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diff --git a/34971-h/34971-h.htm b/34971-h/34971-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a7c720 --- /dev/null +++ b/34971-h/34971-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5798 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Among the Forest People, by Clara Dillingham Pierson. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .backright {background: top right no-repeat;} + .backleft {background: top left no-repeat;} + + .sandbag-left {float:left; clear:left; padding-right: 10px;} + .sandbag-right {float:right; clear:right; padding-right: 10px;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Among the Forest 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 Forest People + +Author: Clara Dillingham Pierson + +Illustrator: F. C. Gordon + +Release Date: January 15, 2011 [EBook #34971] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE FOREST 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: 531px;"> +<img src="images/frontispiece.png" width="531" height="729" alt="THE HOME IN THE FOREST." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE HOME IN THE FOREST.</span> +<p style='text-align:right'><i>Frontispiece</i></p> +</div> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1><span class="smcap">Among the Forest People</span></h1> + +<h5>BY</h5> +<h2><span class="smcap">Clara Dillingham Pierson</span></h2> +<h5>AUTHOR OF "AMONG THE MEADOW PEOPLE"</h5> + + +<h4>Illustrated by F. C. GORDON</h4> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/titlepage.png" width="300" height="281" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<h4>NEW YORK<br /> +E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY<br /> +<small><span class="smcap">31 West Twenty-third Street</span><br /> +1900</small></h4> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h5><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1898</span><br /> +<small>BY</small><br /> +E. P. DUTTON & CO.</h5> + +<h4>The Knickerbocker Press, New York</h4> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> +<h2>TO THE CHILDREN.</h2> + + +<p><i>Dear Little Friends</i>:</p> + +<p>Since I told my stories of the meadow +people a year ago, so many children have +been asking me questions about them +that I thought it might be well to send +you a letter with these tales of the forest +folk.</p> + +<p>I have been asked if I am acquainted +with the little creatures about whom I tell +you, and I want you to know that I am +very well acquainted indeed. Perhaps +the Ground Hog is my oldest friend +among the forest people, just as the Tree +Frog is among those of the meadow. +Some of the things about which I shall +tell you, I have seen for myself, and the +other stories have come to me in another<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +way. I was there when the swaggering +Crow drove the Hens off the barnyard +fence, and I was quite as much worried +about the Mourning Doves' nest as were +Mrs. Goldfinch and Mrs. Oriole.</p> + +<p>I have had a letter from one little boy +who wants to know if the meadow people +really talk to each other. Of course they +do. And so do all the people in these +stories. They do not talk in the same +way as you and I, but they have their +own language, which they understand just +as well as we do English. You know not +even all children speak alike. If you and +I were to meet early some sunshiny day, +we would say to each other, "Good morning," +but if a little German boy should +join us, he would say, "Guten Morgen," +and a tiny French maiden would call out, +"Bon jour," when she meant the same +thing.</p> + +<p>These stories had to be written in the +English language, so that you could un<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>derstand. +If I were to tell them in the +Woodpecker, the Rabbit, or the Rattlesnake +language, all of which are understood +in the forest, they might be very +fine stories, but I am afraid you would +not know exactly what they meant!</p> + +<p>I hope you will enjoy hearing about +my forest friends. They are delightful +people to know, and you must get acquainted +with them as soon as you can. +I should like to have you in little chairs +just opposite my own and talk of these +things quite as we used to do in my kindergarten. +But that cannot be, so I have +written you this letter, and think that perhaps +some of you will write to me, telling +which story you like best, and why you +like it.</p> + +<p style='text-align: right'>Your friend, <br /> +<span class="smcap">Clara Dillingham Pierson</span>.</p> + +<p><small>Stanton, Michigan,<br /> + April 15, 1898.</small></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</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'>MR. RED SQUIRREL COMES TO LIVE IN THE FOREST</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>WHY MR. GREAT HORNED OWL HATCHED THE EGGS</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE SWAGGERING CROW</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE RED-HEADED WOODPECKER CHILDREN</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE NIGHT MOTH WITH A CROOKED FEELER</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE BEES AND THE KINGBIRD</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE STORY OF THE COWBIRD'S EGG</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>MRS. MOURNING DOVE'S HOUSEKEEPING</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE YOUNG BLUE JAY WHO WAS NOT BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE AFRAID</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE RED SQUIRRELS BEGIN HOUSEKEEPING</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE BIGGEST LITTLE RABBIT LEARNS TO SEE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE LITTLE BAT WHO WOULDN'T GO TO BED</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A SWARM LEAVES THE BEE TREE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE HAUGHTY GROUND HOG</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_144">144</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE UNDECIDED RATTLESNAKE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE QUARRELSOME MOLE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_163">163</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE WILD TURKEYS COME</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE TRAVELLERS GO SOUTH</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>THE RUFFED GROUSE'S STORY</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_198">198</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A MILD DAY IN WINTER</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_208">208</a></td></tr> +</table></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Mr.</span> RED SQUIRREL +COMES TO LIVE IN +THE FOREST</h2> + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap01.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:450px; height:300px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:180px; height:450px;"> </div> +<p>Life in the forest is very +different from life in the +meadow, and the forest +people have many ways of +doing which are not known +in the world outside. They +are a quiet people and do +not often talk or sing when +there are strangers near. +You could never get acquainted +with them until +you had learned to be quiet +also, and to walk through +the underbrush without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +snapping twigs at every step. Then, if +you were to live among them and speak +their language, you would find that there +are many things about which it is not +polite to talk. And there is a reason for +all this.</p> + +<p>In the meadow, although they have +their quarrels and their own troubles, +they always make it up again and are +friendly, but in the forest there are +some people who can never get along +well together, and who do not go to the +same parties or call upon each other. It +is not because they are cross, or selfish, +or bad. It is just because of the way +in which they have to live and hunt, and +they cannot help it any more than you +could help having eyes of a certain +color.</p> + +<p>These are things which are all understood +in the forest, and the people there +are careful what they say and do, so they +get on very well indeed, and have many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +happy times in that quiet, dusky place. +When people are born there, they learn +these things without thinking about it, +but when they come there from some +other place it is very hard, for everybody +thinks it stupid in strangers to ask about +such simple matters.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Red Squirrel first came to +the forest, he knew nothing of the way in +which they do, and he afterward said that +learning forest manners was even harder +than running away from his old home. +You see, Mr. Red Squirrel was born in +the forest, but was carried away from +there when he was only a baby. From +that time until he was grown, he had +never set claw upon a tree, and all he +could see of the world he had seen by +peeping through the bars of a cage. His +cousins in the forest learned to frisk along +the fence-tops and to jump from one +swaying branch to another, but when this +poor little fellow longed for a scamper he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +could only run around and around in a +wire wheel that hummed as it turned, and +this made him very dizzy.</p> + +<p>He used to wonder if there were nothing +better in life, for he had been taken +from his woodland home when he was too +young to remember about it. One day +he saw another Squirrel outside, a dainty +little one who looked as though she +had never a sad thought. That made +him care more than ever to be free, and +when he curled down in his cotton nest +that night he dreamed about her, and +that they were eating acorns together in +a tall oak tree.</p> + +<p>The next day Mr. Red Squirrel pretended +to be sick. He would not run in +the wheel or taste the food in his cage. +When his master came to look at him, he +moaned pitifully and would not move one +leg. His master thought that the leg +was broken, and took limp little Mr. Red +Squirrel in his hand to the window to see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +what was the matter. The window was +up, and when he saw his chance, Mr. Red +Squirrel leaped into the open air and was +away to the forest. His poor legs were +weak from living in such a small cage, +but how he ran! His heart thumped +wildly under the soft fur of his chest, and +his breath came in quick gasps, and still +he ran, leaping, scrambling, and sometimes +falling, but always nearer the great +green trees of his birthplace.</p> + +<p>At last he was safe and sat trembling +on the lowest branch of a beech-tree. +The forest was a new world to him and +he asked many questions of a fat, old +Gray Squirrel. The Gray Squirrel was +one of those people who know a great +deal and think that they know a great, +great deal, and want others to think so +too. He was so very knowing and important +that, although he answered all of +Mr. Red Squirrel's questions, he really +did not tell him any of the things which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +he most wanted to know, and this is the +way in which they talked:</p> + +<p>"What is the name of this place?" +asked Mr. Red Squirrel.</p> + +<p>"This? Why this is the forest, of +course," answered the Gray Squirrel. +"We have no other name for it. It is +possible that there are other forests in +the world, but they cannot be so fine as +this, so we call ours 'the forest.'"</p> + +<p>"Are there pleasant neighbors here?" +asked Mr. Red Squirrel.</p> + +<p>"Very good, very good. My wife and +I do not call on many of them, but still +they are good enough people, I think."</p> + +<p>"Then why don't you call?"</p> + +<p>"Why? Why? Because they are not +in our set. It would never do." And +the Gray Squirrel sat up very straight +indeed.</p> + +<p>"Who is that gliding fellow on the +ground below?" asked the newcomer. +"Is he one of your friends?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That? That is the Rattlesnake. We +never speak to each other. There has +always been trouble between our families."</p> + +<p>"Who lives in that hollow tree yonder?"</p> + +<p>"Sh, sh! That is where the Great +Horned Owl has his home. He is +asleep now and must not be awakened, +for Squirrels and Owls cannot be friendly."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Because. It has always been so."</p> + +<p>"And who is that bird just laying an +egg in her nest above us?"</p> + +<p>"Speak softly, please. That is the +Cowbird, and it is not her nest. You +will get into trouble if you talk such +things aloud. She can't help it. She has +to lay her eggs in other birds' nests, but +they don't like it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Red Squirrel tried very hard to +find out the reason for this, but there are +always some things for which no reason +can be given; and there are many questions +which can never be answered, even<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +if one were to ask, "Why? why? why?" +all day long. So Mr. Red Squirrel, being +a wise little fellow, stopped asking, and +thought by using his eyes and ears he +would in time learn all that he needed to +know. He had good eyes and keen ears, +and he learned very fast without making +many mistakes. He had a very happy +life among the forest people, and perhaps +that was one reason. He learned not to +say things which made his friends feel +badly, and he did not ask needless questions. +And after all, you know, it would +have been very foolish to ask questions +which nobody could answer, and worse +than foolish to ask about matters which +he could find out for himself.</p> + +<p>It is in the forest as in the world outside. +We can know that many things +are, but we never know why they are.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<h2>WHY M<sup><span class="u">R</span></sup> GREAT +HORNED OWL +HATCHED THE +EGGS</h2> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 436px;"> +<img src="images/chap02.png" width="436" height="439" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<p>If the Rattlesnake is the king of the +forest in the daytime, the Great Horned +Owl is the king at night. Indeed, he is +much the more powerful of the two, for +he is king of air and earth alike and can +go wherever he wishes, while the snake +can only rule over those who live near the +ground or who are so careless as to come +to him there.</p> + +<p>There was but one pair of Great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +Horned Owls in the forest, and they +lived in the deepest shade, having their +great clumsy nest in the hollow of a tall +tree. You might have walked past it a +hundred times and never have guessed +that any Owls lived there, if you did not +notice the round pellets of bone and hair +on the grass. They are such hungry fellows +that they swallow their food with +the bones in it. Then their tough little +stomachs go to work, rolling all the pieces +of bone and hair into balls and sending +them back to be cast out of the Owls' +mouths to the ground.</p> + +<p>The Great Horned Owl was a very +large bird. His whole body was covered +with brown, dull yellow, and white feathers. +Even his feet and legs were covered, +and all that you could see besides +were his black claws and his black hooked +bill. Yes, at night you could see his +eyes, too, and they were wonderful great +eyes that could see in the dark, but they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +were shut in the daytime when he was +resting. His wife, who was the queen +of the forest at night, looked exactly like +him, only she was larger than he. And +that is the way among Owls,—the wife is +always larger than her husband.</p> + +<p>Every night when the sun had gone +down, the Great Horned Owl and his +wife would come out of their hollow tree +and sit blinking on a branch near by, +waiting until it got dark enough for them +to see quite plainly. As the light faded, +the little black spots in their eyes would +grow bigger and bigger, and then off they +would go on their great soft, noiseless +wings, hunting in the grass and among +the branches for the supper which they +called breakfast.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Owl could not be gone very long +at a time, for there were two large round +white eggs in the nest which must not get +cold. Her husband was on the wing +most of the night, and he often flew home<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +with some tender morsel for her. He +was really a kind-hearted fellow, although +you could never have made the small +birds think so. Sometimes his wife would +sigh and tell how tired she was of sitting +still, and how glad she would be when the +eggs were hatched and she could go more +with him. When she began to speak of +that, the Great Horned Owl would get +ready for another flight and go off saying: +"It is <i>too</i> bad. I am <i>so</i> sorry for +you. But then, one would never have +young Owlets if one didn't stick to the +nest." He was always proud of his children, +and he thought himself a very good +husband. Perhaps he was; still he had +never taken his place on the nest while +his wife went hunting.</p> + +<p>One night, after they had both been +flying through forest and over field, he +came back to the hollow tree to rest. He +expected to find Mrs. Owl, for she +had started home before he did. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +was not there and he grew quite impatient. +"I should like to know what keeps +her so long," he said, fretfully. After a +while he looked into the nest and saw the +two big white eggs. "It is a shame," he +said. "Our beautiful eggs will be chilled, +and it will be all her fault if we have no +Owlets this summer."</p> + +<p>You see, even then he did not seem to +think that he could do anything to keep +them warm. But the next time he looked +in, he put one feathered foot on the round +eggs and was surprised to find how cool +they were.</p> + +<p>It fairly made his head feathers stand +on end to think of it, and he was so +frightened that he forgot to be cross, and +stepped right in and covered them with +his own breast. What if they had already +been left too long, and the Owlets within +would never hatch? Would Mrs. Owl +ever forgive him for being so stupid? +He began to wonder if any of the other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +fellows would see him. He thought it +so absurd for the king of the forest to be +hatching out a couple of eggs, instead of +swooping around in the dark and frightening +the smaller birds.</p> + +<p>The night seemed so long, too. It +had always been short enough before, +and he had often disliked to have daylight +come, for then he had to go to bed. +He was very much upset, and it is no +wonder that when he heard a doleful wail +from a neighboring tree, and knew that +his cousin, the Screech Owl, was near, +he raised his head and called loudly, +"Hoo-hoo-oooo! Waugh-hoo!"</p> + +<p>The Screech Owl heard him and flew +at once to a branch beside the nest hollow. +He was a jolly little fellow in spite +of his doleful call, and before he could +talk at all he had to bend his body, look +behind him, nod his head, and shake himself, +as Screech Owls always do when +they alight. Then he looked into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +tree and saw his big cousin, the Great +Horned Owl, the night king of the forest, +sitting on the eggs and looking very, very +grumpy. How he did laugh! "What +is the matter?" said he. "Didn't you +like your wife's way of brooding over the +eggs? Or did she get tired of staying +at home and make you help tend the +nest?"</p> + +<p>"Matter enough," grumbled the Great +Horned Owl. "We went hunting together +at twilight and she hasn't come +home yet. I didn't get into the nest +until I had to, but it was growing very +cold and I wouldn't miss having our eggs +hatch for anything. Ugh-whoo! How +my legs do ache!"</p> + +<p>"Well," said his cousin, "you are having +a hard time. Are you hungry?"</p> + +<p>The Great Horned Owl said that he +was, so the Screech Owl went hunting +and brought him food. "I will look in +every night," he said, "and bring you a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +lunch. I'm afraid something has happened +to your wife and that she will not +be back."</p> + +<p>As he flew away he called out, "It is +<i>too</i> bad. I am <i>very</i> sorry for you. But +then, I suppose you would never have +the Owlets if you didn't stick to the +nest."</p> + +<p>This last remark made the Great Horned +Owl quite angry. "Much he knows about +it," he said. "I guess if he had ever tried +it he would be a little more sorry for me." +And then he began to think, "Who have +I heard say those very words before? +Who? Who? Who?"</p> + +<p>All at once the Great Horned Owl +remembered how many times he had said +just that to his patient wife, and he began +to feel very uncomfortable. His ears +tingled and he felt a queer hot feeling +under his face feathers. Perhaps he +hadn't been acting very well after all! +He knew that even when he told her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +he was sorry, he had been thinking she +made a great fuss. Well, if she would +only come back now, that should all be +changed, and he shifted his weight and +wriggled around into a more comfortable +position.</p> + +<p>Now, if this were just a story, one +could say that Mrs. Owl came back and +that they were all happy together; but +the truth is she never did come, and +nobody ever knew what became of her. +So her husband, the night king of the +forest, had to keep the eggs warm and +rear his own Owlets. You can imagine +how glad he was on the night when he +first heard them tapping on the inside of +their shells, for then he knew that he +would soon be free to hunt.</p> + +<p>A finer pair of children were never +hatched, and their father thought them far +ahead of all his other broods. "If only +Mrs. Owl were here to see them, how +lovely it would be!" he said. Yet if she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +had been there he would never have had +the pleasure of hearing their first faint +cheeps, and of covering them with his +soft breast feathers as he did each day. +He forgot now all the weary time when +he sat with aching legs, wishing that his +cousin would happen along with something +to eat. For that is always the way,—when +we work for those we love, the +weariness is soon forgotten and only +happiness remains.</p> + +<p>It is said that the Screech Owl was +more thoughtful of his wife after his +cousin had to hatch the eggs, and it is +too bad that some of the other forest +people could not have learned the same +lesson; but the Great Horned Owl never +told, and the Screech Owl kept his secret, +and to this day there are many people in +the forest who know nothing whatever +about it.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<h2>THE SWAGGERING CROW</h2> + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap03.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:440px; height:320px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:180px; height:430px;"> </div> +<p>When the Crows +who have been away +for the winter return +to the forest, all their +relatives gather on the +tree-tops to welcome +them and tell the news. +Those who have been +away have also much to +say, and it sometimes +seems as though they +were all talking at once. +They spend many days +in visiting before they +begin nest-building. Perhaps if they would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +take turns and not interrupt each other, +they would get the news more quickly, for +when people are interrupted they can never +talk well. Sometimes, too, one hungry +fellow will fly off for a few mouthfuls of +grain, and get back just in time to hear +the end of a story. Then he will want to +hear the first part of it, and make such a +fuss that they have to tell it all over again +just for him.