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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/34943-8.txt b/34943-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..53b4eda --- /dev/null +++ b/34943-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3556 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Among the Meadow People, by Clara Dillingham Pierson + +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: Among the Meadow People + +Author: Clara Dillingham Pierson + +Illustrator: F. C. Gordon + +Release Date: January 13, 2011 [EBook #34943] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE *** + + + + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE + + BY + CLARA DILLINGHAM PIERSON + + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON + + NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION + + [Illustration] + + + NEW YORK + E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY + 31 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET + + + + + [Illustration: HAYING IN THE MEADOW] + + + + + COPYRIGHT + E. P. DUTTON & CO. + 1899 + + COPYRIGHT + CLARA DILLINGHAM PIERSON + 1901 + + + The Knickerbocker Press, New York + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + INTRODUCTION 5 + THE BUTTERFLY THAT WENT CALLING 7 + THE ROBINS BUILD A NEST 14 + THE SELFISH TENT-CATERPILLAR 22 + THE LAZY SNAIL 31 + AN ANT THAT WORE WINGS 37 + THE CHEERFUL HARVESTMEN 42 + THE LITTLE SPIDER'S FIRST WEB 50 + THE BEETLE WHO DID NOT LIKE CATERPILLARS 56 + THE YOUNG ROBIN WHO WAS AFRAID TO FLY 61 + THE CRICKETS' SCHOOL 71 + THE CONTENTED EARTHWORMS 76 + THE MEASURING WORM'S JOKE 81 + A PUZZLED CICADA 87 + THE TREE FROG'S STORY 93 + THE DAY WHEN THE GRASS WAS CUT 101 + THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE MEASURING WORM RUN A RACE 109 + MR. GREEN FROG AND HIS VISITORS 114 + THE DIGNIFIED WALKING-STICKS 120 + THE DAY OF THE GREAT STORM 128 + THE STORY OF LILY-PAD ISLAND 134 + THE GRASSHOPPER WHO WOULDN'T BE SCARED 142 + THE EARTHWORM HALF-BROTHERS 151 + A GOSSIPING FLY 156 + THE FROG-HOPPERS GO OUT INTO THE WORLD 161 + THE MOSQUITO TRIES TO TEACH HIS NEIGHBORS 171 + THE FROG WHO THOUGHT HERSELF SICK 177 + THE KATYDID'S QUARREL 183 + THE LAST PARTY OF THE SEASON 188 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Many of these stories of field life were written for the little ones of +my kindergarten, and they gave so much pleasure, and aroused such a new +interest in "the meadow people," that it has seemed wise to collect and +add to the original number and send them out to a larger circle of boys +and girls. + +All mothers and teachers hear the cry for "just one more," and find that +there are times when the bewitching tales of animals, fairies, and +"really truly" children are all exhausted, and tired imagination will +not supply another. In selecting the tiny creatures of field and garden +for the characters in this book, I have remembered with pleasure the way +in which my loyal pupils befriended stray crickets and grasshoppers, +their intense appreciation of the new realm of fancy and observation, +and the eagerness and attention with which they sought Mother Nature, +the most wonderful and tireless of all story-tellers. + + CLARA DILLINGHAM PIERSON. + + Stanton, Michigan, + April 8th, 1897. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE BUTTERFLY THAT WENT CALLING + + +As the warm August days came, Mr. Yellow Butterfly wriggled and pushed +in his snug little green chrysalis and wished he could get out to see +the world. He remembered the days when he was a hairy little +Caterpillar, crawling slowly over grass and leaves, and he remembered +how beautiful the sky and all the flowers were. Then he thought of the +new wings which had been growing from his back, and he tried to move +them, just to see how it would feel. He had only six legs since his +wings grew, and he missed all the sticky feet which he had to give up +when he began to change into a Butterfly. + +The more he thought about it the more he squirmed, until suddenly he +heard a faint little sound, too faint for larger people to hear, and +found a tiny slit in the wall of his chrysalis. It was such a dainty +green chrysalis with white wrinkles, that it seemed almost a pity to +have it break. Still it had held him for eight days already and that was +as long as any of his family ever hung in the chrysalis, so it was quite +time for it to be torn open and left empty. Mr. Yellow Butterfly +belonged to the second brood that had hatched that year and he wanted to +be out while the days were still fine and hot. Now he crawled out of the +newly-opened doorway to take his first flight. + +Poor Mr. Butterfly! He found his wings so wet and crinkled that they +wouldn't work at all, so he had to sit quietly in the sunshine all day +drying them. And just as they got big, and smooth, and dry, it grew +dark, and Mr. Butterfly had to crawl under a leaf to sleep. + +The next morning, bright and early, he flew away to visit the flowers. +First he stopped to see the Daisies by the roadside. They were all +dancing in the wind, and their bright faces looked as cheerful as anyone +could wish. They were glad to see Mr. Butterfly, and wished him to stay +all day with them. He said; "You are very kind, but I really couldn't +think of doing it. You must excuse my saying it, but I am surprised to +think you will grow here. It is very dusty and dry, and then there is no +shade. I am sure I could have chosen a better place." + +The Daisies smiled and nodded to each other, saying, "This is the kind +of place we were made for, that's all." + +Mr. Butterfly shook his head very doubtfully, and then bade them a +polite "Good-morning," and flew away to call on the Cardinals. + +The Cardinals are a very stately family, as everybody knows. They hold +their heads very high, and never make deep bows, even to the wind, but +for all that they are a very pleasant family to meet. They gave Mr. +Butterfly a dainty lunch of honey, and seemed much pleased when he told +them how beautiful the river looked in the sunlight. + +"It is a delightful place to grow," said they. + +"Ye-es," said Mr. Butterfly, "it is very pretty, still I do not think it +can be healthful. I really cannot understand why you flowers choose such +strange homes. Now, there are the Daisies, where I just called. They are +in a dusty, dry place, where there is no shade at all. I spoke to them +about it, and they acted quite uppish." + +"But the Daisies always do choose such places," said the Cardinals. + +"And your family," said Mr. Butterfly, "have lived so long in wet places +that it is a wonder you are alive. Your color is good, but to stand with +one's roots in water all the time! It is shocking." + +"Cardinals and Butterflies live differently," said the flowers. +"Good-morning." + +Mr. Butterfly left the river and flew over to the woods. He was very +much out of patience. He was so angry that his feelers quivered, and now +you know how angry he must have been. He knew that the Violets were a +very agreeable family, who never put on airs, so he went at once to +them. + +He had barely said "Good-morning" to them when he began to explain what +had displeased him. + +"To think," he said, "what notions some flowers have! Now, you have a +pleasant home here in the edge of the woods. I have been telling the +Daisies and the Cardinals that they should grow in such a place, but +they wouldn't listen to me. The Daisies were quite uppish about it, and +the Cardinals were very stiff." + +"My dear friend," answered a Violet, "they could never live if they +moved up into our neighborhood. Every flower has his own place in this +world, and is happiest in that place. Everything has its own place and +its own work, and every flower that is wise will stay in the place for +which it was intended. You were exceedingly kind to want to help the +flowers, but suppose they had been telling you what to do. Suppose the +Cardinals had told you that flying around was not good for your health, +and that to be truly well you ought to grow planted with your legs in +the mud and water." + +"Oh!" said Mr. Butterfly, "Oh! I never thought of that. Perhaps +Butterflies don't know everything." + +"No," said the Violet, "they don't know everything, and you haven't been +out of your chrysalis very long. But those who are ready to learn can +always find someone to tell them. Won't you eat some honey?" + +And Mr. Butterfly sipped honey and was happy. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE ROBINS BUILD A NEST. + + +When Mr. and Mrs. Robin built in the spring, they were not quite agreed +as to where the nest should be. Mr. Robin was a very decided bird, and +had made up his mind that the lowest crotch of a maple tree would be the +best place. He even went so far as to take three billfuls of mud there, +and stick in two blades of dry grass. Mrs. Robin wanted it on the end of +the second rail from the top of the split-rail fence. She said it was +high enough from the ground to be safe and dry, and not so high that a +little bird falling out of it would hurt himself very much. Then, too, +the top rail was broad at the end and would keep the rain off so well. + +"And the nest will be just the color of the rails," said she, "so that +even a Red Squirrel could hardly see it." She disliked Red Squirrels, +and she had reason to, for she had been married before, and if it had +not been for a Red Squirrel, she might already have had children as +large as she was. + +"I say that the tree is the place for it," said Mr. Robin, "and I wear +the brightest breast feathers." He said this because in bird families +the one who wears the brightest breast feathers thinks he has the right +to decide things. + +Mrs. Robin was wise enough not to answer back when he spoke in this way. +She only shook her feathers, took ten quick running steps, tilted her +body forward, looked hard at the ground, and pulled out something for +supper. After that she fluttered around the maple tree crotch as though +she had never thought of any other place. Mr. Robin wished he had not +been quite so decided, or reminded her of his breast feathers. "After +all," thought he, "I don't know but the fence-rail would have done." He +thought this, but he didn't say it. It is not always easy for a Robin to +give up and let one with dull breast feathers know that he thinks +himself wrong. + +That night they perched in the maple-tree and slept with their heads +under their wings. Long before the sun was in sight, when the first +beams were just touching the tops of the forest trees, they awakened, +bright-eyed and rested, preened their feathers, sang their morning song, +"Cheerily, cheerily, cheer-up," and flew off to find food. After +breakfast they began to work on the nest. Mrs. Robin stopped often to +look and peck at the bark. "It will take a great deal of mud," said she, +"to fill in that deep crotch until we reach a place wide enough for the +nest." + +At another time she said: "My dear, I am afraid that the dry grass you +are bringing is too light-colored. It shows very plainly against the +maple bark. Can't you find some that is darker?" + +Mr. Robin hunted and hunted, but could find nothing which was darker. As +he flew past the fence, he noticed that it was almost the color of the +grass in his bill. + +After a while, soft gray clouds began to cover the sky. "I wonder," said +Mrs. Robin, "if it will rain before we get this done. The mud is soft +enough now to work well, and this place is so open that the rain might +easily wash away all that we have done." + +It did rain, however, and very soon. The great drops came down so hard +that one could only think of pebbles falling. Mr. and Mrs. Robin oiled +their feathers as quickly as they could, taking the oil from their back +pockets and putting it onto their feathers with their bills. This made +the finest kind of waterproof and was not at all heavy to wear. When the +rain was over they shook themselves and looked at their work. + +"I believe," said Mrs. Robin to her husband, "that you are right in +saying that we might better give up this place and begin over again +somewhere else." + +Now Mr. Robin could not remember having said that he thought anything of +the sort, and he looked very sharply at his wife, and cocked his black +head on one side until all the black and white streaks on his throat +showed. She did not seem to know that he was watching her as she hopped +around the partly built nest, poking it here and pushing it there, and +trying her hardest to make it look right. He thought she would say +something, but she didn't. Then he knew he must speak first. He flirted +his tail and tipped his head and drew some of his brown wing-feathers +through his bill. Then he held himself very straight and tall, and said, +"Well, if you do agree with me, I think you might much better stop +working here and begin in another place." + +"It seems almost too bad," said she. "Of course there are other places, +but----" + +By this time Mr. Robin knew exactly what to do. "Plenty of them," said +he. "Now don't fuss any longer with this. That place on the rail fence +is an excellent one. I wonder that no other birds have taken it." As he +spoke he flew ahead to the very spot which Mrs. Robin had first chosen. + +She was a very wise bird, and knew far too much to say, "I told you so." +Saying that, you know, always makes things go wrong. She looked at the +rail fence, ran along the top of it, toeing in prettily as she ran, +looked around in a surprised way, and said, "Oh, _that_ place?" + +"Yes, Mrs. Robin," said her husband, "_that_ place. Do you see anything +wrong about it?" + +"No-o," she said. "I think I could make it do." + +Before long another nest was half built, and Mrs. Robin was working away +in the happiest manner possible, stopping every little while to sing her +afternoon song: "Do you think what you do? Do you think what you do? Do +you thi-ink?" + +Mr. Robin was also at work, and such billfuls of mud, such fine little +twigs, and such big wisps of dry grass as went into that home! Once Mr. +Robin was gone a long time, and when he came back he had a beautiful +piece of white cotton string dangling from his beak. That they put on +the outside. "Not that we care to show off," said they, "but somehow +that seemed to be the best place to put it." + +Mr. Robin was very proud of his nest and of his wife. He never went far +away if he could help it. Once she heard him tell Mr. Goldfinch that, +"Mrs. Robin was very sweet about building where he chose, and that even +after he insisted on changing places from the tree to the fence she was +perfectly good-natured." + +"Yes," said Mrs. Robin to Mrs. Goldfinch, "I was perfectly +good-natured." Then she gave a happy, chirpy little laugh, and Mrs. +Goldfinch laughed, too. They were perfectly contented birds, even if +they didn't wear the brightest breast feathers or insist on having +their own way. And Mrs. Robin had been married before. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE SELFISH TENT-CATERPILLAR. + + +One could hardly call the Tent-Caterpillars meadow people, for they did +not often leave their trees to crawl upon the ground. Yet the Apple-Tree +Tent-Caterpillars would not allow anybody to call them forest people. +"We live on apple and wild cherry trees," they said, "and you will +almost always find us in the orchards or on the roadside trees. There +are Forest Tent-Caterpillars, but please don't get us mixed with them. +We belong to another branch of the family, the Apple-Tree branch." + +The Tree Frog said that he remembered perfectly well when the eggs were +laid on the wild cherry tree on the edge of the meadow. "It was early +last summer," he said, "and the Moth who laid them was a very agreeable +reddish-brown person, about as large as a common Yellow Butterfly. I +remember that she had two light yellow lines on each forewing. Another +Moth came with her, but did not stay. He was smaller than she, and had +the same markings. After he had gone, she asked me if we were ever +visited by the Yellow-Billed Cuckoos." + +"Why did she ask that?" said the Garter Snake. + +"Don't you know?" exclaimed the Tree Frog. And then he whispered +something to the Garter Snake. + +The Garter Snake wriggled with surprise and cried, "Really?" + +All through the fall and winter the many, many eggs which the +reddish-brown Moth had laid were kept snug and warm on the twig where +she had put them. They were placed in rows around the twig, and then +well covered to hold them together and keep them warm. The winter winds +had blown the twig to and fro, the cold rain had frozen over them, the +soft snowflakes had drifted down from the clouds and covered them, only +to melt and trickle away again in shining drops. One morning the whole +wild cherry tree was covered with beautiful long, glistening crystals of +hoar-frost; and still the ring of eggs stayed in its place around the +twig, and the life in them slept until spring sunbeams should shine down +and quicken it. + +But when the spring sunbeams did come! Even before the leaf-buds were +open, tiny Larvæ, or Caterpillar babies, came crawling from the ring of +eggs and began feeding upon the buds. They took very, very small bites, +and that looked as though they were polite children. Still, you know, +their mouths were so small that they could not take big ones, and it +may not have been politeness after all which made them eat daintily. + +When all the Tent-Caterpillars were hatched, and they had eaten every +leaf-bud near the egg-ring, they began to crawl down the tree toward the +trunk. Once they stopped by a good-sized crotch in the branches. "Let's +build here," said the leader; "this place is all right." + +Then some of the Tent-Caterpillars said, "Let's!" and some of them said, +"Don't let's!" One young fellow said, "Aw, come on! There's a bigger +crotch farther down." Of course he should have said, "I think you will +like a larger crotch better," but he was young, and, you know, these +Larvæ had no father or mother to help them speak in the right way. They +were orphans, and it is wonderful how they ever learned to talk at all. + +After this, some of the Tent-Caterpillars went on to the larger crotch +and some stayed behind. More went than stayed, and when they saw this, +those by the smaller crotch gave up and joined their brothers and +sisters, as they should have done. It was right to do that which pleased +most of them. + +It took a great deal of work to make the tent. All helped, spinning +hundreds and thousands of white silken threads, laying them side by +side, criss-crossing them, fastening the ends to branches and twigs, not +forgetting to leave places through which one could crawl in and out. +They never worked all day at this, because unless they stopped to eat +they would soon have been weak and unable to spin. There were nearly +always a few Caterpillars in the tent, but only in the early morning or +late afternoon or during the night were they all at home. The rest of +the time they were scattered around the tree feeding. Of course there +were some cold days when they stayed in. When the weather was chilly +they moved slowly and cared very little for food. + +There was one young Tent-Caterpillar who happened to be the first +hatched, and who seemed to think that because he was a minute older than +any of the other children he had the right to his own way. Sometimes he +got it, because the others didn't want to have any trouble. Sometimes he +didn't get it, and then he was very sulky and disagreeable, even +refusing to answer when he was spoken to. + +One cold day, when all the Caterpillars stayed in the tent, this oldest +brother wanted the warmest place, that in the very middle. It should +have belonged to the younger brothers and sisters, for they were not so +strong, but he pushed and wriggled his hairy black and brown and yellow +body into the very place he wanted, and then scolded everybody around +because he had to push to get there. It happened as it always does when +a Caterpillar begins to say mean things, and he went on until he was +saying some which were really untrue. Nobody answered back, so he +scolded and fussed and was exceedingly disagreeable. + +All day long he thought how wretched he was, and how badly they treated +him, and how he guessed they'd be sorry enough if he went away. The next +morning he went. As long as the warm sunshine lasted he did very well. +When it began to grow cool, his brothers and sisters crawled past him on +their way to the tent. "Come on!" they cried. "It's time to go home." + +"Uh-uh!" said the eldest brother (and that meant "No"), "I'm not going." + +"Why not?" they asked. + +"Oh, because," said he. + +When the rest were all together in the tent they talked about him. "Do +you suppose he's angry?" said one. + +"What should he be angry about?" said another. + +"I just believe he is," said a third. "Did you notice the way his hairs +bristled?" + +"Don't you think we ought to go to get him?" asked two or three of the +youngest Caterpillars. + +"No," said the older ones. "We haven't done anything. Let him get over +it." + +So the oldest brother, who had thought that every other Caterpillar in +the tent would crawl right out and beg and coax him to come back, waited +and waited and waited, but nobody came. The tent was there and the door +was open. All he had to do was to crawl in and be at home. He waited so +long that at last he had to leave the tree and spin his cocoon without +ever having gone back to his brothers and sisters in the tent. He spun +his cocoon and mixed the silk with a yellowish-white powder, then he +lay down in it to sleep twenty-one days and grow his wings. The last +thought he had before going to sleep was an unhappy and selfish one. +Probably he awakened an unhappy and selfish Moth. + +His brothers and sisters were sad whenever they thought of him. But, +they said, "what could we do? It wasn't fair for him to have the best of +everything, and we never answered when he said mean things. He might +have come back at any time and we would have been kind to him." + +And they were right. What could they have done? It was very sad, but +when a Caterpillar is so selfish and sulky that he cannot live happily +with other people, it is much better that he should live quite alone. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE LAZY SNAIL + + +In the lower part of the meadow, where the grass grew tall and tender, +there lived a fine and sturdy young Snail; that is to say, a +fine-looking Snail. His shell was a beautiful soft gray, and its curves +were regular and perfect. His body was soft and moist, and just what a +Snail's body should be. Of course, when it came to travelling, he could +not go fast, for none of his family are rapid travellers, still, if he +had been plucky and patient, he might have seen much of the meadow, and +perhaps some of the world outside. His friends and neighbors often told +him that he ought to start out on a little journey to see the sights, +but he would always answer, "Oh, it is too hard work!" + +There was nobody who liked stories of meadow life better than this same +Snail, and he would often stop some friendly Cricket or Snake to ask for +the news. After they had told him, they would say, "Why, don't you ever +get out to see these things for yourself?" and he would give a little +sigh and answer, "It is too far to go." + +"But you needn't go the whole distance in one day," his visitor would +say, "only a little at a time." + +"Yes, and then I would have to keep starting on again every little +while," the Snail would reply. "What of that?" said the visitor; "you +would have plenty of resting spells, when you could lie in the shade of +a tall weed and enjoy yourself." + +"Well, what is the use?" the Snail would say. "I can't enjoy resting if +I know I've got to go to work again," and he would sigh once more. + +So there he lived, eating and sleeping, and wishing he could see the +world, and meet the people in the upper part of the meadow, but just so +lazy that he wouldn't start out to find them. + +He never thought that the Butterflies and Beetles might not like it to +have him keep calling them to him and making them tell him the news. Oh, +no indeed! If he wanted them to do anything for him, he asked them +quickly enough, and they, being happy, good-natured people, would always +do as he asked them to. + +There came a day, though, when he asked too much. The Grasshoppers had +been telling him about some very delicious new plants that grew a little +distance away, and the Snail wanted some very badly. "Can't you bring me +some?" he said. "There are so many of you, and you have such good, +strong legs. I should think you might each bring me a small piece in +your mouths, and then I should have a fine dinner of it." + +The Grasshoppers didn't say anything then, but when they were so far +away that he could not hear them, they said to each other, "If the Snail +wants the food so much, he might better go for it. We have other things +to do," and they hopped off on their own business. + +The Snail sat there, and wondered and wondered that they did not come. +He kept thinking how he would like some of the new food for dinner, but +there it ended. He didn't want it enough to get it for himself. + +The Grasshoppers told all their friends about the Snail's request, and +everybody thought, "Such a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow deserves to be +left quite alone." So it happened that for a very long time nobody went +near the Snail. + +The weather grew hotter and hotter. The clouds, which blew across the +sky, kept their rain until they were well past the meadow, and so it +happened that the river grew shallower and shallower, and the sunshine +dried the tiny pools and rivulets which kept the lower meadow damp. The +grass began to turn brown and dry, and, all in all, it was trying +weather for Snails. + +One day, a Butterfly called some of her friends together, and told them +that she had seen the Snail lying in his old place, looking thin and +hungry. "The grass is all dried around him," she said; "I believe he is +starving, and too lazy to go nearer the river, where there is still good +food for him." + +They all talked it over together, and some of them said it was of no use +to help a Snail who was too lazy to do anything for himself. Others +said, "Well, he is too weak to help himself now, at all events, and we +might help him this once." And that is exactly what they did. The +Butterflies and the Mosquitoes flew ahead to find the best place to put +the Snail, and all the Grasshoppers, and Beetles, and other strong +crawling creatures took turns in rolling the Snail down toward the +river. + +They left him where the green things were fresh and tender, and he grew +strong and plump once more. It is even said that he was not so lazy +afterward, but one cannot tell whether to believe it or not, for +everybody knows that when people let themselves grow up lazy, as he did, +it is almost impossible for them to get over it when they want to. One +thing is sure: the meadow people who helped him were happier and better +for doing a kind thing, no matter what became of the Snail. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE ANT THE WORE WINGS + + +In one of the Ant-hills in the highest part of the meadow, were a lot of +young Ants talking together. "I," said one, "am going to be a soldier, +and drive away anybody who comes to make us trouble. I try biting hard +things every day to make my jaws strong, so that I can guard the home +better." + +"I," said another and smaller Ant, "want to be a worker. I want to help +build and repair the home. I want to get the food for the family, and +feed the Ant babies, and clean them off when they crawl out of their +old coats. If I can do those things well, I shall be the happiest, +busiest Ant in the meadow." + +"We don't want to live that kind of life," said a couple of larger Ants +with wings. "We don't mean to stay around the Ant-hill all the time and +work. We want to use our wings, and then you may be very sure that you +won't see us around home any more." + +The little worker spoke up: "Home is a pleasant place. You may be very +glad to come back to it some day." But the Ants with the wings turned +their backs and wouldn't listen to another word. + +A few days after this there were exciting times in the Ant-hill. All the +winged Ants said "Good-bye" to the soldiers and workers, and flew off +through the air, flew so far that the little ones at home could no +longer see them. All day long they were gone, but the next morning when +the little worker (whom we heard talking) went out to get breakfast, she +found the poor winged Ants lying on the ground near their home. Some of +them were dead, and the rest were looking for food. + +The worker Ant ran up to the one who had said she didn't want to stay +around home, and asked her to come back to the Ant-hill. "No, I thank +you," she answered. "I have had my breakfast now, and am going to fly +off again." She raised her wings to go, but after she had given one +flutter, they dropped off, and she could never fly again. + +The worker hurried back to the Ant-hill to call some of her sister +workers, and some of the soldiers, and they took the Ant who had lost +her wings and carried her to another part of the meadow. There they went +to work to build a new home and make her their queen. + +First, they looked for a good, sandy place, on which the sun would shine +all day. Then the worker Ants began to dig in the ground and bring out +tiny round pieces of earth in their mouths. The soldiers helped them, +and before night they had a cosy little home in the earth, with several +rooms, and some food already stored. They took their queen in, and +brought her food to eat, and waited on her, and she was happy and +contented. + +By and by the Ant eggs began to hatch, and the workers had all they +could do to take care of their queen and her little Ant babies, and the +soldier Ants had to help. The Ant babies were little worms or grubs when +they first came out of the eggs; after a while they curled up in tiny, +tiny cases, called pupa-cases, and after another while they came out of +these, and then they looked like the older Ants, with their six legs, +and their slender little waists. But whatever they were, whether eggs, +or grubs, or curled up in the pupa-cases, or lively little Ants, the +workers fed and took care of them, and the soldiers fought for them, +and the queen-mother loved them, and they all lived happily together +until the young Ants were ready to go out into the great world and learn +the lessons of life for themselves. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE CHEERFUL HARVESTMEN. + + +Some of the meadow people are gay and careless, and some are always +worrying. Some work hard every day, and some are exceedingly lazy. +There, as everywhere else, each has his own way of thinking about +things. It is too bad that they cannot all learn to think brave and +cheerful thoughts, for these make life happy. One may have a comfortable +home, kind neighbors, and plenty to eat, yet if he is in the habit of +thinking disagreeable thoughts, not even all these good things can make +him happy. Now there was the young Frog who thought herself sick--but +that is another story. + +Perhaps the Harvestmen were the most cheerful of all the meadow people. +The old Tree Frog used to say that it made him feel better just to see +their knees coming toward him. Of course, when he saw their knees, he +knew that the whole insect was also coming. He spoke in that way because +the Harvestmen always walked or ran with their knees so much above the +rest of their bodies that one could see those first. + +The Harvestmen were not particularly fine-looking, not nearly so +handsome as some of their Spider cousins. One never thought of that, +however. They had such an easy way of moving around on their eight legs, +each of which had a great many joints. It is the joints, or +bending-places, you know, which make legs useful. Besides being +graceful, they had very pleasant manners. When a Harvestman said +"Good-morning" to you on a rainy day, you always had a feeling that the +sun was shining. It might be that the drops were even then falling into +your face, but for a moment you were sure to feel that everything was +bright and warm and comfortable. + +Sometimes the careless young Grasshoppers and Crickets called the +Harvestmen by their nicknames, "Daddy Long-Legs" or "Grandfather +Graybeard." Even then the Harvestmen were good-natured, and only said +with a smile that the young people had not yet learned the names of +their neighbors. The Grasshoppers never seemed to think how queer it was +to call a young Harvestman daughter "Grandfather Graybeard." When they +saw how good-natured they were, the Grasshoppers soon stopped trying to +tease the Harvestmen. People who are really good-natured are never +teased very long, you know. + +The Walking-Sticks were exceedingly polite to the Harvestmen. They +thought them very slender and genteel-looking. Once the Five-Legged +Walking-Stick said to the largest Harvestman, "Why do you talk so much +with the common people in the meadow?" + +The Harvestman knew exactly what the Walking-Stick meant, but he was not +going to let anybody make fun of his kind and friendly neighbors, so he +said: "I think we Harvestmen are rather common ourselves. There are a +great, great many of us here. It must be very lonely to be uncommon." + +After that the Walking-Stick had nothing more to say. He never felt +quite sure whether the Harvestman was too stupid to understand or too +wise to gossip. Once he thought he saw the Harvestman's eyes twinkle. +The Harvestman didn't care if people thought him stupid. He knew that he +was not stupid, and he would rather seem dull than to listen while +unkind things were said about his neighbors. + +Some people would have thought it very hard luck to be Harvestmen. The +Garter Snake said that if he were one, he should be worried all the time +about his legs. "I'm thankful I haven't any," he said, "for if I had I +should be forever thinking I should lose some of them. A Harvestman +without legs would be badly off. He could never in the world crawl +around on his belly as I do." + +How the Harvestmen did laugh when they heard this! The biggest one said, +"Well, if that isn't just like some people! Never want to have anything +for fear they'll lose it. I wonder if he worries about his head? He +might lose that, you know, and then what would he do?" + +It was only the next day that the largest Harvestman came home on seven +legs. His friends all cried out, "Oh, how did it ever happen?" + +"Cows," said he. + +"Did they step on you?" asked the Five-Legged Walking-Stick. He had not +lived long enough in the meadow to understand all that the Harvestman +meant. He was sorry for him, though, for he knew what it was to lose a +leg. + +"Huh!" said a Grasshopper, interrupting in a very rude way, "aren't any +Cows in this meadow now!" + +Then the other Harvestmen told the Walking-Stick all about it, how +sometimes a boy would come to the meadow, catch a Harvestman, hold him +up by one leg, and say to him, "Grandfather Graybeard, tell me where the +Cows are, or I'll kill you." Then the only thing a Harvestman could do +was to struggle and wriggle himself free, and he often broke off a leg +in doing so. + +"How terrible!" said the three Walking-Sticks all together. "But why +don't you tell them?" + +"We do," answered the Harvestmen. "We point with our seven other legs, +and we point every way there is. Sometimes we don't know where they +are, so we point everywhere, to be sure. But it doesn't make any +difference. Our legs drop off just the same." + +"Isn't a boy clever enough to find Cows alone?" asked the +Walking-Sticks. + +"Oh, it isn't that," cried all the meadow people together. "Even after +you tell, and sometimes when the Cows are right there, they walk off +home without them." + +"I'd sting them," said a Wasp, waving his feelers fiercely and raising +and lowering his wings. "I'd sting them as hard as I could." + +"You wouldn't if you had no sting," said the Tree Frog. + +"N-no," stammered the Wasp, "I suppose I wouldn't." + +"You poor creature!" said the biggest Katydid to the biggest Harvestman. +"What will you do? Only seven legs!" + +"Do?" answered the biggest Harvestman, and it was then one could see +how truly brave and cheerful he was. "Do? I'll walk on those seven. If +I lose one of them I'll walk on six, and if I lose one of them I'll walk +on five. Haven't I my mouth and my stomach and my eyes and my two +feelers, and my two food-pincers? I may not be so good-looking, but I am +a Harvestman, and I shall enjoy the grass and the sunshine and my kind +neighbors as long as I live. I must leave you now. Good-day." + +He walked off rather awkwardly, for he had not yet learned to manage +himself since his accident. The meadow people looked after him very +thoughtfully. They were not noticing his awkwardness, or thinking of his +high knees or of his little low body. Perhaps they thought what the +Cicada said, "Ah, that is the way to live!" + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE LITTLE SPIDER'S FIRST WEB + + +The first thing our little Spider remembered was being crowded with a +lot of other little Spiders in a tiny brown house. This tiny house had +no windows, and was very warm and dark and stuffy. When the wind blew, +the little Spiders would hear it rushing through the forest near by, and +would feel their round brown house swinging like a cradle. It was +fastened to a bush by the edge of the forest, but they could not know +that, so they just wiggled and pushed and ate the food that they found +in the house, and wondered what it all meant. They didn't even guess +that a mother Spider had made the brown house and put the food in it for +her Spider babies to eat when they came out of their eggs. She had put +the eggs in, too, but the little Spiders didn't remember the time when +they lay curled up in the eggs. They didn't know what had been nor what +was to be--they thought that to eat and wiggle and sleep was all of +life. You see they had much to learn. + +One morning the little Spiders found that the food was all gone, and +they pushed and scrambled harder than ever, because they were hungry and +wanted more. Exactly what happened nobody knew, but suddenly it grew +light, and some of them fell out of the house. All the rest scrambled +after, and there they stood, winking and blinking in the bright +sunshine, and feeling a little bit dizzy, because they were on a shaky +web made of silvery ropes. + +Just then the web began to shake even more, and a beautiful great mother +Spider ran out on it. She was dressed in black and yellow velvet, and +her eight eyes glistened and gleamed in the sunlight. They had never +dreamed of such a wonderful creature. + +"Well, my children," she exclaimed, "I know you must be hungry, and I +have breakfast all ready for you." So they began eating at once, and the +mother Spider told them many things about the meadow and the forest, and +said they must amuse themselves while she worked to get food for them. +There was no father Spider to help her, and, as she said, "Growing +children must have plenty of good plain food." + +You can just fancy what a good time the baby Spiders had. There were a +hundred and seventy of them, so they had no chance to grow lonely, even +when their mother was away. They lived in this way for quite a while, +and grew bigger and stronger every day. One morning the mother Spider +said to her biggest daughter, "You are quite old enough to work now, and +I will teach you to spin your web." + +The little Spider soon learned to draw out the silvery ropes from the +pocket in her body where they were made and kept, and very soon she had +one fastened at both ends to branches of the bush. Then her mother made +her walk out to the middle of her rope bridge, and spin and fasten two +more, so that it looked like a shining cross. After that was done, the +mother showed her something like a comb, which is part of a Spider's +foot, and taught her how to measure, and put more ropes out from the +middle of the cross, until it looked like the spokes of a wheel. + +The little Spider got much discouraged, and said, "Let me finish it +some other time; I am tired of working now." + +The mother Spider answered, "No, I cannot have a lazy child." + +The little one said, "I can't ever do it, I know I can't." + +"Now," said the mother, "I shall have to give you a Spider scolding. You +have acted as lazy as the Tree Frog says boys and girls sometimes do. He +has been up near the farm-house, and says that he has seen there +children who do not like to work. The meadow people could hardly believe +such a thing at first. He says they were cross and unhappy children, and +no wonder! Lazy people are never happy. You try to finish the web, and +see if I am not right. You are not a baby now, and you must work and get +your own food." + +So the little Spider spun the circles of rope in the web, and made these +ropes sticky, as all careful spiders do. She ate the loose ends and +pieces that were left over, to save them for another time, and when it +was done, it was so fine and perfect that her brothers and sisters +crowded around, saying, "Oh! oh! oh! how beautiful!" and asked the +mother to teach them. The little web-spinner was happier than she had +ever been before, and the mother began to teach her other children. But +it takes a long time to teach a hundred and seventy children. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE BEETLE WHO DID NOT LIKE CATERPILLARS + + +One morning early in June, a fat and shining May Beetle lay on his back +among the grasses, kicking his six legs in the air, and wriggling around +while he tried to catch hold of a grass-blade by which to pull himself +up. Now, Beetles do not like to lie on their backs in the sunshine, and +this one was hot and tired from his long struggle. Beside that, he was +very cross because he was late in getting his breakfast, so when he did +at last get right side up, and saw a brown and black Caterpillar +watching him, he grew very ill-mannered, and said some things of which +he should have been ashamed. + +"Oh, yes," he said, "you are quick enough to laugh when you think +somebody else is in a fix. I often lie on my back and kick, just for +fun." (Which was not true, but when Beetles are cross they are not +always truthful.) + +"Excuse me," said the Caterpillar, "I did not mean to hurt your +feelings. If I smiled, it was because I remembered being in the same +plight myself yesterday, and what a time I had smoothing my fur +afterwards. Now, you won't have to smooth your fur, will you?" she asked +pleasantly. + +"No, I'm thankful to say I haven't any fur to smooth," snapped the +Beetle. "I am not one of the crawling, furry kind. My family wear dark +brown, glossy coats, and we always look trim and clean. When we want to +hurry, we fly; and when tired of flying, we walk or run. We have two +kinds of wings. We have a pair of dainty, soft ones, that carry us +through the air, and then we have a pair of stiff ones to cover over the +soft wings when we come down to the earth again. We are the finest +family in the meadow." + +"I have often heard of you," said the Caterpillar, "and am very glad to +become acquainted." + +"Well," answered the Beetle, "I am willing to speak to you, of course, +but we can never be at all friendly. A May Beetle, indeed, in company +with a Caterpillar! I choose my friends among the Moths, Butterflies, +and Dragon-flies,--in fact, _I_ move in the upper circles." + +"Upper circles, indeed!" said a croaking voice beside him, which made +the Beetle jump, "I have hopped over your head for two or three years, +when you were nothing but a fat, white worm. _You'd_ better not put on +airs. The fine family of May Beetles were all worms once, and they had +to live in the earth and eat roots, while the Caterpillars were in the +sunshine over their heads, dining on tender green leaves and flower +buds." + +The May Beetle began to look very uncomfortable, and squirmed as though +he wanted to get away, but the Tree Frog, for it was the Tree Frog, went +on: "As for your not liking Caterpillars, they don't stay Caterpillars. +Your new acquaintance up there will come out with wings one of these +days, and you will be glad enough to know him." And the Tree Frog hopped +away. + +The May Beetle scraped his head with his right front leg, and then said +to the Caterpillar, who was nibbling away at the milkweed: "You know, I +wasn't really in earnest about our not being friends. I shall be very +glad to know you, and all your family." + +"Thank you," answered the Caterpillar, "thank you very much, but I have +been thinking it over myself, and I feel that I really could not be +friendly with a May Beetle. Of course, I don't mind speaking to you once +in a while, when I am eating, and getting ready to spin my cocoon. After +that it will be different. You see, then I shall belong to one of the +finest families in the meadow, the Milkweed Butterflies. _We_ shall eat +nothing but honey, and dress in soft orange and black velvet. _We_ shall +not blunder and bump around when we fly. _We_ shall enjoy visiting with +the Dragon-flies and Moths. I shall not forget you altogether, I dare +say, but I shall feel it my duty to move in the upper circles, where I +belong. Good-morning." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE YOUNG ROBIN WHO WAS AFRAID TO FLY. + + +During the days when the four beautiful green-blue eggs lay in the nest, +Mrs. Robin stayed quite closely at home. She said it was a very good +place, for she could keep her eggs warm and still see all that was +happening. The rail-end on which they had built was on the meadow side +of the fence, over the tallest grasses and the graceful stalks of +golden-rod. Here the Garter Snake drew his shining body through the +tangled green, and here the Tree Frog often came for a quiet nap. + +Just outside the fence the milkweeds grew, with every broad, pale green +leaf slanting upward in their spring style. Here the Milkweed +Caterpillars fed, and here, too, when the great balls of tiny dull pink +blossoms dangled from the stalks, the Milkweed Butterflies hung all day +long. All the teams from the farm-house passed along the quiet, +grass-grown road, and those which were going to the farm as well. When +Mrs. Robin saw a team coming, she always settled herself more deeply +into her nest, so that not one of her brick-red breast feathers showed. +Then she sat very still, only turning her head enough to watch the team +as it came near, passed, and went out of sight down the road. Sometimes +she did not even have to turn her head, for if she happened to be facing +the road, she could with one eye watch the team come near, and with the +other watch it go away. No bird, you know, ever has to look at anything +with both eyes at once. + +After the young Robins had outgrown their shells and broken and thrown +them off, they were naked and red and blind. They lay in a heap in the +bottom of the nest, and became so tangled that nobody but a bird could +tell which was which. If they heard their father or their mother flying +toward them, they would stretch up their necks and open their mouths. +Then each would have some food poked down his throat, and would lie +still until another mouthful was brought to him. + +When they got their eyes open and began to grow more down, they were +good little Robins and did exactly as they were told. It was easy to be +good then, for they were not strong enough to want to go elsewhere, and +they had all they wanted to eat. At night their mother sat in the nest +and covered them with her soft feathers. When it rained she also did +this. She was a kind and very hard-working mother. Mr. Robin worked +quite as hard as she, and was exceedingly proud of his family. + +But when their feathers began to grow, and each young Robin's sharp +quills pricked his brothers and sisters if they pushed against him, then +it was not so easy to be good. Four growing children in one little round +bed sometimes found themselves rather crowded. One night Mrs. Robin said +to her husband: "I am all tired out. I work as long as daylight lasts +getting food for those children, and I cannot be here enough to teach +them anything." + +"Then they must learn to work for themselves," said Mr. Robin decidedly. +"They are surely old enough." + +"Why, they are just babies!" exclaimed his wife. "They have hardly any +tails yet." + +"They don't need tails to eat with," said he, "and they may as well +begin now. I will not have you get so tired for this one brood." + +Mrs. Robin said nothing more. Indeed, there was nothing more to be +said, for she knew perfectly well that her children would not eat with +their tails if they had them. She loved her babies so that she almost +disliked to see them grow up, yet she knew it was right for them to +leave the nest. They were so large that they spread out over the edges +of it already, and they must be taught to take care of themselves before +it was time for her to rear her second brood. + +The next morning all four children were made to hop out on to the rail. +Their legs were not very strong and their toes sprawled weakly around. +Sometimes they lurched and almost fell. Before leaving the nest they had +felt big and very important; now they suddenly felt small and young and +helpless. Once in a while one of them would hop feebly along the rail +for a few steps. Then he would chirp in a frightened way, let his head +settle down over his speckled breast, slide his eyelids over his eyes, +and wait for more food to be brought to him. + +Whenever a team went by, the oldest child shut his eyes. He thought they +couldn't see him if he did that. The other children kept theirs open and +watched to see what happened. Their father and mother had told them to +watch, but the timid young Robin always shut his eyes in spite of that. + +"We shall have trouble with him," said Mrs. Robin, "but he must be made +to do as he is told, even if he is afraid." She shut her bill very +tightly as she spoke, and Mr. Robin knew that he could safely trust the +bringing-up of his timid son to her. + +Mrs. Robin talked and talked to him, and still he shut his eyes every +time that he was frightened. "I can't keep them open," he would say, +"because when I am frightened I am always afraid, and I can't be brave +when I am afraid." + +"That is just when you must be brave," said his mother. "There is no use +in being brave when there is nothing to fear, and it is a great deal +braver to be brave when you are frightened than to be brave when you are +not." You can see that she was a very wise Robin and a good mother. It +would have been dreadful for her to let him grow up a coward. + +At last the time came when the young birds were to fly to the ground and +hop across the road. Both their father and their mother were there to +show them how. "You must let go of the rail," they said. "You will never +fly in the world unless you let go of the rail." + +Three of the children fluttered and lurched and flew down. The timid +young Robin would not try it. His father ordered and his mother coaxed, +yet he only clung more closely to his rail and said, "I can't! I'm +afraid!" + +At last his mother said: "Very well. You shall stay there as long as +you wish, but we cannot stay with you." + +Then she chirped to her husband, and they and the three brave children +went across the road, talking as they went. "Careful!" she would say. +"Now another hop! That was fine! Now another!" And the father fluttered +around and said: "Good! Good! You'll be grown-up before you know it." +When they were across, the parents hunted food and fed their three brave +children, tucking the mouthfuls far into their wide-open bills. + +The timid little Robin on the fence felt very, very lonely. He was +hungry, too. Whenever he saw his mother pick up a mouthful of food, he +chirped loudly: "Me! Me! Me!" for he wanted her to bring it to him. She +paid no attention to him for a long time. Then she called: "Do you think +you can fly? Do you think you can fly? Do you think?" + +The timid little Robin hopped a few steps and chirped but never lifted +a wing. Then his mother gave each of the other children a big mouthful. + +The Robin on the fence huddled down into a miserable little bunch, and +thought: "They don't care whether I ever have anything to eat. No, they +don't!" Then he heard a rush of wings, and his mother stood before him +with a bunch in her bill for him. He hopped toward her and she ran away. +Then he sat down and cried. She hopped back and looked lovingly at him, +but couldn't speak because her bill was so full. Across the road the +Robin father stayed with his brave children and called out, "Earn it, my +son, earn it!" + +The young Robin stretched out his neck and opened his bill--but his +mother flew to the ground. He was so hungry--so very, very hungry,--that +for a minute he quite forgot to be afraid, and he leaned toward her and +toppled over. He fluttered his wings without thinking, and the first he +knew he had flown to the ground. He was hardly there before his mother +was feeding him and his father was singing: "Do you know what you did? +Do you know what you did? Do you know?" + +Before his tail was grown the timid Robin had become as brave as any of +the children, for, you know, after you begin to be brave you always want +to go on. But the Garter Snake says that Mrs. Robin is the bravest of +the family. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE CRICKETS' SCHOOL + + +In one corner of the meadow lived a fat old Cricket, who thought a great +deal of himself. He had such a big, shining body, and a way of chirping +so very loudly, that nobody could ever forget where he lived. He was a +very good sort of Cricket, too, ready to say the most pleasant things to +everybody, yet, sad to relate, he had a dreadful habit of boasting. He +had not always lived in the meadow, and he liked to tell of the +wonderful things he had seen and done when he was younger and lived up +near the white farm-house. + +When he told these stories of what he had done, the big Crickets around +him would not say much, but just sit and look at each other. The little +Crickets, however, loved to hear him talk, and would often come to the +door of his house (which was a hole in the ground), to beg him to tell +them more. + +One evening he said he would teach them a few things that all little +Crickets should know. He had them stand in a row, and then began: "With +what part of your body do you eat?" + +"With our mouths," all the little Crickets shouted. + +"With what part of your body do you run and leap?" + +"Our legs," they cried. + +"Do you do anything else with your legs?" + +"We clean ourselves with them," said one. + +"We use them and our mouths to make our houses in the ground," said +another. + +"Oh yes, and we hear with our two front legs," cried one bright little +fellow. + +"That is right," answered the fat old Cricket. "Some creatures hear with +things called ears, that grow on the sides of their heads, but for my +part, I think it much nicer to hear with one's legs, as we do." + +"Why, how funny it must be not to hear with one's legs, as we do," cried +all the little Crickets together. + +"There are a great many queer things to be seen in the great world," +said their teacher. "I have seen some terribly big creatures with only +two legs and no wings whatever." + +"How dreadful!" all the little Crickets cried. "We wouldn't think they +could move about at all." + +"It must be very hard to do so," said their teacher; "I was very sorry +for them," and he spread out his own wings and stretched his six legs to +show how he enjoyed them. + +"But how can they sing if they have no wings?" asked the bright little +Cricket. + +"They sing through their mouths, in much the same way that the birds +have to. I am sure it must be much easier to sing by rubbing one's wings +together, as we do," said the fat old teacher. "I could tell you many +queer things about these two-legged creatures, and the houses in which +they live, and perhaps some day I will. There are other large +four-legged creatures around their homes that are very terrible, but, my +children, I was never afraid of any of them. I am one of the truly brave +people who are never frightened, no matter how terrible the sight. I +hope, children, that you will always be brave, like me. If anything +should scare you, do not jump or run away. Stay right where you are, +and----" + +But the little Crickets never heard the rest of what their teacher began +to say, for at that minute Brown Bess, the Cow, came through a broken +fence toward the spot where the Crickets were. The teacher gave one +shrill "chirp," and scrambled down his hole. The little Crickets fairly +tumbled over each other in their hurry to get away, and the fat old +Cricket, who had been out in the great world, never again talked to them +about being brave. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE CONTENTED EARTHWORMS + + +After a long and soaking rain, the Earthworms came out of their burrows, +or rather, they came part way out, for each Earthworm put out half of +his body, and, as there were many of them and they lived near to each +other, they could easily visit without leaving their own homes. Two of +these long, slimy people were talking, when a Potato Bug strolled by. +"You poor things," said he, "what a wretched life you must lead. +Spending one's days in the dark earth must be very dreary." + +"Dreary!" exclaimed one of the Earthworms, "it is delightful. The earth +is a snug and soft home. It is warm in cold weather and cool in warm +weather. There are no winds to trouble us, and no sun to scorch us." + +"But," said the Potato Bug, "it must be very dull. Now, out in the +grass, one finds beautiful flowers, and so many families of friends." + +"And down here," answered the Worm, "we have the roots. Some are brown +and woody, like those of the trees, and some are white and slender and +soft. They creep and twine, until it is like passing through a forest to +go among them. And then, there are the seeds. Such busy times as there +are in the ground in spring-time! Each tiny seed awakens and begins to +grow. Its roots must strike downward, and its stalk upward toward the +light. Sometimes the seeds are buried in the earth with the root end up, +and then they have a great time getting twisted around and ready to +grow." + +"Still, after the plants are all growing and have their heads in the +air, you must miss them." + +"We have the roots always," said the Worm. "And then, when the summer is +over, the plants have done their work, helping to make the world +beautiful and raise their seed babies, and they wither and droop to the +earth again, and little by little the sun and the frost and the rain +help them to melt back into the earth. The earth is the beginning and +the end of plants." + +"Do you ever meet the meadow people in it?" asked the Potato Bug. + +"Many of them live here as babies," said the Worm. "The May Beetles, the +Grasshoppers, the great Humming-bird Moths, and many others spend their +babyhood here, all wrapped in eggs or cocoons. Then, when they are +strong enough, and their legs and wings are grown, they push their way +out and begin their work. It is their getting-ready time, down here in +the dark. And then, there are the stones, and they are so old and queer. +I am often glad that I am not a stone, for to have to lie still must be +hard to bear. Yet I have heard that they did not always lie so, and that +some of the very pebbles around us tossed and rolled and ground for +years in the bed of a river, and that some of them were rubbed and +broken off of great rocks. Perhaps they are glad now to just lie and +rest." + +"Truly," said the Potato Bug, "you have a pleasant home, but give me the +sunshine and fresh air, my six legs, and my striped wings, and you are +welcome to it all." + +"You are welcome to them all," answered the Worms. "We are contented +with smooth and shining bodies, with which we can bore and wriggle our +way through the soft, brown earth. We like our task of keeping the +earth right for the plants, and we will work and rest happily here." + +The Potato Bug went his way, and said to his brothers, "What do you +think? I have been talking with Earthworms who would not be Potato Bugs +if they could." And they all shook their heads in wonder, for they +thought that to be Potato Bugs was the grandest and happiest thing in +the world. