth, and they +had no great claws or hooked beak to +command respect as did Mr. Eagle. +So Old Mother Nature made Mr. Eagle +king of the air, and as was quite right<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> +and proper, all the birds hastened to +pay him homage.</p> + +<p>"So King Eagle ruled the air and +none dared to cross him or to disobey +him. Unlike old King Bear, he accepted +no tribute from his subjects but +hunted for himself, and instead of +growing fat and lazy, as did old King +Bear, he grew stronger of wing and +feared no one and nothing. Now this +was in the days when the world was +young, and Old Mother Nature was +very busy trying to make the world a +good place to live in, so she had very +little time to look after the birds and +the animals. Thus she left matters +very much to King Eagle and old King +Bear. They settled all the quarrels +between their subjects, and for a while +everything went smoothly.</p> + +<p>"King Eagle made his home on the +cliff of a mountain, so that he could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +look down on all below and see what +was going on. Every day he went down +to the Green Forest and sat on the tallest +tree while he listened to the complaints +of the other birds and settled +their disputes, and none questioned his +decisions. Now after a while, this little +part of the earth where the animals +and the birds first lived became overcrowded. +It became harder and harder +to get enough to eat. Quarrels became +more frequent, until King Eagle had +little time for anything but straightening +out these troubles and trying to +keep peace.</p> + +<p>"Old Mother Nature had been away +a long time trying to make other parts +of the world fit to live in. No one knew +when she was coming back or just +where she was. King Eagle, sitting on +the edge of the cliff on the mountain, +thought it all over. Old Mother Nature<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +ought to know how things were. He +would send a messenger to try to find +her. So the next day he called all the +birds together and asked who would go +out into the unknown Great World to +look for Old Mother Nature and take a +message to her.</p> + +<p>"No one offered. This one had a +family to look after. That one was not +feeling well. Another had a pain in his +wings. One and all they had an excuse +until Hummer, the tiniest of all the +birds, was reached. He darted into the +air before King Eagle. 'I'll go,' said +he.</p> + +<p>"All the others laughed. The very +idea of such a tiny fellow going out to +dare the dangers of the unknown Great +World seemed to them so absurd that +they just had to laugh. But King +Eagle didn't laugh. He thanked Hummer +and told him that his heart was as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +big as his body was small, but that he +would not send him out into the Great +World, for he would go himself. He +had been but trying out his subjects, +and he had found but one who was +worthy, and that one was the smallest +of them all. Then King Eagle said +things that made all the other birds +hang their heads for shame and want to +sneak out of sight.</p> + +<p>"After that, he told them that no +king who was worthy to be king would +ask his subjects to do what he would not +do himself, and that where there was +danger to be faced or something hard +to do, it was the king's place to do it, so +he himself was going out into the unknown +Great World to find Mother +Nature and see what could be done to +make things better and happier for +them. Then he spread his great wings +and sailed away, every inch a king.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +They watched him until he was a speck +in the sky, and finally he disappeared +altogether.</p> + +<p>"Day after day they watched for him +to come back, but there was no sign of +him; they began to shake their heads +and openly talk of choosing a new king. +Only little Mr. Hummer kept his faith +and day after day flew away in the direction +old King Eagle had gone, hoping +to meet him coming back. At last +a day was set to choose a new king. +That morning, as soon as it was light +enough to see, little Mr. Hummer darted +away, and his heart was heavy. He +would take no part in choosing a new +king. He would go until he found King +Eagle or until something happened to +him. Pretty soon he saw a speck way +up against a cloud, a speck no bigger +than himself. It grew bigger and bigger, +and at last he knew that it was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +King Eagle himself. Little Mr. Hummer +turned and flew as he never had +flown before. He wanted to get back +before a new king was chosen, so that +King Eagle might never know that his +subjects had lost faith in him.</p> + +<p>"He was so out of breath when he +reached the other birds that he couldn't +say a word for a few minutes. Then he +told them that King Eagle was coming. +The other birds had proved that they +were not brave when they had refused +to go out in search of Old Mother Nature, +and now they proved it again. +Instead of waiting to give King Eagle +a royal welcome, they hurried away, +one after another. They were afraid to +meet him, because in their hearts they +knew that they had done a cowardly +thing in deciding to choose a new king. +So when King Eagle, weary and with +torn wings and broken tail feathers,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> +dropped down to the tall tree in the +Green Forest, there was none to give +him greeting save little Mr. Hummer.</p> + +<p>"King Eagle said nothing about the +failure of the other birds to give him +greeting but at once sent little Mr. +Hummer around to tell all the others +that far away he had found Old Mother +Nature preparing a new land for them, +and that when she gave the word, he +would lead them to it. Then King +Eagle flew to his home on the cliff of +the mountain, and not one word did he +ever say of his terrible journey, of how +he had gone hungry, had been beaten +by storms, and had suffered from cold +and weariness, yet never once had +turned back.</p> + +<p>"But when Old Mother Nature came +later and announced that the new land +was ready for the birds, she first called +them together and told them all that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +King Eagle had suffered, and how he +had proved himself a royal king. As a +reward she promised that his family +should be rulers over the birds forever, +and as a sign that this should be so, she +reached forth and touched his black +head, and it became snowy white, and +all the birds cried 'Long live the king!'</p> + +<p>"Then Old Mother Nature turned to +tiny Mr. Hummer and touched his +throat, and behold a shining ruby was +there, the reward of loyalty, faith, and +bravery.</p> + +<p>"Then King Eagle mounted into the +air and proudly led the way to the +promised land. And so the birds went +forth and peopled the Great World, and +King Eagle and his children and his +children's children have ruled the air +ever since and have worn the snowy +crown which King Eagle of long ago so +bravely won."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>II</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. MINK TAUGHT HIMSELF<br /> +TO SWIM</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. MINK TAUGHT HIMSELF TO<br /> +SWIM</h3> + +<p>Of all the little people who live in +the Green Forest or on the +Green Meadows or around the +Smiling Pool, Billy Mink has the most +accomplishments. At least, it seems +that way to his friends and neighbors. +He can run very swiftly; he can climb +very nimbly; his eyes and his ears and +his nose are all wonderfully keen, and—he +can swim like a fish. Yes, Sir, +Billy Mink is just as much at home in +the water as out of it. So, wherever he +happens to be, in the Green Forest, out +on the Green Meadows, along the +Laughing Brook, or in the Smiling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +Pool, he feels perfectly at home and +quite able to look out for himself.</p> + +<p>Once Billy Mink had boasted that he +could do anything that any one else +who wore fur could do, but boasters +almost always come to grief, and Grandfather +Frog had brought Billy to grief +that time. He had invited every one to +meet at the Smiling Pool and see Billy +Mink do whatever any one else who +wore fur could do, and then, when Billy +had run and jumped and climbed and +swum, Grandfather Frog had called +Flitter the Bat. There was some one +wearing fur who could fly, and of +course Billy Mink couldn't do that. It +cured Billy of boasting,—for a while, +anyway.</p> + +<p>Now Peter Rabbit, who can do little +but run and jump, used sometimes to +feel a wee bit of envy in his heart when +he thought of all the things that Billy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +Mink could do and do well. Somehow +Peter could never make it seem quite +right that one person should be able to +do so many things when others could do +only one or two things. He said as +much to Grandfather Frog one day, as +they watched Billy Mink catch a fat +trout.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum!" said Grandfather +Frog and looked sharply at Peter. +"Chug-a-rum! People never know +what they can do till they try. Once +upon a time Billy Mink's great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +couldn't swim any more than you can, but he +didn't waste any time foolishly wishing +that he could."</p> + +<p>"What did he do?" asked Peter eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Learned how," replied Grandfather +Frog gruffly. "Made it his business to +learn how. Then he taught his chil<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>dren, +and they taught their children, +and after a long time it came natural to +the Mink family to swim."</p> + +<p>"Did it take old Mr. Mink very long +to learn how?" asked Peter wistfully.</p> + +<p>"Quite a while," replied Grandfather +Frog. "Quite a while. Perhaps you +would like to hear about it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you please, Grandfather +Frog," cried Peter. "If you please. I +should love dearly to hear about it. +Perhaps then I can learn to swim."</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog snapped up a foolish +green fly that happened his way, +and Peter heard something that +sounded very much like a chuckle. He +looked at Grandfather Frog suspiciously. +Was that chuckle because of +the foolish green fly, or was Grandfather +Frog laughing at him? Peter +wasn't sure.</p> + +<p>"It all happened a long time ago<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +when the world was young, as a great +many other things happened," began +Grandfather Frog. "Old Mr. Mink, +the ever-so-great-grandfather of Billy +Mink, couldn't do all the things that +Billy can now. For instance, he +couldn't swim. But he could do a great +many things, and he was very smart. +It has always run in the Mink family +to be smart. He dressed very much as +Billy does now, except that he didn't +have the waterproof coat that Billy has. +And he was a great traveler, just as +Billy is. Everybody smaller than he +and some who were bigger were a little +bit afraid of old Mr. Mink, for he was +quite as sly and cunning as Mr. Fox, +and it was suspected that he knew a +great deal more than he ever admitted +about eggs that were stolen and nests +that were broken up, and other strange +things that happened in the Green For<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>est +and along the Laughing Brook. But +he never was caught doing anything +wrong and always seemed to be minding +his own business, so, all things considered, +he got along very well with his +neighbors.</p> + +<p>"Now Mr. Mink was small and spry, +and his wits were as nimble as his feet. +He saw all that was going on about him, +and he was wise enough to keep his +tongue still, so that it never got him +into trouble as gossipy tongues do some +people I know."</p> + +<p>Peter Rabbit fidgeted uneasily. It +seemed to him that Grandfather Frog +had looked at him very hard when he +said this. But Grandfather Frog just +cleared his throat and went on with his +story.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Sir, old Mr. Mink kept his +eyes wide open and his ears wide open +and the wits in his little brown head<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +always working. He noticed that those +who were fussy about what they ate +and insisted on having a special kind of +food often went hungry or had to hunt +long and hard to find what they liked, +so he made up his mind to learn to eat +many kinds of food. This is how it +happens that he learned to like fish. +His big cousin, Mr. Otter, often caught +a bigger fish than he could eat all himself +and would leave some of it on the +bank. Mr. Mink would find it and help +himself.</p> + +<p>"But having to depend on Mr. Otter +to get the fish for him didn't suit Mr. +Mink at all. In the first place, he didn't +have as much as he wanted. And then +again he didn't have it when he wanted +it. 'If I could learn to catch fish for +myself, I would be much better off,' +thought Mr. Mink. After this he spent +a great deal of time on the banks of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +Smiling Pool watching Mr. Otter swim +to see just how he did it. 'If he can +swim, I can swim,' said Mr. Mink to +himself, and went off up the Laughing +Brook to a quiet little pool where the +water was not deep.</p> + +<p>"At first he didn't like it at all. The +water got in his ears and up his nose +and choked him. And then it was so +dreadfully wet! But he would grit his +teeth and keep at it. After a while he +got so that he could paddle around a +little. Gradually he lost his fear of the +water. Then he found that because he +naturally moved so quickly he could +sometimes catch foolish minnows who +swam in where the water was very +shallow. This was great sport, and he +quite often had fish for dinner now.</p> + +<p>"But he wasn't satisfied. No, Sir, +he wasn't satisfied. Whatever Mr. +Mink did, he wanted to do well. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +could run well and climb well, and +there was no better hunter in all the +Green Forest. He was bound that he +would swim well. So he kept trying +and trying. He learned to fill his lungs +with air and hold his breath for a long +time, while he swam as fast as ever he +could with his head under water as he +had seen his cousin, Mr. Otter, swim. +The more he did this, the longer he +could hold his breath. After a while he +found that because he was slim and +trim and moved so fast, he could out-swim +Mr. Muskrat, and this made him +feel very good indeed, for Mr. Muskrat +spent nearly all his time in the +water and was accounted a very good +swimmer. There was only one thing +that bothered Mr. Mink. The water +was so dreadfully wet! Every time he +came out of it, he had to run his hardest +to dry off and keep from getting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +cold. This was very tiresome and he +did wish that there was an easier way +of drying off.</p> + +<p>"Then came the bad time, the sad +time, when food was scarce, and most +of the little people in the Green Forest +and on the Green Meadow went hungry. +But Mr. Mink didn't go hungry. +Oh, my, no! You see, he had learned +to catch fish, and so he had plenty to +eat. When Old Mother Nature came +to see how all the little people were getting +along, she was very much surprised +to find that Mr. Mink had become +a famous swimmer. She watched +him catch a fish. Then she watched +him run about to dry off and keep from +getting cold, and her eyes twinkled.</p> + +<p>"'He who helps himself deserves to +be helped,' said Old Mother Nature. +Mr. Mink didn't know what she meant +by that, but the next morning he found<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +out. Yes, Sir, the next morning he +found out. He found that he had a +brand new coat over his old one, and +the new one was waterproof. He could +swim as much as he pleased and +not get the least bit wet, because the +water couldn't get through that new +coat. And ever since that long-ago day +when the world was young, the Minks +have had waterproof coats and have +been famous fishermen. Hello, Peter +Rabbit! What under the sun are you +trying to do, swelling yourself up that +way?"</p> + +<p>"I—I was just practising holding +my breath," replied Peter and looked +very, very foolish.</p> + +<p>"Ho, ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha!" laughed +Grandfather Frog. "You can't learn +to swim by holding your breath on dry +land, Peter Rabbit."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<h2>III</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. TOAD LEARNED TO SING</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. TOAD LEARNED TO SING</h3> + +<p>Peter Rabbit never will forget +how he laughed the first time he +heard Old Mr. Toad say that he +could sing and was going to sing. Why, +Peter would as soon think of singing +himself, and that is something he can +no more do than he can fly. Peter had +known Old Mr. Toad ever since he +could remember. He was rather fond +of him, even if he did play jokes on him +once in a while. But he always thought +of Old Mr. Toad as one of the homeliest +of all his friends,—slow, awkward, and +too commonplace to be very interesting. +So when, in the glad joyousness of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +spring, Old Mr. Toad had told Jimmy +Skunk that he was going down to the +Smiling Pool to sing because without +him the great chorus there would lack +one of its sweetest voices, Peter and +Jimmy had laughed till the tears came.</p> + +<p>A few days later Peter happened over +to the Smiling Pool for a call on Grandfather +Frog. A mighty chorus of joy +from unseen singers rose from all about +the Smiling Pool. Peter knew about +those singers. They were Hylas, the +little cousins of Sticky-toes the Tree +Toad. Peter sat very still on the edge +of the bank trying to see one of them. +Suddenly he became aware of a new +note, one he never had noticed before +and sweeter than any of the others. +Indeed it was one of the sweetest of all +the spring songs, as sweet as the love +notes of Tommy Tit the Chickadee, +than which there is none sweeter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<p>It seemed to come from the shallow +water just in front of Peter, and he +looked eagerly for the singer. Then his +eyes opened until it seemed as if they +would pop right out of his head, and he +dropped his lower jaw foolishly. There +was Old Mr. Toad with a queer bag +Peter never had seen before swelled out +under his chin, and as surely as Peter +was sitting on that bank, it was Old +Mr. Toad who was the sweet singer!</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Toad paid no attention to +Peter, not even when he was spoken to. +He was so absorbed in his singing that +he just didn't hear. Peter sat there a +while to listen; then he called Jimmy +Skunk and Unc' Billy Possum, who +were also listening to the music, and +they were just as surprised as Peter. +Then he spied Jerry Muskrat at the +other end of the Smiling Pool and hurried +over there. Peter was so full of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +the discovery he had made that he could +think of nothing else. He fairly ached +to tell.</p> + +<p>"Jerry!" he cried. "Oh, Jerry +Muskrat! Do you know that Old Mr. +Toad can sing?"</p> + +<p>Jerry looked surprised that Peter +should ask such a question. "Of +course I know it," said he. "It would +be mighty funny if I didn't know it, +seeing that he is the sweetest singer in +the Smiling Pool and has sung here +every spring since I can remember."