Father Thrift and His Animal Friends

by Joseph C. Sindelar

Suddenly he heard a great rustling of leaves and a flapping and fluttering of wings.

Turning around, he found himself face to face with such a gathering of animals and birds as he had never in his life seen.

And at his elbow stood—who do you suppose? Great Gray Owl, whom he had heard hoot in the night.

Before Father Thrift had time to ask what the gathering was about, Great Gray Owl rolled his big eyes and said: “Father Thrift, permit me to introduce to you the animals of the forest.”

“I am happy to meet you all,” said Father Thrift kindly.

Then the animals gave a shout that sounded like three cheers and a hundred tigers.

Do you wonder at that? You will not when I tell you all that were present.

There were the shaggy bears, the red foxes, the busy beavers, the gray wolves, the cottontail rabbits, the bushytail squirrels, the woodchucks, the chipmunks, and the deer.

Then there were the eagles, the owls, the hawks, the crows, the blue jays, and the robins, and many others of the bird family. Even the honeybees and the butterflies, the insects and the snakes were there.