The twinkle twinkle star will peep At Billy Bunny fast asleep, And send to him a pretty dream Of silver fishes in a stream.
STORY XX--BILLY BUNNY AND THE BABBLING BROOK
The next morning after Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky had returned to theOld Brier Patch, as I told you in the last story, it rained and poured,and, of course, nobody could go out.
If it had been a gentle shower it wouldn't have made any difference, butit rained so hard that I really believe Billy Bunny would have beendrowned if he had even hopped out of the front door and back again.
"Now the best thing for you to do," said Mrs. Bunny after breakfast, "isto go up into the garret and play with all your old toys. You've beenaway so long they'll all seem just like new."
So Billy Bunny hopped upstairs and Uncle Lucky sat down and read theBunnyville "Bugle," and Mrs. Bunny washed up the breakfast dishes, and,of course, they all had a lovely time in spite of the rain.
Well, it turned out just as Mrs. Bunny had said. The toys in the garretall seemed just like new and some Billy Bunny had forgotten all about,so that he had a lovely time till lunch, and then the sun came out anddried up the wet places, and the Pleasant Meadow looked twice as greenand lovely as before.
Now whenever it rained Uncle Lucky's leg hurt him--the leg you rememberthat was shot by the Miller's Boy--so he said to his little nephew, "Yourun out on the meadow and play and I'll stay home with your mother, formy leg hurts me and I don't want to do any hopping to-day."
Then the little rabbit hopped away by himself and by and by he came tothe Babbling Brook. So he looked into the water and when he saw his facehe began to laugh.
For Billy Bunny hadn't looked at himself for so long he had forgottenhow he looked, and, anyway, he had grown so large that he wouldn't haveknown himself if he hadn't been sure that there was nobody else lookinginto the water at the same time.
And while he was laughing Mrs. Cow came along, the little bell tinklingat her throat and making such pretty music it seemed to say to thelittle rabbit:
"I'm just a tiny tinkling bell, But everywhere I go The people say I am so gay, They love to hear me so. Tinkle, tinkle, dinkle, dell, Oh, I'm a happy little bell!"
"Did you hear what the little bell was saying?" asked Billy Bunny, butMrs. Cow shook her head.
"It didn't say anything but tinkle, tinkle, did it?" But the littlerabbit felt sure it did say just what he thought it did, so he asked thelittle bell to tinkle again, and it did, and the tinkles said the samething all over again, and this made Billy Bunny very happy, even if Mrs.Cow didn't understand.
And in the next story you shall hear how Billy Bunny made a call at theOld Farm.
STORY XXI--BILLY BUNNY AND MRS. WILDCAT
Well, after Billy Bunny had said good-by to Mrs. Cow he hopped acrossthe Pleasant Meadow till he came to the Old Barn Yard. And as soon asthe Weathercock saw him you should have heard him crow. Yes, sireemam.
He crowed like a regular old-fashioned everyday rooster, and this madeall the hens and chickens look up, and then, of course, they saw BillyBunny. And they were so glad to see the little rabbit they forgot towonder how the Weathercock could grow.
I guess the only person who wasn't glad to see little Billy Bunny wasMr. Sharptooth Rat. He peeked out of his hole and scowled, but thelittle rabbit didn't care, for nobody liked Mr. Sharptooth Rat, anyway.
Well, by and by, just as little Billy Bunny was looking in Henny Jenny'snest to see what a lot of lovely eggs she had, who should come along butthe Miller's Boy, and as soon as he saw the little rabbit he gave a yelland tried to catch him.
The chickens tried to get in his way, and Cocky Docky even tried to triphim up, but the Miller's Boy didn't stumble a bit. No, siree! He almostcaught Billy Bunny, but as long as he didn't it's all right, although hescared the little rabbit nearly to death.
If the Miller's Boy had had his gun with him, or even his dog, I'mafraid there would have been no more Billy Bunny stories.
"Oh, pshaw!" said the Miller's Boy, as the little rabbit squeezedthrough a hole in the hen-house and hopped away. "I should like to havecaught that little rabbit!" Then Cocky Docky began to crow, he was soglad he hadn't.