</p> + +<p>Peter looked very much chagrined. +"I didn't know it until just how," he +confessed. "I didn't believe him when +he told me that he could sing. I wonder +how he ever learned."</p> + +<p>"He didn't learn any more than you +learned how to jump," replied Jerry. +"It just came to him naturally. His +father sang, and his grandfather, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +his great grandfather, way back to the +beginning of things. I thought everybody +knew about that."</p> + +<p>"I don't. Tell me about it. Please +do, Jerry," begged Peter.</p> + +<p>"All right, I will," replied Jerry +good-naturedly. "It's something you +ought to know about, anyway. In the +first place, Old Mr. Toad belongs to a +very old and honorable family, one of +the very oldest. I've heard say that it +goes way back almost to the very beginning +of things when there wasn't +much land. Anyway, the first Toad, +the great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +of Old Mr. Toad and own cousin +to the great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +of Grandfather Frog, was one of +the first to leave the water for the dry +land.</p> + +<p>"Old Mother Nature met him hopping +along and making hard work of it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +because, of course, it was so new. She +looked at him sharply. 'What are you +doing here?' she demanded. 'Aren't +you contented with the water where +you were born?'</p> + +<p>"Mr. Toad bowed very low. +'Yes'm,' said he very humbly. 'I'll +go right back there if you say so. I +thought there must be some things +worth finding out on the land, and that +I might be of some use in the Great +World.'</p> + +<p>"His answer pleased Old Mother +Nature. She was worried. She had +planted all kinds of things on the land, +and they were springing up everywhere, +but she had discovered that bugs +of many kinds liked the tender green +things and were increasing so fast and +were so greedy that they threatened to +strip the land of all that she had +planted. She had so many things to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +attend to that she hadn't time to take +care of the bugs. 'If you truly want +to be of some use,' said she, 'you can +attend to some of those bugs.'</p> + +<p>"Mr. Toad went right to work, and +Old Mother Nature went about some +other business. Having so many other +things to look after, she quite forgot +about Mr. Toad, and it was several +weeks before she came that way again. +Right in the middle of a great bare +place where the bugs had eaten everything +was a beautiful green spot, and +patiently hopping from plant to plant +was Mr. Toad, snapping up every bug +he could see. He didn't see Old Mother +Nature and kept right on working. +She watched him a while as he hopped +from plant to plant catching bugs as +fast as he could, and then she spoke.</p> + +<p>"'Have you stayed right here ever +since I last saw you?' she asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Mr. Toad gave a start of surprise. +'Yes'm,' said he.</p> + +<p>"'But I thought you wanted to see +the Great World and learn things,' said +she.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Toad looked a little embarrassed. +'So I did,' he replied, 'but I +wanted to be of some use, and the bugs +have kept me so busy there was no time +to travel. Besides, I have learned a +great deal right here. I—I couldn't get +around fast enough to save <i>all</i> the +plants, but I have saved what I could.'</p> + +<p>"Old Mother Nature was more +pleased than she was willing to show, +for Mr. Toad was the first of all the +little people who had tried to help her, +and he had done what he could willingly +and faithfully.</p> + +<p>"'I suppose,' said she, speaking a +little gruffly, 'you expect me to reward +you.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Mr. Toad looked surprised and a +little hurt. 'I don't want any reward,' +said he. 'I didn't do it for that. It +will be reward enough to know that I +really have helped and to be allowed to +continue to help.'</p> + +<p>"At that Old Mother Nature's face +lighted with one of her most beautiful +smiles. 'Mr. Toad,' said she, 'if you +could have just what you want, what +would it be?'</p> + +<p>"Mr. Toad hesitated a few minutes +and then said shyly, 'A beautiful voice.'</p> + +<p>"It was Old Mother Nature's turn to +look surprised. 'A beautiful voice!' +she exclaimed. 'Pray, why do you +want a beautiful voice?'</p> + +<p>"'So that I can express my happiness +in the most beautiful way I know +of,—by singing,' replied Mr. Toad.</p> + +<p>"'You shall have it,' declared Old +Mother Nature, 'but not all the time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +lest you be tempted to forget your +work, which, you know, is the real +source of true happiness. In the spring +of each year you shall go back to your +home in the water, and there for a time +you shall sing to your heart's content, +and there shall be no sweeter voice than +yours.'</p> + +<p>"Sure enough, when the next spring +came, Mr. Toad was filled with a great +longing to go home. When he got +there, he found that in his throat was a +little music bag; and when he swelled +it out, he had one of the sweetest voices +in the world. And so it has been ever +since with the Toad family. Old Mr. +Toad is one of the sweetest singers in +the Smiling Pool, but when it is time +to go back to work he never grumbles, +but is one of the most faithful workers +in Mother Nature's garden," concluded +Jerry Muskrat.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + +<p>Peter sighed. "I never could work," +said he. "Perhaps that is why I cannot +sing."</p> + +<p>"Very likely," replied Jerry Muskrat, +quite forgetting that he cannot +sing himself although he is a great +worker.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>IV</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. CROW LOST HIS DOUBLE +TONGUE</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. CROW LOST HIS DOUBLE +TONGUE</h3> + +<p>"Caw, caw, caw, caw!" Blacky +the Crow sat in the top of a +tall tree and seemed trying to +see just how much noise he could make +with that harsh voice of his. Peter +Rabbit peered out from the dear Old +Briar-patch and frowned.</p> + +<p>"If I had a voice as unpleasant as +that, I'd forget I could talk. Yes, Sir, +I'd forget I had a tongue," declared +Peter.</p> + +<p>Somebody laughed, and Peter turned +quickly to find Jimmy Skunk. "What +are you laughing at?" demanded Peter.</p> + +<p>"At the idea of you forgetting that +you had a tongue," replied Jimmy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, I would if I had a voice like +Blacky's," persisted Peter, although he +grinned a wee bit foolishly as he looked +at Jimmy Skunk, for you know Peter +is a great gossip.</p> + +<p>"It's lucky for you that you haven't +then," retorted Jimmy. "I'm afraid +that you would lose your tongue just as +old Mr. Crow did."</p> + +<p>That sounded like a story. Right +away Peter sat up and took notice. +"Did old Mr. Crow really lose his +tongue? How did he lose it? Why did +he lose it? When—"</p> + +<p>Jimmy Skunk clapped a hand over +each ear and pretended that he was +going to run away. Peter jumped in +front of him. "No, you don't!" he +cried. "You've just got to tell me that +story, Jimmy Skunk."</p> + +<p>"What story?" asked Jimmy, as if +he hadn't the least idea in the world<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +what Peter was talking about, though +of course he knew perfectly well.</p> + +<p>"Caw, caw, caw, caw!" shouted +Blacky the Crow from the distant tree-top.</p> + +<p>"The story of how old Mr. Crow lost +his tongue. You may as well tell me +first as last, because I'll give you no +peace until you do," insisted Peter.</p> + +<p>Jimmy grinned. "If that's the case, +I guess I'll have to," said he. "Wait +until I find a comfortable place to sit +down. I never could tell a story standing +up."</p> + +<p>At last he found a place to suit him +and after changing his position two or +three times to make sure that he was +perfectly comfortable, he began.</p> + +<p>"Once upon a time—"</p> + +<p>"Never mind about that," interrupted +Peter. "I don't see why all +stories have to begin 'Once upon a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +time.' It seems as if everything interesting +happened long ago."</p> + +<p>"If you don't watch out, this story +won't begin at all," declared Jimmy.</p> + +<p>Peter looked properly ashamed for +interrupting, and Jimmy started again.</p> + +<p>"Once upon a time old Mr. Crow, +the great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +of Blacky, over there, possessed +the most wonderful tongue of any of +the little people who ran, walked, +crawled, or flew. He could imitate any +and everybody, and he did. He could +sing like Mr. Meadow Lark, or he could +bark like Mr. Wolf. He could whistle +like Mr. Quail, or he could growl like +old King Bear. There wasn't anybody +whose voice he couldn't imitate and do +it so well that if you had been there and +heard but not seen him, you never +would have guessed that it was an imitation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now the imp of mischief was in old +Mr. Crow, just as it is in Blacky to-day, +and he was smart too. There wasn't +anybody smarter than old Mr. Crow. +It's from him that Blacky gets his +smartness. It didn't take him long to +discover that no one else had such a +wonderful tongue. It was even more +wonderful than the tongue of old Mr. +Mocker the Mocking Bird. Mr. Mocker +could imitate the songs of other birds, +but old Mr. Crow could imitate anybody, +as I have said. He puzzled over +it a good deal himself for a while. He +couldn't understand how he could make +any sound he pleased, while his neighbors +could make only a few special +sounds.</p> + +<p>"Being very smart and shrewd, just +as Blacky is, he finally made up his +mind that it must be in his tongue. As +soon as he thought of that, he started<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +out to find out, and on one excuse or +another he managed to get all his +neighbors to show him their tongues. +Sure enough, his own tongue was different +from any of the others. It was +split a little, so that it was almost like +two tongues in one.</p> + +<p>"'That's it,' he chuckled. 'I knew +it. It's this little old tongue of mine. +Nobody else has got one like it, but +nobody knows that but me. I must +make good use of it. Yes, Sir, I must +make good use of it.'</p> + +<p>"Now when old Mr. Crow said that, +he didn't really mean good use at all. +That is, he didn't mean what you or I +or any of his neighbors would have +called good use. What he did mean +was the use that would bring to himself +the greatest gain in pleasure, and +being a great joker, he began by having +a lot of fun with his neighbors. When<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +he saw Mr. Rabbit, your grandfather a +thousand times removed, coming along, +he would hide, and just as Mr. Rabbit +was passing, he would snarl like Mr. +Lynx. Of course Mr. Rabbit would be +scared almost to death, and away he +would go, lipperty-lipperty-lip, and old +Mr. Crow would laugh so that he had +to hold his black sides. He would hide +in the top of a tree near Mr. Squirrel's +home, and just when Mr. Squirrel had +found a fat nut and started to eat it, +he would scream like Mr. Hawk and +then laugh to see Mr. Squirrel drop his +nut and dive headfirst into the nearest +hole. He would squeak like a mouse +when Mr. Fox was passing, just to see +Mr. Fox hunt and hunt for the dinner +he felt sure was close at hand.</p> + +<p>"But after a while Mr. Crow wasn't +satisfied with harmless jokes. Times +were getting hard, and everybody had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +to work to get enough to eat. This +didn't suit Mr. Crow at all, and one day +when he chanced to discover one of his +neighbors just sitting down to a good +meal, a new idea came to him. He stole +as near as he could without being seen +and suddenly growled like old King +Bear. Of course that meal was left in +a hurry. 'It is too bad to see all that +good food go to waste,' said Mr. Crow +and promptly ate it.</p> + +<p>"After that, instead of hunting for +food himself, he just kept a sharp eye +on his neighbors, and when they had +found something he wanted, he frightened +them away and helped himself. +All the time he was so sly about it that +never once was he suspected. He was a +great talker, was Mr. Crow, and spent +a great deal of time gossiping, and he +was always one of the first to offer +sympathy to those who had lost a meal.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now all this time, unknown to old +Mr. Crow, Old Mother Nature knew +just what was going on, for you can't +fool her, and it's of no use to try. One +morning Mr. Crow discovered Mr. Coon +just sitting down to a good breakfast. +He stole up behind Mr. Coon and +opened his mouth to bark like Mr. +Coyote, but instead of a bark, there +came forth a harsh 'Caw, caw, caw.' +It is a question which was the more +surprised, Mr. Coon or Mr. Crow. Mr. +Coon didn't forget his manners. He +politely invited Mr. Crow to sit down +and take breakfast with him. But Mr. +Crow had lost his appetite. Somehow +his tongue felt very queer. He thanked +Mr. Coon and begged to be excused. +Then he hurried over to the nearest pool +of water in which he could see his reflection +and stuck out his tongue. It +was no longer split into a double<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +tongue. Then old Mr. Crow guessed that +Old Mother Nature had found him out +and punished him, but to make sure, +he flew to the most lonesome place he +knew of, and there he tried to imitate +the voices of his neighbors; but try as +he would, all he could say was 'Caw, +caw, caw.'</p> + +<p>"For a long, long time after that no +one ever heard Mr. Crow say a word. +His neighbors didn't know what to +make of it, for you remember he had +been a great gossip. They said that he +must have lost his tongue. Of course +he hadn't, but he felt that he might as +well have. And ever since then the +Crow family has had the harshest of all +voices."</p> + +<p>"Caw, caw, caw!" shouted Blacky +from the top of the tree where he was +sitting.</p> + +<p>"I wonder," said Peter Rabbit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +thoughtfully, "if he could imitate other +people if his tongue should be split."</p> + +<p>"I've heard say that he could," replied +Jimmy Skunk, "but I don't +know. One thing is sure, and that is +that he is just as smart and sly as his +great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +was, and I guess it is just as well +that his tongue is just as it is."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>V</h2> + +<h3>HOW HOWLER THE WOLF GOT HIS +NAME</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW HOWLER THE WOLF GOT HIS NAME</h3> + + +<p>Peter Rabbit never had seen +Howler the Wolf, but he had +heard his voice in the distance, +and the mere sound had given him cold +shivers. It just went all through him. +It was very different from the voice of +Old Man Coyote. The latter is bad +enough, sounding as it does like many +voices, but there is not in it that terrible +fierceness which the voice of his big +cousin contains. Peter had no desire +to hear it any nearer. The first time he +met his cousin, Jumper the Hare, he +asked him about Howler, for Jumper +had come down to the Green Forest +from the Great Woods where Howler +lives and is feared.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Did you hear him?" exclaimed +Jumper. "I hope he won't take it +into his head to come down here. I +don't believe he will, because it is too +near the homes of men. If the sound +of his voice way off there gave you cold +shivers, I'm afraid you'd shake all to +pieces if you heard him close by. He's +just as fierce as his voice sounds. There +is one thing about him that I like, +though, and that is that he gives fair +warning when he is hunting. He +doesn't come sneaking about without a +sound, like Tufty the Lynx. He hunts +like Bowser the Hound and lets you +know that he is out hunting. Did you +ever hear how he got his name?"</p> + +<p>"No. How did he get his name?" +asked Peter eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Well, of course it's a family name +now and is handed down and has been +for years and years, ever since the first<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +Wolf began hunting way back when the +world was young," explained Jumper. +"For a long time the first Wolf had no +name. Most of the other animals and +birds had names, but nothing seemed +to just fit the big gray Wolf. He looked +a great deal like his cousin, Mr. Dog, +and still more like his other cousin, Mr. +Coyote. But he was stronger than +either, could run farther and faster +than either, and had quite as wonderful +a nose as either.</p> + +<p>"With Mr. Wolf, as with all the +other animals, life was an easy matter +at first. There was plenty to eat, and +everybody was on good terms with +everybody else. But there came a time, +as you know, when food became scarce. +It was then that the big learned to +hunt the small, and fear was born into +the world. Mr. Wolf was swift of leg +and keen of nose. His teeth were long<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +and sharp, and he was so strong that +there were few he feared to fight with. +In fact, he didn't know fear at all, for +he simply kept out of the way of those +who were too big and strong for him to +fight.</p> + +<p>"Most people like to do the things +they know they can do well. Mr. Wolf +early learned the joy of hunting. I +can't understand it myself. Can you?"</p> + +<p>Peter shook his head. You see +neither Jumper nor Peter ever have +hunted any one in all their lives. It is +always they who are hunted.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it was because he was so +strong of wind and leg that he enjoyed +running, and because he was so keen +of nose that he enjoyed following a trail. +Anyway, he scorned to spend his time +sneaking about as did his cousin, Mr. +Coyote, but chose to follow the swiftest +runners and to match his nose and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +speed and skill against their speed and +wits. He didn't bother to hunt little +people like us when there were big people +like Mr. Deer. The longer and +harder the hunt, the more Mr. Wolf +seemed to enjoy it.</p> + +<p>"At first he hunted silently, running +swiftly with his nose to the ground. +But this gave the ones he hunted very +little chance; he was upon them before +they even suspected that he was on +their trail. It always made Mr. Wolf +feel mean. He never could hold his +head and his tail up after that kind of +a hunt. He felt so like a sneak that he +just had to put his tail between his legs +for very shame. There was nothing +to be proud about in such a hunt.</p> + +<p>"One night he sat thinking about it. +Gentle Mistress Moon looked down at +him through the tree-tops, and something +inside him urged him to tell her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +his troubles. He pointed his sharp nose +up at her, opened his mouth and, because +she was so far away, did his best +to make her hear. That was the very +first Wolf howl ever heard. There was +something very lonely and shivery and +terrible in the sound, and all who heard +it shook with fear. Mr. Wolf didn't +know this, but he did know that he felt +better for howling. So every night he +pointed his nose up at Mistress Moon +and howled.