Chapter I: Love Little Pussy (4)

First she tried to move the box, but it was too heavy for her to stir. Then she began scratching away the earth at its edge, only to find that it had been placed upon a big, flat stone, to prevent a rabbit from burrowing out.

This discovery almost drove her frantic, until she noticed Chatter Chuk, who stood trembling near by.

"Here!" she called; "it was you who led my child into trouble. Now you must get her out."

"How?" asked the red squirrel.

"Gnaw a hole in that box--quick! Gnaw faster than you ever did before in your life. See! the box is thinnest at this side. Set to work at once, Chatter Chuk!"

The red squirrel obeyed. The idea of saving his friend was as welcome to him as it was to the distracted mother. He was young, and his teeth were as sharp as needles. So he started at the lower edge and chewed the wood with all his strength and skill, and at every bite the splinters came away.

It was a good idea. Mrs. Wuz watched him anxiously. If only the men would keep away for a time, the squirrel could make a hole big enough for Fuzzy Wuz to escape. She crept around the other side of the box and called to the prisoner: "Courage, dear one! We are trying to save you. But if the men come before Chatter Chuk can make a hole big enough, then, as soon as they raise the box, you must make a dash for the bushes. Run before they can put in their hands to seize you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mother," replied Fuzzy, but her voice wasn't heard very plainly, because the squirrel was making so much noise chewing the wood.

Presently Chatter Chuk stopped.

"It makes my teeth ache," he complained.

"Never mind, let them ache," replied Mrs. Wuz. "If you stop now, Fuzzy will die; and if she dies, I will go to Juggerjook and tell him how you led my child into trouble."

The thought of Juggerjook made the frightened squirrel redouble his efforts. He forgot the pain in his teeth and gnawed as no other squirrel had ever gnawed before. The ground was covered with tiny splinters from the box, and now the hole was big enough for the prisoner to put the end of her nose through and beg him to hurry.

Chatter Chuk was intent on his task, and the mother was intent upon watching him, so neither noticed any one approaching, until a net fell over their heads, and a big voice cried, with a boisterous laugh:

"Caught! and neat as a pin, too!"

Chatter Chuk and Mrs. Wuz struggled in the net with all their might, but it was fast around them, and they were helpless to escape. Fuzzy stuck her nose out of the hole in the box to find out what was the matter, and a sweet, childish voice exclaimed: "There's another in the trap, Daddy!"

Neither the rabbits nor the squirrel understood this strange language; but all realized they were in the power of dreadful Man and gave themselves up for lost.

Fuzzy made a dash the moment the box was raised; but the trapper knew the tricks of rabbits, so the prisoner only dashed into the same net where her mother and Chatter Chuk were confined.

"Three of them! Two rabbits and a squirrel. That's quite a haul, Charlie," said the man.

The little boy was examining the box.

"Do rabbits gnaw through wood, Father?" he asked.

"No, my son," was the reply.

"But there is a hole here. And see! There are the splinters upon the ground."

The man examined the box in turn, somewhat curiously.

"How strange!" he said. "These are marks of the squirrel's teeth. Now, I wonder if the squirrel was trying to liberate the rabbit."

"Looks like it, Daddy; doesn't it?" replied the boy.

"I never heard of such a thing in my life," declared the man. "These little creatures often display more wisdom than we give them credit for. But how can we explain this curious freak, Charlie?"

The boy sat down upon the box and looked thoughtfully at the three prisoners in the net. They had ceased to struggle, having given way to despair; but the boy could see their little hearts beating fast through their furry skins.

"This is the way it looks to me, Daddy," he finally said. "We caught the small rabbit in the box, and the big one must be its mother. When she found her baby was caught, she tried to save it, and she began to burrow under the box, for here is the mark of her paws. But she soon saw the flat stone, and gave up."

"Yes; that seems reasonable," said the man.

"But she loved her baby," continued the boy, gazing at the little creatures pitifully, "and thought of another way. The red squirrel was a friend of hers, so she ran and found him, and asked him to help her. He did, and tried to gnaw through the box; but we came too soon and captured them with the net because they were so busy they didn't notice us."

"Exactly!" cried the man, with a laugh. "That tells the story very plainly, my son, and I see you are fast learning the ways of animals. But how intelligent these little things are!"

"That's what _my_ mother would do," returned the boy. "She'd try to save me; and that's just what the mother rabbit did."

"Well, we must be going," said the man; and as he started away he picked up the net and swung it over his shoulder. The prisoners struggled madly again, and the boy, who walked along the forest path a few steps behind his father, watched them.

"Daddy," he said softly, coming to the man's side, "I don't want to keep those rabbits."

"Oh, they'll make us a good dinner," was the reply.

"I--I couldn't eat 'em for dinner, Daddy. Not the mama rabbit and the little one she tried to save. Nor the dear little squirrel that wanted to help them. Let's--let's--let 'em go!"

The man stopped short and turned to look with a smile into the boy's upturned, eager face.