But Billy Bunny didn't stop for anything, he was so scared, and prettysoon he found himself in the Friendly Forest under the tree where ParsonOwl lived. It was a long time since Billy Bunny had seen the oldgentleman owl, so he stopped and looked up into the branches.
But oh, dear me! Instead of seeing the blinky-winky friendly face of oldParson Owl he saw a pair of yellow eyes and a big red mouth with sharpteeth. And then down from the tree jumped a wildcat and meowed in adreadful way.
"Oh, please, Mrs. Wildcat, let me go," cried the little rabbit, and helooked around for a hollow stump to hide in or a hole to crawl into, butthere wasn't anything like that in sight. So he turned to the cruelwildcat and said, "Please don't bite me!" And then he opened hisknapsack and took out a big, round doughnut, the kind with a big holeinside, you know, and gave it to the wildcat.
"Take it home to your wild kittens instead of me, won't you please, Mrs.Wildcat?" And would you believe it, she said she would, for it pleasedher to think that little Billy Bunny would give her a doughnut for herkittens, for no one else had ever done that before, you see.
STORY XXII--BILLY BUNNY AT WINDY CAVE
You remember in the last story that Billy Bunny gave the Wildcat adoughnut to take home to her little wild kittens, and that was why shedidn't take the little rabbit.
Well, as she walked off with the doughnut, Billy Bunny said to himself,"I'll never, never be without a doughnut in my knapsack!" And I guessyou would have said the same thing, too, if a doughnut had saved youfrom a wildcat!
After that the little rabbit hopped along through the Friendly Forest,and by and by he came to the Windy Cave. Now I know I've never told youabout this cave before because Billy Bunny never happened to visit it,but now that he has I'll tell you that it was strange sort of a place.
If you stood at the opening you could hear the winds moan and groan, andevery once in a while a great gust would come out of the mouth of thegreat cave and almost blow you off your feet.
DOWN FROM THE TREE JUMPED THE WILDCAT.]
Well, sir, that's just what happened to Billy Bunny. He no sooner stoodright in front of the cave than a great blast of air knocked him off hisfeet and rolled him over thirty-three times and a half, and he wouldhave rolled over thirty-four times even if a big log hadn't been in theway.
And it was mighty lucky for the little rabbit that the log was there,for if it hadn't been he would have rolled right over the edge of themountain. Just think of that!
And just then a voice began to sing:
Oh, I'm the king of the windy cave Where I have my windy throne. And there I rule where it's nice and cool 'Mid the glitter of precious stone. And when the autumn days are come I come forth with a lusty shout, And strip the trees of their whispering leaves And strew them all about.
And then all the trees began to shiver and shake, but the wind king onlylaughed, as he whispered to the little rabbit: "Don't be afraid, BillyBunny. I won't hurt you. Come into my cave and I'll give you a present!"
"What kind of a present?" asked the little rabbit, for he wasn't goingto be fooled, no sireemam!
"A big ruby pin!" said the wind king.
So the little bunny went inside the cave with the wind king, but hedidn't go in very far, for he was afraid.
"What's the matter?" asked the wind king. "You're not frightened, areyou?"
"Not exactly," said Billy Bunny, trying to keep his teeth fromchattering. "I guess I'm cold!"
Then the king opened a door and, oh my! wasn't it beautiful inside! Thesides of the cave were diamonds and rubies and emeralds, and little goldand silver bells swung back and forth making a sweet kind of music.
"The little breezes are ringing the bells," said the wind king, and thenhe took out of a moss cushion a beautiful
ruby scarfpin and handed it toBilly Bunny. "Put it in your tie," said the king, "and don't you everlose it."
And in the next story if the dogwood tree in our yard doesn't catch coldto-night and lose its bark, so it can't scare the the pussy cat when shetries to climb up and catch the little robin in the nest, I'll tell youabout Billy Bunny and the Canary bird.
STORY XXIII--BILLY BUNNY AND THE WILD CANARY
Well, the Dogwood Tree in our yard was all right this morning. It hadn'ttaken cold, and it was covered with lovely flowers, so I'm going to tellyou some more about Billy Bunny, as I promised to in the last story.
Well, as soon as the wind king placed the beautiful ruby scarfpin in thelittle rabbit's cravat he opened the door of his cave and gave a bigpuff, and away went Billy Bunny just like a bullet from a gun.