</p> + +<p>"It happened that once as he did +this, a Deer jumped at the first sound +and rushed away in great fright. This +gave Mr. Wolf an idea. The next day +when he went hunting he threw up his +head and howled at the very first smell +of fresh tracks. That day he had the +longest hunt he ever had known, for +the Deer had had fair warning. Mr. +Wolf didn't get the Deer, because the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>latter swam across a lake and so got +away, but he returned home in high +spirits in spite of an empty stomach. +You see, he felt that it had been a fair +hunt. After that he always gave fair +warning. As he ran, he howled for very +joy. No longer did he carry his bushy +tail between his legs, for no longer did +he feel like a coward and a sneak. Instead, +he carried it proudly. Of all the +animals who hunted, he was the only +one who gave fair warning, and he felt +that he had a right to be proud. All the +others hunted by stealth. He alone +hunted openly and boldly.</p> + +<a name="Bear" id="Bear"></a><span class="toill"><a href="#Illus">Illus</a></span> +<p class="center"><a name="image-4" id="image-4"><!-- Image 4 --></a> +<img src="images/illus-074.jpg" height="480" width="334" alt="Old King Bear, who was king no longer, would growl a deep, rumbly-grumbly growl. Page 66." title="Old King Bear, who was king no longer, would growl a deep, rumbly-grumbly growl. Page 66." /></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>Old King Bear, who was king no longer, +would growl a deep, rumbly-grumbly growl. <i>Page</i> 66.</strong></p> + +<p>"Now this earned for him first the +dislike and then the hatred of the other +hunters. You see, when he was hunting, +he spoiled the hunting of those who +stole soft-footed through the Green +Forest and caught their victims by surprise. +The little people heard his voice<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +and either hid away or were on guard, +so that it was hard work for the silent +hunters to surprise them. At the sound +of his hunting cry, old King Bear, who +was king no longer, would growl a deep, +rumbly-grumbly growl, though he +didn't mind so much as some, because +he did very little hunting. He wouldn't +have done any if food had not been so +scarce, because he would have been entirely +satisfied with berries and roots, +if he could have found enough. Mr. +Lynx and Mr. Panther would snarl +angrily. Mr. Coyote and Mr. Fox +would show their teeth and mutter +about what they would do to Mr. Wolf +if only they were big enough and strong +enough and brave enough.</p> + +<p>"Of course, it wasn't long before Mr. +Wolf discovered that he had no friends. +The little people feared him, and the +big people hated him because he spoiled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +their hunting. But he didn't mind. In +fact, he looked down on Mr. Lynx and +Mr. Panther and Mr. Coyote and Mr. +Fox, and when he met them, he lifted +his tail a little more proudly than ever. +Sometimes he would howl out of pure +mischief just to spoil the hunting of the +others. So, little by little, he began to +be spoken of as Howler the Wolf, and +after a while everybody called him +Howler.</p> + +<p>"Of course, Howler taught his children +how to hunt and that the only honorable +and fair way was to give those +they hunted fair warning. So it grew +to be a fixed habit of the Wolf family +to give fair warning that they were +abroad and then trust to their wind +and wits and speed and noses to catch +those they were after. The result was +that they grew strong, able to travel +long distances, keen of nose, and sharp<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +of wit. Because the big people hated +them, and the little people feared them, +they lived by themselves and so formed +the habit of hunting together for company.</p> + +<p>"It has been so ever since, and the +name Howler has been handed down to +this day. No sound in all the Great +Woods carries with it more fear than +does the voice of Howler the Wolf, and +no one hunts so openly, boldly, and honorably. +Be thankful, Peter, that +Howler never comes down to the Green +Forest, but stays far from the homes +of men."</p> + +<p>"I am," replied Peter. "Just the +same, I think he deserves a better name +for the fair way in which he hunts, +though his name certainly does fit him. +I would a lot rather be caught by some +one who had given me fair warning +than by some one who came sneaking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +after me and gave me no warning. But +I don't want to be caught at all, so I +think I'll hurry back to the dear Old +Briar-patch." And Peter did.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>VI</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. SQUIRREL BECAME +THRIFTY</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. SQUIRREL BECAME THRIFTY</h3> + +<p>Grandfather Frog sat on +his big green lily-pad in the +Smiling Pool and shook his head +reprovingly at Peter Rabbit. Peter is +such a happy-go-lucky little fellow that +he never thinks of anything but the +good time he can have in the present. +He never looks ahead to the future. So +of course Peter seldom worries. If the +sun shines to-day, Peter takes it for +granted that it will shine to-morrow; so +he hops and skips and has a good time +and just trusts to luck.</p> + +<p>Now Grandfather Frog is very old +and very wise, and he doesn't believe<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +in luck. No, Sir, Grandfather Frog +doesn't believe in luck.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum!" says Grandfather +Frog, "Luck never just <i>happens</i>. +What people call bad luck is just the +result of their own foolishness or carelessness +or both, and what people call +good luck is just the result of their own +wisdom and carefulness and common +sense."</p> + +<p>Peter Rabbit had been making fun of +Happy Jack Squirrel because Happy +Jack said that he had too much to do +to stop and play that morning. Here it +was summer, and winter was a long +way off. What was summer for if not +to play in and have a good time? Yet +Happy Jack was already thinking of +winter and was hunting for a new +storehouse so as to have it ready when +the time to fill it with nuts should come. +It was much better to play and take<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +sun-naps among the buttercups and +daisies and just have a good time all +day long.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum!" said Grandfather +Frog, "Did you ever hear how old Mr. +Squirrel learned thrift?"</p> + +<p>"No," cried Peter Rabbit, stretching +himself out in the soft grass on the edge +of the Smiling Pool. "Do tell us about +it. Please do, Grandfather Frog!"</p> + +<p>You know Peter dearly loves a story.</p> + +<p>All the other little meadow and forest +people who were about the Smiling +Pool joined Peter Rabbit in begging +Grandfather Frog for the story, and +after they had teased for it a long time +(Grandfather Frog dearly loves to be +teased), he cleared his throat and began.</p> + +<p>"Once upon a time when the world +was young, in the days when old King +Bear ruled in the Green Forest, every<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>body +had to take King Bear presents of +things to eat. That was because he was +king. You know kings never have to +work like other people to get enough to +eat; everybody brings them a little of +their best, and so kings have the best +in the land without the trouble of working +for it. It was just this way with +old King Bear. That was before he +grew so fat and lazy and selfish that +Old Mother Nature declared that he +should be king no longer.</p> + +<p>"Now in those days lived old Mr. +Squirrel, the grandfather a thousand +times removed of Happy Jack Squirrel +whom you all know. Of course, he +wasn't old then. He was young and +frisky, just like Happy Jack, and he +was a great favorite with old King +Bear. He was a saucy fellow, was Mr. +Squirrel, and he used to spend most of +his time playing tricks on the other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +meadow and forest people. He even +dared to play jokes on old King Bear. +Sometimes old King Bear would lose +his temper, and then Mr. Squirrel +would whisk up in the top of a tall tree +and keep out of sight until old King +Bear had recovered his good nature.</p> + +<p>"Those were happy days, very +happy days indeed, and old King Bear +was a very wise ruler. There was +plenty of everything to eat, and so nobody +missed the little they brought to +old King Bear. Having so much +brought to him, he grew very particular. +Yes, Sir, old King Bear grew very +particular indeed. Some began to whisper +behind his back that he was fussy. +He would pick out the very best of +everything for himself and give the +rest to his family and special friends +or else just let it go to waste.</p> + +<p>"Now old King Bear was very fond<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +of lively little Mr. Squirrel, and often +he would give Mr. Squirrel some of the +good things for which he had no room +in his own stomach. Mr. Squirrel was +smart. He soon found out that the +more he amused old King Bear, the +more of King Bear's good things he +had. It was a lot easier to get his living +this way than to hunt for his food +as he always had in the past. Besides, +it was a lot more fun. So little Mr. +Squirrel studied how to please old King +Bear, and he grew fat on the good +things which other people had earned.</p> + +<p>"One day old King Bear gave little +Mr. Squirrel six big, fat nuts. You +see, old King Bear didn't care for nuts +himself, not the kind with the hard +shells, anyway, so he really wasn't as +generous as he seemed, which is the way +with a great many people. It is easy +to give what you don't want yourself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +Little Mr. Squirrel bowed very low and +thanked old King Bear in his best manner. +He really didn't want those nuts, +for his stomach was full at the time, +but it wouldn't do to refuse a gift from +the king. So he took the nuts and pretended +to be delighted with them.</p> + +<p>"'What shall I do with them?' said +little Mr. Squirrel as soon as he was +alone. 'It won't do for me to leave +them where old King Bear will find +them, for it might make him very angry.' +At last he remembered a certain +hollow tree. 'The very place!' cried +little Mr. Squirrel. 'I'll drop them in +there, and no one will be any the wiser.'</p> + +<p>"No sooner thought of than it was +done, and little Mr. Squirrel frisked +away in his usual happy-go-lucky fashion +and forgot all about the nuts in the +hollow tree. It wasn't very long after +this that Old Mother Nature began to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +hear complaints of old King Bear and +his rule in the Green Forest. He had +grown fat and lazy, and all his relatives +had grown fat and lazy because, you +see, none of them had to work for the +things they ate. The little forest and +meadow people were growing tired of +feeding the Bear family. It was just +at the beginning of winter when Old +Mother Nature came to see for herself +what the trouble was. It didn't take +her long to find out. No, Sir, it didn't +take her long. You can't fool Old +Mother Nature, and it's of no use to +try. She took one good look at old +King Bear nodding in the cave where +he used to sleep. He was so fat he +looked as if he would burst his skin.</p> + +<p>"Old Mother Nature frowned. 'You +are such a lazy fellow that you shall be +king no longer. Instead, you shall sleep +all winter and grow thin and thinner<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +till you awake in the spring, and then +you will have to hunt for your own +food, for never again shall you live on +the gifts of others,' said she.</p> + +<p>"All the little forest and meadow +people who had been bringing tribute, +that is things to eat, to old King Bear +rejoiced that they need do so no longer +and went about their business. All of +old King Bear's family, including his +cousin Mr. Coon, had been put to sleep +just like old King Bear himself. Yes, +Sir, they were all asleep, fast asleep.</p> + +<p>"Little Mr. Squirrel felt lonesome. +He grew more lonesome every day. +None of the other little people would +have anything to do with him because +they remembered how he had lived +without working when he was the favorite +of King Bear. The weather was +cold, and it was hard work to find anything +to eat. Mr. Squirrel was hungry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +all the time. He couldn't think of anything +but his stomach and how empty +it was. He grew thin and thinner.</p> + +<p>"One cold day when the snow covered +the earth, little Mr. Squirrel went +without breakfast. Then he went +without dinner. You see, he couldn't +find so much as a pine-seed to eat. Late +in the afternoon he crept into a hollow +tree to get away from the cold, bitter +wind. He was very tired and very cold +and very, very hungry. Tears filled his +eyes and ran over and dripped from his +nose. He curled up on the leaves at the +bottom of the hollow to try to go to +sleep and forget. Under him was something +hard. He twisted and turned, +but he couldn't get in a comfortable +position. Finally he looked to see what +the trouble was caused by. What do +you think he found? Six big, fat nuts! +Yes, Sir, six big, fat nuts! Little Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +Squirrel was so glad that he cried for +very joy.</p> + +<p>"When he had eaten two, he felt +better and decided to keep the others +for the next day. Then he began to +wonder how those nuts happened to be +in that hollow tree. He thought and +thought, and at last he remembered +how he had hidden six nuts in this very +hollow a long time before, when he had +had more than he knew what to do +with. These were the very nuts, the +present of old King Bear.</p> + +<p>"Right then as he thought about it, +little Mr. Squirrel had a bright idea. +He made up his mind that thereafter +he would stop his happy-go-lucky idleness, +and the first time that ever he +found plenty of food, he would fill that +hollow tree just as full as he could pack +it, and then if there should come a time +when food was scarce, he would have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +plenty. And that is just what he did +do. The next fall when nuts were plentiful, +he worked from morning till +night storing them away in the hollow +tree, and all that winter he was happy +and fat, for he had plenty to eat. He +never had to beg of any one. He had +learned to save.</p> + +<p>"And ever since then the Squirrels +have been among the wisest of all the +little forest people and always the busiest.</p> + +<span style="margin-left: 8em;">"The Squirrel family long since learned<br /></span> +<span style="margin-left: 8.5em;">That things are best when duly earned;<br /></span> +<span style="margin-left: 8.5em;">That play and fun are found in work<br /></span> +<span style="margin-left: 8.5em;">By him who does not try to shirk.<br /></span> + +<p>"And that's all," finished Grandfather +Frog.</p> + +<p>"Thank you! Thank you, Grandfather +Frog!" cried Peter Rabbit.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>VII</h2> + +<h3>HOW LIGHTFOOT THE DEER LEARNED +TO JUMP</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW LIGHTFOOT THE DEER LEARNED TO +JUMP</h3> + + +<p>It isn't often that Peter Rabbit is +filled with envy. As a rule, Peter +is very free from anything like +envy. Usually he is quite content with +the gifts bestowed upon him by Old +Mother Nature, and if others have more +than he has, he is glad for them and +wastes no time fretting because he has +not been so fortunate. But once in a +great while Peter becomes really and +truly envious. It was that way the +first time he saw Lightfoot the Deer +leap over a fallen tree, and ever after, +when he saw Lightfoot, a little of that +same feeling stirred in his heart. You<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +see, Peter always had been very proud +of his own powers of jumping. To be +sure Jumper the Hare could jump +higher and farther than he could, but +Jumper is his own cousin, so it was all +in the family, so to speak, and Peter +didn't mind. But to see Lightfoot the +Deer go sailing over the tops of the +bushes and over the fallen trees as if +he had springs in his legs was quite +another matter.</p> + +<p>"I wish I could jump like that," said +Peter right out loud one day, as he +stood with his hands on his hips watching +Lightfoot leap over a pile of brush.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you learn to?" asked +Jimmy Skunk with a mischievous +twinkle in the eye which Peter couldn't +see. "Lightfoot couldn't always jump +like that; he had to learn. Why don't +you find out how? Probably Grandfather +Frog knows all about it. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +knows about almost everything. If I +were you, I'd ask him."</p> + +<p>"I—I—I don't just like to," replied +Peter. "I've asked him so many questions +that I am afraid he'll think me a +nuisance. I tell you what, Jimmy, you +ask him!" Peter's eyes brightened as +he said this.</p> + +<p>Jimmy chuckled. "No, you don't!" +said he. "If there is anything you +want to know from Grandfather Frog, +ask him yourself. I don't want to know +how Lightfoot learned to jump. He +may jump over the moon, for all I care. +Have you seen any fat beetles this +morning, Peter?"</p> + +<p>"No," replied Peter shortly. "I'm +not interested in beetles. There may +never be any fat beetles, for all I care."</p> + +<p>Jimmy laughed. It was a good-natured, +chuckling kind of a laugh. +"Don't get huffy, Peter," said he.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +"Here's hoping that you learn how to +jump like Lightfoot the Deer, and that +I get a stomachful of fat beetles." +With that Jimmy Skunk slowly ambled +along down the Crooked Little Path.</p> + +<p>Peter watched him out of sight, +sighed, started for the dear Old Briar-patch, +stopped, sighed again, and then +headed straight for the Smiling Pool. +Grandfather Frog was there on his big +green lily-pad, and Peter wasted no +time.</p> + +<p>"How did Lightfoot the Deer learn +to jump so splendidly, Grandfather +Frog?" he blurted out almost before he +had stopped running.</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog blinked his great, +goggly eyes. "Chug-a-rum!" said he. +"If you'll jump across the Laughing +Brook over there where it comes into +the Smiling Pool, I'll tell you."</p> + +<p>Peter looked at the Laughing Brook<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +in dismay. It was quite wide at that +point. "I—I can't," he stammered.</p> + +<p>"Then I can't tell you how Lightfoot +learned to jump," replied Grandfather +Frog, quite as if the matter were +settled.</p> + +<p>"I—I'll try!" Peter hastened to +blurt out.</p> + +<p>"All right. While you are trying, +I'll see if I can remember the story," +replied Grandfather Frog.</p> + +<p>Peter went back a little so as to get +a good start. Then he ran as hard as +he knew how, and when he reached the +bank of the Laughing Brook, he jumped +with all his might. It was a good +jump—a splendid jump—but it wasn't +quite enough of a jump, and Peter +landed with a great splash in the water! +Grandfather Frog opened his great +mouth as wide as he could, which is +very wide indeed, and laughed until the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +tears rolled down from his great, goggly +eyes. Jerry Muskrat and Billy Mink +rolled over and over on the bank, laughing +until their sides ached. Even +Spotty the Turtle smiled, which is very +unusual for Spotty.