</p> + +<p>At this time in the spring, you can hear +their chatter and laughter, even when you +are far away; and the song-birds of the +forest look at each other and say, "Dear +me! The Crows are back." They have +very good reasons for disliking the Crows, +as any Robin will tell you.</p> + +<p>There was one great shining black +Crow who had the loudest voice of all, and +who was not at all afraid to use it. This +spring he looked very lean and lank, for it +had been a long, cold winter, and he had +found but little to eat, acorns, the seeds of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +the wild plants, and once in a great while +a frozen apple that hung from its branch +in some lonely orchard.</p> + +<p>He said that he felt as though he could +reach around his body with one claw, and +when a Crow says that he feels exceedingly +thin. But now spring was here, and his +sisters and his cousins and his aunts, yes, +and his brothers and his uncles, too, had +returned to the forest to live. He had +found two good dinners already, all that +he could eat and more too, and he began +to feel happy and bold. The purple gloss +on his feathers grew brighter every day, +and he was glad to see this. He wanted +to look so handsome that a certain Miss +Crow, a sister of one of his friends, would +like him better than she did any of the +others.</p> + +<p>That was all very well, if he had been +at all polite about it. But one day he saw +her visiting with another Crow, and he +lost his temper, and flew at him, and pecked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +him about the head and shoulders, and tore +the long fourth feather from one of his +wings, besides rumpling the rest of his +coat. Then he went away. He had +beaten him by coming upon him from behind, +like the sneak that he was, and he +was afraid that if he waited he might yet +get the drubbing he deserved. So he flew +off to the top of a hemlock-tree where the +other Crows were, and told them how he +had fought and beaten. You should have +seen him swagger around when he told it. +Each time it was a bigger story, until at +last he made them think that the other +Crow hadn't a tail feather left.</p> + +<p>The next day, a number of Crows went +to a farm not far from the forest. Miss +Crow was in the party. On their way +they stopped in a field where there stood a +figure of a man with a dreadful stick in +his hand. Everybody was frightened except +Mr. Crow. He wanted to show how much +courage he had, so he flew right up to it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +They all thought him very brave. They +didn't know that down in his heart he was +a great coward. He wasn't afraid of this +figure because he knew all about it. He +had seen it put up the day before, and he +knew that there was no man under the +big straw hat and the flapping coat. He +knew that, instead of a thinking, breathing +person, there was only a stick nailed +to a pole. He knew that, instead of having +two good legs with which to run, this +figure had only the end of a pole stuck +into the ground.</p> + +<p>Of course, he might have told them all, +and then they could have gathered corn +from the broken ground around, but he +didn't want to do that. Instead, he said, +"Do you see that terrible great creature +with a stick in his hand? He is here just +to drive us away, but he dares not touch +me. He knows I would beat him if he +did." Then he flew down, and ate corn +close beside the figure, while the other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +Crows stood back and cawed with wonder.</p> + +<p>When he went back to them, he said to +Miss Crow, "You see how brave I am. If +I were taking care of anybody, nothing +could ever harm her." And he looked +tenderly at her with his little round eyes. +But she pretended not to understand what +he meant, for she did not wish to give up +her pleasant life with the flock and begin +nest-building just yet.</p> + +<p>When they reached the barn-yard, there +was rich picking, and Mr. Crow made such +a clatter that you would have thought he +owned it all and that the others were only +his guests. He flew down on the fence +beside a couple of harmless Hens, and he +flapped his wings and swaggered around +until they began to sidle away. Then he +grew bolder (you know bullies always do +if they find that people are scared), and +edged up to them until they fluttered off, +squawking with alarm.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> + +<p>Next he walked into the Hen-house, +saying to the other Crows, "You might +have a good time, too, if you were not such +cowards." He had no more than gotten +the words out of his bill, when the door of +the Hen-house blew shut and caught there. +It was a grated door and he scrambled +wildly to get through the openings. While +he was trying, he heard the hoarse voice +of the Crow whom he had beaten the day +before, saying, "Thank you, we are having +a fairly good time as it is"; and he +saw Miss Crow picking daintily at some +corn which the speaker had scratched up +for her.</p> + +<p>At that minute the great Black Brahma +Cock came up behind Mr. Crow. He had +heard from the Hens how rude Mr. Crow +had been, and he thought that as the head +of the house he ought to see about it. +Well! one cannot say very much about +what happened next, but the Black Brahma +Cock did see about it quite thoroughly,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +and when the Hen-house door swung open, +it was a limp, ragged, and meek-looking +Crow who came out, leaving many of his +feathers inside.</p> + +<p>The next morning Mr. Crow flew over +the forest and far away. He did not want +to go back there again. He heard voices +as he passed a tall tree by the edge of the +forest. Miss Crow was out with the Crow +whom he had beaten, and they were looking +for a good place in which to build. +"I don't think they will know me if they +see me," said Mr. Crow, "and I am sure +that I don't want them to."</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE RED-HEADED WOODPECKER +CHILDREN</h2> + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap04.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:450px; height:100px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:220px; height:660px;"> </div> +<p>Mrs. Red-headed +Woodpecker bent +her handsome head +down and listened. +"Yes, it is! It certainly +is!" she cried, +as she heard for a +second time the +faint "tap-tap-tap" +of a tiny beak rapping +on the inside +of an egg shell. She +hopped to one side +of her nest and +stood looking at the +four white eggs that +lay there. Soon +the rapping was +heard again and she +saw one of them +move a bit on its +bed of chips.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + +<p>"So it is that one," she cried. "I +thought it would be. I was certain that +I laid that one first." And she arched +her neck proudly, as the beak of her eldest +child came through a crack in the +shell. Now nobody else could have told +one egg from another, but mothers have +a way of remembering such things, and it +may be because they love their children +so that sometimes their sight is a little +sharper, and their hearing a little keener +than anybody else's.</p> + +<p>However that may be, she stood watching +while the tiny bird chipped away the +shell and squeezed out of the opening he +had made. She did not even touch a +piece of the shell until he was well out of +it, for she knew that it is always better +for children to help themselves when they +can. It makes them strong and fits them +for life. When the little Red-headed +Woodpecker had struggled free, she took +the broken pieces in her beak and carried<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +them far from the nest before dropping +them to the ground. If she had done the +easiest thing and let them fall by the foot +of the hollow tree where she lived, any +prowling Weasel or Blue Jay might have +seen them and watched for a chance to +reach her babies. And that would have +been very sad for the babies.</p> + +<p>The newly hatched bird was a tired little +fellow, and the first thing he did was +to take a nap. He was cold, too, although +the weather was fine and sunshiny. His +down was all wet from the moisture inside +the egg, and you can imagine how he +felt, after growing for so long inside a +warm, snug shell, to suddenly be without +it and know that he could never again +have it around him. Even if it had been +whole once more, he could not have +been packed into it, for he had been +stretching and growing every minute since +he left it. It is for this reason that the +barn-yard people have a wise saying: "A<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +hatched chicken never returns to his +shell."</p> + +<p>When Mrs. Red-headed Woodpecker +came back, she covered her shivering little +one with her downy breast, and there he +slept, while she watched for her husband's +coming, and thought how pleased and +proud he would be to see the baby. +They were a young couple, and this was +their first child.</p> + +<p>But who can tell what the other three +children, who had not cracked the shell, +were thinking? Could they remember +the time when they began to be? Could +they dream of what would happen after +they were hatched? Could they think at +all? They were tiny, weak creatures, +curled up within their shells, with food +packed all around them. There had been +a time when they were only streaks in the +yellow liquid of the eggs. Now they were +almost ready to leave this for a fuller, +freer life, where they could open their bills<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +and flutter their wings, and stretch their +legs and necks. It had been a quiet, +sheltered time in the shell; why should +they leave it? Ah, but they must leave +it, for they were healthy and growing, +and when they had done so, they would +forget all about it. By the time they +could talk, and that would be very soon, +they would have forgotten all that happened +before they were hatched. That is +why you can never get a bird to tell you +what he thought about while in the egg.</p> + +<p>After the young Woodpecker's three +sisters reached the outside world, the +father and mother were kept busy hunting +food for them, and they were alone +much of the time. It was not long before +they knew their parents' voices, although, +once in a while, before they got their eyes +open, they mistook the call of the Tree +Frog below for that of the Woodpeckers. +And this was not strange, for each says, +"Ker-r-ruck! Ker-r-ruck!" and when the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +Tree Frog was singing in his home at the +foot of the tree, the four Woodpecker +children, in their nest-hollow far above +his head, would be opening their bills and +stretching their necks, and wondering why +no juicy and delicious morsel was dropped +down their throats.</p> + +<p>When they had their eyes open there +was much to be seen. At least, they +thought so. Was there not the hollow +in their dear, dry old tree, a hollow four +or five times as high as they could reach? +Their mother had told them how their +father and she had dug it out with their +sharp, strong bills, making it roomy at +the bottom, and leaving a doorway at +the top just large enough for them to pass +through. Part of the chips they had taken +away, as the mother had taken the broken +shells, and part had been left in the bottom +of the hollow for the children to lie +on. "I don't believe in grass, hair, +and down, as a bed for children," their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +father had said. "Nice soft chips are far +better."</p> + +<p>And the Woodpecker children liked the +chips, and played with them, and pretended +that they were grubs to be caught with +their long and bony tongues; only of +course they never swallowed them.</p> + +<p>It was an exciting time when their +feathers began to grow. Until then they +had been clothed in down; but now the +tiny quills came pricking through their +skin, and it was not so pleasant to snuggle +up to each other as it had once been. Now, +too, the eldest of the family began to show +a great fault. He was very vain. You +can imagine how sorry his parents were.</p> + +<p>Every morning when he awakened he +looked first of all at his feathers. Those +on his breast were white, and he had a +white band on his wings. His tail and +back and nearly the whole of his wings +were blue-black. His head, neck, and +throat were crimson. To be sure, while<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +the feathers were growing, the colors were +not very bright, for the down was mixed +with them, and the quills showed so +plainly that the young birds looked rather +streaked.</p> + +<p>The sisters were getting their new suits +at the same time, and there was just as +much reason why they should be vain, +but they were not. They were glad (as +who would not be?) and they often said +to each other: "How pretty you are growing!" +They looked exactly like their +brother, for it is not with the Woodpeckers +as with many other birds,—the sons +and daughters are dressed in precisely the +same way.</p> + +<p>As for the vain young Woodpecker, he +had many troubles. He was not contented +to let his feathers grow as the grass and +the leaves grow, without watching. No +indeed! He looked at each one every +day and a great many times every day. +Then, if he thought they were not grow<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>ing +as fast as they should, he worried +about it. He wanted to hurry them along, +and sometimes, when his sisters did not +seem to be looking, he took hold of them +with his bill and pulled. Of course this +did not make them grow any faster and it +did make his skin very sore, but how was +he to know? He had not been out of the +shell long enough to be wise.</p> + +<p>It troubled him, too, because he could +not see his red feathers. He twisted his +head this way and that, and strained his +eyes until they ached, trying to see +his own head and neck. It was very annoying. +He thought it would have been +much nicer to have the brightest feathers +in a fellow's tail, where he could see them, +or at any rate on his breast; and he asked +his mother why it couldn't be so.</p> + +<p>"I once knew a young Woodpecker," +she said, "who thought of very little but +his own beauty. I am afraid that if he had +been allowed to wear his red feathers in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +his tail, he would never have seen anything +else in this wonderful great world, +but just his own poor little tail." She +looked out of the doorway as she spoke, +but he knew that she meant him.</p> + +<p>Things went on in this way until the +children were ready to fly. Then there +were daily lessons in flying, alighting, +clinging to branches, and tapping for food +on the bark of trees. They learned, too, +how to support themselves with their stiff +tails when they were walking up trees or +stopping to eat with their claws hooked +into the bark. Then Mrs. Red-headed +Woodpecker taught them how to tell the +ripest and sweetest fruit on the trees before +they tasted it. That is something +many people would like to know, but it is +a forest secret, and no bird will tell anyone +who cannot fly.</p> + +<p>It was on his way back from an orchard +one day, that the vain young Woodpecker +stopped to talk with an old Gray Squirrel.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +It may be that the Gray Squirrel's sight +was not good, and so he mistook the +Woodpecker for quite another fellow. He +was speaking of an old tree where he had +spent the last winter. "I believe a family +of Red-headed Woodpeckers live there +now," he said. "I have met them once +or twice. The father and mother are fine +people, and they have charming daughters, +but their son must be a great trial to them. +He is one of these silly fellows who see +the world through their own feathers."</p> + +<p>As the young Red-headed Woodpecker +flew away, he repeated this to himself: "A +silly fellow, a silly fellow, who sees the +world through his own feathers." And he +said to his father, "Whose feathers must +I look through?"</p> + +<p>This puzzled his father. "Whose feathers +should you look through?" said he. +"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Well," answered the son, "somebody +said that I saw the world through my own<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +feathers, and I don't see how I can get +anybody else's."</p> + +<p>How his father did laugh! "I don't +see why you should look through any +feathers," said he. "What he meant was +that you thought so much of your own +plumage that you did not care for anything +else; and it is so. If it were intended +you should look at yourself all the +time, your eyes would have been one under +your chin and the other in the back +of your head. No! They are placed +right for you to look at other people, and +are where they help you hunt for food."</p> + +<p>"How often may I look at my own +feathers?" asked the young Woodpecker. +He was wondering at that minute how his +tail looked, but he was determined not to +turn his head.</p> + +<p>The old Woodpecker's eyes twinkled. +"I should think," he said, "that since you +are young and have no family to look after, +you might preen your feathers in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +morning and in the afternoon and when +you go to sleep. Then, of course, when it +is stormy, you will have to take your +waterproof out of the pocket under your +tail, and put it on one feather at a time, +as all birds do. That would be often +enough unless something happened to +rumple them."</p> + +<p>"I will not look at them any oftener," +said the young Red-headed Woodpecker, +firmly. "I will <i>not</i> be called a silly fellow." +And he was as good as his word.</p> + +<p>His mother sighed when she heard of +the change. "I am very glad," said she. +"But isn't that always the way? His +father and I have talked and talked, and +it made no difference; but let somebody +else say he is silly and vain, and behold!"</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE NIGHT +MOTH WITH +A CROOKED +FEELER</h2> + + +<div class="backleft" style="background-image: url(images/chap05.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:440px; height:300px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:200px; height:450px;"> </div> +<p>The beautiful, brilliant +Butterflies of the +Meadow had many cousins +living in the forest, +most of whom were +Night Moths. They +also were very beautiful +creatures, but they +dressed in duller colors +and did not have slender +waists. Some of the +Butterflies, you know, +wear whole gowns of +black and yellow, others +have stripes of black and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +white, while some have clear yellow with +only a bit of black trimming the edges of +the wings.</p> + +<p>The Moths usually wear brown and have +it brightened with touches of buff or dull +blue. If they do wear bright colors, it is +only on the back pair of wings, and when +the Moth alights, he slides his front pair +of wings over these and covers all the +brightness. They do not rest with their +wings folded over their heads like the Butterflies, +but leave them flat. All the day +long, when the sun is shining, the +Moths have to rest on trees and dead +leaves. If they were dressed in yellow or +red, any passing bird would see them, and +there is no telling what might happen. +As it is, their brown wings are so nearly +the color of dead leaves or bark that you +might often look right at them without +seeing them.</p> + +<p>Yet even among Moths there are some +more brightly colored than others, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +when you find part of the family quietly +dressed you can know it is because they +have to lay the eggs. Moths are safer in +dull colors, and the egg-layers should always +be the safest of all. If anything +happened to them, you know, there would +be no Caterpillar babies.</p> + +<p>One day a fine-looking Cecropia Moth +came out of her chrysalis and clung to the +nearest twig while her wings grew and +dried and flattened. At first they had +looked like tiny brown leaves all drenched +with rain and wrinkled by somebody's +stepping on them. The fur on her fat +body was matted and wet, and even her +feelers were damp and stuck to her head. +Her six beautiful legs were weak and +trembling, and she moved her body restlessly +while she tried again and again to +raise her crumpled wings.</p> + +<p>She had not been there so very long before +she noticed another Cecropia Moth +near her, clinging to the under side of a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +leaf. He was also just out of the chrysalis +and was drying himself. "Good morning!" +he cried. "I think I knew you when we +were Caterpillars. Fine day to break the +chrysalis, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Lovely," she answered. "I remember +you very well. You were the Caterpillar +who showed me where to find food +last summer when the hot weather had +withered so many of the plants."</p> + +<p>"I thought you would recall me," he +said. "And when we were spinning our +chrysalides we visited together. Do you +remember that also?"</p> + +<p>Miss Cecropia did. She had been thinking +of that when she first spoke, but she +hoped he had forgotten. To tell the truth, +he had been rather fond of her the fall +before, and she, thinking him the handsomest +Caterpillar of her acquaintance, +had smiled upon him and suggested that +they spin their cocoons near together. +During the long winter she had regretted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +this. "I was very foolish," she thought, +"to encourage him. When I get my wings +I may meet people who are better off than +he. Now I shall have to be polite to him +for the sake of old friendship. I only hope +that he will make other acquaintances and +leave me free. I must get into the best +society."</p> + +<p>All this time her neighbor was thinking, +"I am so glad to see her again, so glad, +so glad! When my wings are dry I will +fly over to her and we will go through the +forest together." He was a kind, warm-hearted +fellow, who cared more for friendship +than for beauty or family.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile their wings were growing +fast, and drying, and flattening, so that by +noon they could begin to raise them above +their heads. They were very large Moths +and their wings were of a soft dust color +with little clear, transparent places in them +and touches of the most beautiful blue, +quite the shade worn by the Peacock, who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +lived on the farm. There was a brown +and white border to their wings, and on +their bodies and legs the fur was white +and dark orange. When the Cecropias +rest, they spread their wings out flat, and +do not slide the front pair over the others +as their cousins, the Sphinxes, do. The +most wonderful of all, though, are their +feelers.</p> + +<p>The Butterflies have stiff feelers on their +heads with little knobs on the ends, or +sometimes with part of them thick like +tiny clubs. The Night Moths have many +kinds of feelers, most of them being curved, +and those of the Cecropias look like reddish-brown +feathers pointed at the end.</p> + +<p>Miss Cecropia's feelers were perfect, and +she waved them happily to and fro. Those +of her friend, she was troubled to see, were +not what they should have been. One of +them was all right, the other was small +and crooked. "Oh dear," she said to herself, +"how that does look! I hope he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +will not try to be attentive to me." He +did not mind it much. He thought about +other things than looks.