These stories had to be written in the English language, so that you could understand. 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!
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.
Your friend,
Clara Dillingham Pierson.
Stanton, Michigan,
April 15, 1898.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| MR. RED SQUIRREL COMES TO LIVE IN THE FOREST | [13] |
| WHY MR. GREAT HORNED OWL HATCHED THE EGGS | [21] |
| THE SWAGGERING CROW | [31] |
| THE RED-HEADED WOODPECKER CHILDREN | [39] |
| THE NIGHT MOTH WITH A CROOKED FEELER | [52] |
| THE BEES AND THE KINGBIRD | [62] |
| THE STORY OF THE COWBIRD'S EGG | [73] |
| MRS. MOURNING DOVE'S HOUSEKEEPING | [83] |
| THE YOUNG BLUE JAY WHO WAS NOT BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE AFRAID | [91] |
| THE RED SQUIRRELS BEGIN HOUSEKEEPING | [100] |
| THE BIGGEST LITTLE RABBIT LEARNS TO SEE | [113] |
| THE LITTLE BAT WHO WOULDN'T GO TO BED | [123] |
| A SWARM LEAVES THE BEE TREE | [133] |
| THE HAUGHTY GROUND HOG | [144] |
| THE UNDECIDED RATTLESNAKE | [153] |
| THE QUARRELSOME MOLE | [163] |
| THE WILD TURKEYS COME | [175] |
| THE TRAVELLERS GO SOUTH | [186] |
| THE RUFFED GROUSE'S STORY | [198] |
| A MILD DAY IN WINTER | [208] |