Little Jack and Chippy Chipmunk Meet Teddy Turtle.
"Oh, it's you, is it?" and the little rabbit told Teddy Turtle all about the little snail at the seashore who carries his shell house around with him. "Yes, he takes his little house with him just the way you do."
"I'm going to take a swim, so good-by!" answered Teddy Turtle, crawling over to the water, and in he went with a loud splash that frightened two little minnows almost to death.
Oh, the little minnows swim
Where the water's cool and dim,
'Neath the weeping willow branches
Making shadows here and there.
Where the gnats and little flies
Are making nice mud pies,
And Mrs. Muskrat combs her silky hair.
"Come on, let's be going. There's always something to see. Why, here comes the Little Balmy Breezes across the Sunny Meadow," cried the little rabbit, but the little chipmunk ran off to the Shady Forest.
AT THE FARM
Across the Sunny Meadow grass
The little breezes love to pass,
They tickle all the cattails till
They almost fall into the rill.
And every now and then they tell
Old Mrs. Cow to ring her bell.
Now before I go on with this story I'll explain right away that the "rill" is the Bubbling Brook, and the only reason I used "rill" is because it rhymes with "till."
"Ha, ha," laughed Little Jack Rabbit, as Mrs. Cow shook her head till the bell on her collar made so much noise that her little calf came running toward her, "I heard what the little breezes said." And then Mrs. Cow gave a long "Moo!" which meant something I'm sure, for after that the little rabbit hopped away and by and by he came to the Barnyard where Cocky Doodle every morning sang his cock-a-doodle-do song to wake up Mr. Merry Sun, who goes to sleep in the West and gets up every morning in the East. I wonder how he does it, don't you? I guess you and I would feel very funny if some morning after having gone to sleep in our own bed we should wake up in another!
"Helloa," said Henny Penny, as the little rabbit hopped through the Old Rail Fence. "Where have you been all this time?"
"Oh, lots of places," he replied. "Chippy Chipmunk and I have been sight-seeing, and the Old Red Rooster has sprained his left leg and the Old Brown Horse has a new collar, and Grandmother Magpie has gone away to visit in Birdville, U. S. A."
Just then Ducky Waddles came waddling by, after a swim in the Old Duck Pond, where Granddaddy Bullfrog lived.
"I saw Teddy Turtle a minute ago," said the little duck; "he's very proud because Mrs. Turtle has just laid some eggs in a hole in the ground and covered them with dirt. He says pretty soon they'll hatch into little turtles!"
"Ha, ha," laughed the little rabbit, "don't tell that to Peter Possum; he just loves turtle eggs." So Ducky Waddles promised he wouldn't, and after that the little rabbit hopped away, although the Weathercock on the Old Red Barn had asked him to stay a little longer.
"No, I can't," replied the little bunny. "I'm afraid Old Sic'em might chase me." But even if that old dog had, the little rabbit could have slipped away, for Old Sic'em had the rheumatism and could hardly run.
Well, after a while, not so very long, the little rabbit saw Professor Jim Crow.
"Wait a minute," said the good professor, "I want to read you something." So the old gentleman crow turned to page 23 of his little Black Book, after putting on his spectacles, of course, for he couldn't see to read without them, and then he cleared his throat and said, "Caw, caw," two or four times, and looked at the little rabbit, but what he read out of his little Black Book I'll tell you in the next story.
DANNY FOX
Well, since the old crow has opened his little Black Book in the story before this, I'll tell you now what he read on page 23:
"Little brown rabbits have all the same habits."
"Ha, ha," laughed the little bunny, "you're a very wise bird, Professor Crow!" and he hopped away until he came to the wooded hill where Danny Fox had his den.
Now it was a long time since the little rabbit had seen the old robber fox and he was a bit curious to learn what was the trouble, for trouble there must have been, otherwise Danny Fox would have been around to steal a chicken now and then from the Old Barnyard.
So the little rabbit hopped along very carefully and by and by he came to a big tree quite close to the pile of rocks under which the fox family had their den, Danny Fox and Mrs. Fox, Bushy Tail and Slyboots, their two little sons.
"I don't see anyone around," said the little rabbit to himself, and he hopped over to another tree and peeped out.