</p> + +<p>As night came, a Polyphemus Moth +fluttered past. "Good evening!" cried +he. "Are you just out? There are a lot +of Cecropias coming out to-day."</p> + +<p>Miss Cecropia felt quite agitated when +she heard this, and wondered if she looked +all right. Her friend flew over to her just +as she raised her wings for flight. "Let +me go with you," he said.</p> + +<p>While she was wondering how she could +answer him, several other Cecropias came +along. They were all more brightly colered +than she. "Hullo!" cried one of +them, as he alighted beside her. "First-rate +night, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>He was a handsome fellow, and his feelers +were perfect; but Miss Cecropia did +not like his ways, and she drew away from +him just as her friend knocked him off the +branch. While they were fighting, an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>other +of the strangers flew to her. "May +I sit here?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she murmured, thinking her +chance had come to get into society.</p> + +<p>"I must say that it served the fellow +right for his rudeness to you," said the +stranger, in his sweetest way; "but who +is the Moth who is punishing him—that +queer-looking one with a crooked feeler?"</p> + +<p>"Sir," said she, moving farther from +him, "he is a friend of mine, and I do +not think it matters to you if he is queer-looking."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the stranger. "Oh! oh! +oh! You have a bad temper, haven't you? +But you are very good-looking in spite of +that." There is no telling what he would +have said next, for at this minute Miss +Cecropia's friend heard the mean things +he was saying, and flew against him.</p> + +<p>It was not long before this stranger also +was punished, and then the Moth with the +crooked feeler turned to the others. "Do<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +any of you want to try it?" he said. "You +must understand that you cannot be rude +before her." And he pointed his right +fore leg at Miss Cecropia as she sat +trembling on the branch.</p> + +<p>"Her!" they cried mockingly, as they +flew away. "There are prettier Moths +than she. We don't care anything for +her."</p> + +<p>Miss Cecropia's friend would have gone +after them to punish them for this impoliteness, +but she clung to him and begged +him not to. "You will be killed, I know +you will," she sobbed. "And then what +will become of me?"</p> + +<p>"Would you miss me?" he asked, as +he felt of one of his wings, now broken +and bare.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she cried. "You are the best +friend I have. Please don't go."</p> + +<p>"But I am such a homely fellow," he +said. "I don't see how you can like me +since I broke my wing."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, I do like you," she said. "Your +wing isn't much broken after all, and I +<i>like</i> your crooked feeler. It is so different +from anybody else's." Miss Cecropia +looked very happy as she spoke, and +she quite forgot how she once decided +to go away from him. There are some +people, you know, who can change their +minds in such a sweet and easy way that +we almost love them the better for it. One +certainly could love Miss Cecropia for +this, because it showed that she had +learned to care more for a warm heart +and courage than for whole wings and +straight feelers.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cecropia did not live long after this, +unfortunately, but they were very, very +happy together, and she often said to her +friends, as she laid her eggs in the best +places, "I only hope that when my Caterpillar +babies are grown and have come out +of their chrysalides, they may be as good +and as brave as their father was."</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE BEES AND +THE KINGBIRD</h2> + + +<div class="backleft" style="background-image: url(images/chap06.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:450px; height:350px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:180px; height:435px;"> </div> +<p>There was in the forest +a great hollow tree where +for years a swarm of Bees +had made their home. +To look at it in winter, +one would never guess +what a store of honey +was sealed up within, but +in summer the Bees were +always passing in and out, +and it was indeed a busy +place. Then the Workers +had to gather honey and +build the cells and look<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +out for the Queen-Mother's many babies. +The Queen-Mother had so much care of +her eggs that she could really do nothing +but attend to them. After they were ready +in their cells, the Workers took care of +them, and tucked in a lot of bread for +the babies to eat when they were hatched. +Then there was the bread-making to be +done also, and all the Workers helped +bring the pollen, or flower-dust, out of +which it was made.</p> + +<p>The Drones didn't do anything, not +a thing, not a single thing, unless it were +taking care of the Queen when she flew +away from the tree. They had done that +once, but it was long ago, before she had +laid an egg and while she was still quite +young. They were handsome great fellows, +all black and gold, and if you didn't +know about them, you might have thought +them the pleasantest Bees in the tree. +Of course you would not care for them +after finding how lazy they were, for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +people are never liked just because they +are fine-looking.</p> + +<p>The Drones always found some excuse +for being idle, and like many other lazy +people they wanted the busy ones to +stop and visit with them. "What is the +hurry?" they would say. "There will be +more honey that you can get to-morrow. +Stop a while now."</p> + +<p>But the Workers would shake their +brown heads and buzz impatiently as +they answered, "We can get to-morrow's +honey when to-morrow comes, but to-day's +honey must be gathered to-day."</p> + +<p>Then the Drones would grumble and +say that they didn't see the sense of +storing up so much honey anyway. That +also was like lazy people the world over, +for however much they scold about getting +the food, they are sure to eat just +as much as anybody else. Sometimes +lazy people eat even more than others, +and pick for the best too.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + +<p>On cloudy days, the Workers did stay +at home in the tree, but not to play. +They clung to the walls and to each +other and made wax. It took much +patience to make wax. When they were +gathering honey there was so much that +was interesting to be seen, and so many +friends to meet, that it was really quite +exciting; but when they made wax they +had to hang for a long, long time, until +the wax gathered in flakes over their +bodies. Then it was ready to scrape off +and shape into six-sided cells to hold +honey or to be homes for the babies.</p> + +<p>One sunshiny morning the Queen-Mother +stopped laying her eggs and cried: +"Listen! did you hear that?"</p> + +<p>"What?" asked the Workers, crowding +around her.</p> + +<p>"Why, that noise," she said. "It +sounded like a bird calling 'Kyrie! K-y-rie!' +and I thought I heard a Worker +buzzing outside a minute ago, but no one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +has come in. I am afraid—" and here +she stopped.</p> + +<p>"Of what are you afraid!" asked the +Drones, who, having nothing to do but +eat and sleep, were always ready to talk +about anything and everything. The +great trouble with them was that if you +once began to talk they did not like to +have you leave and go to work.</p> + +<p>"Why," said the Queen-Mother, "I +don't want to alarm you, but I thought +it was a Kingbird."</p> + +<p>"Well, what if it was?" said a big +Drone. "There is only one of him and +there are a great many of us."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the Queen-Mother, "but +there may not be so many of us very long +if he begins to watch the tree. I have +lived much longer than you and I know +how Kingbirds act."</p> + +<p>This was true, for Queens live to be +very old, and Drones never live long because +they are so lazy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well," said the big Drone, "we must +find out about this. Just fly around and +see if it is a Kingbird," he said to a +Worker. "We must know about things +before we act."</p> + +<p>"Suppose you should go," she replied. +"I have my leg-pockets full of pollen, and +it ought to be made into bread at once. +I never saw Larvæ so hungry as these +last ones are."</p> + +<p>"I only wish that I could go," said the +big Drone, limping as he got out of her +way; "but my fifth foot just stepped on +my third foot, and I can hardly move."</p> + +<p>When he said this, all the Workers +smiled, and even the Queen-Mother had +to turn away her head. The Drones +looked as solemn as possible. It would +not do for them to laugh at their brother. +They did not want him to laugh at them +when they made excuses for staying at +home. They even pretended not to hear +one of the Workers when she said that it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +was funny how some people couldn't use +their wings if one of their feet hurt them.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said another Worker, "and it is +funny, too, how some people can get along +very well on three legs when they have +to, while others are too helpless to do anything +unless they can use the whole six."</p> + +<p>The Drones began to talk together. +"I think that the whole swarm should fly +at the Kingbird and sting him and drive +him away," said one. "There is no sense +in allowing him to perch outside our home +and catch us as we pass in and out. <i>I</i> say +that we should make war upon him!" He +looked very fierce as he spoke, buzzing +and twitching his feelers at every step.</p> + +<p>"Exactly!" cried another Drone. "If +I had a sting, I would lead the attack. +As it is, I may be useful in guarding the +comb. It is a great pity that Drones +have no stings." You would have thought, +to hear him speak, that if he had been +given a sting like those of the Workers,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +not all the Bees in the tree could keep +him from fighting.</p> + +<p>While the Drones were talking about +war, some of the Workers sent to their +Queen for advice. "Tell us," they said, +"how to drive away the Kingbird. Should +we try to sting him? You know it kills a +Bee to sting anybody, and we don't want +to if we can help it, yet we will if you say +so."</p> + +<p>The Queen-Mother shook her head. +"You must not bother me about such +things," she said. "I have all that I can +do to get the eggs ready, and you must +look after the swarm. Nobody else can +do my work, and I have no time to do +yours." As she spoke, she finished the +one hundred and seventeenth egg of that +day's lot, and before night came she +would probably have laid more than a +thousand, so you can see she was quite +right when she said she had no time for +other things.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + +<p>This left the Workers to plan for themselves, +and they agreed that a number of +them should fly out together and see +where the Kingbird was. Then they +could decide about attacking him later. +When one gave the signal, they dashed +out as nearly together as possible.</p> + +<p>After the Workers returned with honey +and pollen, the Drones crowded around +them, asking questions. "Where is he? +What does he look like? Did he try to +catch you?" The Workers would not answer +them, and said: "Go and find out for +yourself. We all came back alive." +Then they went about their work as +usual.</p> + +<p>"I don't see how they dared to go," +said a very young Bee who was just out +of her cocoon and was still too weak to +fly.</p> + +<p>"Pooh!" said the big Drone. "You +wouldn't see me hanging around this tree +if I were not lame."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p>"There is no use in stopping work even +if you are scared," said one of the Workers. +She smiled as she spoke, and whispered +something to the Queen-Mother as +she passed her. The Queen-Mother +smiled also.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you Drones go for honey?" +she said. "You must be getting very +hungry."</p> + +<p>"We don't feel very well," they answered. +"Perhaps it would be better for +our health if we were to keep quiet for a +while and save our strength. We will +lunch off some of the honey in the comb +if we need food."</p> + +<p>"Not a bit of it!" exclaimed the Workers. +"Stay in the tree if you want to for +your health, but don't you dare touch the +honey we have gathered for winter, when +the day is clear and bright like this." And +whenever a Drone tried to get food from +the comb they drove him away.</p> + +<p>The poor Drones had a hard day of it,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +and at night they were so hungry they +could hardly sleep. The next morning they +peeped out, and then rushed away to the +flowers for their breakfast. They stayed +out all day, and when they returned at night +they rushed swiftly into the tree again.</p> + +<p>"There!" they said; "we escaped the +Kingbird."</p> + +<p>"What Kingbird?" asked a Worker.</p> + +<p>"The one who was there yesterday," +answered the Drones. "Has he been +back to-day?"</p> + +<p>"There was no Kingbird near the tree +yesterday," said the Worker.</p> + +<p>"What!" cried the Drones.</p> + +<p>"No," said the Queen-Mother, "I was +mistaken when I thought I heard him. +The Workers told me after they had been +out for honey. Perhaps they forgot to +tell you."</p> + +<p>But her eyes twinkled as she spoke, and +all the Workers smiled, and for some reason +the Drones did not know what to say.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE +STORY OF THE +COW BIRD'S +EGG</h2> + + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap07.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:450px; height:320px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:220px; height:430px;"> </div> +<p>On the edge of the forest +next to the meadow, +a pair of young Goldfinches +were about to begin +housekeeping. They +were a handsome couple, +and the birds who were +already nesting near by +were much pleased to see +them tree-hunting there.</p> + +<p>Mr. Goldfinch was a +fine, cheerful little fellow, +every feather of whose +black and yellow coat was always well oiled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +and lying in its proper place. His wife was +dressed in a dull, greenish brown with +a touch of yellow on her breast. "Bright +yellow and black does very well for Mr. +Goldfinch," she would say, "but for one +who has to sit on the nest as long as I +shall have to, it would never do. People +would see me among the leaves and know +just where to find my eggs."</p> + +<p>Mr. Goldfinch thought that there was +never a bird who had a prettier, dearer, +or harder-working little wife than he, +and he would wonder how he was ever +happy before he knew her. That is a +way that people have of forgetting the +days that are past; and the truth is that +Mr. Goldfinch had made fun of the +Robins and other birds all spring, because +they had to build nests and hunt +worms for their babies, while he had +nothing to do but sing and sleep and +feed himself. In those days the Robins +used to call after him as he flew away,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +"Silly fellow! Silly fellow! Silly!" They +knew that there is something sweeter in +life than just taking good care of one's +self.</p> + +<p>One afternoon Mr. Goldfinch saw a +tiny green-brown bird on a sweetbriar +bush, and as he watched her he thought +her the most beautiful creature he had +ever seen. She had such a dainty way +of picking out the seeds, and gave such +graceful hops from one twig to another. +Then Mr. Goldfinch fluffed up his feathers +and swelled out his throat and sang her +such songs as he had never sung before. +He did not want her to speak to anybody +else, and yet he could not help her +doing so, for Goldfinches always go together +in crowds until they have homes +of their own, and at this time they were +having concerts every morning. He +showed her where the finest dandelion +seeds could be found, and one bright and +sunshiny day she became Mrs. Goldfinch,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +and they went together to find a place +for their home.</p> + +<p>They began one nest and had it nearly +done, when Mr. Goldfinch said it was not +in a good place, and tore it all to pieces. +Mrs. Goldfinch felt very badly about this +and talked it over with some of her Goldfinch +neighbors. They told her not to +mind it at all, that their husbands often +did the same thing, and that sometimes +they came to like the new place much +better than the old. At any rate, there +was no use in getting cross about it, +because that was something she would +have to expect.</p> + +<p>Mr. Goldfinch was sure that they had +built too near the ground, and he had +chosen a crotch above. Toward this +he was dragging the bits of grape-vine +and cedar-bark which were woven into +their first nest. He said they could also +use some of the grasses and mosses which +they had gotten together, and he even<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +told his wife of some fine thistle-down +which he could bring for the inside, where +the eggs were to be laid. Mrs. Goldfinch +watched him tugging with bill and +both feet to loosen the bits of bark, and +she said to herself: "Dear fellow! what +a helper he is! I won't mind rebuilding +if it makes him happy," and she went to +work with a will.</p> + +<p>When the sun went down in the west +the next night the second nest was done, +and it was the last thing at which the +Goldfinches looked before tucking their +heads under their wings and going to +sleep. It was the first thing that they +saw the next morning, too, and they +hopped all around it and twittered with +pride, and gave it little tweaks here and +little pokes there before they flew away +to get breakfast.</p> + +<p>While they were gone, Mrs. Cowbird +came walking over the grass and dry leaves +to the foot of the tree. She wagged her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +head at every step, and put on as many +airs as though she were showily dressed, +instead of wearing, as she always does, a +robe of dull brownish gray. She had seen +the Goldfinches fly away, and she was looking +for their home. She was a lazy creature +in spite of her stirring ways, and she +wished to find a nice little nest in which to +lay an egg. You know Cowbirds never +think of building nests. They want all +of their time to take care of themselves, +which is a very foolish way of living; but +then, you could never make a Cowbird +think so!</p> + +<p>"That nest is exactly right," said Mrs. +Cowbird. "I will lay my egg there at once, +and when Mrs. Goldfinch has laid hers +she will have to hatch them all together +and take care of my baby for me. What +an easy way this is to bring up one's family! +It is really no work at all! And I +am sure that my children will get along +well, because I am always careful to choose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +the nests of small birds for them. Then +they are larger and stronger than the other +babies, and can get more than their share +of food."</p> + +<p>So she laid a big white egg with gray +and brown spots on it in the Goldfinches' +new home, and then she flew off to the +Cowbird flock, as gay and careless as you +please. When the Goldfinches came back, +they saw the egg in their nest and called +all their neighbors to talk it over. "What +shall I ever do?" said Mrs. Goldfinch. "I +wanted my nest for my own eggs, and I +meant to lay them to-morrow. I suppose +I shall have to sit on this one too, but it +won't be at all comfortable."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't," said one of her neighbors, +a Yellow Warbler. "I left my nest +once when such a thing happened to me, +and built a new one for my own eggs."</p> + +<p>"Oh dear!" cried Mrs. Goldfinch, "we +have built two already, and I cannot build +another."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, whatever you do," said a Vireo, +"don't hatch the big egg out with your +own. I did once, and such a time as I +had! The young Cowbird pushed two of +my little Vireos out onto the ground, and +ate so much that I was quite worn out by +the work of hunting for him."</p> + +<p>"My dear," said Mr. Goldfinch, "I have +an excellent plan. We will put another +floor in our nest, right over this egg, and +then by adding a bit all around the sides +we can have plenty of room for our +own children. It will be much less work +than beginning all over again, and then +the Cowbird's egg will be too cool to +hatch."</p> + +<p>Everybody called this a most clever +plan, and Mr. Goldfinch was very proud +to have thought of it. They went to work +once more, and it was not so very long +before the new floor was done and the +new walls raised. Then, oh, wonder of +wonders! there were soon four tiny, pearly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +eggs of their own lying on the thistle-down +lining of the nest.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Goldfinch had to stay very closely +at home now, but her husband went off +with his friends a great deal. He bathed +and sang and preened his feathers and +talked about his queer nest and his bright +little wife, after the manner of Goldfinches +everywhere.</p> + +<p>His friends laughed at him for helping +so much about the nest, for, you know, +Goldfinches do not often help their wives +about home. He cocked his handsome +head on one side and answered: "My wife +seemed to need me then. She is not so +very strong. And I do not know what +she would ever have done about the strange +egg, if I had not been there to advise her."</p> + +<p>When he got back to his home that +night, Mrs. Goldfinch said: "I have been +wondering why we did not roll the Cowbird's +egg out on the ground, instead of going +to all that trouble of building around it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> + +<p>And Mr. Goldfinch declared that he believed +she was the only bird who had ever +thought of such a thing. "It could have +been done just as well as not," he said. +"I must tell that to the other birds in the +morning. How lucky I am to have such +a bright wife! It would be dreadful if +such a clever fellow as I had a dull mate!"</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> +<h2>MRS. MOURNING DOVE'S +HOUSEKEEPING</h2> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 448px;"> +<img src="images/chap08.png" width="448" height="382" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<p>Strange as it may seem, there had never +been any Mourning Doves in the forest until +this year, and when a pair came there +to live, the people were much excited. +They talked about the Doves' song, so +sweet and sad, and about their soft coats +of brown and gray, and they wondered +very much what kind of home they would +build. Would it be a swinging pocket of +hairs, strings, and down, like that of the +Orioles? Would it be stout and heavy +like the nests of the Robins? Or would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +it be a ball of leaves and grasses on the +ground, with a tiny doorway in one side, +like that of the Ovenbird?</p> + +<p>You can see that the forest people were +really very much interested in the Mourning +Doves, and so, perhaps, it is not +strange that, when the new couple built +their nest in the lower branches of a +spruce tree, everybody watched it and +talked about it.</p> + +<p>"Really," said one of the Blackbirds, +who had flown over from the swamp near +by, "I never should think of calling that +thing a nest! It is nothing but a few +twigs and sticks laid together. It is just +as flat as a maple-leaf, and what is to keep +those poor little Doves from tumbling to +the ground I can't see."