THORNTON W. BURGESS

Author of "Old Mother West Wind," and
"The Bed Time Story-Books."

Illustrations in Color by
HARRISON CADY

BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1920

"He went right on about his business."
FRONTISPIECE.

BOOKS BY THORNTON W. BURGESS

BEDTIME STORY-BOOKS
MOTHER WEST WIND SERIES
GREEN MEADOW SERIES
THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN
THE BURGESS ANIMAL BOOK FOR CHILDREN

CONTENTS

[I.][WHY STRIPED CHIPMUNK IS PROUD OF HIS STRIPES]
[II.][WHY PETER RABBIT CANNOT FOLD HIS HANDS]
[III.][WHY UNC' BILLY POSSUM PLAYS DEAD]
[IV.][WHY REDDY FOX WEARS RED]
[V.][WHY JIMMY SKUNK NEVER HURRIES]
[VI.][WHY SAMMY JAY HAS A FINE COAT]
[VII.][WHY JERRY MUSKRAT BUILDS HIS HOUSE IN THE WATER]
[VIII.][WHY OLD MAN COYOTE HAS MANY VOICES]
[IX.][WHY MINER THE MOLE LIVES UNDER GROUND]
[X.][WHY MR. SNAKE CANNOT WINK]
[XI.][WHY BOBBY COON HAS RINGS ON HIS TAIL]
[XII.][WHY THERE IS A BLACK HEAD IN THE BUZZARD FAMILY]
[XIII.][WHY BUSTER BEAR APPEARS TO HAVE NO TAIL]
[XIV.][WHY FLITTER THE BAT FLIES AT NIGHT]
[XV.][WHY SPOTTY THE TURTLE CARRIES HIS HOUSE WITH HIM]
[XVI.][WHY PADDY THE BEAVER HAS A BROAD TAIL]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

["HE WENT RIGHT ON ABOUT HIS BUSINESS"]
["AS THEY WERE ALL VERY HUNGRY, THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THE FEAST WOULD BE READY"]
["YOU DON'T MEAN TO SAY SO, PETER," INTERRUPTED GRANDFATHER FROG]
[HE WOULD MAKE NO REPLY, SAVE TO RUN OUT HIS TONGUE AT THEM]
["THEN OLD KING BEAR WISHED THAT HE HADN'T A TAIL"]
["IT MUST BE FINE TO FLY," THOUGHT PETER. "I WISH I COULD FLY"]
["HI, SPOTTY!" HE SHOUTED, "WHERE DO YOU LIVE?"]
[THE FIRST THING PETER LOOKED TO SEE WAS WHAT KIND OF A TAIL PADDY HAS]