"What will Mama say when we go back without any dinner?" he asked.

"You know, Daddy. She'll say a good deed is better than a good dinner."

The man laid a caressing hand on the curly head and handed his son the net. Charlie's face beamed with joy. He opened wide the net and watched the prisoners gasp with surprise, bound out of the meshes, and scamper away into the bushes.

Then the boy put his small hand in his father's big one, and together they walked silently along the path.

* * *

"All the same," said Chatter Chuk to himself, as, snug at home, he trembled at the thought of his late peril, "I shall keep away from old Juggerjook after this. I am very sure of that!"

"Mama," said Fuzzy Wuz, nestling beside her mother in the burrow, "why do you suppose the fierce Men let us go?"

"I cannot tell, my dear," was the reply. "Men are curious creatures, and often act with more wisdom than we give them credit for."

THE LITTLE GRAY KITTEN

BY MARY LAWRENCE TURNBULL

Once upon a time there was a little gray kitten, who had wandered far away from home. At first she liked all the strange sights she saw, but by and by she began to feel very homesick, and wished she was once more cuddled up with her brothers and sisters.

Now the only word this little gray kitten knew was "Mew, mew!" So when she was lonely she would say "Mew;" when she was hungry, "Mew;" when she was cold or tired, glad or sad, it was always "Mew." At home they knew what she meant when she said "Mew," but out in the wide, wide world, nobody seemed to know.

Wandering along the street, she came upon a little squirming earthworm. "Mew," said she, meaning, "Where is my home?"

The earthworm, however, did not notice little gray kitten, but crawled away across the street.

Next, the little gray kitten met a butterfly on the top of a dandelion. "Mew," said the little gray kitten, meaning, "Can you tell me where my home is?" But the butterfly did not say anything, and flew away.

The little gray kitten walked on, and then she spied a robin on a stone wall near-by. "Mew," said the little gray kitten, "Where is my home?"

But the robin, cocking his head on one side, answered, "Chirp, chirp," and then spreading his wings, flew away.

She felt very sad indeed, but running along she came up to a big black dog. "Mew, mew!" said the little gray kitten, "Oh, can you not tell me where my home is?"

But the big black dog shook his tail, and barked "Bow-wow, bow-wow-wow-wow!" so loudly that the little gray kitten ran away from him as fast as she could go.

The little gray kitten was very tired, but she still ran on, and soon met a big red cow. "Mew, mew-ew," said the little gray kitten, "Can you not tell me where my home is?"

The big red cow, however, hardly looking at the little kitten, stretched out her big head, and shouted, "Moo, moo-oo!" which so frightened the little gray kitten that she jumped over a fence and landed right in the middle of a flower-bed.

There she caught sight of a little girl running up to her, and with such a sweet smile on her face that the little gray kitten ran toward her and said once more, "Mew, do _you_ know where my home is?"

"Oh, you dear fluffy gray ball!" said the smiling little girl, catching the kitten up in her arms. "I'm going to take you right home to live with me."

The little girl was the only one who had understood, and the little gray kitten purred softly. She was happy for she had found a home.

PUSSY'S WHEELS

BY ANNIE W. McCULLOUGH

I wonder what you're thinking of, my darling little cat.
It may be meat, it may be cream, that makes you nice and fat;
It may be all the fun you have in barn-loft warm and dry;
It may be mice you try to catch as by their hole you lie.

Perhaps you think of trees to climb, with birds that sing up there,
They always get away from you, although you creep with care.
Perhaps you think of warm, green grass, and basking in the sun,
Or of your ball, that slides so fast as after it you run.

I hope you think of me, sometimes, because I love you well;
I hope you love me back again, although you cannot tell;
And how I know you're thinking (it's a secret that I've found),
Is 'cause I hear, close to my ear, your thought-wheels going round.

THE SMALL GRAY MOUSE

BY NATHAN HASKELL DOLE

The small gray Mouse ran East
And the small gray Mouse ran West
And could not tell in the least
Which way was best.

The small gray Mouse ran North
And the small gray Mouse ran South
And scurried back and forth
To escape the Kitten's dreadful teeth-lined mouth!

But Kitty thought it precious fun
To see the panting Mousie run,
And when it almost got away
Her furry paw upon its back would lay.

But Kitty grew too vain and sure;
She thought she had the Mouse secure;
She turned her head, she shut her eyes.
That was not wise,
And ere she knew
The gray Mouse up the chimney flew,
Where dainty cats could not pursue.
So she had nothing else to do
But miew--oo--oo--!

THE RABBIT, THE TURTLE, AND THE OWL

The little girl and the little boy stood in the corn-field near the hollow tree where the Owl lived. The corn was in shocks like wigwams, and the yellow pumpkins lay on the ground. The Turtle came up from the brook below the corn-field, and stuck his head out of his shell to watch. The Rabbit sat on the edge of the slope, with his ears sticking straight up, to listen.

The sleepy Owl stirred behind his knot-hole.