But he didn't care, for he landed as nicely as you please on a mossybank, and then he looked in the brook to see if the ruby scarfpin wasstill in his cravat, and then he looked around to see what he would donext. And just then a little wild canary began singing this song:
"I wouldn't live within a cage, I'd rather be wild and free; Wherever I roam I'm always at home, In forest or grassy lea."
"And so am I," cried Billy Bunny. "I'm a traveler; yes, I am." And thenthe little canary flew down from the tree and said to the little rabbit:"I have a little yellow brother who has always lived in a cage. But hecan't get me to live with him. I love the trees and the tall grasses toomuch."
"Where do you live?" asked the little rabbit.
"Come and see," said the little canary, and he flew off, and by and byhe pointed to his tiny nest.
"If I had a pair of wings," laughed the little rabbit, "I'd be able tolook inside and see what kind of furniture you have. But I'm only afour-footed little rabbit. Good-by!" and he hopped away, and by and byhe came to a field of corn. But it was too early for the corn to beripe, so the little rabbit opened his knapsack and took out an applepie, for it was lunch time. And just as he was going to bite off a nice,big, juicy piece a big black crow flew down and snatched the pie away.
And this made Billy Bunny very angry. Oh, my, but he was mad. And thenhe opened his knapsack and took out his gun and before the thieving crowhad flown off more than a mile he dropped that apple pie. Yes, sireemam.The cork bullet hit him right on the end of his bill, and then of coursehe couldn't hold on to the pie any longer. And before he could fly downto pick it up the little rabbit was there.
"Oh, ho! Mr. Crow, Do you like apple pie? If so, better go And buy one by and by."
And this made the crow so angry that he flew over to a colored man whodid whitewashing and asked him to paint him white. And in the next storyyou shall hear how Billy Bunny was fooled by three little sparrows.
STORY XXIV--BILLY BUNNY AND THE LITTLE SPARROWS
Well, as soon as Billy Bunny finished eating the apple pie which he hadjust gotten away from the bad crow who had stolen it, as I told you inthe last story, he shouldered his knapsack and picked up his stripedcandy cane and then he set off once more on his journey of adventure.
And by and by he came to a telegraph pole where three little sparrowswere swinging back and forth. And when they saw the little rabbit theycried out all together: "Helloa, Billy Bunny!"
"Who's telephoning to me?" asked the little rabbit, for he hadn't lookedup, you see, and, of course, didn't know that the little sparrows weresitting on the wires.
And when the three little birds saw that he didn't know who was talkingto him, they thought they'd have some fun and make believe some one wastelephoning to the little rabbit. So one little sparrow said, in a deep,far-away kind of voice:
"Helloa! Helloa! Is this Billy Bunny of Snake Fence Corner?"
"Yes, this is Billy Bunny," cried the little rabbit, getting all excitedand wiggling his little pink nose so fast that one of the littlesparrows got so dizzy looking at him that she had to hold on with herbill. Pretty soon he hopped up close to the telegraph pole and leanedhis ear against it.
"Helloa! Helloa! Who's calling me? Please give the name, for I cannot see. Who's at the other end of the wire, please? Excuse me a minute--I'm going to sneeze."
And then Billy Bunny almost sneezed his head off, for the telegraph poletrembled so that it tickled his ear. And when you tickle a rabbit's earyou are very likely to make him sneeze.
Just then the three little sparrows began to laugh and twitter, andthis, of course, made the little rabbit look up. And when he saw them heknew, at once, they were playing a joke.
"So you were calling me on the telephone, were you?" he asked, tryingnot to get angry. For he was a very good-natured little bunny, as youwell know by this time.
"Yes, we were," said the littlest sparrow, "but please don't feel badlyabout it. We were only in fun."
"I thought perhaps it was my mother, that is all," answered the littlerabbit, "and I was worried for fear she might be anxious about me."
"Oh, she isn't worried," said the largest sparrow. And themiddling-sized sparrow--the one, you know, who hadn't said a word asyet--spoke up:
"Your Uncle Lucky is, though. I was at his house this morning and thelittle sparrow who lives on his front porch told me that the oldgentleman rabbit was wondering what had become of you."
