"What makes your eyes so big and round?" asked Johnny Chuck.
Peter Rabbit came very close so as to whisper in Johnny Chuck's ear,and told him all that he had seen. Together they went to Jimmy Skunk'shouse. Jimmy Skunk was in bed. He was very sleepy and very cross when hecame to the door. Peter Rabbit told him what he had seen.
"Too bad! Too bad!" said Jimmy Skunk, and yawned sleepily.
"Won't you join us in trying to find out who did it?" asked JohnnyChuck.
Jimmy Skunk said he would be delighted to come but that he hadsome other business that morning and that he would join them in theafternoon. Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck went on. Pretty soon they metthe Merry Little Breezes and told them the dreadful story.
"What shall we do?" asked Johnny Chuck.
"We'll hurry over and tell Old Dame Nature," cried the Merry LittleBreezes, "and ask her what to do."
So away flew the Merry Little Breezes to Old Dame Nature and told herall the dreadful story. Old Dame Nature listened very attentively. Thenshe sent the Merry Little Breezes to all the little meadow folks to tellevery one to be at the Great Pine that afternoon. Now whatever Old DameNature commanded all the meadow folks were obliged to do. They did notdare to disobey her. Promptly at four o'clock that afternoon allthe meadow folks were gathered around the foot of the Great Pine.Broken-hearted little Mrs. Ruffed Grouse sat beside her empty nest, withall the broken shells about her.
Reddy Fox, Peter Rabbit, Johnny Chuck, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter,Jerry Muskrat, Hooty the Owl, Bobby Coon, Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow,Grandfather Frog, Mr. Toad, Spotty the Turtle, the Merry Little Breezes,all were there. Last of all came Jimmy Skunk. Very handsome he looked inhis shining black coat and very sorry he appeared that such a dreadfulthing should have happened. He told Mrs. Grouse how badly he felt, andhe loudly demanded that the culprit should be found out and severelypunished.
Old Dame Nature has the most smiling face in the world, but this time itwas very, very grave indeed. First she asked little Mrs. Grouse to tellher story all over again that all might hear. Then each in turn wasasked to tell where he had been the night before. Johnny Chuck, HappyJack Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Sammy Jay and Blacky the Crow had goneto bed when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills. Jerry Muskrat,Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Grandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle hadnot left the Smiling Pool. Bobby Coon had been down in Farmer Brown'scornfield. Hooty the Owl had been hunting in the lower end of the GreenMeadows. Peter Rabbit had been down in the berry patch. Mr. Toad hadbeen under the piece of bark which he called a house. Old Dame Naturecalled on Jimmy Skunk last of all. Jimmy protested that he had beenvery, very tired and had gone to bed very early indeed and had slept thewhole night through.
Then Old Dame Nature asked Peter Rabbit what he had found among the eggshells that morning.
Peter Rabbit hopped out and laid three long black hairs before OldDame Nature. "These," said Peter Rabbit "are what I found among the eggshells."
Then Old Dame Nature called Johnny Chuck. "Tell us, Johnny Chuck," saidshe, "what you saw when you called at Jimmy Skunk's house this morning."
"I saw Jimmy Skunk," said Johnny Chuck, "and Jimmy seemed very, verysleepy. It seemed to me that his whiskers were yellow."
"That will do," said Old Dame Nature, and then she called Old MotherWest Wind.
"What time did you come down on the Green Meadows this morning?"
"Just at the break of day," said Old Mother West Wind, "as Mr. Sun wascoming up from behind the Purple Hills."
"And whom did you see so early in the morning?" asked Old Dame Nature.
"I saw Bobby Coon going home from old Farmer Brown's cornfield," saidOld Mother West Wind. "I saw Hooty the Owl coming back from the lowerend of the Green Meadows. I saw Peter Rabbit down in the berry patch.Last of all I saw something like a black shadow coming down the LoneLittle Path toward the house of Jimmy Skunk."
Every one was looking very hard at Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy began to look veryunhappy and very uneasy.
"Who wears a black coat?" asked Dame Nature.
"Jimmy Skunk!" shouted all the little meadow folks.
"What MIGHT make whiskers yellow?" asked Old Dame Nature.
No one seemed to know at first. Then Peter Rabbit spoke up. "It MIGHT bethe yolk of an egg," said Peter Rabbit.
"Who are likely to be sleepy on a bright sunny morning?" asked Old DameNature.