</p> + +<p>Now Peter does not like the water, +and though he can swim, he doesn't feel +at all at home in it. He paddled for the +shore as fast as he could, and in his +heart was something very like anger. +No one likes to be laughed at. Peter +intended to start for home the very +minute he reached the shore. But just +before his feet touched bottom, he heard +the great, deep voice of Grandfather +Frog.</p> + +<p>"That is just the way Lightfoot the +Deer learned to jump—trying to do +what he couldn't do and keeping at it +until he could. It all happened a great +while ago when the world was young."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +Grandfather Frog was talking quite as +if nothing had happened, and he had +never thought of laughing. Peter was +so put out that he wanted to keep right +on, but he just couldn't miss that story. +His curiosity wouldn't let him. So he +shook himself and then lay down in the +sunniest spot he could find within +hearing.</p> + +<p>"Lightfoot's great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +was named Lightfoot +too, and was not a whit less handsome +than Lightfoot is now," continued +Grandfather Frog in his best story-telling +voice. "He had just such slim +legs as Lightfoot has now and just such +wonderful, branching horns. When he +had the latter, he was not much afraid +of anybody. Those enemies swift +enough of foot to catch him he could +successfully fight with his horns, and +those too big and strong for him to fight<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +were not swift enough to catch him. +But there was a season in every year +when he had no horns, as is the case +with Lightfoot. You know, or ought to +know, that every spring Lightfoot loses +his horns and through the summer a +new pair grows. It was so with Mr. +Deer of that long-ago time, and when he +lost those great horns, he felt very +helpless and timid.</p> + +<p>"Now old Mr. Deer loved the open +meadows and spent most of his time +there. When he had to run, he wanted +nothing in the way of his slim legs. +And how he could run! My, my, my, +how he could run! But there were +others who could run swiftly in those +days too,—Mr. Wolf and Mr. Dog. Mr. +Deer always had a feeling that some +day one or the other would catch him. +When he had his horns, this thought +didn't worry him much, but when he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +had lost his horns, it worried him a +great deal. He felt perfectly helpless +then. 'The thing for me to do is to +keep out of sight,' said he to himself, +and so instead of going out on the +meadows and in the open places, he hid +among the bushes and in the brush on +the edge of the Green Forest and behind +the fallen trees in the Green Forest.</p> + +<p>"But one thing troubled old Mr. +Deer, who wasn't old then, you know. +Yes, Sir, one thing troubled him a great +deal. He couldn't run fast at all among +the bushes and the fallen trees and the +old logs. This was a new worry, and it +troubled him almost as much as the old +worry. He felt that he was in a dreadful +fix. You see, hard times had come, +and the big and strong were preying on +the weak and small in order to live.</p> + +<p>"'If I stay out on the meadows, I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +cannot fight if I am caught; and if I +stay here, I cannot run fast if I am +found by my enemies. Oh, dear! Oh, +dear! What shall I do?' cried Mr. +Deer, as he lay hidden among the +branches of a fallen hemlock-tree.</p> + +<p>"Just at that very minute along +came Mr. Hare, the great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +of your cousin +Jumper. A big log was in his path, and +he jumped over it as lightly as a +feather. Mr. Deer watched him and +sighed. If only he could jump like that +in proportion to his size, he would just +jump over the bushes and the fallen +logs and the fallen trees instead of trying +to run around them or squeeze between +them. Right then he had an +idea. Why shouldn't he learn to jump? +He could try, anyway. So when he was +sure that no one was around to see him, +he practised jumping over little low<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +bushes. At first he couldn't do much, +but he kept trying and trying, and little +by little he jumped higher. It was +hard work, and he scraped his slim legs +many times when he tried to jump over +old logs and stumps.</p> + +<p>"Now all this time some one had +been watching him, though he didn't +know it. It was Old Mother Nature. +One day she stopped him as he was +trotting along a path. 'What is this +you are doing when you think no one +is watching?' she demanded, looking +very cross. 'Haven't I given you +beauty and speed? And yet you are +not satisfied!' Mr. Deer hung his head. +Then suddenly he threw it up proudly +and told Old Mother Nature that he had +not complained, but that through his +own efforts he was just trying to add +to the blessings which he did have, and +he explained why he wanted to learn to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +jump. Old Mother Nature heard him +through. 'Let me see you jump over +that bush,' she snapped crossly, pointing +to a bush almost as high as Mr. +Deer himself.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, I can't jump nearly as high +as that!' he cried. Then tossing his +head proudly, he added, 'But I'll try.' +So just as Peter Rabbit tried to jump +the Laughing Brook when he felt sure +that he couldn't, Mr. Deer tried to +jump the bush. Just imagine how surprised +he was when he sailed over it +without even touching the top of it with +his hoofs! Old Mother Nature had +given him the gift of jumping as a reward +for his perseverance and because +she saw that he really had need of it.</p> + +<p>"So ever since that long-ago day, the +Deer have lived where the brush is +thickest and the Green Forest most +tangled, because they are such great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +jumpers that they can travel faster +there than their enemies, and they are +no longer so swift of foot in the open +meadows. Now, Peter, let's see you +jump over the Laughing Brook."</p> + +<p>What do you think Peter did? Why, +he tried again, and laughed just as hard +as the others when once more he landed +in the water with a great splash.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>VIII</h2> + +<h3>HOW MR. FLYING SQUIRREL ALMOST +GOT WINGS</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a>VIII</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW MR. FLYING SQUIRREL ALMOST GOT +WINGS</h3> + +<p>Jimmy Skunk and Peter Rabbit +were having a dispute. It was a +good-natured dispute, but both +Jimmy and Peter are very decided in +their opinions, and neither would give +in to the other. Finally they decided +that as neither could convince the other, +they should leave it for Grandfather +Frog to decide which was right. So +they straightway started for the Smiling +Pool, where on his big green lily-pad +Grandfather Frog was enjoying the +twilight and leading the great Frog +chorus. Both agreed that they would +accept Grandfather Frog's decision.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +You see, each was sure that he was +right.</p> + +<p>When they reached the Smiling Pool, +they found Grandfather Frog looking +very comfortable and old and wise. +"Good evening, Grandfather Frog. I +hope you are feeling just as fine as you +look," said Jimmy Skunk, who never +forgets to be polite.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum! I'm feeling very +well, thank you," replied Grandfather +Frog. "What brings you to the Smiling +Pool this fine evening?" He +looked very hard at Peter Rabbit, for +he suspected that Peter had come for +a story.</p> + +<p>"To get the wisest person of whom +we know to decide a matter on which +Peter and I cannot agree; and who is +there so wise as Grandfather Frog?" +replied Jimmy.</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog looked immensely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +pleased. It always pleases him to be +considered wise. "Chug-a-rum!" said +he gruffly. "You have a very smooth +tongue, Jimmy Skunk. But what is +this matter on which you cannot +agree?"</p> + +<p>"How many animals can fly?" returned +Jimmy, by way of answer.</p> + +<p>"One," replied Grandfather Frog. +"I thought everybody knew that. +Flitter the Bat is the only animal who +can fly."</p> + +<p>"You forget Timmy, the Flying +Squirrel!" cried Peter excitedly. +"That makes two."</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog shook his head. +"Peter, Peter, whatever is the matter +with those eyes of yours?" he exclaimed. +"They certainly are big +enough. I wonder if you ever will +learn to use them. Half-seeing is +sometimes worse than not seeing at all.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +Timmy cannot fly any more than I +can."</p> + +<p>"What did I tell you?" cried Jimmy +Skunk triumphantly.</p> + +<p>"But I've seen him fly lots of +times!" persisted Peter. "I guess +that any one who has envied him as +often as I have ought to know."</p> + +<p>"Hump!" grunted Grandfather +Frog. "I guess that's the trouble. +There was so much envy that it got into +your eyes, and you couldn't see straight. +Envy is a bad thing."</p> + +<p>Jimmy Skunk chuckled.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever see him away from +trees?" continued Grandfather Frog.</p> + +<p>"No," confessed Peter.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever see him cut circles in +the air like Flitter the Bat?"</p> + +<p>"No-o," replied Peter slowly.</p> + +<p>"Of course not," retorted Grandfather +Frog. "The reason is because<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +he doesn't fly. He hasn't any wings. +What he does do is to coast on the air. +He's the greatest jumper and coaster in +the Green Forest."</p> + +<p>"Coast on the air!" exclaimed +Peter. "I never heard of such a +thing."</p> + +<p>"There are many things you never +have heard of," replied Grandfather +Frog. "Sit down, Peter, and stop fidgeting, +and I'll tell you a story."</p> + +<p>The very word story was enough to +make Peter forget everything else, and +he promptly sat down with his big eyes +fixed on Grandfather Frog.</p> + +<p>"It happened," began Grandfather +Frog, "that way back in the beginning +of things, there lived a very timid member +of the Squirrel family, own cousin +to Mr. Red Squirrel and Mr. Gray +Squirrel, but not at all like them, for +he was very gentle and very shy. Per<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>haps +this was partly because he was +very small and was not big enough or +strong enough to fight his way as the +others did. In fact, this little Mr. +Squirrel was so timid that he preferred +to stay out of sight during the day, +when so many were abroad. He felt +safer in the dusk of evening, and so he +used to wait until jolly, round, red Mr. +Sun had gone to bed behind the Purple +Hills before he ventured out to hunt +for his food. Then his quarrelsome +cousins had gone to bed, and there was +no one to drive him away when he found +a feast of good things.</p> + +<p>"But even at night there was plenty +of danger. There was Mr. Owl to be +watched out for, and other night prowlers. +In fact, little Mr. Squirrel didn't +feel safe on the ground a minute, and +so he kept to the trees as much as possible. +Of course, when the branches of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +one tree reached to the branches of another +tree, it was an easy matter to +travel through the tree-tops, but every +once in a while there would be open +places to cross, and many a fright did +timid little Mr. Squirrel have as he +scampered across these open places. +He used to sit and watch old Mr. Bat +flying about and wish that he had wings. +Then he thought how foolish it was to +wish for something he hadn't got and +couldn't have.</p> + +<p>"'The thing to do,' said little Mr. +Squirrel to himself, 'is to make the +most of what I have got. Now I am a +pretty good jumper, but if I keep jumping, +perhaps I can learn to jump better +than I do now.'</p> + +<p>"So every night Mr. Squirrel used to +go off by himself, where he was sure no +one would see him, and practise jumping. +He would climb an old stump and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +then jump as far as he could. Then he +would do it all over again ever so many +times, and after a little he found that +he went farther, quite a little farther, +than when he began. Then one night he +made a discovery. He found that by +spreading his arms and legs out just as +far as possible and making himself as +flat as he could, he could go almost +twice as far as he had been able to go +before, and he landed a great deal +easier. It was like sliding down on the +air. It was great fun, and pretty soon +he was spending all his spare time doing +it.</p> + +<p>"One moonlight night, Old Mother +Nature happened along and sat down +on a log to watch him. Little Mr. +Squirrel didn't see her, and when at +last she asked him what he was doing, +he was so surprised and confused that +he could hardly find his tongue. At last<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +he told her that he was trying to learn +to jump better that he might better take +care of himself. The idea pleased Old +Mother Nature. You know she is always +pleased when she finds people trying +to help themselves.</p> + +<p>"'That's a splendid idea,' said she. +'I'll help you. I'll make you the greatest +jumper in the Green Forest.'</p> + +<p>"Then she gave to little Mr. Squirrel +something almost but not quite like +wings. Between his fore legs and hind +legs on each side she stretched a piece +of skin that folded right down against +his body when he was walking or running +so as to hardly show and wasn't in +the way at all.</p> + +<p>"'Now,' said she, 'climb that tall +tree over yonder clear to the top and +then jump with all your might for that +tree over there across that open place.'</p> + +<p>"It was ten times as far as little Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +Squirrel ever had jumped before, and +the tree was so tall that he felt sure +that he would break his neck when he +struck the ground. He was afraid, +very much afraid. But Old Mother Nature +had told him to do it. He knew +that he ought to trust her. So he +climbed the tall tree. It was a frightful +distance down to the ground, and +that other tree was so far away that it +was foolish to even think of reaching it.</p> + +<p>"'Jump!' commanded Old Mother +Nature.</p> + +<p>"Little Mr. Squirrel gulped very +hard, trying to swallow his fear. Then +he jumped with all his might, and just +as he had taught himself to do, spread +himself out as flat as he could. Just +imagine how surprised he was and how +tickled when he just coasted down on +the air clear across the open place and +landed as lightly as a feather on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +foot of that distant tree! You see, the +skin between his legs when he spread +them out had kept him from falling +straight down. Of course if he hadn't +jumped with all his might, as Old +Mother Nature had told him to, even +though he thought it wouldn't be of +any use, he wouldn't have reached that +other tree.</p> + +<p>"He was so delighted that he wanted +to do it right over again, but he didn't +forget his manners. He first thanked +Old Mother Nature.</p> + +<p>"She smiled. 'See that you keep +out of danger, for that is why I have +made you the greatest jumper in the +Green Forest,' said she.</p> + +<p>"Little Mr. Squirrel did. People +who, like Peter, did not use their eyes, +thought that he could fly, and he was +called the Flying Squirrel. He was the +great-great-ever-so-great-grand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>father +of Timmy whom you both +know."</p> + +<p>"And Timmy doesn't really fly at +all, does he?" asked Jimmy Skunk.</p> + +<p>"Certainly not. He jumps and slides +on the air," replied Grandfather Frog.</p> + +<p>"What did I tell you?" cried Jimmy +triumphantly to Peter.</p> + +<p>"Well, anyway, it's next thing to +flying. I wish I could do it," replied +Peter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>IX</h2> + +<h3>HOW MR. WEASEL WAS MADE AN +OUTCAST</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="IX" id="IX"></a>IX</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW MR. WEASEL WAS MADE AN OUTCAST</h3> + +<p>Chatterer the Red +Squirrel peered down from +the edge of an old nest built long +ago in a big hemlock-tree in the Green +Forest, and if you could have looked +into Chatterer's eyes, you would have +seen there a great fear. He looked this +way; he looked that way. Little by +little, the fear left him, and when at +last he saw Peter Rabbit coming his +way, he gave a little sigh of relief and +ran down the tree. Peter saw him and +headed straight toward him to pass the +time of day.</p> + +<p>"Peter," whispered Chatterer, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +soon as Peter was near enough to hear, +"have you seen Shadow the Weasel?"</p> + +<p>It was Peter's turn to look frightened, +and he hastily glanced this way +and that way. "No," he replied. "Is +he anywhere about here?"</p> + +<p>"I saw him pass about five minutes +ago, but he seemed to be in a hurry, +and I guess he has gone now," returned +Chatterer, still whispering.</p> + +<p>"I hope so! My goodness, I hope +so!" exclaimed Peter, still looking this +way and that way uneasily.</p> + +<p>"I hate him!" declared Chatterer +fiercely.</p> + +<p>"So do I," replied Peter. "I guess +everybody does. It must be dreadful +to be hated by everybody. I don't believe +he has got a single friend in the +wide, wide world, not even among his +own relatives. I wonder why it is he +never tries to make any friends."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Here comes Jimmy Skunk. Let's +ask him. He ought to know, for he is +Shadow's cousin," said Chatterer.</p> + +<p>Jimmy came ambling up in his usual +lazy way, for you know he never hurries. +It seemed to Chatterer and Peter +that he was slower than usual. But he +got there at last.</p> + +<p>"Why is it, Jimmy Skunk, that your +cousin, Shadow the Weasel, never tries +to make any friends?" cried Chatterer, +as soon as Jimmy was near enough.</p> + +<p>"I've never asked him, but I suppose +it's because he doesn't want them," replied +Jimmy.</p> + +<p>"But why?" asked Peter.</p> + +<p>"I guess it's because he is an outcast," +replied Jimmy.</p> + +<p>"What is an outcast," demanded +Peter.</p> + +<p>"Why, somebody with whom nobody +else will have anything to do, stupid,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +replied Jimmy. "I thought everybody +knew that."</p> + +<p>"But how did it happen that he became +an outcast in the first place?" +persisted Peter.</p> + +<p>"He's always been an outcast, ever +since he was born, and I suppose he is +used to it," declared Jimmy. "His +father was an outcast, and his grandfather, +and his great-grandfathers way +back to the days when the world was +young."</p> + +<p>"Tell us about it. Do tell us about +it!" begged Peter.</p> + +<p>Jimmy smiled good-naturedly. +"Well, seeing that I haven't anything +else to do just now, I will. Perhaps +you fellows may learn something from +the story," said he. Then he settled +himself comfortably with his back to +an old stump and began.