"Well, I'll go right off now and make him a call," said Billy Bunny. Andin to-morrow night's story I'll tell you what happens next.
STORY XXV--BILLY BUNNY AND ROBIN REDBREAST
In the last story I left off just where Billy Bunny was setting out tomake a call on his good kind Uncle Lucky, you remember, and if you haveforgotten, please take my word for it, for I keep a scrapbook of allthese little stories and I'm sure I'm right, for I just looked to see.
Well, as the little rabbit hopped along with his knapsack on his backand his striped candy cane in his right paw, he heard a robin redbreastsinging in her nest, and this is what she sang:
"Some day you'll be old enough To leave the dear home nest, But till that day just grow and say I'll try to do my best To make my wings grow big and strong And learn to sing the whole day long, For some day when I'm big and free I'll build a nest in an apple tree."
And then the robin flew down to the ground and pushed back the pinksunbonnet on her head so that she could see the little rabbit withoutstanding up on her toes.
"Well, here is my dear little friend, Billy Bunny," she twittered. "Howis he to-day?"
"Very well, thank you, ma'am," replied the little rabbit, opening hisleather knapsack to give her a piece of sponge cake for her littlebirdies. "That won't hurt them a bit," said he, "for my mother made itand it's very simple."
And then the little robins peeped over their nest and cried, "Oh, hurry,mother dear, and give us the cake," for they were just as fond of spongecake as Billy Bunny was of lollypops, and while they were eating thecake he took a lollypop out of his knapsack and ate it, for he washungry too, for it was half-past noon, and that's the hungry hour forrabbits, I am told.
Well, after that he said good-by and started off again for Uncle Lucky'shouse. "I must get there before sundown," he said to himself, "for Idon't want to sleep out of doors to-night if I can help it."
So he hopped along as fast as he was able, but Mr. Happy Sun was in ahurry, too, and pretty soon he went down behind the purple hills and itbegan to grow dark. "Oh, dear! oh, dear!" sighed the little rabbit,"where am I going to sleep if I don't get to Uncle Lucky's house prettysoon?" And just then a sleepy voice exclaimed:
"Under this bush is a soft pile of leaves, Come and sleep on it if you please."
So Billy Bunny hopped under the bush and there he saw a little ruffedgrouse, who is often called a quail and sometimes a pheasant. "Oh, thankyou, Mrs. Quail," said Billy Bunny, "you are very kind," and then hemade a soft bed for himself and went to sleep, and if he wakes up earlyenough in the morning I'll tell you in the next story how he reacheddear kind Uncle Lucky's house.
STORY XXVI--BILLY BUNNY AND MRS.
QUAIL
"Get up, get up, you lazy folks, I'm shining in the sky. Awake, awake, your breakfast take, Before the noon is nigh. No time for lazy folks I think, So don't lie still and blink and blink, But jump up with a laugh and smile And sing a little all the while."
SO up jumped Billy Bunny from his bed of leaves where he had slept allnight, as I told you in the last story, and after he had combed his furwith a little chip and dusted off his knapsack he opened it and took outhis breakfast.
And what do you suppose he had? Well, first he ate some nice freshlettuce leaves, with powdered sugar carrots, and then a piece of applepie, and when kind Mrs. Quail saw what a nice breakfast he had, shesaid:
"I like pie, Mr. William Bunny." Now the reason the little rabbit hadn'toffered her some was because he hadn't seen her. You see, she had goneto sleep on the other side of the bush.
"Here is some pie," said Billy Bunny, and he gave her a big piece andsome cracker crumbs and some birdseed and then a drink of lemon soda.Pretty soon Mrs. Quail didn't feel a bit hungry, and neither did thelittle rabbit.
And after that he buckled on his knapsack and started off to find hisdear Uncle Lucky, but first he thanked Mrs. Quail for her kindness inletting him sleep under her bush all night and part of the earlymorning.
Well, sir, that little rabbit hopped along almost all day, and still hedidn't reach his Uncle Lucky's house. "I wonder if I have lost the way?"he said aloud, and, all of a sudden, a voice answered: "I guess youhave. Lots of people do," and a kind-looking old mooley cow pushed herhead over the fence and smiled at him. And, oh, my, she had a big,beautiful smile, and this made the little rabbit laugh and forget howtired he was.