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE MEASURING WORM'S JOKE + + +One day there crawled over the meadow fence a jolly young Measuring +Worm. He came from a bush by the roadside, and although he was still a +young Worm he had kept his eyes open and had a very good idea how things +go in this world. "Now," thought he, as he rested on the top rail of the +fence, "I shall meet some new friends. I do hope they will be pleasant. +I will look about me and see if anyone is in sight." So he raised his +head high in the air and, sure enough, there were seven Caterpillars of +different kinds on a tall clump of weeds near by. + +The Measuring Worm hurried over to where they were, and making his best +bow said: "I have just come from the roadside and think I shall live in +the meadow. May I feed with you?" + +The Caterpillars were all glad to have him, and he joined their party. +He asked many questions about the meadow, and the people who lived +there, and the best place to find food. The Caterpillars said, "Oh, the +meadow is a good place, and the people are nice enough, but they are not +at all fashionable--not at all." + +"Why," said the Measuring Worm, "if you have nice people and a pleasant +place in which to live, I don't see what more you need." + +"That is all very well," said a black and yellow Caterpillar, "but what +we want is fashionable society. The meadow people always do things in +the same way, and one gets so tired of that. Now can you not tell us +something different, something that Worms do in the great world from +which you come?" + +Just at this minute the Measuring Worm had a funny idea, and he wondered +if the Caterpillars would be foolish enough to copy him. He thought it +would be a good joke if they did, so he said very soberly, "I notice +that when you walk you keep your body quite close to the ground. I have +seen many Worms do the same thing, and it is all right if they wish to, +but none of my family ever do so. Did you notice how I walk?" + +"Yes, yes," cried the Caterpillars, "show us again." + +So the Measuring Worm walked back and forth for them, arching his body +as high as he could, and stopping every little while to raise his head +and look haughtily around. + +"What grace!" exclaimed the Caterpillars. "What grace, and what style!" +and one black and brown one tried to walk in the same way. + +The Measuring Worm wanted to laugh to see how awkward the black and +brown Caterpillar was, but he did not even smile, and soon every one of +the Caterpillars was trying the same thing, and saying "Look at me. +Don't I do well?" or, "How was that?" + +You can just imagine how those seven Caterpillars looked when trying to +walk like the Measuring Worm. Every few minutes one of them would tumble +over, and they all got warm and tired. At last they thought they had +learned it very well, and took a long rest, in which they planned to +take a long walk and show the other meadow people the fashion they had +received from the outside world. + +"We will walk in a line," they said, "as far as we can, and let them all +see us. Ah, it will be a great day for the meadow when we begin to set +the fashions!" + +The mischievous young Measuring Worm said not a word, and off they +started. The big black and yellow Caterpillar went first, the black and +brown one next, and so on down to the smallest one at the end of the +line, all arching their bodies as high as they could. All the meadow +people stared at them, calling each other to come and look, and whenever +the Caterpillars reached a place where there were many watching them, +they would all raise their heads and look around exactly as the +Measuring Worm had done. When they got back to their clump of bushes, +they had the most dreadful backaches, but they said to each other, +"Well, we have been fashionable for once." + +And, at the same time, out in the grass, the meadow people were saying, +"Did you ever see anything so ridiculous in your life?" All of which +goes to show how very silly people sometimes are when they think too +much of being fashionable. + + + + +[Illustration] + +A PUZZLED CICADA + + +Seventeen years is a long, long time to be getting ready to fly; yet +that is what the Seventeen-year Locusts, or Cicadas, have to expect. +First, they lie for a long time in eggs, down in the earth. Then, when +they awaken, and crawl out of their shells, they must grow strong enough +to dig before they can make their way out to where the beautiful green +grass is growing and waving in the wind. + +The Cicada who got so very much puzzled had not been long out of his +home in the warm, brown earth. He was the only Cicada anywhere around, +and it was very lonely for him. However, he did not mind that so much +when he was eating, or singing, or resting in the sunshine, and as he +was either eating, or singing, or resting in the sunshine most of the +time, he got along fairly well. + +Because he was young and healthy he grew fast. He grew so very fast that +after a while he began to feel heavy and stiff, and more like sitting +still than like crawling around. Beside all this, his skin got tight, +and you can imagine how uncomfortable it must be to have one's skin too +tight. He was sitting on the branch of a bush one day, thinking about +the wonderful great world, when--pop!--his skin had cracked open right +down the middle of his back! The poor Cicada was badly frightened at +first, but then it seemed so good and roomy that he took a deep breath, +and--pop!--the crack was longer still! + +The Cicada found that he had another whole skin under the outside one +which had cracked, so he thought, "How much cooler and more comfortable +I shall be if I crawl out of this broken covering," and out he crawled. + +It wasn't very easy work, because he didn't have anybody to help him. He +had to hook the claws of his outer skin into the bark of the branch, +hook them in so hard that they couldn't pull out, and then he began to +wriggle out of the back of his own skin. It was exceedingly hard work, +and the hardest of all was the pulling his legs out of their cases. He +was so tired when he got free that he could hardly think, and his new +skin was so soft and tender that he felt limp and queer. He found that +he had wings of a pretty green, the same color as his legs. He knew +these wings must have been growing under his old skin, and he stretched +them slowly out to see how big they were. This was in the morning, and +after he had stretched his wings he went to sleep for a long time. + +When he awakened, the sun was in the western sky, and he tried to think +who he was. He looked at himself, and instead of being green he was a +dull brown and black. Then he saw his old skin clinging to the branch +and staring him in the face. It was just the same shape as when he was +in it, and he thought for a minute that he was dreaming. He rubbed his +head hard with his front legs to make sure he was awake, and then he +began to wonder which one he was. Sometimes he thought that the old skin +which clung to the bush was the Cicada that had lain so long in the +ground, and sometimes he thought that the soft, fat, new-looking one +was the Cicada. Or were both of them the Cicada? If he were only one of +the two, what would he do with the other? + +While he was wondering about this in a sleepy way, an old Cicada from +across the river flew down beside him. He thought he would ask her, so +he waved his feelers as politely as he knew how, and said, "Excuse me, +Madam Cicada, for I am much puzzled. It took me seventeen years to grow +into a strong, crawling Cicada, and then in one day I separated. The +thinking, moving part of me is here, but the outside shell of me is +there on that branch. Now, which part is the real Cicada?" + +"Why, that is easy enough," said the Madam Cicada; "You are _you_, of +course. The part that you cast off and left clinging to the branch was +very useful once. It kept you warm on cold days and cool on warm days, +and you needed it while you were only a crawling creature. But when +your wings were ready to carry you off to a higher and happier life, +then the skin that had been a help was in your way, and you did right to +wriggle out of it. It is no longer useful to you. Leave it where it is +and fly off to enjoy your new life. You will never have trouble if you +remember that the thinking part is the real _you_." + +And then Madam Cicada and her new friend flew away to her home over the +river, and he saw many strange sights before he returned to the meadow. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE TREE FROG'S STORY + + +In all the meadow there was nobody who could tell such interesting +stories as the old Tree Frog. Even the Garter Snake, who had been there +the longest, and the old Cricket, who had lived in the farm-yard, could +tell no such exciting tales as the Tree Frog. All the wonderful things +of which he told had happened before he came to the meadow, and while he +was still a young Frog. None of his friends had known him then, but he +was an honest fellow, and they were sure that everything he told was +true: besides, they must be true, for how could a body ever think out +such remarkable tales from his own head? + +When he first came to his home by the elm tree he was very thin, and +looked as though he had been sick. The Katydids who stayed near said +that he croaked in his sleep, and that, you know, is not what well and +happy Frogs should do. + +One day when many of the meadow people were gathered around him, he told +them his story. "When I was a little fellow," he said, "I was strong and +well, and could leap farther than any other Frog of my size. I was +hatched in the pond beyond the farm-house, and ate my way from the egg +to the water outside like any other Frog. Perhaps I ought to say, 'like +any other Tadpole,' for, of course, I began life as a Tadpole. I played +and ate with my brothers and sisters, and little dreamed what trouble +was in store for me when I grew up. We were all in a hurry to be Frogs, +and often talked of what we would do and how far we would travel when we +were grown. + +"Oh, how happy we were then! I remember the day when my hind legs began +to grow, and how the other Tadpoles crowded around me in the water and +swam close to me to feel the two little bunches that were to be legs. My +fore legs did not grow until later, and these bunches came just in front +of my tail." + +"Your tail!" cried a puzzled young Cricket; "why, you haven't any tail!" + +"I did have when I was a Tadpole," said the Tree Frog. "I had a +beautiful, wiggly little tail with which to swim through the waters of +the pond; but as my legs grew larger and stronger, my tail grew littler +and weaker, until there wasn't any tail left. By the time my tail was +gone I had four good legs, and could breathe through both my nose and +my skin. The knobs on the ends of my toes were sticky, so that I could +climb a tree, and then I was ready to start on my travels. Some of the +other Frogs started with me, but they stopped along the way, and at last +I was alone. + +"I was a bold young fellow, and when I saw a great white thing among the +trees up yonder, I made up my mind to see what it was. There was a great +red thing in the yard beside it, but I liked the white one better. I +hopped along as fast as I could, for I did not then know enough to be +afraid. I got close up to them both, and saw strange, big creatures +going in and out of the red thing--the barn, as I afterward found it was +called. The largest creatures had four legs, and some of them had horns. +The smaller creatures had only two legs on which to walk, and two other +limbs of some sort with which they lifted and carried things. The +queerest thing about it was, that the smaller creatures seemed to make +the larger ones do whatever they wanted them to. They even made some of +them help do their work. You may not believe me, but what I tell you is +true. I saw two of the larger ones tied to a great load of dried grass +and pulling it into the barn. + +"As you may guess, I stayed there a long time, watching these strange +creatures work. Then I went over toward the white thing, and that, I +found out, was the farm-house. Here were more of the two-legged +creatures, but they were dressed differently from those in the barn. +There were some bright-colored flowers near the house, and I crawled in +among them. There I rested until sunset, and then began my evening song. +While I was singing, one of the people from the house came out and found +me. She picked me up and carried me inside. Oh, how frightened I was! My +heart thumped as though it would burst, and I tried my best to get away +from her. She didn't hurt me at all, but she would not let me go. + +"She put me in a very queer prison. At first, when she put me down on a +stone in some water, I did not know that I was in prison. I tried to hop +away, and--bump! went my head against something. Yet when I drew back, I +could see no wall there. I tried it again and again, and every time I +hurt my head. I tell you the truth, my friends, those walls were made of +something which one could see through." + +"Wonderful!" exclaimed all the meadow people; "wonderful, indeed!" + +"And at the top," continued the Tree Frog, "was something white over the +doorway into my prison. In the bottom were water and a stone, and from +the bottom to the top was a ladder. There I had to live for most of the +summer. I had enough to eat; but anybody who has been free cannot be +happy shut in. I watched my chance, and three times I got out when the +little door was not quite closed. Twice I was caught and put back. In +the pleasant weather, of course, I went to the top of the ladder, and +when it was going to rain I would go down again. Every time that I went +up or down, those dreadful creatures would put their faces up close to +my prison, and I could hear a roaring sound which meant they were +talking and laughing. + +"The last time I got out, I hid near the door of the house, and although +they hunted and hunted for me, they didn't find me. After they stopped +hunting, the wind blew the door open, and I hopped out." + +"You don't say!" exclaimed a Grasshopper. + +"Yes, I hopped out and scrambled away through the grass as fast as ever +I could. You people who have never been in prison cannot think how +happy I was. It seemed to me that just stretching my legs was enough to +make me wild with joy. Well, I came right here, and you were all kind to +me, but for a long time I could not sleep without dreaming that I was +back in prison, and I would croak in my sleep at the thought of it." + +"I heard you," cried the Katydid, "and I wondered what was the matter." + +"Matter enough," said the Tree Frog. "It makes my skin dry to think of +it now. And, friends, the best way I can ever repay your kindness to me, +is to tell you to never, never, never, never go near the farm-house." + +And they all answered, "We never will." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE DAY WHEN THE GRASS WAS CUT. + + +There came a day when all the meadow people rushed back and forth, +waving their feelers and talking hurriedly to each other. The fat old +Cricket was nowhere to be seen. He said that one of his legs was lame +and he thought it best to stay quietly in his hole. The young Crickets +thought he was afraid. Perhaps he was, but he said that he was lame. + +All the insects who had holes crawled into them carrying food. Everybody +was anxious and fussy, and some people were even cross. It was all +because the farmer and his men had come into the meadow to cut the +grass. They began to work on the side nearest the road, but every step +which the Horses took brought the mower nearer to the people who lived +in the middle of the meadow or down toward the river. + +"I have seen this done before," said the Garter Snake. "I got away from +the big mower, and hid in the grass by the trees, or by the stumps where +the mower couldn't come. Then the men came and cut that grass with their +scythes, and I had to wriggle away over the short, sharp grass-stubble +to my hole. When they get near me this time, I shall go into my hole and +stay there." + +"They are not so bad after all," said the Tree Frog. "I like them better +out-of-doors than I did in the house. They saw me out here once and +didn't try to catch me." + +A Meadow Mouse came hurrying along. "I must get home to my babies," she +said. "They will be frightened if I am not there." + +"Much good you can do when you are there!" growled a voice down under +her feet. She was standing over the hole where the fat old Cricket was +with his lame leg. + +The mother Meadow Mouse looked rather angry for a minute, and then she +answered: "I'm not so very large and strong, but I can squeak and let +the Horses know where the nest is. Then they won't step on it. Last year +I had ten or twelve babies there, and one of the men picked them up and +looked at them and then put them back. I was so frightened that my fur +stood on end and I shook like June grass in the wind." + +"Humph! Too scared to run away," said the voice under her feet. + +"Mothers don't run away and leave their children in danger," answered +the Meadow Mouse. "I think it is a great deal braver to be brave when +you are afraid than it is to be brave when you're not afraid." She +whisked her long tail and scampered off through the grass. She did not +go the nearest way to her nest because she thought the Garter Snake +might be watching. She didn't wish him to know where she lived. She knew +he was fond of young Mice, and didn't want him to come to see her babies +while she was away. She said he was not a good friend for young +children. + +"We don't mind it at all," said the Mosquitoes from the lower part of +the meadow. "We are unusually hungry today anyway, and we shall enjoy +having the men come." + +"Nothing to make such a fuss over," said a Milkweed Butterfly. "Just +crawl into your holes or fly away." + +"Sometimes they step on the holes and close them," said an Ant. "What +would you do if you were in a hole and it stopped being a hole and was +just earth?" + +"Crawl out, I suppose," answered the Milkweed Butterfly with a careless +flutter. + +"Yes," said the Ant, "but I don't see what there would be to crawl out +through." + +The Milkweed Butterfly was already gone. Butterflies never worry about +anything very long, you know. + +"Has anybody seen the Measuring Worm?" asked the Katydid. "Where is he?" + +"Oh, I'm up a tree," answered a pleasant voice above their heads, "but I +sha'n't be up a tree very long. I shall come down when the grass is +cut." + +"Oh, dear, dear, dear!" cried the Ants, hurrying around. "We can't think +what we want to do. We don't know what we ought to do. We can't think +and we don't know, and we don't think that we ought to!" + +"Click!" said a Grasshopper, springing into the air. "We must hurry, +hurry, hurry!" He jumped from a stalk of pepper-grass to a plantain. +"We _must_ hurry," he said, and he jumped from the plantain back to the +pepper-grass. + +Up in the tree where the Measuring Worm was, some Katydids were sitting +on a branch and singing shrilly: "Did you ever? Did you ever? Ever? +Ever? Ever? Did you ever?" And this shows how much excited they were, +for they usually sang only at night. + +Then the mower came sweeping down the field, drawn by the Blind Horse +and the Dappled Gray, and guided by the farmer himself. The dust rose in +clouds as they passed, the Grasshoppers gave mighty springs which took +them out of the way, and all the singing and shrilling stopped until the +mower had passed. The nodding grasses swayed and fell as the sharp +knives slid over the ground. "We are going to be hay," they said, "and +live in the big barn." + +"Now we shall grow some more tender green blades," said the grass roots. + +"Fine weather for haying," snorted the Dappled Gray. "We'll cut all the +grass in this field before noon." + +"Good feeling ground to walk on," said the Blind Horse, tossing his head +until the harness jingled. + +Then the Horses and the farmer and the mower passed far away, and the +meadow people came together again. + +"Well," said the Tree Frog. "That's over for a while." + +The Ants and the Grasshoppers came back to their old places. "We did +just the right thing," they cried joyfully. "We got out of the way." + +The Measuring Worm and the Katydids came down from their tree as the +Milkweed Butterfly fluttered past. "The men left the grass standing +around the Meadow Mouse's nest," said the Milkweed Butterfly, "and the +Cows up by the barn are telling how glad they will be to have the hay +when the cold weather comes." + +"Grass must grow and hay be cut," said the wise old Tree Frog, "and when +the time comes we always know what to do. Puk-rup! Puk-r-r-rup!" + +"I think," said the fat old Cricket, as he crawled out of his hole, +"that my lame leg is well enough to use. There is nothing like rest for +a lame leg." + + + + +[Illustration] + +The GRASSHOPPER and the MEASURING WORM RUN a RACE + + +A few days after the Measuring Worm came to the meadow he met the +Grasshoppers. Everybody had heard of the Caterpillars' wish to be +fashionable, and some of the young Grasshoppers, who did not know that +it was all a joke, said they would like to teach the Measuring Worm a +few things. So when they met him the young Grasshoppers began to make +fun of him, and asked him what he did if he wanted to run, and whether +he didn't wish his head grew on the middle of his back so that he could +see better when walking. + +The Measuring Worm was good-natured, and only said that he found his +head useful where it was. Soon one fine-looking Grasshopper asked him to +race. "That will show," said the Grasshopper, "which is the better +traveller." + +The Measuring Worm said: "Certainly, I will race with you to-morrow, and +we will ask all our friends to look on." Then he began talking about +something else. He was a wise young fellow, as well as a jolly one, and +he knew the Grasshoppers felt sure that he would be beaten. "If I cannot +win the race by swift running," thought he, "I must try to win it by +good planning." So he got the Grasshoppers to go with him to a place +where the sweet young grass grew, and they all fed together. + +The Measuring Worm nibbled only a little here and there, but he talked a +great deal about the sweetness of the grass, and how they would not get +any more for a long time because the hot weather would spoil it. And the +Grasshoppers said to each other: "He is right, and we must eat all we +can while we have it." So they ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, until +sunset, and in the morning they awakened and began eating again. When +the time for the race came, they were all heavy and stupid from so much +eating,--which was exactly what the Measuring Worm wanted. + +The Tree Frog, the fat, old Cricket, and a Caterpillar were chosen to be +the judges, and the race was to be a long one,--from the edge of the +woods to the fence. When the meadow people were all gathered around to +see the race, the Cricket gave a shrill chirp, which meant "Go!" and off +they started. That is to say, the Measuring Worm started. The +Grasshopper felt so sure he could beat that he wanted to give the +Measuring Worm a little the start, because then, you see, he could say +he had won without half trying. + +The Measuring Worm started off at a good, steady rate, and when he had +gone a few feet the Grasshopper gave a couple of great leaps, which +landed him far ahead of the Worm. Then he stopped to nibble a blade of +grass and visit with some Katydids who were looking on. By and by he +took a few more leaps and passed the Measuring Worm again. This time he +began to show off by jumping up straight into the air, and when he came +down he would call out to those who stood near to see how strong he was +and how easy it would be for him to win the race. And everybody said, +"How strong he is, to be sure!" "What wonderful legs he has!" and "He +could beat the Measuring Worm with his eyes shut!" which made the +Grasshopper so exceedingly vain that he stopped more and more often to +show his strength and daring. + +That was the way it went, until they were only a short distance from the +end of the race course. The Grasshopper was more and more pleased to +think how easily he was winning, and stopped for a last time to nibble +grass and make fun of the Worm. He gave a great leap into the air, and +when he came down there was the Worm on the fence! All the meadow people +croaked, and shrilled, and chirped to see the way in which the race +ended, and the Grasshopper was very much vexed. "You shouldn't call him +the winner," he said; "I can travel ten times as fast as he, if I try." + +"Yes," answered the judges, "we all know that, yet the winning of the +race is not decided by what you might do, but by what you did do." And +the meadow people all cried: "Long live the Measuring Worm! Long live +the Measuring Worm!" + + + + +[Illustration] + +MR GREEN FROG AND HIS VISITORS + + +One day a young Frog who lived down by the river, came hopping up +through the meadow. He was a fine-looking fellow, all brown and green, +with a white vest, and he came to see the sights. The oldest Frog on the +river bank had told him that he ought to travel and learn to know the +world, so he had started at once. + +Young Mr. Green Frog had very big eyes, and they stuck out from his head +more than ever when he saw all the strange sights and heard all the +strange sounds of the meadow. Yet he made one great mistake, just as +bigger and better people sometimes do when they go on a journey; he +didn't try to learn from the things he saw, but only to show off to the +meadow people how much he already knew, and he boasted a great deal of +the fine way in which he lived when at home. + +Mr. Green Frog told those whom he met that the meadow was dreadfully +dry, and that he really could not see how they lived there. He said they +ought to see the lovely soft mud that there was in the marsh, and that +there the people could sit all day with their feet in water in among the +rushes where the sunshine never came. "And then," he said, "to eat grass +as the Grasshoppers did! If they would go home with him, he would show +them how to live." + +The older Grasshoppers and Crickets and Locusts only looked at each +other and opened their funny mouths in a smile, but the young ones +thought Mr. Green Frog must be right, and they wanted to go back with +him. The old Hoppers told them that they wouldn't like it down there, +and that they would be sorry that they had gone; still the young ones +teased and teased and teased and teased until everybody said: "Well, let +them go, and then perhaps they will be contented when they return." + +At last they all set off together,--Mr. Green Frog and the young meadow +people. Mr. Green Frog took little jumps all the way and bragged and +bragged. The Grasshoppers went in long leaps, the Crickets scampered +most of the way, and the Locusts fluttered. It was a very gay little +party, and they kept saying to each other, "What a fine time we shall +have!" + +When they got to the marsh, Mr. Green Frog went in first with a soft +"plunk" in the mud. The rest all followed and tried to make believe that +they liked it, but they didn't--they didn't at all. The Grasshoppers +kept bumping against the tough, hard rushes when they jumped, and then +that would tumble them over on their backs in the mud, and there they +would lie, kicking their legs in the air, until some friendly Cricket +pushed them over on their feet again. The Locusts couldn't fly at all +there, and the Crickets got their shiny black coats all grimy and +horrid. + +They all got cold and wet and tired--yes, and hungry too, for there were +no tender green things growing in among the rushes. Still they pretended +to have a good time, even while they were thinking how they would like +to be in their dear old home. + +After the sun went down in the west it grew colder still, and all the +Frogs in the marsh began to croak to the moon, croaking so loudly that +the tired little travellers could not sleep at all. When the Frogs +stopped croaking and went to sleep in the mud, one tired Cricket said: +"If you like this, _stay_. I am going home as fast as my six little legs +will carry me." And all the rest of the travellers said: "So am I," "So +am I," "So am I." + +Mr. Green Frog was sleeping soundly, and they crept away as quietly as +they could out into the silvery moonlight and up the bank towards home. +Such a tired little party as they were, and so hungry that they had to +stop and eat every little while. The dew was on the grass and they could +not get warm. + +The sun was just rising behind the eastern forest when they got home. +They did not want to tell about their trip at all, but just ate a lot +of pepper-grass to make them warm, and then rolled themselves in between +the woolly mullein leaves to rest all day long. And that was the last +time any of them ever went away with a stranger. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE DIGNIFIED WALKING-STICKS. + + +Three Walking-Sticks from the forest had come to live in the big maple +tree near the middle of the meadow. Nobody knew exactly why they had +left the forest, where all their sisters and cousins and aunts lived. +Perhaps they were not happy with their relatives. But then, if one is a +Walking-Stick, you know, one does not care so very much about one's +family. + +These Walking-Sticks had grown up the best way they could, with no +father or mother to care for them. They had never been taught to do +anything useful, or to think much about other people. When they were +hungry they ate some leaves, and never thought what they should eat the +next time that they happened to be hungry. When they were tired they +went to sleep, and when they had slept enough they awakened. They had +nothing to do but to eat and sleep, and they did not often take the +trouble to think. They felt that they were a little better than those +meadow people who rushed and scrambled and worked from morning until +night, and they showed very plainly how they felt. They said it was not +genteel to hurry, no matter what happened. + +One day the Tree Frog was under the tree when the large Brown +Walking-Stick decided to lay some eggs. He saw her dropping them +carelessly around on the ground, and asked, "Do you never fix a place +for your eggs?" + +"A place?" said the Brown Walking-Stick, waving her long and slender +feelers to and fro. "A place? Oh, no! I think they will hatch where they +are. It is too much trouble to find a place." + +"Puk-r-r-rup!" said the Tree Frog. "Some mothers do not think it too +much trouble to be careful where they lay eggs." + +"That may be," said the Brown Walking-Stick, "but they do not belong to +our family." She spoke as if those who did not belong to her family +might be good but could never be genteel. She had once told her brother, +the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, that she would not want to live if she +could not be genteel. She thought the meadow people very common. + +The Five-Legged Walking-Stick looked much like his sister. He had the +same long, slender body, the same long feelers, and the same sort of +long, slender legs. If you had passed them in a hay-field, you would +surely have thought each a stem of hay, unless you happened to see them +move. The other Walking-Stick, their friend, was younger and green. You +would have thought her a blade of grass. + +It is true that the brother had the same kind of legs as his sister, +but he did not have the same number. When he was young and green he had +six, then came a dreadful day when a hungry Nuthatch saw him, flew down, +caught him, and carried him up a tree. He knew just what to expect, so +when the Nuthatch set him down on the bark to look at him, he unhooked +his feet from the bark and tumbled to the ground. The Nuthatch tried to +catch him and broke off one of his legs, but she never found him again, +although she looked and looked and looked and looked. That was because +he crawled into a clump of ferns and kept very still. + +His sister came and looked at him and said, "Now if you were only a +Spider it would not be long before you would have six legs again." + +Her brother waved first one feeler and then the other, and said: "Do you +think I would be a Spider for the sake of growing legs? I would rather +be a Walking-Stick without any legs than to be a Spider with a +hundred." Of course, you know, Spiders never do have a hundred, and a +Walking-Stick wouldn't be walking without any, but that was just his way +of speaking, and it showed what kind of insect he was. His relatives all +waved their feelers, one at a time, and said, "Ah, he has the true +Walking-Stick spirit!" Then they paid no more attention to him, and +after a while he and his sister and their green little friend left the +forest for the meadow. + +On the day when the grass was cut, they had sat quietly in their trees +and looked genteel. Their feelers were held quite close together, and +they did not move their feet at all, only swayed their bodies gracefully +from side to side. Now they were on the ground, hunting through the flat +piles of cut grass for some fresh and juicy bits to eat. The Tree Frog +was also out, sitting in a cool, damp corner of the grass rows. The +young Grasshoppers were kicking up their feet, the Ants were scrambling +around as busy as ever, and life went on quite as though neither men nor +Horses had ever entered the meadow. + +"See!" cried a Spider who was busily looking after her web, "there comes +a Horse drawing something, and the farmer sitting on it and driving." + +When the Horse was well into the meadow, the farmer moved a bar, and the +queer-looking machine began to kick the grass this way and that with its +many stiff and shining legs. A frisky young Grasshopper kicked in the +same way, and happened--just happened, of course--to knock over two of +his friends. Then there was a great scrambling and the Crickets +frolicked with them. The young Walking-Stick thought it looked like +great fun and almost wished herself some other kind of insect, so that +she could tumble around in the same way. She did not quite wish it, you +understand, and would never have thought of it if she had turned brown. + +"Ah," said the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, "what scrambling! How very +common!" + +"Yes, indeed!" said his sister. "Why can't they learn to move slowly and +gracefully? Perhaps they can't help being fat, but they might at least +act genteel." + +"What is it to be genteel?" asked a Grasshopper suddenly. He had heard +every word that the Walking-Stick said. + +"Why," said the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, "it is just to be genteel. To +act as you see us act, and to----" + +Just here the hay-tedder passed over them, and every one of the +Walking-Sticks was sent flying through the air and landed on his back. +The Grasshoppers declare that the Walking-Sticks tumbled and kicked and +flopped around in a dreadfully common way until they were right side +up. "Why," said the Measuring Worm, "you act like anybody else when the +hay-tedder comes along!" + +The Walking-Sticks looked very uncomfortable, and the brother and sister +could not think of anything to say. It was the young green one who spoke +at last. "I think," said she, "that it is much easier to act genteel +when one is right side up." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE DAY OF THE GREAT STORM + + +Everything in the meadow was dry and dusty. The leaves on the milkweeds +were turning yellow with thirst, the field blossoms drooped their dainty +heads in the sunshine, and the grass seemed to fairly rattle in the +wind, it was so brown and dry. + +All of the meadow people when they met each other would say, "Well, this +_is_ hot," and the Garter Snake, who had lived there longer than anyone +else, declared that it was the hottest and driest time that he had ever +known. "Really," he said, "it is so hot that I cannot eat, and such a +thing never happened before." + +The Grasshoppers and Locusts were very happy, for such weather was +exactly what they liked. They didn't see how people could complain of +such delightful scorching days. But that, you know, is always the way, +for everybody cannot be suited at once, and all kinds of weather are +needed to make a good year. + +The poor Tree Frog crawled into the coolest place he could find--hollow +trees, shady nooks under the ferns, or even beneath the corner of a +great stone. "Oh," said he, "I wish I were a Tadpole again, swimming in +a shady pool. It is such a long, hot journey to the marsh that I cannot +go. Last night I dreamed that I was a Tadpole, splashing in the water, +and it was hard to awaken and find myself only an uncomfortable old Tree +Frog." + +Over his head the Katydids were singing, "Lovely weather! Lovely +weather!" and the Tree Frog, who was a good-natured old fellow after +all, winked his eye at them and said: "Sing away. This won't last +always, and then it will be my turn to sing." + +Sure enough, the very next day a tiny cloud drifted across the sky, and +the Tree Frog, who always knew when the weather was about to change, +began his rain-song. "Pukr-r-rup!" sang he, "Pukr-r-rup! It will rain! +It will rain! R-r-r-rain!" + +The little white cloud, grew bigger and blacker, and another came +following after, then another, and another, and another, until the sky +was quite covered with rushing black clouds. Then came a long, low +rumble of thunder, and all the meadow people hurried to find shelter. +The Moths and Butterflies hung on the under sides of great leaves. The +Grasshoppers and their cousins crawled under burdock and mullein plants. +The Ants scurried around to find their own homes. The Bees and Wasps, +who had been gathering honey for their nests, flew swiftly back. +Everyone was hurrying to be ready for the shower, and above all the +rustle and stir could be heard the voice of the old Frog, "Pukr-r-rup! +Pukr-r-rup! It will rain! It will rain! R-r-r-rain!" + +The wind blew harder and harder, the branches swayed and tossed, the +leaves danced, and some even blew off of their mother trees; the +hundreds of little clinging creatures clung more and more tightly to the +leaves that sheltered them, and then the rain came, and such a rain! +Great drops hurrying down from the sky, crowding each other, beating +down the grass, flooding the homes of the Ants and Digger Wasps until +they were half choked with water, knocking over the Grasshoppers and +tumbling them about like leaves. The lightning flashed, and the thunder +pealed, and often a tree would crash down in the forest near by when the +wind blew a great blast. + +When everybody was wet, and little rivulets of water were trickling +through the grass and running into great puddles in the hollows, the +rain stopped, stopped suddenly. One by one the meadow people crawled or +swam into sight. + +The Digger Wasp was floating on a leaf in a big puddle. He was too tired +and wet to fly, and the whirling of the leaf made him feel sick and +dizzy, but he stood firmly on his tiny boat and tried to look as though +he enjoyed it. + +The Ants were rushing around to put their homes in shape, the Spiders +were busily eating their old webs, which had been broken and torn in the +storm, and some were already beginning new ones. A large family of Bees, +whose tree-home had been blown down, passed over the meadow in search +for a new dwelling, and everybody seemed busy and happy in the cool air +that followed the storm. + +The Snake went gliding through the wet grass, as hungry as ever, the +Tree Frog was as happy as when he was a Tadpole, and only the +Grasshoppers and their cousins, the Locusts and Katydids, were cross. +"Such a horrid rain!" they grumbled, "it spoiled all our fun. And after +such lovely hot weather too." + +"Now don't be silly," said the Tree Frog, who could be really severe +when he thought best, "the Bees and the Ants are not complaining, and +they had a good deal harder time than you. Can't you make the best of +anything? A nice, hungry, cross lot you would be if it didn't rain, +because then you would have no good, juicy food. It's better for you in +the end as it is, but even if it were not, you might make the best of it +as I did of the hot weather. When you have lived as long as I have, you +will know that neither Grasshoppers nor Tree Frogs can have their way +all the time, but that it always comes out all right in the end without +their fretting about it." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE STORY OF LILY PAD ISLAND + + +This is the story of a venturesome young Spider, who left his home in +the meadow to seek his fortune in the great world. + +He was a beautiful Spider, and belonged to one of the best families in +the country around. He was a worker, too, for, as he had often said, +there wasn't a lazy leg on his body, and he could spin the biggest, +strongest, and shiniest web in the meadow. All the young people in the +meadow liked him, and he was invited to every party, or dance, or +picnic that they planned. If he had been content to stay at home, as his +brothers and sisters were, he would in time have become as important and +well known as the Tree Frog, or the fat, old Cricket, or even as the +Garter Snake. + +But that would not satisfy him at all, and one morning he said "Good-by" +to all his friends and relatives, and set sail for unknown lands. He set +sail, but not on water. He crawled up a tree, and out to the end of one +of its branches. There he began spinning a long silken rope, and letting +the wind blow it away from the tree. He held fast to one end, and when +the wind was quite strong, he let go of the branch and sailed off +through the air, carried by his rope balloon, and blown along by the +wind. + +The meadow people, on the ground below, watched him until he got so far +away that he looked about as large as a Fly, and then he looked no +bigger than an Ant, and then no bigger than a clover seed, and then no +bigger than the tiniest egg that was ever laid, and then--well, then you +could see nothing but sky, and the Spider was truly gone. The other +young Spiders all wished that they had gone, and the old Spiders said, +"They might much better stay at home, as their fathers and mothers had +done." There was no use talking about it when they disagreed so, and +very little more was said. + +Meanwhile, the young traveller was having a very fine time. He was +carried past trees and over fences, down toward the river. Under him +were all the bright flowers of the meadow, and the bushes which used to +tower above his head. After a while, he saw the rushes of the marsh +below him, and wondered if the Frogs there would see him as he passed +over them. + +Next, he saw a beautiful, shining river, and in the quiet water by the +shore were great white water-lilies growing, with their green leaves, +or pads, floating beside them. "Ah," thought he, "I shall pass over the +river, and land on the farther side," and he began to think of eating +his rope balloon, so that he might sink slowly to the ground, when--the +wind suddenly stopped blowing, and he began falling slowly down, down, +down, down. + +How he longed for a branch to cling to! How he shivered at the thought +of plunging into the cold water! How he wished that he had always stayed +at home! How he thought of all the naughty things that he had ever done, +and was sorry that he had done them! But it was of no use, for still he +went down, down, down. He gave up all hope and tried to be brave, and at +that very minute he felt himself alight on a great green lily-pad. + +This was indeed an adventure, and he was very joyful for a little while. +But he got hungry, and there was no food near. He walked all over the +leaf, Lily-Pad Island he named it, and ran around its edges as many as +forty times. It was just a flat, green island, and at one side was a +perfect white lily, which had grown, so pure and beautiful, out of the +darkness and slime of the river bottom. The lily was so near that he +jumped over to it. There he nestled in its sweet, yellow centre, and +went to sleep. + +When he fell asleep it was late in the afternoon, and, as the sun sank +lower and lower in the west, the lily began to close her petals and get +ready for the night. She was just drawing under the water when the +Spider awakened. It was dark and close, and he felt himself shut in and +going down. He scrambled and pushed, and got out just in time to give a +great leap and alight on Lily Pad-Island once more. And then he was in a +sad plight. He was hungry and cold, and night was coming on, and, what +was worst of all, in his great struggle to free himself from the lily +he had pulled off two of his legs, so he had only six left. + +He never liked to think of that night afterward, it was so dreadful. In +the morning he saw a leaf come floating down the stream; he watched it; +it touched Lily-Pad Island for just an instant and he jumped on. He did +not know where it would take him, but anything was better than staying +where he was and starving. It might float to the shore, or against one +of the rushes that grew in the shallower parts of the river. If it did +that, he would jump off and run up to the top and set sail again, but +the island, where he had been, was too low to give him a start. + +He went straight down-stream for a while, then the leaf drifted into a +little eddy, and whirled around and around, until the Spider was almost +too dizzy to stand on it. After that, it floated slowly, very slowly, +toward the shore, and at last came the joyful minute when the Spider +could jump to some of the plants that grew in the shallow water, and, by +making rope bridges from one to another, get on solid ground. + +After a few days' rest he started back to the meadow, asking his way of +every insect that he met. When he got home they did not know him, he was +so changed, but thought him only a tramp Spider, and not one of their +own people. His mother was the first one to find out who he was, and +when her friends said, "Just what I expected! He might have known +better," she hushed them, and answered: "The poor child has had a hard +time, and I won't scold him for going. He has learned that home is the +best place, and that home friends are the dearest. I shall keep him +quiet while his new legs are growing, and then, I think, he will spin +his webs near the old place." + +And so he did, and is now one of the steadiest of all the meadow +people. When anybody asks him his age, he refuses to tell, "For," he +says, "most of me is middle-aged, but these two new legs of mine are +still very young." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE GRASSHOPPER WHO WOULDN'T BE SCARED. + + +There were more Ants in the meadow than there were of any other kind of +insects. In their family there were not only Ants, but great-aunts, +cousins, nephews, and nieces, until it made one sleepy to think how many +relatives each Ant had. Yet they were small people and never noisy, so +perhaps the Grasshoppers seemed to be the largest family there. + +There were many different families of Grasshoppers, but they were all +related. Some had short horns, or feelers, and red legs; and some had +long horns. Some lived in the lower part of the meadow where it was +damp, and some in the upper part. The Katydids, who really belong to +this family, you know, stayed in trees and did not often sing in the +daytime. Then there were the great Road Grasshoppers who lived only in +places where the ground was bare and dusty, and whom you could hardly +see unless they were flying. When they lay in the dust their wide wings +were hidden and they showed only that part of their bodies which was +dust-color. Let the farmer drive along, however, and they rose into the +air with a gentle, whirring sound and fluttered to a safe place. Then +one could see them plainly, for their large under wings were black with +yellow edges. + +Perhaps those Grasshoppers who were best known in the meadow were the +Clouded Grasshoppers, large dirty-brown ones with dark spots, who seemed +to be everywhere during the autumn. The fathers and brothers in this +family always crackled their wings loudly when they flew anywhere, so +one could never forget that they were around. + +It was queer that they were always spoken of as Grasshoppers. Their +great-great-great-grandparents were called Locusts, and that was the +family name, but the Cicadas liked that name and wanted it for +themselves, and made such a fuss about it that people began to call them +Seventeen-Year-Locusts; and then because they had to call the real +Locusts something else, they called them Grasshoppers. The Grasshoppers +didn't mind this. They were jolly and noisy, and as they grew older were +sometimes very pompous. And you know what it is to be pompous. + +When the farmer was drawing the last loads of hay to his barn and +putting them away in the great mows there, three young Clouded +Grasshopper brothers were frolicking near the wagon. They had tried to +see who could run the fastest, crackle the loudest, spring the highest, +flutter the farthest, and eat the most. There seemed to be nothing more +to do. They couldn't eat another mouthful, the other fellows wouldn't +play with them, they wouldn't play with their sisters, and they were not +having any fun at all. + +They were sitting on a hay-cock, watching the wagon as it came nearer +and nearer. The farmer was on top and one of his men was walking beside +it. Whenever they came to a hay-cock the farmer would stop the Horses, +the man would run a long-handled, shining pitch-fork into the hay on the +ground and throw it up to the farmer. Then it would be trampled down on +to the load, the farmer's wife would rake up the scattering hay which +was left on the ground, and that would be thrown up also. + +The biggest Clouded Grasshopper said to his brothers, "You dare not sit +still while they put this hay on the load!" + +The smallest Clouded Grasshopper said, "I do too!" + +The second brother said, "Huh! Guess I dare do anything you do!" He said +it in a rather mean way, and that may have been because he had eaten too +much. Overeating will make any insect cross. + +Now every one of them was afraid, but each waited for the others to back +out. While they were waiting, the wagon stopped beside them, the shining +fork was run into the hay, and they were shaken and stood on their heads +and lifted through the air on to the wagon. There they found themselves +all tangled up with hay in the middle of the load. It was dark and they +could hardly breathe. There were a few stems of nettles in the hay, and +they had to crawl away from them. It was no fun at all, and they didn't +talk very much. + +When the wagon reached the barn, they were pitched into the mow with +the hay, and then they hopped and fluttered around until they were on +the floor over the Horses' stalls. They sat together on the floor and +wondered how they could ever get back to the meadow. Because they had +come in the middle of the load, they did not know the way. + +"Oh!" said they. "Who are those four-legged people over there?" + +"Kittens!" sang a Swallow over their heads. "Oh, tittle-ittle-ittle-ee!" + +The Clouded Grasshoppers had never seen Kittens. It is true that the old +Cat often went hunting in the meadow, but that was at night, when +Grasshoppers were asleep. + +"Meouw!" said the Yellow Kitten. "Look at those queer little brown +people on the floor. Let's each catch one." + +So the Kittens began crawling slowly over the floor, keeping their +bodies and tails low, and taking very short steps. Not one of them took +his eyes off the Clouded Grasshopper whom he meant to catch. Sometimes +they stopped and crouched and watched, then they went on, nearer, +nearer, nearer, still, while the Clouded Grasshoppers were more and more +scared and wished they had never left the meadow where they had been so +safe and happy. + +At last the Kittens jumped, coming down with their sharp little claws +just where the Clouded Grasshoppers--had been. The Clouded Grasshoppers +had jumped too, but they could not stay long in the air, and when they +came down the Kittens jumped again. So it went until the poor Clouded +Grasshoppers were very, very tired and could not jump half so far as +they had done at first. Sometimes the Kittens even tried to catch them +while they were fluttering, and each time they came a little nearer than +before. They were so tired that they never thought of leaping up on the +wall of the barn where the Kittens couldn't reach them. + +At last the smallest Clouded Grasshopper called to his brothers, "Let us +chase the Kittens." + +The brothers answered, "They're too big." + +The smallest Clouded Grasshopper, who had always been the brightest one +in the family, called back, "We may scare them if they are big." + +Then all the Clouded Grasshoppers leaped toward the Kittens and crackled +their wings and looked very, very fierce. And the Kittens ran away as +fast as they could. They were in such a hurry to get away that the +Yellow Kitten tumbled over the White Kitten and they rolled on the floor +in a furry little heap. The Clouded Grasshoppers leaped again, and the +Kittens scrambled away to their nest in the hay, and stood against the +wall and raised their backs and their pointed little tails, and opened +their pink mouths and spat at them, and said, "Ha-ah-h-h!" + +"There!" said the smallest Clouded Grasshopper to them, "we won't do +anything to you this time, because you are young and don't know very +much, but don't you ever bother one of us again. We might have hopped +right on to you, and then what could you have done to help yourselves?" + +The Clouded Grasshoppers started off to find their way back to the +meadow, and the frightened Kittens looked at each other and whispered: +"Just supposing they had hopped on to us! What _could_ we have done!" + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE EARTHWORM HALF-BROTHERS + + +Early one wet morning, a long Earthworm came out of his burrow. He did +not really leave it, but he dragged most of his body out, and let just +the tip-end of it stay in the earth. Not having any eyes, he could not +see the heavy, gray clouds that filled the sky, nor the milkweed stalks, +so heavy with rain-drops that they drooped their pink heads. He could +not see these things, but he could feel the soft, damp grass, and the +cool, clear air, and as for seeing, why, Earthworms never do have eyes, +and never think of wanting them, any more than you would want six legs, +or feelers on your head. + +This Earthworm had been out of his burrow only a little while, when +there was a flutter and a rush, and Something flew down from the sky and +bit his poor body in two. Oh, how it hurt! Both halves of him wriggled +and twisted with pain, and there is no telling what might have become of +them if another and bigger Something had not come rushing down to drive +the first Something away. So there the poor Earthworm lay, in two +aching, wriggling pieces, and although it had been easy enough to bite +him in two, nothing in the world could ever bite him into one. + +After a while the aching stopped, and he had time to think. It was very +hard to decide what he ought to do. You can see just how puzzling it +must have been, for, if you should suddenly find yourself two people +instead of one, you would not know which one was which. At this very +minute, who should come along but the Cicada, and one of the Earthworm +pieces asked his advice. The Cicada thought that he was the very person +to advise in such a case, because he had had such a puzzling time +himself. So he said in a very knowing way: "Pooh! That is a simple +matter. I thought I was two Cicadas once, but I wasn't. The thinking, +moving part is the real one, whatever happens, so that part of the Worm +which thinks and moves is the real Worm." + +"I am the thinking part," cried each of the pieces. + +The Cicada rubbed his head with his front legs, he was so surprised. + +"And I am the moving part," cried each of the pieces, giving a little +wriggle to prove it. + +"Well, well, well, well!" exclaimed the Cicada, "I believe I don't know +how to settle this. I will call the Garter Snake," and he flew off to +get him. + +A very queer couple they made, the Garter Snake and the Cicada, as they +came hurrying back from the Snake's home. The Garter Snake was quite +excited. "Such a thing has not happened in our meadow for a long time," +he said, "and it is a good thing there is somebody here to explain it to +you, or you would be dreadfully frightened. My family is related to the +Worms, and I know. Both of you pieces are Worms now. The bitten ends +will soon be well, and you can keep house side by side, if you don't +want to live together." + +"Well," said the Earthworms, "if we are no longer the same Worm, but two +Worms, are we related to each other? Are we brothers, or what?" + +"Why," answered the Garter Snake, with a funny little smile, "I think +you might call yourselves half-brothers." And to this day they are known +as "the Earthworm half-brothers." They are very fond of each other and +are always seen together. + +A jolly young Grasshopper, who is a great eater and thinks rather too +much about food, said he wouldn't mind being bitten into two +Grasshoppers, if it would give him two stomachs and let him eat twice as +much. + +The Cicada told the Garter Snake this one day, and the Garter Snake +said: "Tell him not to try it. The Earthworms are the only meadow people +who can live after being bitten in two that way. The rest of us have to +be one, or nothing. And as for having two stomachs, he is just as well +off with one, for if he had two, he would get twice as hungry." + + + + +[Illustration] + +A GOSSIPING FLY + + +Of all the people who lived and worked in the meadow by the river, there +was not one who gave so much thought to other people's business as a +certain Blue-bottle Fly. Why this should be so, nobody could say; +perhaps it was because he had nothing to do but eat and sleep, for that +is often the way with those who do little work. + +Truly his cares were light. To be sure, he ate much, but then, with +nearly sixty teeth for nibbling and a wonderful long tongue for sucking, +he could eat a great deal in a very short time. And as for +sleeping--well, sleeping was as easy for him as for anyone else. + +However it was, he saw nearly everything that happened, and thought it +over in his queer little three-cornered head until he was sure that he +ought to go to talk about it with somebody else. It was no wonder that +he saw so much, for he had a great bunch of eyes on each side of his +head, and three bright, shining ones on the very top of it. That let him +see almost everything at once, and beside this his neck was so +exceedingly slender that he could turn his head very far around. + +This particular Fly, like all other Flies, was very fond of the sunshine +and kept closely at home in dark or wet weather. He had no house, but +stayed in a certain elder bush on cloudy days and called that his home. +He had spent all of one stormy day there, hanging on the under side of a +leaf, with nothing to do but think. Of course, his head was down and his +feet were up, but Blue-bottle Flies think in that position as well as +in any other, and the two sticky pads on each side of his six feet held +him there very comfortably. + +He thought so much that day, that when the next morning dawned sunshiny +and clear, he had any number of things to tell people, and he started +out at once. + +First he went to the Tree Frog. "What do you suppose," said he, "that +the Garter Snake is saying about you? It is very absurd, yet I feel that +you ought to know. He says that your tongue is fastened at the wrong +end, and that the tip of it points down your throat. Of course, I knew +it couldn't be true, still I thought I would tell you what he said, and +then you could see him and put a stop to it." + +For an answer to this the Tree Frog ran out his tongue, and, sure +enough, it was fastened at the front end. "The Snake is quite right," he +said pleasantly, "and my tongue suits me perfectly. It is just what I +need for the kind of food I eat, and the best of all is that it never +makes mischief between friends." + +After that, the Fly could say nothing more there, so he flew away in his +noisiest manner to find the Grasshopper who lost the race. "It was a +shame," said the Fly to him, "that the judges did not give the race to +you. The idea of that little green Measuring Worm coming in here, almost +a stranger, and making so much trouble! I would have him driven out of +the meadow, if I were you." + +"Oh, that is all right," answered the Grasshopper, who was really a good +fellow at heart; "I was very foolish about that race for a time, but the +Measuring Worm and I are firm friends now. Are we not?" And he turned to +a leaf just back of him, and there, peeping around the edge, was the +Measuring Worm himself. + +The Blue-bottle Fly left in a hurry, for where people were so +good-natured he could do nothing at all. He went this time to the +Crickets, whom he found all together by the fat, old Cricket's hole. + +"I came," he said, "to find out if it were true, as the meadow people +say, that you were all dreadfully frightened when the Cow came?" + +The Crickets answered never a word, but they looked at each other and +began asking him questions. + +"Is it true," said one, "that you do nothing but eat and sleep?" + +"Is it true," said another, "that your eyes are used most of the time +for seeing other people's faults?" + +"And is it true," said another, "that with all the fuss you make, you do +little but mischief?" + +The Blue-bottle Fly answered nothing, but started at once for his home +in the elder bush, and they say that his three-cornered head was filled +with very different thoughts from any that had been there before. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE FROG-HOPPERS GO OUT INTO THE WORLD. + + +Along the upper edge of the meadow and in the corners of the rail fence +there grew golden-rod. During the spring and early summer you could +hardly tell that it was there, unless you walked close to it and saw the +slender and graceful stalks pushing upward through the tall grass and +pointing in many different ways with their dainty leaves. The Horses and +Cows knew it, and although they might eat all around it they never +pulled at it with their lips or ate it. In the autumn, each stalk was +crowned with sprays of tiny bright yellow blossoms, which nodded in the +wind and scattered their golden pollen all around. Then it sometimes +happened that people who were driving past would stop, climb over the +fence, and pluck some of it to carry away. Even then there was so much +left that one could hardly miss the stalks that were gone. + +It may have been because the golden-rod was such a safe home that most +of the Frog-Hoppers laid their eggs there. Some laid eggs in other +plants and bushes, but most of them chose the golden-rod. After they had +laid their eggs they wandered around on the grass, the bushes, and the +few trees which grew in the meadow, hopping from one place to another +and eating a little here and a little there. + +Nobody knows why they should have been called Frog-Hoppers, unless it +was because when you look them in the face they seem a very little like +tiny Frogs. To be sure, they have six legs, and teeth on the front pair, +as no real Frog ever thought of having. Perhaps it was only a nickname +because their own name was so long and hard to speak. + +The golden-rod was beginning to show small yellow-green buds on the tips +of its stalks, and the little Frog-Hoppers were now old enough to talk +and wonder about the great world. On one stalk four Frog-Hopper brothers +and sisters lived close together. That was much pleasanter than having +to grow up all alone, as most young Frog-Hoppers do, never seeing their +fathers and mothers or knowing whether they ever would. + +These four little Frog-Hoppers did not know how lucky they were, and +that, you know, happens very often when people have not seen others +lonely or unhappy. They supposed that every Frog-Hopper family had two +brothers and two sisters living together on a golden-rod stalk. They fed +on the juice or sap of the golden-rod, pumping it out of the stalk with +their stout little beaks and eating or drinking it. After they had eaten +it, they made white foam out of it, and this foam was all around them on +the stalk. Any one passing by could tell at once by the foam just where +the Frog-Hoppers lived. + +One morning the oldest Frog-Hopper brother thought that the sap pumped +very hard. It may be that it did pump hard, and it may be that he was +tired or lazy. Anyway, he began to grumble and find fault. "This is the +worst stalk of golden-rod I ever saw in my life," he said. "It doesn't +pay to try to pump any more sap, and I just won't try, so there!" + +He was quite right in saying that it was the worst stalk he had ever +seen, because he had never seen any other, but he was much mistaken in +saying that it didn't pay to pump sap, and as for saying that "it didn't +pay, so there!" we all know that when insects begin to talk in that way +the best thing to do is to leave them quite alone until they are +better-natured. + +The other Frog-Hopper children couldn't leave him alone, because they +hadn't changed their skins for the last time. They had to stay in their +foam until that was done. After the big brother spoke in this way, they +all began to wonder if the sap didn't pump hard. Before long the big +sister wiggled impatiently and said, "My beak is dreadfully tired." + +Then they all stopped eating and began to talk. They called their home +stuffy, and said there wasn't room to turn around in it without hitting +the foam. They didn't say why they should mind hitting the foam. It was +soft and clean, and always opened up a way when they pushed against it. + +"I tell you what!" said the big brother, "after I've changed my skin +once more and gone out into the great world, you won't catch me hanging +around this old golden-rod." + +"Nor me!" "Nor me!" "Nor me!" said the other young Frog-Hoppers. + +"I wonder what the world is like," said the little sister. "Is it just +bigger foam and bigger golden-rod and more Frog-Hoppers?" + +"Huh!" exclaimed her big brother. "What lots you know! If I didn't know +any more than that about it, I'd keep still and not tell anybody." That +made her feel badly, and she didn't speak again for a long time. + +Then the little brother spoke. "I didn't know you had ever been out into +the world," he said. + +"No," said the big brother, "I suppose you didn't. There are lots of +things you don't know." That made him feel badly, and he went off into +the farthest corner of the foam and stuck his head in between a +golden-rod leaf and the stalk. You see the big brother was very cross. +Indeed, he was exceedingly cross. + +For a long time nobody spoke, and then the big sister said, "I wish you +would tell us what the world is like." + +The big brother knew no more about the world than the other children, +but after he had been cross and put on airs he didn't like to tell the +truth. He might have known that he would be found out, yet he held up +his head and answered: "I don't suppose that I can tell you so that you +will understand, because you have never seen it. There are lots of +things there--whole lots of them--and it is very big. Some of the things +are like golden-rod and some of them are not. Some of them are not even +like foam. And there are a great many people there. They all have six +legs, but they are not so clever as we are. We shall have to tell them +things." + +This was very interesting and made the little sister forget to pout and +the little brother come out of his foam-corner. He even looked as +though he might ask a few questions, so the big brother added, "Now +don't talk to me, for I must think about something." + +It was not long after this that the young Frog-Hoppers changed their +skins for the last time. The outside part of the foam hardened and made +a little roof over them while they did this. Then they were ready to go +out into the meadow. The big brother felt rather uncomfortable, and it +was not his new skin which made him so. It was remembering what he had +said about the world outside. + +When they had left their foam and their golden-rod, they had much to see +and ask about. Every little while one of the smaller Frog-Hoppers would +exclaim, "Why, you never told us about this!" or, "Why didn't you tell +us about that?" + +Then the big brother would answer: "Yes, I did. That is one of the +things which I said were not like either golden-rod or foam." + +For a while they met only Crickets, Ants, Grasshoppers, and other +six-legged people, and although they looked at each other they did not +have much to say. At last they hopped near to the Tree Frog, who was +sitting by the mossy trunk of a beech tree and looked so much like the +bark that they did not notice him at first. The big brother was very +near the Tree Frog's head. + +"Oh, see!" cried the others. "There is somebody with only four legs, and +he doesn't look as though he ever had any more. Why, Brother, what does +this mean? You said everybody had six." + +At this moment the Tree Frog opened his eyes a little and his mouth a +great deal, and shot out his quick tongue. When he shut his mouth again, +the big brother of the Frog-Hoppers was nowhere to be seen. They never +had a chance to ask him that question again. If they had but known it, +the Tree Frog at that minute had ten legs, for six and four are ten. But +then, they couldn't know it, for six were on the inside. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE MOSQUITO TRIES TO TEACH HIS NEIGHBORS + + +In this meadow, as in every other meadow since the world began, there +were some people who were always tired of the way things were, and +thought that, if the world were only different, they would be perfectly +happy. One of these discontented ones was a certain Mosquito, a fellow +with a whining voice and disagreeable manners. He had very little +patience with people who were not like him, and thought that the world +would be a much pleasanter place if all the insects had been made +Mosquitoes. + +"What is the use of Spiders, and Dragon-flies, and Beetles, and +Butterflies?" he would say, fretfully; "a Mosquito is worth more than +any of them." + +You can just see how unreasonable he was. Of course, Mosquitoes and +Flies do help keep the air pure and sweet, but that is no reason why +they should set themselves up above the other insects. Do not the Bees +carry pollen from one flower to another, and so help the plants raise +their Seed Babies? And who would not miss the bright, happy Butterflies, +with their work of making the world beautiful? + +But this Mosquito never thought of those things, and he said to himself: +"Well, if they cannot all be Mosquitoes, they can at least try to live +like them, and I think I will call them together and talk it over." So +he sent word all around, and his friends and neighbors gathered to hear +what he had to say. + +"In the first place," he remarked, "it is unfortunate that you are not +Mosquitoes, but, since you are not, one must make the best of it. There +are some things, however, which you might learn from us fortunate +creatures who are. For instance, notice the excellent habit of the +Mosquitoes in the matter of laying eggs. Three or four hundred of the +eggs are fastened together and left floating on a pond in such a way +that, when the babies break their shells, they go head first into the +water. Then they----" + +"Do you think I would do that if I could?" interrupted a motherly old +Grasshopper. "Fix it so my children would drown the minute they came out +of the egg? No, indeed!" and she hurried angrily away, followed by +several other loving mothers. + +"But they don't drown," exclaimed the Mosquito, in surprise. + +"They don't if they're Mosquitoes," replied the Ant, "but I am thankful +to say my children are land babies and not water babies." + +"Well, I won't say anything more about that, but I must speak of your +voices, which are certainly too heavy and loud to be pleasant. I should +think you might speak and sing more softly, even if you have no pockets +under your wings like mine. I flutter my wings, and the air strikes +these pockets and makes my sweet voice." + +"Humph!" exclaimed a Bee, "it is a very poor place for pockets, and a +very poor use to make of them. Every Bee knows that pockets are handiest +on the hind legs, and should be used for carrying pollen to the babies +at home." + +"My pocket is behind," said a Spider, "and my web silk is kept there. I +couldn't live without a pocket." + +Some of the meadow people were getting angry, so the Garter Snake, who +would always rather laugh than quarrel, glided forward and said: "My +friends and neighbors; our speaker here has been so kind as to tell us +how the Mosquitoes do a great many things, and to try to teach us their +way. It seems to me that we might repay some of his kindness by showing +him our ways, and seeing that he learns by practice. I would ask the +Spiders to take him with them and show him how to spin a web. Then the +Bees could teach him how to build comb, and the Tree Frog how to croak, +and the Earthworms how to burrow, and the Caterpillars how to spin a +cocoon. Each of us will do something for him. Perhaps the Measuring Worm +will teach him to walk as the Worms of his family do. I understand he +does that very well." Here everybody laughed, remembering the joke +played on the Caterpillars, and the Snake stopped speaking. + +The Mosquito did not dare refuse to be taught, and so he was taken from +one place to another, and told exactly how to do everything that he +could not possibly do, until he felt so very meek and humble that he was +willing the meadow people should be busy and happy in their own way. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE FROG WHO THOUGHT HERSELF SICK + + +By the edge of the marsh lived a young Frog, who thought a great deal +about herself and much less about other people. Not that it was wrong to +think so much of herself, but it certainly was unfortunate that she +should have so little time left in which to think of others and of the +beautiful world. + +Early in the morning this Frog would awaken and lean far over the edge +of a pool to see how she looked after her night's rest. Then she would +give a spring, and come down with a splash in the cool water for her +morning bath. For a while she would swim as fast as her dainty webbed +feet would push her, then she would rest, sitting in the soft mud with +just her head above the water. + +When her bath was taken, she had her breakfast, and that was the way in +which she began her day. She did nothing but bathe and eat and rest, +from sunrise to sunset. She had a fine, strong body, and had never an +ache or a pain, but one day she got to thinking, "What if sometime I +should be sick?" And then, because she thought about nothing but her own +self, she was soon saying, "I am afraid I shall be sick." In a little +while longer it was, "I certainly am sick." + +She crawled under a big toadstool, and sat there looking very glum +indeed, until a Cicada came along. She told the Cicada how sick she +felt, and he told his cousins, the Locusts, and they told their cousins, +the Grasshoppers, and they told their cousins, the Katydids, and then +everybody told somebody else, and started for the toadstool where the +young Frog sat. The more she had thought of it, the worse she felt, +until, by the time the meadow people came crowding around, she was +feeling very sick indeed. + +"Where do you feel badly?" they cried, and, "How long have you been +sick?" and one Cricket stared with big eyes, and said, "How +dr-r-readfully she looks!" The young Frog felt weaker and weaker, and +answered in a faint little voice that she had felt perfectly well until +after breakfast, but that now she was quite sure her skin was getting +dry, and "Oh dear!" and "Oh dear!" + +Now everybody knows that Frogs breathe through their skins as well as +through their noses, and for a Frog's skin to get dry is very serious, +for then he cannot breathe through it; so, as soon as she said that, +everybody was frightened and wanted to do something for her at once. +Some of the timid ones began to weep, and the others bustled around, +getting in each other's way and all trying to do something different. +One wanted to wrap her in mullein leaves, another wanted her to nibble a +bit of the peppermint which grew near, a third thought she should be +kept moving, and that was the way it went. + +Just when everybody was at his wits' end, the old Tree Frog came along. +"Pukr-r-rup! What is the matter with you?" he said. + +"Oh!" gasped the young Frog, weakly, "I am sure my skin is getting dry, +and I feel as though I had something in my head." + +"Umph!" grunted the Tree Frog to himself, "I guess there isn't enough in +her head to ever make her sick; and, as for her skin, it isn't dry yet, +and nobody knows that it ever will be." + +But as he was a wise old fellow and had learned much about life, he knew +he must not say such things aloud. What he did say was, "I heard there +was to be a great race in the pool this morning." + +The young Frog lifted her head quite quickly, saying: "You did? Who are +the racers?" + +"Why, all the young Frogs who live around here. It is too bad that you +cannot go." + +"I don't believe it would hurt me any," she said. + +"You might take cold," the Tree Frog said; "besides, the exercise would +tire you." + +"Oh, but I am feeling much better," the young Frog said, "and I am +certain it will do me good." + +"You ought not to go," insisted all the older meadow people. "You really +ought not." + +"I don't care," she answered, "I am going anyway, and I am just as well +as anybody." + +And she did go, and it did seem that she was as strong as ever. The +people all wondered at it, but the Tree Frog winked his eyes at them and +said, "I knew that it would cure her." And then he, and the Garter +Snake, and the fat, old Cricket laughed together, and all the younger +meadow people wondered at what they were laughing. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE KATYDIDS' QUARREL + + +The warm summer days were past, and the Katydids came again to the +meadow. Everybody was glad to see them, and the Grasshoppers, who are +cousins of the Katydids, gave a party in their honor. + +Such a time as the meadow people had getting ready for that party! They +did not have to change their dresses, but they scraped and cleaned +themselves, and all the young Grasshoppers went off by the woods to +practise jumping and get their knees well limbered, because there might +be games and dancing at the party, and then how dreadful it would be if +any young Grasshopper should find that two or three of his legs wouldn't +bend easily! + +The Grasshoppers did not know at just what time they ought to have the +party. Some of the meadow people whom they wanted to invite were used to +sleeping all day, and some were used to sleeping all night, so it really +was hard to find an hour at which all would be wide-awake and ready for +fun. At last the Tree Frog said: "Pukr-r-rup! Pukr-r-rup! Have it at +sunset!" And at sunset it was. + +Everyone came on time, and they hopped and chattered and danced and ate +a party supper of tender green leaves. Some of the little Grasshoppers +grew sleepy and crawled among the plantains for a nap. Just then a big +Katydid said he would sing a song--which was a very kind thing for him +to do, because he really did it to make the others happy, and not to +show what a fine musician he was. All the guests said, "How charming!" +or, "We should be delighted!" and he seated himself on a low swinging +branch. You know Katydids sing with the covers of their wings, and so +when he alighted on the branch he smoothed down his pale green suit and +rubbed his wing-cases a little to make sure that they were in tune. Then +he began loud and clear, "Katy did! Katy did!! Katy did!!!" + +Of course he didn't mean any real Katy, but was just singing his song. +However, there was another Katydid there who had a habit of +contradicting, and he had eaten too much supper, and that made him feel +crosser than ever; so when the singer said "Katy did!" this cross fellow +jumped up and said, "Katy didn't! Katy didn't!! Katy didn't!!!" and they +kept at it, one saying that she did and the other that she didn't, +until everybody was ashamed and uncomfortable, and some of the little +Grasshoppers awakened and wanted to know what was the matter. + +Both of the singers got more and more vexed until at last neither one +knew just what he was saying--and that, you know, is what almost always +happens when people grow angry. They just kept saying something as loud +and fast as possible and thought all the while that they were very +bright--which was all they knew about it. + +Suddenly somebody noticed that the one who began to say "Katy did!" was +screaming "Katy didn't!" and the one who had said "Katy didn't!" was +roaring "Katy did!" Then they all laughed, and the two on the branch +looked at each other in a very shamefaced way. + +The Tree Frog always knew the right thing to do, and he said +"Pukr-r-rup!" so loudly that all stopped talking at once. When they +were quiet he said: "We will now listen to a duet, 'Katy,' by the two +singers who are up the tree. All please join in the chorus." So it was +begun again, and both the leaders were good-natured, and all the +Katydids below joined in with "did or didn't, did or didn't, did or +didn't." And that was the end of the quarrel. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE LAST PARTY OF THE SEASON + + +Summer had been a joyful time in the meadow. It had been a busy time, +too, and from morning till night the chirping and humming of the happy +people there had mingled with the rustle of the leaves, and the soft +"swish, swish," of the tall grass, as the wind passed over it. + +True, there had been a few quarrels, and some unpleasant things to +remember, but these little people were wise enough to throw away all +the sad memories and keep only the glad ones. And now the summer was +over. The leaves of the forest trees were turning from green to scarlet, +orange, and brown. The beech and hickory nuts were only waiting for a +friendly frost to open their outer shells, and loosen their stems, so +that they could fall to the earth. + +The wind was cold now, and the meadow people knew that the time had come +to get ready for winter. One chilly Caterpillar said to another, +"Boo-oo! How cold it is! I must find a place for my cocoon. Suppose we +sleep side by side this winter, swinging on the same bush?" + +And his friend replied: "We must hurry then, or we shall be too old and +stiff to spin good ones." + +The Garter Snake felt sleepy all the time, and declared that in a few +days he would doze off until spring. + +The Tree Frog had chosen his winter home already, and the Bees were +making the most of their time in visiting the last fall flowers, and +gathering every bit of honey they could find for their cold-weather +stock. + +The last eggs had been laid, and the food had been placed beside many of +them for the babies that would hatch out in the spring. Nothing was left +but to say "Good-by," and fall asleep. So a message was sent around the +meadow for all to come to a farewell party under the elm tree. + +Everybody came, and all who could sing did so, and the Crickets and +Mosquitoes made music for the rest to dance by. + +The Tree Frog led off with a black and yellow Spider, the Garter Snake +followed with a Potato Bug, and all the other crawling people joined in +the dance on the grass, while over their heads the Butterflies and other +light-winged ones fluttered to and fro with airy grace. + +The Snail and the fat, old Cricket had meant to look on, and really did +so, for a time, from a warm corner by the tree, but the Cricket couldn't +stand it to not join in the fun. First, his eyes gleamed, his feelers +waved, and his feet kept time to the music, and, when a frisky young Ant +beckoned to him, he gave a great leap and danced with the rest, +balancing, jumping, and circling around in a most surprising way. + +When it grew dark, the Fireflies' lights shone like tiny stars, and the +dancing went on until all were tired and ready to sing together the last +song of the summer, for on the morrow they would go to rest. And this +was their song: + + The autumn leaves lying + So thick on the ground, + The summer Birds flying + The meadow around, + Say, "Good-by." + + The Seed Babies dropping + Down out of our sight, + The Dragon-flies stopping + A moment in flight, + Say, "Good-by." + + The red Squirrels bearing + Their nuts to the tree, + The wild Rabbits caring + For babies so wee, + Say, "Good-by." + + The sunbeams now showing + Are hazy and pale, + The warm breezes blowing + Have changed to a gale, + So, "Good-by." + + The season for working + Is passing away. + Both playing and shirking + Are ended to day, + So, "Good-by." + + The Garter Snake creeping + So softly to rest, + The fuzzy Worms sleeping + Within their warm nest, + Say, "Good-by." + + The Honey Bees crawling + Around the full comb, + The tiny Ants calling + Each one to the home, + Say, "Good-by." + + We've ended our singing, + Our dancing, and play, + And Nature's voice ringing + Now tells us to say + Our "Good-by." + + + + +THE END. + + + + +"_Many a mother and teacher will accord a vote of thanks to the +author._" + +[Illustration] + + + +Among the Meadow People. + + STORIES OF FIELD LIFE, WRITTEN FOR THE LITTLE ONES. + By CLARA D. PIERSON. + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON. + New Edition, 12mo, 194 pages, cloth, gilt top, $1.25 + + "One of the daintiest and in many ways most attractive of the + many books of nature study which the past year has brought + forth."--_Boston Advertiser._ + + "They are like Mrs. Gatty's well-known 'Parables from Nature,' + written in the best of English, as fascinating as fairy tales, + and yet 'really true,' a quality which we all know appeals to + the childish mind."--_N. Y. Evangelist._ + + "We have seen nothing better for its purpose, and hope many a + teacher of kindergartens and many a mother may avail herself of + the privilege of using these little tales."--_N. Y. Christian + Advocate._ + + "It will be a great advance in the work of education in the + school and the home when such books are more generally + utilized."--_Zion's Herald._ + + "These charming stories of field life will delight many a child + of kindergarten age; and it is safe to say that older brothers + and sisters will also want to claim a share in + them."--_Christian Register._ + + + +Among the Forest People + + By CLARA D. PIERSON + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON + 12mo, 220 pages, cloth, gilt top $1.25 + + "A thoroughly charming book for the little people, which grown + folks can read, also, with many a satisfied chuckle at its slily + insinuated 'morals,' and inimitable mingling of human sentiments + and affairs in the wild life of 'the Forest People.' The + illustrations have really artistic value; thoroughly well done, + with a pleasing combination of the conventional in form and + light and shade, they are also clever and accurate in + drawing."--_Living Church._ + + "A most charming series of stories for children--yes, and for + children of all ages, both young and old--is given us in the + volume before us. No one can read these realistic conversations + of the little creatures of the wood without being most tenderly + drawn toward them, and each story teaches many entertaining + facts regarding the lives and habits of these little people. + Mothers and teachers must welcome this book most cordially. One + cannot speak too strongly in praise of it."--_Boston + Transcript._ + + "I declare I really feel tempted to adopt or borrow a nice + little girl of six or seven, just for the pleasure of reading + this perfect book to her while she snuggles down in my + lap."--KATE SANBORN. + + "The telling is conceived with decided originality."--_Outlook._ + + "There has not been such a book for many a year, and it makes + the old folks long to be young again."--_N. Y. Observer._ + + "Is an utterly delightful book for the little folk."--_Interior._ + + + +Among the Farmyard People + + By CLARA D. PIERSON + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON + 12mo, 256 pages, cloth, gilt top, $1.25 + + "The very pretty stories of animal life, 'Among the Forest + People,' and 'Among the Meadow People,' are continued in Clara + D. Pierson's 'Among the Farmyard People.' To those who know the + earlier volumes, this needs no introduction or praise. To those + who may still have that pleasure in store, we can commend + heartily these tenderly realistic conversations, which show a + sympathetic knowledge at once of animals and of children, who + will be amused and taught and edified by these dainty little + tales that never obtrude the always healthy moral of this + genuine Child's Book of Nature."--_Churchman._ + + "They will be found valuable for use by mothers and kindergarten + teachers. The beautiful illustrations furnished by F. C. Gordon + are distinctively instructive. Altogether the book is one of the + most desirable works that can be found to train the child's + imagination, affection, and powers of observation."--_Boston + Beacon._ + + "We heartily recommend the book for its thoroughly healthy tone, + far better adapted to a sweet and simple childhood than much of + the rather stimulating juvenile literature of the day."--_N. Y. + Commercial Advertiser._ + + "A helpful book for young readers, teaching first lessons in + natural history, and inculcating principles of love for + animals."--_Philadelphia Evening Telegram._ + + "A charming and pretty book for young children. It will help + them to observe, and it will also help them to think. Nearly + every story ends with something unsaid, which the nursery people + are to think out for themselves."--_Church Standard._ + + + +Among the Pond People + + By CLARA D. PIERSON + + With 12 full-page illustrations by F. C. GORDON + 12mo, 222 pages, cloth, gilt top $1.25 + + This last book of Mrs. Pierson's has all the charm of the + earlier volumes. The adventures of Mother Eel, the Playful + Muskrat, the Snappy Snapping Turtle, and the other Pond People, + will be eagerly followed by children, whether they are + naturalists or ordinary readers. The fact that one does not + continually feel that she is writing for the purpose of + instructing the young, gives Mrs. Pierson her hold on so many + boys and girls. The books teach a great many lessons, but one + does not feel that the author is lying in wait to enlighten the + unwary youngster. + + "In it, as in the old Greek comedies, the frogs have a voice and + speak their little orations and crack their jokes and play their + pranks. The 'science' is elementary but the entertainment + genuine, and the little people to whom it is read will ever + cherish a kindly interest in the denizens of the ponds and their + floral homes and environments."--_Interior._ + + "One lays down the book with quickened sympathy for everything + that crawls and creeps and swims."--_Critic._ + + "The Pond People are quite as real and as fascinating as were + the Meadow People and the Barnyard People of previous books. + They are genuine stories, full of a humor that will appeal to + boys and girls, yet cleverly conveying information about the + frogs, turtles, minnows, etc., and often suggesting a moral in a + delicate manner which no child could + resent."--_Congregationalist._ + + "In its way the work is very daintily done."--_Churchman._ + + + + Sent by mail, post-paid, on receipt of price + + E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers + 31 West 23d Street New York + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Among the Meadow People, by +Clara Dillingham Pierson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE *** + +***** This file should be named 34943-8.txt or 34943-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/9/4/34943/ + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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: Among the Meadow People + +Author: Clara Dillingham Pierson + +Illustrator: F. C. Gordon + +Release Date: January 13, 2011 [EBook #34943] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE *** + + + + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 396px;"> +<img src="images/frontispiece.png" width="396" height="640" alt="HAYING IN THE MEADOW" title="" /> +<span class="caption">HAYING IN THE MEADOW</span> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<h1><span class="smcap">Among the Meadow People</span></h1> + +<h5>BY</h5> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Clara Dillingham Pierson</span></h2> + + +<h4>Illustrated by F. C. GORDON</h4> + +<h5>NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION</h5> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 160px;"> +<img src="images/titlepg.jpg" width="160" height="118" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h4>NEW YORK<br /> +E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY<br /> +<span class="smcap">31 West Twenty-Third Street</span></h4> + + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<h5><span class="smcap">COPYRIGHT</span><br /> +E. P. DUTTON & CO.<br /> +1899<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">COPYRIGHT</span><br /> +CLARA DILLINGHAM PIERSON<br /> +1901</h5> + +<h4>The Knickerbocker Press, New York</h4> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">3</a></span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr><td align='left'> </td><td align='right'><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>INTRODUCTION</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE BUTTERFLY THAT WENT CALLING</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE ROBINS BUILD A NEST</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE SELFISH TENT-CATERPILLAR</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE LAZY SNAIL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>AN ANT THAT WORE WINGS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE CHEERFUL HARVESTMEN</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE LITTLE SPIDER'S FIRST WEB</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE BEETLE WHO DID NOT LIKE CATERPILLARS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE YOUNG ROBIN WHO WAS AFRAID TO FLY</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE CRICKETS' SCHOOL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE CONTENTED EARTHWORMS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE MEASURING WORM'S JOKE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A PUZZLED CICADA</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE TREE FROG'S STORY</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE DAY WHEN THE GRASS WAS CUT</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_101">101</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE MEASURING WORM RUN A RACE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>MR. GREEN FROG AND HIS VISITORS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_114">114</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE DIGNIFIED WALKING-STICKS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_120">120</a><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">4</a></span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE DAY OF THE GREAT STORM</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_128">128</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE STORY OF LILY-PAD ISLAND</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_134">134</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE GRASSHOPPER WHO WOULDN'T BE SCARED</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE EARTHWORM HALF-BROTHERS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A GOSSIPING FLY</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_156">156</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE FROG-HOPPERS GO OUT INTO THE WORLD</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_161">161</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE MOSQUITO TRIES TO TEACH HIS NEIGHBORS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE FROG WHO THOUGHT HERSELF SICK</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_177">177</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE KATYDID'S QUARREL</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_183">183</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE LAST PARTY OF THE SEASON</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_188">188</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">5</a></span></p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2> + + +<p>Many of these stories of field life were +written for the little ones of my kindergarten, +and they gave so much pleasure, +and aroused such a new interest in "the +meadow people," that it has seemed wise +to collect and add to the original number +and send them out to a larger circle of +boys and girls.</p> + +<p>All mothers and teachers hear the cry +for "just one more," and find that there +are times when the bewitching tales of +animals, fairies, and "really truly" children +are all exhausted, and tired imagination +will not supply another. In selecting the +tiny creatures of field and garden for the +characters in this book, I have remembered +with pleasure the way in which my +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">6</a></span> +loyal pupils befriended stray crickets and +grasshoppers, their intense appreciation of +the new realm of fancy and observation, +and the eagerness and attention with which +they sought Mother Nature, the most wonderful +and tireless of all story-tellers.</p> + +<p style='text-align:right'> +<span class="smcap">Clara Dillingham Pierson.</span></p> +<p>Stanton, Michigan,<br /> + April 8th, 1897.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">7</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap1"> +<p style='padding-top: 320px;'> </p> + +<h2 style='padding-right: 150px;'><span class="smcap">The BUTTERFLY That<br /> +WENT CALLING</span></h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 150px;'>As the warm August days +came, Mr. Yellow Butterfly +wriggled and pushed in his +snug little green chrysalis and +wished he could get out to see +the world. He remembered +the days when he was a hairy +little Caterpillar, crawling +slowly over grass and leaves, +and he remembered how beautiful +the sky and all the flowers +were. Then he thought of +the new wings which had been +growing from his back, and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">8</a></span> +tried to move them, just to see how it +would feel. He had only six legs since +his wings grew, and he missed all the +sticky feet which he had to give up when +he began to change into a Butterfly.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 150px;'>The more he thought about it the more +he squirmed, until suddenly he heard a +faint little sound, too faint for larger +people to hear, and found a tiny slit in +the wall of his chrysalis. It was such a +dainty green chrysalis with white wrinkles, +that it seemed almost a pity to have it +break. Still it had held him for eight +days already and that was as long as any +of his family ever hung in the chrysalis, +so it was quite time for it to be torn open +and left empty. Mr. Yellow Butterfly +belonged to the second brood that had +hatched that year and he wanted to be +out while the days were still fine and hot. +Now he crawled out of the newly-opened +doorway to take his first flight.</p> + +<p>Poor Mr. Butterfly! He found his wings<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">9</a></span> +so wet and crinkled that they wouldn't +work at all, so he had to sit quietly in the +sunshine all day drying them. And just +as they got big, and smooth, and dry, it +grew dark, and Mr. Butterfly had to crawl +under a leaf to sleep.</p> + +<p>The next morning, bright and early, he +flew away to visit the flowers. First he +stopped to see the Daisies by the roadside. +They were all dancing in the wind, +and their bright faces looked as cheerful +as anyone could wish. They were glad +to see Mr. Butterfly, and wished him to +stay all day with them. He said; "You +are very kind, but I really couldn't think +of doing it. You must excuse my saying +it, but I am surprised to think you will +grow here. It is very dusty and dry, and +then there is no shade. I am sure I could +have chosen a better place."</p> + +<p>The Daisies smiled and nodded to each +other, saying, "This is the kind of place +we were made for, that's all."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">10</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Butterfly shook his head very doubtfully, +and then bade them a polite "Good-morning," +and flew away to call on the Cardinals.</p> + +<p>The Cardinals are a very stately family, +as everybody knows. They hold their +heads very high, and never make deep +bows, even to the wind, but for all that +they are a very pleasant family to meet. +They gave Mr. Butterfly a dainty lunch +of honey, and seemed much pleased when +he told them how beautiful the river +looked in the sunlight.</p> + +<p>"It is a delightful place to grow," said +they.</p> + +<p>"Ye-es," said Mr. Butterfly, "it is very +pretty, still I do not think it can be healthful. +I really cannot understand why you +flowers choose such strange homes. Now, +there are the Daisies, where I just called. +They are in a dusty, dry place, where there +is no shade at all. I spoke to them about +it, and they acted quite uppish."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">11</a></span></p> + +<p>"But the Daisies always do choose such +places," said the Cardinals.</p> + +<p>"And your family," said Mr. Butterfly, +"have lived so long in wet places that it +is a wonder you are alive. Your color is +good, but to stand with one's roots in +water all the time! It is shocking."</p> + +<p>"Cardinals and Butterflies live differently," +said the flowers. "Good-morning."</p> + +<p>Mr. Butterfly left the river and flew +over to the woods. He was very much +out of patience. He was so angry that +his feelers quivered, and now you know +how angry he must have been. He knew +that the Violets were a very agreeable +family, who never put on airs, so he went +at once to them.</p> + +<p>He had barely said "Good-morning" +to them when he began to explain what +had displeased him.</p> + +<p>"To think," he said, "what notions +some flowers have! Now, you have a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">12</a></span> +pleasant home here in the edge of the +woods. I have been telling the Daisies +and the Cardinals that they should grow +in such a place, but they wouldn't +listen to me. The Daisies were quite +uppish about it, and the Cardinals were +very stiff."</p> + +<p>"My dear friend," answered a Violet, +"they could never live if they moved up +into our neighborhood. Every flower has +his own place in this world, and is happiest +in that place. Everything has its own +place and its own work, and every flower +that is wise will stay in the place for which +it was intended. You were exceedingly +kind to want to help the flowers, but suppose +they had been telling you what to +do. Suppose the Cardinals had told you +that flying around was not good for your +health, and that to be truly well you +ought to grow planted with your legs in +the mud and water."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said Mr. Butterfly, "Oh! I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">13</a></span> +never thought of that. Perhaps Butterflies +don't know everything."</p> + +<p>"No," said the Violet, "they don't know +everything, and you haven't been out of +your chrysalis very long. But those who +are ready to learn can always find someone +to tell them. Won't you eat some +honey?"</p> + +<p>And Mr. Butterfly sipped honey and +was happy.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">14</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap2.jpg" width="510" height="125" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<h2>THE ROBINS BUILD A NEST.</h2> + + +<p>When Mr. and Mrs. Robin built in the +spring, they were not quite agreed as to +where the nest should be. Mr. Robin +was a very decided bird, and had made +up his mind that the lowest crotch of a +maple tree would be the best place. He +even went so far as to take three billfuls +of mud there, and stick in two blades of +dry grass. Mrs. Robin wanted it on the +end of the second rail from the top of +the split-rail fence. She said it was high +enough from the ground to be safe and +dry, and not so high that a little bird +falling out of it would hurt himself very +much. Then, too, the top rail was broad +at the end and would keep the rain off +so well.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">15</a></span></p> + +<p>"And the nest will be just the color +of the rails," said she, "so that even a +Red Squirrel could hardly see it." She +disliked Red Squirrels, and she had +reason to, for she had been married before, +and if it had not been for a Red +Squirrel, she might already have had +children as large as she was.</p> + +<p>"I say that the tree is the place for it," +said Mr. Robin, "and I wear the brightest +breast feathers." He said this because +in bird families the one who wears the +brightest breast feathers thinks he has +the right to decide things.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Robin was wise enough not to +answer back when he spoke in this way. +She only shook her feathers, took ten +quick running steps, tilted her body forward, +looked hard at the ground, and +pulled out something for supper. After +that she fluttered around the maple tree +crotch as though she had never thought +of any other place. Mr. Robin wished<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">16</a></span> +he had not been quite so decided, or +reminded her of his breast feathers. +"After all," thought he, "I don't know +but the fence-rail would have done." He +thought this, but he didn't say it. It is +not always easy for a Robin to give up +and let one with dull breast feathers know +that he thinks himself wrong.</p> + +<p>That night they perched in the maple-tree +and slept with their heads under +their wings. Long before the sun was +in sight, when the first beams were just +touching the tops of the forest trees, they +awakened, bright-eyed and rested, preened +their feathers, sang their morning song, +"Cheerily, cheerily, cheer-up," and flew +off to find food. After breakfast they +began to work on the nest. Mrs. Robin +stopped often to look and peck at the +bark. "It will take a great deal of mud," +said she, "to fill in that deep crotch until +we reach a place wide enough for the +nest."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">17</a></span></p> + +<p>At another time she said: "My dear, +I am afraid that the dry grass you are +bringing is too light-colored. It shows +very plainly against the maple bark. +Can't you find some that is darker?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Robin hunted and hunted, but +could find nothing which was darker. As +he flew past the fence, he noticed that it +was almost the color of the grass in his +bill.</p> + +<p>After a while, soft gray clouds began to +cover the sky. "I wonder," said Mrs. +Robin, "if it will rain before we get this +done. The mud is soft enough now to +work well, and this place is so open that +the rain might easily wash away all that +we have done."</p> + +<p>It did rain, however, and very soon. +The great drops came down so hard that +one could only think of pebbles falling. +Mr. and Mrs. Robin oiled their feathers +as quickly as they could, taking the oil +from their back pockets and putting it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">18</a></span> +onto their feathers with their bills. This +made the finest kind of waterproof and +was not at all heavy to wear. When the +rain was over they shook themselves and +looked at their work.</p> + +<p>"I believe," said Mrs. Robin to her +husband, "that you are right in saying +that we might better give up this place +and begin over again somewhere else."</p> + +<p>Now Mr. Robin could not remember +having said that he thought anything of +the sort, and he looked very sharply at +his wife, and cocked his black head on +one side until all the black and white +streaks on his throat showed. She did +not seem to know that he was watching +her as she hopped around the partly built +nest, poking it here and pushing it there, +and trying her hardest to make it look +right. He thought she would say something, +but she didn't. Then he knew he +must speak first. He flirted his tail and +tipped his head and drew some of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">19</a></span> +brown wing-feathers through his bill. +Then he held himself very straight and +tall, and said, "Well, if you do agree with +me, I think you might much better stop +working here and begin in another place."</p> + +<p>"It seems almost too bad," said she. +"Of course there are other places, +but——"</p> + +<p>By this time Mr. Robin knew exactly +what to do. "Plenty of them," said he. +"Now don't fuss any longer with this. +That place on the rail fence is an excellent +one. I wonder that no other birds have +taken it." As he spoke he flew ahead to +the very spot which Mrs. Robin had first +chosen.</p> + +<p>She was a very wise bird, and knew far +too much to say, "I told you so." Saying +that, you know, always makes things +go wrong. She looked at the rail fence, +ran along the top of it, toeing in prettily +as she ran, looked around in a surprised +way, and said, "Oh, <i>that</i> place?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">20</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, Mrs. Robin," said her husband, +"<i>that</i> place. Do you see anything wrong +about it?"</p> + +<p>"No-o," she said. "I think I could +make it do."</p> + +<p>Before long another nest was half built, +and Mrs. Robin was working away in the +happiest manner possible, stopping every +little while to sing her afternoon song: +"Do you think what you do? Do you +think what you do? Do you thi-ink?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Robin was also at work, and such +billfuls of mud, such fine little twigs, and +such big wisps of dry grass as went into +that home! Once Mr. Robin was gone a +long time, and when he came back he had +a beautiful piece of white cotton string +dangling from his beak. That they put +on the outside. "Not that we care to +show off," said they, "but somehow that +seemed to be the best place to put it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Robin was very proud of his nest +and of his wife. He never went far away<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">21</a></span> +if he could help it. Once she heard him +tell Mr. Goldfinch that, "Mrs. Robin was +very sweet about building where he chose, +and that even after he insisted on changing +places from the tree to the fence she +was perfectly good-natured."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mrs. Robin to Mrs. Goldfinch, +"I was perfectly good-natured." +Then she gave a happy, chirpy little laugh, +and Mrs. Goldfinch laughed, too. They +were perfectly contented birds, even if they +didn't wear the brightest breast feathers +or insist on having their own way. And +Mrs. Robin had been married before.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">22</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap3.jpg" width="510" height="120" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<h2>THE SELFISH TENT-CATERPILLAR.</h2> + + +<p>One could hardly call the Tent-Caterpillars +meadow people, for they did not +often leave their trees to crawl upon the +ground. Yet the Apple-Tree Tent-Caterpillars +would not allow anybody to call +them forest people. "We live on apple +and wild cherry trees," they said, "and +you will almost always find us in the +orchards or on the roadside trees. There +are Forest Tent-Caterpillars, but please +don't get us mixed with them. We belong +to another branch of the family, the +Apple-Tree branch."</p> + +<p>The Tree Frog said that he remembered +perfectly well when the eggs were laid on +the wild cherry tree on the edge of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">23</a></span> +meadow. "It was early last summer," +he said, "and the Moth who laid them was +a very agreeable reddish-brown person, +about as large as a common Yellow Butterfly. +I remember that she had two light +yellow lines on each forewing. Another +Moth came with her, but did not stay. +He was smaller than she, and had the +same markings. After he had gone, she +asked me if we were ever visited by the +Yellow-Billed Cuckoos."</p> + +<p>"Why did she ask that?" said the +Garter Snake.</p> + +<p>"Don't you know?" exclaimed the +Tree Frog. And then he whispered +something to the Garter Snake.</p> + +<p>The Garter Snake wriggled with surprise +and cried, "Really?"</p> + +<p>All through the fall and winter the +many, many eggs which the reddish-brown +Moth had laid were kept snug and +warm on the twig where she had put them. +They were placed in rows around the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">24</a></span> +twig, and then well covered to hold them +together and keep them warm. The +winter winds had blown the twig to and +fro, the cold rain had frozen over them, +the soft snowflakes had drifted down from +the clouds and covered them, only to melt +and trickle away again in shining drops. +One morning the whole wild cherry tree +was covered with beautiful long, glistening +crystals of hoar-frost; and still the ring +of eggs stayed in its place around the +twig, and the life in them slept until +spring sunbeams should shine down and +quicken it.</p> + +<p>But when the spring sunbeams did +come! Even before the leaf-buds were +open, tiny Larvæ, or Caterpillar babies, +came crawling from the ring of eggs and +began feeding upon the buds. They +took very, very small bites, and that +looked as though they were polite children. +Still, you know, their mouths were +so small that they could not take big ones,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">25</a></span> +and it may not have been politeness after +all which made them eat daintily.</p> + +<p>When all the Tent-Caterpillars were +hatched, and they had eaten every leaf-bud +near the egg-ring, they began to +crawl down the tree toward the trunk. +Once they stopped by a good-sized crotch +in the branches. "Let's build here," +said the leader; "this place is all right."</p> + +<p>Then some of the Tent-Caterpillars +said, "Let's!" and some of them said, +"Don't let's!" One young fellow said, +"Aw, come on! There's a bigger crotch +farther down." Of course he should have +said, "I think you will like a larger crotch +better," but he was young, and, you know, +these Larvæ had no father or mother to +help them speak in the right way. They +were orphans, and it is wonderful how +they ever learned to talk at all.</p> + +<p>After this, some of the Tent-Caterpillars +went on to the larger crotch and +some stayed behind. More went than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">26</a></span> +stayed, and when they saw this, those by +the smaller crotch gave up and joined +their brothers and sisters, as they should +have done. It was right to do that +which pleased most of them.</p> + +<p>It took a great deal of work to make +the tent. All helped, spinning hundreds +and thousands of white silken threads, +laying them side by side, criss-crossing +them, fastening the ends to branches and +twigs, not forgetting to leave places +through which one could crawl in and +out. They never worked all day at this, +because unless they stopped to eat they +would soon have been weak and unable +to spin. There were nearly always a few +Caterpillars in the tent, but only in the +early morning or late afternoon or during +the night were they all at home. The +rest of the time they were scattered +around the tree feeding. Of course +there were some cold days when they +stayed in. When the weather was chilly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">27</a></span> +they moved slowly and cared very little +for food.</p> + +<p>There was one young Tent-Caterpillar +who happened to be the first hatched, and +who seemed to think that because he was +a minute older than any of the other children +he had the right to his own way. +Sometimes he got it, because the others +didn't want to have any trouble. Sometimes +he didn't get it, and then he was +very sulky and disagreeable, even refusing +to answer when he was spoken to.</p> + +<p>One cold day, when all the Caterpillars +stayed in the tent, this oldest brother +wanted the warmest place, that in the +very middle. It should have belonged +to the younger brothers and sisters, for +they were not so strong, but he pushed +and wriggled his hairy black and brown +and yellow body into the very place +he wanted, and then scolded everybody +around because he had to push to get +there. It happened as it always does<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">28</a></span> +when a Caterpillar begins to say mean +things, and he went on until he was saying +some which were really untrue. Nobody +answered back, so he scolded and +fussed and was exceedingly disagreeable.</p> + +<p>All day long he thought how wretched +he was, and how badly they treated him, +and how he guessed they'd be sorry +enough if he went away. The next +morning he went. As long as the warm +sunshine lasted he did very well. When +it began to grow cool, his brothers and +sisters crawled past him on their way to +the tent. "Come on!" they cried. "It's +time to go home."</p> + +<p>"Uh-uh!" said the eldest brother +(and that meant "No"), "I'm not +going."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" they asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, because," said he.</p> + +<p>When the rest were all together in the +tent they talked about him. "Do you +suppose he's angry?" said one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">29</a></span></p> + +<p>"What should he be angry about?" +said another.</p> + +<p>"I just believe he is," said a third. +"Did you notice the way his hairs bristled?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you think we ought to go to +get him?" asked two or three of the +youngest Caterpillars.</p> + +<p>"No," said the older ones. "We +haven't done anything. Let him get +over it."</p> + +<p>So the oldest brother, who had thought +that every other Caterpillar in the tent +would crawl right out and beg and coax +him to come back, waited and waited and +waited, but nobody came. The tent was +there and the door was open. All he had +to do was to crawl in and be at home. +He waited so long that at last he had to +leave the tree and spin his cocoon without +ever having gone back to his brothers +and sisters in the tent. He spun his cocoon +and mixed the silk with a yellowish-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">30</a></span>white +powder, then he lay down in it +to sleep twenty-one days and grow his +wings. The last thought he had before +going to sleep was an unhappy and selfish +one. Probably he awakened an unhappy +and selfish Moth.</p> + +<p>His brothers and sisters were sad whenever +they thought of him. But, they +said, "what could we do? It wasn't fair +for him to have the best of everything, +and we never answered when he said +mean things. He might have come back +at any time and we would have been kind +to him."</p> + +<p>And they were right. What could +they have done? It was very sad, but +when a Caterpillar is so selfish and sulky +that he cannot live happily with other +people, it is much better that he should +live quite alone.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">31</a></span></p> + + +<div class="dcp-chap4"> +<p style='padding-top: 280px;'> </p> + +<h2 style='padding-right: 210px;'><span class="smcap">The Lazy Snail</span></h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 210px;'>In the lower part of the +meadow, where the grass grew +tall and tender, there lived a +fine and sturdy young Snail; +that is to say, a fine-looking Snail. +His shell was a beautiful soft +gray, and its curves were regular +and perfect. His body was soft +and moist, and just what a Snail's +body should be. Of course, +when it came to travelling, he +could not go fast, for none of his +family are rapid travellers, still, if +he had been plucky and patient,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">32</a></span> +he might have seen much of the meadow, +and perhaps some of the world outside. +His friends and neighbors often told him +that he ought to start out on a little journey +to see the sights, but he would always +answer, "Oh, it is too hard work!"