And then, Oh, my! how his heart went pitter-pat, for right in front of him, not forty hops away, sat Danny Fox on a three legged stool smoking a corncob pipe.
"Oh, dear!" thought the little rabbit, "I didn't mean to get so close!" But when he saw that Danny Fox's left foot was bandaged up in a piece of white cloth with a big red cross stamped on it, he knew the old robber couldn't run very well, and maybe not at all. So he called out, "Helloa, Danny Fox! What's the matter with your foot?"
"Don't bother me," grumbled the old robber fox, not even looking around. Maybe he didn't want to see a nice fat little rabbit when he couldn't catch him for supper.
Just then Peter Possum shouted from his tree house:
"Old man robber, Danny Fox,
Caught his foot in a steel trap box."
"Keep quiet, will you," snapped Danny Fox, angrily.
"Ho, ho, ha, ha," laughed the little rabbit. "So you got caught for all your slyness?" which made the old fox so angry that he jumped up and ran at him on three legs.
"Who's laughing now?" cried Danny Fox, as the little rabbit hopped away and Peter Possum climbed a tree. "You're very brave when you're out of danger," and the old robber limped back to his stool and lifted up his wounded foot. And while he was doing this, Grandmother Magpie came by, and as she was always poking into other people's business, she asked what was the matter. "If I told you," snapped Danny Fox, "everybody in the Shady Forest and the Sunny Meadow would know it in a few minutes, you old tattle tale!"
"Gracious me!" exclaimed the mischievous old blackbird, "you're in a disagreeable mood to-day," and away she flew after Little Jack Rabbit, but before she caught up to him, he hopped into the Old Bramble Patch for the night.
Wind the clock, it's time for bed;
Dreams are waiting, Sleepy Head.
Through the window bright and far
Shines the silver Twinkle Star.
Oh, how soft the pillow lies!
Cuddle down, dear Sleepy Eyes,
Underneath the counterpane,
Till the robin in the lane
Sings his morning roundelay,
And it's time again for play.
CHIPPY CHIPMUNK'S STORE
Chippy Chipmunk stood outside his store waiting for Little Jack Rabbit to come along. He had promised, if the little bunny would call after business hours, to help him get a little store of his own.
Mr. Chippy Chipmunk looked very nice and well-to-do in his clean striped jacket as he sat on the wooden bench just under the big sign. Pretty soon he stood up to look at it again. He had done this very same thing at least ten times that day, he was so proud of it.
CHIPPY CHIPMUNK
ALL KINDS OF NUTS
WHOLESALE & RETAIL
"A mighty nice sign!" he said aloud, as he sat down again on the wooden bench. All of a sudden the thumperty-thump of little feet made him look up.
"Good evening," said Chippy Chipmunk.
"I was afraid I'd be late," answered Little Jack Rabbit. "You see, I had to wait until mother got home."
"Come over and sit down," said Chippy Chipmunk.
"Wait till I read the sign over again," answered the little bunny. "Wouldn't I be proud if I had a little store! I don't know what I'd sell, but that doesn't make so much difference—it's having your own name over the door that makes you feel like a millionaire."
"Come in and see the nuts," said the little chipmunk, after a while.
A long hollow log, carefully split in two, made a very nice counter. Indeed, it served also for a showcase, for in the hollow the nuts were arranged in separate piles.
"I made all the tags myself," said Chippy Chipmunk proudly, pointing to small squares of cardboard on which were printed:—CHESTNUTS—HICKORY NUTS—WALNUTS—BEECH NUTS.
"Are these your scales?" asked Little Jack Rabbit admiringly.
"Yes, I sell by the pound. Then nobody gets cheated," answered the little chipmunk, cracking a nut with his sharp teeth. "You ought to have a store at the edge of the Old Bramble Patch, with a sign painted in red and green letters:
"JACK RABBIT
CABBAGES & TURNIPS"
"Do you think I know enough about vegetables?" asked the little rabbit anxiously.
"Just as much as I do about nuts," replied Chippy Chipmunk.
But, oh, dear me! If they had known what was going to happen I guess they never would have talked so long about the nut and vegetable business.