"Don't you think," said the little boy, "that the Rabbit--"

"And the Turtle--" said the little girl.

"And the Owl," went on the little boy, "should have a Thanksgiving dinner?"

"Yes, a good dinner," replied the little girl, "right here in the corn-field."

"We could have a pumpkin table," said the little boy.

"And pumpkin chairs," said the little girl.

So, as Thanksgiving was that very day, and there was no time to lose, they began to work. They found a fine, big, flat-topped pumpkin, and placed it for a table at the foot of the Owl's tree. Then they found three little pumpkins for stools.

"They won't want to eat until night," said the little boy.

"No," said the little girl; "the Owl and the Turtle and the Rabbit, too,--they like dinner at night."

"We will lay everything out for them before we go to Grandmother's," said the little boy, "and when we come home, we can see all eating their good Thanksgiving dinner."

The little boy ran and brought parsley and cabbage leaves for the Rabbit; and when the Rabbit saw that, he trotted home in a hurry, for fear he might be tempted to eat before it was time.

The little girl brought a fine big mushroom for the Turtle, for she had once seen a turtle nibble all around the edge of a mushroom.

"The Owl will have to bring his own dinner," said the little boy, "but I will get him a piece of bread to eat with it." So he did.

That night the little girl and boy drove home by moonlight from their grandmother's farm. When they were in their own room they looked out of the window toward the corn-field. They saw the corn-shocks, like wigwams, with black shadows. They saw the tree dark against the sky. They saw the big round yellow moon rising above the ridge of the field. They saw the pumpkin table and pumpkin chairs. They saw, sitting on one chair, the Rabbit, with his ears sticking straight up as he ate his parsley and cabbage. They saw the Turtle, stretching his head out of his shell as he nibbled his mushroom. They saw the Owl on his chair, eating the dinner he had brought. "Oh, isn't it beautiful!" said the little girl. "Beautiful!" said the little boy.

HOMES

BY ANNIE WILLIS McCULLOUGH

My bunnies like their cozy house, although they scamper out to play;
My chickens like the slatted coop where all the mother hens must stay.
My kitten likes her basket bed out in the woodshed near our door,
My puppy loves his cellar box; he sleeps and plays, then sleeps
some more.

But _I_ have got the nicest home. My house is better far than theirs;
Its windows let the sunshine in; it has a porch, it has some stairs.
But I like best the kitchen warm, with table, stove, and pantry neat;
The place where Dinah works, and makes good things for us to eat!

Fish Perch
Entree Bread
Vegetables Corn
Carrots
Tomatoes
Dessert Watermelon
Apples.]

A Glutton.

THE FINE GOOD SHOW

BY JESSIE WRIGHT WHITCOMB

A little girl and a little boy started down the road together to take a walk. They met a dog.

"Good morning, Dog," said the little girl. "Bow-wow!" answered the dog.

"Come and take a walk with us, Dog," said the little boy.

So they all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they met a cat.

"Good morning, Cat," said the little boy. "Miaouw!" answered the cat.

"Come and take a walk with us, Cat," said the little girl. So they all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they met a rooster.

"Good morning, Rooster," said the little girl. "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" answered the rooster.

"Come and take a walk with us, Rooster," said the little boy.

So they all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they met a duck.

"Good morning, Duck," said the little boy. "Quack, quack!" answered the duck.

"Come and take a walk with us, Duck," said the little girl.

So they all went down the road talking merrily with one another.

Pretty soon they saw a little pinky-white pig with a funny little curly tail.

"Good morning, Pig," said the little girl. "Grunt, grunt!" answered the pig.

"Come and take a walk with us, Pig," said the little boy.

So they all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they came to a pasture.

In the pasture was a nice, old, red cow.

"Good morning, Cow," said the little boy. "Moo, moo!" answered the cow.

"Come and take a walk with us," said the little girl.

But the cow shook her head; she couldn't open the pasture bars.

"We will let down the bars for you, Cow," said the little boy and the little girl.

So they let down the bars, and the dog, and the cat, and the rooster, and the duck, and the little white pig with the curly tail, and the little boy, and the little girl, all went in to see the cow.

The little girl climbed on the cow's back, and the little boy climbed on the cow's back, and the dog jumped on the cow's back, and the cat jumped on the cow's neck, and the rooster flew up on the cow's head, and the little white pig with the curly tail, and the duck, walked behind the cow, and they all went down the road together just as happy as they could be.

Pretty soon they met a carriage with two women in it.

"Mercy on me!" said the two women. "What's this!"

"This is a fine, good show," answered the little girl.

"Well, I should think it was!" said the two women. "It is a beautiful show."

"Thank you," said the little boy.

"Good-by," said the two women.

"Good-by," said the little girl.

So the cow, carrying the little boy, and the little girl, and the dog, and the cat, and the rooster, with the little white pig with the curly tail, and the duck, walking along behind, all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they met a wagon with three men in it.

"Well! Well! Well!" said the three men. "Just look! What's all this?"