</p> + +<a name="Mice" id="Mice"></a><span class="toill"><a href="#Illus">Illus</a></span> +<p class="center"><a name="image-5" id="image-5"><!-- Image 5 --></a> +<img src="images/illus-132.jpg" height="480" width="319" alt="One day Mr. Rabbit surprised Mr. weasel +making a meal of young mice. Page 124." title="One day Mr. Rabbit surprised Mr. Weasel making a meal of young mice. Page 124." /></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>One day Mr. Rabbit surprised Mr. Weasel +making a meal of young mice. <i>Page</i> 124.</strong></p> + +<p>"When old King Bear ruled in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>forest long, long ago, and the great-great-ever-so-great-grandfathers of all +of us and of everybody else lived in +peace and happiness with each other, +slim, trim, spry Mr. Weasel lived with +the rest. He was small, just as Shadow +is now, and he looked just the same as +Shadow does now. He was on the best +of terms with all his neighbors, and no +one had a word to say against him. In +fact, he was rather liked and had quite +as many friends as anybody. But all +the time he had a mean disposition. He +hid it from his neighbors, but he had it +just the same. Now mean dispositions +are easily hidden when everything is +pleasant and there are no worries, and +that is the way it was then. No one +suspected any one else of meanness, for +with plenty to eat and nothing to worry +about, there was no cause for meanness.</p> + +<p>"With his mean disposition, Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +Weasel was also very crafty. Being +small and moving so swiftly, he was +hard to keep track of. You know how +it is with Shadow—now you see him, +and now you don't."</p> + +<p>Chatterer and Peter nodded. They +knew that it is because of this that he +is called Shadow.</p> + +<p>"Well," continued Jimmy, "it +didn't take him long to find that if he +were careful, he could go where he +pleased, and no one would be the wiser. +They say that he used to practise dodging +out of sight when he saw any one +coming, and after a while he got so that +he could disappear right under the +very noses of his neighbors. Being so +slim, he could go where any of his four-footed +neighbors could, and it wasn't +long before he knew all about every +hole and nook and corner anywhere +around. There were no secrets that he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +didn't find out, and all the time no one +suspected him.</p> + +<p>"Of course hard times came to Mr. +Weasel at last, just as to everybody +else, but they didn't worry him much. +You see, he knew all about the secret +hiding-places in which some of his +neighbors had stored away food, so +when he was hungry, all he had to do +was to help himself. So Mr. Weasel +became a thief, and still no one suspected +him. Now one bad habit almost +always leads to another. Mr. Weasel +developed a great fondness for eggs. +Our whole family has always had rather +a weakness that way."</p> + +<p>Jimmy grinned, for he knew that +Peter and Chatterer knew that he himself +never could pass a fresh egg when +he found it.</p> + +<p>"One day he found a nest in which +were four little baby birds instead of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +the eggs he had been expecting to find +there and, having a mean disposition, +he flew into a rage and killed those +four little birds. Yes, Sir, that's what +he did. He found the taste of young +birds very much to his liking, and he +began to hunt for more. Then he discovered +a nest of young mice, and he +found these quite as good as young +birds. Then came a great fear upon the +littlest people, but not once did they +suspect Mr. Weasel. He was very +crafty and went and came among them +just as always. They suspected only +the larger and stronger people of the +forest who, because food was getting +very scarce, had begun to hunt the +smaller people.</p> + +<p>"But you know wrongdoing is bound +to be found out sooner or later. One +day Mr. Rabbit surprised Mr. Weasel +making a meal of young mice, and of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +course he hurried to tell all his neighbors. +Then Mr. Weasel knew that it +was no longer of use to pretend that he +was what he was not, and he boldly +joined the bigger animals in hunting +the smaller ones. It makes most people +angry to be caught in wrongdoing +and it was just that way with Mr. +Weasel. He flew into a great rage and +vowed that he would kill Mr. Rabbit, +and when he couldn't catch Mr. Rabbit, +he hunted others of his neighbors until +there was no one, not even fierce Mr. +Wolf or Mr. Panther or Mr. Lynx, of +whom the littlest people were in such +fear. You see, they could hide from the +big hunters, but they couldn't hide +from Mr. Weasel because he knew all +their hiding-places, and he was so slim +and small that wherever they could go, +he could go.</p> + +<p>"Now the big people, like Mr. Wolf<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +and Mr. Panther, killed only for food +that they might live, and when they +found Mr. Weasel killing more than he +could eat, they would have nothing to +do with him and even threatened to kill +him if they caught him. So pretty soon +Mr. Weasel found that he hadn't a +friend in the world. This made him +more savage than ever, and he hunted +and killed just for the pleasure of it. +He took pleasure in the fear which he +read in the eyes of his neighbors when +they saw him.</p> + +<p>"Old Mother Nature was terribly +shocked when she discovered what was +going on, but she found that she could +do nothing with Mr. Weasel. He +wasn't sorry for what he had done and +he wouldn't promise to do better. +'Very well,' said Old Mother Nature, +'from this time on you and your children +and your children's children for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>ever +and ever shall be outcasts among +the people of the Green Forest and the +Green Meadows, hated by all, little and +big.' And it has been so to this day. +Even I am not on speaking terms +with Shadow, although he is my own +cousin," concluded Jimmy Skunk.</p> + +<p>Peter Rabbit shuddered. "Isn't it +dreadful not to have a single friend?" +he exclaimed. "I would rather have +to run for my life twenty times a day +than to be hated and feared and without +a single friend. I wouldn't be an +outcast for all the world."</p> + +<p>"There's not the least bit of danger +of that for you, Peter," laughed Jimmy +Skunk.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>X</h2> + +<h3>HOW THE EYES OF OLD MR. OWL +BECAME FIXED</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="X" id="X"></a>X</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW THE EYES OF OLD MR. OWL BECAME +FIXED</h3> + +<p>Blacky the Crow had discovered +Hooty the Owl dozing the +bright day away in a thick hemlock-tree. +Blacky knew that the bright +light hurt Hooty's big eyes and half +blinded him. This meant that he could +have no end of fun teasing Hooty, and +that Hooty would have to sit still and +take it all, because he couldn't see well +enough to fly away or to try to catch +Blacky. Now if the day had been dark, +as it sometimes is on cloudy days, or if +the dusk of evening had been settling +over the Green Meadows and the Green +Forest, matters would have been very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +different. Blacky would have taken +care, the very greatest care, not to let +Hooty know that he was anywhere +around. But as it was, here was a +splendid chance to spoil Hooty's sleep +and to see him grow very, very angry +and do it without running any great +risk.</p> + +<p>"Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw!" yelled +Blacky at the top of his voice, and at +once all his relatives came flocking over +to join in the fun. Dear me, dear me, +such a racket as there was then! They +flew over his head, and they settled in +the tree all around him, all yelling as +hard as ever they could. Everybody +within hearing knew what it meant, and +everybody who dared to hurried over +to watch the fun. Somehow most people +seem to take pleasure in seeing +some one else made uncomfortable, especially +if it is some one of whom they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +stand in fear and who is for the time +being helpless.</p> + +<p>Most of the little meadow and forest +people are very much afraid of Hooty +the Owl as soon as it begins to grow +dark, for that is when he can see best +and does all his hunting. So, though it +wasn't at all nice of them, they enjoyed +seeing him tormented by Blacky and his +relatives. But all the time they took +the greatest care to keep out of sight +themselves. Peter Rabbit was there. +So was Jumper the Hare and Happy +Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer +the Red Squirrel and Whitefoot the +Wood Mouse and Striped Chipmunk +and a lot more. Of course, Sammy Jay +was there, but Sammy didn't try to +keep out of sight. Oh, my, no! He +joined right in with the Crows, calling +Hooty all sorts of bad names and flying +about just out of reach in the most im<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>pudent +way. You see he knew just +how helpless Hooty was.</p> + +<p>Hooty was very, very angry. He +hissed, and he snapped his bill, and he +told his tormentors what he would do +to them if he caught them after dark. +And all the time he kept turning his +head with its great, round, glaring, yellow +eyes so as not to give his tormentors +a chance to pull out any of his feathers, +as the boldest of them tried to do. Now +Hooty can turn his head as no one else +can. He can turn it so that he looks +straight back over his tail, so that his +head looks as if it were put on the +wrong way. Then he can snap it +around in the other direction so quickly +that you can hardly see him do it, and +sometimes it seems as if he turned his +head clear around.</p> + +<p>That interested Peter Rabbit immensely. +He couldn't think of any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>thing +else. He kept trying to do the +same thing himself, but of course he +couldn't. He could turn his head sideways, +but that was all. He puzzled over +it all the rest of the day, and that night, +when his cousin, Jumper the Hare, +called at the dear Old Briar-patch, the +first thing he did was to ask a question.</p> + +<p>"Cousin Jumper, do you know why +it is that Hooty the Owl can turn his +head way around, and nobody else +can?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I know," replied Jumper. +"I thought everybody knew that. It's +because his eyes are fixed in their +sockets, and he can't turn them. So he +turns his whole head in order to see in +all directions. The rest of us can roll +our eyes, but Hooty can't."</p> + +<p>Peter scratched his long left ear with +his long right hindfoot, a way he has +when he is thinking or is puzzled.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +"That's funny," said he. "I wonder +why his eyes are fixed."</p> + +<p>"Because his great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +rolled his eyes too +much," replied Jumper, yawning. +"He saw too much. It's a bad thing +to see too much."</p> + +<p>"Tell me about it. Please do, Cousin +Jumper," begged Peter.</p> + +<p>Jumper looked up at the moon to see +what time of night it was.</p> + +<p>"All right," said he, settling himself +comfortably. "All the Owl family, way +back to the very beginning, have had +very big eyes. Old Mr. Owl had them. +He could move them just as we can +ours. And because they were so big, +and because he could roll them, there +was very little going on that Mr. Owl +didn't see. It happened one day that +Old Mother Nature took it into her wise +old head to put the little people of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +Green Meadows and the Green Forest +to a test. She wanted to see just how +many of them she could trust to obey +her orders. So she lined them all up +in a row. Then she made them turn so +that their backs were to her.</p> + +<p>"'Now,' said she, 'everybody is to +keep eyes to the front. I am going to +be very busy back here for a few minutes, +but not one of you is to peek. I +shall know if you do, and I shall see +to it that you never forget it as long as +you live.'</p> + +<p>"That sounded as if something +dreadful might happen, so everybody +sat perfectly still looking straight before +them. Some of them felt as if they +would die of curiosity to know what +Old Mother Nature was doing, but for +a while no one thought of disobeying. +Old Mr. Rabbit just itched all over with +curiosity. It seemed to him that he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +just must turn his head. But for once +he managed to get the best of his curiosity +and stared straight ahead.</p> + +<p>"Now Mr. Owl had tremendous +great ears, just as Hooty has to-day. +You can't see them because the feathers +cover them, but they are there just +the same."</p> + +<p>Peter nodded. He knew all about +those wonderful ears and how they +heard the teeniest, weeniest noise when +Hooty was flying at night.</p> + +<p>"Those, big ears," continued +Jumper, "heard every little sound that +Old Mother Nature made, and they +sounded queer to Mr. Owl. 'If I roll +back my eyes without turning my head, +I believe I can see what she is doing, +and she won't be any the wiser,' +thought he. So he rolled his eyes back +and then looked straight ahead again. +What he had seen made him want to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +see more. He tried it again. Just imagine +how he felt when he found that his +eyes wouldn't roll. He couldn't move +them a bit. All he could do was to +stare straight ahead. It frightened +him dreadfully, and he kept trying and +trying to roll his eyes, but they were +fixed fast. He could see in only one +direction, the way his head was turned.</p> + +<p>"When at last Old Mother Nature +told all the little people that they +might look, Mr. Owl didn't want to +look. He didn't want to face Old +Mother Nature, for he knew perfectly +well what had happened to his eyes. +He knew that Old Mother Nature had +seen him roll them back, and that as a +punishment she had fixed them so that +he would always stare straight ahead. +He didn't say anything. He was too +ashamed to. He flew away home the +very first chance he got. For a long<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +time after that, Mr. Owl never could +see behind him at all. He could only +turn his head part way, the same as +most folks, and he couldn't roll his +eyes to see the rest of the way. It +made him dreadfully nervous and unhappy. +He felt all the time as if people +were doing things behind his back. +But he didn't complain. He was +ashamed to do that.</p> + +<p>"Old Mother Nature was watching +him all the time. After a long, long +while, she decided that he had been +punished enough. But she didn't want +him to forget, so she kept his eyes fixed +so that they would look straight ahead; +but she gave him the power to turn his +head farther than any one else, so that +he could look straight behind him without +turning his body at all. And ever +since that time, all Owls have had fixed +eyes, but have been able to turn their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +heads so as to make them look as if they +were facing the wrong way."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Cousin Jumper," cried +Peter. "But there is one thing you +forgot to tell. What was it that Old +Mother Nature was doing when Mr. +Owl rolled his eyes to look back."</p> + +<p>"That," replied Jumper, "Mr. Owl +never told, and nobody else knew, so I +can't tell you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>XI</h2> + +<h3>HOW IT HAPPENS JOHNNY CHUCK +SLEEPS ALL WINTER</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="XI" id="XI"></a>XI</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW IT HAPPENS JOHNNY CHUCK SLEEPS +ALL WINTER</h3> + +<p>Peter Rabbit was bothered. +He was bothered in his mind, +and when Peter is bothered in +his mind, he loses his appetite. It was +so now. He had been up in the Old +Orchard and, as is his way, had stopped +at Johnny Chuck's for a bit of gossip. +As he sat there talking, it suddenly +came over him that Johnny was looking +unusually fat. He said so. Johnny +yawned in a very sleepy way as he replied:</p> + +<p>"One has to get fat in order to sleep +comfortably all winter. I've got to get +fatter than I am now before I turn in."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +And with that, Johnny Chuck fell to +eating as if his sides were falling in +instead of threatening to burst, and +Peter could get no more from him.</p> + +<p>So he went home to think it over, and +the more he thought, the more troubled +he became. How could anybody sleep +all winter? And what good did just +getting fat do? Johnny Chuck couldn't +eat his own fat, so what was the use of +it? "Must be it's to keep him warm," +thought Peter and brightened up. But +why wasn't a good thick coat of fur +just as good or even better? He didn't +have any trouble keeping warm. +Neither did Billy Mink or Little Joe +Otter or Reddy Fox. No, it couldn't +be that Johnny Chuck put on all that +fat just to keep warm. Besides, he +would spend the winter way down deep +in the ground, and there was no excuse +for being cold there.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I couldn't sleep all winter if I +wanted to, and I wouldn't if I could, +for there is too much fun to miss," muttered +Peter, as he started for the Smiling +Pool in search of Grandfather +Frog. He found him sitting on his big +lily-pad, but somehow Grandfather +Frog didn't look as chipper and smart +as usual. "He certainly is growing +old," thought Peter. "He isn't as +spry as he used to be. Seems as if he +had grown old in the last two or three +weeks. Too bad, too bad."</p> + +<p>Aloud, Peter said: "Why, Grandfather +Frog, how well you are looking! +You are enough to make us young fellows +envious."</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog looked at Peter +sharply. Perhaps he read the truth in +Peter's eyes. "Chug-a-rum!" said he. +"Be honest, Peter. Be honest. Don't +try to flatter, because it is a bad habit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +to get into. I know how I look. I look +old and tired. Now isn't that so?"</p> + +<p>Peter looked a little shamefaced. +He didn't know just what to say, so he +said nothing and just nodded his head.</p> + +<p>"That's better," said Grandfather +Frog gruffly. "Always tell the truth. +The fact is I <i>am</i> tired. I am so tired +that I'm going to sleep for the winter, +and I'm going to do it this very day."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Grandfather Frog," (Peter +had found his tongue), "please tell me +something before you go. I can understand +how you may want to sleep all +winter because you have no nice fur +coat to keep you warm, but why does +Johnny Chuck do it, and how does he +do it? Why doesn't he starve to +death?"</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog had to smile at the +eager curiosity in Peter's voice. "I +see you are just as full of questions as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +ever, Peter," said he. "I suppose I +may as well tell you one more story, +because it will be a long time before you +will get another from me. Johnny +Chuck sleeps all winter because he is +sensible, and he is sensible because it +runs in the family to be sensible. His +great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +was sensible. It's a very good +thing to have good sound common sense +run in the family, Peter."