NAUGHTY FEATHERHEAD
Yes, Sir! If Little Jack Rabbit and Chippy Chipmunk had known what was going on outside the store I guess they never would have talked so long about the nut and vegetable business. For, oh, dear me! as the little rabbit shook paws good-night and looked up once more to admire the sign above the door, it wasn't there. No—nothing was there but the bare boards. With mouth and eyes wide open he stood staring at the spot where the sign had hung only a few minutes before.
"What's the—?" Chippy Chipmunk didn't finish. After he had looked up there wasn't any use in asking Little Jack Rabbit what was the matter. The answer was right before him. Poor Chippy Chipmunk!
"Who could have taken my sign?" he asked at last in a trembling voice. But, of course, the little rabbit didn't know.
"Who could have taken the sign?" Chippy Chipmunk repeated mechanically. Then he looked up again as if expecting the sign to shine forth in the old familiar way:
CHIPPY CHIPMUNK
ALL KINDS OF NUTS
WHOLESALE & RETAIL
They hadn't heard Featherhead, the naughty son of Squirrel Nutcracker, take down the sign. Very softly, one at a time, he had loosened the screws and then carried it off and thrown it in a deep hole.
It was certainly a very mean thing to do, but then, you must remember, Featherhead was not a nice sort of a squirrel.
Just then, who should come by but Featherhead himself.
"What's the matter?" he asked, just as though he didn't know. Wasn't that deceitful of him?
Little Jack Rabbit didn't answer. Somehow he didn't quite like the little squirrel's tone of voice—it didn't ring true. And when Featherhead turned his back, showing a long streak of white paint across his shoulder, the little rabbit didn't wait a minute, but, quicker than a wink, caught the frightened squirrel and shook him till his teeth rattled.
"What did you do with Chippy Chipmunk's sign?"
"I—I threw it in a deep hole near the Tall Pine Tree," mumbled Featherhead, now thoroughly frightened.
"You come with us and get it," screamed Chippy Chipmunk, mad as a dozen hornets; and they marched the naughty squirrel over to the Tall Pine Tree.
When the sign was once more over the door Chippy Chipmunk said to his little rabbit friend:
"You got my sign back for me. To-morrow I'll help you build your store."
LITTLE JACK RABBIT'S STORE
In a few days Little Jack Rabbit's store was finished, and all the Little People of the Shady Forest and Sunny Meadow were coming to the grand opening. It stood just at the edge of the Old Bramble Patch, on the corner of the Shady Forest Trail and the Old Cow Path.
A nicely painted post had been set in the ground, on which was fastened a sign printed in large letters:
"JACK RABBIT
CABBAGES & TURNIPS"
In the doorway, between barrels of cabbages and turnips, stood Little Jack Rabbit, a smile on his face and a clean white apron over his little khaki trousers. His kind mother had made two of these nice aprons so that he would always have one to wear while the other was in the wash.
You may be sure he felt very proud as he stood, bowing and smiling to his friends who had come to wish him success in his new business.
"Too young to run a store," snapped Grandmother Magpie.
"If he's as honest with his scales as he is truthful with his words," answered Granddaddy Bullfrog, looking at her through his yellow-rimmed spectacles, "all his friends will buy here."
Mrs. Rabbit was tickled to death to think that her son at such an early age had started in business all by himself. It meant to her that he would become a multi-millionaire in a few years!
Chippy Chipmunk had left his store in charge of his brother so as to be on hand, and Featherhead stood at a little distance, enviously watching the friendly greetings.
Everybody was there, even Old Parson Owl, winking and blinking, from a shady spot in the forest, nodded pleasantly and wished the little rabbit good luck.
Suddenly a sharp bark came down the Shady Forest Trail, and the next instant Old Sic'em and the Farmer's Boy jumped over the Old Rail Fence.
Into the Old Bramble Patch went Little Jack Rabbit and his mother, while the Forest Folk either ran off or flew away.
"What's this?" cried the Farmer's Boy, kicking over the cabbages and turnips that the poor little rabbit had so carefully placed in front of the store.
Down fell the sign from the nicely painted post. Crack! it went under the heel of the Farmer Boy's shoe.
"Why didn't you catch 'em, Sic'em?" he asked crossly. Then he turned away and went whistling down the path.
"I don't feel much like whistling," said Little Jack Rabbit, "my store has all gone to smithereens!"