"This is a fine, good show," said the little boy, bowing very politely.

"Indeed it is!" said the three men. "It's great!"

"Thank you," said the little boy, "I am pleased that you like it."

"Good-by," said the little girl.

So the cow, carrying the little girl, and the little boy, and the dog, and the cat, and the rooster, with the little white pig with the curly tail, and the duck, walking behind, all went down the road together.

Pretty soon they came to a store. The Store Man stood out in front of his store.

"Good morning, Mr. Store Man," said the little boy, "I have a little silver piece in my pocket."

"Good morning!" said the Store Man. "What can I do for you?"

"We want to buy some things for our Show," said the little boy.

"I'm glad of that!" said the Store Man.

So the little boy jumped down, and the little girl jumped down, and the dog jumped down, and the cat jumped down, and the rooster flew down.

"We want to buy a little corn for our cow and our pig," said the little boy.

"And we want to buy a little wheat for our rooster and our duck," said the little girl.

"And we want to buy a little meat for our dog," said the little boy.

"And we want to buy a little milk for our cat," said the little girl.

"And we want to buy some great, long sticks of candy for us!" said the little boy and the little girl together. "I hope you have some."

The Store Man took the money and brought out all the things.

The cow and the little white pig with the curly tail ate the corn; the rooster and the duck ate the wheat; the dog ate the meat, and the cat drank the milk, and the little girl and the little boy ate the great, long sticks of candy.

"Good-by, Mr. Store Man," said the little girl.

"Good-by, Mr. Store Man," said the little boy.

"Good-by, all of you," answered the Store Man.

So the little girl, and the little boy, and the dog, and the cat, and the rooster, and the duck, and the little pig with the curly tail, all went back up the road again.

Pretty soon they came to the pasture. The cow walked in.

"Good-by, Cow and Dog and Cat and Rooster and Duck and Pig!" shouted the little boy.

"Good-by, Pig and Duck and Rooster and Cat and Dog and Cow!" called the little girl.

"Moo-moo!" answered the cow.

"Grunt-grunt!" answered the pig.

"Miaouw, miaouw!" answered the cat.

"Quack, quack!" answered the duck.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" answered the rooster. "Bow-wow!" answered the dog.

And the little boy and the little girl put up the bars and ran back home as fast as they could go.

_Jessie Wright Whitcomb._

GAY AND SPY

(_A Rhyming Story for Little Folk_)

One beautiful day in the month of May,
A little girl whose name was Gay
(They called her that, because, you see,
She was always cheerful as she could be)
Went for a walk in the woods near by,
And her dog went with her (his name was Spy).

As they strolled along a fine woodland path
She saw a little bird taking a bath.
She kept very still and watched him splash,
When all at once, with a sudden dash,
Into the brook jumped little dog Spy.
My, how he made the water fly!
"What a bad, bad dog you are!" said Gay.
"Birdie won't bathe any more to-day.
You frightened him so, but, never mind,
He's only frightened, not hurt, he'll find.
We'll walk on further and you must try
To be good and quiet."
"_Bow-wow!_" said Spy.

They had only walked on a little way,
When something rustled: "What's that?" said Gay.
Out from the leaves sprang a squirrel red
And sped like a flash down the path ahead.
Close behind him was little dog Spy.
He paid no heed to the little girl's cry.

She whistled and called; they were out of sight.
She waited a moment, then laughed outright.
For who was this coming? Why, little dog Spy!
But he didn't look happy--with head held high--
Indeed, he looked rather ashamed instead
For he hadn't caught the squirrel red.
Spy couldn't climb trees, and so, you see,
Master Squirrel escaped quite easily.
"You're young," said Gay, "and is that why
You act so silly?"
"_Bow-wow!_" said Spy.

"I'm tired of walking," the little girl said,
"I think I will pick some flowers instead.
I will take them home to my Grandma, dear;
She loves them but she can't walk out here."
There were plenty of flowers all around.
Sweet white violets covered the ground.
There were lovely long-stemmed blue ones, too,
And all around the May-flowers grew.
But when she had all her hands would hold,
It was time to leave, it was growing cold.
The sun was sinking. But where was Spy?
She whistled and called,--but no reply!
"Where can he be?" she said, when hark!
Off in the distance she heard him bark.
"He must have a rabbit," said she, "that's all."
And sure enough, by an old stone-wall,
Spy was barking away as hard as he could--
As if scaring the rabbit would do any good.
"The rabbit is safe in that wall," said Gay,
"He wouldn't come out if you barked all day.
So you better come home for it's growing late.
And Mother will wonder why I wait.
Supper'll be ready, too. Oh, my!
Are you hungry as I am?"
"_Bow-wow!_" said Spy.

The Ballad of a runaway Donkey:

by Emilie Poulsson:

here shadow'd forth in divers pictures by Alfred Brenon.

A sturdy little Donkey,
All dressed in sober gray,
Once took it in his long-eared head
That he would run away.

