Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes

by Laura Rountree Smith

The Seventeen Little Bears still had to stay in bed next day. Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes danced about the room and cried, "Grandpa Grumbles, do tell us the story of the Toy Shop!"

Grandpa Grumbles came upstairs leaning on his green cotton umbrella. He coughed six times and then he sat down in the rocking-chair by the Window. He said, "The story of the Toy Shop begins with a question."

The Seventeen Little Bears clapped their paws and shouted, "Hear, hear, the story is going to begin!"

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes danced this way, and danced that way, and cried, "Hear, hear, the story is going to begin!"

Then the most surprising thing happened!

Grandpa Grumbles pointed his green cotton umbrella at Snubby Nose and asked, "Which of your toys did you break first at Christmas?"

Snubby Nose could not remember, so he cried and he screamed and he howled!

Grandpa Grumbles said, "I cannot begin this story until I have nineteen questions answered."

Tippy Toes said, "Grandpa Grumbles, I can tell you which toy I broke first, I broke my little rocking-horse."

Then Snubby Nose shouted, "I broke my rocking-horse too."