But Mrs. Rabbit didn't say anything. I think she was even more disappointed than her little bunny boy.
BILLY BREEZE
"Billy Breeze, Billy Breeze!
Come and help me, if you please.
If you'll only shake the tree,
There'll be lots of nuts for me."
This is what Chippy Chipmunk sang one morning when he found there were no more nuts on the ground.
Of course, he had a lot already stored away, but he didn't want to use them now. No, indeed; not until the cold weather came. Pretty soon he commenced to sing again:
"Billy Breeze, Billy Breeze!
Come and help me, if you please.
Shake the nuts from off the tree;
Do this favor, please, for me."
Now everybody in the Shady Forest liked Chippy Chipmunk. In the first place, he was such a good little worker. Then, too, he minded his own business and was never cross. So as soon as Billy Breeze heard him call, he blew in from the Sunny Meadow and shook the tree. Down came the nuts, pitter, patter, all over the ground, and one hit the little chipmunk right on the head.
"Ouch!" he cried.
"Whew! Did it hurt?" whistled Billy Breeze.
"Well, I should say so," answered Chippy Chipmunk. "Wait till I hide before you shake again."
Then Billy Breeze gave the big tree another shake. Pitter, patter, pitter, patter! went the nuts on the dry leaves.
"I guess that's enough," said Billy Breeze. "I must go now!"
"What for?" asked the little chipmunk.
"To turn the Weathercock."
And off went Billy Breeze across the Sunny Meadow, to the Old Farm Yard. The Weathercock on the Big Red Barn saw him coming and whirled around on his gilded toe. And Henny Penny at once set to work to prune and oil her feathers. She rubbed her bill over the little oil sack hidden among the feathers on her back and said to Cocky Doodle:
"It's going to rain, for Mr. Weathercock is pointing to the East."
PITTER, PATTER
As soon as Billy Breeze had turned the Weathercock on the Big Red Barn, he hurried away to get the rain-clouds. He didn't even wait to say howdy to Ducky Waddles, although he knew the little duck would be glad to know where he was going. But Billy Breeze didn't have time. No, sir. He had to get those rain-clouds in a hurry. It hadn't rained for so long that the roads were inches deep with dust, the Bubbling Brook was almost dry, and the Old Duck Pond was so low that the Mill Wheel couldn't turn. The Miller couldn't grind his corn, and the Miller's Boy had so much spare time to tease Granddaddy Bullfrog that the poor old gentleman frog was nearly worried to death.
"Hurry up and get those rain-clouds," shouted Granddaddy Bullfrog as Billy Breeze hurried across the Old Duck Pond.
"I wish we'd have some rain," said the "rusty, dusty" Miller, coming to the door of the Old Mill. It almost seemed as if he were speaking to Billy Breeze.
"You'll get rain pretty soon," he answered, but I guess the Miller didn't hear him, for he turned around and went inside.
By and by the rain-clouds came tumbling across the sky, as Billy Breeze pushed them headlong over one another. Mr. Merry Sun saw them coming, and hurried over to the west. But it wasn't any use. Billy Breeze drove them on so fast that in a little while Mr. Merry Sun was shut in altogether. The bright blue sky grew gray and the leaves began to whisper:
"It's going to rain! It's going to rain!"
And the grass rippled in the Sunny Meadow and murmured:
"It's going to rain! It's going to rain!"
Everybody seemed glad except, perhaps, Mr. Merry Sun. But I don't believe he minded it. He must have known that rain is just as needful as sunshine.
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter! Yes, the raindrops were falling. Chippy Chipmunk scurried into his little house and Granddaddy Bullfrog chuckled as he crawled under a sheltering leaf.
Little Jack Rabbit hopped swiftly over to the Old Bramble Patch and the Farmer's Boy turned up his collar and ran out of the Shady Forest where he had been gathering nuts.
"You're a good little boy to get home in time," said Mrs. Rabbit as her little bunny popped into the kitchen door, and the little canary bird began to sing:
"Pitter, patter, goes the rain,
Making music on the pane.
Draw the shades and light the lamp—
Never mind the evening damp.
Wind the clock, make fast the latch
Of the dear Old Bramble Patch."