2 So, when a little open
He saw the sable door,
He ran as if he never would
Come back there any more.

3 Away that Donkey galloped
And ran and ran and ran
And ran and ran and ran and ran
And Ran and RAn and RAN!

4 Behind him ran the Children,
The Groom and Coachman, too;
The Farmer and the farmer's man,
To see what they could do.

5 Some carried whips to whip him,
Some, oats to coax him near,
Some called "Come here you foolish beast!"
And some, "Come, Barney, dear."

6 But not a whit cared Barney
For cross or coaxing word;
And clatter, clatter, clatter still,
His little hoofs were heard.

7 And all across the meadow,
And up and o'er the hill,
And through the woods and down the dale
He galloped with a will.

8 And into every hayfield
And through the swamp and mire
Still Barney ran and ran and ran
As if he'd never tire!

9 His chasers all stopped running,
Then meek as any lamb
Did Barney stand as if to say,
"Come catch me! here I am."

10 But when one of them started,
Then Barney started, too;
As if the chase had just begun
Away he swiftly flew.

11 But there's an end to all things,
And so, (the stupid elf)
When no one else could capture him
This donkey caught himself.

12 For, running in the barn-yard,
He did not calculate
What consequences would befall,
And hit the swinging gate.

13 It quickly swung together,
Down dropped the iron latch
O, Barney Gray! to think that you
The runaway should catch!

14 The Children danced with pleasure,
The Groom roared with delight,
The Others smiled their broadest smiles
Or laughed with all their might.

15 But Barney, naughty Barney,
Had mischief in him still
For when the laughing Coachman tried
To lead him up the hill

16 His donkeyship determined
That he would yet have fun
So braced himself and stood stock still
As if he weighed a ton!

17 But mighty was the Coachman
And pulled with such a will
That Barney soon was being dragged
Full roughly up the hill.

18 "Well, well!" at last thought Barney
"The Coachman is so strong
I might as well be good just now,"
And so he walked along.

19 And when he reached the stable
And stood within the stall,
You'd scarce believe so meek a beast
Could run away, at all!

20 Now all the meditations
Of this same Barney Gray
Are only of some future chance
When he may run away.

THE THREE BEARS[M]

Once upon a time there were three bears who lived in a castle in a great wood. One of them was a great big bear, and one was a middling bear, and one was a little bear. And in the same wood there was a fox who lived all alone; his name was Scrapefoot. Scrapefoot was very much afraid of the bears, but for all that he wanted very much to know all about them. And one day as he went through the wood he found himself near the Bears' Castle, and he wondered whether he could get into the castle. He looked all about him everywhere, and he could not see any one. So he came up very quietly, till at last he came up to the door of the castle, and he tried whether he could open it. Yes! the door was not locked, and he opened it just a little way, and put his nose in and looked, and he could not see any one. So then he opened it a little way farther, and put one paw in, and then another paw, and another and another, and then he was all in the Bears' Castle. He found he was in a great hall with three chairs in it--one big, one middling, and one little chair; and he thought he would like to sit down and rest and look about him; so he sat down on the big chair. But he found it so hard and uncomfortable that it made his bones ache, and he jumped down at once and got into the middling chair, and he turned round and round in it, but he couldn't make himself comfortable. So then he went to the little chair and sat down in it, and it was so soft and warm and comfortable that Scrapefoot was quite happy; but all at once it broke to pieces under him and he couldn't put it together again! So he got up and began to look about him again, and on one table he saw three saucers, of which one was very big, one was middling, one was quite a little saucer. Scrapefoot was very thirsty, and he began to drink out of the big saucer. But he only just tasted the milk in the big saucer, which was so sour and so nasty that he would not taste another drop of it. Then he tried the middling saucer, and he drank a little of that. He tried two or three mouthfuls, but it was not nice, and then he left it and went to the little saucer, and the milk in the little saucer was so sweet and so nice that he went on drinking it till it was all gone.

Then Scrapefoot thought he would like to go upstairs; and he listened and he could not hear any one. So upstairs he went, and he found a great room with three beds in it; one was a big bed, and one was a middling bed, and one was a little white bed; and he climbed up into the big bed, but it was so hard and lumpy and uncomfortable that he jumped down again at once, and tried the middling bed. That was rather better, but he could not get comfortable in it, so after turning about a little while he got up and went to the little bed; and that was so soft and so warm and so nice that he fell fast asleep at once.