</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 210px;'>There was nobody who liked stories of +meadow life better than this same Snail, +and he would often stop some friendly +Cricket or Snake to ask for the news. +After they had told him, they would say, +"Why, don't you ever get out to see these +things for yourself?" and he would give a +little sigh and answer, "It is too far to go."</p> + +<p>"But you needn't go the whole distance +in one day," his visitor would say, "only +a little at a time."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and then I would have to keep +starting on again every little while," the +Snail would reply. "What of that?" said +the visitor; "you would have plenty of resting +spells, when you could lie in the shade +of a tall weed and enjoy yourself."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">33</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, what is the use?" the Snail +would say. "I can't enjoy resting if I +know I've got to go to work again," and +he would sigh once more.</p> + +<p>So there he lived, eating and sleeping, +and wishing he could see the world, and +meet the people in the upper part of the +meadow, but just so lazy that he wouldn't +start out to find them.</p> + +<p>He never thought that the Butterflies +and Beetles might not like it to have him +keep calling them to him and making them +tell him the news. Oh, no indeed! If he +wanted them to do anything for him, he +asked them quickly enough, and they, being +happy, good-natured people, would +always do as he asked them to.</p> + +<p>There came a day, though, when he +asked too much. The Grasshoppers had +been telling him about some very delicious +new plants that grew a little distance +away, and the Snail wanted some very +badly. "Can't you bring me some?" he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">34</a></span> +said. "There are so many of you, and you +have such good, strong legs. I should +think you might each bring me a small +piece in your mouths, and then I should +have a fine dinner of it."</p> + +<p>The Grasshoppers didn't say anything +then, but when they were so far away that +he could not hear them, they said to each +other, "If the Snail wants the food so +much, he might better go for it. We +have other things to do," and they hopped +off on their own business.</p> + +<p>The Snail sat there, and wondered and +wondered that they did not come. He kept +thinking how he would like some of the new +food for dinner, but there it ended. He +didn't want it enough to get it for himself.</p> + +<p>The Grasshoppers told all their friends +about the Snail's request, and everybody +thought, "Such a lazy, good-for-nothing +fellow deserves to be left quite alone." +So it happened that for a very long time +nobody went near the Snail.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">35</a></span></p> + +<p>The weather grew hotter and hotter. +The clouds, which blew across the sky, +kept their rain until they were well past +the meadow, and so it happened that the +river grew shallower and shallower, and +the sunshine dried the tiny pools and rivulets +which kept the lower meadow damp. +The grass began to turn brown and dry, +and, all in all, it was trying weather for +Snails.</p> + +<p>One day, a Butterfly called some of her +friends together, and told them that she +had seen the Snail lying in his old place, +looking thin and hungry. "The grass is +all dried around him," she said; "I believe +he is starving, and too lazy to go nearer +the river, where there is still good food +for him."</p> + +<p>They all talked it over together, and +some of them said it was of no use to help +a Snail who was too lazy to do anything +for himself. Others said, "Well, he is too +weak to help himself now, at all events,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">36</a></span> +and we might help him this once." And +that is exactly what they did. The Butterflies +and the Mosquitoes flew ahead to +find the best place to put the Snail, and +all the Grasshoppers, and Beetles, and +other strong crawling creatures took +turns in rolling the Snail down toward +the river.</p> + +<p>They left him where the green things +were fresh and tender, and he grew strong +and plump once more. It is even said +that he was not so lazy afterward, but one +cannot tell whether to believe it or not, +for everybody knows that when people let +themselves grow up lazy, as he did, it is +almost impossible for them to get over it +when they want to. One thing is sure: +the meadow people who helped him were +happier and better for doing a kind thing, +no matter what became of the Snail.</p> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">37</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap5"> + +<p style='padding-top: 220px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 200px;'>THE ANT<br /> +THE WORE WINGS</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>In one of the Ant-hills in the +highest part of the meadow, +were a lot of young Ants talking +together. "I," said one, +"am going to be a soldier, +and drive away anybody who +comes to make us trouble. I +try biting hard things every +day to make my jaws strong, +so that I can guard the home +better."</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>"I," said another and smaller +Ant, "want to be a worker. I +want to help build and repair +the home. I want to get the +food for the family, and feed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">38</a></span> +the Ant babies, and clean them off when +they crawl out of their old coats. If I +can do those things well, I shall be the +happiest, busiest Ant in the meadow."</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>"We don't want to live that kind of +life," said a couple of larger Ants with +wings. "We don't mean to stay around +the Ant-hill all the time and work. We +want to use our wings, and then you may +be very sure that you won't see us around +home any more."</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>The little worker spoke up: "Home is +a pleasant place. You may be very glad +to come back to it some day." But the +Ants with the wings turned their backs +and wouldn't listen to another word.</p> + +<p>A few days after this there were exciting +times in the Ant-hill. All the winged +Ants said "Good-bye" to the soldiers and +workers, and flew off through the air, flew +so far that the little ones at home could +no longer see them. All day long they +were gone, but the next morning when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">39</a></span> +the little worker (whom we heard talking) +went out to get breakfast, she found the +poor winged Ants lying on the ground +near their home. Some of them were +dead, and the rest were looking for food.</p> + +<p>The worker Ant ran up to the one who +had said she didn't want to stay around +home, and asked her to come back to +the Ant-hill. "No, I thank you," she answered. +"I have had my breakfast now, +and am going to fly off again." She +raised her wings to go, but after she had +given one flutter, they dropped off, and +she could never fly again.</p> + +<p>The worker hurried back to the Ant-hill +to call some of her sister workers, and +some of the soldiers, and they took the +Ant who had lost her wings and carried +her to another part of the meadow. There +they went to work to build a new home +and make her their queen.</p> + +<p>First, they looked for a good, sandy +place, on which the sun would shine all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">40</a></span> +day. Then the worker Ants began to +dig in the ground and bring out tiny +round pieces of earth in their mouths. +The soldiers helped them, and before +night they had a cosy little home in the +earth, with several rooms, and some food +already stored. They took their queen in, +and brought her food to eat, and waited +on her, and she was happy and contented.</p> + +<p>By and by the Ant eggs began to hatch, +and the workers had all they could do to +take care of their queen and her little Ant +babies, and the soldier Ants had to help. +The Ant babies were little worms or +grubs when they first came out of the +eggs; after a while they curled up in tiny, +tiny cases, called pupa-cases, and after another +while they came out of these, and +then they looked like the older Ants, with +their six legs, and their slender little +waists. But whatever they were, whether +eggs, or grubs, or curled up in the pupa-cases, +or lively little Ants, the workers fed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span> +and took care of them, and the soldiers +fought for them, and the queen-mother +loved them, and they all lived happily together +until the young Ants were ready +to go out into the great world and learn +the lessons of life for themselves.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap6.jpg" width="510" height="126" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<h2>THE CHEERFUL HARVESTMEN.</h2> + + +<p>Some of the meadow people are gay +and careless, and some are always worrying. +Some work hard every day, and +some are exceedingly lazy. There, as +everywhere else, each has his own way of +thinking about things. It is too bad that +they cannot all learn to think brave and +cheerful thoughts, for these make life +happy. One may have a comfortable +home, kind neighbors, and plenty to eat, +yet if he is in the habit of thinking disagreeable +thoughts, not even all these +good things can make him happy. Now +there was the young Frog who thought +herself sick—but that is another story.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the Harvestmen were the most +cheerful of all the meadow people. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span> +old Tree Frog used to say that it made +him feel better just to see their knees +coming toward him. Of course, when he +saw their knees, he knew that the whole +insect was also coming. He spoke in that +way because the Harvestmen always +walked or ran with their knees so much +above the rest of their bodies that one +could see those first.</p> + +<p>The Harvestmen were not particularly +fine-looking, not nearly so handsome as +some of their Spider cousins. One never +thought of that, however. They had +such an easy way of moving around on +their eight legs, each of which had a +great many joints. It is the joints, or +bending-places, you know, which make +legs useful. Besides being graceful, they +had very pleasant manners. When a +Harvestman said "Good-morning" to +you on a rainy day, you always had a +feeling that the sun was shining. It +might be that the drops were even then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span> +falling into your face, but for a moment +you were sure to feel that everything was +bright and warm and comfortable.</p> + +<p>Sometimes the careless young Grasshoppers +and Crickets called the Harvestmen +by their nicknames, "Daddy Long-Legs" +or "Grandfather Graybeard." Even +then the Harvestmen were good-natured, +and only said with a smile that the young +people had not yet learned the names of +their neighbors. The Grasshoppers never +seemed to think how queer it was to call +a young Harvestman daughter "Grandfather +Graybeard." When they saw how +good-natured they were, the Grasshoppers +soon stopped trying to tease the +Harvestmen. People who are really +good-natured are never teased very long, +you know.</p> + +<p>The Walking-Sticks were exceedingly +polite to the Harvestmen. They thought +them very slender and genteel-looking. +Once the Five-Legged Walking-Stick<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span> +said to the largest Harvestman, "Why +do you talk so much with the common +people in the meadow?"</p> + +<p>The Harvestman knew exactly what the +Walking-Stick meant, but he was not going +to let anybody make fun of his kind +and friendly neighbors, so he said: "I +think we Harvestmen are rather common +ourselves. There are a great, great many +of us here. It must be very lonely to be +uncommon."</p> + +<p>After that the Walking-Stick had nothing +more to say. He never felt quite +sure whether the Harvestman was too +stupid to understand or too wise to gossip. +Once he thought he saw the Harvestman's +eyes twinkle. The Harvestman +didn't care if people thought him stupid. +He knew that he was not stupid, and +he would rather seem dull than to listen +while unkind things were said about +his neighbors.</p> + +<p>Some people would have thought it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span> +very hard luck to be Harvestmen. The +Garter Snake said that if he were one, he +should be worried all the time about his +legs. "I'm thankful I haven't any," he +said, "for if I had I should be forever +thinking I should lose some of them. A +Harvestman without legs would be badly +off. He could never in the world crawl +around on his belly as I do."</p> + +<p>How the Harvestmen did laugh when +they heard this! The biggest one said, +"Well, if that isn't just like some people! +Never want to have anything for fear +they'll lose it. I wonder if he worries +about his head? He might lose that, you +know, and then what would he do?"</p> + +<p>It was only the next day that the largest +Harvestman came home on seven +legs. His friends all cried out, "Oh, how +did it ever happen?"</p> + +<p>"Cows," said he.</p> + +<p>"Did they step on you?" asked the +Five-Legged Walking-Stick. He had not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span> +lived long enough in the meadow to understand +all that the Harvestman meant. +He was sorry for him, though, for he +knew what it was to lose a leg.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" said a Grasshopper, interrupting +in a very rude way, "aren't any Cows +in this meadow now!"</p> + +<p>Then the other Harvestmen told the +Walking-Stick all about it, how sometimes +a boy would come to the meadow, catch +a Harvestman, hold him up by one leg, +and say to him, "Grandfather Graybeard, +tell me where the Cows are, or I'll kill +you." Then the only thing a Harvestman +could do was to struggle and wriggle +himself free, and he often broke off a leg +in doing so.</p> + +<p>"How terrible!" said the three Walking-Sticks +all together. "But why don't +you tell them?"</p> + +<p>"We do," answered the Harvestmen. +"We point with our seven other legs, +and we point every way there is. Some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span>times +we don't know where they are, so +we point everywhere, to be sure. But it +doesn't make any difference. Our legs +drop off just the same."</p> + +<p>"Isn't a boy clever enough to find +Cows alone?" asked the Walking-Sticks.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it isn't that," cried all the meadow +people together. "Even after you tell, +and sometimes when the Cows are right +there, they walk off home without them."</p> + +<p>"I'd sting them," said a Wasp, waving +his feelers fiercely and raising and lowering +his wings. "I'd sting them as hard +as I could."</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't if you had no sting," +said the Tree Frog.</p> + +<p>"N-no," stammered the Wasp, "I suppose +I wouldn't."</p> + +<p>"You poor creature!" said the biggest +Katydid to the biggest Harvestman. +"What will you do? Only seven legs!"</p> + +<p>"Do?" answered the biggest Harvestman, +and it was then one could see how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span> +truly brave and cheerful he was. "Do? +I'll walk on those seven. If I lose one +of them I'll walk on six, and if I lose one +of them I'll walk on five. Haven't I my +mouth and my stomach and my eyes and +my two feelers, and my two food-pincers? +I may not be so good-looking, but I am a +Harvestman, and I shall enjoy the grass +and the sunshine and my kind neighbors +as long as I live. I must leave you now. +Good-day."</p> + +<p>He walked off rather awkwardly, for +he had not yet learned to manage himself +since his accident. The meadow +people looked after him very thoughtfully. +They were not noticing his awkwardness, +or thinking of his high knees or of his +little low body. Perhaps they thought +what the Cicada said, "Ah, that is the +way to live!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span></p> + + +<div class="dcp-chap7"> +<p style='padding-top: 280px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-left: 200px;'>THE +LITTLE +SPIDER'S +FIRST +WEB</h2> + +<p style='padding-left: 200px;'>The first thing our +little Spider remembered +was being crowded +with a lot of other +little Spiders in a tiny brown +house. This tiny house had +no windows, and was very +warm and dark and stuffy. +When the wind blew, the little +Spiders would hear it rushing +through the forest near by, and +would feel their round brown +house swinging like a cradle. It +was fastened to a bush by the +edge of the forest, but they could +not know that, so they just wiggled and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span> +pushed and ate the food that they found +in the house, and wondered what it all +meant. They didn't even guess that a +mother Spider had made the brown house +and put the food in it for her Spider +babies to eat when they came out of +their eggs. She had put the eggs in, +too, but the little Spiders didn't remember +the time when they lay curled up in +the eggs. They didn't know what had +been nor what was to be—they thought +that to eat and wiggle and sleep was all +of life. You see they had much to learn.</p> + +<p style='padding-left: 200px;'>One morning the little Spiders found +that the food was all gone, and they +pushed and scrambled harder than ever, +because they were hungry and wanted +more. Exactly what happened nobody +knew, but suddenly it grew light, and +some of them fell out of the house. All +the rest scrambled after, and there they +stood, winking and blinking in the bright +sunshine, and feeling a little bit dizzy, be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span>cause +they were on a shaky web made of +silvery ropes.</p> + +<p>Just then the web began to shake even +more, and a beautiful great mother Spider +ran out on it. She was dressed in black +and yellow velvet, and her eight eyes +glistened and gleamed in the sunlight. +They had never dreamed of such a wonderful +creature.</p> + +<p>"Well, my children," she exclaimed, "I +know you must be hungry, and I have +breakfast all ready for you." So they +began eating at once, and the mother +Spider told them many things about the +meadow and the forest, and said they +must amuse themselves while she worked +to get food for them. There was no +father Spider to help her, and, as she +said, "Growing children must have plenty +of good plain food."</p> + +<p>You can just fancy what a good time +the baby Spiders had. There were a +hundred and seventy of them, so they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span> +had no chance to grow lonely, even when +their mother was away. They lived in +this way for quite a while, and grew bigger +and stronger every day. One morning +the mother Spider said to her biggest +daughter, "You are quite old enough to +work now, and I will teach you to spin +your web."</p> + +<p>The little Spider soon learned to draw +out the silvery ropes from the pocket in +her body where they were made and kept, +and very soon she had one fastened at +both ends to branches of the bush. Then +her mother made her walk out to the +middle of her rope bridge, and spin and +fasten two more, so that it looked like a +shining cross. After that was done, the +mother showed her something like a comb, +which is part of a Spider's foot, and taught +her how to measure, and put more ropes +out from the middle of the cross, until it +looked like the spokes of a wheel.</p> + +<p>The little Spider got much discouraged,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span> +and said, "Let me finish it some other +time; I am tired of working now."</p> + +<p>The mother Spider answered, "No, I +cannot have a lazy child."</p> + +<p>The little one said, "I can't ever do it, +I know I can't."</p> + +<p>"Now," said the mother, "I shall have +to give you a Spider scolding. You have +acted as lazy as the Tree Frog says boys +and girls sometimes do. He has been up +near the farm-house, and says that he has +seen there children who do not like to +work. The meadow people could hardly +believe such a thing at first. He says +they were cross and unhappy children, and +no wonder! Lazy people are never happy. +You try to finish the web, and see if I am +not right. You are not a baby now, and +you must work and get your own food."</p> + +<p>So the little Spider spun the circles of +rope in the web, and made these ropes +sticky, as all careful spiders do. She ate +the loose ends and pieces that were left<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span> +over, to save them for another time, and +when it was done, it was so fine and perfect +that her brothers and sisters crowded +around, saying, "Oh! oh! oh! how beautiful!" +and asked the mother to teach them. +The little web-spinner was happier than +she had ever been before, and the mother +began to teach her other children. But +it takes a long time to teach a hundred +and seventy children.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span></p> +<div class="dcp-chap8"> + +<p style='padding-top: 80px;'> </p> + +<h2 style='padding-right: 280px;'><small>THE</small> BEETLE <small>WHO +DID NOT LIKE CATERPILLARS</small></h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 280px;'>One morning early +in June, a fat and shining +May Beetle lay on +his back among the +grasses, kicking his +six legs in the air, +and wriggling around +while he tried to catch +hold of a grass-blade +by which to pull himself +up. Now, Beetles +do not like to lie on +their backs in the sunshine, +and this one was +hot and tired from +his long struggle. Beside +that, he was very +cross because he was +late in getting his +breakfast, so when he +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span> +did at last get right side up, and saw a +brown and black Caterpillar watching +him, he grew very ill-mannered, and said +some things of which he should have been +ashamed.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 280px;'>"Oh, yes," he said, "you are quick +enough to laugh when you think somebody +else is in a fix. I often lie on my +back and kick, just for fun." (Which was +not true, but when Beetles are cross they +are not always truthful.)</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 280px;'>"Excuse me," said the Caterpillar, "I +did not mean to hurt your feelings. If I +smiled, it was because I remembered being +in the same plight myself yesterday, +and what a time I had smoothing my fur +afterwards. Now, you won't have to +smooth your fur, will you?" she asked +pleasantly.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm thankful to say I haven't +any fur to smooth," snapped the Beetle. +"I am not one of the crawling, furry kind. +My family wear dark brown, glossy coats,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span> +and we always look trim and clean. When +we want to hurry, we fly; and when tired +of flying, we walk or run. We have two +kinds of wings. We have a pair of dainty, +soft ones, that carry us through the air, +and then we have a pair of stiff ones to +cover over the soft wings when we come +down to the earth again. We are the +finest family in the meadow."</p> + +<p>"I have often heard of you," said the +Caterpillar, "and am very glad to become +acquainted."</p> + +<p>"Well," answered the Beetle, "I am +willing to speak to you, of course, but +we can never be at all friendly. A May +Beetle, indeed, in company with a Caterpillar! +I choose my friends among the +Moths, Butterflies, and Dragon-flies,—in +fact, <i>I</i> move in the upper circles."</p> + +<p>"Upper circles, indeed!" said a croaking +voice beside him, which made the +Beetle jump, "I have hopped over your +head for two or three years, when you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span> +were nothing but a fat, white worm. +<i>You'd</i> better not put on airs. The fine +family of May Beetles were all worms +once, and they had to live in the earth +and eat roots, while the Caterpillars +were in the sunshine over their heads, +dining on tender green leaves and flower +buds."</p> + +<p>The May Beetle began to look very +uncomfortable, and squirmed as though +he wanted to get away, but the Tree +Frog, for it was the Tree Frog, went on: +"As for your not liking Caterpillars, they +don't stay Caterpillars. Your new acquaintance +up there will come out with +wings one of these days, and you will be +glad enough to know him." And the +Tree Frog hopped away.</p> + +<p>The May Beetle scraped his head with +his right front leg, and then said to the +Caterpillar, who was nibbling away at the +milkweed: "You know, I wasn't really in +earnest about our not being friends. I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span> +shall be very glad to know you, and all +your family."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," answered the Caterpillar, +"thank you very much, but I have been +thinking it over myself, and I feel that I +really could not be friendly with a May +Beetle. Of course, I don't mind speaking +to you once in a while, when I am +eating, and getting ready to spin my cocoon. +After that it will be different. You +see, then I shall belong to one of the +finest families in the meadow, the Milkweed +Butterflies. <i>We</i> shall eat nothing +but honey, and dress in soft orange and +black velvet. <i>We</i> shall not blunder and +bump around when we fly. <i>We</i> shall enjoy +visiting with the Dragon-flies and +Moths. I shall not forget you altogether, +I dare say, but I shall feel it my duty to +move in the upper circles, where I belong. +Good-morning."</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap9.jpg" width="510" height="124" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE YOUNG ROBIN WHO WAS<br /> +AFRAID TO FLY.</h2> + + +<p>During the days when the four beautiful +green-blue eggs lay in the nest, Mrs. +Robin stayed quite closely at home. She +said it was a very good place, for she +could keep her eggs warm and still see +all that was happening. The rail-end on +which they had built was on the meadow +side of the fence, over the tallest grasses +and the graceful stalks of golden-rod. +Here the Garter Snake drew his shining +body through the tangled green, and here +the Tree Frog often came for a quiet +nap.</p> + +<p>Just outside the fence the milkweeds +grew, with every broad, pale green leaf +slanting upward in their spring style.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span> +Here the Milkweed Caterpillars fed, and +here, too, when the great balls of tiny dull +pink blossoms dangled from the stalks, +the Milkweed Butterflies hung all day +long. All the teams from the farm-house +passed along the quiet, grass-grown road, +and those which were going to the farm +as well. When Mrs. Robin saw a team +coming, she always settled herself more +deeply into her nest, so that not one of +her brick-red breast feathers showed. +Then she sat very still, only turning her +head enough to watch the team as it +came near, passed, and went out of sight +down the road. Sometimes she did not +even have to turn her head, for if she +happened to be facing the road, she could +with one eye watch the team come near, +and with the other watch it go away. No +bird, you know, ever has to look at anything +with both eyes at once.</p> + +<p>After the young Robins had outgrown +their shells and broken and thrown them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span> +off, they were naked and red and blind. +They lay in a heap in the bottom of the +nest, and became so tangled that nobody +but a bird could tell which was which. +If they heard their father or their mother +flying toward them, they would stretch up +their necks and open their mouths. Then +each would have some food poked down +his throat, and would lie still until another +mouthful was brought to him.</p> + +<p>When they got their eyes open and began +to grow more down, they were good +little Robins and did exactly as they were +told. It was easy to be good then, for +they were not strong enough to want to +go elsewhere, and they had all they wanted +to eat. At night their mother sat in the +nest and covered them with her soft +feathers. When it rained she also did +this. She was a kind and very hard-working +mother. Mr. Robin worked +quite as hard as she, and was exceedingly +proud of his family.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span></p> + +<p>But when their feathers began to grow, +and each young Robin's sharp quills +pricked his brothers and sisters if they +pushed against him, then it was not so +easy to be good. Four growing children +in one little round bed sometimes found +themselves rather crowded. One night +Mrs. Robin said to her husband: "I am +all tired out. I work as long as daylight +lasts getting food for those children, and +I cannot be here enough to teach them +anything."</p> + +<p>"Then they must learn to work for +themselves," said Mr. Robin decidedly. +"They are surely old enough."</p> + +<p>"Why, they are just babies!" exclaimed +his wife. "They have hardly +any tails yet."</p> + +<p>"They don't need tails to eat with," +said he, "and they may as well begin +now. I will not have you get so tired for +this one brood."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Robin said nothing more. In<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span>deed, +there was nothing more to be said, +for she knew perfectly well that her children +would not eat with their tails if they +had them. She loved her babies so that +she almost disliked to see them grow up, +yet she knew it was right for them to +leave the nest. They were so large that +they spread out over the edges of it already, +and they must be taught to take +care of themselves before it was time for +her to rear her second brood.</p> + +<p>The next morning all four children +were made to hop out on to the rail. +Their legs were not very strong and their +toes sprawled weakly around. Sometimes +they lurched and almost fell. Before +leaving the nest they had felt big +and very important; now they suddenly +felt small and young and helpless. Once +in a while one of them would hop feebly +along the rail for a few steps. Then he +would chirp in a frightened way, let his +head settle down over his speckled breast,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span> +slide his eyelids over his eyes, and wait +for more food to be brought to him.</p> + +<p>Whenever a team went by, the oldest +child shut his eyes. He thought they +couldn't see him if he did that. The +other children kept theirs open and +watched to see what happened. Their +father and mother had told them to +watch, but the timid young Robin always +shut his eyes in spite of that.</p> + +<p>"We shall have trouble with him," +said Mrs. Robin, "but he must be made +to do as he is told, even if he is afraid." +She shut her bill very tightly as she +spoke, and Mr. Robin knew that he could +safely trust the bringing-up of his timid +son to her.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Robin talked and talked to him, +and still he shut his eyes every time that +he was frightened. "I can't keep them +open," he would say, "because when I +am frightened I am always afraid, and I +can't be brave when I am afraid."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span></p> + +<p>"That is just when you must be +brave," said his mother. "There is no +use in being brave when there is nothing +to fear, and it is a great deal braver to be +brave when you are frightened than to +be brave when you are not." You can +see that she was a very wise Robin and a +good mother. It would have been dreadful +for her to let him grow up a coward.</p> + +<p>At last the time came when the young +birds were to fly to the ground and hop +across the road. Both their father and +their mother were there to show them how. +"You must let go of the rail," they said. +"You will never fly in the world unless +you let go of the rail."</p> + +<p>Three of the children fluttered and +lurched and flew down. The timid young +Robin would not try it. His father ordered +and his mother coaxed, yet he only +clung more closely to his rail and said, +"I can't! I'm afraid!"</p> + +<p>At last his mother said: "Very well.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span> +You shall stay there as long as you wish, +but we cannot stay with you."</p> + +<p>Then she chirped to her husband, and +they and the three brave children went +across the road, talking as they went. +"Careful!" she would say. "Now another +hop! That was fine! Now another!" +And the father fluttered around and said: +"Good! Good! You'll be grown-up before +you know it." When they were +across, the parents hunted food and fed +their three brave children, tucking the +mouthfuls far into their wide-open bills.</p> + +<p>The timid little Robin on the fence +felt very, very lonely. He was hungry, +too. Whenever he saw his mother pick +up a mouthful of food, he chirped loudly: +"Me! Me! Me!" for he wanted her to +bring it to him. She paid no attention +to him for a long time. Then she called: +"Do you think you can fly? Do you +think you can fly? Do you think?"</p> + +<p>The timid little Robin hopped a few<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span> +steps and chirped but never lifted a wing. +Then his mother gave each of the other +children a big mouthful.</p> + +<p>The Robin on the fence huddled down +into a miserable little bunch, and thought: +"They don't care whether I ever have +anything to eat. No, they don't!" Then +he heard a rush of wings, and his mother +stood before him with a bunch in her bill +for him. He hopped toward her and she +ran away. Then he sat down and cried. +She hopped back and looked lovingly at +him, but couldn't speak because her bill +was so full. Across the road the Robin +father stayed with his brave children and +called out, "Earn it, my son, earn it!"</p> + +<p>The young Robin stretched out his +neck and opened his bill—but his mother +flew to the ground. He was so hungry—so +very, very hungry,—that for a minute +he quite forgot to be afraid, and he leaned +toward her and toppled over. He fluttered +his wings without thinking, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span> +first he knew he had flown to the ground. +He was hardly there before his mother +was feeding him and his father was singing: +"Do you know what you did? Do +you know what you did? Do you +know?"</p> + +<p>Before his tail was grown the timid +Robin had become as brave as any of the +children, for, you know, after you begin +to be brave you always want to go on. +But the Garter Snake says that Mrs. +Robin is the bravest of the family.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap10.jpg" width="510" height="335" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Crickets' School</span></h2> + + +<p>In one corner of the meadow lived a +fat old Cricket, who thought a great deal +of himself. He had such a big, shining +body, and a way of chirping so very loudly, +that nobody could ever forget where he +lived. He was a very good sort of Cricket, +too, ready to say the most pleasant things +to everybody, yet, sad to relate, he had a +dreadful habit of boasting. He had not +always lived in the meadow, and he liked +to tell of the wonderful things he had seen +and done when he was younger and lived +up near the white farm-house.</p> + +<p>When he told these stories of what he +had done, the big Crickets around him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span> +would not say much, but just sit and look +at each other. The little Crickets, however, +loved to hear him talk, and would +often come to the door of his house +(which was a hole in the ground), to beg +him to tell them more.</p> + +<p>One evening he said he would teach +them a few things that all little Crickets +should know. He had them stand in a +row, and then began: "With what part +of your body do you eat?"</p> + +<p>"With our mouths," all the little Crickets +shouted.</p> + +<p>"With what part of your body do you +run and leap?"</p> + +<p>"Our legs," they cried.</p> + +<p>"Do you do anything else with your +legs?"</p> + +<p>"We clean ourselves with them," said +one.</p> + +<p>"We use them and our mouths to +make our houses in the ground," said +another.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh yes, and we hear with our two +front legs," cried one bright little fellow.</p> + +<p>"That is right," answered the fat old +Cricket. "Some creatures hear with +things called ears, that grow on the sides of +their heads, but for my part, I think it much +nicer to hear with one's legs, as we do."</p> + +<p>"Why, how funny it must be not to +hear with one's legs, as we do," cried all +the little Crickets together.</p> + +<p>"There are a great many queer things +to be seen in the great world," said their +teacher. "I have seen some terribly big +creatures with only two legs and no wings +whatever."</p> + +<p>"How dreadful!" all the little Crickets +cried. "We wouldn't think they could +move about at all."</p> + +<p>"It must be very hard to do so," said +their teacher; "I was very sorry for them," +and he spread out his own wings and +stretched his six legs to show how he enjoyed +them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span></p> + +<p>"But how can they sing if they have no +wings?" asked the bright little Cricket.</p> + +<p>"They sing through their mouths, in +much the same way that the birds have +to. I am sure it must be much easier to +sing by rubbing one's wings together, as +we do," said the fat old teacher. "I could +tell you many queer things about these +two-legged creatures, and the houses in +which they live, and perhaps some day I +will. There are other large four-legged +creatures around their homes that are very +terrible, but, my children, I was never +afraid of any of them. I am one of the +truly brave people who are never frightened, +no matter how terrible the sight. I +hope, children, that you will always be +brave, like me. If anything should scare +you, do not jump or run away. Stay right +where you are, and——"</p> + +<p>But the little Crickets never heard the +rest of what their teacher began to say, for +at that minute Brown Bess, the Cow, came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span> +through a broken fence toward the spot +where the Crickets were. The teacher +gave one shrill "chirp," and scrambled +down his hole. The little Crickets fairly +tumbled over each other in their hurry to +get away, and the fat old Cricket, who +had been out in the great world, never +again talked to them about being brave.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span></p> + + +<div class="dcp-chap11"> +<p style='padding-top: 180px;'> </p> + +<h2 style='padding-right: 200px;'>THE CONTENTED +EARTHWORMS</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>After a long and soaking +rain, the Earthworms came +out of their burrows, or +rather, they came part way +out, for each Earthworm put +out half of his body, and, as +there were many of them +and they lived near to each +other, they could easily visit +without leaving their own +homes. Two of these long, +slimy people were talking, +when a Potato Bug strolled +by. "You poor things," +said he, "what a wretched +life you must lead. Spending +one's days in the dark +earth must be very dreary."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span></p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>"Dreary!" exclaimed one of the Earthworms, +"it is delightful. The earth is a +snug and soft home. It is warm in cold +weather and cool in warm weather. There +are no winds to trouble us, and no sun to +scorch us."</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>"But," said the Potato Bug, "it must +be very dull. Now, out in the grass, one +finds beautiful flowers, and so many families +of friends."</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>"And down here," answered the Worm, +"we have the roots. Some are brown and +woody, like those of the trees, and some +are white and slender and soft. They +creep and twine, until it is like passing +through a forest to go among them. And +then, there are the seeds. Such busy times +as there are in the ground in spring-time! +Each tiny seed awakens and begins to +grow. Its roots must strike downward, +and its stalk upward toward the light. +Sometimes the seeds are buried in the +earth with the root end up, and then they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span> +have a great time getting twisted around +and ready to grow."</p> + +<p>"Still, after the plants are all growing +and have their heads in the air, you must +miss them."</p> + +<p>"We have the roots always," said the +Worm. "And then, when the summer +is over, the plants have done their work, +helping to make the world beautiful and +raise their seed babies, and they wither +and droop to the earth again, and little +by little the sun and the frost and the rain +help them to melt back into the earth. +The earth is the beginning and the end of +plants."</p> + +<p>"Do you ever meet the meadow people +in it?" asked the Potato Bug.</p> + +<p>"Many of them live here as babies," +said the Worm. "The May Beetles, the +Grasshoppers, the great Humming-bird +Moths, and many others spend their babyhood +here, all wrapped in eggs or cocoons. +Then, when they are strong enough, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span> +their legs and wings are grown, they push +their way out and begin their work. It is +their getting-ready time, down here in the +dark. And then, there are the stones, +and they are so old and queer. I am +often glad that I am not a stone, for to +have to lie still must be hard to bear. Yet I +have heard that they did not always lie so, +and that some of the very pebbles around +us tossed and rolled and ground for years +in the bed of a river, and that some of +them were rubbed and broken off of great +rocks. Perhaps they are glad now to just +lie and rest."</p> + +<p>"Truly," said the Potato Bug, "you +have a pleasant home, but give me the +sunshine and fresh air, my six legs, and +my striped wings, and you are welcome +to it all."</p> + +<p>"You are welcome to them all," answered +the Worms. "We are contented +with smooth and shining bodies, with +which we can bore and wriggle our way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span> +through the soft, brown earth. We like +our task of keeping the earth right for +the plants, and we will work and rest +happily here."</p> + +<p>The Potato Bug went his way, and said +to his brothers, "What do you think? I +have been talking with Earthworms who +would not be Potato Bugs if they could." +And they all shook their heads in wonder, +for they thought that to be Potato Bugs +was the grandest and happiest thing in +the world.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap12"> +<p style='padding-top: 300px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 200px;'>THE MEASURING WORM'S JOKE</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>One day there crawled +over the meadow fence a +jolly young Measuring +Worm. He came from a +bush by the roadside, and +although he was still a +young Worm he had +kept his eyes open and +had a very good idea how +things go in this world. +"Now," thought he, as +he rested on the top rail +of the fence, "I shall +meet some new friends. +I do hope they will be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span> +pleasant. I will look about me and see if +anyone is in sight." So he raised his +head high in the air and, sure enough, +there were seven Caterpillars of different +kinds on a tall clump of weeds near by.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>The Measuring Worm hurried over to +where they were, and making his best +bow said: "I have just come from the +roadside and think I shall live in the +meadow. May I feed with you?"</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>The Caterpillars were all glad to have +him, and he joined their party. He +asked many questions about the meadow, +and the people who lived there, and the +best place to find food. The Caterpillars +said, "Oh, the meadow is a good place, +and the people are nice enough, but they +are not at all fashionable—not at all."</p> + +<p>"Why," said the Measuring Worm, "if +you have nice people and a pleasant place +in which to live, I don't see what more +you need."</p> + +<p>"That is all very well," said a black and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span> +yellow Caterpillar, "but what we want +is fashionable society. The meadow people +always do things in the same way, +and one gets so tired of that. Now can +you not tell us something different, something +that Worms do in the great world +from which you come?"</p> + +<p>Just at this minute the Measuring +Worm had a funny idea, and he wondered +if the Caterpillars would be foolish enough +to copy him. He thought it would be a +good joke if they did, so he said very soberly, +"I notice that when you walk you keep +your body quite close to the ground. I +have seen many Worms do the same +thing, and it is all right if they wish to, +but none of my family ever do so. Did +you notice how I walk?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," cried the Caterpillars, "show +us again."</p> + +<p>So the Measuring Worm walked back +and forth for them, arching his body as +high as he could, and stopping every little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span> +while to raise his head and look haughtily +around.</p> + +<p>"What grace!" exclaimed the Caterpillars. +"What grace, and what style!" +and one black and brown one tried to walk +in the same way.</p> + +<p>The Measuring Worm wanted to laugh +to see how awkward the black and brown +Caterpillar was, but he did not even smile, +and soon every one of the Caterpillars +was trying the same thing, and saying +"Look at me. Don't I do well?" or, +"How was that?"</p> + +<p>You can just imagine how those seven +Caterpillars looked when trying to walk +like the Measuring Worm. Every few +minutes one of them would tumble over, +and they all got warm and tired. At last +they thought they had learned it very well, +and took a long rest, in which they planned +to take a long walk and show the other +meadow people the fashion they had received +from the outside world.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span></p> + +<p>"We will walk in a line," they said, "as +far as we can, and let them all see us. +Ah, it will be a great day for the meadow +when we begin to set the fashions!"</p> + +<p>The mischievous young Measuring +Worm said not a word, and off they +started. The big black and yellow Caterpillar +went first, the black and brown one +next, and so on down to the smallest one at +the end of the line, all arching their bodies +as high as they could. All the meadow +people stared at them, calling each other +to come and look, and whenever the +Caterpillars reached a place where there +were many watching them, they would all +raise their heads and look around exactly +as the Measuring Worm had done. When +they got back to their clump of bushes, +they had the most dreadful backaches, but +they said to each other, "Well, we have +been fashionable for once."</p> + +<p>And, at the same time, out in the +grass, the meadow people were saying,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span> +"Did you ever see anything so ridiculous +in your life?" All of which goes +to show how very silly people sometimes +are when they think too much of +being fashionable.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap13"> +<p style='padding-top: 320px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 220px;'>A PUZZLED CICADA</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 220px;'>Seventeen years is a long, +long time to be getting ready +to fly; yet that is what the +Seventeen-year Locusts, or +Cicadas, have to expect. +First, they lie for a long +time in eggs, down in +the earth. Then, when +they awaken, and crawl +out of their shells, they +must grow strong +enough to dig before +they can make their +way out to where the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span> +beautiful green grass is growing and waving +in the wind.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 220px;'>The Cicada who got so very much puzzled +had not been long out of his home in +the warm, brown earth. He was the only +Cicada anywhere around, and it was very +lonely for him. However, he did not +mind that so much when he was eating, +or singing, or resting in the sunshine, and +as he was either eating, or singing, or resting +in the sunshine most of the time, he +got along fairly well.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 220px;'>Because he was young and healthy he +grew fast. He grew so very fast that +after a while he began to feel heavy and +stiff, and more like sitting still than like +crawling around. Beside all this, his skin +got tight, and you can imagine how uncomfortable +it must be to have one's skin +too tight. He was sitting on the branch +of a bush one day, thinking about the +wonderful great world, when—pop!—his +skin had cracked open right down the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span> +middle of his back! The poor Cicada +was badly frightened at first, but then it +seemed so good and roomy that he took a +deep breath, and—pop!—the crack was +longer still!</p> + +<p>The Cicada found that he had another +whole skin under the outside one which +had cracked, so he thought, "How much +cooler and more comfortable I shall be if +I crawl out of this broken covering," and +out he crawled.</p> + +<p>It wasn't very easy work, because he +didn't have anybody to help him. He +had to hook the claws of his outer skin +into the bark of the branch, hook them +in so hard that they couldn't pull out, +and then he began to wriggle out of the +back of his own skin. It was exceedingly +hard work, and the hardest of all was the +pulling his legs out of their cases. He +was so tired when he got free that he +could hardly think, and his new skin was +so soft and tender that he felt limp and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span> +queer. He found that he had wings of a +pretty green, the same color as his legs. +He knew these wings must have been growing +under his old skin, and he stretched +them slowly out to see how big they were. +This was in the morning, and after he had +stretched his wings he went to sleep for a +long time.</p> + +<p>When he awakened, the sun was in the +western sky, and he tried to think who he +was. He looked at himself, and instead +of being green he was a dull brown and +black. Then he saw his old skin clinging +to the branch and staring him in the face. +It was just the same shape as when he was +in it, and he thought for a minute that he +was dreaming. He rubbed his head hard +with his front legs to make sure he was +awake, and then he began to wonder which +one he was. Sometimes he thought that +the old skin which clung to the bush was +the Cicada that had lain so long in the +ground, and sometimes he thought that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span> +the soft, fat, new-looking one was the +Cicada. Or were both of them the Cicada? +If he were only one of the two, +what would he do with the other?</p> + +<p>While he was wondering about this in +a sleepy way, an old Cicada from across +the river flew down beside him. He +thought he would ask her, so he waved +his feelers as politely as he knew how, and +said, "Excuse me, Madam Cicada, for I +am much puzzled. It took me seventeen +years to grow into a strong, crawling Cicada, +and then in one day I separated. +The thinking, moving part of me is here, +but the outside shell of me is there on +that branch. Now, which part is the real +Cicada?"</p> + +<p>"Why, that is easy enough," said the +Madam Cicada; "You are <i>you</i>, of course. +The part that you cast off and left clinging +to the branch was very useful once. +It kept you warm on cold days and cool +on warm days, and you needed it while<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span> +you were only a crawling creature. But +when your wings were ready to carry you +off to a higher and happier life, then the +skin that had been a help was in your way, +and you did right to wriggle out of it. It +is no longer useful to you. Leave it +where it is and fly off to enjoy your new +life. You will never have trouble if you +remember that the thinking part is the +real <i>you</i>."</p> + +<p>And then Madam Cicada and her new +friend flew away to her home over the +river, and he saw many strange sights before +he returned to the meadow.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap14"> +<p style='padding-top: 300px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 180px;'>THE +TREE FROG'S +STORY</h2> + + +<p style='padding-right: 180px;'>In all the meadow there was +nobody who could tell such +interesting stories as the old +Tree Frog. Even the Garter +Snake, who had been there the +longest, and the old Cricket, who +had lived in the farm-yard, could +tell no such exciting tales as the +Tree Frog. All the wonderful +things of which he told had happened +before he came to the +meadow, and while he was still a young +Frog. None of his friends had known +him then, but he was an honest fellow,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span> +and they were sure that everything he +told was true: besides, they must be true, +for how could a body ever think out such +remarkable tales from his own head?</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 180px;'>When he first came to his home by the +elm tree he was very thin, and looked as +though he had been sick. The Katydids +who stayed near said that he croaked in +his sleep, and that, you know, is not what +well and happy Frogs should do.</p> + +<p>One day when many of the meadow +people were gathered around him, he told +them his story. "When I was a little +fellow," he said, "I was strong and well, +and could leap farther than any other +Frog of my size. I was hatched in the +pond beyond the farm-house, and ate my +way from the egg to the water outside +like any other Frog. Perhaps I ought to +say, 'like any other Tadpole,' for, of course, +I began life as a Tadpole. I played and +ate with my brothers and sisters, and little +dreamed what trouble was in store for me<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span> +when I grew up. We were all in a hurry +to be Frogs, and often talked of what we +would do and how far we would travel +when we were grown.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how happy we were then! I remember +the day when my hind legs began +to grow, and how the other Tadpoles +crowded around me in the water and swam +close to me to feel the two little bunches +that were to be legs. My fore legs did +not grow until later, and these bunches +came just in front of my tail."</p> + +<p>"Your tail!" cried a puzzled young +Cricket; "why, you haven't any tail!"</p> + +<p>"I did have when I was a Tadpole," +said the Tree Frog. "I had a beautiful, +wiggly little tail with which to swim +through the waters of the pond; but as +my legs grew larger and stronger, my tail +grew littler and weaker, until there wasn't +any tail left. By the time my tail was +gone I had four good legs, and could +breathe through both my nose and my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span> +skin. The knobs on the ends of my toes +were sticky, so that I could climb a tree, +and then I was ready to start on my +travels. Some of the other Frogs started +with me, but they stopped along the way, +and at last I was alone.</p> + +<p>"I was a bold young fellow, and when +I saw a great white thing among the trees +up yonder, I made up my mind to see +what it was. There was a great red thing +in the yard beside it, but I liked the white +one better. I hopped along as fast as I +could, for I did not then know enough to +be afraid. I got close up to them both, +and saw strange, big creatures going in +and out of the red thing—the barn, as I +afterward found it was called. The largest +creatures had four legs, and some of them +had horns. The smaller creatures had +only two legs on which to walk, and two +other limbs of some sort with which they +lifted and carried things. The queerest +thing about it was, that the smaller creat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span>ures +seemed to make the larger ones do +whatever they wanted them to. They +even made some of them help do their +work. You may not believe me, but what +I tell you is true. I saw two of the larger +ones tied to a great load of dried grass +and pulling it into the barn.</p> + +<p>"As you may guess, I stayed there a +long time, watching these strange creatures +work. Then I went over toward +the white thing, and that, I found out, +was the farm-house. Here were more of +the two-legged creatures, but they were +dressed differently from those in the barn. +There were some bright-colored flowers +near the house, and I crawled in among +them. There I rested until sunset, and +then began my evening song. While I +was singing, one of the people from the +house came out and found me. She +picked me up and carried me inside. Oh, +how frightened I was! My heart thumped +as though it would burst, and I tried my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span> +best to get away from her. She didn't +hurt me at all, but she would not let me +go.</p> + +<p>"She put me in a very queer prison. +At first, when she put me down on a stone +in some water, I did not know that I was +in prison. I tried to hop away, and—bump! +went my head against something. +Yet when I drew back, I could see no wall +there. I tried it again and again, and +every time I hurt my head. I tell you +the truth, my friends, those walls were +made of something which one could see +through."</p> + +<p>"Wonderful!" exclaimed all the meadow +people; "wonderful, indeed!"</p> + +<p>"And at the top," continued the Tree +Frog, "was something white over the +doorway into my prison. In the bottom +were water and a stone, and from the bottom +to the top was a ladder. There I +had to live for most of the summer. I +had enough to eat; but anybody who has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span> +been free cannot be happy shut in. I +watched my chance, and three times I got +out when the little door was not quite +closed. Twice I was caught and put back. +In the pleasant weather, of course, I went +to the top of the ladder, and when it was +going to rain I would go down again. +Every time that I went up or down, those +dreadful creatures would put their faces +up close to my prison, and I could hear a +roaring sound which meant they were +talking and laughing.</p> + +<p>"The last time I got out, I hid near the +door of the house, and although they +hunted and hunted for me, they didn't +find me. After they stopped hunting, the +wind blew the door open, and I hopped +out."</p> + +<p>"You don't say!" exclaimed a Grasshopper.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I hopped out and scrambled +away through the grass as fast as ever I +could. You people who have never been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span> +in prison cannot think how happy I was. +It seemed to me that just stretching my +legs was enough to make me wild with +joy. Well, I came right here, and you +were all kind to me, but for a long time I +could not sleep without dreaming that I +was back in prison, and I would croak in +my sleep at the thought of it."</p> + +<p>"I heard you," cried the Katydid, "and +I wondered what was the matter."</p> + +<p>"Matter enough," said the Tree Frog. +"It makes my skin dry to think of it now. +And, friends, the best way I can ever repay +your kindness to me, is to tell you to +never, never, never, never go near the +farm-house."</p> + +<p>And they all answered, "We never +will."</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap15.jpg" width="510" height="120" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE DAY WHEN THE GRASS<br /> +WAS CUT.</h2> + + +<p>There came a day when all the meadow +people rushed back and forth, waving +their feelers and talking hurriedly to +each other. The fat old Cricket was +nowhere to be seen. He said that one +of his legs was lame and he thought it +best to stay quietly in his hole. The +young Crickets thought he was afraid. +Perhaps he was, but he said that he +was lame.