"People who have been out all night," said Johnny Chuck, who himselfalways goes to bed with the sun.
"Jimmy Skunk," said Old Dame Nature, and her voice was very stern, verystern indeed, and her face was very grave. "Jimmy Skunk, I accuse youof having broken and eaten the eggs of Mrs. Grouse. What have you to sayfor yourself?"
Jimmy Skunk hung his head. He hadn't a word to say. He just wanted tosneak away by himself.
"Jimmy Skunk," said Old Dame Nature, "because your handsome black coatof which you are so proud has made it possible for you to move aboutin the night without being seen, and because we can no longer trustyou upon your honor, henceforth you and your descendants shall wear astriped coat, which is the sign that you cannot be trusted. Your coathereafter shall be black and white, that when you move about in thenight you will always be visible."
And this is why that to this day Jimmy Skunk wears a striped suit ofblack and white.
CHAPTER V THE WILFUL LITTLE BREEZE
Old Mother West Wind was tired--tired and just a wee bit cross--crossbecause she was tired. She had had a very busy day. Ever since earlymorning she had been puffing out the white sales of the ships on the bigocean so that they could go faster; she had kept all the big and littlewind mills whirling and whirling to pump water for thirsty folks andgrind corn for hungry folks; she had blown away all the smoke from tallchimneys and engines and steamboats. Yes, indeed, Old Mother West Windhad been very, very busy.
Now she was coming across the Green Meadows on her way to her homebehind the Purple Hills, and as she came she opened the big bag shecarried and called to her children, the Merry Little Breezes, who hadbeen playing hard on the Green Meadows all the long day. One by one theycrept into the big bag, for they were tired, too, and ready to go totheir home behind the Purple Hills.
Pretty soon all were in the bag but one, a willful little Breeze, whowas not quite ready to go home; he wanted to play just a little longer.He danced ahead of Old Mother West Wind. He kissed the sleepy daisies.He shook the nodding buttercups. He set all the little poplar leaves adancing, too, and he wouldn't come into the big bag. So Old Mother WestWind closed the big bag and slung it over her shoulder. Then she startedon towards her home behind the Purple Hills.
When she had gone, the willful little Breeze left behind suddenly feltvery lonely--very lonely indeed! The sleepy daisies didn't want to play.The nodding buttercups were cross. Great round bright Mr. Sun, who hadbeen shining and shining all day long, went to bed and put on his nightcap of golden clouds. Black shadows came creeping, creeping out into theGreen Meadows.
The willful little Breeze began to wish that he was safe in Old MotherWest Wind's big bag with all the other Merry Little Breezes.
So he started across the Green Meadows to find the Purple Hills. Butall the hills were black now and he could not tell which he should lookbehind to find his home with Old Mother West Wind and the Merry LittleBreezes. How he did wish that he had minded Old Mother West Wind.
By and by he curled up under a bayberry bush and tried to go to sleep,but he was lonely, oh, so lonely! And he couldn't go to sleep. OldMother Moon came up and flooded all the Green Meadows with light, but itwasn't like the bright light of jolly round Mr. Sun, for it was cold andwhite and it made many black shadows.
Pretty soon the willful little Breeze heard Hooty the Owl out huntingfor a meadow mouse for his dinner. Then down the Lone Little Path whichran close to the bayberry bush trotted Reddy Fox. He was trotting verysoftly and every minute or so he turned his head and looked behind himto see if he was followed. It was plain to see that Reddy Fox was b
enton mischief.
When he reached the bayberry bush Reddy Fox sat down and barked twice.Hooty the Owl answered him at once and flew over to join him. Theydidn't see the willful little Breeze curled up under the bayberry bush,so intent were these two rogues in plotting mischief. They were planningto steal down across the Green Meadows to the edge of the Brown Pasturewhere Mr. Bob White and pretty Mrs. Bob White and a dozen little BobWhites had their home.
"When they run along the ground I'll catch 'em, and when they fly up inthe air you'll catch 'em, and we'll gobble 'em all up," said Reddy Foxto Hooty the Owl. Then he licked his chops and Hooty the Owl snapped hisbill, just as if they were tasting tender little Bob Whites that veryminute. It made the willful little Breeze shiver to see them. Prettysoon they started on towards the Brown Pasture.