And after a time the Bears came home, and when they got into the hall the big Bear went to his chair and said, "Who's been sitting in my chair?" and the middling Bear said, "Who's been sitting in my chair?" and the little Bear said, "Who's been sitting in my chair and has broken it all to pieces?" And then they went to have their milk, and the big bear said, "Who's been drinking my milk?" and the middling Bear said, "Who's been drinking my milk?" And the little Bear said, "Who's been drinking my milk and has drunk it all up?" Then they went upstairs and into the bedroom, and the big Bear said, "Who's been sleeping in my bed?" and the middling Bear said, "Who's been sleeping in my bed?" and the little Bear said, "Who's been sleeping in my bed?--and see here he is!" So then the Bears came and wondered what they should do with him; and the big Bear said, "Let's hang him!" and then the middling Bear said, "Let's drown him!" and then the little Bear said, "Let's throw him out of the window." And then the Bears took him to the window, and the big Bear took two legs on one side and the middling Bear took two legs on the other side, and they swung him backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards, and out of the window. Poor Scrapefoot was so frightened, and he thought every bone in his body must be broken. But he got up and first shook one leg--no, that was not broken; and then another, and that was not broken; and another and another, and then he wagged his tail and found there were no bones broken. So then he galloped off home as fast as he could go, and never went near the Bears' Castle again.

[M] From "More English Fairy Tales," edited by Joseph Jacobs. Used by
permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons.

THE LITTLE BEAR'S STORY

BY C. F. HOLDER

"Yes," the little bear cub would say, "that is my picture. I am a native of the State of California. I don't remember distinctly where I was born, but it was up in the Sierras, where the snow lies in great banks, and the giant trees stand like sentinels, and where you might travel for days and weeks and meet no one but bears.

"The first thing I recollect was finding myself in a big burrow covered with snow, then my mother broke the way out and led us (I had a brother) down the mountain. We soon left the snow; and I remember one day, at sunset, we stood on an overhanging rock, and my mother showed us the green valleys and nice dark forests where we could hide, and far off was the gleaming sea. Mother did not care very much for the water, I think.

"My mother was hungry, after the long winter fast, and every day took us lower and lower, until one night she led us into a sheep ranch. Then our troubles began, for she left us to catch a lamb, and never came back. We heard all about it afterward. Some ranchers had seen her, and rode out on horseback to enjoy the cruel sport of 'roping a bear'. As they rode around her, one threw his lariat about her neck; another caught her forefoot as she stood up, another her hind leg; and then they dragged her away to the ranch-house--and so we became orphans.

"It was not long before the dogs found us, and a man carried me home in a basket to his wife, who treated me very kindly. I did not like it, but pretended I did, and ate all I could, always watching and hoping for a chance to run away to my mountain home. My mistress, however, soon thought I was too knowing, and put a chain about my neck. Finally, when I was about four months old, they sent me to a friend in San Francisco. I shall never forget how people looked at me and laughed when I stood on my hind legs, as if there was anything laughable in that! But they gave me sugar and other good things, and I fared well.

"My new master was a butcher, and most of the time I stayed in his shop. But some days, when I was very homesick, and longed for my mother, and the little cub who had been carried off, I did not know where, the butcher's wife would take me into her room back of the shop, and then I would go to sleep, cuddled up close upon a rug, with my paws on her hand, and dream that I was back in my mountain home.

"One day I heard my master say I was to be pho-to-graphed, and I thought my time had come. You see, I had never heard the word before. There was no escape, as I was kept tied, and the next morning my master took me under his big coat in the cable-cars. I could just peep through one of the button-holes, and all at once I uttered a loud whine. You should have seen how the passengers stared at my master, who I know looked embarrassed, as he gave me a tremendous squeeze. We soon got out, and I was carried up a flight of stairs, and placed on a table in a room, the walls of which were covered with pictures of people's faces, all of which seemed to keep their eyes fixed on me.

"My master petted me and gave me some sugar, and I began to think that being photographed was possibly not so bad, after all. Presently a man came in. He looked very much astonished, and said, 'Why, I thought you engaged a sitting for "a descendant of one of the early settlers"?'

"'So I did,' replied my master; 'there it is,' pointing to where I stood up, blinking with all my might.

"'Why, it's a cub bear!' exclaimed the man.

"'Well, it is a relative of some early settlers, all the same,' my master answered.

"At this the man smiled good-humoredly, then he went into another room, while my master petted me and gave me so much sugar that I had the toothache from it. After a while the man came back and said he was ready, and I was taken into a room where there was a big thing like a gun on three legs, with a cloth over it. My master sat down in a chair and held me in his lap while the man pointed the gun at us.

"I thought I was to be shot, and tried to get away, and this made the man so cross that he came out from under the cloth and said he couldn't do it. Then my master put me up in a child's chair and propped something tight against my head, at which they both laughed so loud you could have heard them in the street, and I jumped down.

"Finally, the man tapped his forehead and said, 'I have it.' He put a screen before the gun and my master set me on top of it, holding my chain while the man crept under the cloth. I did not dare move, as I was astride of the screen, my hind feet hanging in the air. I prepared for the worst. Then the man came out again, looked at me sharply, and turned my head a little, telling me to smile, at which my master laughed. The man next shook a tambourine at me, and as I turned to see what the noise meant, I heard a _click!_ and just then my master took me down and carried me home, much to my relief.