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't worry about the little +Doves yet," said a Warbler. "I don't +think there will ever be any little Doves +in that nest. The eggs will roll off of it +long before they are ready to hatch, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +the nest will blow to pieces in the first +storm we have."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Blackbird, as she +started for home, "I shall want to know +how the Mourning Doves get on. If any +of you are over my way, stop and tell me +the news."</p> + +<p>Some days after this, a Quail, passing +under the Doves' home, happened to look +up and see two white eggs in the nest. It +was so very thin that she could see them +quite plainly through the openings between +the twigs. Later in the day, she +spoke of this to a Grouse, saying, "I came +by the Mourning Doves' nest and saw two +white eggs through the bottom."</p> + +<p>After she went away, the Grouse said to +a wild Rabbit: "The Quail told me that +the Mourning Dove's eggs went right +through the bottom of her nest, and I +don't wonder. It wasn't strong enough +to hold anything."</p> + +<p>At sunset, the Rabbit had a short visit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +with Mrs. Goldfinch, as she pulled a great +thistle-head to pieces and made her supper +from its seeds. He told her he had +heard that the Mourning Dove's eggs had +fallen through the bottom of the nest and +broken on the ground, and Mrs. Goldfinch +said: "Oh, that poor Mrs. Mourning +Dove! I must go to see her in the morning." +Then she fled home to her own +four pearly treasures.</p> + +<p>Now, of course the Rabbit was mistaken +when he said anybody had told him that +those two eggs were broken; just as much +mistaken as the Grouse was when she said +somebody had told her that the eggs had +fallen. They both thought they were right, +but they were careless listeners and careless +talkers, and so each one had changed +it a bit in the telling.</p> + +<p>The next day it rained, and the next, +and the next. Mrs. Goldfinch did not +dare leave her nest to make calls, lest the +cold raindrops should chill and hurt the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +four tiny birds that lay curled up in their +shells. At last the weather was warm and +sunshiny, and Mrs. Goldfinch and some of +her bird neighbors went to call on Mrs. +Mourning Dove. They found her just +coming from a wheat-field, where she had +been to get grain. "Oh, you poor creature!" +they cried. "We have heard all +about it. Your poor babies! How sorry +we are for you!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Mourning Dove looked from one +to another as though she did not know +what to make of it. "What do you mean?" +she cooed. "My babies are well and doing +finely. Won't you come to see +them?"</p> + +<p>Then it was the turn of the other birds +to be surprised. "Why," they chirped, +"we heard that your eggs had fallen +through your nest and had broken and +killed the tiny Dove babies inside. Is it +true?"</p> + +<p>"Not a word of it," answered Mrs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +Mourning Dove. "The nest is all right, +and the eggs were not broken until my +two little darlings broke them with their +sharp beaks."</p> + +<p>"Here they are," she added, fondly. +"Did you ever see such pretty ones? +See him open his bill, the dear! And +did you ever see such a neck as she has? +Mr. Mourning Dove thinks there never +were such children."</p> + +<p>"But do you feel perfectly safe to +leave them in that nest?" asked the +Oriole politely. "My babies are so +restless that I should be afraid to trust +them in it."</p> + +<p>"That is what people always say," answered +Mrs. Mourning Dove, with a +happy coo, "and I fear that I am a rather +poor housekeeper, but it runs in our family. +Mr. Mourning Dove and I have +raised many pairs of children, and they +never rolled out, or tumbled through, or +blew away, and I do not worry about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +these. I shall never be thrifty like you +good builders, perhaps, but I'm sure you +cannot love your little ones any more +than I do mine. It was very kind of you +to be so sorry for me when you heard I +was in trouble. I think I have the best +neighbors in the world."</p> + +<p>When her callers went away, they could +not say enough about Mrs. Mourning +Dove's pleasant ways, and her gentle, +well-behaved children. "It is too bad +she is such a poor nest-maker," the Vireo +said, "and I understand now what she +meant when she told me that they sometimes +used old Robins' nests for their +young. She said they flattened them out +and added a few twigs, and that they did +finely. I thought it very queer in them +to do so, but perhaps if I had not been a +good builder I should have done the same +thing."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps we all would," the others +agreed. "She certainly is a very pleasant<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +bird, and she is bringing up her children +well. Mr. Mourning Dove seems to think +her perfect. We won't worry any more +about her."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE YOUNG +BLUE JAY +WHO WAS +NOT BRAVE +ENOUGH TO +BE AFRAID</h2> + + +<div class="backleft" style="background-image: url(images/chap09.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:450px; height:340px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:240px; height:420px;"> </div> +<p>Everybody who +is acquainted with +the Blue Jays +knows that they +are a very brave +family. That is +the best thing that +you can say about +them. To be +sure, they dress +very handsomely, +and there is no +prettier sight, on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +a fine winter morning, than a flock of +Blue Jays flitting from branch to branch, +dining off the acorns on the oak trees, and +cocking their crested heads on one side +as they look over the country. They are +great talkers then, and are always telling +each other just what to do; yet none of +them ever do what they are told to, so +they might just as well stop giving advice.</p> + +<p>The other people of the forest do not +like the Blue Jays at all, and if one of +them gets into trouble they will not help +him out. This always has been so, and it +always will be so. If it could be winter all +the time, the Blue Jays could be liked well +enough, for in cold weather they eat seeds +and nuts and do not quarrel so much with +others. It is in the summer that they +become bad neighbors. Then they live +in the thickest part of the woods and raise +families of tiny, fuzzy babies in their great +coarse nests. It is then, too, that they +change their beautiful coats, and while<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +the old feathers are dropping off and the +new ones are growing they are not at all +pretty. Oh, then is the time to beware +of the Blue Jays!</p> + +<p>They do very little talking during the +summer, and the forest people do not +know when they are coming, unless they +see a flutter of blue wings among the +branches. The Blue Jays have a reason +for keeping still then. They are doing +sly things, and they do not want to be +found out.</p> + +<p>The wee babies grow fast and their +mouths are always open for more food. +Father and Mother Blue Jay spend all +their time in marketing, and they are not +content with seeds and berries. They visit +the nests of their bird neighbors, and then +something very sad happens. When the +Blue Jays go to a nest there may be four +eggs in it; but when they go away there +will not be any left, nothing but pieces of +broken egg-shell. It is very, very sad,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +but this is another of the things which +will always be so, and all that the other +birds can do is to watch and drive the +Jays away.</p> + +<p>There was once a young Blue Jay in +the forest who was larger than his brothers +and sisters, and kept crowding them +toward the edge of the nest. When their +father came with a bit of food for them, +he would stretch his legs and flutter his +wings and reach up for the first bite. +And because he was the largest and the +strongest, he usually got it. Sometimes, +too, the first bite was so big that there +was nothing left for anyone else to bite +at. He was a very greedy fellow, and he +had no right to take more than his share, +just because he happened to be the first +of the family to break open the shell, or +because he grew fast.</p> + +<p>This same young Blue Jay used to +brag about what he would do when he +got out of the nest, and his mother told<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +him that he would get into trouble if he +were not careful. She said that even +Blue Jays had to look out for danger.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" said the young Blue Jay; +"who's afraid?"</p> + +<p>"Now you talk like a bully," said +Mother Blue Jay, "for people who are +really brave are always willing to be +careful."</p> + +<p>But the young Blue Jay only crowded +his brothers and sisters more than usual, +and thought, inside his foolish little pin-feathery +head, that when he got a chance, +he'd show them what courage was.</p> + +<p>After a while his chance came. All the +small birds had learned to flutter from +branch to branch, and to hop quite briskly +over the ground. One afternoon they +went to a part of the forest where the +ground was damp and all was strange. +The father and mother told their children +to keep close together and they would +take care of them; but the foolish young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +Blue Jay wanted a chance to go alone, +so he hid behind a tree until the others +were far ahead, and then he started off +another way. It was great fun for a +time, and when the feathered folk looked +down at him he raised his crest higher +than ever and thought how he would +scare them when he was a little older.</p> + +<p>The young Blue Jay was just thinking +about this when he saw something long +and shining lying in the pathway ahead. +He remembered what his father had said +about snakes, and about one kind that +wore rattles on their tails. He wondered +if this one had a rattle, and he made up +his mind to see how it was fastened +on. "I am a Blue Jay," he said to +himself, "and I was never yet afraid of +anything."</p> + +<p>The Rattlesnake, for it was he, raised +his head to look at the bird. The young +Blue Jay saw that his eyes were very +bright. He looked right into them, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +could see little pictures of himself upon +their shining surfaces. He stood still to +look, and the Rattlesnake came nearer. +Then the young Blue Jay tried to see his +tail, but he couldn't look away from the +Rattlesnake's eyes, though he tried ever +so hard.</p> + +<p>The Rattlesnake now coiled up his +body, flattened out his head, and showed +his teeth, while all the time his queer +forked tongue ran in and out of his +mouth. Then the young Blue Jay tried +to move and found that he couldn't. +All he could do was to stand there and +watch those glowing eyes and listen to +the song which the Rattlesnake began +to sing:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p> +"Through grass and fern,<br /> +With many a turn,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">My shining body I draw.</span><br /> +In woodland shade<br /> +My home is made,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For this is the Forest Law.</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span><br /> +"Whoever tries<br /> +To look in my eyes<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Comes near to my poisoned jaw;</span><br /> +And birds o'erbold<br /> +I charm and hold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For this is the Forest Law."</span><br /> +</p></div> + +<p>The Rattlesnake drew nearer and +nearer, and the young Blue Jay was shaking +with fright, when there was a rustle +of wings, and his father and mother flew +down and around the Rattlesnake, screaming +loudly to all the other Jays, and making +the Snake turn away from the helpless +little bird he had been about to strike. +It was a long time before the forest was +quiet again, and when it was, the Blue +Jay family were safely in their nest, and +the Rattlesnake had gone home without +his supper.</p> + +<p>After the young Blue Jay got over his +fright, he began to complain because he +had not seen the Rattlesnake's tail. Then, +indeed, his patient mother gave him such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +a scolding as he had never had in all his +life, and his father said that he deserved +a sound pecking for his foolishness.</p> + +<p>When the young Blue Jay showed that +he was sorry for all the trouble that he +had made, his parents let him have some +supper and go to bed; but not until he +had learned two sayings which he was always +to remember. And these were the +sayings: "A really brave bird dares to be +afraid of some things," and, "If you go +near enough to see the tail of a danger, +you may be struck by its head."</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE RED SQUIRRELS +BEGIN HOUSEKEEPING</h2> + + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap10.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:440px; height:80px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:220px; height:670px;"> </div> +<p>The first thing +that Mr. Red Squirrel +did after coming +to the forest and +meeting the Gray +Squirrel was to look +for something to +eat. It was not a +good season for a +stranger who had +no hidden store of +nuts and seeds to +draw upon. The +apples and corn +were not ripe, and +last year's seeds +and acorns were +nearly gone. What +few remained here +and there had lost +their sweet and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +wholesome taste. Poor Mr. Red Squirrel +began to wish that he had eaten breakfast +before he ran away. He even went to the +edge of the forest and looked over toward +the farmhouse, where his open cage hung +in the sunshine. He knew that there were +nuts and a fresh bit of fruit inside of it, +and his mouth watered at the thought of +them, but he was a sensible young fellow, +and he knew that if he went back to eat, +the cage door would be snapped shut, and +he would never again be free to scamper +in the beautiful trees.</p> + +<p>"I will starve first!" he said to himself, +and he was so much in earnest that he +spoke quite loudly.</p> + +<p>The words were hardly out of his +mouth when "Pft!" a fat acorn came +down at his feet. He caught it up with +his forepaws before looking around. It +was smooth and glossy, not at all as +though it had passed a long winter on an +oak branch. He took a good nibble at it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +and then looked up to see if there were +more on the tree above him. You can +think how surprised he was to find himself +sitting beneath a maple, for in all the +years since the world began no maple has +ever borne acorns.</p> + +<p>"There are no more to come," he said. +"I must take small bites and make it last +as long as I can." And he turned it +around and around, clutching it tightly +with his long, crooked claws, so that not +the tiniest bit could be lost. At last it +was all eaten, not a crumb was left, and +then "Pft!" down came a walnut. This +hit him squarely on the back, but he was +too hungry to mind, and he ate it all, just +stopping long enough to say: "If this +maple bears such fruit as acorns and walnuts, +I should like to live in a maple grove."</p> + +<p>Next came a hazelnut, then a butternut, +and last of all a fat kernel of yellow +corn. He knew now that some friend +was hidden in the branches above, so he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +tucked the corn in one of his cheek-pockets, +and scampered up the maple trunk to +find out who it was. He saw a whisking +reddish-brown tail, and knew that some +other Red Squirrel was there. But whoever +it was did not mean to be caught, +and such a chase as he had! Just as he +thought he had overtaken his unknown +friend, he could see nothing more of her, +and he was almost vexed to think how +careless he must have been to miss her. +He ran up and down the tree on which he +last saw her, and found a little hollow in +one of its large branches. He looked in, +and there she was, the same dainty creature +whom he had so often watched from +his cage. He could see that she was +breathless from running so fast, yet she +pretended to be surprised at seeing him. +Perhaps she now thought that she had +been too bold in giving him food, and so +wanted him to think that it had been +somebody else.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Good morning!" said he. "Thank +you very much for your kindness."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" said she.</p> + +<p>"As though you didn't know!" he answered. +"I never heard of a maple tree +that bore acorns, nuts, and corn, and that +in the springtime."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," said she, tossing her pretty +head, "you have lived in a cage and may +not know what our forest trees can do."</p> + +<p>That was a rather saucy thing to say, +but Mr. Red Squirrel knew her kind +heart and that she said it only in mischief. +"How do you know I have lived in a +cage?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I—I thought you looked like the +Squirrel at the farmhouse," she said; and +then forgetting herself, she added, "You +did look so surprised when that walnut +hit you."</p> + +<p>"Where were you then?" he asked +quickly.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I was on a branch above<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +you," she answered, seeing that he now +knew all about it. "You looked so +hungry, and I had plenty of food stored +away. You may have some whenever you +wish. It must have been dreadful in that +cage."</p> + +<p>Now Mr. Red Squirrel had loved his +little friend ever since the first time he +saw her on the rail fence, but he had never +thought she would care for him—a tired, +discouraged fellow, who had passed such +a sorrowful life in prison. Yet when he +heard her pitying words, and saw the light +in her tender eyes, he wondered if he +could win her for his wife.</p> + +<p>"I shall never be able to do anything +for you," said he. "You are young and +beautiful and know the forest ways. I +am a stranger and saddened by my hard +life. I wish I could help you."</p> + +<p>"The Blue Jays! The Blue Jays!" +she cried, starting up. "They have found +my hidden acorns and are eating them."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> + +<p>And sure enough, a pair of those handsome +robbers were pulling acorn after +acorn out of a tree-hollow near by, and +eating them as fast as they could. You +should have seen Mr. Red Squirrel then! +He leaped from branch to branch until he +reached the Blue Jays; then he stood by +the hole where the acorns were stored, +and scolded them. "Chickaree-chickaree-quilch-quilch-chickaree-chickaree!" +he +said; and that in the Red Squirrel language +is a <i>very</i> severe scolding. He +jumped about with his head down and +his tail jerking, while his eyes gleamed +like coals of fire. The Blue Jays made a +great fuss and called "Jay! Jay!" at him, +and made fun of him for being a stranger, +but they left at last, and Mr. Red Squirrel +turned to his friend.</p> + +<p>"What would I have done without +your help?" she said. "I was so dreadfully +frightened. Don't you see how my +paws are shaking still?" And she held<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +out the prettiest little paws imaginable for +him to see.</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Red Squirrel's heart began +to thump very fast and hard beneath the +white fur of his chest, and he sighed +softly. "I wish I might always help +you and protect you," he said; "but I +suppose there are better fellows than +I who want to do that." And he sighed +again.</p> + +<p>"Yes, they might want to," she said, +looking away from him and acting as +though she saw another Blue Jay coming.</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't be my little wife, would +you?" he asked, coming nearer to her.</p> + +<p>"Why—I—might!" she answered, with +a saucy flirt of her tail, and she scampered +away as fast as she could. Do you think +Mr. Red Squirrel stopped then to eat his +fat kernel of yellow corn? Or do you +think he waited to see whether the Blue +Jays were around? No, indeed! He +followed as fast as his legs could carry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +him from tree to tree, from branch to +branch, and it was not until he had reached +the top of a tall beech that he overtook +his little sweetheart. They were still there +when the Gray Squirrel happened along +in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said he, squinting at Mr. Red +Squirrel, for his eyes were poor. "You +are getting acquainted, are you? Pleasant +society here. The Squirrel set is very +select. You must meet some of our young +people. Suppose you will begin housekeeping +one of these days?"</p> + +<p>"I have done so already, sir," answered +Mr. Red Squirrel, although his wife was +nudging him with one paw and motioning +him to keep quiet. "Mrs. Red Squirrel +and I will build our round home in +the top fork of this tree. We shall be +pleased to have you call when we are +settled."</p> + +<p>"Is that so?" exclaimed the Gray +Squirrel. "I did not know that you were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +married. I thought you came alone to +the forest."</p> + +<p>"This is my wife, sir," said Mr. Red +Squirrel, and the Gray Squirrel made his +very best bow and looked at her as sharply +as his poor eyes would let him.</p> + +<p>"I think I must have seen you somewhere," +he said; "your face is very familiar." +And he scratched his poor old +puzzled head with one claw.</p> + +<p>"Why, Cousin Gray Squirrel, don't you +know Bushy-tail?" she cried. "You +lived the next tree to mine all winter."</p> + +<p>"To be sure!" he exclaimed. "But +isn't your marriage rather sudden?"</p> + +<p>"No," she said, blushing under her +fur. "We have always liked each other, +although we never spoke until this morning. +I used to scamper along the rail +fence to see Mr. Red Squirrel in his +cage."</p> + +<p>"Did you truly come for that?" asked +her husband, after their caller had gone.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I truly did," she answered, "but I +never expected anybody to know it. You +poor fellow! I felt so sorry for you. I +would have given every nut I had to set +you free."</p> + +<p>They were a very happy couple, and the +next fall the Gray Squirrel watched them +and their children gathering nuts for their +winter stores. Mr. Red Squirrel, as the +head of the family, planned the work, yet +each did his share. The nuts were not +yet ripe, and they gnawed off the stems, +then came to the ground, filled their cheek-pockets +with the fallen nuts, and scampered +off to hide them in many places. +They were stored in tree-hollows, under +the rustling leaves which strewed the +ground, in the cracks of old logs, beneath +brush-heaps, and in holes in the ground.</p> + +<p>"Don't stop to think how many you +need," said the little mother to her children. +"Get every nut you can. It may +be a very long winter."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And if you don't eat them all," said +their hard-working father with a twinkle +in his eyes, "you may want to drop a few +down to some poor fellow who has none. +That was your mother's way."</p> + +<p>"When was it her way? What makes +you smile when you say it? Mother, +what does he mean?" cried the young +Red Squirrels all in a breath.