When they were out of sight the willful little Breeze jumped up andshook himself. Then away he sped across the Green Meadows to the BrownPasture. And because he could go faster and because he went a shorterway he got there first. He had to hunt and hunt to find Mrs. and Mr. BobWhite and all the little Bob Whites, but finally he did find them, allwith their heads tucked under their wings fast asleep.
The willful little Breeze shook Mr. Bob White very gently. In an instanthe was wide awake.
"Sh-h-h," said the willful little Breeze. "Reddy Fox and Hooty the Owlare coming to the Brown Pasture to gobble up you and Mrs. Bob White andall the little Bob Whites."
"Thank you, little Breeze," said Mr. Bob White, "I think I'll move myfamily."
Then he woke Mrs. Bob White and all the little Bob Whites. With Mr.Bob White in the lead away they all flew to the far side of the BrownPasture where they were soon safely hidden under a juniper tree.
The willful little Breeze saw them safely there, and when they werenicely hidden hurried back to the place where the Bob Whites had beensleeping. Reddy Fox was stealing up through the grass very, very softly.Hooty the Owl was flying as silently as a shadow. When Reddy Fox thoughthe was near enough he drew himself together, made a quick spring andlanded right in Mr. Bob White's empty bed. Reddy Fox and Hooty the Owllooked so surprised and foolish when they found the Bob Whites were notthere that the willful little Breeze nearly laughed out loud.
Then Reddy Fox and Hooty the Owl hunted here and hunted there, all overthe Brown Pasture, but they couldn't find the Bob Whites.
And the willful little Breeze went back to the juniper tree and curledhimself beside Mr. Bob White to sleep, for he was lonely no longer.
CHAPTER VI REDDY FOX GOES FISHING
One morning when Mr. Sun was very, very bright and it was very, verywarm, down on the Green Meadows Reddy Fox came hopping and skipping downthe Lone Little Path that leads to the Laughing Brook. Hoppity, skip,skippity hop! Reddy felt very much pleased with himself that sunnymorning. Pretty soon he saw Johnny Chuck sitting up very straight closeby the little house where he lives.
"Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! JohnnyWoodchuck!" called Reddy fox.
Johnny Chuck pretended not to hear. His mother had told him not to playwith Reddy Fox, for Reddy Fox was a bad boy.
"Johnny Chuck, Chuck, Chuck! Johnny Woodchuck!" called Reddy again.
This time Johnny turned and looked. He could see Reddy Fox turningsomersaults and chasing his tail and rolling over and over in the littlepath.
"Come on!" said Reddy Fox. "Let's go fishing!"
"Can't," said Johnny Chuck, because you know, his mother had told himnot to play with Reddy Fox.
"I'll show you how to catch a fish," said Reddy Fox, and tried to jumpover his own shadow.
"Can't," said good little Johnny Chuck again, and turned away so that hecouldn't see Reddy Fox chasing Butterflies and playing catch with FieldMice children.
So Reddy Fox went down to the Laughing Brook all alone. The Brook waslaughing and singing on its way to join the Big River. The sky was blueand the sun was bright. Reddy Fox jumped on the Big Rock in the middleof the Laughing Brook and peeped over the other side. What do you thinkhe saw? Why, right down below in a Dear Little Pool were Mr. And Mrs.Trout and all the little Trouts.
Reddy Fox wanted some of those little Trouts to take home for hisdinner, but he didn't know how to catch them. He lay flat down on theBig Rock and reached way down into the Dear Little Pool, but all thelittle Trouts laughed at Reddy Fox and not one came within reach. ThenMr. Trout swam up so quickly that Reddy Fox didn't see him coming andbit Reddy's little black paw hard.
"Ouch!" cried Reddy Fox, pulling his little black paw out of the water.And all the little Trouts laughed at Reddy Fox.
Just then along came Billy Mink.
"Hello, Reddy Fox!" said Billy Mink. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm trying to catch a fish," said Reddy Fox.
"Pooh! That's easy!" said Billy Mink. "I'll show you how."
So Billy Mink lay down on the Big Rock side of Reddy Fox and peeped overinto the Dear Little Pool where all the little Trouts were laughing atReddy Fox and having such a good time. But Billy Mink took care, suchvery great care, that Mr. Trout and Mrs. Trout should not see himpeeping over into the Dear Little Pool.
When Billy Mink saw all those little Trouts playing in the Dear LittlePool he laughed. "You count three, Reddy Fox," said he, "and I'll showyou how to catch a fish."
"One!" said Reddy Fox, "Two! Three!"