"I wondered what it was all about until one day my master took me on his knee, and, holding up a card, said, 'Well, here you are!'--and what do you suppose it was? Nothing more or less than my picture; just as I was perched astride the screen the day when I thought I was going to be killed. Here it is":

THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM

This tale, my young readers, will seem to you to be quite false; but still it must be true, for my Grandfather, who used to tell it to me, would wind up by saying, "All this is true, my son, else it would never have been told to me." The tale runs thus:--

It was a fine summer's morning, just before harvest-time; the buckwheat was in flower, and the sun was shining brightly in the heaven above, a breeze was blowing over the fields, where the larks were singing; and along the paths the people were going to church dressed in their best. Every creature seemed contented, even the Hedgehog, who stood before his door singing as he best could a joyful song in praise of the fine morning. Indoors, meanwhile, his Wife was washing and drying the kitchen, before going into the fields for a walk to see how the crops were getting on. She was such a long while, however, about her work that Mr. Hedgehog would wait no longer, and trotted off by himself. He had not walked any very long distance before he came to a small thicket, near a field of cabbages, and there he espied a Hare, who he guessed had come on a similar errand to himself; namely, to devour a few fine heads. As soon as Mr. Hedgehog saw the Hare, he wished him a good morning; but the latter, who was in his way a high-minded creature, turned a fierce and haughty look upon the Hedgehog, and made no reply to his greeting. He asked, instead, in a very majestic tone, how he came to be walking abroad at such an early hour. "I am taking a walk," replied the Hedgehog.

"A walk!" repeated the Hare, in an ironical tone, "methinks you might employ your legs about something better!"

This answer vexed the Hedgehog most dreadfully, for he could have borne anything better than to be quizzed about his legs, because they were naturally short, and from no fault of his own. However, he said to the Hare, "Well, you need not be so proud, pray, what can you do with those legs of yours?" "That is my affair," replied the Hare. "I expect, if you would venture a trial, that I should beat you in a race," said the Hedgehog.

"You are laughing! you, with your short legs!" said the Hare contemptuously. "But still, since you have such a particular wish, I have no objection to try. What shall the wager be?"

"A louis d'or," replied the Hedgehog.

"Done!" said the Hare, "and it may as well come off at once."

"No! not in such great haste, if you please," said the Hedgehog; "I am not quite ready yet; I must first go home and freshen up a bit. Within half-an-hour I will return to this place."

Thereupon the Hedgehog hurried off, leaving the Hare very merry. On his way home the former thought to himself, "Mr. Hare is very haughty and high-minded, but withal he is very stupid, and although he thinks to beat me with his long legs, I will find a way to defeat him." So, as soon as the Hedgehog reached home, he told his Wife to dress herself at once to go into the field with him.

"What is the matter?" asked his Wife.

"I have made a wager with the Hare, for a louis d'or, to run a race with him, and you must be witness."

"My goodness, man! are you in your senses!" said the Wife, "do you know what you are about? How can you expect to run so fast as the Hare?"

"Hold your tongue, Wife; that is my affair. Don't you reason about men's business. March, and get ready to come with me."

As soon, then, as the Hedgehog's Wife was ready they set out together; and on the way he said, "Now attend to what I say. On the long field yonder we shall decide our bet. The Hare is to run on the one side of the hedge and I on the other, and so all you have to do is to stop at one end of the hedge, and then when the Hare arrives on the other side at the same point, you must call out, 'I am here already.'"

They soon came to the field, and the Hedgehog stationed himself at one end of the hedge, and his Wife at the other end; and as soon as they had taken their places the Hare arrived. "Are you ready to start?" asked the Hare. "Yes," answered the Hedgehog, and each took his place. "Off once, off twice, three times and off!" cried the Hare, and ran up the field like a whirlwind; while the Hedgehog took three steps and then returned to his place.

The Hare soon arrived at his goal, as he ran all the way at top speed, but before he could reach it, the Hedgehog's Wife on the other side called out, "I am here already!" The Hare was thunderstruck to hear this said, for he thought it really was his opponent, since there was no difference in the voices of the Hedgehog and his Wife. "This will not do!" thought the Hare to himself; but presently he called out, "Once, twice, and off again;" and away he went as fast as possible, leaving the Hedgehog quietly sitting in her place. "I am here before you," cried Mr. Hedgehog, as soon as the Hare approached. "What! again?" exclaimed the Hare in a rage; and added, "Will you dare another trial!" "Oh! as many as you like; do not be afraid on my account," said Mr. Hedgehog, courteously.

So the Hare then ran backwards and forwards three-and-seventy times, but each time the Hedgehogs had the advantage of him, for either Mr. or Mrs. shouted before he could reach the goal, "Here I am already!"

The four-and-seventieth time the Hare was unable to run any more. In the middle of the course he stopped and dropped down quite exhausted, and there he lay motionless for some time. But the Hedgehog took the louis d'or which he had won, and went composedly home with his Wife.

THE WEE ROBIN'S CHRISTMAS SONG

A SCOTCH STORY, ATTRIBUTED TO ROBERT BURNS

ADAPTED BY JENNIE ELLIS BURDICK

There was an old gray Pussy Cat, and she went away down by a brookside. There she saw a wee Robin Redbreast hopping on a brier bush.