</p> + +<p>"I gave some nuts to a hungry Squirrel +once," she said, "and he was so grateful +that he drove the Blue Jays away when +they tried to rob me." But she looked +so happy as she spoke that the children +knew there was more to the story. They +dared not tease her to tell, so they whispered +among themselves and wondered +what their father meant.</p> + +<p>As they gathered nuts near the Gray +Squirrel, he motioned them to come close. +"S-sh!" said he. "Don't tell it from +me, but I think the poor hungry fellow +was your father, and it was a lucky thing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +for you that she had enough to give +away."</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose that was it?" the +young Red Squirrels whispered to each +other. "Do you really suppose so?"</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE BIGGEST LITTLE RABBIT +LEARNS TO SEE</h2> + + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap11.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:460px; height:350px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:220px; height:360px;"> </div> +<p>Seven little Rabbits +lay on their nest at the +bottom of the burrow, +and wriggled and +squirmed and pushed +their soft noses against +each other all day long. +Life was very easy for +them, and they were +contented. The first +thing that they remembered +was lying on their bed of fur, hay, +and dried leaves, and feeling a great,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +warm, soft Something close beside them. +After a while they learned that this Something +was their Mamma Rabbit. It was +she who had gotten the nest ready for +them and lined it with fur that she tore +from her own breast. She didn't care +so much about looking beautiful as she +did about making her babies comfortable.</p> + +<p>It was their Mamma Rabbit, too, who +fed them with warm milk from her own +body until they should be old enough to +go out of the burrow. Then they would +nibble bark and tender young shoots +from the roots of the trees, and all the +fresh, green, growing things that Rabbits +like. She used to tell them about this +food, and they wondered and wondered +how it would taste. They began to feel +very big and strong now. The soft fur +was growing on their naked little bodies +and covering even the soles of their feet. +It was growing inside their cheeks, too, +and that made them feel important, for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +Papa Rabbit said that he did not know +any other animals that had fur inside +their cheeks. He said it was something +to be very proud of, so they were very +proud, although why one should want fur +inside of one's cheeks it would be hard +to say.</p> + +<p>What tangles they did get into! Each +little Rabbit had four legs, two short ones +in front, and two long ones behind to +help him take long jumps from one place +to another. So, you see, there were +twenty-eight legs there, pushing, catching +in the hay, kicking, and sometimes just +waving in the air when their tiny owners +chanced to roll over on their backs and +couldn't get right side up again. Then +Mamma Rabbit would come and poke +them this way and that, never hurting +any of them, but getting the nest in +order.</p> + +<p>"It is a great deal of work to pick up +after children," she would say with a tired<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +little sigh, "but it will not be long before +they have homes of their own and are +doing the same thing."</p> + +<p>Mamma Rabbit was quite right when +she said that, for all of their people set +up housekeeping when very young, and +then the cares of life begin.</p> + +<p>One fine morning when the children +were alone in their burrow, the biggest +little Rabbit had a queer feeling in his +face, below and in front of his long ears, +and above his eager little nose. It almost +scared him at first, for he had never +before felt anything at all like it. Then he +guessed what it meant. There were two +bunchy places on his face, that Mamma +Rabbit had told him were eyes. "When +you are older," she had said to him, +"these eyes will open, and then you will +see." For the Rabbit children are always +blind when they are babies.</p> + +<p>When his mother told him that, the +biggest little Rabbit had said, "What do<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +you mean when you say I shall 'see'? Is +it anything like eating?"</p> + +<p>And Mamma Rabbit said, "No, you +cannot taste things until you touch them, +but you can see them when they are far +away."</p> + +<p>"Then it is like smelling," said the +biggest little Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"No, it is not like smelling, either, for +there are many things, like stones, which +one cannot smell and yet can see."</p> + +<p>"Then it surely is like hearing," said +the biggest little Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Oh dear!" exclaimed his mother, who +was tired of having questions asked which +could not be answered. "It is not a bit +like hearing. You could never hear a +black cloud coming across the sky, but +you could see it if you were outside your +burrow. Nobody can make you understand +what seeing is until your eyes are +open, and then you will find out for yourself +without asking."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + +<p>This made the biggest little Rabbit lie +still for a while, and then he said: "What +is a black cloud, and why does it come +across the sky? And what is the sky, and +why does it let the cloud come? And +what is—" But he did not get any answer, +for his mother ran out of the burrow +as fast as she could.</p> + +<p>And now his eyes were surely opening +and he should see! His tiny heart thumped +hard with excitement, and he rubbed his +face with his forepaws to make his eyes +open faster. Ah! There it was; something +round and bright at the other end +of the burrow, and some queer, slender +things were waving across it. He wondered +if it were good to eat, but he dared +not crawl toward it to see. He did not +know that the round, bright thing was +just a bit of sky which he saw through the +end of the burrow, and that the slender, +waving ones were the branches of a dead +tree tossing in the wind. Then he looked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +at his brothers and sisters as they lay beside +him. He would not have known +what they were if he had not felt of them +at the same time.</p> + +<p>"I can see!" he cried. "I can see +everything that there is to see! I'm +ahead of you! Don't you wish that you +could see, too?"</p> + +<p>That was not a very kind thing to say, +but in a minute more his brothers and sisters +had reason to be glad that they +couldn't see. Even while he was speaking +and looking toward the light, he saw +a brown head with two round eyes look in +at him, and then a great creature that he +thought must surely be a dog ran in toward +him. How frightened he was then! +He pushed his nose in among his blind +brothers and sisters and tried to hide himself +among them. He thought something +dreadful was about to happen.</p> + +<p>"I wish Mamma Rabbit would come," +he squeaked, shutting his eyes as closely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +as he could. "I wish Mamma Rabbit +would come."</p> + +<p>"Why, here I am," she answered. +"What are you afraid of?"</p> + +<p>The biggest little Rabbit opened his +eyes, and there was the creature who had +frightened him so, and it was his own +mother! You can imagine how glad she +was to see that one of her children had +his eyes open.</p> + +<p>"I will call in some of my Rabbit +friends," she said, "and let you see them, +if you will promise not to be afraid."</p> + +<p>The next day four of the other little +Rabbits had their eyes open, and the day +after that they all could see each other +and the shining piece of sky at the end of +the burrow. It was not so very long afterward +that the Rabbit family went out +to dine in the forest, and this was the +first time that the children had seen their +father. Often when their mother left +them alone in the burrow she had pulled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +grass and leaves over the opening to hide +it from him, for Rabbit fathers do not love +their children until they are old enough +to go out into the great world, and it +would never do for them to know where +their babies are kept. Then their father +taught them how to gnaw tough bark to +wear their teeth down, for Rabbits' teeth +grow all the time, and if they were to eat +only soft food, their teeth would get too +long. He taught them, too, how to move +their ears in the right way for keen hearing, +and told them that when chased they must +run for the burrow or the nearest thicket. +"Then crouch down on some leaves that +are the color of your fur," he said, "and +you may not be seen at all."</p> + +<p>"Why should we run?" said the biggest +little Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Because you might be caught if you +didn't."</p> + +<p>"What might catch us?" asked the +biggest little Rabbit.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, a Hawk, perhaps, or a Weasel."</p> + +<p>"What does a Hawk look like?"</p> + +<p>"Like a great bird floating in the sky," +said Papa Rabbit. "Now, don't ask me +a single question more."</p> + +<p>"Does a Hawk look like that bird +above us?" asked the biggest little +Rabbit.</p> + +<p>His father gave one look upward. +"Yes!" he said. "Run!"</p> + +<p>And just as the Hawk swooped down +toward the ground, he saw nine white-tipped +tails disappear into a burrow near +by.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE LITTLE BAT WHO +WOULDN'T GO TO BED</h2> + + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap12.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:460px; height:320px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:180px; height:460px;"> </div> +<p>"Come," said Mamma +Bat, flying toward her +home in the cave, "it is +time that you children +went to bed. The eastern +sky is growing bright, +and I can see the fleecy +clouds blush rosy red as +the sun looks at them."</p> + +<p>The little Bats flitted +along after her, and Papa +Bat came behind them. +They had been flying +through the starlit forest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +all night, chasing the many small insects +that come out after the sun has gone +down, and passing in and out of the tangled +branches without ever touching one. +Indeed, Mamma Bat would have been +ashamed if children of hers flew against +anything in the dark. There might be +some excuse for such a mistake in the +daytime, for Bats' eyes do not see well +then, but in the night-time! She would +have scolded them well, and they would +have deserved it, for Bats have the most +wonderful way of feeling things before +they touch them, and there are no other +people in the forest who can do that. +There are no other people who can tell +by the feeling of the air when something +is near, and the Bats made much fun of +their friend, the Screech Owl, once, when +he flew against a tree and fell to the ground.</p> + +<p>And now the night was over and their +mother had called them to go home. One +of the little Bats hung back with a very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +cross look on his face, and twice his father +had to tell him to fly faster. He was +thinking how he would like to see the forest +in the daytime. He had never seen +the sun rise, and he wanted to do that. +He had never seen any of the day-birds +or the animals that awaken in the morning. +He thought it was pretty mean to +make poor little Bats go off to bed the +minute the stars began to fade. He +didn't believe what his father and mother +said, that he wouldn't have a good time +if he did stay up. He had coaxed and +coaxed and teased and teased, but it +hadn't made a bit of difference. Every +morning he had to fold his wings and go +to sleep in a dark crack in the rock of the +cave, hanging, head downward, close to +the rest of the family. Their father said +that there never was a better place to +sleep than in this same crack, and it certainly +was easy to catch on with the hooks +at the lower ends of their wings when they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +hung themselves up for the day. But now +he just wouldn't go to bed, so there!</p> + +<p>"It is your turn next," said Mamma +Bat to him, when the rest of the children +had hung themselves up.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to bed," the little Bat +answered.</p> + +<p>"Not going to bed!" said his father. +"Are you crazy?"</p> + +<p>"No," said the little Bat, "I'm <i>not</i>."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe the child is well," said +Mamma Bat. "He never acted like this +before. I'm afraid he has overeaten." +And she looked very anxious.</p> + +<p>"I <i>am</i> well, and I <i>haven't</i> eaten too +much," said the little Bat. "I think you +might let a fellow have some fun once in +a while. I've never seen the sun in my +life, and there are whole lots of birds and +animals in the forest that I've only heard +about."</p> + +<p>Papa and Mamma Bat looked at each +other without speaking.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I <i>won't</i> go to bed!" said the little +Bat.</p> + +<p>"Very well," said his father. "I shall +not try to make you. Fly away at once +and let us go to sleep."</p> + +<p>After he had gone, Mamma Bat said, +"I suppose you did right to let him go, +but it seems too bad that children have to +find out for themselves the trouble that +comes from disobedience."</p> + +<p>The little Bat flew away feeling very +brave. He guessed he knew how to take +care of himself, even in daylight. He felt +sorry for his brothers who were in the +cave, but he made up his mind that he +would tell them all about it the next +night.</p> + +<p>The eastern sky grew brighter and +brighter. It hurt his eyes to look at it, +and he blinked and turned away. Then +the song-birds awakened and began to +sing. It was very interesting, but he +thought they sang too loudly. The forest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +at night is a quiet place, and he didn't +see the sense of shouting so, even if the +sun were coming up. The night-birds +never made such a fuss over the moon, +and he guessed the moon was as good as +the sun.</p> + +<p>Somebody went scampering over the +grass, kicking up his heels as he ran. +"That must be a Rabbit," thought the +little Bat. "The Screech Owl told me +that Rabbits run in that way. I wish I +could see him more plainly. I don't +know what is the matter with my eyes."</p> + +<p>Just then a sunbeam came slanting +through the forest and fell on his furry +coat as he clung to a branch. "Ow!" he +cried. "Ow! How warm it is! I don't +like that. The moonbeams do not feel +so. I must fly to a shady corner." He +started to fly. Just what was the matter, +he never knew. It may have been because +he couldn't see well, it may have +been because he was getting very tired,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +or it may have been because the strangeness +of it all was beginning to frighten +him; but at all events, he went down, +down, down until he found himself pitching +and tumbling around in the grass.</p> + +<p>A Crow had seen him fall, and cried +loudly, "Come! Come! Come!" to his +friends. The Rabbits, who were feeding +near by, came scampering along, making +great leaps in their haste to see what was +the matter. The Goldfinches, the Robins, +the Orioles, the Woodpeckers, and +many other birds came fluttering up. +Even a Blue Jay sat on a branch above +the Bat and shrieked, "Jay! Jay! Jay!" +to add to the excitement. And last of all, +the Ground Hog appeared, coming slowly +and with dignity, as a person who can remember +his grandfather should do.</p> + +<p>"What is the cause of all this commotion?" +he asked. He might have said, +"What is the matter?" and then they +would have understood him at once, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +he was too haughty for that. He thought +he had to use big words once in a while +to show that he could. If people didn't +understand them, he was willing to explain +what he meant.</p> + +<p>"We've found such a queer bird, sir," +said the biggest little Rabbit, without +waiting to find out what a "commotion" +was. "Just see him tumble around!"</p> + +<p>"Bird? That is no bird," said a Woodpecker. +"Look at his ears and his nose. +He hasn't even a bill."</p> + +<p>"Well, he flies," said the biggest little +Rabbit, "because I saw him, so he must +be a bird."</p> + +<p>"Humph!" said a Chipmunk. "So +does my cousin, the Flying Squirrel, in a +way, yet he is no more bird than I am."</p> + +<p>"And this fellow hasn't a feather to +his skin!" cried an Oriole.</p> + +<p>"I don't say that my son is right," +said Papa Rabbit, "but this creature +has wings." And he gave the Bat a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +poke that made him flutter wildly for a +minute.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but what kind of wings?" asked +the Goldfinch. "A pair of skinny things +that grow on to his legs and have hooks +on both ends."</p> + +<p>"He must be a very stupid fellow, at +all events," said the Ground Hog. "He +doesn't talk, or walk, or eat, or even fly +well. He must come of a very common +family. For my part, I am not interested +in persons of that kind." And he walked +away with his nose in the air.</p> + +<p>Now the other forest people would have +liked to watch the Bat longer, but after +the Ground Hog had gone off in this +way, they thought it would show too +much curiosity if they stayed. So one +after another went away, and the little +Bat was left alone. He fluttered around +until he reached the branch where the +Blue Jay had been, and there he hung +himself up to wait until night.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh dear!" he said, "I wonder how +long a day is. I am hot and blind and +sleepy, and if any more of the forest people +come and talk about me, I don't know +what I shall do. They don't think me +good-looking because my wings grow to +my legs. I only wish I could see what +they look like. I believe they are <i>just</i> as +homely."</p> + +<p>And then, because he was a very tired +little Bat, and cross, as people always are +when they have done wrong, he began to +blame somebody else for all his trouble.</p> + +<p>"If my father and mother had cared +very much about me," he said, "they +would never have let me stay up all day. +Guess if I were a big Bat and had little +Bats of my own, I'd take better care of +them!" But that is always the way, and +when, long afterward, he was a big Bat +with little Bats of his own, he was a much +wiser person.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span></p> +<h2>A SWARM LEAVES +THE BEE TREE</h2> + + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap13.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:450px; height:300px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:180px; height:450px;"> </div> +<p>The old Bee tree +was becoming very +crowded and the Queen-Mother +grew restless. +There were many things +to make her so. In the +tree were thousands of +cells made ready for her +eggs, and she had been +busy for days putting +one in each. In the +larger cells she laid eggs +that would hatch out +Drones, and in the +smaller ones she laid<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +Worker eggs. She never laid any Queen +eggs. Perhaps she did not want any +Queens among her children, for there can +never be two Queens in one swarm, and +when a new one is hatched, the Queen-Mother +has to go away and find another +home. That is a law among the Bees.</p> + +<p>The Workers, however, knew that there +must be young Queens growing up all the +time. Supposing something should happen +to the Queen-Mother, what would +become of the swarm if there were nobody +to lay eggs? So after she had laid several +thousand Worker eggs, and it was +time for the young ones to hatch, they +decided to change some of the babies +into young Queens. And this was easy +enough. When they were out for honey, +they filled the pockets on their hind legs +with pollen, the yellow dust that is found +in flowers. This was to be mixed with +honey and water and made into bread for +the babies, who were now awake, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +looked like tiny white worms in the bottom +of their cells. Then they made some +that was almost like sour jelly, and put it +in a few of the Worker cells for the tiny +white worms, or Larvæ, to eat. The +Larvæ that eat this jelly grow up to be +Queens, and can lay eggs. Those that eat +the common bread are either Drones or +Workers, whichever their mother had +planned them to be.</p> + +<p>After the Larvæ were five or six days +old, the Workers shut them up in their +cells and stopped feeding them. That +was because the Larvæ had other things +to do than eat. They had to spin their +cocoons, and lie in them until they were +grown and ready to come out among the +older Bees. When a Larva, or Bee baby, +has finished its cocoon, and is lying inside, +it is called a Pupa, and when a Pupa is +full grown and has torn its way out of the +cocoon and wax, it is called a Drone, +or a Worker, or a Queen.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> + +<p>Now the Queen-Mother was restless. +She could hear the young Queens piping +in their cells, and she knew that they +wanted to come out and drive her away. +She wanted to get to them and stop their +piping, but the Workers stood in her way +and prevented her. They knew it would +not be well for the Queen-Mother to meet +her royal children, and when these children +tried to come out the Workers covered +the doors of their cells with another +layer of wax, leaving little holes where +they could put out their tongues and be +fed.</p> + +<p>This made the Queen-Mother more +restless than ever. "If I cannot do as I +wish to with my own children," she said, +"I will leave the tree." And she began +walking back and forth as fast as she +could, and talked a great deal, and acted +almost wild with impatience. The Workers +saw how she felt, and part of them decided +to go with her. When a Worker<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +made up her mind to go with the Queen-Mother, +she showed it by also acting wild +and walking back and forth, and talking a +great deal, sometimes fluttering her wings +very fast. Then she would go for honey, +because when Bees are about to swarm +they fill their honey-pockets just as full +as they can. At times the Queen-Mother +would be quiet, and you might almost +think that she had given up going. Then +suddenly she would grow restless again, +and all the Workers who were going with +her would act as she did, and they would +get so warm with excitement that the air +in the tree became quite hot.</p> + +<p>At last the Queen-Mother thought it +time to start, and her followers came +around her in the tree, and were very still +for a minute. Several of the Workers +had been flying in circles around the tree, +and now they came to the doorway and +called. Then all came out, and hovered +in the air a few minutes before stopping<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +to rest on a bush near by. When they +rested, the first Bee held on to the bush, +the next Bee held on to her, and that was +the way they did until they were all clinging +tightly together in a squirming, dark-brown +mass.</p> + +<p>Ah, then the Queen-Mother was happy! +She felt that she was young again, +and she thought, "How they love me, +these dear Workers!" She stroked her +body with her legs to make herself as fine +as possible, and she noticed, with pleasure, +how slender she was growing. "I had +thought I should never fly again," she +said, "yet this is delightful. I believe I +will go off by myself for a little while."