</p> + +<p>All the insects who had holes crawled +into them carrying food. Everybody was +anxious and fussy, and some people were +even cross. It was all because the farmer +and his men had come into the meadow +to cut the grass. They began to work<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span> +on the side nearest the road, but every +step which the Horses took brought the +mower nearer to the people who lived in +the middle of the meadow or down toward +the river.</p> + +<p>"I have seen this done before," said +the Garter Snake. "I got away from +the big mower, and hid in the grass by the +trees, or by the stumps where the mower +couldn't come. Then the men came and +cut that grass with their scythes, and I +had to wriggle away over the short, sharp +grass-stubble to my hole. When they +get near me this time, I shall go into my +hole and stay there."</p> + +<p>"They are not so bad after all," said +the Tree Frog. "I like them better out-of-doors +than I did in the house. They +saw me out here once and didn't try to +catch me."</p> + +<p>A Meadow Mouse came hurrying along. +"I must get home to my babies," she said. +"They will be frightened if I am not there."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span></p> + +<p>"Much good you can do when you are +there!" growled a voice down under her +feet. She was standing over the hole +where the fat old Cricket was with his +lame leg.</p> + +<p>The mother Meadow Mouse looked +rather angry for a minute, and then she +answered: "I'm not so very large and +strong, but I can squeak and let the +Horses know where the nest is. Then +they won't step on it. Last year I had +ten or twelve babies there, and one of +the men picked them up and looked at +them and then put them back. I was +so frightened that my fur stood on end +and I shook like June grass in the wind."</p> + +<p>"Humph! Too scared to run away," +said the voice under her feet.</p> + +<p>"Mothers don't run away and leave +their children in danger," answered the +Meadow Mouse. "I think it is a great +deal braver to be brave when you are +afraid than it is to be brave when you're<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span> +not afraid." She whisked her long tail +and scampered off through the grass. +She did not go the nearest way to her +nest because she thought the Garter +Snake might be watching. She didn't +wish him to know where she lived. She +knew he was fond of young Mice, and +didn't want him to come to see her babies +while she was away. She said he was +not a good friend for young children.</p> + +<p>"We don't mind it at all," said the +Mosquitoes from the lower part of the +meadow. "We are unusually hungry today +anyway, and we shall enjoy having +the men come."</p> + +<p>"Nothing to make such a fuss over," +said a Milkweed Butterfly. "Just crawl +into your holes or fly away."</p> + +<p>"Sometimes they step on the holes +and close them," said an Ant. "What +would you do if you were in a hole and +it stopped being a hole and was just +earth?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span></p> + +<p>"Crawl out, I suppose," answered the +Milkweed Butterfly with a careless flutter.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Ant, "but I don't see +what there would be to crawl out +through."</p> + +<p>The Milkweed Butterfly was already +gone. Butterflies never worry about anything +very long, you know.</p> + +<p>"Has anybody seen the Measuring +Worm?" asked the Katydid. "Where +is he?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm up a tree," answered a +pleasant voice above their heads, "but I +sha'n't be up a tree very long. I shall +come down when the grass is cut."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, dear, dear!" cried the Ants, +hurrying around. "We can't think what +we want to do. We don't know what we +ought to do. We can't think and we +don't know, and we don't think that +we ought to!"</p> + +<p>"Click!" said a Grasshopper, springing +into the air. "We must hurry, hurry,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span> +hurry!" He jumped from a stalk of +pepper-grass to a plantain. "We <i>must</i> +hurry," he said, and he jumped from the +plantain back to the pepper-grass.</p> + +<p>Up in the tree where the Measuring +Worm was, some Katydids were sitting +on a branch and singing shrilly: "Did +you ever? Did you ever? Ever? Ever? +Ever? Did you ever?" And this shows +how much excited they were, for they +usually sang only at night.</p> + +<p>Then the mower came sweeping down +the field, drawn by the Blind Horse and +the Dappled Gray, and guided by the +farmer himself. The dust rose in clouds +as they passed, the Grasshoppers gave +mighty springs which took them out of +the way, and all the singing and shrilling +stopped until the mower had passed. The +nodding grasses swayed and fell as the +sharp knives slid over the ground. "We +are going to be hay," they said, "and +live in the big barn."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now we shall grow some more tender +green blades," said the grass roots.</p> + +<p>"Fine weather for haying," snorted the +Dappled Gray. "We'll cut all the grass +in this field before noon."</p> + +<p>"Good feeling ground to walk on," +said the Blind Horse, tossing his head +until the harness jingled.</p> + +<p>Then the Horses and the farmer and +the mower passed far away, and the +meadow people came together again.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Tree Frog. "That's +over for a while."</p> + +<p>The Ants and the Grasshoppers came +back to their old places. "We did just +the right thing," they cried joyfully. +"We got out of the way."</p> + +<p>The Measuring Worm and the Katydids +came down from their tree as the +Milkweed Butterfly fluttered past. "The +men left the grass standing around +the Meadow Mouse's nest," said the +Milkweed Butterfly, "and the Cows up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span> +by the barn are telling how glad they +will be to have the hay when the cold +weather comes."</p> + +<p>"Grass must grow and hay be cut," +said the wise old Tree Frog, "and when +the time comes we always know what to +do. Puk-rup! Puk-r-r-rup!"</p> + +<p>"I think," said the fat old Cricket, as +he crawled out of his hole, "that my +lame leg is well enough to use. There +is nothing like rest for a lame leg."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap16"> +<p style='padding-top: 350px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 250px;'>The GRASSHOPPER +and +the MEASURING +WORM +RUN a RACE</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 100px;'>A few days after the +Measuring Worm came +to the meadow he met the Grasshoppers. +Everybody had heard of +the Caterpillars' wish to be fashionable, +and some of the young Grasshoppers, +who did not know that it was all +a joke, said they would like to teach the +Measuring Worm a few things. So when +they met him the young Grasshoppers began +to make fun of him, and asked him +what he did if he wanted to run, and +whether he didn't wish his head grew on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span> +the middle of his back so that he could +see better when walking.</p> + +<p>The Measuring Worm was good-natured, +and only said that he found his +head useful where it was. Soon one fine-looking +Grasshopper asked him to race. +"That will show," said the Grasshopper, +"which is the better traveller."</p> + +<p>The Measuring Worm said: "Certainly, +I will race with you to-morrow, +and we will ask all our friends to look +on." Then he began talking about something +else. He was a wise young fellow, +as well as a jolly one, and he knew the +Grasshoppers felt sure that he would be +beaten. "If I cannot win the race by +swift running," thought he, "I must try +to win it by good planning." So he got +the Grasshoppers to go with him to a +place where the sweet young grass grew, +and they all fed together.</p> + +<p>The Measuring Worm nibbled only a +little here and there, but he talked a great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span> +deal about the sweetness of the grass, and +how they would not get any more for a +long time because the hot weather would +spoil it. And the Grasshoppers said to +each other: "He is right, and we must +eat all we can while we have it." So they +ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, until sunset, +and in the morning they awakened +and began eating again. When the time +for the race came, they were all heavy +and stupid from so much eating,—which +was exactly what the Measuring Worm +wanted.</p> + +<p>The Tree Frog, the fat, old Cricket, +and a Caterpillar were chosen to be the +judges, and the race was to be a long +one,—from the edge of the woods to the +fence. When the meadow people were +all gathered around to see the race, the +Cricket gave a shrill chirp, which meant +"Go!" and off they started. That is to +say, the Measuring Worm started. The +Grasshopper felt so sure he could beat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span> +that he wanted to give the Measuring +Worm a little the start, because then, you +see, he could say he had won without half +trying.</p> + +<p>The Measuring Worm started off at a +good, steady rate, and when he had gone +a few feet the Grasshopper gave a couple +of great leaps, which landed him far ahead +of the Worm. Then he stopped to nibble +a blade of grass and visit with some Katydids +who were looking on. By and by he +took a few more leaps and passed the +Measuring Worm again. This time he +began to show off by jumping up straight +into the air, and when he came down he +would call out to those who stood near to +see how strong he was and how easy it +would be for him to win the race. And +everybody said, "How strong he is, to be +sure!" "What wonderful legs he has!" +and "He could beat the Measuring Worm +with his eyes shut!" which made the Grasshopper +so exceedingly vain that he stopped<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span> +more and more often to show his strength +and daring.</p> + +<p>That was the way it went, until they +were only a short distance from the end +of the race course. The Grasshopper +was more and more pleased to think how +easily he was winning, and stopped for a +last time to nibble grass and make fun of +the Worm. He gave a great leap into +the air, and when he came down there +was the Worm on the fence! All the +meadow people croaked, and shrilled, and +chirped to see the way in which the race +ended, and the Grasshopper was very +much vexed. "You shouldn't call him +the winner," he said; "I can travel ten +times as fast as he, if I try."</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered the judges, "we all +know that, yet the winning of the race is +not decided by what you might do, but by +what you did do." And the meadow people +all cried: "Long live the Measuring +Worm! Long live the Measuring Worm!"</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap17"> +<p style='padding-top: 270px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 190px;'><span class="smcap">Mr</span> GREEN FROG +AND HIS VISITORS</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 190px;'>One day a young Frog +who lived down by the +river, came hopping up +through the meadow. He +was a fine-looking fellow, +all brown and green, with +a white vest, and he came +to see the sights. The +oldest Frog on the river +bank had told him that he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span> +ought to travel and learn to know the +world, so he had started at once.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 190px;'>Young Mr. Green Frog had very big +eyes, and they stuck out from his head +more than ever when he saw all the +strange sights and heard all the strange +sounds of the meadow. Yet he made one +great mistake, just as bigger and better +people sometimes do when they go on a +journey; he didn't try to learn from the +things he saw, but only to show off to the +meadow people how much he already +knew, and he boasted a great deal of the +fine way in which he lived when at home.</p> + +<p style='padding-top: 125px;'> </p> + +<p>Mr. Green Frog told those whom he +met that the meadow was dreadfully dry, +and that he really could not see how they +lived there. He said they ought to see +the lovely soft mud that there was in the +marsh, and that there the people could sit +all day with their feet in water in among +the rushes where the sunshine never came. +"And then," he said, "to eat grass as the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span> +Grasshoppers did! If they would go +home with him, he would show them how +to live."</p> + +<p>The older Grasshoppers and Crickets +and Locusts only looked at each other +and opened their funny mouths in a smile, +but the young ones thought Mr. Green +Frog must be right, and they wanted to +go back with him. The old Hoppers told +them that they wouldn't like it down +there, and that they would be sorry that +they had gone; still the young ones teased +and teased and teased and teased until +everybody said: "Well, let them go, and +then perhaps they will be contented when +they return."</p> + +<p>At last they all set off together,—Mr. +Green Frog and the young meadow people. +Mr. Green Frog took little jumps +all the way and bragged and bragged. +The Grasshoppers went in long leaps, the +Crickets scampered most of the way, and +the Locusts fluttered. It was a very gay<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span> +little party, and they kept saying to +each other, "What a fine time we shall +have!"</p> + +<p>When they got to the marsh, Mr. Green +Frog went in first with a soft "plunk" in +the mud. The rest all followed and tried +to make believe that they liked it, but +they didn't—they didn't at all. The +Grasshoppers kept bumping against the +tough, hard rushes when they jumped, +and then that would tumble them over on +their backs in the mud, and there they +would lie, kicking their legs in the air, +until some friendly Cricket pushed them +over on their feet again. The Locusts +couldn't fly at all there, and the Crickets +got their shiny black coats all grimy and +horrid.</p> + +<p>They all got cold and wet and tired—yes, +and hungry too, for there were no +tender green things growing in among +the rushes. Still they pretended to have +a good time, even while they were think<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span>ing +how they would like to be in their +dear old home.</p> + +<p>After the sun went down in the west it +grew colder still, and all the Frogs in the +marsh began to croak to the moon, croaking +so loudly that the tired little travellers +could not sleep at all. When the Frogs +stopped croaking and went to sleep in the +mud, one tired Cricket said: "If you like +this, <i>stay</i>. I am going home as fast as +my six little legs will carry me." And all +the rest of the travellers said: "So am I," +"So am I," "So am I."</p> + +<p>Mr. Green Frog was sleeping soundly, +and they crept away as quietly as they +could out into the silvery moonlight and +up the bank towards home. Such a tired +little party as they were, and so hungry +that they had to stop and eat every little +while. The dew was on the grass and +they could not get warm.</p> + +<p>The sun was just rising behind the +eastern forest when they got home. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span> +did not want to tell about their trip at all, +but just ate a lot of pepper-grass to make +them warm, and then rolled themselves +in between the woolly mullein leaves to +rest all day long. And that was the last +time any of them ever went away with a +stranger.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap18.jpg" width="510" height="120" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE DIGNIFIED WALKING-STICKS.</h2> + + +<p>Three Walking-Sticks from the forest +had come to live in the big maple tree +near the middle of the meadow. Nobody +knew exactly why they had left the forest, +where all their sisters and cousins and +aunts lived. Perhaps they were not happy +with their relatives. But then, if one is +a Walking-Stick, you know, one does not +care so very much about one's family.</p> + +<p>These Walking-Sticks had grown up +the best way they could, with no father +or mother to care for them. They had +never been taught to do anything useful, +or to think much about other people. +When they were hungry they ate some +leaves, and never thought what they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span> +should eat the next time that they happened +to be hungry. When they were +tired they went to sleep, and when they +had slept enough they awakened. They +had nothing to do but to eat and sleep, +and they did not often take the trouble to +think. They felt that they were a little better +than those meadow people who rushed +and scrambled and worked from morning +until night, and they showed very plainly +how they felt. They said it was not +genteel to hurry, no matter what happened.</p> + +<p>One day the Tree Frog was under the +tree when the large Brown Walking-Stick +decided to lay some eggs. He saw her +dropping them carelessly around on the +ground, and asked, "Do you never fix +a place for your eggs?"</p> + +<p>"A place?" said the Brown Walking-Stick, +waving her long and slender feelers +to and fro. "A place? Oh, no! I think +they will hatch where they are. It is too +much trouble to find a place."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span></p> + +<p>"Puk-r-r-rup!" said the Tree Frog. +"Some mothers do not think it too much +trouble to be careful where they lay eggs."</p> + +<p>"That may be," said the Brown Walking-Stick, +"but they do not belong to our +family." She spoke as if those who did +not belong to her family might be good +but could never be genteel. She had +once told her brother, the Five-Legged +Walking-Stick, that she would not want +to live if she could not be genteel. She +thought the meadow people very common.</p> + +<p>The Five-Legged Walking-Stick looked +much like his sister. He had the same +long, slender body, the same long feelers, +and the same sort of long, slender legs. +If you had passed them in a hay-field, +you would surely have thought each a +stem of hay, unless you happened to see +them move. The other Walking-Stick, +their friend, was younger and green. You +would have thought her a blade of grass.</p> + +<p>It is true that the brother had the same<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span> +kind of legs as his sister, but he did not +have the same number. When he was +young and green he had six, then came +a dreadful day when a hungry Nuthatch +saw him, flew down, caught him, and carried +him up a tree. He knew just what +to expect, so when the Nuthatch set him +down on the bark to look at him, he unhooked +his feet from the bark and tumbled +to the ground. The Nuthatch tried +to catch him and broke off one of his legs, +but she never found him again, although +she looked and looked and looked and +looked. That was because he crawled +into a clump of ferns and kept very still.</p> + +<p>His sister came and looked at him and +said, "Now if you were only a Spider it +would not be long before you would have +six legs again."</p> + +<p>Her brother waved first one feeler and +then the other, and said: "Do you think +I would be a Spider for the sake of growing +legs? I would rather be a Walkin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span>g-Stick +without any legs than to be a Spider +with a hundred." Of course, you know, +Spiders never do have a hundred, and a +Walking-Stick wouldn't be walking without +any, but that was just his way of +speaking, and it showed what kind of +insect he was. His relatives all waved +their feelers, one at a time, and said, "Ah, +he has the true Walking-Stick spirit!" +Then they paid no more attention to him, +and after a while he and his sister and +their green little friend left the forest for +the meadow.</p> + +<p>On the day when the grass was cut, they +had sat quietly in their trees and looked +genteel. Their feelers were held quite +close together, and they did not move +their feet at all, only swayed their bodies +gracefully from side to side. Now they +were on the ground, hunting through the +flat piles of cut grass for some fresh and +juicy bits to eat. The Tree Frog was +also out, sitting in a cool, damp corner of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span> +the grass rows. The young Grasshoppers +were kicking up their feet, the Ants +were scrambling around as busy as ever, +and life went on quite as though neither +men nor Horses had ever entered the +meadow.</p> + +<p>"See!" cried a Spider who was busily +looking after her web, "there comes a +Horse drawing something, and the farmer +sitting on it and driving."</p> + +<p>When the Horse was well into the +meadow, the farmer moved a bar, and +the queer-looking machine began to kick +the grass this way and that with its many +stiff and shining legs. A frisky young +Grasshopper kicked in the same way, and +happened—just happened, of course—to +knock over two of his friends. Then +there was a great scrambling and the +Crickets frolicked with them. The young +Walking-Stick thought it looked like +great fun and almost wished herself some +other kind of insect, so that she could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span> +tumble around in the same way. She +did not quite wish it, you understand, and +would never have thought of it if she had +turned brown.</p> + +<p>"Ah," said the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, +"what scrambling! How very +common!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed!" said his sister. "Why +can't they learn to move slowly and gracefully? +Perhaps they can't help being fat, +but they might at least act genteel."</p> + +<p>"What is it to be genteel?" asked a +Grasshopper suddenly. He had heard +every word that the Walking-Stick said.</p> + +<p>"Why," said the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, +"it is just to be genteel. To act +as you see us act, and to——"</p> + +<p>Just here the hay-tedder passed over +them, and every one of the Walking-Sticks +was sent flying through the air and +landed on his back. The Grasshoppers +declare that the Walking-Sticks tumbled +and kicked and flopped around in a dread<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span>fully +common way until they were right +side up. "Why," said the Measuring +Worm, "you act like anybody else when +the hay-tedder comes along!"</p> + +<p>The Walking-Sticks looked very uncomfortable, +and the brother and sister +could not think of anything to say. It +was the young green one who spoke at +last. "I think," said she, "that it is +much easier to act genteel when one is +right side up."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap19"> +<p style='padding-top: 290px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 180px;'>THE DAY OF THE GREAT STORM</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 180px;'>Everything in the meadow +was dry and dusty. The leaves +on the milkweeds were turning +yellow with thirst, the field +blossoms drooped their dainty +heads in the sunshine, and the +grass seemed to fairly rattle in +the wind, it was so brown and +dry.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 180px;'>All of the meadow people +when they met each other +would say, "Well, this <i>is</i> hot," +and the Garter Snake, who +had lived there longer than anyone else,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span> +declared that it was the hottest and driest +time that he had ever known. "Really," +he said, "it is so hot that I cannot eat, +and such a thing never happened before."</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 180px;'>The Grasshoppers and Locusts were +very happy, for such weather was exactly +what they liked. They didn't see how +people could complain of such delightful +scorching days. But that, you know, is +always the way, for everybody cannot be +suited at once, and all kinds of weather +are needed to make a good year.</p> + +<p>The poor Tree Frog crawled into the +coolest place he could find—hollow trees, +shady nooks under the ferns, or even beneath +the corner of a great stone. "Oh," +said he, "I wish I were a Tadpole again, +swimming in a shady pool. It is such a +long, hot journey to the marsh that I cannot +go. Last night I dreamed that I was +a Tadpole, splashing in the water, and it +was hard to awaken and find myself only +an uncomfortable old Tree Frog."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span>Over +his head the Katydids were singing, +"Lovely weather! Lovely weather!" and +the Tree Frog, who was a good-natured +old fellow after all, winked his eye at them +and said: "Sing away. This won't last +always, and then it will be my turn to sing."</p> + +<p>Sure enough, the very next day a tiny +cloud drifted across the sky, and the Tree +Frog, who always knew when the weather +was about to change, began his rain-song. +"Pukr-r-rup!" sang he, "Pukr-r-rup! It +will rain! It will rain! R-r-r-rain!"</p> + +<p>The little white cloud, grew bigger and +blacker, and another came following after, +then another, and another, and another, +until the sky was quite covered with rushing +black clouds. Then came a long, low +rumble of thunder, and all the meadow people +hurried to find shelter. The Moths and +Butterflies hung on the under sides of great +leaves. The Grasshoppers and their cousins +crawled under burdock and mullein plants. +The Ants scurried around to find their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span> +own homes. The Bees and Wasps, who +had been gathering honey for their nests, +flew swiftly back. Everyone was hurrying +to be ready for the shower, and above +all the rustle and stir could be heard the +voice of the old Frog, "Pukr-r-rup! Pukr-r-rup! +It will rain! It will rain! R-r-r-rain!"</p> + +<p>The wind blew harder and harder, the +branches swayed and tossed, the leaves +danced, and some even blew off of their +mother trees; the hundreds of little clinging +creatures clung more and more tightly to +the leaves that sheltered them, and then the +rain came, and such a rain! Great drops +hurrying down from the sky, crowding each +other, beating down the grass, flooding the +homes of the Ants and Digger Wasps until +they were half choked with water, knocking +over the Grasshoppers and tumbling them +about like leaves. The lightning flashed, +and the thunder pealed, and often a tree +would crash down in the forest near by +when the wind blew a great blast.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span></p> + +<p>When everybody was wet, and little +rivulets of water were trickling through +the grass and running into great puddles +in the hollows, the rain stopped, stopped +suddenly. One by one the meadow people +crawled or swam into sight.</p> + +<p>The Digger Wasp was floating on a +leaf in a big puddle. He was too tired +and wet to fly, and the whirling of the +leaf made him feel sick and dizzy, but he +stood firmly on his tiny boat and tried to +look as though he enjoyed it.</p> + +<p>The Ants were rushing around to put +their homes in shape, the Spiders were +busily eating their old webs, which had +been broken and torn in the storm, and +some were already beginning new ones. +A large family of Bees, whose tree-home +had been blown down, passed over the +meadow in search for a new dwelling, and +everybody seemed busy and happy in the +cool air that followed the storm.</p> + +<p>The Snake went gliding through the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span> +wet grass, as hungry as ever, the Tree +Frog was as happy as when he was a +Tadpole, and only the Grasshoppers and +their cousins, the Locusts and Katydids, +were cross. "Such a horrid rain!" they +grumbled, "it spoiled all our fun. And +after such lovely hot weather too."</p> + +<p>"Now don't be silly," said the Tree +Frog, who could be really severe when he +thought best, "the Bees and the Ants are +not complaining, and they had a good +deal harder time than you. Can't you +make the best of anything? A nice, +hungry, cross lot you would be if it +didn't rain, because then you would have +no good, juicy food. It's better for you +in the end as it is, but even if it were not, +you might make the best of it as I did of +the hot weather. When you have lived +as long as I have, you will know that +neither Grasshoppers nor Tree Frogs can +have their way all the time, but that it +always comes out all right in the end +without their fretting about it."</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap20"> +<p style='padding-top: 200px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 200px;'><small>THE STORY OF</small><br /> +LILY PAD +ISLAND</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>This is the story of a +venturesome young Spider, +who left his home in the +meadow to seek his fortune +in the great world.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>He was a beautiful Spider, +and belonged to one +of the best families in the +country around. He was +a worker, too, for, as he had +often said, there wasn't a +lazy leg on his body, and +he could spin the biggest, +strongest, and shiniest web +in the meadow. All the +young people in the meadow liked him, +and he was invited to every party, or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span> +dance, or picnic that they planned. If he +had been content to stay at home, as his +brothers and sisters were, he would in time +have become as important and well known +as the Tree Frog, or the fat, old Cricket, +or even as the Garter Snake.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>But that would not satisfy him at all, +and one morning he said "Good-by" to +all his friends and relatives, and set sail +for unknown lands. He set sail, but not +on water. He crawled up a tree, and out +to the end of one of its branches. There +he began spinning a long silken rope, and +letting the wind blow it away from the +tree. He held fast to one end, and when +the wind was quite strong, he let go of +the branch and sailed off through the air, +carried by his rope balloon, and blown +along by the wind.</p> + +<p>The meadow people, on the ground below, +watched him until he got so far away +that he looked about as large as a Fly, and +then he looked no bigger than an Ant,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span> +and then no bigger than a clover seed, and +then no bigger than the tiniest egg that +was ever laid, and then—well, then you +could see nothing but sky, and the Spider +was truly gone. The other young Spiders +all wished that they had gone, and the old +Spiders said, "They might much better +stay at home, as their fathers and mothers +had done." There was no use talking +about it when they disagreed so, and very +little more was said.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the young traveller was +having a very fine time. He was carried +past trees and over fences, down toward +the river. Under him were all the bright +flowers of the meadow, and the bushes +which used to tower above his head. After +a while, he saw the rushes of the marsh +below him, and wondered if the Frogs +there would see him as he passed over +them.</p> + +<p>Next, he saw a beautiful, shining river, +and in the quiet water by the shore were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span> +great white water-lilies growing, with their +green leaves, or pads, floating beside them. +"Ah," thought he, "I shall pass over the +river, and land on the farther side," and +he began to think of eating his rope balloon, +so that he might sink slowly to the +ground, when—the wind suddenly stopped +blowing, and he began falling slowly down, +down, down, down.</p> + +<p>How he longed for a branch to cling to! +How he shivered at the thought of plunging +into the cold water! How he wished +that he had always stayed at home! How +he thought of all the naughty things that +he had ever done, and was sorry that he +had done them! But it was of no use, for +still he went down, down, down. He gave +up all hope and tried to be brave, and at +that very minute he felt himself alight on +a great green lily-pad.</p> + +<p>This was indeed an adventure, and he +was very joyful for a little while. But he +got hungry, and there was no food near.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span> +He walked all over the leaf, Lily-Pad +Island he named it, and ran around its +edges as many as forty times. It was just +a flat, green island, and at one side was a +perfect white lily, which had grown, so +pure and beautiful, out of the darkness +and slime of the river bottom. The lily +was so near that he jumped over to it. +There he nestled in its sweet, yellow centre, +and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>When he fell asleep it was late in the +afternoon, and, as the sun sank lower and +lower in the west, the lily began to close +her petals and get ready for the night. +She was just drawing under the water +when the Spider awakened. It was dark +and close, and he felt himself shut in and +going down. He scrambled and pushed, +and got out just in time to give a great +leap and alight on Lily Pad-Island once +more. And then he was in a sad plight. +He was hungry and cold, and night was +coming on, and, what was worst of all, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span> +his great struggle to free himself from the +lily he had pulled off two of his legs, so +he had only six left.</p> + +<p>He never liked to think of that night +afterward, it was so dreadful. In the +morning he saw a leaf come floating down +the stream; he watched it; it touched +Lily-Pad Island for just an instant and he +jumped on. He did not know where it +would take him, but anything was better +than staying where he was and starving. +It might float to the shore, or against one +of the rushes that grew in the shallower +parts of the river. If it did that, he would +jump off and run up to the top and set sail +again, but the island, where he had been, +was too low to give him a start.</p> + +<p>He went straight down-stream for a +while, then the leaf drifted into a little +eddy, and whirled around and around, +until the Spider was almost too dizzy to +stand on it. After that, it floated slowly, +very slowly, toward the shore, and at last<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span> +came the joyful minute when the Spider +could jump to some of the plants that +grew in the shallow water, and, by making +rope bridges from one to another, get on +solid ground.</p> + +<p>After a few days' rest he started back +to the meadow, asking his way of every +insect that he met. When he got home +they did not know him, he was so changed, +but thought him only a tramp Spider, and +not one of their own people. His mother +was the first one to find out who he was, +and when her friends said, "Just what I +expected! He might have known better," +she hushed them, and answered: "The +poor child has had a hard time, and I +won't scold him for going. He has learned +that home is the best place, and that home +friends are the dearest. I shall keep him +quiet while his new legs are growing, and +then, I think, he will spin his webs near +the old place."</p> + +<p>And so he did, and is now one of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span> +steadiest of all the meadow people. When +anybody asks him his age, he refuses to +tell, "For," he says, "most of me is middle-aged, +but these two new legs of mine +are still very young."</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap21.jpg" width="510" height="128" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE GRASSHOPPER WHO<br /> +WOULDN'T BE SCARED.</h2> + + +<p>There were more Ants in the meadow +than there were of any other kind of insects. +In their family there were not +only Ants, but great-aunts, cousins, +nephews, and nieces, until it made one +sleepy to think how many relatives +each Ant had. Yet they were small +people and never noisy, so perhaps the +Grasshoppers seemed to be the largest +family there.</p> + +<p>There were many different families of +Grasshoppers, but they were all related. +Some had short horns, or feelers, and red +legs; and some had long horns. Some +lived in the lower part of the meadow +where it was damp, and some in the upper<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span> +part. The Katydids, who really belong +to this family, you know, stayed in trees +and did not often sing in the daytime. +Then there were the great Road Grasshoppers +who lived only in places where +the ground was bare and dusty, and whom +you could hardly see unless they were +flying. When they lay in the dust their +wide wings were hidden and they showed +only that part of their bodies which was +dust-color. Let the farmer drive along, +however, and they rose into the air with a +gentle, whirring sound and fluttered to a +safe place. Then one could see them +plainly, for their large under wings were +black with yellow edges.</p> + +<p>Perhaps those Grasshoppers who were +best known in the meadow were the +Clouded Grasshoppers, large dirty-brown +ones with dark spots, who seemed to be +everywhere during the autumn. The +fathers and brothers in this family always +crackled their wings loudly when they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span> +flew anywhere, so one could never forget +that they were around.</p> + +<p>It was queer that they were always +spoken of as Grasshoppers. Their great-great-great-grandparents +were called +Locusts, and that was the family name, +but the Cicadas liked that name and +wanted it for themselves, and made such +a fuss about it that people began to call +them Seventeen-Year-Locusts; and then +because they had to call the real Locusts +something else, they called them Grasshoppers. +The Grasshoppers didn't mind +this. They were jolly and noisy, and as +they grew older were sometimes very +pompous. And you know what it is to +be pompous.</p> + +<p>When the farmer was drawing the last +loads of hay to his barn and putting them +away in the great mows there, three +young Clouded Grasshopper brothers +were frolicking near the wagon. They +had tried to see who could run the fastest,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span> +crackle the loudest, spring the highest, +flutter the farthest, and eat the most. +There seemed to be nothing more to do. +They couldn't eat another mouthful, the +other fellows wouldn't play with them, +they wouldn't play with their sisters, and +they were not having any fun at all.</p> + +<p>They were sitting on a hay-cock, watching +the wagon as it came nearer and +nearer. The farmer was on top and one +of his men was walking beside it. Whenever +they came to a hay-cock the farmer +would stop the Horses, the man would +run a long-handled, shining pitch-fork into +the hay on the ground and throw it up to +the farmer. Then it would be trampled +down on to the load, the farmer's wife +would rake up the scattering hay which +was left on the ground, and that would be +thrown up also.</p> + +<p>The biggest Clouded Grasshopper said +to his brothers, "You dare not sit still +while they put this hay on the load!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span></p> + +<p>The smallest Clouded Grasshopper said, +"I do too!"</p> + +<p>The second brother said, "Huh! +Guess I dare do anything you do!" He +said it in a rather mean way, and that may +have been because he had eaten too much. +Overeating will make any insect cross.</p> + +<p>Now every one of them was afraid, but +each waited for the others to back out. +While they were waiting, the wagon +stopped beside them, the shining fork was +run into the hay, and they were shaken +and stood on their heads and lifted +through the air on to the wagon. There +they found themselves all tangled up with +hay in the middle of the load. It was +dark and they could hardly breathe. There +were a few stems of nettles in the hay, and +they had to crawl away from them. It +was no fun at all, and they didn't talk +very much.</p> + +<p>When the wagon reached the barn, +they were pitched into the mow with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span> +hay, and then they hopped and fluttered +around until they were on the floor over +the Horses' stalls. They sat together on +the floor and wondered how they could +ever get back to the meadow. Because +they had come in the middle of the load, +they did not know the way.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said they. "Who are those four-legged +people over there?"</p> + +<p>"Kittens!" sang a Swallow over their +heads. "Oh, tittle-ittle-ittle-ee!"</p> + +<p>The Clouded Grasshoppers had never +seen Kittens. It is true that the old Cat +often went hunting in the meadow, but +that was at night, when Grasshoppers +were asleep.</p> + +<p>"Meouw!" said the Yellow Kitten. +"Look at those queer little brown people +on the floor. Let's each catch one."</p> + +<p>So the Kittens began crawling slowly +over the floor, keeping their bodies and +tails low, and taking very short steps. +Not one of them took his eyes off the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span> +Clouded Grasshopper whom he meant to +catch. Sometimes they stopped and +crouched and watched, then they went +on, nearer, nearer, nearer, still, while the +Clouded Grasshoppers were more and +more scared and wished they had never +left the meadow where they had been so +safe and happy.</p> + +<p>At last the Kittens jumped, coming down +with their sharp little claws just where the +Clouded Grasshoppers—had been. The +Clouded Grasshoppers had jumped too, but +they could not stay long in the air, and +when they came down the Kittens jumped +again. So it went until the poor Clouded +Grasshoppers were very, very tired and +could not jump half so far as they had done +at first. Sometimes the Kittens even tried +to catch them while they were fluttering, +and each time they came a little nearer than +before. They were so tired that they never +thought of leaping up on the wall of the barn +where the Kittens couldn't reach them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span></p> + +<p>At last the smallest Clouded Grasshopper +called to his brothers, "Let us chase +the Kittens."</p> + +<p>The brothers answered, "They're too +big."</p> + +<p>The smallest Clouded Grasshopper, +who had always been the brightest one in +the family, called back, "We may scare +them if they are big."</p> + +<p>Then all the Clouded Grasshoppers +leaped toward the Kittens and crackled +their wings and looked very, very fierce. +And the Kittens ran away as fast as they +could. They were in such a hurry to get +away that the Yellow Kitten tumbled +over the White Kitten and they rolled on +the floor in a furry little heap. The +Clouded Grasshoppers leaped again, and +the Kittens scrambled away to their nest +in the hay, and stood against the wall and +raised their backs and their pointed little +tails, and opened their pink mouths and +spat at them, and said, "Ha-ah-h-h!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span></p> + +<p>"There!" said the smallest Clouded +Grasshopper to them, "we won't do anything +to you this time, because you are +young and don't know very much, but +don't you ever bother one of us again. +We might have hopped right on to you, +and then what could you have done to +help yourselves?"</p> + +<p>The Clouded Grasshoppers started off +to find their way back to the meadow, +and the frightened Kittens looked at each +other and whispered: "Just supposing +they had hopped on to us! What <i>could</i> +we have done!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap22.jpg" width="510" height="323" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<h2><span class="smcap">The Earthworm Half-Brothers</span></h2> + + +<p>Early one wet morning, a long Earthworm +came out of his burrow. He did +not really leave it, but he dragged most +of his body out, and let just the tip-end +of it stay in the earth. Not having any +eyes, he could not see the heavy, gray +clouds that filled the sky, nor the milkweed +stalks, so heavy with rain-drops that +they drooped their pink heads. He could +not see these things, but he could feel the +soft, damp grass, and the cool, clear air, +and as for seeing, why, Earthworms never +do have eyes, and never think of wanting +them, any more than you would want six +legs, or feelers on your head.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span></p> + +<p>This Earthworm had been out of his +burrow only a little while, when there was +a flutter and a rush, and Something flew +down from the sky and bit his poor body +in two. Oh, how it hurt! Both halves +of him wriggled and twisted with pain, +and there is no telling what might have +become of them if another and bigger +Something had not come rushing down +to drive the first Something away. So +there the poor Earthworm lay, in two +aching, wriggling pieces, and although it +had been easy enough to bite him in two, +nothing in the world could ever bite him +into one.</p> + +<p>After a while the aching stopped, and +he had time to think. It was very hard +to decide what he ought to do. You can +see just how puzzling it must have been, +for, if you should suddenly find yourself +two people instead of one, you would not +know which one was which. At this very +minute, who should come along but the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span> +Cicada, and one of the Earthworm pieces +asked his advice. The Cicada thought +that he was the very person to advise in +such a case, because he had had such a +puzzling time himself. So he said in a +very knowing way: "Pooh! That is a +simple matter. I thought I was two Cicadas +once, but I wasn't. The thinking, +moving part is the real one, whatever +happens, so that part of the Worm which +thinks and moves is the real Worm."</p> + +<p>"I am the thinking part," cried each of +the pieces.</p> + +<p>The Cicada rubbed his head with his +front legs, he was so surprised.</p> + +<p>"And I am the moving part," cried +each of the pieces, giving a little wriggle +to prove it.</p> + +<p>"Well, well, well, well!" exclaimed the +Cicada, "I believe I don't know how to +settle this. I will call the Garter Snake," +and he flew off to get him.</p> + +<p>A very queer couple they made, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span> +Garter Snake and the Cicada, as they +came hurrying back from the Snake's +home. The Garter Snake was quite excited. +"Such a thing has not happened +in our meadow for a long time," he said, +"and it is a good thing there is somebody +here to explain it to you, or you would be +dreadfully frightened. My family is related +to the Worms, and I know. Both +of you pieces are Worms now. The +bitten ends will soon be well, and you can +keep house side by side, if you don't want +to live together."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Earthworms, "if we +are no longer the same Worm, but two +Worms, are we related to each other? +Are we brothers, or what?"</p> + +<p>"Why," answered the Garter Snake, +with a funny little smile, "I think you +might call yourselves half-brothers." And +to this day they are known as "the Earthworm +half-brothers." They are very fond +of each other and are always seen together.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span></p> + +<p>A jolly young Grasshopper, who is a +great eater and thinks rather too much +about food, said he wouldn't mind being +bitten into two Grasshoppers, if it would +give him two stomachs and let him eat +twice as much.</p> + +<p>The Cicada told the Garter Snake this +one day, and the Garter Snake said: +"Tell him not to try it. The Earthworms +are the only meadow people who +can live after being bitten in two that +way. The rest of us have to be one, or +nothing. And as for having two stomachs, +he is just as well off with one, for if he had +two, he would get twice as hungry."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap23"> +<p style='padding-top: 260px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-left: 150px;'>A GOSSIPING FLY</h2> + + +<p style='padding-left: 150px;'>Of all the people who lived +and worked in the meadow by the +river, there was not one who gave +so much thought to other people's +business as a certain Blue-bottle +Fly. Why this should be so, nobody +could say; perhaps it was +because he had nothing to do but +eat and sleep, for that is often the +way with those who do little work.</p> + +<p style='padding-left: 150px;'>Truly his cares were light. To +be sure, he ate much, but then, +with nearly sixty teeth for nibbling +and a wonderful long tongue +for sucking, he could eat a great +deal in a very short time. And<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span> +as for sleeping—well, sleeping was as easy +for him as for anyone else.</p> + +<p style='padding-left: 150px;'>However it was, he saw nearly everything +that happened, and thought it over +in his queer little three-cornered head +until he was sure that he ought to go to +talk about it with somebody else. It was +no wonder that he saw so much, for he +had a great bunch of eyes on each side of +his head, and three bright, shining ones on +the very top of it. That let him see almost +everything at once, and beside this his +neck was so exceedingly slender that he +could turn his head very far around.</p> + + +<p style='padding-left: 150px;'>This particular Fly, like all other Flies, +was very fond of the sunshine and kept +closely at home in dark or wet weather. +He had no house, but stayed in a certain +elder bush on cloudy days and called that +his home. He had spent all of one stormy +day there, hanging on the under side of a +leaf, with nothing to do but think. Of +course, his head was down and his feet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span> +were up, but Blue-bottle Flies think in +that position as well as in any other, and +the two sticky pads on each side of his +six feet held him there very comfortably.</p> + +<p>He thought so much that day, that +when the next morning dawned sunshiny +and clear, he had any number of things to +tell people, and he started out at once.</p> + +<p>First he went to the Tree Frog. "What +do you suppose," said he, "that the Garter +Snake is saying about you? It is very +absurd, yet I feel that you ought to know. +He says that your tongue is fastened at +the wrong end, and that the tip of it +points down your throat. Of course, I +knew it couldn't be true, still I thought I +would tell you what he said, and then you +could see him and put a stop to it."</p> + +<p>For an answer to this the Tree Frog +ran out his tongue, and, sure enough, it +was fastened at the front end. "The +Snake is quite right," he said pleasantly, +"and my tongue suits me perfectly. It is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span> +just what I need for the kind of food I +eat, and the best of all is that it never +makes mischief between friends."</p> + +<p>After that, the Fly could say nothing +more there, so he flew away in his noisiest +manner to find the Grasshopper who lost +the race. "It was a shame," said the Fly +to him, "that the judges did not give the +race to you. The idea of that little green +Measuring Worm coming in here, almost +a stranger, and making so much trouble! +I would have him driven out of the +meadow, if I were you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that is all right," answered the +Grasshopper, who was really a good fellow +at heart; "I was very foolish about +that race for a time, but the Measuring +Worm and I are firm friends now. Are +we not?" And he turned to a leaf just +back of him, and there, peeping around the +edge, was the Measuring Worm himself.</p> + +<p>The Blue-bottle Fly left in a hurry, for +where people were so good-natured he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span> +could do nothing at all. He went this +time to the Crickets, whom he found all +together by the fat, old Cricket's hole.</p> + +<p>"I came," he said, "to find out if it +were true, as the meadow people say, that +you were all dreadfully frightened when +the Cow came?"</p> + +<p>The Crickets answered never a word, +but they looked at each other and began +asking him questions.</p> + +<p>"Is it true," said one, "that you do +nothing but eat and sleep?"</p> + +<p>"Is it true," said another, "that your +eyes are used most of the time for seeing +other people's faults?"</p> + +<p>"And is it true," said another, "that +with all the fuss you make, you do little +but mischief?"</p> + +<p>The Blue-bottle Fly answered nothing, +but started at once for his home in the elder +bush, and they say that his three-cornered +head was filled with very different thoughts +from any that had been there before.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 510px;"> +<img src="images/chap24.jpg" width="510" height="120" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<h2>THE FROG-HOPPERS GO OUT<br /> +INTO THE WORLD.</h2> + + +<p>Along the upper edge of the meadow +and in the corners of the rail fence there +grew golden-rod. During the spring and +early summer you could hardly tell that +it was there, unless you walked close to it +and saw the slender and graceful stalks +pushing upward through the tall grass +and pointing in many different ways with +their dainty leaves. The Horses and +Cows knew it, and although they might +eat all around it they never pulled at it +with their lips or ate it. In the autumn, +each stalk was crowned with sprays of +tiny bright yellow blossoms, which nodded +in the wind and scattered their golden +pollen all around. Then it sometimes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span> +happened that people who were driving +past would stop, climb over the fence, +and pluck some of it to carry away. +Even then there was so much left that +one could hardly miss the stalks that were +gone.</p> + +<p>It may have been because the golden-rod +was such a safe home that most of +the Frog-Hoppers laid their eggs there. +Some laid eggs in other plants and bushes, +but most of them chose the golden-rod. +After they had laid their eggs they wandered +around on the grass, the bushes, +and the few trees which grew in the +meadow, hopping from one place to +another and eating a little here and a little +there.</p> + +<p>Nobody knows why they should have +been called Frog-Hoppers, unless it was +because when you look them in the face +they seem a very little like tiny Frogs. +To be sure, they have six legs, and teeth +on the front pair, as no real Frog ever<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span> +thought of having. Perhaps it was only +a nickname because their own name was +so long and hard to speak.</p> + +<p>The golden-rod was beginning to show +small yellow-green buds on the tips of its +stalks, and the little Frog-Hoppers were +now old enough to talk and wonder about +the great world. On one stalk four +Frog-Hopper brothers and sisters lived +close together. That was much pleasanter +than having to grow up all alone, as most +young Frog-Hoppers do, never seeing +their fathers and mothers or knowing +whether they ever would.</p> + +<p>These four little Frog-Hoppers did not +know how lucky they were, and that, you +know, happens very often when people +have not seen others lonely or unhappy. +They supposed that every Frog-Hopper +family had two brothers and two sisters +living together on a golden-rod stalk. +They fed on the juice or sap of the +golden-rod, pumping it out of the stalk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span> +with their stout little beaks and eating or +drinking it. After they had eaten it, they +made white foam out of it, and this foam +was all around them on the stalk. Any +one passing by could tell at once by the +foam just where the Frog-Hoppers lived.</p> + +<p>One morning the oldest Frog-Hopper +brother thought that the sap pumped very +hard. It may be that it did pump hard, +and it may be that he was tired or lazy. +Anyway, he began to grumble and find +fault. "This is the worst stalk of golden-rod +I ever saw in my life," he said. "It +doesn't pay to try to pump any more sap, +and I just won't try, so there!"</p> + +<p>He was quite right in saying that it was +the worst stalk he had ever seen, because +he had never seen any other, but he was +much mistaken in saying that it didn't +pay to pump sap, and as for saying that +"it didn't pay, so there!" we all know +that when insects begin to talk in that +way the best thing to do is to leave them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span> +quite alone until they are better-natured.</p> + +<p>The other Frog-Hopper children couldn't +leave him alone, because they hadn't +changed their skins for the last time. +They had to stay in their foam until that +was done. After the big brother spoke in +this way, they all began to wonder if the +sap didn't pump hard. Before long the +big sister wiggled impatiently and said, +"My beak is dreadfully tired."</p> + +<p>Then they all stopped eating and began +to talk. They called their home +stuffy, and said there wasn't room to turn +around in it without hitting the foam. +They didn't say why they should mind +hitting the foam. It was soft and clean, +and always opened up a way when they +pushed against it.</p> + +<p>"I tell you what!" said the big brother, +"after I've changed my skin once more +and gone out into the great world, you +won't catch me hanging around this old +golden-rod."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span></p> + +<p>"Nor me!" "Nor me!" "Nor me!" +said the other young Frog-Hoppers.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what the world is like," said +the little sister. "Is it just bigger foam +and bigger golden-rod and more Frog-Hoppers?"</p> + +<p>"Huh!" exclaimed her big brother. +"What lots you know! If I didn't know +any more than that about it, I'd keep still +and not tell anybody." That made her +feel badly, and she didn't speak again for +a long time.</p> + +<p>Then the little brother spoke. "I +didn't know you had ever been out into +the world," he said.</p> + +<p>"No," said the big brother, "I suppose +you didn't. There are lots of things you +don't know." That made him feel badly, +and he went off into the farthest corner +of the foam and stuck his head in between +a golden-rod leaf and the stalk. You see +the big brother was very cross. Indeed, +he was exceedingly cross.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span></p> + +<p>For a long time nobody spoke, and +then the big sister said, "I wish you +would tell us what the world is like."</p> + +<p>The big brother knew no more about +the world than the other children, but +after he had been cross and put on airs +he didn't like to tell the truth. He might +have known that he would be found out, +yet he held up his head and answered: "I +don't suppose that I can tell you so that +you will understand, because you have +never seen it. There are lots of things +there—whole lots of them—and it is very +big. Some of the things are like golden-rod +and some of them are not. Some of +them are not even like foam. And there +are a great many people there. They all +have six legs, but they are not so clever +as we are. We shall have to tell them +things."</p> + +<p>This was very interesting and made the +little sister forget to pout and the little +brother come out of his foam-corner. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span> +even looked as though he might ask a +few questions, so the big brother added, +"Now don't talk to me, for I must think +about something."</p> + +<p>It was not long after this that the +young Frog-Hoppers changed their skins +for the last time. The outside part of +the foam hardened and made a little roof +over them while they did this. Then they +were ready to go out into the meadow. +The big brother felt rather uncomfortable, +and it was not his new skin which made +him so. It was remembering what he +had said about the world outside.</p> + +<p>When they had left their foam and +their golden-rod, they had much to see +and ask about. Every little while one of +the smaller Frog-Hoppers would exclaim, +"Why, you never told us about this!" +or, "Why didn't you tell us about +that?"</p> + +<p>Then the big brother would answer: +"Yes, I did. That is one of the things<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span> +which I said were not like either golden-rod +or foam."</p> + +<p>For a while they met only Crickets, +Ants, Grasshoppers, and other six-legged +people, and although they looked at each +other they did not have much to say. At +last they hopped near to the Tree Frog, +who was sitting by the mossy trunk of a +beech tree and looked so much like the +bark that they did not notice him at first. +The big brother was very near the Tree +Frog's head.</p> + +<p>"Oh, see!" cried the others. "There +is somebody with only four legs, and he +doesn't look as though he ever had any +more. Why, Brother, what does this +mean? You said everybody had six."</p> + +<p>At this moment the Tree Frog opened +his eyes a little and his mouth a great +deal, and shot out his quick tongue. +When he shut his mouth again, the big +brother of the Frog-Hoppers was nowhere +to be seen. They never had a chance to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span> +ask him that question again. If they had +but known it, the Tree Frog at that +minute had ten legs, for six and four are +ten. But then, they couldn't know it, +for six were on the inside.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap25"> +<p style='padding-top: 260px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 200px;'>THE MOSQUITO +TRIES TO TEACH +HIS NEIGHBORS</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>In this meadow, as in +every other meadow since +the world began, there were +some people who were always +tired of the way things +were, and thought that, if +the world were only different, +they would be perfectly +happy. One of these +discontented ones was a +certain Mosquito, a fellow +with a whining voice and +disagreeable manners. He +had very little patience +with people who were not +like him, and thought that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span> +the world would be a much pleasanter +place if all the insects had been made +Mosquitoes.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>"What is the use of Spiders, and +Dragon-flies, and Beetles, and Butterflies?" +he would say, fretfully; "a Mosquito +is worth more than any of them."</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>You can just see how unreasonable he +was. Of course, Mosquitoes and Flies do +help keep the air pure and sweet, but that +is no reason why they should set themselves +up above the other insects. Do +not the Bees carry pollen from one flower +to another, and so help the plants raise +their Seed Babies? And who would not +miss the bright, happy Butterflies, with +their work of making the world beautiful?</p> + +<p>But this Mosquito never thought of +those things, and he said to himself: +"Well, if they cannot all be Mosquitoes, +they can at least try to live like them, and +I think I will call them together and talk +it over." So he sent word all around, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span> +his friends and neighbors gathered to hear +what he had to say.</p> + +<p>"In the first place," he remarked, "it is +unfortunate that you are not Mosquitoes, +but, since you are not, one must make the +best of it. There are some things, however, +which you might learn from us +fortunate creatures who are. For instance, +notice the excellent habit of the +Mosquitoes in the matter of laying eggs. +Three or four hundred of the eggs are +fastened together and left floating on a +pond in such a way that, when the babies +break their shells, they go head first into +the water. Then they——"</p> + +<p>"Do you think I would do that if I +could?" interrupted a motherly old Grasshopper. +"Fix it so my children would +drown the minute they came out of the egg? +No, indeed!" and she hurried angrily away, +followed by several other loving mothers.</p> + +<p>"But they don't drown," exclaimed the +Mosquito, in surprise.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span></p> + +<p>"They don't if they're Mosquitoes," +replied the Ant, "but I am thankful to say +my children are land babies and not water +babies."</p> + +<p>"Well, I won't say anything more about +that, but I must speak of your voices, +which are certainly too heavy and loud to +be pleasant. I should think you might +speak and sing more softly, even if you +have no pockets under your wings like +mine. I flutter my wings, and the air +strikes these pockets and makes my sweet +voice."</p> + +<p>"Humph!" exclaimed a Bee, "it is a +very poor place for pockets, and a very +poor use to make of them. Every Bee +knows that pockets are handiest on the +hind legs, and should be used for carrying +pollen to the babies at home."</p> + +<p>"My pocket is behind," said a Spider, +"and my web silk is kept there. I couldn't +live without a pocket."</p> + +<p>Some of the meadow people were get<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span>ting +angry, so the Garter Snake, who +would always rather laugh than quarrel, +glided forward and said: "My friends +and neighbors; our speaker here has been +so kind as to tell us how the Mosquitoes +do a great many things, and to try to +teach us their way. It seems to me that +we might repay some of his kindness by +showing him our ways, and seeing that +he learns by practice. I would ask the +Spiders to take him with them and show +him how to spin a web. Then the Bees +could teach him how to build comb, and +the Tree Frog how to croak, and the +Earthworms how to burrow, and the +Caterpillars how to spin a cocoon. Each +of us will do something for him. Perhaps +the Measuring Worm will teach him to +walk as the Worms of his family do. I +understand he does that very well." Here +everybody laughed, remembering the joke +played on the Caterpillars, and the Snake +stopped speaking.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span></p> + +<p>The Mosquito did not dare refuse to +be taught, and so he was taken from one +place to another, and told exactly how to +do everything that he could not possibly +do, until he felt so very meek and humble +that he was willing the meadow people +should be busy and happy in their own +way.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap26"> +<p style='padding-top: 320px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-right: 200px;'>THE FROG WHO THOUGHT HERSELF SICK</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>By the edge of the marsh +lived a young Frog, who +thought a great deal about +herself and much less about +other people. Not that it +was wrong to think so much +of herself, but it certainly was +unfortunate that she should +have so little time left in +which to think of others and +of the beautiful world.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>Early in the morning this +Frog would awaken and lean +far over the edge of a pool to see how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span> +she looked after her night's rest. Then +she would give a spring, and come down +with a splash in the cool water for her +morning bath. For a while she would +swim as fast as her dainty webbed feet +would push her, then she would rest, sitting +in the soft mud with just her head +above the water.</p> + +<p>When her bath was taken, she had her +breakfast, and that was the way in which +she began her day. She did nothing but +bathe and eat and rest, from sunrise to +sunset. She had a fine, strong body, and +had never an ache or a pain, but one day +she got to thinking, "What if sometime +I should be sick?" And then, because +she thought about nothing but her own +self, she was soon saying, "I am afraid I +shall be sick." In a little while longer it +was, "I certainly am sick."</p> + +<p>She crawled under a big toadstool, and +sat there looking very glum indeed, until +a Cicada came along. She told the Cicada<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span> +how sick she felt, and he told his cousins, +the Locusts, and they told their cousins, +the Grasshoppers, and they told their +cousins, the Katydids, and then everybody +told somebody else, and started for the +toadstool where the young Frog sat. The +more she had thought of it, the worse she +felt, until, by the time the meadow people +came crowding around, she was feeling +very sick indeed.</p> + +<p>"Where do you feel badly?" they cried, +and, "How long have you been sick?" +and one Cricket stared with big eyes, and +said, "How dr-r-readfully she looks!" The +young Frog felt weaker and weaker, and +answered in a faint little voice that she +had felt perfectly well until after breakfast, +but that now she was quite sure her +skin was getting dry, and "Oh dear!" and +"Oh dear!"</p> + +<p>Now everybody knows that Frogs +breathe through their skins as well as +through their noses, and for a Frog's skin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span> +to get dry is very serious, for then he cannot +breathe through it; so, as soon as she +said that, everybody was frightened and +wanted to do something for her at once. +Some of the timid ones began to weep, +and the others bustled around, getting in +each other's way and all trying to do something +different. One wanted to wrap her +in mullein leaves, another wanted her to +nibble a bit of the peppermint which grew +near, a third thought she should be kept +moving, and that was the way it went.</p> + +<p>Just when everybody was at his wits' +end, the old Tree Frog came along. +"Pukr-r-rup! What is the matter with +you?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" gasped the young Frog, weakly, +"I am sure my skin is getting dry, and I +feel as though I had something in my +head."</p> + +<p>"Umph!" grunted the Tree Frog to +himself, "I guess there isn't enough in +her head to ever make her sick; and, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span> +for her skin, it isn't dry yet, and nobody +knows that it ever will be."</p> + +<p>But as he was a wise old fellow and had +learned much about life, he knew he must +not say such things aloud. What he did +say was, "I heard there was to be a great +race in the pool this morning."</p> + +<p>The young Frog lifted her head quite +quickly, saying: "You did? Who are +the racers?"</p> + +<p>"Why, all the young Frogs who live +around here. It is too bad that you cannot +go."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it would hurt me any," +she said.</p> + +<p>"You might take cold," the Tree Frog +said; "besides, the exercise would tire you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but I am feeling much better," +the young Frog said, "and I am certain +it will do me good."</p> + +<p>"You ought not to go," insisted all the +older meadow people. "You really ought +not."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span></p> + +<p>"I don't care," she answered, "I am +going anyway, and I am just as well as +anybody."</p> + +<p>And she did go, and it did seem that +she was as strong as ever. The people +all wondered at it, but the Tree Frog +winked his eyes at them and said, "I +knew that it would cure her." And then +he, and the Garter Snake, and the fat, old +Cricket laughed together, and all the +younger meadow people wondered at what +they were laughing.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap27"> +<p style='padding-top: 280px;'> </p> + +<h2 style='padding-right: 200px;'><small>THE</small> KATYDIDS' +QUARREL</h2> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>The warm summer days +were past, and the Katydids +came again to the +meadow. Everybody was +glad to see them, and the +Grasshoppers, who are +cousins of the Katydids, +gave a party in their honor.</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>Such a time as the +meadow people had getting +ready for that party! They +did not have to change +their dresses, but they +scraped and cleaned themselves, +and all the young +Grasshoppers went off by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span> +the woods to practise jumping and get +their knees well limbered, because there +might be games and dancing at the party, +and then how dreadful it would be if any +young Grasshopper should find that two +or three of his legs wouldn't bend easily!</p> + +<p style='padding-right: 200px;'>The Grasshoppers did not know at just +what time they ought to have the party. +Some of the meadow people whom they +wanted to invite were used to sleeping all +day, and some were used to sleeping all +night, so it really was hard to find an hour +at which all would be wide-awake and +ready for fun. At last the Tree Frog +said: "Pukr-r-rup! Pukr-r-rup! Have it +at sunset!" And at sunset it was.</p> + +<p>Everyone came on time, and they +hopped and chattered and danced and +ate a party supper of tender green leaves. +Some of the little Grasshoppers grew +sleepy and crawled among the plantains +for a nap. Just then a big Katydid said +he would sing a song—which was a very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span> +kind thing for him to do, because he really +did it to make the others happy, and not +to show what a fine musician he was. All +the guests said, "How charming!" or, +"We should be delighted!" and he seated +himself on a low swinging branch. You +know Katydids sing with the covers of +their wings, and so when he alighted on +the branch he smoothed down his pale +green suit and rubbed his wing-cases a +little to make sure that they were in tune. +Then he began loud and clear, "Katy +did! Katy did!! Katy did!!!"</p> + +<p>Of course he didn't mean any real +Katy, but was just singing his song. +However, there was another Katydid +there who had a habit of contradicting, +and he had eaten too much supper, and +that made him feel crosser than ever; so +when the singer said "Katy did!" this +cross fellow jumped up and said, "Katy +didn't! Katy didn't!! Katy didn't!!!" +and they kept at it, one saying that she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span> +did and the other that she didn't, until +everybody was ashamed and uncomfortable, +and some of the little Grasshoppers +awakened and wanted to know what was +the matter.</p> + +<p>Both of the singers got more and more +vexed until at last neither one knew just +what he was saying—and that, you know, +is what almost always happens when people +grow angry. They just kept saying +something as loud and fast as possible +and thought all the while that they were +very bright—which was all they knew +about it.</p> + +<p>Suddenly somebody noticed that the +one who began to say "Katy did!" was +screaming "Katy didn't!" and the one +who had said "Katy didn't!" was roaring +"Katy did!" Then they all laughed, and +the two on the branch looked at each +other in a very shamefaced way.</p> + +<p>The Tree Frog always knew the right +thing to do, and he said "Pukr-r-rup!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span> +so loudly that all stopped talking at once. +When they were quiet he said: "We will +now listen to a duet, 'Katy,' by the two +singers who are up the tree. All please +join in the chorus." So it was begun +again, and both the leaders were good-natured, +and all the Katydids below joined +in with "did or didn't, did or didn't, did +or didn't." And that was the end of the +quarrel.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span></p> + +<div class="dcp-chap28"> +<p style='padding-top: 280px;'> </p> +<h2 style='padding-left: 230px;'>THE LAST +PARTY +OF THE +SEASON</h2> + +<p style='padding-left: 230px;'>Summer had been a joyful +time in the meadow. +It had been a busy time, +too, and from morning till +night the chirping and +humming of the happy +people there had mingled +with the rustle of the +leaves, and the soft "swish, +swish," of the tall grass, as +the wind passed over it.</p> + +<p style='padding-left: 230px;'>True, there had been a +few quarrels, and some unpleasant +things to remem<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span>ber, +but these little people were wise +enough to throw away all the sad memories +and keep only the glad ones. And +now the summer was over. The leaves +of the forest trees were turning from green +to scarlet, orange, and brown. The beech +and hickory nuts were only waiting for a +friendly frost to open their outer shells, +and loosen their stems, so that they could +fall to the earth.</p> + +<p>The wind was cold now, and the meadow +people knew that the time had come to +get ready for winter. One chilly Caterpillar +said to another, "Boo-oo! How +cold it is! I must find a place for my +cocoon. Suppose we sleep side by side this +winter, swinging on the same bush?"</p> + +<p>And his friend replied: "We must hurry +then, or we shall be too old and stiff to +spin good ones."</p> + +<p>The Garter Snake felt sleepy all the +time, and declared that in a few days he +would doze off until spring.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span></p> + +<p>The Tree Frog had chosen his winter +home already, and the Bees were making +the most of their time in visiting the last +fall flowers, and gathering every bit of +honey they could find for their cold-weather +stock.</p> + +<p>The last eggs had been laid, and the +food had been placed beside many of +them for the babies that would hatch out +in the spring. Nothing was left but to say +"Good-by," and fall asleep. So a message +was sent around the meadow for all to +come to a farewell party under the elm tree.</p> + +<p>Everybody came, and all who could sing +did so, and the Crickets and Mosquitoes +made music for the rest to dance by.</p> + +<p>The Tree Frog led off with a black and +yellow Spider, the Garter Snake followed +with a Potato Bug, and all the other crawling +people joined in the dance on the +grass, while over their heads the Butterflies +and other light-winged ones fluttered +to and fro with airy grace.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span></p> + +<p>The Snail and the fat, old Cricket had +meant to look on, and really did so, for a +time, from a warm corner by the tree, but +the Cricket couldn't stand it to not join +in the fun. First, his eyes gleamed, his +feelers waved, and his feet kept time to +the music, and, when a frisky young Ant +beckoned to him, he gave a great leap +and danced with the rest, balancing, jumping, +and circling around in a most surprising +way.</p> + +<p>When it grew dark, the Fireflies' lights +shone like tiny stars, and the dancing went +on until all were tired and ready to sing +together the last song of the summer, for +on the morrow they would go to rest. +And this was their song:</p> +</div> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The autumn leaves lying<br /></span> +<span class="i2">So thick on the ground,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The summer Birds flying<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The meadow around,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Say, "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The Seed Babies dropping<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Down out of our sight,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The Dragon-flies stopping<br /></span> +<span class="i2">A moment in flight,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Say, "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The red Squirrels bearing<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Their nuts to the tree,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The wild Rabbits caring<br /></span> +<span class="i2">For babies so wee,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Say, "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The sunbeams now showing<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Are hazy and pale,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The warm breezes blowing<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Have changed to a gale,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">So, "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The season for working<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Is passing away.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Both playing and shirking<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Are ended to day,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">So, "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The Garter Snake creeping<br /></span> +<span class="i2">So softly to rest,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The fuzzy Worms sleeping<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Within their warm nest,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Say, "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The Honey Bees crawling<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Around the full comb,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The tiny Ants calling<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Each one to the home,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Say, "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">We've ended our singing,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Our dancing, and play,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Nature's voice ringing<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Now tells us to say<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Our "Good-by."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<h4>THE END.</h4> +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> + + + + +<h4>"<i>Many a mother and teacher will accord a vote +of thanks to the author.</i>"</h4> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;"> +<img src="images/adpage.jpg" width="250" height="128" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<h4><big>Among the Meadow People.</big><br /> +<small>STORIES OF FIELD LIFE, WRITTEN FOR THE LITTLE ONES.</small><br /> +By CLARA D. PIERSON.</h4> +<h4><small>Illustrated by <span class="smcap">F. C. Gordon</span>.</small><br /> +New Edition, 12mo, 194 pages, cloth, gilt top, $1.25</h4> + + +<p>"One of the daintiest and in many ways most attractive +of the many books of nature study which the past year has +brought forth."—<i>Boston Advertiser.</i></p> + +<p>"They are like Mrs. Gatty's well-known 'Parables from +Nature,' written in the best of English, as fascinating as fairy +tales, and yet 'really true,' a quality which we all know +appeals to the childish mind."—<i>N. Y. Evangelist.</i></p> + +<p>"We have seen nothing better for its purpose, and hope +many a teacher of kindergartens and many a mother may +avail herself of the privilege of using these little tales."—<i>N. +Y. Christian Advocate.</i></p> + +<p>"It will be a great advance in the work of education in the +school and the home when such books are more generally +utilized."—<i>Zion's Herald.</i></p> + +<p>"These charming stories of field life will delight many a +child of kindergarten age; and it is safe to say that older +brothers and sisters will also want to claim a share in them."—<i>Christian +Register.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h4><big>Among the Forest People</big><br /> +By CLARA D. PIERSON</h4> +<h4><small>Illustrated by <span class="smcap">F. C. Gordon</span></small><br /> +12mo, 220 pages, cloth, gilt top $1.25</h4> + +<p>"A thoroughly charming book for the little people, which +grown folks can read, also, with many a satisfied chuckle at +its slily insinuated 'morals,' and inimitable mingling of human +sentiments and affairs in the wild life of 'the Forest People.' +The illustrations have really artistic value; thoroughly well +done, with a pleasing combination of the conventional in form +and light and shade, they are also clever and accurate in +drawing."—<i>Living Church.</i></p> + +<p>"A most charming series of stories for children—yes, and +for children of all ages, both young and old—is given us in the +volume before us. No one can read these realistic conversations +of the little creatures of the wood without being most +tenderly drawn toward them, and each story teaches many +entertaining facts regarding the lives and habits of these little +people. Mothers and teachers must welcome this book most +cordially. One cannot speak too strongly in praise of it."—<i>Boston +Transcript.</i></p> + +<p>"I declare I really feel tempted to adopt or borrow a nice +little girl of six or seven, just for the pleasure of reading this +perfect book to her while she snuggles down in my lap."—<span class="smcap">Kate Sanborn.</span></p> + +<p>"The telling is conceived with decided originality."—<i>Outlook.</i></p> + +<p>"There has not been such a book for many a year, and it +makes the old folks long to be young again."—<i>N. Y. Observer.</i></p> + +<p>"Is an utterly delightful book for the little folk."—<i>Interior.</i></p> + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h4><big>Among the Farmyard People</big><br /> +By CLARA D. PIERSON</h4> +<h4><small>Illustrated by <span class="smcap">F. C. Gordon</span></small><br /> +12mo, 256 pages, cloth, gilt top, $1.25</h4> + +<p>"The very pretty stories of animal life, 'Among the +Forest People,' and 'Among the Meadow People,' are continued +in Clara D. Pierson's 'Among the Farmyard People.' +To those who know the earlier volumes, this needs no introduction +or praise. To those who may still have that pleasure +in store, we can commend heartily these tenderly realistic +conversations, which show a sympathetic knowledge at once +of animals and of children, who will be amused and taught +and edified by these dainty little tales that never obtrude the +always healthy moral of this genuine Child's Book of Nature."—<i>Churchman.</i></p> + +<p>"They will be found valuable for use by mothers and kindergarten +teachers. The beautiful illustrations furnished by +F. C. Gordon are distinctively instructive. Altogether the +book is one of the most desirable works that can be found to +train the child's imagination, affection, and powers of observation."—<i>Boston +Beacon.</i></p> + +<p>"We heartily recommend the book for its thoroughly +healthy tone, far better adapted to a sweet and simple childhood +than much of the rather stimulating juvenile literature +of the day."—<i>N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.</i></p> + +<p>"A helpful book for young readers, teaching first lessons +in natural history, and inculcating principles of love for animals."—<i>Philadelphia +Evening Telegram.</i></p> + +<p>"A charming and pretty book for young children. It will +help them to observe, and it will also help them to think. +Nearly every story ends with something unsaid, which the nursery +people are to think out for themselves."—<i>Church Standard.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<h4><big>Among the Pond People</big><br /> +By CLARA D. PIERSON</h4> +<h4><small>With 12 full-page illustrations by <span class="smcap">F. C. Gordon</span></small><br /> +12mo, 222 pages, cloth, gilt top $1.25</h4> + +<p>This last book of Mrs. Pierson's has all the charm of the +earlier volumes. The adventures of Mother Eel, the Playful +Muskrat, the Snappy Snapping Turtle, and the other Pond +People, will be eagerly followed by children, whether they +are naturalists or ordinary readers. The fact that one does +not continually feel that she is writing for the purpose of instructing +the young, gives Mrs. Pierson her hold on so many +boys and girls. The books teach a great many lessons, but +one does not feel that the author is lying in wait to enlighten +the unwary youngster.</p> + +<p>"In it, as in the old Greek comedies, the frogs have a voice +and speak their little orations and crack their jokes and play +their pranks. The 'science' is elementary but the entertainment +genuine, and the little people to whom it is read will +ever cherish a kindly interest in the denizens of the ponds +and their floral homes and environments."—<i>Interior.</i></p> + +<p>"One lays down the book with quickened sympathy for +everything that crawls and creeps and swims."—<i>Critic.</i></p> + +<p>"The Pond People are quite as real and as fascinating as +were the Meadow People and the Barnyard People of previous +books. They are genuine stories, full of a humor that +will appeal to boys and girls, yet cleverly conveying information +about the frogs, turtles, minnows, etc., and often suggesting +a moral in a delicate manner which no child could +resent."—<i>Congregationalist.</i></p> + +<p>"In its way the work is very daintily done."—<i>Churchman.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<h4>Sent by mail, post-paid, on receipt of price</h4> + + +<h3>E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers<br /> +<small>31 West 23d Street New York</small></h3> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Among the Meadow People, by +Clara Dillingham Pierson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE *** + +***** This file should be named 34943-h.htm or 34943-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/9/4/34943/ + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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a/34943.txt b/34943.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad0ee5f --- /dev/null +++ b/34943.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3556 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Among the Meadow People, by Clara Dillingham Pierson + +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: Among the Meadow People + +Author: Clara Dillingham Pierson + +Illustrator: F. C. Gordon + +Release Date: January 13, 2011 [EBook #34943] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE *** + + + + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE + + BY + CLARA DILLINGHAM PIERSON + + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON + + NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION + + [Illustration] + + + NEW YORK + E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY + 31 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET + + + + + [Illustration: HAYING IN THE MEADOW] + + + + + COPYRIGHT + E. P. DUTTON & CO. + 1899 + + COPYRIGHT + CLARA DILLINGHAM PIERSON + 1901 + + + The Knickerbocker Press, New York + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + INTRODUCTION 5 + THE BUTTERFLY THAT WENT CALLING 7 + THE ROBINS BUILD A NEST 14 + THE SELFISH TENT-CATERPILLAR 22 + THE LAZY SNAIL 31 + AN ANT THAT WORE WINGS 37 + THE CHEERFUL HARVESTMEN 42 + THE LITTLE SPIDER'S FIRST WEB 50 + THE BEETLE WHO DID NOT LIKE CATERPILLARS 56 + THE YOUNG ROBIN WHO WAS AFRAID TO FLY 61 + THE CRICKETS' SCHOOL 71 + THE CONTENTED EARTHWORMS 76 + THE MEASURING WORM'S JOKE 81 + A PUZZLED CICADA 87 + THE TREE FROG'S STORY 93 + THE DAY WHEN THE GRASS WAS CUT 101 + THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE MEASURING WORM RUN A RACE 109 + MR. GREEN FROG AND HIS VISITORS 114 + THE DIGNIFIED WALKING-STICKS 120 + THE DAY OF THE GREAT STORM 128 + THE STORY OF LILY-PAD ISLAND 134 + THE GRASSHOPPER WHO WOULDN'T BE SCARED 142 + THE EARTHWORM HALF-BROTHERS 151 + A GOSSIPING FLY 156 + THE FROG-HOPPERS GO OUT INTO THE WORLD 161 + THE MOSQUITO TRIES TO TEACH HIS NEIGHBORS 171 + THE FROG WHO THOUGHT HERSELF SICK 177 + THE KATYDID'S QUARREL 183 + THE LAST PARTY OF THE SEASON 188 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Many of these stories of field life were written for the little ones of +my kindergarten, and they gave so much pleasure, and aroused such a new +interest in "the meadow people," that it has seemed wise to collect and +add to the original number and send them out to a larger circle of boys +and girls. + +All mothers and teachers hear the cry for "just one more," and find that +there are times when the bewitching tales of animals, fairies, and +"really truly" children are all exhausted, and tired imagination will +not supply another. In selecting the tiny creatures of field and garden +for the characters in this book, I have remembered with pleasure the way +in which my loyal pupils befriended stray crickets and grasshoppers, +their intense appreciation of the new realm of fancy and observation, +and the eagerness and attention with which they sought Mother Nature, +the most wonderful and tireless of all story-tellers. + + CLARA DILLINGHAM PIERSON. + + Stanton, Michigan, + April 8th, 1897. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE BUTTERFLY THAT WENT CALLING + + +As the warm August days came, Mr. Yellow Butterfly wriggled and pushed +in his snug little green chrysalis and wished he could get out to see +the world. He remembered the days when he was a hairy little +Caterpillar, crawling slowly over grass and leaves, and he remembered +how beautiful the sky and all the flowers were. Then he thought of the +new wings which had been growing from his back, and he tried to move +them, just to see how it would feel. He had only six legs since his +wings grew, and he missed all the sticky feet which he had to give up +when he began to change into a Butterfly. + +The more he thought about it the more he squirmed, until suddenly he +heard a faint little sound, too faint for larger people to hear, and +found a tiny slit in the wall of his chrysalis. It was such a dainty +green chrysalis with white wrinkles, that it seemed almost a pity to +have it break. Still it had held him for eight days already and that was +as long as any of his family ever hung in the chrysalis, so it was quite +time for it to be torn open and left empty. Mr. Yellow Butterfly +belonged to the second brood that had hatched that year and he wanted to +be out while the days were still fine and hot. Now he crawled out of the +newly-opened doorway to take his first flight. + +Poor Mr. Butterfly! He found his wings so wet and crinkled that they +wouldn't work at all, so he had to sit quietly in the sunshine all day +drying them. And just as they got big, and smooth, and dry, it grew +dark, and Mr. Butterfly had to crawl under a leaf to sleep. + +The next morning, bright and early, he flew away to visit the flowers. +First he stopped to see the Daisies by the roadside. They were all +dancing in the wind, and their bright faces looked as cheerful as anyone +could wish. They were glad to see Mr. Butterfly, and wished him to stay +all day with them. He said; "You are very kind, but I really couldn't +think of doing it. You must excuse my saying it, but I am surprised to +think you will grow here. It is very dusty and dry, and then there is no +shade. I am sure I could have chosen a better place." + +The Daisies smiled and nodded to each other, saying, "This is the kind +of place we were made for, that's all." + +Mr. Butterfly shook his head very doubtfully, and then bade them a +polite "Good-morning," and flew away to call on the Cardinals. + +The Cardinals are a very stately family, as everybody knows. They hold +their heads very high, and never make deep bows, even to the wind, but +for all that they are a very pleasant family to meet. They gave Mr. +Butterfly a dainty lunch of honey, and seemed much pleased when he told +them how beautiful the river looked in the sunlight. + +"It is a delightful place to grow," said they. + +"Ye-es," said Mr. Butterfly, "it is very pretty, still I do not think it +can be healthful. I really cannot understand why you flowers choose such +strange homes. Now, there are the Daisies, where I just called. They are +in a dusty, dry place, where there is no shade at all. I spoke to them +about it, and they acted quite uppish." + +"But the Daisies always do choose such places," said the Cardinals. + +"And your family," said Mr. Butterfly, "have lived so long in wet places +that it is a wonder you are alive. Your color is good, but to stand with +one's roots in water all the time! It is shocking." + +"Cardinals and Butterflies live differently," said the flowers. +"Good-morning." + +Mr. Butterfly left the river and flew over to the woods. He was very +much out of patience. He was so angry that his feelers quivered, and now +you know how angry he must have been. He knew that the Violets were a +very agreeable family, who never put on airs, so he went at once to +them. + +He had barely said "Good-morning" to them when he began to explain what +had displeased him. + +"To think," he said, "what notions some flowers have! Now, you have a +pleasant home here in the edge of the woods. I have been telling the +Daisies and the Cardinals that they should grow in such a place, but +they wouldn't listen to me. The Daisies were quite uppish about it, and +the Cardinals were very stiff." + +"My dear friend," answered a Violet, "they could never live if they +moved up into our neighborhood. Every flower has his own place in this +world, and is happiest in that place. Everything has its own place and +its own work, and every flower that is wise will stay in the place for +which it was intended. You were exceedingly kind to want to help the +flowers, but suppose they had been telling you what to do. Suppose the +Cardinals had told you that flying around was not good for your health, +and that to be truly well you ought to grow planted with your legs in +the mud and water." + +"Oh!" said Mr. Butterfly, "Oh! I never thought of that. Perhaps +Butterflies don't know everything." + +"No," said the Violet, "they don't know everything, and you haven't been +out of your chrysalis very long. But those who are ready to learn can +always find someone to tell them. Won't you eat some honey?" + +And Mr. Butterfly sipped honey and was happy. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE ROBINS BUILD A NEST. + + +When Mr. and Mrs. Robin built in the spring, they were not quite agreed +as to where the nest should be. Mr. Robin was a very decided bird, and +had made up his mind that the lowest crotch of a maple tree would be the +best place. He even went so far as to take three billfuls of mud there, +and stick in two blades of dry grass. Mrs. Robin wanted it on the end of +the second rail from the top of the split-rail fence. She said it was +high enough from the ground to be safe and dry, and not so high that a +little bird falling out of it would hurt himself very much. Then, too, +the top rail was broad at the end and would keep the rain off so well. + +"And the nest will be just the color of the rails," said she, "so that +even a Red Squirrel could hardly see it." She disliked Red Squirrels, +and she had reason to, for she had been married before, and if it had +not been for a Red Squirrel, she might already have had children as +large as she was. + +"I say that the tree is the place for it," said Mr. Robin, "and I wear +the brightest breast feathers." He said this because in bird families +the one who wears the brightest breast feathers thinks he has the right +to decide things. + +Mrs. Robin was wise enough not to answer back when he spoke in this way. +She only shook her feathers, took ten quick running steps, tilted her +body forward, looked hard at the ground, and pulled out something for +supper. After that she fluttered around the maple tree crotch as though +she had never thought of any other place. Mr. Robin wished he had not +been quite so decided, or reminded her of his breast feathers. "After +all," thought he, "I don't know but the fence-rail would have done." He +thought this, but he didn't say it. It is not always easy for a Robin to +give up and let one with dull breast feathers know that he thinks +himself wrong. + +That night they perched in the maple-tree and slept with their heads +under their wings. Long before the sun was in sight, when the first +beams were just touching the tops of the forest trees, they awakened, +bright-eyed and rested, preened their feathers, sang their morning song, +"Cheerily, cheerily, cheer-up," and flew off to find food. After +breakfast they began to work on the nest. Mrs. Robin stopped often to +look and peck at the bark. "It will take a great deal of mud," said she, +"to fill in that deep crotch until we reach a place wide enough for the +nest." + +At another time she said: "My dear, I am afraid that the dry grass you +are bringing is too light-colored. It shows very plainly against the +maple bark. Can't you find some that is darker?" + +Mr. Robin hunted and hunted, but could find nothing which was darker. As +he flew past the fence, he noticed that it was almost the color of the +grass in his bill. + +After a while, soft gray clouds began to cover the sky. "I wonder," said +Mrs. Robin, "if it will rain before we get this done. The mud is soft +enough now to work well, and this place is so open that the rain might +easily wash away all that we have done." + +It did rain, however, and very soon. The great drops came down so hard +that one could only think of pebbles falling. Mr. and Mrs. Robin oiled +their feathers as quickly as they could, taking the oil from their back +pockets and putting it onto their feathers with their bills. This made +the finest kind of waterproof and was not at all heavy to wear. When the +rain was over they shook themselves and looked at their work. + +"I believe," said Mrs. Robin to her husband, "that you are right in +saying that we might better give up this place and begin over again +somewhere else." + +Now Mr. Robin could not remember having said that he thought anything of +the sort, and he looked very sharply at his wife, and cocked his black +head on one side until all the black and white streaks on his throat +showed. She did not seem to know that he was watching her as she hopped +around the partly built nest, poking it here and pushing it there, and +trying her hardest to make it look right. He thought she would say +something, but she didn't. Then he knew he must speak first. He flirted +his tail and tipped his head and drew some of his brown wing-feathers +through his bill. Then he held himself very straight and tall, and said, +"Well, if you do agree with me, I think you might much better stop +working here and begin in another place." + +"It seems almost too bad," said she. "Of course there are other places, +but----" + +By this time Mr. Robin knew exactly what to do. "Plenty of them," said +he. "Now don't fuss any longer with this. That place on the rail fence +is an excellent one. I wonder that no other birds have taken it." As he +spoke he flew ahead to the very spot which Mrs. Robin had first chosen. + +She was a very wise bird, and knew far too much to say, "I told you so." +Saying that, you know, always makes things go wrong. She looked at the +rail fence, ran along the top of it, toeing in prettily as she ran, +looked around in a surprised way, and said, "Oh, _that_ place?" + +"Yes, Mrs. Robin," said her husband, "_that_ place. Do you see anything +wrong about it?" + +"No-o," she said. "I think I could make it do." + +Before long another nest was half built, and Mrs. Robin was working away +in the happiest manner possible, stopping every little while to sing her +afternoon song: "Do you think what you do? Do you think what you do? Do +you thi-ink?" + +Mr. Robin was also at work, and such billfuls of mud, such fine little +twigs, and such big wisps of dry grass as went into that home! Once Mr. +Robin was gone a long time, and when he came back he had a beautiful +piece of white cotton string dangling from his beak. That they put on +the outside. "Not that we care to show off," said they, "but somehow +that seemed to be the best place to put it." + +Mr. Robin was very proud of his nest and of his wife. He never went far +away if he could help it. Once she heard him tell Mr. Goldfinch that, +"Mrs. Robin was very sweet about building where he chose, and that even +after he insisted on changing places from the tree to the fence she was +perfectly good-natured." + +"Yes," said Mrs. Robin to Mrs. Goldfinch, "I was perfectly +good-natured." Then she gave a happy, chirpy little laugh, and Mrs. +Goldfinch laughed, too. They were perfectly contented birds, even if +they didn't wear the brightest breast feathers or insist on having +their own way. And Mrs. Robin had been married before. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE SELFISH TENT-CATERPILLAR. + + +One could hardly call the Tent-Caterpillars meadow people, for they did +not often leave their trees to crawl upon the ground. Yet the Apple-Tree +Tent-Caterpillars would not allow anybody to call them forest people. +"We live on apple and wild cherry trees," they said, "and you will +almost always find us in the orchards or on the roadside trees. There +are Forest Tent-Caterpillars, but please don't get us mixed with them. +We belong to another branch of the family, the Apple-Tree branch." + +The Tree Frog said that he remembered perfectly well when the eggs were +laid on the wild cherry tree on the edge of the meadow. "It was early +last summer," he said, "and the Moth who laid them was a very agreeable +reddish-brown person, about as large as a common Yellow Butterfly. I +remember that she had two light yellow lines on each forewing. Another +Moth came with her, but did not stay. He was smaller than she, and had +the same markings. After he had gone, she asked me if we were ever +visited by the Yellow-Billed Cuckoos." + +"Why did she ask that?" said the Garter Snake. + +"Don't you know?" exclaimed the Tree Frog. And then he whispered +something to the Garter Snake. + +The Garter Snake wriggled with surprise and cried, "Really?" + +All through the fall and winter the many, many eggs which the +reddish-brown Moth had laid were kept snug and warm on the twig where +she had put them. They were placed in rows around the twig, and then +well covered to hold them together and keep them warm. The winter winds +had blown the twig to and fro, the cold rain had frozen over them, the +soft snowflakes had drifted down from the clouds and covered them, only +to melt and trickle away again in shining drops. One morning the whole +wild cherry tree was covered with beautiful long, glistening crystals of +hoar-frost; and still the ring of eggs stayed in its place around the +twig, and the life in them slept until spring sunbeams should shine down +and quicken it. + +But when the spring sunbeams did come! Even before the leaf-buds were +open, tiny Larvae, or Caterpillar babies, came crawling from the ring of +eggs and began feeding upon the buds. They took very, very small bites, +and that looked as though they were polite children. Still, you know, +their mouths were so small that they could not take big ones, and it +may not have been politeness after all which made them eat daintily. + +When all the Tent-Caterpillars were hatched, and they had eaten every +leaf-bud near the egg-ring, they began to crawl down the tree toward the +trunk. Once they stopped by a good-sized crotch in the branches. "Let's +build here," said the leader; "this place is all right." + +Then some of the Tent-Caterpillars said, "Let's!" and some of them said, +"Don't let's!" One young fellow said, "Aw, come on! There's a bigger +crotch farther down." Of course he should have said, "I think you will +like a larger crotch better," but he was young, and, you know, these +Larvae had no father or mother to help them speak in the right way. They +were orphans, and it is wonderful how they ever learned to talk at all. + +After this, some of the Tent-Caterpillars went on to the larger crotch +and some stayed behind. More went than stayed, and when they saw this, +those by the smaller crotch gave up and joined their brothers and +sisters, as they should have done. It was right to do that which pleased +most of them. + +It took a great deal of work to make the tent. All helped, spinning +hundreds and thousands of white silken threads, laying them side by +side, criss-crossing them, fastening the ends to branches and twigs, not +forgetting to leave places through which one could crawl in and out. +They never worked all day at this, because unless they stopped to eat +they would soon have been weak and unable to spin. There were nearly +always a few Caterpillars in the tent, but only in the early morning or +late afternoon or during the night were they all at home. The rest of +the time they were scattered around the tree feeding. Of course there +were some cold days when they stayed in. When the weather was chilly +they moved slowly and cared very little for food. + +There was one young Tent-Caterpillar who happened to be the first +hatched, and who seemed to think that because he was a minute older than +any of the other children he had the right to his own way. Sometimes he +got it, because the others didn't want to have any trouble. Sometimes he +didn't get it, and then he was very sulky and disagreeable, even +refusing to answer when he was spoken to. + +One cold day, when all the Caterpillars stayed in the tent, this oldest +brother wanted the warmest place, that in the very middle. It should +have belonged to the younger brothers and sisters, for they were not so +strong, but he pushed and wriggled his hairy black and brown and yellow +body into the very place he wanted, and then scolded everybody around +because he had to push to get there. It happened as it always does when +a Caterpillar begins to say mean things, and he went on until he was +saying some which were really untrue. Nobody answered back, so he +scolded and fussed and was exceedingly disagreeable. + +All day long he thought how wretched he was, and how badly they treated +him, and how he guessed they'd be sorry enough if he went away. The next +morning he went. As long as the warm sunshine lasted he did very well. +When it began to grow cool, his brothers and sisters crawled past him on +their way to the tent. "Come on!" they cried. "It's time to go home." + +"Uh-uh!" said the eldest brother (and that meant "No"), "I'm not going." + +"Why not?" they asked. + +"Oh, because," said he. + +When the rest were all together in the tent they talked about him. "Do +you suppose he's angry?" said one. + +"What should he be angry about?" said another. + +"I just believe he is," said a third. "Did you notice the way his hairs +bristled?" + +"Don't you think we ought to go to get him?" asked two or three of the +youngest Caterpillars. + +"No," said the older ones. "We haven't done anything. Let him get over +it." + +So the oldest brother, who had thought that every other Caterpillar in +the tent would crawl right out and beg and coax him to come back, waited +and waited and waited, but nobody came. The tent was there and the door +was open. All he had to do was to crawl in and be at home. He waited so +long that at last he had to leave the tree and spin his cocoon without +ever having gone back to his brothers and sisters in the tent. He spun +his cocoon and mixed the silk with a yellowish-white powder, then he +lay down in it to sleep twenty-one days and grow his wings. The last +thought he had before going to sleep was an unhappy and selfish one. +Probably he awakened an unhappy and selfish Moth. + +His brothers and sisters were sad whenever they thought of him. But, +they said, "what could we do? It wasn't fair for him to have the best of +everything, and we never answered when he said mean things. He might +have come back at any time and we would have been kind to him." + +And they were right. What could they have done? It was very sad, but +when a Caterpillar is so selfish and sulky that he cannot live happily +with other people, it is much better that he should live quite alone. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE LAZY SNAIL + + +In the lower part of the meadow, where the grass grew tall and tender, +there lived a fine and sturdy young Snail; that is to say, a +fine-looking Snail. His shell was a beautiful soft gray, and its curves +were regular and perfect. His body was soft and moist, and just what a +Snail's body should be. Of course, when it came to travelling, he could +not go fast, for none of his family are rapid travellers, still, if he +had been plucky and patient, he might have seen much of the meadow, and +perhaps some of the world outside. His friends and neighbors often told +him that he ought to start out on a little journey to see the sights, +but he would always answer, "Oh, it is too hard work!" + +There was nobody who liked stories of meadow life better than this same +Snail, and he would often stop some friendly Cricket or Snake to ask for +the news. After they had told him, they would say, "Why, don't you ever +get out to see these things for yourself?" and he would give a little +sigh and answer, "It is too far to go." + +"But you needn't go the whole distance in one day," his visitor would +say, "only a little at a time." + +"Yes, and then I would have to keep starting on again every little +while," the Snail would reply. "What of that?" said the visitor; "you +would have plenty of resting spells, when you could lie in the shade of +a tall weed and enjoy yourself." + +"Well, what is the use?" the Snail would say. "I can't enjoy resting if +I know I've got to go to work again," and he would sigh once more. + +So there he lived, eating and sleeping, and wishing he could see the +world, and meet the people in the upper part of the meadow, but just so +lazy that he wouldn't start out to find them. + +He never thought that the Butterflies and Beetles might not like it to +have him keep calling them to him and making them tell him the news. Oh, +no indeed! If he wanted them to do anything for him, he asked them +quickly enough, and they, being happy, good-natured people, would always +do as he asked them to. + +There came a day, though, when he asked too much. The Grasshoppers had +been telling him about some very delicious new plants that grew a little +distance away, and the Snail wanted some very badly. "Can't you bring me +some?" he said. "There are so many of you, and you have such good, +strong legs. I should think you might each bring me a small piece in +your mouths, and then I should have a fine dinner of it." + +The Grasshoppers didn't say anything then, but when they were so far +away that he could not hear them, they said to each other, "If the Snail +wants the food so much, he might better go for it. We have other things +to do," and they hopped off on their own business. + +The Snail sat there, and wondered and wondered that they did not come. +He kept thinking how he would like some of the new food for dinner, but +there it ended. He didn't want it enough to get it for himself. + +The Grasshoppers told all their friends about the Snail's request, and +everybody thought, "Such a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow deserves to be +left quite alone." So it happened that for a very long time nobody went +near the Snail. + +The weather grew hotter and hotter. The clouds, which blew across the +sky, kept their rain until they were well past the meadow, and so it +happened that the river grew shallower and shallower, and the sunshine +dried the tiny pools and rivulets which kept the lower meadow damp. The +grass began to turn brown and dry, and, all in all, it was trying +weather for Snails. + +One day, a Butterfly called some of her friends together, and told them +that she had seen the Snail lying in his old place, looking thin and +hungry. "The grass is all dried around him," she said; "I believe he is +starving, and too lazy to go nearer the river, where there is still good +food for him." + +They all talked it over together, and some of them said it was of no use +to help a Snail who was too lazy to do anything for himself. Others +said, "Well, he is too weak to help himself now, at all events, and we +might help him this once." And that is exactly what they did. The +Butterflies and the Mosquitoes flew ahead to find the best place to put +the Snail, and all the Grasshoppers, and Beetles, and other strong +crawling creatures took turns in rolling the Snail down toward the +river. + +They left him where the green things were fresh and tender, and he grew +strong and plump once more. It is even said that he was not so lazy +afterward, but one cannot tell whether to believe it or not, for +everybody knows that when people let themselves grow up lazy, as he did, +it is almost impossible for them to get over it when they want to. One +thing is sure: the meadow people who helped him were happier and better +for doing a kind thing, no matter what became of the Snail. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE ANT THE WORE WINGS + + +In one of the Ant-hills in the highest part of the meadow, were a lot of +young Ants talking together. "I," said one, "am going to be a soldier, +and drive away anybody who comes to make us trouble. I try biting hard +things every day to make my jaws strong, so that I can guard the home +better." + +"I," said another and smaller Ant, "want to be a worker. I want to help +build and repair the home. I want to get the food for the family, and +feed the Ant babies, and clean them off when they crawl out of their +old coats. If I can do those things well, I shall be the happiest, +busiest Ant in the meadow." + +"We don't want to live that kind of life," said a couple of larger Ants +with wings. "We don't mean to stay around the Ant-hill all the time and +work. We want to use our wings, and then you may be very sure that you +won't see us around home any more." + +The little worker spoke up: "Home is a pleasant place. You may be very +glad to come back to it some day." But the Ants with the wings turned +their backs and wouldn't listen to another word. + +A few days after this there were exciting times in the Ant-hill. All the +winged Ants said "Good-bye" to the soldiers and workers, and flew off +through the air, flew so far that the little ones at home could no +longer see them. All day long they were gone, but the next morning when +the little worker (whom we heard talking) went out to get breakfast, she +found the poor winged Ants lying on the ground near their home. Some of +them were dead, and the rest were looking for food. + +The worker Ant ran up to the one who had said she didn't want to stay +around home, and asked her to come back to the Ant-hill. "No, I thank +you," she answered. "I have had my breakfast now, and am going to fly +off again." She raised her wings to go, but after she had given one +flutter, they dropped off, and she could never fly again. + +The worker hurried back to the Ant-hill to call some of her sister +workers, and some of the soldiers, and they took the Ant who had lost +her wings and carried her to another part of the meadow. There they went +to work to build a new home and make her their queen. + +First, they looked for a good, sandy place, on which the sun would shine +all day. Then the worker Ants began to dig in the ground and bring out +tiny round pieces of earth in their mouths. The soldiers helped them, +and before night they had a cosy little home in the earth, with several +rooms, and some food already stored. They took their queen in, and +brought her food to eat, and waited on her, and she was happy and +contented. + +By and by the Ant eggs began to hatch, and the workers had all they +could do to take care of their queen and her little Ant babies, and the +soldier Ants had to help. The Ant babies were little worms or grubs when +they first came out of the eggs; after a while they curled up in tiny, +tiny cases, called pupa-cases, and after another while they came out of +these, and then they looked like the older Ants, with their six legs, +and their slender little waists. But whatever they were, whether eggs, +or grubs, or curled up in the pupa-cases, or lively little Ants, the +workers fed and took care of them, and the soldiers fought for them, +and the queen-mother loved them, and they all lived happily together +until the young Ants were ready to go out into the great world and learn +the lessons of life for themselves. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE CHEERFUL HARVESTMEN. + + +Some of the meadow people are gay and careless, and some are always +worrying. Some work hard every day, and some are exceedingly lazy. +There, as everywhere else, each has his own way of thinking about +things. It is too bad that they cannot all learn to think brave and +cheerful thoughts, for these make life happy. One may have a comfortable +home, kind neighbors, and plenty to eat, yet if he is in the habit of +thinking disagreeable thoughts, not even all these good things can make +him happy. Now there was the young Frog who thought herself sick--but +that is another story. + +Perhaps the Harvestmen were the most cheerful of all the meadow people. +The old Tree Frog used to say that it made him feel better just to see +their knees coming toward him. Of course, when he saw their knees, he +knew that the whole insect was also coming. He spoke in that way because +the Harvestmen always walked or ran with their knees so much above the +rest of their bodies that one could see those first. + +The Harvestmen were not particularly fine-looking, not nearly so +handsome as some of their Spider cousins. One never thought of that, +however. They had such an easy way of moving around on their eight legs, +each of which had a great many joints. It is the joints, or +bending-places, you know, which make legs useful. Besides being +graceful, they had very pleasant manners. When a Harvestman said +"Good-morning" to you on a rainy day, you always had a feeling that the +sun was shining. It might be that the drops were even then falling into +your face, but for a moment you were sure to feel that everything was +bright and warm and comfortable. + +Sometimes the careless young Grasshoppers and Crickets called the +Harvestmen by their nicknames, "Daddy Long-Legs" or "Grandfather +Graybeard." Even then the Harvestmen were good-natured, and only said +with a smile that the young people had not yet learned the names of +their neighbors. The Grasshoppers never seemed to think how queer it was +to call a young Harvestman daughter "Grandfather Graybeard." When they +saw how good-natured they were, the Grasshoppers soon stopped trying to +tease the Harvestmen. People who are really good-natured are never +teased very long, you know. + +The Walking-Sticks were exceedingly polite to the Harvestmen. They +thought them very slender and genteel-looking. Once the Five-Legged +Walking-Stick said to the largest Harvestman, "Why do you talk so much +with the common people in the meadow?" + +The Harvestman knew exactly what the Walking-Stick meant, but he was not +going to let anybody make fun of his kind and friendly neighbors, so he +said: "I think we Harvestmen are rather common ourselves. There are a +great, great many of us here. It must be very lonely to be uncommon." + +After that the Walking-Stick had nothing more to say. He never felt +quite sure whether the Harvestman was too stupid to understand or too +wise to gossip. Once he thought he saw the Harvestman's eyes twinkle. +The Harvestman didn't care if people thought him stupid. He knew that he +was not stupid, and he would rather seem dull than to listen while +unkind things were said about his neighbors. + +Some people would have thought it very hard luck to be Harvestmen. The +Garter Snake said that if he were one, he should be worried all the time +about his legs. "I'm thankful I haven't any," he said, "for if I had I +should be forever thinking I should lose some of them. A Harvestman +without legs would be badly off. He could never in the world crawl +around on his belly as I do." + +How the Harvestmen did laugh when they heard this! The biggest one said, +"Well, if that isn't just like some people! Never want to have anything +for fear they'll lose it. I wonder if he worries about his head? He +might lose that, you know, and then what would he do?" + +It was only the next day that the largest Harvestman came home on seven +legs. His friends all cried out, "Oh, how did it ever happen?" + +"Cows," said he. + +"Did they step on you?" asked the Five-Legged Walking-Stick. He had not +lived long enough in the meadow to understand all that the Harvestman +meant. He was sorry for him, though, for he knew what it was to lose a +leg. + +"Huh!" said a Grasshopper, interrupting in a very rude way, "aren't any +Cows in this meadow now!" + +Then the other Harvestmen told the Walking-Stick all about it, how +sometimes a boy would come to the meadow, catch a Harvestman, hold him +up by one leg, and say to him, "Grandfather Graybeard, tell me where the +Cows are, or I'll kill you." Then the only thing a Harvestman could do +was to struggle and wriggle himself free, and he often broke off a leg +in doing so. + +"How terrible!" said the three Walking-Sticks all together. "But why +don't you tell them?" + +"We do," answered the Harvestmen. "We point with our seven other legs, +and we point every way there is. Sometimes we don't know where they +are, so we point everywhere, to be sure. But it doesn't make any +difference. Our legs drop off just the same." + +"Isn't a boy clever enough to find Cows alone?" asked the +Walking-Sticks. + +"Oh, it isn't that," cried all the meadow people together. "Even after +you tell, and sometimes when the Cows are right there, they walk off +home without them." + +"I'd sting them," said a Wasp, waving his feelers fiercely and raising +and lowering his wings. "I'd sting them as hard as I could." + +"You wouldn't if you had no sting," said the Tree Frog. + +"N-no," stammered the Wasp, "I suppose I wouldn't." + +"You poor creature!" said the biggest Katydid to the biggest Harvestman. +"What will you do? Only seven legs!" + +"Do?" answered the biggest Harvestman, and it was then one could see +how truly brave and cheerful he was. "Do? I'll walk on those seven. If +I lose one of them I'll walk on six, and if I lose one of them I'll walk +on five. Haven't I my mouth and my stomach and my eyes and my two +feelers, and my two food-pincers? I may not be so good-looking, but I am +a Harvestman, and I shall enjoy the grass and the sunshine and my kind +neighbors as long as I live. I must leave you now. Good-day." + +He walked off rather awkwardly, for he had not yet learned to manage +himself since his accident. The meadow people looked after him very +thoughtfully. They were not noticing his awkwardness, or thinking of his +high knees or of his little low body. Perhaps they thought what the +Cicada said, "Ah, that is the way to live!" + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE LITTLE SPIDER'S FIRST WEB + + +The first thing our little Spider remembered was being crowded with a +lot of other little Spiders in a tiny brown house. This tiny house had +no windows, and was very warm and dark and stuffy. When the wind blew, +the little Spiders would hear it rushing through the forest near by, and +would feel their round brown house swinging like a cradle. It was +fastened to a bush by the edge of the forest, but they could not know +that, so they just wiggled and pushed and ate the food that they found +in the house, and wondered what it all meant. They didn't even guess +that a mother Spider had made the brown house and put the food in it for +her Spider babies to eat when they came out of their eggs. She had put +the eggs in, too, but the little Spiders didn't remember the time when +they lay curled up in the eggs. They didn't know what had been nor what +was to be--they thought that to eat and wiggle and sleep was all of +life. You see they had much to learn. + +One morning the little Spiders found that the food was all gone, and +they pushed and scrambled harder than ever, because they were hungry and +wanted more. Exactly what happened nobody knew, but suddenly it grew +light, and some of them fell out of the house. All the rest scrambled +after, and there they stood, winking and blinking in the bright +sunshine, and feeling a little bit dizzy, because they were on a shaky +web made of silvery ropes. + +Just then the web began to shake even more, and a beautiful great mother +Spider ran out on it. She was dressed in black and yellow velvet, and +her eight eyes glistened and gleamed in the sunlight. They had never +dreamed of such a wonderful creature. + +"Well, my children," she exclaimed, "I know you must be hungry, and I +have breakfast all ready for you." So they began eating at once, and the +mother Spider told them many things about the meadow and the forest, and +said they must amuse themselves while she worked to get food for them. +There was no father Spider to help her, and, as she said, "Growing +children must have plenty of good plain food." + +You can just fancy what a good time the baby Spiders had. There were a +hundred and seventy of them, so they had no chance to grow lonely, even +when their mother was away. They lived in this way for quite a while, +and grew bigger and stronger every day. One morning the mother Spider +said to her biggest daughter, "You are quite old enough to work now, and +I will teach you to spin your web." + +The little Spider soon learned to draw out the silvery ropes from the +pocket in her body where they were made and kept, and very soon she had +one fastened at both ends to branches of the bush. Then her mother made +her walk out to the middle of her rope bridge, and spin and fasten two +more, so that it looked like a shining cross. After that was done, the +mother showed her something like a comb, which is part of a Spider's +foot, and taught her how to measure, and put more ropes out from the +middle of the cross, until it looked like the spokes of a wheel. + +The little Spider got much discouraged, and said, "Let me finish it +some other time; I am tired of working now." + +The mother Spider answered, "No, I cannot have a lazy child." + +The little one said, "I can't ever do it, I know I can't." + +"Now," said the mother, "I shall have to give you a Spider scolding. You +have acted as lazy as the Tree Frog says boys and girls sometimes do. He +has been up near the farm-house, and says that he has seen there +children who do not like to work. The meadow people could hardly believe +such a thing at first. He says they were cross and unhappy children, and +no wonder! Lazy people are never happy. You try to finish the web, and +see if I am not right. You are not a baby now, and you must work and get +your own food." + +So the little Spider spun the circles of rope in the web, and made these +ropes sticky, as all careful spiders do. She ate the loose ends and +pieces that were left over, to save them for another time, and when it +was done, it was so fine and perfect that her brothers and sisters +crowded around, saying, "Oh! oh! oh! how beautiful!" and asked the +mother to teach them. The little web-spinner was happier than she had +ever been before, and the mother began to teach her other children. But +it takes a long time to teach a hundred and seventy children. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE BEETLE WHO DID NOT LIKE CATERPILLARS + + +One morning early in June, a fat and shining May Beetle lay on his back +among the grasses, kicking his six legs in the air, and wriggling around +while he tried to catch hold of a grass-blade by which to pull himself +up. Now, Beetles do not like to lie on their backs in the sunshine, and +this one was hot and tired from his long struggle. Beside that, he was +very cross because he was late in getting his breakfast, so when he did +at last get right side up, and saw a brown and black Caterpillar +watching him, he grew very ill-mannered, and said some things of which +he should have been ashamed. + +"Oh, yes," he said, "you are quick enough to laugh when you think +somebody else is in a fix. I often lie on my back and kick, just for +fun." (Which was not true, but when Beetles are cross they are not +always truthful.) + +"Excuse me," said the Caterpillar, "I did not mean to hurt your +feelings. If I smiled, it was because I remembered being in the same +plight myself yesterday, and what a time I had smoothing my fur +afterwards. Now, you won't have to smooth your fur, will you?" she asked +pleasantly. + +"No, I'm thankful to say I haven't any fur to smooth," snapped the +Beetle. "I am not one of the crawling, furry kind. My family wear dark +brown, glossy coats, and we always look trim and clean. When we want to +hurry, we fly; and when tired of flying, we walk or run. We have two +kinds of wings. We have a pair of dainty, soft ones, that carry us +through the air, and then we have a pair of stiff ones to cover over the +soft wings when we come down to the earth again. We are the finest +family in the meadow." + +"I have often heard of you," said the Caterpillar, "and am very glad to +become acquainted." + +"Well," answered the Beetle, "I am willing to speak to you, of course, +but we can never be at all friendly. A May Beetle, indeed, in company +with a Caterpillar! I choose my friends among the Moths, Butterflies, +and Dragon-flies,--in fact, _I_ move in the upper circles." + +"Upper circles, indeed!" said a croaking voice beside him, which made +the Beetle jump, "I have hopped over your head for two or three years, +when you were nothing but a fat, white worm. _You'd_ better not put on +airs. The fine family of May Beetles were all worms once, and they had +to live in the earth and eat roots, while the Caterpillars were in the +sunshine over their heads, dining on tender green leaves and flower +buds." + +The May Beetle began to look very uncomfortable, and squirmed as though +he wanted to get away, but the Tree Frog, for it was the Tree Frog, went +on: "As for your not liking Caterpillars, they don't stay Caterpillars. +Your new acquaintance up there will come out with wings one of these +days, and you will be glad enough to know him." And the Tree Frog hopped +away. + +The May Beetle scraped his head with his right front leg, and then said +to the Caterpillar, who was nibbling away at the milkweed: "You know, I +wasn't really in earnest about our not being friends. I shall be very +glad to know you, and all your family." + +"Thank you," answered the Caterpillar, "thank you very much, but I have +been thinking it over myself, and I feel that I really could not be +friendly with a May Beetle. Of course, I don't mind speaking to you once +in a while, when I am eating, and getting ready to spin my cocoon. After +that it will be different. You see, then I shall belong to one of the +finest families in the meadow, the Milkweed Butterflies. _We_ shall eat +nothing but honey, and dress in soft orange and black velvet. _We_ shall +not blunder and bump around when we fly. _We_ shall enjoy visiting with +the Dragon-flies and Moths. I shall not forget you altogether, I dare +say, but I shall feel it my duty to move in the upper circles, where I +belong. Good-morning." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE YOUNG ROBIN WHO WAS AFRAID TO FLY. + + +During the days when the four beautiful green-blue eggs lay in the nest, +Mrs. Robin stayed quite closely at home. She said it was a very good +place, for she could keep her eggs warm and still see all that was +happening. The rail-end on which they had built was on the meadow side +of the fence, over the tallest grasses and the graceful stalks of +golden-rod. Here the Garter Snake drew his shining body through the +tangled green, and here the Tree Frog often came for a quiet nap. + +Just outside the fence the milkweeds grew, with every broad, pale green +leaf slanting upward in their spring style. Here the Milkweed +Caterpillars fed, and here, too, when the great balls of tiny dull pink +blossoms dangled from the stalks, the Milkweed Butterflies hung all day +long. All the teams from the farm-house passed along the quiet, +grass-grown road, and those which were going to the farm as well. When +Mrs. Robin saw a team coming, she always settled herself more deeply +into her nest, so that not one of her brick-red breast feathers showed. +Then she sat very still, only turning her head enough to watch the team +as it came near, passed, and went out of sight down the road. Sometimes +she did not even have to turn her head, for if she happened to be facing +the road, she could with one eye watch the team come near, and with the +other watch it go away. No bird, you know, ever has to look at anything +with both eyes at once. + +After the young Robins had outgrown their shells and broken and thrown +them off, they were naked and red and blind. They lay in a heap in the +bottom of the nest, and became so tangled that nobody but a bird could +tell which was which. If they heard their father or their mother flying +toward them, they would stretch up their necks and open their mouths. +Then each would have some food poked down his throat, and would lie +still until another mouthful was brought to him. + +When they got their eyes open and began to grow more down, they were +good little Robins and did exactly as they were told. It was easy to be +good then, for they were not strong enough to want to go elsewhere, and +they had all they wanted to eat. At night their mother sat in the nest +and covered them with her soft feathers. When it rained she also did +this. She was a kind and very hard-working mother. Mr. Robin worked +quite as hard as she, and was exceedingly proud of his family. + +But when their feathers began to grow, and each young Robin's sharp +quills pricked his brothers and sisters if they pushed against him, then +it was not so easy to be good. Four growing children in one little round +bed sometimes found themselves rather crowded. One night Mrs. Robin said +to her husband: "I am all tired out. I work as long as daylight lasts +getting food for those children, and I cannot be here enough to teach +them anything." + +"Then they must learn to work for themselves," said Mr. Robin decidedly. +"They are surely old enough." + +"Why, they are just babies!" exclaimed his wife. "They have hardly any +tails yet." + +"They don't need tails to eat with," said he, "and they may as well +begin now. I will not have you get so tired for this one brood." + +Mrs. Robin said nothing more. Indeed, there was nothing more to be +said, for she knew perfectly well that her children would not eat with +their tails if they had them. She loved her babies so that she almost +disliked to see them grow up, yet she knew it was right for them to +leave the nest. They were so large that they spread out over the edges +of it already, and they must be taught to take care of themselves before +it was time for her to rear her second brood. + +The next morning all four children were made to hop out on to the rail. +Their legs were not very strong and their toes sprawled weakly around. +Sometimes they lurched and almost fell. Before leaving the nest they had +felt big and very important; now they suddenly felt small and young and +helpless. Once in a while one of them would hop feebly along the rail +for a few steps. Then he would chirp in a frightened way, let his head +settle down over his speckled breast, slide his eyelids over his eyes, +and wait for more food to be brought to him. + +Whenever a team went by, the oldest child shut his eyes. He thought they +couldn't see him if he did that. The other children kept theirs open and +watched to see what happened. Their father and mother had told them to +watch, but the timid young Robin always shut his eyes in spite of that. + +"We shall have trouble with him," said Mrs. Robin, "but he must be made +to do as he is told, even if he is afraid." She shut her bill very +tightly as she spoke, and Mr. Robin knew that he could safely trust the +bringing-up of his timid son to her. + +Mrs. Robin talked and talked to him, and still he shut his eyes every +time that he was frightened. "I can't keep them open," he would say, +"because when I am frightened I am always afraid, and I can't be brave +when I am afraid." + +"That is just when you must be brave," said his mother. "There is no use +in being brave when there is nothing to fear, and it is a great deal +braver to be brave when you are frightened than to be brave when you are +not." You can see that she was a very wise Robin and a good mother. It +would have been dreadful for her to let him grow up a coward. + +At last the time came when the young birds were to fly to the ground and +hop across the road. Both their father and their mother were there to +show them how. "You must let go of the rail," they said. "You will never +fly in the world unless you let go of the rail." + +Three of the children fluttered and lurched and flew down. The timid +young Robin would not try it. His father ordered and his mother coaxed, +yet he only clung more closely to his rail and said, "I can't! I'm +afraid!" + +At last his mother said: "Very well. You shall stay there as long as +you wish, but we cannot stay with you." + +Then she chirped to her husband, and they and the three brave children +went across the road, talking as they went. "Careful!" she would say. +"Now another hop! That was fine! Now another!" And the father fluttered +around and said: "Good! Good! You'll be grown-up before you know it." +When they were across, the parents hunted food and fed their three brave +children, tucking the mouthfuls far into their wide-open bills. + +The timid little Robin on the fence felt very, very lonely. He was +hungry, too. Whenever he saw his mother pick up a mouthful of food, he +chirped loudly: "Me! Me! Me!" for he wanted her to bring it to him. She +paid no attention to him for a long time. Then she called: "Do you think +you can fly? Do you think you can fly? Do you think?" + +The timid little Robin hopped a few steps and chirped but never lifted +a wing. Then his mother gave each of the other children a big mouthful. + +The Robin on the fence huddled down into a miserable little bunch, and +thought: "They don't care whether I ever have anything to eat. No, they +don't!" Then he heard a rush of wings, and his mother stood before him +with a bunch in her bill for him. He hopped toward her and she ran away. +Then he sat down and cried. She hopped back and looked lovingly at him, +but couldn't speak because her bill was so full. Across the road the +Robin father stayed with his brave children and called out, "Earn it, my +son, earn it!" + +The young Robin stretched out his neck and opened his bill--but his +mother flew to the ground. He was so hungry--so very, very hungry,--that +for a minute he quite forgot to be afraid, and he leaned toward her and +toppled over. He fluttered his wings without thinking, and the first he +knew he had flown to the ground. He was hardly there before his mother +was feeding him and his father was singing: "Do you know what you did? +Do you know what you did? Do you know?" + +Before his tail was grown the timid Robin had become as brave as any of +the children, for, you know, after you begin to be brave you always want +to go on. But the Garter Snake says that Mrs. Robin is the bravest of +the family. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE CRICKETS' SCHOOL + + +In one corner of the meadow lived a fat old Cricket, who thought a great +deal of himself. He had such a big, shining body, and a way of chirping +so very loudly, that nobody could ever forget where he lived. He was a +very good sort of Cricket, too, ready to say the most pleasant things to +everybody, yet, sad to relate, he had a dreadful habit of boasting. He +had not always lived in the meadow, and he liked to tell of the +wonderful things he had seen and done when he was younger and lived up +near the white farm-house. + +When he told these stories of what he had done, the big Crickets around +him would not say much, but just sit and look at each other. The little +Crickets, however, loved to hear him talk, and would often come to the +door of his house (which was a hole in the ground), to beg him to tell +them more. + +One evening he said he would teach them a few things that all little +Crickets should know. He had them stand in a row, and then began: "With +what part of your body do you eat?" + +"With our mouths," all the little Crickets shouted. + +"With what part of your body do you run and leap?" + +"Our legs," they cried. + +"Do you do anything else with your legs?" + +"We clean ourselves with them," said one. + +"We use them and our mouths to make our houses in the ground," said +another. + +"Oh yes, and we hear with our two front legs," cried one bright little +fellow. + +"That is right," answered the fat old Cricket. "Some creatures hear with +things called ears, that grow on the sides of their heads, but for my +part, I think it much nicer to hear with one's legs, as we do." + +"Why, how funny it must be not to hear with one's legs, as we do," cried +all the little Crickets together. + +"There are a great many queer things to be seen in the great world," +said their teacher. "I have seen some terribly big creatures with only +two legs and no wings whatever." + +"How dreadful!" all the little Crickets cried. "We wouldn't think they +could move about at all." + +"It must be very hard to do so," said their teacher; "I was very sorry +for them," and he spread out his own wings and stretched his six legs to +show how he enjoyed them. + +"But how can they sing if they have no wings?" asked the bright little +Cricket. + +"They sing through their mouths, in much the same way that the birds +have to. I am sure it must be much easier to sing by rubbing one's wings +together, as we do," said the fat old teacher. "I could tell you many +queer things about these two-legged creatures, and the houses in which +they live, and perhaps some day I will. There are other large +four-legged creatures around their homes that are very terrible, but, my +children, I was never afraid of any of them. I am one of the truly brave +people who are never frightened, no matter how terrible the sight. I +hope, children, that you will always be brave, like me. If anything +should scare you, do not jump or run away. Stay right where you are, +and----" + +But the little Crickets never heard the rest of what their teacher began +to say, for at that minute Brown Bess, the Cow, came through a broken +fence toward the spot where the Crickets were. The teacher gave one +shrill "chirp," and scrambled down his hole. The little Crickets fairly +tumbled over each other in their hurry to get away, and the fat old +Cricket, who had been out in the great world, never again talked to them +about being brave. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE CONTENTED EARTHWORMS + + +After a long and soaking rain, the Earthworms came out of their burrows, +or rather, they came part way out, for each Earthworm put out half of +his body, and, as there were many of them and they lived near to each +other, they could easily visit without leaving their own homes. Two of +these long, slimy people were talking, when a Potato Bug strolled by. +"You poor things," said he, "what a wretched life you must lead. +Spending one's days in the dark earth must be very dreary." + +"Dreary!" exclaimed one of the Earthworms, "it is delightful. The earth +is a snug and soft home. It is warm in cold weather and cool in warm +weather. There are no winds to trouble us, and no sun to scorch us." + +"But," said the Potato Bug, "it must be very dull. Now, out in the +grass, one finds beautiful flowers, and so many families of friends." + +"And down here," answered the Worm, "we have the roots. Some are brown +and woody, like those of the trees, and some are white and slender and +soft. They creep and twine, until it is like passing through a forest to +go among them. And then, there are the seeds. Such busy times as there +are in the ground in spring-time! Each tiny seed awakens and begins to +grow. Its roots must strike downward, and its stalk upward toward the +light. Sometimes the seeds are buried in the earth with the root end up, +and then they have a great time getting twisted around and ready to +grow." + +"Still, after the plants are all growing and have their heads in the +air, you must miss them." + +"We have the roots always," said the Worm. "And then, when the summer is +over, the plants have done their work, helping to make the world +beautiful and raise their seed babies, and they wither and droop to the +earth again, and little by little the sun and the frost and the rain +help them to melt back into the earth. The earth is the beginning and +the end of plants." + +"Do you ever meet the meadow people in it?" asked the Potato Bug. + +"Many of them live here as babies," said the Worm. "The May Beetles, the +Grasshoppers, the great Humming-bird Moths, and many others spend their +babyhood here, all wrapped in eggs or cocoons. Then, when they are +strong enough, and their legs and wings are grown, they push their way +out and begin their work. It is their getting-ready time, down here in +the dark. And then, there are the stones, and they are so old and queer. +I am often glad that I am not a stone, for to have to lie still must be +hard to bear. Yet I have heard that they did not always lie so, and that +some of the very pebbles around us tossed and rolled and ground for +years in the bed of a river, and that some of them were rubbed and +broken off of great rocks. Perhaps they are glad now to just lie and +rest." + +"Truly," said the Potato Bug, "you have a pleasant home, but give me the +sunshine and fresh air, my six legs, and my striped wings, and you are +welcome to it all." + +"You are welcome to them all," answered the Worms. "We are contented +with smooth and shining bodies, with which we can bore and wriggle our +way through the soft, brown earth. We like our task of keeping the +earth right for the plants, and we will work and rest happily here." + +The Potato Bug went his way, and said to his brothers, "What do you +think? I have been talking with Earthworms who would not be Potato Bugs +if they could." And they all shook their heads in wonder, for they +thought that to be Potato Bugs was the grandest and happiest thing in +the world. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE MEASURING WORM'S JOKE + + +One day there crawled over the meadow fence a jolly young Measuring +Worm. He came from a bush by the roadside, and although he was still a +young Worm he had kept his eyes open and had a very good idea how things +go in this world. "Now," thought he, as he rested on the top rail of the +fence, "I shall meet some new friends. I do hope they will be pleasant. +I will look about me and see if anyone is in sight." So he raised his +head high in the air and, sure enough, there were seven Caterpillars of +different kinds on a tall clump of weeds near by. + +The Measuring Worm hurried over to where they were, and making his best +bow said: "I have just come from the roadside and think I shall live in +the meadow. May I feed with you?" + +The Caterpillars were all glad to have him, and he joined their party. +He asked many questions about the meadow, and the people who lived +there, and the best place to find food. The Caterpillars said, "Oh, the +meadow is a good place, and the people are nice enough, but they are not +at all fashionable--not at all." + +"Why," said the Measuring Worm, "if you have nice people and a pleasant +place in which to live, I don't see what more you need." + +"That is all very well," said a black and yellow Caterpillar, "but what +we want is fashionable society. The meadow people always do things in +the same way, and one gets so tired of that. Now can you not tell us +something different, something that Worms do in the great world from +which you come?" + +Just at this minute the Measuring Worm had a funny idea, and he wondered +if the Caterpillars would be foolish enough to copy him. He thought it +would be a good joke if they did, so he said very soberly, "I notice +that when you walk you keep your body quite close to the ground. I have +seen many Worms do the same thing, and it is all right if they wish to, +but none of my family ever do so. Did you notice how I walk?" + +"Yes, yes," cried the Caterpillars, "show us again." + +So the Measuring Worm walked back and forth for them, arching his body +as high as he could, and stopping every little while to raise his head +and look haughtily around. + +"What grace!" exclaimed the Caterpillars. "What grace, and what style!" +and one black and brown one tried to walk in the same way. + +The Measuring Worm wanted to laugh to see how awkward the black and +brown Caterpillar was, but he did not even smile, and soon every one of +the Caterpillars was trying the same thing, and saying "Look at me. +Don't I do well?" or, "How was that?" + +You can just imagine how those seven Caterpillars looked when trying to +walk like the Measuring Worm. Every few minutes one of them would tumble +over, and they all got warm and tired. At last they thought they had +learned it very well, and took a long rest, in which they planned to +take a long walk and show the other meadow people the fashion they had +received from the outside world. + +"We will walk in a line," they said, "as far as we can, and let them all +see us. Ah, it will be a great day for the meadow when we begin to set +the fashions!" + +The mischievous young Measuring Worm said not a word, and off they +started. The big black and yellow Caterpillar went first, the black and +brown one next, and so on down to the smallest one at the end of the +line, all arching their bodies as high as they could. All the meadow +people stared at them, calling each other to come and look, and whenever +the Caterpillars reached a place where there were many watching them, +they would all raise their heads and look around exactly as the +Measuring Worm had done. When they got back to their clump of bushes, +they had the most dreadful backaches, but they said to each other, +"Well, we have been fashionable for once." + +And, at the same time, out in the grass, the meadow people were saying, +"Did you ever see anything so ridiculous in your life?" All of which +goes to show how very silly people sometimes are when they think too +much of being fashionable. + + + + +[Illustration] + +A PUZZLED CICADA + + +Seventeen years is a long, long time to be getting ready to fly; yet +that is what the Seventeen-year Locusts, or Cicadas, have to expect. +First, they lie for a long time in eggs, down in the earth. Then, when +they awaken, and crawl out of their shells, they must grow strong enough +to dig before they can make their way out to where the beautiful green +grass is growing and waving in the wind. + +The Cicada who got so very much puzzled had not been long out of his +home in the warm, brown earth. He was the only Cicada anywhere around, +and it was very lonely for him. However, he did not mind that so much +when he was eating, or singing, or resting in the sunshine, and as he +was either eating, or singing, or resting in the sunshine most of the +time, he got along fairly well. + +Because he was young and healthy he grew fast. He grew so very fast that +after a while he began to feel heavy and stiff, and more like sitting +still than like crawling around. Beside all this, his skin got tight, +and you can imagine how uncomfortable it must be to have one's skin too +tight. He was sitting on the branch of a bush one day, thinking about +the wonderful great world, when--pop!--his skin had cracked open right +down the middle of his back! The poor Cicada was badly frightened at +first, but then it seemed so good and roomy that he took a deep breath, +and--pop!--the crack was longer still! + +The Cicada found that he had another whole skin under the outside one +which had cracked, so he thought, "How much cooler and more comfortable +I shall be if I crawl out of this broken covering," and out he crawled. + +It wasn't very easy work, because he didn't have anybody to help him. He +had to hook the claws of his outer skin into the bark of the branch, +hook them in so hard that they couldn't pull out, and then he began to +wriggle out of the back of his own skin. It was exceedingly hard work, +and the hardest of all was the pulling his legs out of their cases. He +was so tired when he got free that he could hardly think, and his new +skin was so soft and tender that he felt limp and queer. He found that +he had wings of a pretty green, the same color as his legs. He knew +these wings must have been growing under his old skin, and he stretched +them slowly out to see how big they were. This was in the morning, and +after he had stretched his wings he went to sleep for a long time. + +When he awakened, the sun was in the western sky, and he tried to think +who he was. He looked at himself, and instead of being green he was a +dull brown and black. Then he saw his old skin clinging to the branch +and staring him in the face. It was just the same shape as when he was +in it, and he thought for a minute that he was dreaming. He rubbed his +head hard with his front legs to make sure he was awake, and then he +began to wonder which one he was. Sometimes he thought that the old skin +which clung to the bush was the Cicada that had lain so long in the +ground, and sometimes he thought that the soft, fat, new-looking one +was the Cicada. Or were both of them the Cicada? If he were only one of +the two, what would he do with the other? + +While he was wondering about this in a sleepy way, an old Cicada from +across the river flew down beside him. He thought he would ask her, so +he waved his feelers as politely as he knew how, and said, "Excuse me, +Madam Cicada, for I am much puzzled. It took me seventeen years to grow +into a strong, crawling Cicada, and then in one day I separated. The +thinking, moving part of me is here, but the outside shell of me is +there on that branch. Now, which part is the real Cicada?" + +"Why, that is easy enough," said the Madam Cicada; "You are _you_, of +course. The part that you cast off and left clinging to the branch was +very useful once. It kept you warm on cold days and cool on warm days, +and you needed it while you were only a crawling creature. But when +your wings were ready to carry you off to a higher and happier life, +then the skin that had been a help was in your way, and you did right to +wriggle out of it. It is no longer useful to you. Leave it where it is +and fly off to enjoy your new life. You will never have trouble if you +remember that the thinking part is the real _you_." + +And then Madam Cicada and her new friend flew away to her home over the +river, and he saw many strange sights before he returned to the meadow. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE TREE FROG'S STORY + + +In all the meadow there was nobody who could tell such interesting +stories as the old Tree Frog. Even the Garter Snake, who had been there +the longest, and the old Cricket, who had lived in the farm-yard, could +tell no such exciting tales as the Tree Frog. All the wonderful things +of which he told had happened before he came to the meadow, and while he +was still a young Frog. None of his friends had known him then, but he +was an honest fellow, and they were sure that everything he told was +true: besides, they must be true, for how could a body ever think out +such remarkable tales from his own head? + +When he first came to his home by the elm tree he was very thin, and +looked as though he had been sick. The Katydids who stayed near said +that he croaked in his sleep, and that, you know, is not what well and +happy Frogs should do. + +One day when many of the meadow people were gathered around him, he told +them his story. "When I was a little fellow," he said, "I was strong and +well, and could leap farther than any other Frog of my size. I was +hatched in the pond beyond the farm-house, and ate my way from the egg +to the water outside like any other Frog. Perhaps I ought to say, 'like +any other Tadpole,' for, of course, I began life as a Tadpole. I played +and ate with my brothers and sisters, and little dreamed what trouble +was in store for me when I grew up. We were all in a hurry to be Frogs, +and often talked of what we would do and how far we would travel when we +were grown. + +"Oh, how happy we were then! I remember the day when my hind legs began +to grow, and how the other Tadpoles crowded around me in the water and +swam close to me to feel the two little bunches that were to be legs. My +fore legs did not grow until later, and these bunches came just in front +of my tail." + +"Your tail!" cried a puzzled young Cricket; "why, you haven't any tail!" + +"I did have when I was a Tadpole," said the Tree Frog. "I had a +beautiful, wiggly little tail with which to swim through the waters of +the pond; but as my legs grew larger and stronger, my tail grew littler +and weaker, until there wasn't any tail left. By the time my tail was +gone I had four good legs, and could breathe through both my nose and +my skin. The knobs on the ends of my toes were sticky, so that I could +climb a tree, and then I was ready to start on my travels. Some of the +other Frogs started with me, but they stopped along the way, and at last +I was alone. + +"I was a bold young fellow, and when I saw a great white thing among the +trees up yonder, I made up my mind to see what it was. There was a great +red thing in the yard beside it, but I liked the white one better. I +hopped along as fast as I could, for I did not then know enough to be +afraid. I got close up to them both, and saw strange, big creatures +going in and out of the red thing--the barn, as I afterward found it was +called. The largest creatures had four legs, and some of them had horns. +The smaller creatures had only two legs on which to walk, and two other +limbs of some sort with which they lifted and carried things. The +queerest thing about it was, that the smaller creatures seemed to make +the larger ones do whatever they wanted them to. They even made some of +them help do their work. You may not believe me, but what I tell you is +true. I saw two of the larger ones tied to a great load of dried grass +and pulling it into the barn. + +"As you may guess, I stayed there a long time, watching these strange +creatures work. Then I went over toward the white thing, and that, I +found out, was the farm-house. Here were more of the two-legged +creatures, but they were dressed differently from those in the barn. +There were some bright-colored flowers near the house, and I crawled in +among them. There I rested until sunset, and then began my evening song. +While I was singing, one of the people from the house came out and found +me. She picked me up and carried me inside. Oh, how frightened I was! My +heart thumped as though it would burst, and I tried my best to get away +from her. She didn't hurt me at all, but she would not let me go. + +"She put me in a very queer prison. At first, when she put me down on a +stone in some water, I did not know that I was in prison. I tried to hop +away, and--bump! went my head against something. Yet when I drew back, I +could see no wall there. I tried it again and again, and every time I +hurt my head. I tell you the truth, my friends, those walls were made of +something which one could see through." + +"Wonderful!" exclaimed all the meadow people; "wonderful, indeed!" + +"And at the top," continued the Tree Frog, "was something white over the +doorway into my prison. In the bottom were water and a stone, and from +the bottom to the top was a ladder. There I had to live for most of the +summer. I had enough to eat; but anybody who has been free cannot be +happy shut in. I watched my chance, and three times I got out when the +little door was not quite closed. Twice I was caught and put back. In +the pleasant weather, of course, I went to the top of the ladder, and +when it was going to rain I would go down again. Every time that I went +up or down, those dreadful creatures would put their faces up close to +my prison, and I could hear a roaring sound which meant they were +talking and laughing. + +"The last time I got out, I hid near the door of the house, and although +they hunted and hunted for me, they didn't find me. After they stopped +hunting, the wind blew the door open, and I hopped out." + +"You don't say!" exclaimed a Grasshopper. + +"Yes, I hopped out and scrambled away through the grass as fast as ever +I could. You people who have never been in prison cannot think how +happy I was. It seemed to me that just stretching my legs was enough to +make me wild with joy. Well, I came right here, and you were all kind to +me, but for a long time I could not sleep without dreaming that I was +back in prison, and I would croak in my sleep at the thought of it." + +"I heard you," cried the Katydid, "and I wondered what was the matter." + +"Matter enough," said the Tree Frog. "It makes my skin dry to think of +it now. And, friends, the best way I can ever repay your kindness to me, +is to tell you to never, never, never, never go near the farm-house." + +And they all answered, "We never will." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE DAY WHEN THE GRASS WAS CUT. + + +There came a day when all the meadow people rushed back and forth, +waving their feelers and talking hurriedly to each other. The fat old +Cricket was nowhere to be seen. He said that one of his legs was lame +and he thought it best to stay quietly in his hole. The young Crickets +thought he was afraid. Perhaps he was, but he said that he was lame. + +All the insects who had holes crawled into them carrying food. Everybody +was anxious and fussy, and some people were even cross. It was all +because the farmer and his men had come into the meadow to cut the +grass. They began to work on the side nearest the road, but every step +which the Horses took brought the mower nearer to the people who lived +in the middle of the meadow or down toward the river. + +"I have seen this done before," said the Garter Snake. "I got away from +the big mower, and hid in the grass by the trees, or by the stumps where +the mower couldn't come. Then the men came and cut that grass with their +scythes, and I had to wriggle away over the short, sharp grass-stubble +to my hole. When they get near me this time, I shall go into my hole and +stay there." + +"They are not so bad after all," said the Tree Frog. "I like them better +out-of-doors than I did in the house. They saw me out here once and +didn't try to catch me." + +A Meadow Mouse came hurrying along. "I must get home to my babies," she +said. "They will be frightened if I am not there." + +"Much good you can do when you are there!" growled a voice down under +her feet. She was standing over the hole where the fat old Cricket was +with his lame leg. + +The mother Meadow Mouse looked rather angry for a minute, and then she +answered: "I'm not so very large and strong, but I can squeak and let +the Horses know where the nest is. Then they won't step on it. Last year +I had ten or twelve babies there, and one of the men picked them up and +looked at them and then put them back. I was so frightened that my fur +stood on end and I shook like June grass in the wind." + +"Humph! Too scared to run away," said the voice under her feet. + +"Mothers don't run away and leave their children in danger," answered +the Meadow Mouse. "I think it is a great deal braver to be brave when +you are afraid than it is to be brave when you're not afraid." She +whisked her long tail and scampered off through the grass. She did not +go the nearest way to her nest because she thought the Garter Snake +might be watching. She didn't wish him to know where she lived. She knew +he was fond of young Mice, and didn't want him to come to see her babies +while she was away. She said he was not a good friend for young +children. + +"We don't mind it at all," said the Mosquitoes from the lower part of +the meadow. "We are unusually hungry today anyway, and we shall enjoy +having the men come." + +"Nothing to make such a fuss over," said a Milkweed Butterfly. "Just +crawl into your holes or fly away." + +"Sometimes they step on the holes and close them," said an Ant. "What +would you do if you were in a hole and it stopped being a hole and was +just earth?" + +"Crawl out, I suppose," answered the Milkweed Butterfly with a careless +flutter. + +"Yes," said the Ant, "but I don't see what there would be to crawl out +through." + +The Milkweed Butterfly was already gone. Butterflies never worry about +anything very long, you know. + +"Has anybody seen the Measuring Worm?" asked the Katydid. "Where is he?" + +"Oh, I'm up a tree," answered a pleasant voice above their heads, "but I +sha'n't be up a tree very long. I shall come down when the grass is +cut." + +"Oh, dear, dear, dear!" cried the Ants, hurrying around. "We can't think +what we want to do. We don't know what we ought to do. We can't think +and we don't know, and we don't think that we ought to!" + +"Click!" said a Grasshopper, springing into the air. "We must hurry, +hurry, hurry!" He jumped from a stalk of pepper-grass to a plantain. +"We _must_ hurry," he said, and he jumped from the plantain back to the +pepper-grass. + +Up in the tree where the Measuring Worm was, some Katydids were sitting +on a branch and singing shrilly: "Did you ever? Did you ever? Ever? +Ever? Ever? Did you ever?" And this shows how much excited they were, +for they usually sang only at night. + +Then the mower came sweeping down the field, drawn by the Blind Horse +and the Dappled Gray, and guided by the farmer himself. The dust rose in +clouds as they passed, the Grasshoppers gave mighty springs which took +them out of the way, and all the singing and shrilling stopped until the +mower had passed. The nodding grasses swayed and fell as the sharp +knives slid over the ground. "We are going to be hay," they said, "and +live in the big barn." + +"Now we shall grow some more tender green blades," said the grass roots. + +"Fine weather for haying," snorted the Dappled Gray. "We'll cut all the +grass in this field before noon." + +"Good feeling ground to walk on," said the Blind Horse, tossing his head +until the harness jingled. + +Then the Horses and the farmer and the mower passed far away, and the +meadow people came together again. + +"Well," said the Tree Frog. "That's over for a while." + +The Ants and the Grasshoppers came back to their old places. "We did +just the right thing," they cried joyfully. "We got out of the way." + +The Measuring Worm and the Katydids came down from their tree as the +Milkweed Butterfly fluttered past. "The men left the grass standing +around the Meadow Mouse's nest," said the Milkweed Butterfly, "and the +Cows up by the barn are telling how glad they will be to have the hay +when the cold weather comes." + +"Grass must grow and hay be cut," said the wise old Tree Frog, "and when +the time comes we always know what to do. Puk-rup! Puk-r-r-rup!" + +"I think," said the fat old Cricket, as he crawled out of his hole, +"that my lame leg is well enough to use. There is nothing like rest for +a lame leg." + + + + +[Illustration] + +The GRASSHOPPER and the MEASURING WORM RUN a RACE + + +A few days after the Measuring Worm came to the meadow he met the +Grasshoppers. Everybody had heard of the Caterpillars' wish to be +fashionable, and some of the young Grasshoppers, who did not know that +it was all a joke, said they would like to teach the Measuring Worm a +few things. So when they met him the young Grasshoppers began to make +fun of him, and asked him what he did if he wanted to run, and whether +he didn't wish his head grew on the middle of his back so that he could +see better when walking. + +The Measuring Worm was good-natured, and only said that he found his +head useful where it was. Soon one fine-looking Grasshopper asked him to +race. "That will show," said the Grasshopper, "which is the better +traveller." + +The Measuring Worm said: "Certainly, I will race with you to-morrow, and +we will ask all our friends to look on." Then he began talking about +something else. He was a wise young fellow, as well as a jolly one, and +he knew the Grasshoppers felt sure that he would be beaten. "If I cannot +win the race by swift running," thought he, "I must try to win it by +good planning." So he got the Grasshoppers to go with him to a place +where the sweet young grass grew, and they all fed together. + +The Measuring Worm nibbled only a little here and there, but he talked a +great deal about the sweetness of the grass, and how they would not get +any more for a long time because the hot weather would spoil it. And the +Grasshoppers said to each other: "He is right, and we must eat all we +can while we have it." So they ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, until +sunset, and in the morning they awakened and began eating again. When +the time for the race came, they were all heavy and stupid from so much +eating,--which was exactly what the Measuring Worm wanted. + +The Tree Frog, the fat, old Cricket, and a Caterpillar were chosen to be +the judges, and the race was to be a long one,--from the edge of the +woods to the fence. When the meadow people were all gathered around to +see the race, the Cricket gave a shrill chirp, which meant "Go!" and off +they started. That is to say, the Measuring Worm started. The +Grasshopper felt so sure he could beat that he wanted to give the +Measuring Worm a little the start, because then, you see, he could say +he had won without half trying. + +The Measuring Worm started off at a good, steady rate, and when he had +gone a few feet the Grasshopper gave a couple of great leaps, which +landed him far ahead of the Worm. Then he stopped to nibble a blade of +grass and visit with some Katydids who were looking on. By and by he +took a few more leaps and passed the Measuring Worm again. This time he +began to show off by jumping up straight into the air, and when he came +down he would call out to those who stood near to see how strong he was +and how easy it would be for him to win the race. And everybody said, +"How strong he is, to be sure!" "What wonderful legs he has!" and "He +could beat the Measuring Worm with his eyes shut!" which made the +Grasshopper so exceedingly vain that he stopped more and more often to +show his strength and daring. + +That was the way it went, until they were only a short distance from the +end of the race course. The Grasshopper was more and more pleased to +think how easily he was winning, and stopped for a last time to nibble +grass and make fun of the Worm. He gave a great leap into the air, and +when he came down there was the Worm on the fence! All the meadow people +croaked, and shrilled, and chirped to see the way in which the race +ended, and the Grasshopper was very much vexed. "You shouldn't call him +the winner," he said; "I can travel ten times as fast as he, if I try." + +"Yes," answered the judges, "we all know that, yet the winning of the +race is not decided by what you might do, but by what you did do." And +the meadow people all cried: "Long live the Measuring Worm! Long live +the Measuring Worm!" + + + + +[Illustration] + +MR GREEN FROG AND HIS VISITORS + + +One day a young Frog who lived down by the river, came hopping up +through the meadow. He was a fine-looking fellow, all brown and green, +with a white vest, and he came to see the sights. The oldest Frog on the +river bank had told him that he ought to travel and learn to know the +world, so he had started at once. + +Young Mr. Green Frog had very big eyes, and they stuck out from his head +more than ever when he saw all the strange sights and heard all the +strange sounds of the meadow. Yet he made one great mistake, just as +bigger and better people sometimes do when they go on a journey; he +didn't try to learn from the things he saw, but only to show off to the +meadow people how much he already knew, and he boasted a great deal of +the fine way in which he lived when at home. + +Mr. Green Frog told those whom he met that the meadow was dreadfully +dry, and that he really could not see how they lived there. He said they +ought to see the lovely soft mud that there was in the marsh, and that +there the people could sit all day with their feet in water in among the +rushes where the sunshine never came. "And then," he said, "to eat grass +as the Grasshoppers did! If they would go home with him, he would show +them how to live." + +The older Grasshoppers and Crickets and Locusts only looked at each +other and opened their funny mouths in a smile, but the young ones +thought Mr. Green Frog must be right, and they wanted to go back with +him. The old Hoppers told them that they wouldn't like it down there, +and that they would be sorry that they had gone; still the young ones +teased and teased and teased and teased until everybody said: "Well, let +them go, and then perhaps they will be contented when they return." + +At last they all set off together,--Mr. Green Frog and the young meadow +people. Mr. Green Frog took little jumps all the way and bragged and +bragged. The Grasshoppers went in long leaps, the Crickets scampered +most of the way, and the Locusts fluttered. It was a very gay little +party, and they kept saying to each other, "What a fine time we shall +have!" + +When they got to the marsh, Mr. Green Frog went in first with a soft +"plunk" in the mud. The rest all followed and tried to make believe that +they liked it, but they didn't--they didn't at all. The Grasshoppers +kept bumping against the tough, hard rushes when they jumped, and then +that would tumble them over on their backs in the mud, and there they +would lie, kicking their legs in the air, until some friendly Cricket +pushed them over on their feet again. The Locusts couldn't fly at all +there, and the Crickets got their shiny black coats all grimy and +horrid. + +They all got cold and wet and tired--yes, and hungry too, for there were +no tender green things growing in among the rushes. Still they pretended +to have a good time, even while they were thinking how they would like +to be in their dear old home. + +After the sun went down in the west it grew colder still, and all the +Frogs in the marsh began to croak to the moon, croaking so loudly that +the tired little travellers could not sleep at all. When the Frogs +stopped croaking and went to sleep in the mud, one tired Cricket said: +"If you like this, _stay_. I am going home as fast as my six little legs +will carry me." And all the rest of the travellers said: "So am I," "So +am I," "So am I." + +Mr. Green Frog was sleeping soundly, and they crept away as quietly as +they could out into the silvery moonlight and up the bank towards home. +Such a tired little party as they were, and so hungry that they had to +stop and eat every little while. The dew was on the grass and they could +not get warm. + +The sun was just rising behind the eastern forest when they got home. +They did not want to tell about their trip at all, but just ate a lot +of pepper-grass to make them warm, and then rolled themselves in between +the woolly mullein leaves to rest all day long. And that was the last +time any of them ever went away with a stranger. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE DIGNIFIED WALKING-STICKS. + + +Three Walking-Sticks from the forest had come to live in the big maple +tree near the middle of the meadow. Nobody knew exactly why they had +left the forest, where all their sisters and cousins and aunts lived. +Perhaps they were not happy with their relatives. But then, if one is a +Walking-Stick, you know, one does not care so very much about one's +family. + +These Walking-Sticks had grown up the best way they could, with no +father or mother to care for them. They had never been taught to do +anything useful, or to think much about other people. When they were +hungry they ate some leaves, and never thought what they should eat the +next time that they happened to be hungry. When they were tired they +went to sleep, and when they had slept enough they awakened. They had +nothing to do but to eat and sleep, and they did not often take the +trouble to think. They felt that they were a little better than those +meadow people who rushed and scrambled and worked from morning until +night, and they showed very plainly how they felt. They said it was not +genteel to hurry, no matter what happened. + +One day the Tree Frog was under the tree when the large Brown +Walking-Stick decided to lay some eggs. He saw her dropping them +carelessly around on the ground, and asked, "Do you never fix a place +for your eggs?" + +"A place?" said the Brown Walking-Stick, waving her long and slender +feelers to and fro. "A place? Oh, no! I think they will hatch where they +are. It is too much trouble to find a place." + +"Puk-r-r-rup!" said the Tree Frog. "Some mothers do not think it too +much trouble to be careful where they lay eggs." + +"That may be," said the Brown Walking-Stick, "but they do not belong to +our family." She spoke as if those who did not belong to her family +might be good but could never be genteel. She had once told her brother, +the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, that she would not want to live if she +could not be genteel. She thought the meadow people very common. + +The Five-Legged Walking-Stick looked much like his sister. He had the +same long, slender body, the same long feelers, and the same sort of +long, slender legs. If you had passed them in a hay-field, you would +surely have thought each a stem of hay, unless you happened to see them +move. The other Walking-Stick, their friend, was younger and green. You +would have thought her a blade of grass. + +It is true that the brother had the same kind of legs as his sister, +but he did not have the same number. When he was young and green he had +six, then came a dreadful day when a hungry Nuthatch saw him, flew down, +caught him, and carried him up a tree. He knew just what to expect, so +when the Nuthatch set him down on the bark to look at him, he unhooked +his feet from the bark and tumbled to the ground. The Nuthatch tried to +catch him and broke off one of his legs, but she never found him again, +although she looked and looked and looked and looked. That was because +he crawled into a clump of ferns and kept very still. + +His sister came and looked at him and said, "Now if you were only a +Spider it would not be long before you would have six legs again." + +Her brother waved first one feeler and then the other, and said: "Do you +think I would be a Spider for the sake of growing legs? I would rather +be a Walking-Stick without any legs than to be a Spider with a +hundred." Of course, you know, Spiders never do have a hundred, and a +Walking-Stick wouldn't be walking without any, but that was just his way +of speaking, and it showed what kind of insect he was. His relatives all +waved their feelers, one at a time, and said, "Ah, he has the true +Walking-Stick spirit!" Then they paid no more attention to him, and +after a while he and his sister and their green little friend left the +forest for the meadow. + +On the day when the grass was cut, they had sat quietly in their trees +and looked genteel. Their feelers were held quite close together, and +they did not move their feet at all, only swayed their bodies gracefully +from side to side. Now they were on the ground, hunting through the flat +piles of cut grass for some fresh and juicy bits to eat. The Tree Frog +was also out, sitting in a cool, damp corner of the grass rows. The +young Grasshoppers were kicking up their feet, the Ants were scrambling +around as busy as ever, and life went on quite as though neither men nor +Horses had ever entered the meadow. + +"See!" cried a Spider who was busily looking after her web, "there comes +a Horse drawing something, and the farmer sitting on it and driving." + +When the Horse was well into the meadow, the farmer moved a bar, and the +queer-looking machine began to kick the grass this way and that with its +many stiff and shining legs. A frisky young Grasshopper kicked in the +same way, and happened--just happened, of course--to knock over two of +his friends. Then there was a great scrambling and the Crickets +frolicked with them. The young Walking-Stick thought it looked like +great fun and almost wished herself some other kind of insect, so that +she could tumble around in the same way. She did not quite wish it, you +understand, and would never have thought of it if she had turned brown. + +"Ah," said the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, "what scrambling! How very +common!" + +"Yes, indeed!" said his sister. "Why can't they learn to move slowly and +gracefully? Perhaps they can't help being fat, but they might at least +act genteel." + +"What is it to be genteel?" asked a Grasshopper suddenly. He had heard +every word that the Walking-Stick said. + +"Why," said the Five-Legged Walking-Stick, "it is just to be genteel. To +act as you see us act, and to----" + +Just here the hay-tedder passed over them, and every one of the +Walking-Sticks was sent flying through the air and landed on his back. +The Grasshoppers declare that the Walking-Sticks tumbled and kicked and +flopped around in a dreadfully common way until they were right side +up. "Why," said the Measuring Worm, "you act like anybody else when the +hay-tedder comes along!" + +The Walking-Sticks looked very uncomfortable, and the brother and sister +could not think of anything to say. It was the young green one who spoke +at last. "I think," said she, "that it is much easier to act genteel +when one is right side up." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE DAY OF THE GREAT STORM + + +Everything in the meadow was dry and dusty. The leaves on the milkweeds +were turning yellow with thirst, the field blossoms drooped their dainty +heads in the sunshine, and the grass seemed to fairly rattle in the +wind, it was so brown and dry. + +All of the meadow people when they met each other would say, "Well, this +_is_ hot," and the Garter Snake, who had lived there longer than anyone +else, declared that it was the hottest and driest time that he had ever +known. "Really," he said, "it is so hot that I cannot eat, and such a +thing never happened before." + +The Grasshoppers and Locusts were very happy, for such weather was +exactly what they liked. They didn't see how people could complain of +such delightful scorching days. But that, you know, is always the way, +for everybody cannot be suited at once, and all kinds of weather are +needed to make a good year. + +The poor Tree Frog crawled into the coolest place he could find--hollow +trees, shady nooks under the ferns, or even beneath the corner of a +great stone. "Oh," said he, "I wish I were a Tadpole again, swimming in +a shady pool. It is such a long, hot journey to the marsh that I cannot +go. Last night I dreamed that I was a Tadpole, splashing in the water, +and it was hard to awaken and find myself only an uncomfortable old Tree +Frog." + +Over his head the Katydids were singing, "Lovely weather! Lovely +weather!" and the Tree Frog, who was a good-natured old fellow after +all, winked his eye at them and said: "Sing away. This won't last +always, and then it will be my turn to sing." + +Sure enough, the very next day a tiny cloud drifted across the sky, and +the Tree Frog, who always knew when the weather was about to change, +began his rain-song. "Pukr-r-rup!" sang he, "Pukr-r-rup! It will rain! +It will rain! R-r-r-rain!" + +The little white cloud, grew bigger and blacker, and another came +following after, then another, and another, and another, until the sky +was quite covered with rushing black clouds. Then came a long, low +rumble of thunder, and all the meadow people hurried to find shelter. +The Moths and Butterflies hung on the under sides of great leaves. The +Grasshoppers and their cousins crawled under burdock and mullein plants. +The Ants scurried around to find their own homes. The Bees and Wasps, +who had been gathering honey for their nests, flew swiftly back. +Everyone was hurrying to be ready for the shower, and above all the +rustle and stir could be heard the voice of the old Frog, "Pukr-r-rup! +Pukr-r-rup! It will rain! It will rain! R-r-r-rain!" + +The wind blew harder and harder, the branches swayed and tossed, the +leaves danced, and some even blew off of their mother trees; the +hundreds of little clinging creatures clung more and more tightly to the +leaves that sheltered them, and then the rain came, and such a rain! +Great drops hurrying down from the sky, crowding each other, beating +down the grass, flooding the homes of the Ants and Digger Wasps until +they were half choked with water, knocking over the Grasshoppers and +tumbling them about like leaves. The lightning flashed, and the thunder +pealed, and often a tree would crash down in the forest near by when the +wind blew a great blast. + +When everybody was wet, and little rivulets of water were trickling +through the grass and running into great puddles in the hollows, the +rain stopped, stopped suddenly. One by one the meadow people crawled or +swam into sight. + +The Digger Wasp was floating on a leaf in a big puddle. He was too tired +and wet to fly, and the whirling of the leaf made him feel sick and +dizzy, but he stood firmly on his tiny boat and tried to look as though +he enjoyed it. + +The Ants were rushing around to put their homes in shape, the Spiders +were busily eating their old webs, which had been broken and torn in the +storm, and some were already beginning new ones. A large family of Bees, +whose tree-home had been blown down, passed over the meadow in search +for a new dwelling, and everybody seemed busy and happy in the cool air +that followed the storm. + +The Snake went gliding through the wet grass, as hungry as ever, the +Tree Frog was as happy as when he was a Tadpole, and only the +Grasshoppers and their cousins, the Locusts and Katydids, were cross. +"Such a horrid rain!" they grumbled, "it spoiled all our fun. And after +such lovely hot weather too." + +"Now don't be silly," said the Tree Frog, who could be really severe +when he thought best, "the Bees and the Ants are not complaining, and +they had a good deal harder time than you. Can't you make the best of +anything? A nice, hungry, cross lot you would be if it didn't rain, +because then you would have no good, juicy food. It's better for you in +the end as it is, but even if it were not, you might make the best of it +as I did of the hot weather. When you have lived as long as I have, you +will know that neither Grasshoppers nor Tree Frogs can have their way +all the time, but that it always comes out all right in the end without +their fretting about it." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE STORY OF LILY PAD ISLAND + + +This is the story of a venturesome young Spider, who left his home in +the meadow to seek his fortune in the great world. + +He was a beautiful Spider, and belonged to one of the best families in +the country around. He was a worker, too, for, as he had often said, +there wasn't a lazy leg on his body, and he could spin the biggest, +strongest, and shiniest web in the meadow. All the young people in the +meadow liked him, and he was invited to every party, or dance, or +picnic that they planned. If he had been content to stay at home, as his +brothers and sisters were, he would in time have become as important and +well known as the Tree Frog, or the fat, old Cricket, or even as the +Garter Snake. + +But that would not satisfy him at all, and one morning he said "Good-by" +to all his friends and relatives, and set sail for unknown lands. He set +sail, but not on water. He crawled up a tree, and out to the end of one +of its branches. There he began spinning a long silken rope, and letting +the wind blow it away from the tree. He held fast to one end, and when +the wind was quite strong, he let go of the branch and sailed off +through the air, carried by his rope balloon, and blown along by the +wind. + +The meadow people, on the ground below, watched him until he got so far +away that he looked about as large as a Fly, and then he looked no +bigger than an Ant, and then no bigger than a clover seed, and then no +bigger than the tiniest egg that was ever laid, and then--well, then you +could see nothing but sky, and the Spider was truly gone. The other +young Spiders all wished that they had gone, and the old Spiders said, +"They might much better stay at home, as their fathers and mothers had +done." There was no use talking about it when they disagreed so, and +very little more was said. + +Meanwhile, the young traveller was having a very fine time. He was +carried past trees and over fences, down toward the river. Under him +were all the bright flowers of the meadow, and the bushes which used to +tower above his head. After a while, he saw the rushes of the marsh +below him, and wondered if the Frogs there would see him as he passed +over them. + +Next, he saw a beautiful, shining river, and in the quiet water by the +shore were great white water-lilies growing, with their green leaves, +or pads, floating beside them. "Ah," thought he, "I shall pass over the +river, and land on the farther side," and he began to think of eating +his rope balloon, so that he might sink slowly to the ground, when--the +wind suddenly stopped blowing, and he began falling slowly down, down, +down, down. + +How he longed for a branch to cling to! How he shivered at the thought +of plunging into the cold water! How he wished that he had always stayed +at home! How he thought of all the naughty things that he had ever done, +and was sorry that he had done them! But it was of no use, for still he +went down, down, down. He gave up all hope and tried to be brave, and at +that very minute he felt himself alight on a great green lily-pad. + +This was indeed an adventure, and he was very joyful for a little while. +But he got hungry, and there was no food near. He walked all over the +leaf, Lily-Pad Island he named it, and ran around its edges as many as +forty times. It was just a flat, green island, and at one side was a +perfect white lily, which had grown, so pure and beautiful, out of the +darkness and slime of the river bottom. The lily was so near that he +jumped over to it. There he nestled in its sweet, yellow centre, and +went to sleep. + +When he fell asleep it was late in the afternoon, and, as the sun sank +lower and lower in the west, the lily began to close her petals and get +ready for the night. She was just drawing under the water when the +Spider awakened. It was dark and close, and he felt himself shut in and +going down. He scrambled and pushed, and got out just in time to give a +great leap and alight on Lily Pad-Island once more. And then he was in a +sad plight. He was hungry and cold, and night was coming on, and, what +was worst of all, in his great struggle to free himself from the lily +he had pulled off two of his legs, so he had only six left. + +He never liked to think of that night afterward, it was so dreadful. In +the morning he saw a leaf come floating down the stream; he watched it; +it touched Lily-Pad Island for just an instant and he jumped on. He did +not know where it would take him, but anything was better than staying +where he was and starving. It might float to the shore, or against one +of the rushes that grew in the shallower parts of the river. If it did +that, he would jump off and run up to the top and set sail again, but +the island, where he had been, was too low to give him a start. + +He went straight down-stream for a while, then the leaf drifted into a +little eddy, and whirled around and around, until the Spider was almost +too dizzy to stand on it. After that, it floated slowly, very slowly, +toward the shore, and at last came the joyful minute when the Spider +could jump to some of the plants that grew in the shallow water, and, by +making rope bridges from one to another, get on solid ground. + +After a few days' rest he started back to the meadow, asking his way of +every insect that he met. When he got home they did not know him, he was +so changed, but thought him only a tramp Spider, and not one of their +own people. His mother was the first one to find out who he was, and +when her friends said, "Just what I expected! He might have known +better," she hushed them, and answered: "The poor child has had a hard +time, and I won't scold him for going. He has learned that home is the +best place, and that home friends are the dearest. I shall keep him +quiet while his new legs are growing, and then, I think, he will spin +his webs near the old place." + +And so he did, and is now one of the steadiest of all the meadow +people. When anybody asks him his age, he refuses to tell, "For," he +says, "most of me is middle-aged, but these two new legs of mine are +still very young." + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE GRASSHOPPER WHO WOULDN'T BE SCARED. + + +There were more Ants in the meadow than there were of any other kind of +insects. In their family there were not only Ants, but great-aunts, +cousins, nephews, and nieces, until it made one sleepy to think how many +relatives each Ant had. Yet they were small people and never noisy, so +perhaps the Grasshoppers seemed to be the largest family there. + +There were many different families of Grasshoppers, but they were all +related. Some had short horns, or feelers, and red legs; and some had +long horns. Some lived in the lower part of the meadow where it was +damp, and some in the upper part. The Katydids, who really belong to +this family, you know, stayed in trees and did not often sing in the +daytime. Then there were the great Road Grasshoppers who lived only in +places where the ground was bare and dusty, and whom you could hardly +see unless they were flying. When they lay in the dust their wide wings +were hidden and they showed only that part of their bodies which was +dust-color. Let the farmer drive along, however, and they rose into the +air with a gentle, whirring sound and fluttered to a safe place. Then +one could see them plainly, for their large under wings were black with +yellow edges. + +Perhaps those Grasshoppers who were best known in the meadow were the +Clouded Grasshoppers, large dirty-brown ones with dark spots, who seemed +to be everywhere during the autumn. The fathers and brothers in this +family always crackled their wings loudly when they flew anywhere, so +one could never forget that they were around. + +It was queer that they were always spoken of as Grasshoppers. Their +great-great-great-grandparents were called Locusts, and that was the +family name, but the Cicadas liked that name and wanted it for +themselves, and made such a fuss about it that people began to call them +Seventeen-Year-Locusts; and then because they had to call the real +Locusts something else, they called them Grasshoppers. The Grasshoppers +didn't mind this. They were jolly and noisy, and as they grew older were +sometimes very pompous. And you know what it is to be pompous. + +When the farmer was drawing the last loads of hay to his barn and +putting them away in the great mows there, three young Clouded +Grasshopper brothers were frolicking near the wagon. They had tried to +see who could run the fastest, crackle the loudest, spring the highest, +flutter the farthest, and eat the most. There seemed to be nothing more +to do. They couldn't eat another mouthful, the other fellows wouldn't +play with them, they wouldn't play with their sisters, and they were not +having any fun at all. + +They were sitting on a hay-cock, watching the wagon as it came nearer +and nearer. The farmer was on top and one of his men was walking beside +it. Whenever they came to a hay-cock the farmer would stop the Horses, +the man would run a long-handled, shining pitch-fork into the hay on the +ground and throw it up to the farmer. Then it would be trampled down on +to the load, the farmer's wife would rake up the scattering hay which +was left on the ground, and that would be thrown up also. + +The biggest Clouded Grasshopper said to his brothers, "You dare not sit +still while they put this hay on the load!" + +The smallest Clouded Grasshopper said, "I do too!" + +The second brother said, "Huh! Guess I dare do anything you do!" He said +it in a rather mean way, and that may have been because he had eaten too +much. Overeating will make any insect cross. + +Now every one of them was afraid, but each waited for the others to back +out. While they were waiting, the wagon stopped beside them, the shining +fork was run into the hay, and they were shaken and stood on their heads +and lifted through the air on to the wagon. There they found themselves +all tangled up with hay in the middle of the load. It was dark and they +could hardly breathe. There were a few stems of nettles in the hay, and +they had to crawl away from them. It was no fun at all, and they didn't +talk very much. + +When the wagon reached the barn, they were pitched into the mow with +the hay, and then they hopped and fluttered around until they were on +the floor over the Horses' stalls. They sat together on the floor and +wondered how they could ever get back to the meadow. Because they had +come in the middle of the load, they did not know the way. + +"Oh!" said they. "Who are those four-legged people over there?" + +"Kittens!" sang a Swallow over their heads. "Oh, tittle-ittle-ittle-ee!" + +The Clouded Grasshoppers had never seen Kittens. It is true that the old +Cat often went hunting in the meadow, but that was at night, when +Grasshoppers were asleep. + +"Meouw!" said the Yellow Kitten. "Look at those queer little brown +people on the floor. Let's each catch one." + +So the Kittens began crawling slowly over the floor, keeping their +bodies and tails low, and taking very short steps. Not one of them took +his eyes off the Clouded Grasshopper whom he meant to catch. Sometimes +they stopped and crouched and watched, then they went on, nearer, +nearer, nearer, still, while the Clouded Grasshoppers were more and more +scared and wished they had never left the meadow where they had been so +safe and happy. + +At last the Kittens jumped, coming down with their sharp little claws +just where the Clouded Grasshoppers--had been. The Clouded Grasshoppers +had jumped too, but they could not stay long in the air, and when they +came down the Kittens jumped again. So it went until the poor Clouded +Grasshoppers were very, very tired and could not jump half so far as +they had done at first. Sometimes the Kittens even tried to catch them +while they were fluttering, and each time they came a little nearer than +before. They were so tired that they never thought of leaping up on the +wall of the barn where the Kittens couldn't reach them. + +At last the smallest Clouded Grasshopper called to his brothers, "Let us +chase the Kittens." + +The brothers answered, "They're too big." + +The smallest Clouded Grasshopper, who had always been the brightest one +in the family, called back, "We may scare them if they are big." + +Then all the Clouded Grasshoppers leaped toward the Kittens and crackled +their wings and looked very, very fierce. And the Kittens ran away as +fast as they could. They were in such a hurry to get away that the +Yellow Kitten tumbled over the White Kitten and they rolled on the floor +in a furry little heap. The Clouded Grasshoppers leaped again, and the +Kittens scrambled away to their nest in the hay, and stood against the +wall and raised their backs and their pointed little tails, and opened +their pink mouths and spat at them, and said, "Ha-ah-h-h!" + +"There!" said the smallest Clouded Grasshopper to them, "we won't do +anything to you this time, because you are young and don't know very +much, but don't you ever bother one of us again. We might have hopped +right on to you, and then what could you have done to help yourselves?" + +The Clouded Grasshoppers started off to find their way back to the +meadow, and the frightened Kittens looked at each other and whispered: +"Just supposing they had hopped on to us! What _could_ we have done!" + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE EARTHWORM HALF-BROTHERS + + +Early one wet morning, a long Earthworm came out of his burrow. He did +not really leave it, but he dragged most of his body out, and let just +the tip-end of it stay in the earth. Not having any eyes, he could not +see the heavy, gray clouds that filled the sky, nor the milkweed stalks, +so heavy with rain-drops that they drooped their pink heads. He could +not see these things, but he could feel the soft, damp grass, and the +cool, clear air, and as for seeing, why, Earthworms never do have eyes, +and never think of wanting them, any more than you would want six legs, +or feelers on your head. + +This Earthworm had been out of his burrow only a little while, when +there was a flutter and a rush, and Something flew down from the sky and +bit his poor body in two. Oh, how it hurt! Both halves of him wriggled +and twisted with pain, and there is no telling what might have become of +them if another and bigger Something had not come rushing down to drive +the first Something away. So there the poor Earthworm lay, in two +aching, wriggling pieces, and although it had been easy enough to bite +him in two, nothing in the world could ever bite him into one. + +After a while the aching stopped, and he had time to think. It was very +hard to decide what he ought to do. You can see just how puzzling it +must have been, for, if you should suddenly find yourself two people +instead of one, you would not know which one was which. At this very +minute, who should come along but the Cicada, and one of the Earthworm +pieces asked his advice. The Cicada thought that he was the very person +to advise in such a case, because he had had such a puzzling time +himself. So he said in a very knowing way: "Pooh! That is a simple +matter. I thought I was two Cicadas once, but I wasn't. The thinking, +moving part is the real one, whatever happens, so that part of the Worm +which thinks and moves is the real Worm." + +"I am the thinking part," cried each of the pieces. + +The Cicada rubbed his head with his front legs, he was so surprised. + +"And I am the moving part," cried each of the pieces, giving a little +wriggle to prove it. + +"Well, well, well, well!" exclaimed the Cicada, "I believe I don't know +how to settle this. I will call the Garter Snake," and he flew off to +get him. + +A very queer couple they made, the Garter Snake and the Cicada, as they +came hurrying back from the Snake's home. The Garter Snake was quite +excited. "Such a thing has not happened in our meadow for a long time," +he said, "and it is a good thing there is somebody here to explain it to +you, or you would be dreadfully frightened. My family is related to the +Worms, and I know. Both of you pieces are Worms now. The bitten ends +will soon be well, and you can keep house side by side, if you don't +want to live together." + +"Well," said the Earthworms, "if we are no longer the same Worm, but two +Worms, are we related to each other? Are we brothers, or what?" + +"Why," answered the Garter Snake, with a funny little smile, "I think +you might call yourselves half-brothers." And to this day they are known +as "the Earthworm half-brothers." They are very fond of each other and +are always seen together. + +A jolly young Grasshopper, who is a great eater and thinks rather too +much about food, said he wouldn't mind being bitten into two +Grasshoppers, if it would give him two stomachs and let him eat twice as +much. + +The Cicada told the Garter Snake this one day, and the Garter Snake +said: "Tell him not to try it. The Earthworms are the only meadow people +who can live after being bitten in two that way. The rest of us have to +be one, or nothing. And as for having two stomachs, he is just as well +off with one, for if he had two, he would get twice as hungry." + + + + +[Illustration] + +A GOSSIPING FLY + + +Of all the people who lived and worked in the meadow by the river, there +was not one who gave so much thought to other people's business as a +certain Blue-bottle Fly. Why this should be so, nobody could say; +perhaps it was because he had nothing to do but eat and sleep, for that +is often the way with those who do little work. + +Truly his cares were light. To be sure, he ate much, but then, with +nearly sixty teeth for nibbling and a wonderful long tongue for sucking, +he could eat a great deal in a very short time. And as for +sleeping--well, sleeping was as easy for him as for anyone else. + +However it was, he saw nearly everything that happened, and thought it +over in his queer little three-cornered head until he was sure that he +ought to go to talk about it with somebody else. It was no wonder that +he saw so much, for he had a great bunch of eyes on each side of his +head, and three bright, shining ones on the very top of it. That let him +see almost everything at once, and beside this his neck was so +exceedingly slender that he could turn his head very far around. + +This particular Fly, like all other Flies, was very fond of the sunshine +and kept closely at home in dark or wet weather. He had no house, but +stayed in a certain elder bush on cloudy days and called that his home. +He had spent all of one stormy day there, hanging on the under side of a +leaf, with nothing to do but think. Of course, his head was down and his +feet were up, but Blue-bottle Flies think in that position as well as +in any other, and the two sticky pads on each side of his six feet held +him there very comfortably. + +He thought so much that day, that when the next morning dawned sunshiny +and clear, he had any number of things to tell people, and he started +out at once. + +First he went to the Tree Frog. "What do you suppose," said he, "that +the Garter Snake is saying about you? It is very absurd, yet I feel that +you ought to know. He says that your tongue is fastened at the wrong +end, and that the tip of it points down your throat. Of course, I knew +it couldn't be true, still I thought I would tell you what he said, and +then you could see him and put a stop to it." + +For an answer to this the Tree Frog ran out his tongue, and, sure +enough, it was fastened at the front end. "The Snake is quite right," he +said pleasantly, "and my tongue suits me perfectly. It is just what I +need for the kind of food I eat, and the best of all is that it never +makes mischief between friends." + +After that, the Fly could say nothing more there, so he flew away in his +noisiest manner to find the Grasshopper who lost the race. "It was a +shame," said the Fly to him, "that the judges did not give the race to +you. The idea of that little green Measuring Worm coming in here, almost +a stranger, and making so much trouble! I would have him driven out of +the meadow, if I were you." + +"Oh, that is all right," answered the Grasshopper, who was really a good +fellow at heart; "I was very foolish about that race for a time, but the +Measuring Worm and I are firm friends now. Are we not?" And he turned to +a leaf just back of him, and there, peeping around the edge, was the +Measuring Worm himself. + +The Blue-bottle Fly left in a hurry, for where people were so +good-natured he could do nothing at all. He went this time to the +Crickets, whom he found all together by the fat, old Cricket's hole. + +"I came," he said, "to find out if it were true, as the meadow people +say, that you were all dreadfully frightened when the Cow came?" + +The Crickets answered never a word, but they looked at each other and +began asking him questions. + +"Is it true," said one, "that you do nothing but eat and sleep?" + +"Is it true," said another, "that your eyes are used most of the time +for seeing other people's faults?" + +"And is it true," said another, "that with all the fuss you make, you do +little but mischief?" + +The Blue-bottle Fly answered nothing, but started at once for his home +in the elder bush, and they say that his three-cornered head was filled +with very different thoughts from any that had been there before. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE FROG-HOPPERS GO OUT INTO THE WORLD. + + +Along the upper edge of the meadow and in the corners of the rail fence +there grew golden-rod. During the spring and early summer you could +hardly tell that it was there, unless you walked close to it and saw the +slender and graceful stalks pushing upward through the tall grass and +pointing in many different ways with their dainty leaves. The Horses and +Cows knew it, and although they might eat all around it they never +pulled at it with their lips or ate it. In the autumn, each stalk was +crowned with sprays of tiny bright yellow blossoms, which nodded in the +wind and scattered their golden pollen all around. Then it sometimes +happened that people who were driving past would stop, climb over the +fence, and pluck some of it to carry away. Even then there was so much +left that one could hardly miss the stalks that were gone. + +It may have been because the golden-rod was such a safe home that most +of the Frog-Hoppers laid their eggs there. Some laid eggs in other +plants and bushes, but most of them chose the golden-rod. After they had +laid their eggs they wandered around on the grass, the bushes, and the +few trees which grew in the meadow, hopping from one place to another +and eating a little here and a little there. + +Nobody knows why they should have been called Frog-Hoppers, unless it +was because when you look them in the face they seem a very little like +tiny Frogs. To be sure, they have six legs, and teeth on the front pair, +as no real Frog ever thought of having. Perhaps it was only a nickname +because their own name was so long and hard to speak. + +The golden-rod was beginning to show small yellow-green buds on the tips +of its stalks, and the little Frog-Hoppers were now old enough to talk +and wonder about the great world. On one stalk four Frog-Hopper brothers +and sisters lived close together. That was much pleasanter than having +to grow up all alone, as most young Frog-Hoppers do, never seeing their +fathers and mothers or knowing whether they ever would. + +These four little Frog-Hoppers did not know how lucky they were, and +that, you know, happens very often when people have not seen others +lonely or unhappy. They supposed that every Frog-Hopper family had two +brothers and two sisters living together on a golden-rod stalk. They fed +on the juice or sap of the golden-rod, pumping it out of the stalk with +their stout little beaks and eating or drinking it. After they had eaten +it, they made white foam out of it, and this foam was all around them on +the stalk. Any one passing by could tell at once by the foam just where +the Frog-Hoppers lived. + +One morning the oldest Frog-Hopper brother thought that the sap pumped +very hard. It may be that it did pump hard, and it may be that he was +tired or lazy. Anyway, he began to grumble and find fault. "This is the +worst stalk of golden-rod I ever saw in my life," he said. "It doesn't +pay to try to pump any more sap, and I just won't try, so there!" + +He was quite right in saying that it was the worst stalk he had ever +seen, because he had never seen any other, but he was much mistaken in +saying that it didn't pay to pump sap, and as for saying that "it didn't +pay, so there!" we all know that when insects begin to talk in that way +the best thing to do is to leave them quite alone until they are +better-natured. + +The other Frog-Hopper children couldn't leave him alone, because they +hadn't changed their skins for the last time. They had to stay in their +foam until that was done. After the big brother spoke in this way, they +all began to wonder if the sap didn't pump hard. Before long the big +sister wiggled impatiently and said, "My beak is dreadfully tired." + +Then they all stopped eating and began to talk. They called their home +stuffy, and said there wasn't room to turn around in it without hitting +the foam. They didn't say why they should mind hitting the foam. It was +soft and clean, and always opened up a way when they pushed against it. + +"I tell you what!" said the big brother, "after I've changed my skin +once more and gone out into the great world, you won't catch me hanging +around this old golden-rod." + +"Nor me!" "Nor me!" "Nor me!" said the other young Frog-Hoppers. + +"I wonder what the world is like," said the little sister. "Is it just +bigger foam and bigger golden-rod and more Frog-Hoppers?" + +"Huh!" exclaimed her big brother. "What lots you know! If I didn't know +any more than that about it, I'd keep still and not tell anybody." That +made her feel badly, and she didn't speak again for a long time. + +Then the little brother spoke. "I didn't know you had ever been out into +the world," he said. + +"No," said the big brother, "I suppose you didn't. There are lots of +things you don't know." That made him feel badly, and he went off into +the farthest corner of the foam and stuck his head in between a +golden-rod leaf and the stalk. You see the big brother was very cross. +Indeed, he was exceedingly cross. + +For a long time nobody spoke, and then the big sister said, "I wish you +would tell us what the world is like." + +The big brother knew no more about the world than the other children, +but after he had been cross and put on airs he didn't like to tell the +truth. He might have known that he would be found out, yet he held up +his head and answered: "I don't suppose that I can tell you so that you +will understand, because you have never seen it. There are lots of +things there--whole lots of them--and it is very big. Some of the things +are like golden-rod and some of them are not. Some of them are not even +like foam. And there are a great many people there. They all have six +legs, but they are not so clever as we are. We shall have to tell them +things." + +This was very interesting and made the little sister forget to pout and +the little brother come out of his foam-corner. He even looked as +though he might ask a few questions, so the big brother added, "Now +don't talk to me, for I must think about something." + +It was not long after this that the young Frog-Hoppers changed their +skins for the last time. The outside part of the foam hardened and made +a little roof over them while they did this. Then they were ready to go +out into the meadow. The big brother felt rather uncomfortable, and it +was not his new skin which made him so. It was remembering what he had +said about the world outside. + +When they had left their foam and their golden-rod, they had much to see +and ask about. Every little while one of the smaller Frog-Hoppers would +exclaim, "Why, you never told us about this!" or, "Why didn't you tell +us about that?" + +Then the big brother would answer: "Yes, I did. That is one of the +things which I said were not like either golden-rod or foam." + +For a while they met only Crickets, Ants, Grasshoppers, and other +six-legged people, and although they looked at each other they did not +have much to say. At last they hopped near to the Tree Frog, who was +sitting by the mossy trunk of a beech tree and looked so much like the +bark that they did not notice him at first. The big brother was very +near the Tree Frog's head. + +"Oh, see!" cried the others. "There is somebody with only four legs, and +he doesn't look as though he ever had any more. Why, Brother, what does +this mean? You said everybody had six." + +At this moment the Tree Frog opened his eyes a little and his mouth a +great deal, and shot out his quick tongue. When he shut his mouth again, +the big brother of the Frog-Hoppers was nowhere to be seen. They never +had a chance to ask him that question again. If they had but known it, +the Tree Frog at that minute had ten legs, for six and four are ten. But +then, they couldn't know it, for six were on the inside. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE MOSQUITO TRIES TO TEACH HIS NEIGHBORS + + +In this meadow, as in every other meadow since the world began, there +were some people who were always tired of the way things were, and +thought that, if the world were only different, they would be perfectly +happy. One of these discontented ones was a certain Mosquito, a fellow +with a whining voice and disagreeable manners. He had very little +patience with people who were not like him, and thought that the world +would be a much pleasanter place if all the insects had been made +Mosquitoes. + +"What is the use of Spiders, and Dragon-flies, and Beetles, and +Butterflies?" he would say, fretfully; "a Mosquito is worth more than +any of them." + +You can just see how unreasonable he was. Of course, Mosquitoes and +Flies do help keep the air pure and sweet, but that is no reason why +they should set themselves up above the other insects. Do not the Bees +carry pollen from one flower to another, and so help the plants raise +their Seed Babies? And who would not miss the bright, happy Butterflies, +with their work of making the world beautiful? + +But this Mosquito never thought of those things, and he said to himself: +"Well, if they cannot all be Mosquitoes, they can at least try to live +like them, and I think I will call them together and talk it over." So +he sent word all around, and his friends and neighbors gathered to hear +what he had to say. + +"In the first place," he remarked, "it is unfortunate that you are not +Mosquitoes, but, since you are not, one must make the best of it. There +are some things, however, which you might learn from us fortunate +creatures who are. For instance, notice the excellent habit of the +Mosquitoes in the matter of laying eggs. Three or four hundred of the +eggs are fastened together and left floating on a pond in such a way +that, when the babies break their shells, they go head first into the +water. Then they----" + +"Do you think I would do that if I could?" interrupted a motherly old +Grasshopper. "Fix it so my children would drown the minute they came out +of the egg? No, indeed!" and she hurried angrily away, followed by +several other loving mothers. + +"But they don't drown," exclaimed the Mosquito, in surprise. + +"They don't if they're Mosquitoes," replied the Ant, "but I am thankful +to say my children are land babies and not water babies." + +"Well, I won't say anything more about that, but I must speak of your +voices, which are certainly too heavy and loud to be pleasant. I should +think you might speak and sing more softly, even if you have no pockets +under your wings like mine. I flutter my wings, and the air strikes +these pockets and makes my sweet voice." + +"Humph!" exclaimed a Bee, "it is a very poor place for pockets, and a +very poor use to make of them. Every Bee knows that pockets are handiest +on the hind legs, and should be used for carrying pollen to the babies +at home." + +"My pocket is behind," said a Spider, "and my web silk is kept there. I +couldn't live without a pocket." + +Some of the meadow people were getting angry, so the Garter Snake, who +would always rather laugh than quarrel, glided forward and said: "My +friends and neighbors; our speaker here has been so kind as to tell us +how the Mosquitoes do a great many things, and to try to teach us their +way. It seems to me that we might repay some of his kindness by showing +him our ways, and seeing that he learns by practice. I would ask the +Spiders to take him with them and show him how to spin a web. Then the +Bees could teach him how to build comb, and the Tree Frog how to croak, +and the Earthworms how to burrow, and the Caterpillars how to spin a +cocoon. Each of us will do something for him. Perhaps the Measuring Worm +will teach him to walk as the Worms of his family do. I understand he +does that very well." Here everybody laughed, remembering the joke +played on the Caterpillars, and the Snake stopped speaking. + +The Mosquito did not dare refuse to be taught, and so he was taken from +one place to another, and told exactly how to do everything that he +could not possibly do, until he felt so very meek and humble that he was +willing the meadow people should be busy and happy in their own way. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE FROG WHO THOUGHT HERSELF SICK + + +By the edge of the marsh lived a young Frog, who thought a great deal +about herself and much less about other people. Not that it was wrong to +think so much of herself, but it certainly was unfortunate that she +should have so little time left in which to think of others and of the +beautiful world. + +Early in the morning this Frog would awaken and lean far over the edge +of a pool to see how she looked after her night's rest. Then she would +give a spring, and come down with a splash in the cool water for her +morning bath. For a while she would swim as fast as her dainty webbed +feet would push her, then she would rest, sitting in the soft mud with +just her head above the water. + +When her bath was taken, she had her breakfast, and that was the way in +which she began her day. She did nothing but bathe and eat and rest, +from sunrise to sunset. She had a fine, strong body, and had never an +ache or a pain, but one day she got to thinking, "What if sometime I +should be sick?" And then, because she thought about nothing but her own +self, she was soon saying, "I am afraid I shall be sick." In a little +while longer it was, "I certainly am sick." + +She crawled under a big toadstool, and sat there looking very glum +indeed, until a Cicada came along. She told the Cicada how sick she +felt, and he told his cousins, the Locusts, and they told their cousins, +the Grasshoppers, and they told their cousins, the Katydids, and then +everybody told somebody else, and started for the toadstool where the +young Frog sat. The more she had thought of it, the worse she felt, +until, by the time the meadow people came crowding around, she was +feeling very sick indeed. + +"Where do you feel badly?" they cried, and, "How long have you been +sick?" and one Cricket stared with big eyes, and said, "How +dr-r-readfully she looks!" The young Frog felt weaker and weaker, and +answered in a faint little voice that she had felt perfectly well until +after breakfast, but that now she was quite sure her skin was getting +dry, and "Oh dear!" and "Oh dear!" + +Now everybody knows that Frogs breathe through their skins as well as +through their noses, and for a Frog's skin to get dry is very serious, +for then he cannot breathe through it; so, as soon as she said that, +everybody was frightened and wanted to do something for her at once. +Some of the timid ones began to weep, and the others bustled around, +getting in each other's way and all trying to do something different. +One wanted to wrap her in mullein leaves, another wanted her to nibble a +bit of the peppermint which grew near, a third thought she should be +kept moving, and that was the way it went. + +Just when everybody was at his wits' end, the old Tree Frog came along. +"Pukr-r-rup! What is the matter with you?" he said. + +"Oh!" gasped the young Frog, weakly, "I am sure my skin is getting dry, +and I feel as though I had something in my head." + +"Umph!" grunted the Tree Frog to himself, "I guess there isn't enough in +her head to ever make her sick; and, as for her skin, it isn't dry yet, +and nobody knows that it ever will be." + +But as he was a wise old fellow and had learned much about life, he knew +he must not say such things aloud. What he did say was, "I heard there +was to be a great race in the pool this morning." + +The young Frog lifted her head quite quickly, saying: "You did? Who are +the racers?" + +"Why, all the young Frogs who live around here. It is too bad that you +cannot go." + +"I don't believe it would hurt me any," she said. + +"You might take cold," the Tree Frog said; "besides, the exercise would +tire you." + +"Oh, but I am feeling much better," the young Frog said, "and I am +certain it will do me good." + +"You ought not to go," insisted all the older meadow people. "You really +ought not." + +"I don't care," she answered, "I am going anyway, and I am just as well +as anybody." + +And she did go, and it did seem that she was as strong as ever. The +people all wondered at it, but the Tree Frog winked his eyes at them and +said, "I knew that it would cure her." And then he, and the Garter +Snake, and the fat, old Cricket laughed together, and all the younger +meadow people wondered at what they were laughing. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE KATYDIDS' QUARREL + + +The warm summer days were past, and the Katydids came again to the +meadow. Everybody was glad to see them, and the Grasshoppers, who are +cousins of the Katydids, gave a party in their honor. + +Such a time as the meadow people had getting ready for that party! They +did not have to change their dresses, but they scraped and cleaned +themselves, and all the young Grasshoppers went off by the woods to +practise jumping and get their knees well limbered, because there might +be games and dancing at the party, and then how dreadful it would be if +any young Grasshopper should find that two or three of his legs wouldn't +bend easily! + +The Grasshoppers did not know at just what time they ought to have the +party. Some of the meadow people whom they wanted to invite were used to +sleeping all day, and some were used to sleeping all night, so it really +was hard to find an hour at which all would be wide-awake and ready for +fun. At last the Tree Frog said: "Pukr-r-rup! Pukr-r-rup! Have it at +sunset!" And at sunset it was. + +Everyone came on time, and they hopped and chattered and danced and ate +a party supper of tender green leaves. Some of the little Grasshoppers +grew sleepy and crawled among the plantains for a nap. Just then a big +Katydid said he would sing a song--which was a very kind thing for him +to do, because he really did it to make the others happy, and not to +show what a fine musician he was. All the guests said, "How charming!" +or, "We should be delighted!" and he seated himself on a low swinging +branch. You know Katydids sing with the covers of their wings, and so +when he alighted on the branch he smoothed down his pale green suit and +rubbed his wing-cases a little to make sure that they were in tune. Then +he began loud and clear, "Katy did! Katy did!! Katy did!!!" + +Of course he didn't mean any real Katy, but was just singing his song. +However, there was another Katydid there who had a habit of +contradicting, and he had eaten too much supper, and that made him feel +crosser than ever; so when the singer said "Katy did!" this cross fellow +jumped up and said, "Katy didn't! Katy didn't!! Katy didn't!!!" and they +kept at it, one saying that she did and the other that she didn't, +until everybody was ashamed and uncomfortable, and some of the little +Grasshoppers awakened and wanted to know what was the matter. + +Both of the singers got more and more vexed until at last neither one +knew just what he was saying--and that, you know, is what almost always +happens when people grow angry. They just kept saying something as loud +and fast as possible and thought all the while that they were very +bright--which was all they knew about it. + +Suddenly somebody noticed that the one who began to say "Katy did!" was +screaming "Katy didn't!" and the one who had said "Katy didn't!" was +roaring "Katy did!" Then they all laughed, and the two on the branch +looked at each other in a very shamefaced way. + +The Tree Frog always knew the right thing to do, and he said +"Pukr-r-rup!" so loudly that all stopped talking at once. When they +were quiet he said: "We will now listen to a duet, 'Katy,' by the two +singers who are up the tree. All please join in the chorus." So it was +begun again, and both the leaders were good-natured, and all the +Katydids below joined in with "did or didn't, did or didn't, did or +didn't." And that was the end of the quarrel. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE LAST PARTY OF THE SEASON + + +Summer had been a joyful time in the meadow. It had been a busy time, +too, and from morning till night the chirping and humming of the happy +people there had mingled with the rustle of the leaves, and the soft +"swish, swish," of the tall grass, as the wind passed over it. + +True, there had been a few quarrels, and some unpleasant things to +remember, but these little people were wise enough to throw away all +the sad memories and keep only the glad ones. And now the summer was +over. The leaves of the forest trees were turning from green to scarlet, +orange, and brown. The beech and hickory nuts were only waiting for a +friendly frost to open their outer shells, and loosen their stems, so +that they could fall to the earth. + +The wind was cold now, and the meadow people knew that the time had come +to get ready for winter. One chilly Caterpillar said to another, +"Boo-oo! How cold it is! I must find a place for my cocoon. Suppose we +sleep side by side this winter, swinging on the same bush?" + +And his friend replied: "We must hurry then, or we shall be too old and +stiff to spin good ones." + +The Garter Snake felt sleepy all the time, and declared that in a few +days he would doze off until spring. + +The Tree Frog had chosen his winter home already, and the Bees were +making the most of their time in visiting the last fall flowers, and +gathering every bit of honey they could find for their cold-weather +stock. + +The last eggs had been laid, and the food had been placed beside many of +them for the babies that would hatch out in the spring. Nothing was left +but to say "Good-by," and fall asleep. So a message was sent around the +meadow for all to come to a farewell party under the elm tree. + +Everybody came, and all who could sing did so, and the Crickets and +Mosquitoes made music for the rest to dance by. + +The Tree Frog led off with a black and yellow Spider, the Garter Snake +followed with a Potato Bug, and all the other crawling people joined in +the dance on the grass, while over their heads the Butterflies and other +light-winged ones fluttered to and fro with airy grace. + +The Snail and the fat, old Cricket had meant to look on, and really did +so, for a time, from a warm corner by the tree, but the Cricket couldn't +stand it to not join in the fun. First, his eyes gleamed, his feelers +waved, and his feet kept time to the music, and, when a frisky young Ant +beckoned to him, he gave a great leap and danced with the rest, +balancing, jumping, and circling around in a most surprising way. + +When it grew dark, the Fireflies' lights shone like tiny stars, and the +dancing went on until all were tired and ready to sing together the last +song of the summer, for on the morrow they would go to rest. And this +was their song: + + The autumn leaves lying + So thick on the ground, + The summer Birds flying + The meadow around, + Say, "Good-by." + + The Seed Babies dropping + Down out of our sight, + The Dragon-flies stopping + A moment in flight, + Say, "Good-by." + + The red Squirrels bearing + Their nuts to the tree, + The wild Rabbits caring + For babies so wee, + Say, "Good-by." + + The sunbeams now showing + Are hazy and pale, + The warm breezes blowing + Have changed to a gale, + So, "Good-by." + + The season for working + Is passing away. + Both playing and shirking + Are ended to day, + So, "Good-by." + + The Garter Snake creeping + So softly to rest, + The fuzzy Worms sleeping + Within their warm nest, + Say, "Good-by." + + The Honey Bees crawling + Around the full comb, + The tiny Ants calling + Each one to the home, + Say, "Good-by." + + We've ended our singing, + Our dancing, and play, + And Nature's voice ringing + Now tells us to say + Our "Good-by." + + + + +THE END. + + + + +"_Many a mother and teacher will accord a vote of thanks to the +author._" + +[Illustration] + + + +Among the Meadow People. + + STORIES OF FIELD LIFE, WRITTEN FOR THE LITTLE ONES. + By CLARA D. PIERSON. + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON. + New Edition, 12mo, 194 pages, cloth, gilt top, $1.25 + + "One of the daintiest and in many ways most attractive of the + many books of nature study which the past year has brought + forth."--_Boston Advertiser._ + + "They are like Mrs. Gatty's well-known 'Parables from Nature,' + written in the best of English, as fascinating as fairy tales, + and yet 'really true,' a quality which we all know appeals to + the childish mind."--_N. Y. Evangelist._ + + "We have seen nothing better for its purpose, and hope many a + teacher of kindergartens and many a mother may avail herself of + the privilege of using these little tales."--_N. Y. Christian + Advocate._ + + "It will be a great advance in the work of education in the + school and the home when such books are more generally + utilized."--_Zion's Herald._ + + "These charming stories of field life will delight many a child + of kindergarten age; and it is safe to say that older brothers + and sisters will also want to claim a share in + them."--_Christian Register._ + + + +Among the Forest People + + By CLARA D. PIERSON + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON + 12mo, 220 pages, cloth, gilt top $1.25 + + "A thoroughly charming book for the little people, which grown + folks can read, also, with many a satisfied chuckle at its slily + insinuated 'morals,' and inimitable mingling of human sentiments + and affairs in the wild life of 'the Forest People.' The + illustrations have really artistic value; thoroughly well done, + with a pleasing combination of the conventional in form and + light and shade, they are also clever and accurate in + drawing."--_Living Church._ + + "A most charming series of stories for children--yes, and for + children of all ages, both young and old--is given us in the + volume before us. No one can read these realistic conversations + of the little creatures of the wood without being most tenderly + drawn toward them, and each story teaches many entertaining + facts regarding the lives and habits of these little people. + Mothers and teachers must welcome this book most cordially. One + cannot speak too strongly in praise of it."--_Boston + Transcript._ + + "I declare I really feel tempted to adopt or borrow a nice + little girl of six or seven, just for the pleasure of reading + this perfect book to her while she snuggles down in my + lap."--KATE SANBORN. + + "The telling is conceived with decided originality."--_Outlook._ + + "There has not been such a book for many a year, and it makes + the old folks long to be young again."--_N. Y. Observer._ + + "Is an utterly delightful book for the little folk."--_Interior._ + + + +Among the Farmyard People + + By CLARA D. PIERSON + + Illustrated by F. C. GORDON + 12mo, 256 pages, cloth, gilt top, $1.25 + + "The very pretty stories of animal life, 'Among the Forest + People,' and 'Among the Meadow People,' are continued in Clara + D. Pierson's 'Among the Farmyard People.' To those who know the + earlier volumes, this needs no introduction or praise. To those + who may still have that pleasure in store, we can commend + heartily these tenderly realistic conversations, which show a + sympathetic knowledge at once of animals and of children, who + will be amused and taught and edified by these dainty little + tales that never obtrude the always healthy moral of this + genuine Child's Book of Nature."--_Churchman._ + + "They will be found valuable for use by mothers and kindergarten + teachers. The beautiful illustrations furnished by F. C. Gordon + are distinctively instructive. Altogether the book is one of the + most desirable works that can be found to train the child's + imagination, affection, and powers of observation."--_Boston + Beacon._ + + "We heartily recommend the book for its thoroughly healthy tone, + far better adapted to a sweet and simple childhood than much of + the rather stimulating juvenile literature of the day."--_N. Y. + Commercial Advertiser._ + + "A helpful book for young readers, teaching first lessons in + natural history, and inculcating principles of love for + animals."--_Philadelphia Evening Telegram._ + + "A charming and pretty book for young children. It will help + them to observe, and it will also help them to think. Nearly + every story ends with something unsaid, which the nursery people + are to think out for themselves."--_Church Standard._ + + + +Among the Pond People + + By CLARA D. PIERSON + + With 12 full-page illustrations by F. C. GORDON + 12mo, 222 pages, cloth, gilt top $1.25 + + This last book of Mrs. Pierson's has all the charm of the + earlier volumes. The adventures of Mother Eel, the Playful + Muskrat, the Snappy Snapping Turtle, and the other Pond People, + will be eagerly followed by children, whether they are + naturalists or ordinary readers. The fact that one does not + continually feel that she is writing for the purpose of + instructing the young, gives Mrs. Pierson her hold on so many + boys and girls. The books teach a great many lessons, but one + does not feel that the author is lying in wait to enlighten the + unwary youngster. + + "In it, as in the old Greek comedies, the frogs have a voice and + speak their little orations and crack their jokes and play their + pranks. The 'science' is elementary but the entertainment + genuine, and the little people to whom it is read will ever + cherish a kindly interest in the denizens of the ponds and their + floral homes and environments."--_Interior._ + + "One lays down the book with quickened sympathy for everything + that crawls and creeps and swims."--_Critic._ + + "The Pond People are quite as real and as fascinating as were + the Meadow People and the Barnyard People of previous books. + They are genuine stories, full of a humor that will appeal to + boys and girls, yet cleverly conveying information about the + frogs, turtles, minnows, etc., and often suggesting a moral in a + delicate manner which no child could + resent."--_Congregationalist._ + + "In its way the work is very daintily done."--_Churchman._ + + + + Sent by mail, post-paid, on receipt of price + + E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers + 31 West 23d Street New York + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Among the Meadow People, by +Clara Dillingham Pierson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE *** + +***** This file should be named 34943.txt or 34943.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/9/4/34943/ + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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