Says the gray Pussy Cat: "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And the wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the gray Pussy Cat says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see a pretty white ring I have around my neck."

But the wee Robin says: "No, no! gray Pussy Cat, no, no! You worried the wee mousie, but you cannot worry me!"

So the wee Robin flew away until he came to a wall of earth and grass, and there he saw a gray greedy Hawk sitting.

And the gray greedy Hawk says: "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And the wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the gray greedy Hawk says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see the bright feather in my wing."

But wee Robin says: "No, no! gray greedy Hawk, no, no! You pecked the little Meadowlark, but you cannot peck me!"

So the wee Robin flew away until he came to a steep, rocky hillside, and there he saw a sly Fox sitting. And the sly Fox says, "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And the wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the sly Fox says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see the pretty spot on the tip of my tail."

But the wee Robin says: "No, no! sly Fox, no, no! You worried the little Lamb, but you cannot worry me!"

So the wee Robin flew away until he came to a grassy meadow, and there he saw a little shepherd boy.

And the little shepherd says: "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the little shepherd boy says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll give you some crumbs from my lunch."

But the wee Robin says: "No, no! little shepherd boy, no, no! You caught the Goldfinch, but you cannot catch me!"

So the wee Robin flew away till he came to the King; and there he sat on a plowshare, and sang the King a cheery song. And the King says to the Queen: "What will we give to the wee Robin for singing us this cheery song?"

And the Queen makes answer to the King: "I think we'll give him the wee Wren to be his wife."

So the wee Robin and the wee Wren were married, and the King and the Queen, and all the court danced at the wedding. Then the wee Robin and the wee Wren flew away home to the wee Robin's own brookside, and hopped on the brier bush.

THE FOX

The Fox set out in a hungry plight,
And begged the moon to give him light,
For he'd many a mile to travel that night
Before he could reach his den O!

First he came to a farmer's yard,
Where the ducks and geese declared it was hard
That their nerves should be shaken, and their rest be marred
By a visit from Mr. Fox O!

He seized the gray goose by the sleeve,
Says he, "Madam Gray Goose, by your leave,
I'll carry you off without reprieve,
And take you away to my den O!"

He seized the gray duck by the neck,
And flung her over across his back,
While the old duck cried out, "Quack, quack, quack,"
With her legs dangling down behind O!

Then old Mrs. Flipper Flapper jumped out of bed,
And out of the window she popped her head,
Crying, "John, John, John, the gray goose is gone,
And the Fox is off to his den O!"

Then John went up to the top of the hill,
And he blew a blast both loud and shrill.
Says the Fox, "That is fine music, still
I'd rather be off to my den O!"

So the Fox he hurried home to his den,
To his dear little foxes eight, nine, ten.
Says he, "We're in luck, here's a big fat duck
With her legs dangling down behind O!"

Then the Fox sat down with his hungry wife,
And they made a good meal without fork or knife.
They never had a better time in all their life,
And the little ones picked the bones O!

THREE COMPANIONS

BY DINAH MARIA MULOCK-CRAIK

We go on our walk together--
Baby and dog and I--
Three little merry companions,
'Neath any sort of sky
Blue as our baby's eyes are,
Gray like our old dog's tail;
Be it windy or cloudy or stormy,
Our courage will never fail.

Baby's a little lady;
Dog is a gentleman brave;
If he had two legs as you have,
He'd kneel to her like a slave;
As it is, he loves and protects her,
As dog and gentleman can.
I'd rather be a kind doggie,
I think, than a cruel man.

"'FRAID CAT!"

BY FRANK MUNRO

To Pussy-town, the other day,
The movies came.
And you must know,
The only chance mice have to play
Is when the cats
Go to the show!

(Yes, mice have certain little "rights"--
Though I confess
'Em hard to see!
And one is to stay up o' nights
And steal our cheese--
If cheese there be!)

Well, in the playhouse, on the screen,
The pussies saw
(And so may you)
True love run smoothly, I ween:
But "also ran,"
A dog in blue!

The foolish cats, in great alarm,
Dashed out, nor
Asked for money back!--
A dog policeman has no charm
When he is close
Upon one's track!

They did not use their heads. I fear;
(Some boys and girls
Are just like that)
And so the pussies now must hear
The grown folks say
"'Fraid cat! 'Fraid cat!"

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY

BY MARY HOWITT

"Will you walk into my parlor?" said the Spider to the Fly,
"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to show when you are there."
"Oh, no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain;
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around, the sheets are fine and thin;
And if you like to rest a while, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh, no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, "Dear friend, what can I do
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?
I have, within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome--will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh, no, no," said the little Fly, "kind sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"

"Sweet creature," said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise;
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I have a little looking-glass upon my parlor shelf;
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."

The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon be back again;
So he wove a subtle web in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing:
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple, there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead."