At last he saw, just a little way ahead, a fine broad toadstool. That would make a good roof! So he ran as fast as his little legs would carry him to get under the stool.
But some one else needed shelter from the weather, too. The brownie ran straight into a huge doormouse who lay safe and dry under the toadstool.
Poor little brownie! He was frightened. The doormouse looked as large as a bear. But it was warm and dry under the toadstool, and very wet outside. The doormouse did not see him, and kept on the other side of the stalk, just peeping out now and then. The brownie began to tug at the toadstool. It was very heavy. But never mind! Tug—tug—tug—up it came, and off scampered the brownie with the toadstool over his head, and the doormouse was left out in the rain!
By and by a grown-up person with very sharp eyes saw the brownie, and the grown-up person went off at once and made himself a large toadstool from iron and wood and cloth to hold over his head when it rained. So that is how we came to have umbrellas.
JOHNNY’S RABBIT
The wild animals have feelings that should be regarded and rights that should be respected.
Johnny had caught a rabbit in his trap. He had intended eating all the rabbits he caught, but this one was so beautiful he just could not eat him, so he built a pen for him and intended keeping him.
Then he went for a stroll in the woods. After walking a long distance he sat down under a tree to rest. Suddenly a black bear and a gray fox appeared in the clearing. They looked very fine and gay as they stood there watching Johnny.