</p> + +<p>Once more Peter nodded his head. +Jerry Muskrat, who was sitting on the +Big Rock, listening, winked at Peter, +and Peter winked back. Then he made +himself comfortable and prepared not +to miss a word of Grandfather Frog's +story.</p> + +<p>"You must know, Peter, that a long +time ago when the world was young, +there was a time when there was no +winter," began Grandfather Frog.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +"That was before the hard times of +which I have told you before. Everybody +had plenty to eat, and everybody +was on the best of terms with all his +neighbors. Then came the hard times, +and the beginning of the hard times +was the coming of rough Brother North +Wind and Jack Frost. Their coming +made the first winter. It wasn't a very +long or a very hard winter, but it was +long enough and hard enough to make +a great deal of discomfort, particularly +for those little people who lived altogether +on tender young green plants. +Yes, Sir, it certainly was hard on them. +Some of them nearly starved to death +that first winter, short as it was. Old +Mr. Chuck, who, of course, wasn't old +then, was one of them. By the time the +tender, young, green things began to +grow again, he was just a shadow of +what he used to be. He was so thin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +that sometimes he used to listen to see +if he couldn't hear his bones rattle inside +his skin.</p> + +<p>"Of course he couldn't, but he was +quite sure that when the wind blew, it +went right through him. At last warm +weather returned, just as it does now +every summer, and once more there was +plenty to eat. Some of the little people +seemed to forget all about the hard +times of the cold weather, but not Mr. +Chuck. He had been too cold and too +hungry to ever forget. Of course, with +plenty to eat, he soon grew fat and comfortable +again, but all the time he kept +thinking about the terrible visit of +rough Brother North Wind and Jack +Frost and wondering if they would +come again. He talked about it with +his neighbors but most of them laughed +and told him that he was borrowing +trouble, and that they didn't believe<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +that Brother North Wind and Jack +Frost ever would come again.</p> + +<p>"So after a while Mr. Chuck kept his +thoughts to himself and went about his +business as usual. But all the time he +was turning over and over in his mind +the possibility of another period of +cold and starvation and trying to think +of some way to prepare for it. He +didn't once think of going to Old +Mother Nature and begging her to take +care of him, for he was very independent, +was Mr. Chuck, and believed that +those are best helped who help themselves. +So he kept studying and studying +how he could live through another +cold spell, if it should come.</p> + +<p>"'I haven't got as thick a fur coat +as Mr. Mink or Mr. Otter or Mr. Squirrel +or some others, and I can't run +around as fast as they can, so of course +I can't keep as warm,' said he to him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>self, +as he sat taking a sun-bath one +day. 'I must find some other way of +keeping warm. Now I don't believe +the cold can get very deep down in the +ground, so if I build me a house way +down deep in the ground, it always will +be comfortable. Anyway, it never will +be very cold. I believe that is a good +idea. I'll try it at once.'</p> + +<p>"So without wasting any time, Mr. +Chuck began to dig. He dug and he dug +and he dug. When his neighbors grew +curious and asked questions, he smiled +good-naturedly and said that he was +trying an experiment. When he had +made a long hall which went down so +deep that he was quite sure that Jack +Frost could not get down there, he +made a bedroom and put in it a bed of +soft grass. When it was finished, he +was so pleased with it that he retired +to it every night as soon as the sun went<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +down and didn't come out again until +morning.</p> + +<p>"'Anyway, I won't freeze to death,' +said he. Then he sighed as he remembered +how hungry, how terribly hungry +he had been. 'Now if only I can think +of some way to get food enough to carry +me through, I'll be all right.'</p> + +<p>"At first he thought of storing up +food, but when he tried that, he soon +found that the tender green things on +which he lived wouldn't keep. They +shriveled and dried, so that he couldn't +eat them at all. He was still trying to +think of some plan when Old Mother +Nature sent warning that rough +Brother North Wind and Jack Frost +were coming again. Mr. Chuck's heart +sank. He thought of how soon all the +tender green things would disappear. +Right then an idea was born in Mr. +Chuck's head. He would eat all he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +could while he could, and then he would +go down into his bedroom and sleep +just as long as he could!</p> + +<p>"So day after day he spent stuffing +himself, and his neighbors called him +Mr. Greedy. But he didn't mind that. +He kept right on eating, and of course +he grew fatter and fatter, so that at last +he was so fat he could hardly get about. +The days grew cooler and cooler, and +then Mr. Chuck noticed that because he +was so fat, he didn't feel the cold as he +had before. There came a morning at +last when Mr. Chuck stuck his nose out +to find Jack Frost waiting to pinch it. +All the tender green things were black +and dead. Back to his bed scrambled +Mr. Chuck and curled up to sleep just +as long as he could. He made up his +mind that he wouldn't worry until he +had to. He had done his best, and that +was all he could do.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p> + +<p>"When Old Mother Nature came to +see how the little people were faring, +she missed Mr. Chuck. She asked his +neighbors what had become of him, but +no one knew. At length she came to +his house and looking inside found him +fast asleep. She saw right away what +he had done and how fat he had grown. +She knew without being told what it +all meant, and the idea amused her. +Instead of wakening him, as she had at +first intended to do, she touched Mr. +Chuck and put him into a deeper sleep, +saying:</p> + + +<span style="margin-left: 14.5em;">"'You shall sleep, Mr. Chuck,<br /></span> +<span style="margin-left: 15em;">Through the time of frost and snow.<br /></span> +<span style="margin-left: 14.7em;">For your courage and your pluck<br /></span> +<span style="margin-left: 14.7em;">You shall no discomfort know.'<br /></span> + +<p>"And so Mr. Chuck slept on until the +tender young green things began once +more to grow. The cold could not reach +him, and the fat he had stored under his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +skin took the place of food. When he +awoke in the spring, he knew nothing +of the hard times his neighbors were +talking about. And ever since then the +Chuck family has slept through the +winter, because it is the most comfortable +and sensible thing to do. I know, +because I have done the same thing for +years. Good-by, Peter Rabbit! No +more stories until spring."</p> + +<p>Before Peter could say a word, there +was a splash in the Smiling Pool, and +Grandfather Frog was nowhere to be +seen.</p> + +<p>"I—I don't see how they do it," said +Peter, shaking his head in a puzzled +way as he slowly hopped towards the +dear Old Briar-patch.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>XII</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. OTTER LEARNED TO +SLIDE</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="XII" id="XII"></a>XII</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. OTTER LEARNED TO SLIDE</h3> + +<p>Little Joe Otter was having +the jolliest kind of a time. Little +Joe Otter is a jolly little chap, +anyway, and just now he was extra +happy. You see, he had a brand new +slippery-slide. Yes, Sir, Little Joe had +just built a new slippery-slide down the +steepest part of the bank into the Smiling +Pool. It was longer and smoother +than his old slippery-slide, and it +seemed to Little Joe as if he could slide +and slide all day long. Of course he enjoyed +it more because he had built it +himself. He would stretch out full +length at the top of the slippery-slide, +give a kick to start himself, shoot down<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> +the slippery-slide, disappear headfirst +with a great splash into the Smiling +Pool, and then climb up the bank and +do it all over again.</p> + +<p>Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck sat +watching him from the bank on the +other side of the Smiling Pool. Right +down below them, sitting on his big +green lily-pad, was Grandfather Frog, +and there was a sparkle in his big, +goggly eyes and his great mouth was +stretched in a broad grin as he watched +Little Joe Otter. He even let a foolish +green fly brush the tip of his nose and +didn't snap at it.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum!" exclaimed Grandfather +Frog to no one in particular. +"That reminds me of the days when I +was young and the greatest diver in the +Smiling Pool. My goodness, it makes +me feel young just to watch Little Joe +shoot down that slippery-slide. If I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +weren't so old, I'd try it myself. +Wheee!"</p> + +<p>With, that, Grandfather Frog suddenly +jumped. It was a great, long, +beautiful jump, and with his long hind +legs straight out behind him, Grandfather +Frog disappeared in the Smiling +Pool so neatly that he made hardly a +splash at all, only a whole lot of rings +on the surface of the water that grew +bigger and bigger until they met the +rings made by Little Joe Otter and +then became all mixed up.</p> + +<p>Half a minute later Grandfather +Frog's head bobbed up out of the water, +and for the first time he saw Johnny +Chuck and Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Come on in; the water's fine!" he +cried, and rolled one big, goggly eye up +at jolly, round, bright Mr. Sun and +winked it in the most comical way, for +he knew, and he knew that Mr. Sun<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +knew, just how Johnny Chuck and +Peter Rabbit dislike the water.</p> + +<p>"No, thanks," replied Peter, but +there was a wistful look in his big eyes +as he watched Little Joe Otter splash +into the Smiling Pool. Little Joe was +having such a good time! Peter actually +was wishing that he <i>did</i> like the +water.</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog climbed out on his +big green lily-pad. He settled himself +comfortably so as to face Johnny Chuck +and Peter and at the same time watch +Little Joe out of the corner of one big, +goggly eye.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum!" said he, as once +more Little Joe splashed into the Smiling +Pool. "Did you ever hear about +Little Joe's family secret?" he asked +in his deep gruff voice.</p> + +<p>"No," cried Peter Rabbit. "Do tell +us about it! I just love secrets."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +There was a great deal of eagerness in +Peter's voice, and it made Grandfather +Frog smile.</p> + +<p>"Is that the reason you never can +keep them?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Peter looked a wee bit foolish, but he +kept still and waited patiently. After +what seemed a long, long time, Grandfather +Frog cleared his throat two or +three times, and this is the story he told +Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit:</p> + +<p>"Once upon a time when the world +was young, the great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +of Little Joe Otter +got into a peck of trouble. Yes, Sir, he +certainly did get into a peck of trouble. +You see, it was winter, and everything +was covered with snow, so that food +was hard to get. Most of the little forest +and meadow people found little to +eat, and it took a great deal of hunting +to find that little. Only those who, like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +old Mr. Squirrel, had been wise enough +to lay up a store of food when there was +plenty, and two or three others like Mr. +Mink and Mr. Otter, who could go fishing +in the spring-holes which had not +frozen over, had full stomachs.</p> + +<p>"Now an empty stomach almost always +makes a short temper. It is hard, +very hard indeed to be hungry and +good-natured at the same time. So as +most of the people of the Green Forest +were hungry all the time, they were also +short-tempered all the time. Mr. Otter +knew this. When any of them came +prowling around the spring-hole where +he was fishing, he would tease them by +letting them see how fat he was. Sometimes +he would bring up a fine fish and +eat it right before them without offering +to share so much as a mouthful. He +had done this several times to Mr. +Lynx, and though Mr. Lynx had begged<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +and begged for just a bite, Mr. Otter +had refused the teeniest, weeniest bit +and had even made fun of Mr. Lynx +for not being smart enough to get sufficient +to eat.</p> + +<p>"Now it happened that one fine morning +Mr. Otter took it into his head to +take a walk in the Green Forest. It +was a beautiful morning, and Mr. Otter +went farther than he intended. He was +just trying to make up his mind +whether to turn back or go just a little +farther, when he heard stealthy footsteps +behind him. He looked over his +shoulder, and what he saw helped him +to make up his mind in a hurry. There, +creeping over the frozen snow, was Mr. +Lynx, and the sides of Mr. Lynx were +very thin, and the eyes of Mr. Lynx +looked very hungry and fierce, and the +claws of Mr. Lynx were very long and +strong and cruel looking. Mr. Otter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +made up his mind right away that the +cold, black water of that open spring-hole +was the only place for him, and he +started for it without even passing the +time of day with Mr. Lynx.</p> + +<p>"Now Mr. Otter's legs were very +short, just as Little Joe's are, but it +was surprising how fast he got over the +snow that beautiful morning. When he +came to the top of a little hill, he would +slide down, because he found that he +could go faster that way. But in spite +of all he could do, Mr. Lynx traveled +faster, coming with great jumps and +snarling and spitting with every jump. +Mr. Otter was almost out of breath +when he reached the high bank just +above the open spring-hole. It was +very steep, very steep indeed. Mr. +Otter threw a hasty glance over his +shoulder. Mr. Lynx was so near that +in one more jump he would catch him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +There wasn't time to run around to the +place where the bank was low. Mr. +Otter threw himself flat, gave a frantic +kick with his hind legs, shut his eyes, +and shot down, down, down the slippery +bank so fast that he lost what little +breath he had left. Then he landed +with a great splash in the cold, black +water and was safe, for Mr. Lynx was +afraid of the water. He stopped right +on the very edge of the steep bank, +where he growled and screeched and +told Mr. Otter what dreadful things he +would do to him if ever he caught him.</p> + +<p>"Now in spite of his dreadful fright, +Mr. Otter had enjoyed that exciting +slide down the steep bank. He got to +thinking about it after Mr. Lynx had +slunk away into the Green Forest, and +when he was rested and could breathe +comfortably again, he made up his mind +to try it once more. So he climbed out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +where the bank was low and ran around +to the steep place and once more slid +down into the water. It was great +fun, the greatest fun Mr. Otter ever +had had. He did it again and again. +In fact, he kept doing it all the rest of +that day. And he found that the more +he slid, the smoother and more slippery +became the slippery-slide, for the water +dripped from his brown coat and froze +on the slide.</p> + +<p>"After that, as long as the snow +lasted, Mr. Otter spent all his time, between +eating and sleeping, sliding down +his slippery-slide. He learned just how +to hold his legs so that they would not +be hurt. When gentle Sister South +Wind came in the spring and took away +all the snow, Mr. Otter hardly knew +what to do with himself, until one day +a bright idea popped into his head and +made him laugh aloud. Why not make<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +a slippery-slide of mud and clay? +Right away he tried it. It wasn't as +good as the snow slide, but by trying +and trying, he found a way to make it +better than at first. After that Mr. +Otter was perfectly happy, for summer +and winter he had a slippery-slide. He +taught his children, and they taught +their children how to make slippery-slides, +and ever since that long-ago day +when the world was young, the making +of slippery-slides has been the family +secret of the Otters."</p> + +<p>"And it's the best secret in the +world," said Little Joe Otter, swimming +up behind Grandfather Frog just +then.</p> + +<p>"I wish—I wish I had a slippery-slide," +said Peter Rabbit wistfully.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum!" said Grandfather +Frog. "Chug-a-rum! Be content with +the blessings you have got, Peter Rab<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>bit. +Be content with the blessings you +have got. No good comes of wishing +for things which it never was meant +that you should have. It is a bad habit +and it makes discontent."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>XIII</h2> + +<h3>HOW DRUMMER THE WOODPECKER +CAME BY HIS RED CAP</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="XIII" id="XIII"></a>XIII</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW DRUMMER THE WOODPECKER CAME BY +HIS RED CAP</h3> + +<p>Drummer the Woodpecker +was beating his long +roll on a hollow tree in the +Green Forest. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! +Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! Drummer +thought it the most beautiful sound in +the world. After each long roll he +would stop and listen for a reply. You +see, sometimes one of his family in another +part of the Green Forest, or over +in the Old Orchard, would hear him +drumming and would hasten to find a +hollow tree himself and drum too. +Then they would drum back and forth +to each other for the longest time, until<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +all the other little people would scold +because of the racket and would wish +they could stop their ears. But it was +music, real music to Drummer and all +the members of his family, and Drummer +never was happier than when beating +his long roll as he was doing now.</p> + +<p>Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! +Suddenly Drummer heard a scratching +sound inside the hollow tree. Once +more he beat the long roll and the +scratching sound grew louder. Then he +heard a voice just a little way above +him.</p> + +<p>"Do Ah hear some one knocking?" +asked the voice.</p> + +<p>Drummer looked up. There was Unc' +Billy Possum's sharp little face sticking +out of his doorway, and Unc' Billy +looked very sleepy and very cross and +at the same time as if he were trying +very hard to be polite and pleasant.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Hello, Unc' Billy! Is this your +house? I didn't know it when I began +to drum. I wasn't knocking; I was +drumming. I just love to drum," replied +Drummer.