</p> + +<p>So she flew off by herself and was talking +rather airily to a Butterfly when two +of the Workers came after her.</p> + +<p>"You may return to the rest," she said +in a queenly way, as she motioned to +them with her feelers. "I will come by +and by."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No," said they, "you must come at +once or we shall all go back to the Bee +tree. You must stay with us. You must +do your part as it should be done." And +she had to go, for she knew in her heart +that Queens have to obey the law as well +as other people.</p> + +<p>After she had hung with the Workers +on the bush for some time, the ones who +had gone ahead to find a new home for +the swarm came back and gave the signal +for the rest to follow. They went to an +old log near the river-bank, and here they +began the real work. Crawling through +an opening at one end, they found a +roomy place within, and commenced to +clean house at once.</p> + +<p>"If there is anything I do like," said +a Worker, as she dropped a splinter of +rotten wood outside the door, "it is +house-cleaning."</p> + +<p>"So do I," said her sister. "But what +a fuss the Drones always make when we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +try to do anything of the sort! A pretty-looking +home we'd have if they took +care of it!"</p> + +<p>"I'm glad none of them came with us +to this place," said the first Worker. "I +guess they knew they were not wanted."</p> + +<p>"There, there!" said the Queen-Mother, +coming up to where they were; +"you must not talk in that way. It may +be that you would rather do without +Drones, and perhaps they would rather +do without you; but I need you both and +I will not have any quarreling." When +she said this she walked away with her +head in the air, and the Workers did not +scold any more. They knew that she +was right, and, after all, she was their +Queen, even if she did have to obey the +laws.</p> + +<p>Next they got varnish from the buds +of poplar trees and varnished over all the +cracks and little holes in the walls of their +home, leaving open only the place where<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +they were to go in and out. They also +covered with varnish a few heavy fragments +of wood that lay on the floor of +their home, and when this task was done +it was all in order and ready for the furniture, +that is, the comb.</p> + +<p>You know how the comb looks, and you +know how they get the wax from which to +make it, but unless you are acquainted +with the Bees, and have seen them at +work, you have no idea what busy creatures +they are. The Queen-Mother, as +soon as the cells were ready and she could +begin laying eggs again, was as contented +and happy as ever.</p> + +<p>One day, when she was walking around +a corner of the comb, she ran against +a sad and discouraged-looking Worker. +"Why, what is the matter?" said she, +kindly. "Are you sick?"</p> + +<p>"No," answered the Worker. "I'm +not sick and I'm not tired, only I want +to get through."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Through with what?" asked the +Queen.</p> + +<p>"With work! It is clean house, varnish +the walls, make wax, build combs, get +honey, make bread and jelly, and feed the +babies. And when they get old enough +they'll have to clean house, varnish the +walls, make wax, build combs, get honey, +make bread and jelly, and feed the babies. +I want to know when it is going to stop, +and Bees can spend their time in play."</p> + +<p>"Never," said the Queen-Mother; and +she spoke very gently, for she saw that +the Worker was crazy. "It will never +stop. If you had nothing to do but play +all your life you would soon want to die, +and you ought to, for there is no place in +this world for idlers. You know that after +a while the Drones die because they do +nothing, and it is right they should."</p> + +<p>"Don't you ever get tired of your +eggs?" asked the Worker.</p> + +<p>"No," answered the Queen-Mother,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +"I don't. You see, I have so much to +think about, and happy thoughts make +tasks light. And then, you know, it is +not always the same kind of egg, and that +makes a pleasant change for me. I will +give you a motto to remember: 'As long +as a Bee is well, work is pleasant when +done faithfully.'"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps that is the matter with me," +said the Worker, raising her drooping +head. "I have been careless lately when +I thought nobody was looking. I will try +your way."</p> + +<p>When she had gone, the Queen-Mother +smiled to herself and said: "Poor child! +When work is no longer a pleasure, life is +indeed sad. But any Larva should know +better than to work carelessly when she is +not watched."</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE HAUGHTY +GROUND HOG</h2> + +<div class="backleft" style="background-image: url(images/chap14.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:450px; height:330px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:180px; height:420px;"> </div> +<p>Not far from the +home of the Rabbits +was another burrow +where the Ground Hog +lived, and there was a +very kindly feeling between +the neighbors. +They liked the same +food, and as there was +plenty for all, they often +nibbled together near +the edge of the forest. +The little Rabbits were +fond of him and liked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +to listen to his stories. Once the biggest +little Rabbit had run into the Ground +Hog's burrow by mistake when he was +frightened, and that was the beginning +of a great friendship between them.</p> + +<p>They were a queer-looking couple, for +the Rabbit was small and quick and +dainty, while the Ground Hog, with his +stout body covered with thick, reddish +fur, his broad, flat head, and his short +legs, was a clumsy fellow. To be sure, +he could get out of sight quickly if he +had to, but he never scampered around +and kicked up his heels for the fun of it, +as the Rabbits did. He was too dignified +to do that. He came of an old family +and he could remember who his grandfather +was. There were but few people +in the forest who could do that; so, of +course, he could not frisk like his neighbors.</p> + +<p>Perhaps if the Ground Hog had not +belonged to so old a family, he might<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +have had a better time. Yet the thought +that he could remember his grandfather +was a great pleasure to him, and when +he was talking he would often remark in +the most careless way, "as my grandfather +used to say"; or, "That reminds me of +something my grandfather once did." +Some people said that he did this to +show off; but it may be that they were +envious.</p> + +<p>However that may have been, the +Ground Hog was certainly a haughty +fellow, and if he had not been so gentle +and kind a neighbor people would not +have liked him. Only once had he been +known to get angry, and that was when +a saucy young Chipmunk had spoken of +him as a Woodchuck. "Woodchuck! +Woodchuck!" he had grunted. "You +young Bushy-tail, I am a Ground Hog, +and the Ground Hog family lived in this +forest long before you ever opened your +eyes. People with good manners do not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +call us 'Woodchucks.' We do not like +the name. My grandfather could not +endure it."</p> + +<p>It was not very long after this that he +told the wondering young Rabbits about +his grandfather. When talking, the Ground +Hog rested by the edge of his burrow, +sitting on his haunches, and waving his +queer little forepaws whenever he told +anything especially important. And this +was the story:</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you may have heard me speak +of my grandfather. Ah, he was a Ground +Hog worth seeing! He was large, and, +although when I knew him the black fur +on his back was streaked with gray, he +was still handsome. He was clever, too. +I have often heard my father say that he +could dig the deepest and best burrow in +the forest. And then he had such fine +manners! There was not another Ground +Hog in the country around who could eat +as noisily as he, and it is said that when he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +was courting my grandmother she chose +him because of the elegant way in which +he sat up on his haunches. I have been +told, children, that I am very much like +him."</p> + +<p>Just here, a Red-headed Woodpecker +gave a loud "Rat-a-tat-tat" on the tree +above the Ground Hog's head, and there +was a look around her bill as though +she wanted to laugh. The Ground Hog +slowly turned his head to look at her as +she flew away. "Quite a good-looking +young person," he said, "but badly brought +up. She should know better than to disturb +those who are talking. What was I +saying, children?"</p> + +<p>"You were telling how well your grandfather +sat up on his haunches," said the +smallest little Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"So I was! So I was! I must tell +you how my grandfather came to know +the world so well. When he was only a +young fellow, he made his home for a time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +by a Hen house, and so heard the talk of +the barn-yard people. Once he heard +them tell how the farmer watched on a +certain winter day to see my grandfather +come out of his burrow. Of course, you +children all know how we Ground Hogs +do; in the fall we are very fat, and when +the cold weather comes we go to sleep in +our burrows to wait for spring. Sometimes +we awaken and stretch, but we go +to sleep again very soon. Then, when +spring comes we are slender and have +healthy appetites.</p> + +<p>"The Hens treated my grandfather with +great politeness, and the Black Brahma +Cock showed plainly how honored they +felt to have him there. They said that +they were so glad my grandfather stayed +out of his burrow awhile on this winter +day when the farmer was watching, because +they were in a hurry for warm +weather. My grandfather did not know +what they meant by that, but he was too<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +wise to say so, and he found out by asking +questions, that if a Ground Hog leaves +his burrow on this certain day in winter, +and sees his shadow, and goes back again, +it will be cold for a long time after that. +If he does not see his shadow, and stays +out, it will soon be warm.</p> + +<p>"You see now, children, how important +our family is; and yet we are so modest +that we had not even known that we made +the weather until the Hens told my grandfather. +But that is the way! Really great +people often think the least of themselves."</p> + +<p>"And do you make the weather?" asked +the smallest little Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"I suppose we do," said the Ground +Hog, with a smile. "It is a great care. +I often say to myself: 'Shall I have it warm, +or shall I have it cold?' It worries me so +that sometimes I can hardly eat."</p> + +<p>"And how do you know when the day +comes for you to make the weather?" said +the smallest little rabbit.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Ahem! Well-er! I am sorry to say +that my grandfather did not find out exactly +what day it is that they watch for us, +so I have to guess at that. But to think +that we Ground Hogs make the weather +for all the other people! It is worth a +great deal to belong to such a family. I +suppose I might have been a Weasel, a +Fox, an Owl, or an Oriole. And it is a +great thing to have known one's grandfather."</p> + +<p>The little Rabbits sat very still, wishing +that they had known their grandfather, +when suddenly the biggest one said: "If +you should stay out of your burrow when +that day comes, and another Ground Hog +should go back into his burrow, how would +the weather know what to do?"</p> + +<p>"Children," said the old Ground Hog, +"I think your mother is calling to you. +You might better go to see. Good-by." +And he waved his paw politely.</p> + +<p>The seven little Rabbits scampered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +away, but their mother was not calling +them. She wasn't even there, and when +they went back they couldn't find the +Ground Hog. They wondered how he +happened to make such a mistake. The +Red-headed Woodpecker who came along +at about that time, twisted her head on +one side and said: "Made-a-mistake! Rat-a-tat-tat! +Not he!"</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE UNDECIDED +RATTLESNAKE</h2> + + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap15.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:450px; height:320px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:120px; height:230px;"> </div> +<p>It is not often that one of +the Forest People has any +trouble about making up his +mind, but there was one large +Rattlesnake who had great +difficulty in doing so. She +lived in the southern edge of +the forest, where the sunshine was clear and +warm, and there were delightful crevices +among the rocks in which she and all her +friends and relatives could hide.</p> + +<p>It seemed very strange that so old a +Snake should be so undecided as she was. +It must be that she had a careless mother<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +who did not bring her up in the right +way. If that were so, one should indeed +be sorry for her. Still even that would +be no real excuse, for was she not old +enough now to train herself? She had +seven joints in the rattle on her tail and +an eighth one growing, so you can see +that she was no longer young, although, +being healthy, she had grown her new +joints and changed her skin oftener than +some of her friends. In fact, she had +grown children of her own, and if it had +not been that they took after their father, +they would have been a most helpless +family. Fortunately for them, their father +was a very decided Snake.</p> + +<p>Yes, it was exceedingly lucky for them. +It may not have been so good a thing for +him. His wife was always glad to have +things settled for her, and when he said, +"We will do this," she answered, "Yes, +dear." When he said, "We will not do +that," she murmured, "No, dear." And<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +when he said, "What shall we do?" she +would reply, "Oh, I don't know. What +do you think we might better do?" He +did not very often ask her opinion, and +there were people in the forest who said +he would never have talked matters over +with her if he had not known that she +would leave the decision to him.</p> + +<p>Now this is a bad way in which to have +things go in any family, and it happened +here as it would anywhere. He grew +more and more selfish from having his +own way all of the time, and his wife became +less and less able to take care of +herself. Most people thought him a very +devoted husband. Perhaps he was. It +is easy to be a devoted husband if you +always have your own way.</p> + +<p>One night Mr. Rattlesnake did not return +to their home. Nobody ever knew +what had become of him. The Red +Squirrel said that Mrs. Goldfinch said +that the biggest little Rabbit had told her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +that the Ground Hog had overheard Mr. +Crow say that he thought he saw somebody +that looked like Mr. Rattlesnake +chasing a Field Mouse over toward the +farm, but that he might have been mistaken. +This was all so uncertain that +Mrs. Rattlesnake knew no more than +she had known before. It was very +trying.</p> + +<p>"If I only knew positively," she said to +her friend, Mrs. Striped Snake, "I could +do something, although I am sure I don't +know what it would be."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Striped Snake tried to help her. +"Why not have one of your children +come home to live with you?" she said +pleasantly, for this year's children were +now old enough to shift for themselves.</p> + +<p>"I've thought of that," answered Mrs. +Rattlesnake, "but I like a quiet life, and +you know how it is. Young Snakes will +be young Snakes. Besides, I don't think +they would want to come back."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, why not be alone, then?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is so lonely," replied Mrs. Rattlesnake, +with a sigh. "Everything reminds +me so of my husband, and that +makes me sad. If I lived somewhere else +it would be different."</p> + +<p>"Then why not move?" said Mrs. +Striped Snake, briskly. "I would do +that. Find a nice crack in the rock just +big enough for one, or make a cosy little +hole in the ground somewhere near here. +Then if he comes back he can find you +easily. I would do that. I certainly +would."</p> + +<p>She spoke so firmly that Mrs. Rattlesnake +said she would, she would to-morrow. +And her friend went home +thinking it was all settled. That shows +how little she really knew Mrs. Rattlesnake.</p> + +<p>The more Mrs. Rattlesnake thought it +over that night, the more she dreaded +moving. "If he does not come back,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +she sighed, "I may marry again in the +spring, and then I might have to move +once more. I believe I will ask somebody +else what I ought to do."</p> + +<p>So in the morning she began to consult +her friends. They all told her to move, +and she decided to do it. Then she could +not make up her mind whether to take a +rock-crevice or make a hole in the ground. +It took another day of visiting to settle +that it should be a hole in the ground. A +fourth day was spent in finding just the +right place for her home, and on the fifth +day she began work.</p> + +<p>By the time the sun was over the tree-tops, +she wished she had chosen some +other place, and thought best to stop and +talk to some of her friends about it. +When she returned she found herself +obliged to cast her skin, which had been +growing tight and dry for some time. +This was hard work, and she was too +tired to go on with her home-making, so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +she lay in the sunshine and admired her +beautiful, long, and shining body of reddish +brown spotted with black. Her +rattle had eight joints now, for when a +Rattlesnake casts the old skin a new joint +is always uncovered at the end of the tail. +She waved it quickly to see how an eight-jointed +rattle would sound. "Lovely!" +she said. "Lovely! Like the seeds of +the wild cucumber shaking around in their +dry and prickly case."</p> + +<p>One could not tell all the things that +happened that fall, or how very, very, +very tired her friends became of having +her ask their advice. She changed her +mind more times than there are seeds in a +milkweed pod, and the only thing of which +she was always sure was eating. When +there was food in sight she did not stop +for anybody's advice. She ate it as fast +as she could, and if she had any doubts +about the wisdom of doing so, she kept +them to herself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> + +<p>When winter came she had just got her +new home ready, and after all she went +when invited to spend the winter with a +cave party of other Snakes. They coiled +themselves together in a great mass and +slept there until spring. As the weather +grew warmer, they began to stir, wriggling +and twisting themselves free.</p> + +<p>Two bachelor Snakes asked her to +marry. One was a fine old fellow with a +twelve-jointed rattle. The other was just +her own age.</p> + +<p>"To be sure I will," she cried, and the +pits between her nostrils and her ears +looked more like dimples than ever. +"Only you must wait until I can make +up my mind which one to marry."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," they answered, "don't go to +all that trouble. We will fight and decide +it for you."</p> + +<p>It was a long fight, and the older of the +two Snakes had a couple of joints broken +off from his rattle before it was over.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +Still he beat the other one and drove him +away. When he came back for his bride +he found her crying. "What is the matter?" +said he, quite sternly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that p-poor other b-bachelor!" she +sobbed. "I b-believe I will g-go after +him. I think p-perhaps I l-love him the +b-better."</p> + +<p>"No, you don't, Mrs. Rattlesnake," +said the fine old fellow who had just won +the fight. "You will do no such thing. +You will marry me and never speak to +him again. When I have lost two joints +of my rattle in fighting for you, I intend +to have you myself, and <i>I</i> say that you +love me very dearly. Do you hear?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, darling," she answered, as she +wiped her eyes on the grass, "very +dearly." And they lived most happily +together.</p> + +<p>"He reminds me so much of the first +Mr. Rattlesnake," she said to her friends. +"So strong, so firm, so quick to decide!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + +<p>And the friends said to each other, +"Well, let us be thankful he is. We +have been bothered enough by her coming +to us for advice which she never followed."</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE QUARRELSOME MOLE</h2> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 432px;"> +<img src="images/chap16.png" width="432" height="326" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>When the first hillock of fresh brown +earth was thrown up in the edge of the +Forest, the People who lived there said to +each other. "Can it be that we have a +new neighbor?"</p> + +<p>Perhaps the Rabbits, the Ground Hogs, +and the Snakes cared the most, for they +also made their homes in the ground; yet +even the Orioles wanted to know all about +it. None of them had ever been acquainted +with a Mole. They had seen the ridges +in the meadows beneath which the Moles +had their runways, and they knew that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +when the Moles were making these long +streets under ground, they had to cut an +opening through the grass once in a while +and throw the loose earth out. This new +mound in the forest looked exactly like +those in the meadow, so they decided +there must be a Mole in the neighborhood.</p> + +<p>If that were so, somebody should call +upon him and get acquainted; but how +could they call? Mrs. Red Squirrel said: +"Why can't some of you people who are +so clever at digging, burrow down and +find him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes indeed," twittered the birds; +"that is a good plan."</p> + +<p>But Mr. Red Squirrel smiled at his wife +and said: "I am afraid, Bushy-tail (that +was his pet name for her) that none of +our friends here could overtake the Mole. +You know he is a very fast runner. If +they were following they could never +catch him."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Let them burrow down ahead of the +place where he is working, then," said she.</p> + +<p>"And the Mole would turn and go another +way, not knowing it was a friend +looking for him."</p> + +<p>"Well, why not make an opening into +one of his runways and go into it, hunting +until he is found?" said Mrs. Red Squirrel, +who was like some other people in not +wishing to give up her own ideas.</p> + +<p>"Yes," cried a mischievous young +Woodpecker; "let the Ground Hog go. +You surely don't think him too fat?"</p> + +<p>Now there was no denying that the +Ground Hog was getting too stout to +look well, and people thought he would +be angry at this. Perhaps he was angry. +The little Rabbits were sure of it. They +said they knew by the expression of his +tail. Still, you know, the Ground Hog +came of a good family, and well-bred people +do not say mean things even if they +are annoyed. He combed the fur on his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +face with both paws, and answered with a +polite bow: "If I had the slender and +graceful form of my charming friend, Mrs. +Red Squirrel, I should be delighted to do +as she suggests."