Splash! Billy Mink had dived head first into the Dear Little Pool. Hespattered water way up onto Reddy Fox, and he frightened old Mr. Frogso that he fell over backwards off the lily pad where he was taking amorning nap right into the water. In a minute Billy Mink climbed out onthe other side of the Dear Little Pool and sure enough, he had caughtone of the little Trouts.
"Give it to me," cried Reddy Fox.
"Catch one yourself," said Billy Mink. "Old Grandpa Mink wants a fishfor his dinner, so I am going to take this home. You're afraid, ReddyFox! 'Fraid-cat! Fraid-cat!"
Billy Mink shook the water off of his little brown coat, picked up thelittle Trout and ran off home.
Reddy Fox lay down again on the Big Rock and peeped into the Dear LittlePool. Not a single Trout could he see. They were all hiding safely withMr. and Mrs. Trout. Reddy Fox watched and watched. The sun was warm, theLaughing Brook was singing a lullaby and--what do you think? Why, ReddyFox went fast asleep on the edge of the great Big Rock.
By and by Reddy Fox began to dream. He dreamed that he had a nice littlebrown coat that was waterproof, just like the little brown coat thatBilly Mink wore. Yes, and he dreamed that he had learned to swim and tocatch fish just as Billy Mink did. He dreamed that the Dear LittlePool was full of little Trouts and that he was just going to catch onewhen--splash! Reddy Fox had rolled right off of the Big Rock into theDear Little Pool.
The water went into the eyes of Reddy Fox, and it went up his noseand he swallowed so much that he felt as if he never, never would wantanother drink of water. And his beautiful red coat, which old MotherFox had told him to be very, very careful of because he couldn't haveanother for a whole year, was oh so wet! And his pants were wet and hisbeautiful bushy tail, of which he was so proud, was so full of waterthat he couldn't hold it up, but had to drag it up the bank after him ashe crawled out of the Dear Little Pool.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Mr. Kingfisher, sitting on a tree.
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" laughed old Mr. Frog, who had climbed back on his lilypad.
"He! He! He!" laughed all the little Trouts and Mr. Trout and Mrs.Trout, swimming round and round in the Dear Little Pool.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho! Ho! He! He! He!" laughed Billy Mink, who had comeback to the Big Rock just in time to see Reddy Fox tumble in.
Reddy Fox didn't say a word, he was so ashamed. He just crept up theLone Little Path to his home, dragging his tail, all wet and muddy,behind him, and dripping water all the way.
Johnny Chuck was still sitting by his door as his mother had told himto. Reddy Fox tried to go past without being seen, but Johnny Chuck'sbright little eyes saw him.
"Where are your
fish, Reddy Fox?" called Johnny Chuck.
"Why don't you turn somersaults, and jump over your shadow and chaseButterflies and play with the little Field Mice, Reddy Fox?" calledJohnny Chuck.
But Reddy Fox just walked faster. When he got almost home he saw oldMother Fox sitting in the doorway with a great big switch across herlap, for Mother Fox had told Reddy Fox not to go near the LaughingBrook.
And this is all I am going to tell you about how Reddy Fox went fishing.
CHAPTER VII JIMMY SKUNK LOOKS FOR BEETLES
Jimmy Skunk opened his eyes very early one morning and peeped out ofhis snug little house on the hill. Big, round Mr. Sun, with a very red,smiling face, had just begun to climb up into the sky. Old Mother WestWind was just starting down to the Green Meadows with her big bag overher shoulder. In that bag Jimmy Skunk knew she carried all her children,the Merry Little Breezes, whom she was taking down to the Green Meadowsto play and frolic all day.
"Good morning, Mother West Wind," said Jimmy Skunk, politely. "Did yousee any beetles as you came down the hill?"
Old Mother West Wind said, no, she hadn't seen any beetles as she camedown the hill.
"Thank you," said Jimmy Skunk politely. "I guess I'll have to go lookmyself, for I'm very, very hungry."
So Jimmy Skunk brushed his handsome black and white coat, and washedhis face and hands, and started out to try to find some beetles for hisbreakfast. First he went down to the Green Meadows and stopped at JohnnyChuck's house. But Johnny Chuck was still in bed and fast asleep. ThenJimmy Skunk went over to see if Reddy Fox would go with him to help findsome beetles for his breakfast. But Reddy Fox had been out very, verylate the night before and was still in bed fast asleep, too.