</p> + +<p>"Ah reckons yo' do by the noise yo' +have been making, but Ah don't like +being inside the drum. Ah'm feelin' +powerful bad in the haid just now, Brer +Drummer, and Ah cert'nly will take it +kindly if yo' will find another drum," +said Unc' Billy, holding his head in +both hands as if he had a terrible headache.</p> + +<p>Drummer looked disappointed and a +little bit hurt, but he is one of the best-natured +little people in the Green Forest +and always willing to be obliging.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry if I have disturbed you, +Unc' Billy," he replied promptly. "Of +course I won't drum here any longer, if +you don't like it. I'll look for another<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> +hollow tree, though I don't believe I +can find another as good. It is one of +the best sounding trees I have ever +drummed on. It's simply beautiful!" +There was a great deal of regret in his +voice, as if it were the hardest work to +give up that tree.</p> + +<p>"Ah'll tell yo' where there's another +just as good," replied Unc' Billy. +"Yo' see the top of that ol' chestnut-tree +way down there in the holler? +Well, yo' try that. Ah'm sure yo' will +like it."</p> + +<p>Drummer thanked Unc' Billy politely +and bobbed his red-capped head as he +spread his wings and started in the direction +of the big chestnut-tree. Unc' +Billy grinned as he watched him. Then +he slowly and solemnly winked one eye +at Peter Rabbit, who had just come +along.</p> + +<p>"What's the joke?" asked Peter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Ah done just sent Brer Drummer +down to the big chestnut-tree to drum," +Unc' Billy replied, winking again.</p> + +<p>"Why, that's Bobby Coon's house!" +cried Peter, and then he saw the joke +and began to grin too.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes they heard Drummer's +long roll. Then again and again. +The third time it broke off right in the +middle, and right away a terrible fuss +started down at the big chestnut-tree. +They could hear Drummer's voice, and +it sounded very angry.</p> + +<p>"Ah reckon Brer Coon was waked +up and lost his temper," chuckled Unc' +Billy. "It's a bad habit to lose one's +temper. Yes, Sah, it cert'nly is a bad +habit. Ah reckons Ah better be turning +in fo' another nap, Brer Rabbit." +With that Unc' Billy disappeared, still +chuckling.</p> + +<p>Hardly was he out of sight when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> +Peter saw Drummer heading that way, +and Drummer looked very much put +out about something. He just nodded +to Peter and flew straight to Unc' +Billy's tree. Then he began to drum. +How he did drum! His red-capped head +flew back and forth as Peter never had +seen it fly before. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! +Rat-a-tat-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! +Drummer hardly paused for breath. +There was too much noise for Peter, +and he kicked up his heels and started +for the Smiling Pool, and all the way +there he laughed.</p> + +<p>"I hope Unc' Billy is enjoying a +good nap," he chuckled. "Drummer +certainly has turned the joke back on +Unc' Billy this time, and I guess it +serves him right."</p> + +<p>He was still laughing when he +reached the Smiling Pool. Grandfather +Frog watched him until he began to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +smile too. You know laughter is catching. +"Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho!" +laughed Peter and held his sides.</p> + +<p>"What is the joke?" demanded +Grandfather Frog in his deepest voice.</p> + +<p>When Peter could get his breath, he +told Grandfather Frog all about the +joke on Unc' Billy Possum. "Listen!" +said Peter at the end of the story. They +both listened. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! +The long roll of Drummer the Woodpecker +could be heard clear down to the +Smiling Pool, and Peter and Grandfather +Frog knew by the sound that it +still came from Unc' Billy's house.</p> + +<p>"Chug-a-rum! That reminds me," +said Grandfather Frog. "Did you ever +hear how Drummer came by his red +cap?"</p> + +<p>"No," replied Peter. "How did +he?" There was great eagerness in +Peter's voice.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well," said Grandfather Frog, settling +himself in a way that Peter knew +meant a story, "of course Drummer +over there came by his red cap because +it was handed down in the family, but +of course there's a reason."</p> + +<p>"Of course," said Peter, quite as if +he knew all about it.</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog rolled his great, +goggly eyes and looked at Peter suspiciously, +but Peter looked so innocent +and eager that he went on with his +story.</p> + +<p>"Of course, it all happened way back +in the days when the world was +young."</p> + +<p>"Of course!" said Peter.</p> + +<p>This time Grandfather Frog took no +notice. "Drummer's grandfather a +thousand times removed was just a +plain little black and white bird without +the least bit of bright color on him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +He didn't have any sweeter voice than +Drummer has to-day. Altogether he +seemed to his neighbors a no-account +little fellow, and they didn't have much +to do with him. So Mr. Woodpecker +lived pretty much alone. In fact, he +lived alone so much that when he found +a hollow tree he used to pound on it just +to make a noise and keep from being +lonesome, and that is how he learned to +drum. You see, he hadn't any voice for +singing, and so he got in the habit of +drumming to keep his spirits up.</p> + +<p>"Now all the time, right down in his +heart, Mr. Woodpecker envied the birds +who had handsome coats. He used to +wish and wish that he had something +bright, if it were no more than a pretty +necktie. But he never said anything +about it, and no one suspected it but +Old Mother Nature, and Mr. Woodpecker +didn't know that she knew it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> +Whenever he got to wishing too much, +he would try to forget it by hunting for +worms that bored into the trees of the +Green Forest and which other birds +could not get because they did not have +the stout bill and the long tongue Mr. +Woodpecker possessed.</p> + +<p>"Now it happened that while Old +Mother Nature was busy elsewhere, a +great number of worms settled in the +Green Forest and began to bore into +the trees, so that after a while many +trees grew sickly and then died. None +of the other little people seemed to +notice it, or if they did, they said it was +none of their business and that Old +Mother Nature ought to look out for +such things. They shrugged their +shoulders and went on playing and having +a good time. But Mr. Woodpecker +was worried. He loved the Green Forest +dearly, and he began to fear that if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> +something wasn't done, there wouldn't +be any Green Forest. He said as much +to some of his neighbors, but they only +laughed at him. The more he thought +about it, the more Mr. Woodpecker +worried.</p> + +<p>"'Something must be done,' said he +to himself. 'Yes, Sir, something must +be done. If Old Mother Nature doesn't +come to attend to things pretty soon, +it will be too late.' Then he made up +his mind that he would do what he +could. From early morning until night +he hunted worms and dug them out of +the trees. He would start at the bottom +of a tree and work up, going all over +it until he was sure that there wasn't +another worm left. Then he would fly +to the next tree. He pounded with his +bill until his neck ached. He didn't +even take time to drum. His neighbors +laughed at him at first, but he kept<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> +right on working, working, working +every hour of the day.</p> + +<p>"At last Old Mother Nature appeared +very unexpectedly. She went +all through the Green Forest, and her +sharp eyes saw all that Mr. Woodpecker +had done. She didn't say a +word to him, but she called all the little +people of the Green Forest before her, +and when they were all gathered +around, she sent for Mr. Woodpecker. +She made him sit up on a dead limb of +a tall chestnut-tree where all could see +him. Then she told just what he had +done, and how he had saved the Green +Forest, and how great a debt the other +little people owed to him.</p> + +<p>"'And now that you may never forget +it,' she concluded, 'I herewith +make Mr. Woodpecker the policeman +of the trees, and this is his reward to +be worn by him and his children for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span>ever +and ever.' With that she called +Mr. Woodpecker down before her and +put on his head a beautiful red cap, for +she knew how in his heart he had +longed to wear something bright. Mr. +Woodpecker thanked Old Mother Nature +as best he could and then slipped +away where he could be alone with his +happiness. All the rest of the day the +other little people heard him drumming +off by himself in the Green Forest +and smiled, for they knew that that was +the way he was expressing his joy, having +no voice to sing.</p> + +<p>"And that," concluded Grandfather +Frog, "is how Drummer whom you +know came by his red cap."</p> + +<p>"Isn't it splendid!" cried Peter +Rabbit, and then he and Grandfather +Frog both smiled as they heard a long +rat-a-tat-tat-tat roll out from the Green +Forest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p> + +<h2>XIV</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. TREE TOAD FOUND OUT +HOW TO CLIMB</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="XIV" id="XIV"></a>XIV</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. TREE TOAD FOUND OUT HOW +TO CLIMB</h3> + +<p>Of all the puzzling things over +which Peter Rabbit had sat and +thought and wondered until the +brains in that funny little head of his +were topsy-turvy, none was more puzzling +than the fact that Sticky-toes the +Tree Toad could climb. Often Peter +had watched him climb up the trunk of +a tree or jump from one branch to another +and then thought of Old Mr. +Toad, own cousin to Sticky-toes, and of +Grandfather Frog, another own cousin, +who couldn't climb at all, and wondered +how it had all come about that +one cousin could climb and be just as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> +much at home in the trees as the birds, +while the others couldn't climb at all.</p> + +<p>He had it on his mind one morning +when he met Old Mr. Toad solemnly +hopping down the Lone Little Path. +Right then and there Peter resolved to +ask Old Mr. Toad. "Good morning, +Mr. Toad," said Peter politely. "Have +you a few minutes to spare?"</p> + +<p>Old Mr. Toad hopped into the shade +of a big mullein leaf. "I guess so, if +it is anything important," said he. +"Phew! Hot, isn't it? I simply can't +stand the sun. Now what is that +you've got on your mind, Peter?"</p> + +<p>Peter hesitated a minute, for he +wasn't at all sure that Old Mr. Toad +would think the matter sufficiently important +for him to spend his time in +story telling. Then he blurted out the +whole matter and how he had puzzled +and puzzled why Sticky-toes was able<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> +to climb when none of the rest of the +Toad family could. Old Mr. Toad +chuckled.</p> + +<p>"Looking for a story as usual, I see," +said he. "You ought to go to Grandfather +Frog for this one, because +Sticky-toes is really a Frog and not a +Toad. But we are all cousins, and I +don't mind telling you about Sticky-toes, +or rather about his great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather, +who was the +first of the family ever to climb a tree. +You see, it is all in the family, and I am +very proud of my family, which is one +of the very oldest."</p> + +<p>Peter settled himself comfortably +and prepared to listen. Old Mr. Toad +snapped up a foolish spider who came +too near and then cleared his throat.</p> + +<p>"Once on a time," he began, "when +Old Mother Nature made the first land +and the first trees and plants, the Toads<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +and the Frogs were the first to leave +the water to see what dry land was +like. The Toads, being bolder than the +Frogs, went all over the new land while +the Frogs kept within jumping distance +of the water, just as Grandfather Frog +does to this day. There was one Frog, +however, who, seeing how bravely and +boldly the Toads went forth to see all +that was to be seen in the new land, +made up his mind that he too would +see the Great World. He was the +smallest of the Frogs, and his friends +and relatives warned him not to go, saying +that he would come to no good end.</p> + +<p>"But he wouldn't listen to their dismal +croakings and hurried after the +Toads. Being able to make longer +jumps than they could, he soon caught +up with them, and they all journeyed +on together. The Toads were so +pleased that one of their cousins was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +brave enough to join them that they +made him very welcome and treated +him as one of themselves, so that they +soon got to thinking of him as a Toad +and not as a Frog at all.</p> + +<p>"Now the Toads soon found that Old +Mother Nature was having a hard time +to make plants grow, because as fast +as they came up, they were eaten by +insects. You see, she had so many +things to attend to in those days when +the world was young that she had to +leave a great many things to take care +of themselves and get along the best +they could, and it was this way with the +plants. It was then that the great idea +came to my great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather, +and he called all the Toads +together and proposed that they help +Old Mother Nature by catching the +bugs and worms that were destroying +the plants.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Little Mr. Frog, who had been +adopted by the Toads, was one of the +most eager to help, and he was busy +every minute. After a while the Toads +had caught most of the bugs and worms +on the ground and within reach, and +the plants began to grow. But when +the plants got above the reach of the +Toads, the bugs and the worms were +safe once more and began to multiply +so that the plants suffered and stopped +growing. You see, there were no birds +in those days to help. One day little +Mr. Frog sat under a bush on which +most of the leaves had been eaten. He +saw a worm eating a leaf on one of the +lower branches. It was quite a way +above his head. It worried him. He +kept his eyes on that worm and thought +and thought until his head ached. At +last he got an idea. 'I wonder,' thought +he, 'if I jump as hard as I can, if I can<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +catch that fellow. I'll try it. It will +do no harm to try.'</p> + +<p>"So he drew his long legs close under +him, and then he jumped up with +all his might. He didn't quite reach the +bug, but he got his hands on the branch +and by pulling and struggling, he managed +to get up on it. It was a very uncertain +seat, but he hung on and crept +along until he could dart his tongue out +and catch that worm. Then he saw another, +and in trying to catch that one he +lost his balance and fell to the ground +with a thump. It quite knocked the +wind from his body.</p> + +<p>"That night little Mr. Frog studied +and studied, trying to think of some +way by which he could get up in the +bushes and trees and clear them of bugs +and worms. 'If only I could hold on +once I get up there, I would be all +right,' thought he. 'Then I could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> +leave the bugs and worms on the ground +for my cousins the Toads to look after, +while I look after those beyond their +reach.'</p> + +<p>"The next day and the next, and for +many days thereafter, little Mr. Frog +kept jumping for bugs on the bushes. +He got many thumps and bumps, but +he didn't mind these, for little by little +he was learning how to hang on to the +branches once he got up in them. Then +one day, just by accident, he put one +hand against the trunk of a young pine-tree, +and when he started to take it +away, he found it stuck fast. He had +to pull to get it free. Like a flash an +idea popped into his head. He rubbed +a little of the pitch, for that was what +had made his hand stick, on both +hands, and then he started to climb a +tree. As long as the pitch lasted, he +could climb.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Little Mr. Frog was tickled to +death, with his discovery, but he didn't +say a word to any one about it. Every +day he rubbed pitch on his hands and +then climbed about in the bushes and +low trees, ridding them of bugs and +worms. Of course, it wasn't very +pleasant to have that pitch on his +hands, because dirt and all sorts of +things which he happened to touch +stuck to them, but he made the best of +a bad matter and washed them carefully +when he was through with his +day's work.</p> + +<p>"Quite unexpectedly Old Mother +Nature returned to see how the trees +and the plants were getting on. You +see, she was worried about them. +When she found what the Toads had +been doing, she was mightily pleased. +Then she noticed that some of the +bushes and low trees had very few<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> +leaves left, while others looked thrifty +and strong.</p> + +<p>"'That's queer,' said Old Mother +Nature to herself and went over to examine +a bush. Hanging on to a branch +for dear life she saw a queer little +fellow who was so busy that he didn't +see her at all. It was little Mr. Frog. +He was catching bugs as fast as he +could. Old Mother Nature wrinkled up +her brows. 'Now however did he +learn to climb?' thought she. Then +she hid where she could watch. By and +by she saw little Mr. Frog tumble out +of the bush, because, you know, the +pitch on his hands had worn off. He +hurried over to a pine-tree and rubbed +more pitch on and then jumped up into +the bush and went to work again.</p> + +<p>"You can guess how astonished Old +Mother Nature was when she saw this +performance. And she was pleased.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +Oh, yes, indeed, Old Mother Nature +was wonderfully pleased. She was +pleased because little Mr. Frog was +trying so hard to help her, and she was +pleased because he had been so smart +in finding a way to climb. When she +had laughed until she could laugh no +more at the way little Mr. Frog had +managed to stick to his work, she took +him down very gently and wiped the +pitch from his hands. Then she gently +pinched the end of each finger and each +toe so that they ended in little round +discs instead of being pointed as before, +and in each little disc was a clean, +sticky substance. Then she tossed him +up in a tree, and when he touched a +branch, he found that he could hold on +without the least danger of falling.</p> + +<p>"'I appoint you caretaker of my +trees,' said Old Mother Nature, and +from that day on little Mr. Frog lived<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> +in the trees, as did his children and his +children's children, even as Sticky-toes +does to-day. And though he was really +a Frog, he was called the Tree Toad, +and the Toads have always been proud +to have him so called. And this is the +end of the story," concluded Old Mr. +Toad.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>XV</h2> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. HERON LEARNED +PATIENCE</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="XV" id="XV"></a>XV</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW OLD MR. HERON LEARNED PATIENCE</h3> + +<p>Whenever in the spring or +summer Peter Rabbit visited +the Smiling Pool or the +Laughing Brook, he was pretty sure to +run across Longlegs the Heron. The +first tune Peter saw him, he thought +that never in all his life had he seen +such a homely fellow. Longlegs was +standing with his feet in the water and +his head drawn back on his shoulders +so that he didn't seem to have any neck +at all. Peter sat and stared at him +most impolitely. He knew that he was +impolite, but for the life of him he +couldn't help staring.