THE HAUGHTY GROUND HOG
Not far from the home of the Rabbits was another burrow where the GroundHog lived, and there was a very kindly feeling between the neighbors.They liked the same food, and as there was plenty for all, they oftennibbled together near the edge of the forest. The little Rabbits werefond of him and liked to listen to his stories. Once the biggest littleRabbit had run into the Ground Hog's burrow by mistake when he wasfrightened, and that was the beginning of a great friendship betweenthem.
They were a queer-looking couple, for the Rabbit was small and quick anddainty, while the Ground Hog, with his stout body covered with thick,reddish fur, his broad, flat head, and his short legs, was a clumsyfellow. To be sure, he could get out of sight quickly if he had to, buthe never scampered around and kicked up his heels for the fun of it, asthe Rabbits did. He was too dignified to do that. He came of an oldfamily and he could remember who his grandfather was. There were but fewpeople in the forest who could do that; so, of course, he could notfrisk like his neighbors.
Perhaps if the Ground Hog had not belonged to so old a family, he mighthave had a better time. Yet the thought that he could remember hisgrandfather was a great pleasure to him, and when he was talking hewould often remark in the most careless way, "as my grandfather used tosay"; or, "That reminds me of something my grandfather once did." Somepeople said that he did this to show off; but it may be that they wereenvious.
However that may have been, the Ground Hog was certainly a haughtyfellow, and if he had not been so gentle and kind a neighbor peoplewould not have liked him. Only once had he been known to get angry, andthat was when a saucy young Chipmunk had spoken of him as a Woodchuck."Woodchuck! Woodchuck!" he had grunted. "You young Bushy-tail, I am aGround Hog, and the Ground Hog family lived in this forest long beforeyou ever opened your eyes. People with good manners do not call us'Woodchucks.' We do not like the name. My grandfather could not endureit."
It was not very long after this that he told the wondering young Rabbitsabout his grandfather. When talking, the Ground Hog rested by the edgeof his burrow, sitting on his haunches, and waving his queer littleforepaws whenever he told anything especially important. And this wasthe story:
"Perhaps you may have heard me speak of my grandfather. Ah, he was aGround Hog worth seeing! He was large, and, although when I knew him theblack fur on his back was streaked with gray, he was still handsome. Hewas clever, too. I have often heard my father say that he could dig thedeepest and best burrow in the forest. And then he had such finemanners! There was not another Ground Hog in the country around whocould eat as noisily as he, and it is said that when he was courting mygrandmother she chose him because of the elegant way in which he sat upon his haunches. I have been told, children, that I am very much likehim."
Just here, a Red-headed Woodpecker gave a loud "Rat-a-tat-tat" on thetree above the Ground Hog's head, and there was a look around her billas though she wanted to laugh. The Ground Hog slowly turned his head tolook at her as she flew away. "Quite a good-looking young person," hesaid, "but badly brought up. She should know better than to disturbthose who are talking. What was I saying, children?"
"You were telling how well your grandfather sat up on his haunches,"said the smallest little Rabbit.
"So I was! So I was! I must tell you how my grandfather came to know theworld so well. When he was only a young fellow, he made his home for atime by a Hen house, and so heard the talk of the barn-yard people.Once he heard them tell how the farmer watched on a certain winter dayto see my grandfather come out of his burrow. Of course, you childrenall know how we Ground Hogs do; in the fall we are very fat, and whenthe cold weather comes we go to sleep in our burrows to wait for spring.Sometimes we awaken and stretch, but we go to sleep again very soon.Then, when spring comes we are slender and have healthy appetites.
"The Hens treated my grandfather with great politeness, and the BlackBrahma Cock showed plainly how honored they felt to have him there. Theysaid that they were so glad my grandfather stayed out of his burrowawhile on this winter day when the farmer was watching, because theywere in a hurry for warm weather. My grandfather did not know what theymeant by that, but he was too wise to say so, and he found out byasking questions, that if a Ground Hog leaves his burrow on this certainday in winter, and sees his shadow, and goes back again, it will be coldfor a long time after that. If he does not see his shadow, and staysout, it will soon be warm.
"You see now, children, how important our family is; and yet we are somodest that we had not even known that we made the weather until theHens told my grandfather. But that is the way! Really great people oftenthink the least of themselves."
"And do you make the weather?" asked the smallest little Rabbit.
"I suppose we do," said the Ground Hog, with a smile. "It is a greatcare. I often say to myself: 'Shall I have it warm, or shall I have itcold?' It worries me so that sometimes I can hardly eat."
"And how do you know when the day comes for you to make the weather?"said the smallest little rabbit.
"Ahem! Well-er! I am sorry to say that my grandfather did not find outexactly what day it is that they watch for us, so I have to guess atthat. But to think that we Ground Hogs make the weather for all theother people! It is worth a great deal to belong to such a family. Isuppose I might have been a Weasel, a Fox, an Owl, or an Oriole. And itis a great thing to have known one's grandfather."
The little Rabbits sat very still, wishing that they had known theirgrandfather, when suddenly the biggest one said: "If you should stay outof your burrow when that day comes, and another Ground Hog should goback into his burrow, how would the weather know what to do?"
"Children," said the old Ground Hog, "I think your mother is calling toyou. You might better go to see. Good-by." And he waved his pawpolitely.
The seven little Rabbits scampered away, but their mother was notcalling them. She wasn't even there, and when they went back theycouldn't find the Ground Hog. They wondered how he happened to make sucha mistake. The Red-headed Woodpecker who came along at about that time,twisted her head on one side and said: "Made-a-mistake! Rat-a-tat-tat!Not he!"