</p> + +<p>That was really a very clever thing for +Mr. Ground Hog to say. It was much +more agreeable than if he had grunted +out, "Much she knows about it! We +burrowing people are all too large." And +now Mrs. Red Squirrel was pleased and +happy although her plan was not used.</p> + +<p>That night Mrs. Ground Hog said to +her husband: "I didn't know you admired +Mrs. Red Squirrel so much." And +he answered: "Pooh! Admire her? She +is a very good-looking person for one of +her family, and I want to be polite to her +for her husband's sake. He and I have +business together. But for my part I +prefer more flesh. I could never have +married a slender wife, and I am pleased +to see, my dear, that you are stouter than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +you were." And this also shows how +clever a fellow Mr. Ground Hog was.</p> + +<p>The very next night, as luck would have +it, the Mole came out of his runway for a +scamper on the grass. Mr. Ground Hog +saw him and made his acquaintance. "We +are glad to have you come," said he. +"You will find it a pleasant neighborhood. +People are very friendly."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad of that," answered the +Mole. "I don't see any sense in people +being disagreeable, myself, but in the +meadow which I have just left there were +the worst neighbors in the world. I stood +it just as long as I could, and then I moved."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry to hear that," said the +Ground Hog, gently. "I had always supposed +it a pleasant place to live in." He +began to wonder what kind of fellow the +Mole was. He did not like to hear him +say such unkind things before a new acquaintance. +Sometimes unpleasant things +have to be said, but it was not so now.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Umph!" said the Mole. "You have +to live with people to know them. Of +course, we Moles had no friends among +the insects. We are always glad to meet +them in the ground, but they do not seem +so glad to meet us. That is easily understood +when you remember what hungry +people Moles are. Friendship is all very +well, but when a fellow's stomach is empty, +he can't let that stand in the way of a +good dinner. There was no such reason +why the Tree Frog or the Garter Snake +should dislike me."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure they did dislike you?"</p> + +<p>"Certain of it. I remember how one +night I wanted to talk with the Garter +Snake, and asked him to come out of his +hole for a visit in the moonlight. He +wouldn't come."</p> + +<p>"What did he say?" asked the Ground +Hog.</p> + +<p>"Not a word! And that was the worst +of it. Think how provoking it was for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +me to stand there and call and call and +not get any reply."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he was not at home," suggested +the Ground Hog.</p> + +<p>"That's what he said when I spoke to +him. Said he was spending the night down +by the river. As though I'd be likely +to believe that! I guess he saw that he +couldn't fool me, though, for after I told +him what I thought of him he wriggled +away without saying a word."</p> + +<p>"Still he is not so disagreeable as the +Tree Frog," said the Mole, after a pause +in which the Ground Hog had been trying +not to laugh. The Ground Hog said +afterward that it was the funniest sight +imaginable to see the stout little Mole +scampering back and forth in the moonlight, +and stopping every few minutes to +scold about the Meadow People. The +twitching of his tiny tail and the jerky +motions of his large, pink-palmed digging +hands, showed how angry he grew in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +thinking of them, and his pink snout fairly +quivered with rage.</p> + +<p>"I will tell you about the Tree Frog," +said the Mole. "He is one of these fellows +who are always just so good-natured +and polite. I can't endure them. I say +it's putting on airs to act that way. I +was telling him what I thought of the +Garter Snake, and what should he do but +draw himself up and say: 'Excuse me, +but the Garter Snake is a particular friend +of mine, and I do not care to hear him +spoken of in that way.' I guess I taught +him one good lesson, though. I told him +he was just the kind of person I should +expect the Garter Snake to like, and that +I wished them much joy together, but that +I didn't want anything to do with them.</p> + +<p>"It was only a short time after this that +I had such trouble about making my fort. +Whenever I started to dig in a place I +would find some other Mole there ahead +of me."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And then you would have to go somewhere +else, of course?" said the Ground +Hog.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know why!" said the +Mole, with his glossy silver-brown fur on +end. "No indeed! I had a perfect right +to dig wherever I wished, and I would +tell them so, and they would have to go +elsewhere. One Mole was bad-tempered +enough to say that he had as much right +in the meadow as anybody, and I had to +tussle with him and bite him many times +before he saw his mistake.... They +are disagreeable people over there,—but +why are you going so soon? I thought +we would have a good visit together."</p> + +<p>"I promised to meet Mrs. Ground +Hog," said her husband, "and must go. +Good-night!" and he trotted away.</p> + +<p>Not long afterward this highly respectable +couple were feeding together in the +moonlight. "What do you think of the +Mole?" said she.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well,—er—ahem," answered her husband. +"You know, my dear, that I do +not like to talk against people, and I might +better not tell you exactly what I think of +him. He is a queer-looking fellow, and I +always distrust anyone who will not look +me in the eye. Perhaps that is not his +fault, for the fur hides his eyes and he +wears his ears inside of his head; but +I must say that a fiercer or more disagreeable-looking +snout I never saw. He has +had trouble with all his old neighbors, and +a fellow who cannot get along peaceably +in one place will not in another. He is +always talking about his rights and what +he thinks——"</p> + +<p>"You have told me enough," said Mrs. +Ground Hog, interrupting him. "Nobody +ever liked a person who insists on his +'rights' every time. And such a person +never enjoys life. What a pity it is!" +and she gave a sigh that shook her fat +sides. "Now, I had it all planned that he +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>should marry and set up housekeeping, +and that I should have another pleasant +neighbor soon."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Mrs. Ground Hog," said her husband +teasingly, "I knew you would be +thinking of that. You are a born matchmaker. +Now I think we could stand a +few bachelors around here,—fine young +fellows who have nothing to do but enjoy +life." And his eyes twinkled as he +said it.</p> + +<p>"As though you did not enjoy life!" answered +his wife. "Still, I could not wish +any young Mole such a husband as this +fellow. It is a great undertaking to marry +a grumpy bachelor and teach him the +happiness of living for others." And she +looked very solemn.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you found it so?" said Mr. +Ground Hog, sidling up toward her.</p> + +<p>"What a tease you are!" said his wife. +"You know that I am happy." And +really, of all the couples on whom the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +moon looked that night, there was not a +happier one than this pair of Ground +Hogs; and there was not a lonelier or +more miserable person than the Mole, who +guarded his own rights and told people +what he thought of them. But it is always +so.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE WILD +TURKEYS +COME</h2> + + +<div class="backright" style="background-image: url(images/chap17.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:450px; height:300px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-right" style="width:210px; height:460px;"> </div> +<p>The Wild Turkeys +are a wandering people, +and stay in one +place only long +enough to rear their +young. One could +hardly say that they +lived in the Forest, +but every year when +the acorns and +beechnuts were ripe, +they came for a visit. +It is always an exciting +time when the +Turkeys are seen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +gathering on the farther side of the river +and making ready to fly over. Some +of the Forest People have started for the +warmer country in the South, and those +who still remain are either talking over +their plans for flight, or working hard, if +they are to spend the winter in the North, +to get their stores of food ready.</p> + +<p>It was so this year. One morning a +Red-headed Woodpecker brought the +news that the Turkeys were gathering. +The Ground Hog heard of it just as he +was going to sleep after a night of feeding +and rambling in the edge of the meadow. +One of the young Rabbits told him, and +coaxed him to stay up to see the newcomers.</p> + +<p>"I've never seen Turkeys in my life," +said the young Rabbit, "and they say it is +great fun to watch them. Oh, please come +with me to the river-bank and see the +Turkeys cross over. Please do!"</p> + +<p>"Ah-h-h," yawned the Ground Hog. +"You might better ask somebody who has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> +not been up all night. I am too sleepy."</p> + +<p>"You won't be sleepy when you reach +the river-bank," said the Rabbit. "Beside, +I think there should be someone +there to meet them."</p> + +<p>At this, the Ground Hog raised his +drooping head, opened his blinking eyes, +and answered with great dignity: "There +should indeed be someone. I will go at +once."</p> + +<p>When they reached the river-bank there +was a sight well worth seeing. On the +farther side of the water were a great many +Turkeys. Old Gobblers were there, and +the mother Turkeys with their broods of +children, all looking as fine as you please, +in their shining black coats. When they +stood in the shadow, one might think that +they wore no color but the brilliant red of +their heads and necks, where there were +no feathers to cover their wrinkled skin. +When they walked out into the sunshine, +however, their feathers showed gleams of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> +beautiful purple and green, and the Rabbit +thought them the most wonderful great +creatures he had ever seen.</p> + +<p>"Look at them now!" he cried. "Why +do those largest ones walk up and down +in front of the rest and scold them?"</p> + +<p>"They are the Gobblers," answered the +Ground Hog, "and they are doing that to +show that they are not afraid to cross the +river. They strut and gobble, and strut +and gobble, and say: 'Who's-afraid? +Who's-afraid?' until the rest are ready to +fly over."</p> + +<p>"Now the others are doing the same +thing," said the Rabbit, as the mothers +and young Turkeys began to strut back +and forth.</p> + +<p>"That shows that they are willing to +cross," answered the Ground Hog. "Now +they will fly up to the very tops of the +trees on the hill and visit there for a time. +It is always so. They start from the +highest point they can find. It will be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> +some time before they come over, and I +will take a short nap. Be sure to awaken +me when they start. I want to welcome +them to the Forest." And the Ground +Hog curled himself up beside a log and +went to sleep.</p> + +<p>The Rabbit wandered around and ate +all the good things he could find. Then +he fell to wondering how it would feel to +be a bird. He thought it would be great +fun to fly. To pass so swiftly through the +air must be delightful, and then to sweep +grandly down and alight softly on the +ground without having people know that +you were coming!</p> + +<p>He had a good mind to try it. There +was nobody to watch him, and he crept up +the trunk of a fallen tree which leaned over +against its neighbors. It was a foolish +thing to do, and he knew it, but young +Rabbits are too full of mischief to always +be wise.</p> + +<p>"I will hold my hind legs very still," he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> +thought, "and flap my forelegs for wings." +With that he jumped off and came crashing +down upon the dry leaves. He felt +weak and dizzy, and as he picked himself +up and looked around he hoped that nobody +had seen him. "It may be a great +deal of fun to fly," he said, "but it is no +fun alighting from your flight unless you +have real feather wings. It is too bumpy +when you fly with your legs."</p> + +<p>At this minute he heard an old Gobbler +call out, and saw the flock of Turkeys +coming toward him. "Wake up! Wake +up!" he cried to the Ground Hog. But +the Ground Hog never moved.</p> + +<p>Still the Turkeys came nearer. The +Rabbit could see that the fat old ones +were getting ahead of the others, and that +here and there a young or weak Turkey +had to drop into the river and swim, because +his wings were tired. They got so +near that he could see the queer little tufts +of wiry feathers which the Gobblers wear<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +hanging from their breast, and could see +the swaying scarlet wattles under their +beaks. He called again to the Ground +Hog, and getting no answer, poked him +three times with his head.</p> + +<p>The Ground Hog turned over, stretched, +yawned, moved his jaws a few times as +though he dreamed of eating fresh spring +grass, and then fell asleep once more. After +that the Rabbit left him alone.</p> + +<p>The first to alight were the Gobblers, +and they began at once to strut and chatter. +Next came the mother Turkeys and +their young, and last of all came the weak +ones who swam across. It was a fine sight +to see them come in. The swimmers +spread their tails, folded their wings tightly, +stretched their necks, and struck out +swiftly and strongly with their feet.</p> + +<p>The young Rabbit could hear a group +of mothers talking together. "The Gobblers +are growing quite fond of the children," +said one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes," said another; "my husband told +me yesterday that he was very proud of +our little ones."</p> + +<p>"Well, it is the season for them to begin +to walk together," said the first +speaker; "but I never in my life had such +a time as I had this spring. I thought my +husband would break every egg I laid."</p> + +<p>"I had a hard time too," said the other. +"None of my eggs were broken, but after +my chicks were hatched I had to hurry +them out of their father's sight a dozen +times a day."</p> + +<p>"It is very trying," said a third mother +Turkey with a sigh; "but that is always +the way with the Gobblers. I suppose +the dear fellows can't help it;" and she +looked lovingly over at her husband as +he strutted around with his friends. You +would not have believed if you had seen +her fond looks, and heard her husband's +tender "Gobble," that they had hardly +spoken to each other all summer. To be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +sure, it was not now as it had been in the +springtime. Then he would have beaten +any other Gobbler who came near her, he +loved her so; still, the Rabbit could see +as he watched them that when he found +some very large and fine acorns, this Gobbler +would not eat them all, but called his +wife to come and share with him; and he +knew that they were happy together in +their own Turkey way of being happy.</p> + +<p>At this minute the Ground Hog opened +his eyes and staggered to his feet. The +loud talking had awakened him. He did +not look very dignified just now. His +fur was rumpled, and he blinked often +from sleepiness. There was a dry leaf +caught on one of his ears, too, that made +him look very odd. The Rabbit wanted +to laugh, but he did not dare to do so. +The Ground Hog walked toward the +Gobblers, and raised himself on his +haunches.</p> + +<p>"Good-evening, good-evening," said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> +he (it was really morning, you know). +"We are very glad to welcome you to +the forest. Make yourselves perfectly at +home. The grass is not so tender as it +was a while ago, yet I think that you will +find good feeding," and he waved his +paws politely.</p> + +<p>"Thank-you,—thank-you!" answered +the Gobblers, while the mothers and +young Turkeys came crowding up to look +at the Ground Hog. "We came for the +acorns and nuts. We shall certainly enjoy +ourselves."</p> + +<p>"That is right," said the Ground Hog +heartily. "We have a very fine forest +here. You will pardon me for remarking +it. The Pond People have a saying that +is very true: 'It's a mighty poor Frog +that won't croak for his own puddle.' +And my grandfather used to say that if +a Ground Hog didn't love his own home +he was a very poor Hog indeed. Good-night, +my friends, good-night." And he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> +trotted happily away, followed by the +Rabbit.</p> + +<p>When he was gone, the Turkeys said: +"How very kind of him!" and "What +fine manners!" And the young Rabbit +thought to himself: "It is queer. He +was sleepy and his fur was rumpled, and +that leaf bobbed around his ear when he +talked. He said 'evening' instead of +'morning,' and spoke as though Turkeys +came here to eat grass. And yet they all +liked him, and were pleased by what he +said."</p> + +<p>You see the young Rabbit had not yet +learned that the power of fine manners is +more than that of looks; and that people +could not think of the Ground Hog's mistakes +in speaking because they knew his +kindness of heart.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE TRAVELLERS +GO SOUTH</h2> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 449px;"> +<img src="images/chap18.png" width="449" height="438" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<p>One night a maple tree, the very one +under which Mr. Red Squirrel sat when +he first came to the forest, dreamed of +her winter resting-time, and when she +awakened early in the morning she found +that her leaves were turning yellow. They +were not all brightly colored, but on each +was an edging, or a tip, or a splash of gold. +You may be sure that the Forest People +noticed it at once.</p> + +<p>"I told you so," chirruped a Robin to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +her mate. "The Orioles went long ago, +and the Bobolinks start to-day. We must +think about our trip to the South." When +she said this, she hopped restlessly from +twig to twig with an air of being exceedingly +busy.</p> + +<p>Her husband did not answer, but began +to arrange his new coat of feathers. Perhaps +he was used to her fussy ways and +thought it just as well to keep still. He +knew that none of the Robins would start +South until the weather became much +colder, and he did not think it necessary +to talk about it yet. Perhaps, too, Mr. +Robin was a trifle contrary and was all +the more slow and quiet because his wife +was uneasy. In that case one could +hardly blame her for talking over the +family plans with the neighbors.</p> + +<p>Later in the day, a Bobolink came up +from the marsh to say good-by. He had +on his travelling suit of striped brown, and +you would never have known him for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> +same gay fellow who during the spring +and early summer wore black and buff +and sang so heartily and sweetly. Now +he did not sing at all, and slipped silently +from bush to bush, only speaking when +he had to. He was a good fellow and +everyone disliked to have him go.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Cowbird came up while they were +talking. Now that she did not care to +lay any more eggs, the other birds were +quite friendly with her. They began to +talk over the summer that was past, and +said how finely the young birds were coming +on. "By the way," said she, in the +most careless manner possible, "I ought +to have a few children round here somewhere. +Can anybody tell me where they +are?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Goldfinch looked at her husband +and he looked at the sky. The Warblers +and the Vireos, who had known about the +strange egg in the Goldfinches' nest, had +already left for the winter, and there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> +seemed to be no use in telling their secret +now or quarrelling over what was past. +Some of the other birds might have told +Mrs. Cowbird a few things, but they also +kept still.</p> + +<p>"It is a shame," she said. "I never +laid a finer lot of eggs in my life, and +I was very careful where I put them. I +wish I knew how many there were, but I +forgot to count. I have been watching +and watching for my little birds to join +our flock; I was sure I should know them +if I saw them. Mothers have such fine +feelings, you know, in regard to their +children." (As though she had any right +to say that!)</p> + +<p>The Mourning Doves were there with +their young son and daughter, and you +could see by looking at them that they +were an affectionate family. "We shall +be the last to go South," they cooed. "We +always mean to come North in the very +early spring and stay as late as possible.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> +This year we came much later than usual, +but it could not be helped." They had +spoken so before, and rather sadly. It +was said that they could tell a sorrowful +story if they would; but they did not wish +to sadden others by it, and bore their +troubles together bravely and lovingly.</p> + +<p>"How do the new feathers work?" +asked a Crow, flying up at this minute +and looking blacker than ever in his fall +coat. Then all the birds began to talk +about dress. As soon as their broods +were raised, you know, their feathers had +begun to drop out, and they had kept on +moulting until all of the old ones were +gone and the new ones on. When birds +are moulting they never feel well, and +when it is over they are both happy and +proud.</p> + +<p>"I changed later than usual this year," +said the Crow, "and I feel that I have +the very latest fashions." This was a joke +which he must have picked up among the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> +Barnyard People, and nobody knows +where they got it. Fashions never change +in the Forest.</p> + +<p>"I think," remarked a Red-headed +Woodpecker, "that I have the best wing +feathers now that I ever had. They +seem to be a little longer, and they +hook together so well. I almost wish +I were going South to try them on a long +journey."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Woodpecker's wing feathers are +certainly excellent," said his wife, who was +always glad to see him well dressed. "I +am sure that the strongest wind will never +part them. I don't see how the Owls can +stand it to wear their feathers unhooked +so that some of the air passes through +their wings each time they flap them. It +must make flying hard."</p> + +<p>"Well, if you were an Owl you would +understand," chuckled the Crow. "If +their great wings were like ours, the noise +of their flying would scare every creature<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> +within hearing, and there would not be +much fun in hunting."</p> + +<p>And so they chatted on, while from the +meadow came the sound of the happy insects +piping in the sunshine. It was chilly +now at night and in the early morning, +and they could give concerts only at noonday. +The next day the Wild Turkeys +came and there was great excitement in +the forest. The Squirrels were busier +than ever storing up all the acorns that +they could before the newcomers reached +the oak trees; and the Blue Jays were so +jealous of the Turkeys that they overate +every day for fear there would not be +enough to go around. As though there +were any danger!</p> + +<p>The Ground Hog was getting so sleepy +now that he would doze off while people +were talking to him, and then he would +suddenly straighten up and say: "Yes, +yes, yes! Don't think that I was asleep, +please. The colors of the trees are so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> +bright that they tire my eyes and I sometimes +close them." The dear old fellow +really never knew how he had been +nodding.</p> + +<p>The Snakes, too, were growing dull and +slow of motion, while the Bats talked +freely of hanging themselves up for the +winter. The Grouse and Quail made +daily trips to the edges of the grain-fields, +and found rich picking among the stubble. +You could almost fancy that they came +home each night fatter than when they +went away in the morning.</p> + +<p>Life went on in this way for many days, +and the birds had all stopped singing. +There were no more happy concerts at +sunrise and no more carols at evening; +only chirrupings and twitterings as the +feathered people hopped restlessly from +one perch to another. All could see that +they were busily thinking and had no +time for music. The truth was that each +bird who was not to spend the winter in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +the Forest felt as though something were +drawing—drawing—drawing him southward. +It was something they could not see +or hear, and yet it was drawing—drawing—drawing +all day and all night. They +spoke of it often to each other, and the +older birds told the young ones how, before +long, they would all start South, and +fly over land and water until they reached +their winter home.</p> + +<p>"How do we know where to go?" +asked the children.</p> + +<p>"All that you have to do," the older +ones said, "is to follow us."</p> + +<p>"And how do you know?" they asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, we have been there before," +they answered; "and we can see the +places over which we pass. But perhaps +that is not the real reason, for sometimes +we fly over such great stretches of water +that we can see nothing else and it all +looks alike. Then we cannot see which +way to go, but still we feel that we are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +drawn South, and we only have to think +about that and fly onward. The fathers +and sons can fly the faster and will reach +there first. The mothers and daughters +come a few days later. We never make +a mistake."</p> + +<p>"It is wonderful, wonderful," thought a +young Rabbit on the grass below. "I +must watch them when they go."</p> + +<p>The very next morning the Forest People +awakened to find a silvery frost on the +grass and feel the still air stirred by the +soft dropping of damp red, brown, and +yellow leaves from the trees. Over the +river and all the lowland near it hung a +heavy veil of white mist.</p> + +<p>"It is time!" whispered the Robins to +each other.</p> + +<p>"It is time!" cooed the Mourning Doves.</p> + +<p>"It is time!" cried the Cowbirds in +their hoarse voices.</p> + +<p>All through the forest there was restlessness +and quiet haste. The Juncoes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +had already come from the cold northland +and were resting from their long flight. +The Ground Hogs, the Rabbits, and the +Squirrels were out to say good-by. The +Owls peeped from their hollow trees, +shading their eyes from the strong light +of the sun. And then the travellers went. +The Robins started in family parties. The +Mourning Doves slipped quietly away. +The Cowbirds went in a dashing crowd. +And the Crows, after much talking and +disputing on the tree-tops, took a noisy +farewell of the few members of the flock +who were to remain behind, and, joining +other flocks from the North, flew off in a +great company which darkened the sky +and caused a shadow to pass over the +stubble-field almost like that of a summer +cloud.</p> + +<p>"They are gone!" sighed the Ground +Hog and his wife. "We shall miss them +sadly. Well, we can dream about them, +and that will be a comfort."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Jay! Jay!" shrieked a handsome-crested +fellow from the tree above. "What +if they are gone? They will be back in +the spring, and we have plenty to eat. +What is the use of feeling sad? Jay! +Jay!"</p> + +<p>But all people are not so heartless as +the hungry Blue Jays, and the song-birds +had many loving friends who missed them +and longed for their return.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE RUFFED +GROUSE'S +STORY</h2> + + +<div class="backleft" style="background-image: url(images/chap19.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:455px; height:415px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:200px; height:350px;"> </div> +<p>The Ruffed Grouse +cocked his crested head +on one side and looked +up through the bare +branches to the sky. It +was a soft gray, and in +the west were banks of +bluish clouds. "I think +it will snow very +soon," said he. "Mrs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> +Grouse, are the children all ready for cold +weather?"</p> + +<p>"All ready," answered his cheerful little +wife. "They have had their thickest +feathers on for quite a while. The Rabbits +were saying the other day that they +had never seen a plumper or better +clothed flock than ours." And her beautiful +golden-brown eyes shone with pride +as she spoke.</p> + +<p>Indeed, the young Ruffed Grouse were +a family of whom she might well be proud. +Twelve healthy and obedient children do +not fall to the lot of every Forest mother, +and she wished with a sad little sigh that +her other two eggs had hatched. She +often thought of them with longing. How +lovely it would have been to have fourteen +children! But at that moment her brood +came crowding around her in fright.</p> + +<p>"Some cold white things," they said, +"came tumbling down upon us and scared +us. The white things didn't say a word,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> +but they came so fast that we think they +must be alive. Tell us what to do. Must +we hide?"</p> + +<p>"Why, that is snow!" exclaimed their +mother. "It drops from the clouds up +yonder quite as the leaves drop from the +trees in the fall. It will not hurt you, but +we must find shelter."</p> + +<p>"What did I tell you, Mrs Grouse?" +asked her husband. "I was certain that +it would snow before night. I felt it in +my quills." And Mr. Grouse strutted with +importance. It always makes one feel +so very knowing when he has told his wife +exactly what will happen.</p> + +<p>"How did you feel it in your quills?" +asked one of his children. "Shall I feel +it in my quills when I am as old as you +are?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps," was the answer. "But until +you do feel it you can never understand +it, for it is not like any other feeling that +there is."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then they all started for a low clump +of bushes to find shelter from the storm. +Once they were frightened by seeing a +great creature come tramping through the +woods towards them. "A man!" said +Mr. Grouse. "Hide!" said Mrs. Grouse, +and each little Grouse hid under the +leaves so quickly that nobody could see +how it was done. One might almost think +that a strong wind had blown them away. +The mother pretended that she had a +broken wing, and hopped away, making +such pitiful sounds that the man followed +to pick her up. When she had led him +far from her children, she, too, made a +quick run and hid herself; and although +the man hunted everywhere, he could not +find a single bird.</p> + +<p>You know that is always the way in +Grouse families, and even if the man's +foot had stirred the leaves under which a +little one was hiding, the Grouse would +not have moved or made a sound. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> +children are brought up to mind without +asking any questions. When their mother +says, "Hide!" they do it, and never once +ask "Why?" or answer, "As soon as I +have swallowed this berry." It is no wonder +that the older ones are proud of their +children. Any mother would be made +happy by having one child obey like that, +and think of having twelve!</p> + +<p>At last, the whole family reached the +bushes where they were to stay, and then +they began to feed near by. "Eat all +you can," said Mr. Grouse, "before the +snow gets deep. You may not have another +such good chance for many days." +So they ate until their little stomachs +would not hold one more seed or evergreen +bud.</p> + +<p>All this time the snowflakes were falling, +but the Grouse children were no +longer afraid of them. Sometimes they +even chased and snapped at them as +they would at a fly in summer-time. It<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> +was then, too, that they learned to use +snow-shoes. The oldest child had made a +great fuss when he found a fringe of hard +points growing around his toes in the fall, +and had run peeping to his mother to ask +her what was the matter. She had shown +him her own feet, and had told him how +all the Ruffed Grouse have snow-shoes of +that kind grow on their feet every winter.</p> + +<p>"We do not have to bother about +them at all," she said. "They put themselves +on when the weather gets cold in +the fall, and they take themselves off +when spring comes. We each have a +new pair every year, and when they are +grown we can walk easily over the soft +snow. Without them we should sink +through and flounder."</p> + +<p>When night came they all huddled +under the bushes, lying close together to +keep each other warm. The next day +they burrowed into a snow-drift and made +a snug place there which was even better<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> +than the one they left; the soft white +coverlet kept the wind out so well. It +was hard for the little ones to keep quiet +long, and to amuse them Mr. Grouse told +how he first met their mother in the spring.</p> + +<p>"It was a fine, sunshiny day," he said, +"and everybody was happy. I had for +some time been learning to drum, and +now I felt that I was as good a drummer +as there was in the forest. So I found a +log (every Ruffed Grouse has to have his +own place, you know) and I jumped up +on it and strutted back and forth with my +head high in the air. It was a dusky part +of the forest and I could not see far, yet +I knew that a beautiful young Grouse was +somewhere near, and I hoped that if I +drummed very well she might come to me."</p> + +<p>"I know!" interrupted one of the +little Grouse. "It was our mother."</p> + +<p>"Well, it wasn't your mother then, my +chick," said Mr. Grouse, "for that was +long, long before you were hatched."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p> + +<p>"She was our mother afterwards, anyway," +cried the young Grouse. "I just +know she was!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Grouse's eyes twinkled, but he +went gravely on. "At last I flapped my +wing's hard and fast, and the soft drumming +sound could be heard far and near. +'Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump; +thump-thump-rup-rup-rup-rup-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r.' +I waited, but nobody came. Then +I drummed again, and after that I was +sure that I heard a rustling in the leaves. +I drummed a third time, and then, children, +there came the beautiful young +Grouse, breaking her way through the +thicket and trying to look as though she +didn't know that I was there."</p> + +<p>"Did she know?" cried the little +Grouse.</p> + +<p>"You must ask your mother that," he +answered, "for it was she who came. Ah, +what happy days we had together all +spring! We wandered all through this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> +great Forest and even made some journeys +into the edge of the Meadow. Still, there +was no place we loved as we did the +dusky hollow by the old log where we first +met. One day your mother told me that +she must begin housekeeping and that I +must keep out of the way while she was +busy. So I had to go off with a crowd +of other Ruffed Grouse while she fixed +her nest, laid her eggs, and hatched out +you youngsters. It was rather hard to +be driven off in that way, but you know it +is the custom among Grouse. We poor +fellows had to amuse ourselves and each +other until our wives called us home to +help take care of the children. We've +been at that work ever since."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said one of the young Grouse. +"Oh, I am so glad that you drummed, +and that she came when she heard you. +Who would we have had to take care of +us if it hadn't happened just so?"</p> + +<p>That made them all feel very solemn<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> +and Mr. Grouse couldn't answer, and +Mrs. Grouse couldn't answer, and none +of the little Grouse could answer because, +you see, it is one of the questions that +hasn't any answer. Still, they were all +there and happy, so they didn't bother +their crested heads about it very long.</p> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span></p> +<h2>A MILD DAY +IN WINTER</h2> + +<div class="backleft" style="background-image: url(images/chap20.png); height: 100%;" > +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:480px; height:135px;"> </div> +<div class="sandbag-left" style="width:250px; height:650px;"> </div> +<p>It had been a cold +and windy winter. +Day after day the +storm-clouds had +piled up in the +northwest and +spread slowly over +the sky, dropping +great ragged flakes +of snow down to +the shivering earth. +Then the forest +trees were clothed +in fleecy white garments, +and the +branches of the +evergreens drooped +under their heavy +cloak.</p> + +<p>Then there had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> +been other days, when a strong wind +stripped the trees of their covering, and +brought with it thousands of small, hard +flakes. These flakes were drier than the +ragged ones had been, and did not cling +so lovingly to everything they touched. +They would rather frolic on the ground, +rising again and again from their resting-places +to dance around with the wind, +and help make great drifts and overhanging +ledges of snow in the edge of +the Forest, where there was more open +ground.</p> + +<p>It is true that not all the winter had +been cold and stormy. There were times +when the drifts melted slowly into the +earth, and the grass, which last summer +had been so tender and green, showed +brown and matted on the ground. Still +the Great Horned Owl and his wife could +not find enough to eat. "We do not +mean to complain," said he with dignity, +as he scratched one ear with his feathered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +right foot, "but neither of us has had a +meal hearty enough for a healthy Robin, +since the first heavy snow came."</p> + +<p>This was when he was talking to his +cousin, the Screech Owl. "Hearty enough +for a Robin!" exclaimed Mrs. Great +Horned Owl. "I should say we hadn't. +I don't think I have had enough for a +Goldfinch, and that is pretty hard for a +bird of my size. I am so thin that my +feathers feel loose."</p> + +<p>"Have you been so hungry that you +dreamed about food?" asked the Screech +Owl.</p> + +<p>"N-no, I can't say that I have," said the +Great Horned Owl, while his wife shook +her head solemnly.</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is dreadful," said the Screech +Owl. "I have done that several times. +Only yesterday, while I lay in my nest-hollow, +I dreamed that I was hunting. +There was food everywhere, but just as I +flew down to eat, it turned into pieces of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +ice. When I awakened I was almost +starved and so cold that my beak chattered."</p> + +<p>It was only a few days after the Screech +Owl's call upon his cousins that he +awakened one night to find the weather +milder, and the ground covered with only +a thin coating of soft snow. The beautiful +round moon was shining down upon him, +and in the western sky the clouds were +still red from the rays of the setting sun.</p> + +<p>Somewhere, far beyond the fields and +forests of this part of the world, day-birds +were beginning to stir, and thousands of +downy heads were drawn from under +sheltering wings, while in the barnyards +the Cocks were calling their welcome to +the sun. But the Screech Owl did not +think of this. He aroused his wife and +they went hunting. When they came +back they did not dream about food. +They had eaten all that they could, and +the Great Horned Owl and his wife had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +made a meal hearty enough for a dozen +Robins, and a whole flock of Goldfinches. +It was a good thing for the day-birds that +this was so, for it is said that sometimes, +when food is very scarce, Owls have been +known to hunt by daylight.</p> + +<p>When morning came and it was the +moon's turn to sink out of sight in the +west, the Owls went to bed in their hollow +trees, and Crows, Blue Jays, Woodpeckers, +Chickadees, Grouse, Quail, Squirrels, and +Rabbits came out. The Goldfinches were +there too, but you would never have known +the husbands and fathers of the flock, unless +you had seen them before in their +winter clothing, which is like that worn by +the wives and children. Here, too, were +the winter visitors, the Snow Buntings and +the Juncos, brimming over with happiness +and news of their northern homes. This +warm day made them think of the coming +springtime, and they were already planning +their flight.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I wish you would stay with us all +summer," said a friendly Goldfinch, as he +dirted the snow off from a tall brown +weed and began to pick out and eat the +seeds.</p> + +<p>"Stay all summer!" exclaimed a jolly +little Snow Bunting. "Why should we +want to stay? Perhaps if you would promise +to keep the snow and ice we might."</p> + +<p>"Why not ask the Goldfinches to come +north with us?" suggested a Junco. +"That would be much more sensible, for +they can stand the cold weather as well as +we, but we cannot stand warm days, such +as I hear they have in this part of the +country after the ice melts."</p> + +<p>Then the older people of the group +began to talk of the cares of life and +many other things which did not interest +their children, so the younger ones wandered +away from them.</p> + +<p>"I say," called a young Junco to a +young Snow Bunting, "wouldn't you like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> +to show some of these playmates of ours +the countries where we were born?"</p> + +<p>"Yes indeed," answered the Snow Bunting. +"Wouldn't they open their eyes, +though? I'd like to have them see the +rocks up there."</p> + +<p>"And the animals," said the Junco.</p> + +<p>"Yes! Wouldn't they stare at the +Bears, though!"</p> + +<p>"Humph," said a Blue Jay. "I wouldn't +care very much about seeing Bears, would +you?" And he turned to a Crow near by.</p> + +<p>"No," said the Crow. "I don't think +very much of Bears anyway." He said +this as though he had seen them all his +life, but the Chickadees say that he never +saw even a Cub.</p> + +<p>"They haven't any big animals here," +said the Junco to the Snow Bunting.</p> + +<p>"Haven't we, though?" replied the Blue +Jay. "Guess you wouldn't say that if you +saw the Ground Hog. Would he say +that?" he asked, turning to the young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> +Grouse, Quail, Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, +Chickadees, Squirrels, and Rabbits who +stood around listening.</p> + +<p>"No indeed!" they answered, for they +wanted their visitors to understand that +the Forest was a most wonderful place, +and they really thought the Ground Hog +very large.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he is as big as a Bear" +said the Snow Bunting, with his bill in +the air.</p> + +<p>"How big is he?" asked the Junco.</p> + +<p>Now the Blue Jay was afraid that the +birds from the north were getting the +better of him, and he felt very sure that +they would leave before the Ground Hog +had finished his winter sleep, so he did +what no honest bird would have even +thought of doing. He held his crested +head very high and said, "He is bigger +than that rock, <i>a great deal bigger</i>."</p> + +<p>The Crow looked at the rock and gave +a hoarse chuckle, for it was a hundred<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> +times larger than the Ground Hog. The +Grouse, Quail, Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, +Chickadees, Squirrels, and Rabbits looked +at each other without saying a word. +They knew how the Blue Jay had lied, +and it made them ashamed. The Grouse +pretended to fix their snow-shoes. They +did not want to look at the birds from the +north.</p> + +<p>The Snow Buntings and Juncos felt +that it would not do to talk about Bears +to people who had such a great creature +as the Ground Hog living among them. +"He must be wonderful," they said. +"Where does he sleep?"</p> + +<p>"In the Bats' cave," answered the Blue +Jay, who having told one lie, now had to +tell another to cover it up. "He sleeps +in the middle and there is just room left +around the edges for the Bats."</p> + +<p>Now at this very time the Ground Hog +was awake in his burrow. He could feel +that it was warmer and he wanted room<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span> +to stretch. He thought it would seem +good to have an early spring after such a +cold winter, so he decided to take a walk +and make the weather, as his grandfather +had done. When he came out of his +burrow he heard a great chattering and +went to see what was the matter. That +was how it happened that soon after the +Blue Jay had told about the Bats' cave, +one wide-awake young Junco saw a reddish-brown +animal trotting over the grass +toward them. "Who is that?" he +cried.</p> + +<p>The Grouse, Quail, Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, +Chickadees, Squirrels, and Rabbits +gave one look. "Oh, there is the Ground +Hog!" they cried. Then they remembered +and were ashamed again because of +what the Blue Jay had said.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the Snow Buntings and the +Juncos. "So that is the Ground Hog! +Big as that rock, is he? And you don't +think much of Bears?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Crow pointed one claw at the Blue +Jay. "I never said he was as big as that +rock. <i>He</i> is the fellow that said it."</p> + +<p>"I don't care," said the Blue Jay; "I +was only fooling. I meant to tell you +after a while. It's a good joke on you." +But he had a sneaky look around the bill +as he spoke, and nobody believed him. +Before long, he and the Crow were glad +enough to get away from the rest and +go away together. Yet even then they +were not happy, for each began to blame +the other, and they had a most dreadful +fight.</p> + +<p>When the Ground Hog was told about +it he said, "What foolishness it is to want +to tell the biggest story! My grandfather +told us once that a lie was always a lie, +and that calling it a joke didn't make it +any better. I think he was right."</p> + +<p>And the Snow Buntings and Juncos, who +are bright and honest, nodded their dainty +little heads and said, "Nobody in our own<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> +dear north country ever spoke a truer +word than that." So they became firm +friends of the Ground Hog, even if he +were not so large as the rock.</p> +</div> + + +<h4>THE END.</h4> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Among the Forest People, by +Clara Dillingham Pierson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE FOREST PEOPLE *** + +***** This file should be named 34971-h.htm or 34971-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/9/7/34971/ + +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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