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span></p> + +<p>"He's all legs," thought Peter. +"Old Mother Nature must have been +in a hurry when she made his great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +way +back when the world was young and +forgot to give him a neck. I wonder +why he doesn't move."</p> + +<p>But Longlegs didn't move. Peter +stared as long as his patience held out. +Then he gave up and went on to see +what else he could find. But in a little +while Peter was back again at the place +where he had seen Longlegs. He didn't +really expect to find him there, but he +did. So far as Peter could see, Longlegs +hadn't moved. "Must be asleep," +thought Peter, and after watching for +a few minutes, went away again. Half +an hour later Peter was once more +back. There stood Longlegs just as +before. "Now I <i>know</i> he is asleep," +muttered Peter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> + +<p>No sooner were the words out of his +mouth than something happened, +something so sudden and surprising +that Peter lost his balance and nearly +fell over backward. The long bill +which Peter had seen sticking forth +from between those humped-up shoulders +darted out and down into the +water like a flash. Behind that bill +was the longest neck Peter ever had +seen! It was so long that Peter +blinked to be perfectly sure that his +eyes had not been playing him a trick. +But they hadn't, for Longlegs was +gulping down a little fish he had just +caught, and when at last it was down, +he stretched his neck up very straight +while he looked this way and that way, +and Peter just gasped.</p> + +<p>"I thought he was all legs, but instead +of that he's all neck," muttered +Peter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then Longlegs slowly drew his head +down, and it seemed to Peter as if he +must somehow wind that long neck up +inside his body to get it so completely +out of the way. In a minute Longlegs +was standing just as before, with seemingly +no neck at all. Peter watched +until he grew tired, but Longlegs didn't +move again. After that Peter went +every chance he had to watch Longlegs, +but he never had patience to watch long +enough to see Longlegs catch another +fish. He spoke of it one day to Grandfather +Frog. At the mere mention of +Longlegs, Grandfather Frog sat up and +took notice.</p> + +<p>"Where did you see him?" asked +Grandfather Frog, and Peter thought +his voice sounded anxious.</p> + +<p>"Down the Laughing Brook," replied +Peter. "Why?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, nothing," said Grandfather<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> +Frog, trying to make his voice sound +as if he weren't interested. "I just +wondered where the long-legged nuisance +might be."</p> + +<p>"He's the laziest fellow I ever saw," +declared Peter. "He just stands doing +nothing all day."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" exclaimed Grandfather +Frog. "If your family had suffered +from him as much as mine has, you +would say that he was altogether too +busy. Ask the Trout what they think, +or the Minnow family."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Peter, "you mean that +when he stands still that way he is +fishing."</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog nodded.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Peter, "all I can say +is that he is the most patient fellow I +ever saw. I didn't suppose there was +such patience."</p> + +<p>"He comes rightly by it," returned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +Grandfather Frog. "He gets it from +his great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather, +who lived when the world was +young. He learned it then."</p> + +<p>"How?" demanded Peter, eager for +a story.</p> + +<p>Grandfather Frog's eyes took on a +far-away look, as if he were seeing into +that long-ago past. "Chug-a-rum!" +he began. "It always seemed to old +Mr. Heron as if Old Mother Nature +must have made him last of all the birds +and was in such a hurry that she didn't +care how he looked. His legs were so +long and his neck was so long that all +his neighbors laughed at him and made +fun of him. He was just as awkward +as he looked. His long legs were in his +way. He didn't know what to do with +his long neck. When he tried to run, +everybody shouted with laughter. +When he tried to fly, he stretched his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +long neck out, and then he couldn't +keep his balance and just flopped about, +while all his neighbors laughed harder +than ever. Poor Mr. Heron was +ashamed of himself, actually ashamed +of himself. He quite overlooked the +fact that Old Mother Nature had given +him a really beautiful coat of feathers. +Some of those who laughed at him +would have given anything to have possessed +such a beautiful coat. But Mr. +Heron didn't know this. He couldn't +bear to be laughed at, wherein he was +very like most people.</p> + +<p>"So he tried his best to keep out of +sight as much as possible. Now in +those days, as at present, the rushes +grew tall beside the Smiling Pool, and +among them Mr. Heron found a hiding-place. +Because his legs were long, he +could wade out in the water and keep +quite out of sight of those who lived on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +the land. So he found a use for his long +legs and was glad that they were long. +At first he used to go ashore to hunt for +food. One day as he was wading +ashore, he surprised a school of little +fish and managed to catch one. It +tasted so good that he wanted more, and +every day he went fishing. Whenever +he saw little fish swimming where the +water was shallow, he would rush in +among them and do his best to catch +one. Sometimes he did, but more often +he didn't. You see, he was so clumsy +and awkward that he made a great +splashing, and the fish would hear him +coming and get away.</p> + +<p>"One day after he had tried and tried +without catching even one, he stopped +just at the edge of the rushes to rest. +His long neck ached, and to rest it he +laid it back on his shoulders. For a long +time he stood there, resting. The water<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> +around his feet was cool and comforting. +He was very comfortable but for +one thing,—he was hungry. He was +just making up his mind to go on and +hunt for something to eat when he saw +a school of little fish swimming straight +towards him. 'Perhaps,' thought he, +'if I keep perfectly still, they will come +near enough for me to catch one.' So +he kept perfectly still. He didn't dare +even stretch his long neck up. Sure +enough, the little fish swam almost to +his very feet. They didn't see him at +all. When they were near enough, he +darted his long neck forward and +caught one without any trouble at all. +Mr. Heron was almost as surprised as +the fish he had caught. You see, he discovered +that with his neck laid back on +his shoulders that way, he could dart +his head forward ever so much quicker +than when he was holding it up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> +straight. It really was a great discovery +for Mr. Heron.</p> + +<p>"Of course all the other fish darted +away in great fright, but Mr. Heron +didn't mind. He settled himself in +great contentment, for now he was less +hungry. By and by some foolish tadpoles +came wriggling along. 'I'll just +try catching one of them for practice. +Maybe they are good to eat,' thought +Mr. Heron, and just as before darted his +head and great bill downward and +caught a tadpole.</p> + +<p>"'Um-m, they are good!' exclaimed +Mr. Heron, and once more settled himself +to watch and wait.</p> + +<p>"That was a sad day for the Frog +family, but a great day for Mr. Heron +when he discovered that tadpoles were +good to eat." Grandfather Frog sighed +mournfully. "Yes," he continued, +"that was a great day for Mr. Heron.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> +He had discovered that he could gain +more by patient waiting than by frantic +hunting, and he had found that his long +neck really was a blessing. After that, +whenever he was hungry, he would +stand perfectly still beside some little +pool where foolish young fish or careless +tadpoles were at play and wait +patiently until they came within reach.</p> + +<p>"One day he was startled into an +attempt to fly by hearing the stealthy +footsteps of Mr. Fox behind him. His +head was drawn back on his shoulders +at the time, and he was so excited that +he forgot to straighten it out. Just +imagine how surprised he was, and how +surprised Mr. Fox was, when he sailed +away in beautiful flight, his long legs +trailing behind him. With his neck +carried that way, he could fly as well +as any one. From that day on, no one +laughed at Mr. Heron because of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> +long legs and long neck. Mr. Heron +himself became proud of them. You +see, he had learned how to use what he +had been given. Also he had learned +the value of patience. So he was +happy and envied no one. But he still +liked best to keep by himself and became +known as the lone fisherman, just +as Longlegs is to-day. Chug-a-rum! +Isn't that Longlegs coming this way +this very minute? This is no place for +me!"</p> + +<p>With a great splash Grandfather +Frog dived into the Smiling Pool.</p> + +<a name="Long" id="Long"></a><span class="toill"><a href="#Illus">Illus</a></span> +<p class="center"><a name="image-6" id="image-6"><!-- Image 6 --></a> +<img src="images/illus-230.jpg" height="480" width="326" alt="His legs were so long, and his neck was +so long that all his neighbors laughed at him. Page 210." title="His legs were so long, and his neck was so long that all his neighbors laughed at him. Page 210."/></p> + +<p class="center"><strong>His legs were so long, and his neck was +so long that all his neighbors laughed at him. <i>Page</i> 210.</strong></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p> + +<hr /> +<h2>XVI</h2> + +<h3>HOW TUFTY THE LYNX HAPPENS TO +HAVE A STUMP OF A TAIL</h3> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span></p> +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="XVI" id="XVI"></a>XVI</h2><span class="totoc"><a href="#toc">Toc</a></span> + +<h3>HOW TUFTY THE LYNX HAPPENS TO HAVE +A STUMP OF A TAIL</h3> + +<p>In all his life Peter Rabbit had seen +Tufty the Lynx but once, but that +once was enough. Tufty, you +know, lives in the Great Woods. But +once, when the winter was very cold, +he had ventured down into the Green +Forest, hoping that it would be easier +to get a living there. It was then that +Peter had seen him. In fact, Peter had +had the narrowest of escapes, and the +very memory of it made him shiver. +He never would forget that great, gray, +skulking form that slipped like a +shadow through the trees, that fierce, +bearded face, those cruel, pale yellow-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span>green +eyes, or that switching stump of +a tail.</p> + +<p>That tail fascinated Peter. It was +just an apology for a tail. For Tufty's +size it was hardly as much of a tail as +Peter himself has. It made Peter feel +a lot better. Also it made him very curious. +The first chance he got, he asked +his cousin, Jumper the Hare, about it. +You know Jumper used to live in the +Great Woods where Tufty lives, and +Peter felt sure that he must know the +reason why Tufty has such a ridiculous +stub of a tail. Jumper did know, and +this is the story he told Peter:</p> + +<p>"Way back in the beginning of +things lived old Mr. Lynx."</p> + +<p>"I know," interrupted Peter. "He +was the great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather +of Tufty, and he wasn't old +then."</p> + +<p>"Who's telling this story?" de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span>manded +Jumper crossly. "If you know +it why did you ask me?"</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon. Indeed I do. I +won't say another word," replied Peter +hastily.</p> + +<p>"All right, see that you don't. Interruptions +always spoil a story," said +Jumper. "You are quite right about +old Mr. Lynx. He wasn't old then. No +one was old, because it was in the beginning +of things. At that time Mr. +Lynx boasted a long tail, quite as fine +a tail as his cousin, Mr. Panther. He +was very proud of it. You know there +is a saying that pride goes before a fall. +It was so with Mr. Lynx. He boasted +about his tail. He said that it was the +finest tail in the world. He said so +much that his neighbors got tired of +hearing about it. He made a perfect +nuisance of himself. He switched and +waved his long tail about continually.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> +It seemed as if that tail were never +still. He made fun of those whose tails +were shorter or of different shape or +less handsome. He quite forgot that +that tail had been given him by Old +Mother Nature, but talked and acted as +if he had grown that tail himself.</p> + +<p>"When at last his neighbors could +stand it no longer, they decided to teach +him a lesson. One day while he was off +hunting, they held a meeting, and it +was decided that the very next time that +Mr. Lynx boasted of his tail old King +Bear should slip up behind him and +step on it as close to his body as he +could, and then each of the others +should pull a little tuft of hair from it, +so that it would be a long time before +Mr. Lynx would be able to boast of its +beauty again.</p> + +<p>"The chance came that very evening. +Mr. Lynx had had a very successful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> +day, and he was feeling very fine. He +began to boast of what a great hunter +he was, and of how very clever and very +smart he was, and then, as usual, he got +to boasting about his tail. He was so +intent on his boasting that he didn't +notice old King Bear slipping around +behind him. Old King Bear waited +until that long tail was still for just an +instant, and then he stepped on it as +close to the roots of it as he could. +Then all the other little people shouted +with glee and began to pull little tufts +of hair from it, until it was the most +disreputable-looking tail ever seen.</p> + +<p>"Old Mr. Lynx let out a yowl and a +screech that was enough to make your +blood run cold. But he couldn't do a +thing, though he tore the ground up +with his great claws and pulled with all +his might. You see, old King Bear was +very big and very heavy, and Mr. Lynx<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> +couldn't budge his tail a bit. And he +couldn't turn to fight old King Bear, +though it seemed as if he would turn +himself inside out trying to.</p> + +<p>"At last, when old King Bear +thought he had been punished enough, +he gave the word to the others, and +they all scattered to safe hiding-places, +for they were of no mind to be within +reach of those great claws of Mr. Lynx. +Then old King Bear let him go.</p> + +<p>"'By the looks of it, I hardly think +that you will boast of that tail for a +long time to come, Mr. Lynx,' said he +in his deep, rumbly-grumbly voice.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Lynx turned and screamed in +old King Bear's face, but that was all +he dared do, for you know old King +Bear was very big and strong. Then +he turned and slunk away in the shadows +by himself. Now Mr. Lynx had a +terrible temper, and when he saw how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> +ragged and disreputable his once beautiful +tail looked, he flew into a terrible +rage, and he swore that no one should +laugh at his tail. What do you think +he did?"</p> + +<p>"What?" asked Peter eagerly.</p> + +<p>"He bit it off," replied Jumper +slowly. "Yes, Sir, he bit it off right at +the place where old King Bear had +stepped on it. Of course he was sorry +the minute he had done it, but it was +done, and that was all there was to it. +After that he kept out of sight of all +his neighbors. He prowled around +mostly at night and was very stealthy +and soft-footed, always keeping in the +shadows. His temper grew worse and +worse from brooding over his lost tail. +When any one chanced to surprise him, +he would switch his stub of a tail just +as he used to switch his long tail. You +see he would forget. Then when he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> +was laughed at by those bigger than he, +he would scream angrily and slink +away like a great, gray shadow.</p> + +<p>"Once he besought Old Mother Nature +to give him a new tail, but in vain. +She gave him a lecture which he never +forgot. She told him that it was no +one's fault but his own that he had lost +the beautiful tail that he did have and +had nothing but a stub left. Mr. Lynx +crawled on his stomach to the feet of +Old Mother Nature and begged with +tears in his eyes. Old Mother Nature +looked him straight in the eyes, but he +couldn't look straight back. He tried, +but he couldn't do it. He would shift +his eyes from side to side.</p> + +<p>"'Look me straight in the face, Mr. +Lynx, and tell me that if I give you a +handsome new tail, you will never +boast about it or take undue pride in +it,' said she.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Mr. Lynx looked her straight in the +face and said 'I—' Then his eyes +shifted. He brought them back to +Old Mother Nature's face with a jerk +and began again. 'I promise—' Once +more his eyes shifted. Then he gave up +and sneaked away into the darkest +shadows he could find. You see, he +couldn't look Old Mother Nature in the +face and tell a lie, and that was just +what he had been trying to do. The +only reason he wanted a new tail was +so that he could be proud of it and boast +of it as he had of the old one. He hadn't +a single real use for it, as he had found +out since he had had only that stub.</p> + +<p>"Old Mother Nature knew this perfectly +well, for you can't fool her, and +it's of no use to try. So Mr. Lynx +never did get a new tail. He continued +to live very much by himself in the +darkest parts of the Green Forest,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> +never showing himself to others if he +could help it. To the little people, he +was like a fearsome shadow to be +watched out for at all times. His children +were just like him, and his children's +children. Tufty is the same way. +No one likes him. All who are smaller +than he fear him. And if he knows +why he has only a stub of a tail, he +never mentions it. But you will notice +that he switches it just as if it were a +real tail. I think he likes to imagine +that it is a real one."</p> + +<p>"I've noticed," replied Peter. He +was silent for a few minutes. Then he +added: "Isn't it curious how often we +want things we don't need at all, and +how those are the things that make us +the most trouble in this world?"</p> + +<h4>THE END</h4> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother West Wind "How" Stories, by +Thornton W. Burgess + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER WEST WIND "HOW" STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 21286-h.htm or 21286-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/2/8/21286/ + +Produced by Mark C. 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