XVI. SAMMY JAY PLANS MISCHIEF
Mischief may not mean to be really truly bad, But somehow it seems to make other people sad; Does a mean unpleasant thing and tries to think it fun; Then, alas, it runs away when trouble has begun.
Of all the little people who live in the Green Forest and on the GreenMeadows, none is more mischievous than Sammy Jay. It seems sometimes asif there was more mischief under that pert little cap Sammy Jay wearsthan in the heads of all the other little meadow and forest people puttogether. When he isn't actually in mischief, Sammy Jay is planningmischief. You see it has grown to be a habit with Sammy Jay, and habits,especially bad habits, have a way of growing and growing.
Now Sammy Jay had no quarrel with Johnny Chuck. Oh, my, no! He wouldhave told you that he liked Johnny Chuck. Everybody likes Johnny Chuck.But just as soon as Sammy Jay found Johnny Chuck's new house, he beganto plan mischief. He didn't really want any harm to come to JohnnyChuck, but he wanted to make Johnny uncomfortable. That is Sammy Jay'sidea of fun--seeing somebody else uncomfortable. So he slipped away toa thick hemlock-tree in the Green Forest to try to think of some plan totease Johnny Chuck and make him uncomfortable.
Of course he knew that Johnny had hidden his new house in the cornerof Farmer Brown's old orchard because he wanted it to be a secret. Hedidn't know why Johnny wanted it a secret and he didn't care. If Johnnywanted it a secret, it would be fun to tell everybody about it. As hesat wondering who he should tell first; he saw Reddy Fox trotting downthe Lone Little Path.
"Hi, Reddy Fox!" he shouted.
Reddy looked up. "Hello, Sammy Jay! What have you got on your mind thismorning?" said Reddy.
"Nothing much," replied Sammy Jay. "What's the news?"
Reddy grinned. "There isn't any news," said he. "I was just going to askyou the same thing."
It was Sammy Jay's turn to grin, "Just as if I could tell you any news,Reddy Fox! Just as if I could tell you any news!" he exclaimed. "Why,everybody knows that you are so smart that you find out everything assoon as it happens."
Reddy Fox felt flattered. You know people who do a great deal offlattering themselves are often the very easiest to flatter if you knowhow. Reddy pretended to be very modest; but no one likes to be thoughtsmart and important more than Reddy Fox does, and it pleased him greatlythat Sammy Jay should think him so smart that no one could tell him anynews. Sammy knew this perfectly well, and he chuckled to himself as hewatched Reddy Fox pretending to be so modest.
"Have you called on Johnny Chuck at his new home yet?" asked Sammy Jay,in the most matter-of-fact way.
"No," replied Reddy, "but I mean to, soon." He said this just as if heknew all about Johnny Chuck's new home, when all the time he hadn'tthe remotest idea in the world where it was. In fact he had hunted andhunted for it, but hadn't found a trace of it. And all the time SammyJay knew that Reddy didn't know where it was. But Sammy didn't let onthat he knew.
"I just happened to be up in Farmer Brown's old orchard this morning, soI thought I'd pay Johnny Chuck a call," said Sammy, and chuckled as hesaw Reddy's ears prick up. "By the way, he thinks you don't know wherehe lives now."
"Huh!" said Reddy Fox. "As if Johnny Chuck could fool me! Well, I mustbe moving along. Good-by, Sammy Jay."
Reddy trotted off towards the Green Meadows, but the minute he was outof sight of Sammy Jay, he turned towards Farmer Brown's old orchard,just as Sammy Jay had known he would.
"I guess Johnny Chuck will have a visitor," chuckled Sammy Jay, as hestarted to look for Jimmy Skunk.
XVII. MORE MISCHIEF
Mischief's like a snowball Sent rolling down a hill; With every turn it bigger grows And bigger, bigger still.
Sammy Jay had started mischief by telling Reddy Fox where Johnny Chuck'snew house was. If you had asked him, Sammy Jay would have said that hehadn't told. All he had said was that he had happened to be up in FarmerBrown's old orchard and so had called on Johnny Chuck in his new house.
Now Reddy Fox is very sly, oh, very sly. He had pretended to Sammy Jaythat he knew all the time where Johnny Chuck was living. When he leftSammy Jay, he had started in the direction of the Green Meadows, just asif he had no thought of going over to Farmer Brown's old orchard.
But Sammy Jay is just as sly as Reddy Fox. He wasn't fooled for oneminute, not one little minute. He chuckled to himself as he started tolook for Jimmy Skunk. Then he changed his mind.
"I think I'll go up to the old orchard myself!" said Sammy Jay, and awayhe flew.
He got there first and hid in the top of a big apple-tree, where hecould see all that went on. It wasn't long before he saw Reddy Foxsteal out from the Green Forest and over to the old orchard. Reddywas nervous, very nervous. You see, it was broad daylight, and the oldorchard was very near Farmer Brown's house. Reddy knew that he oughtto have waited until night, but he knew that then Johnny Chuck would befast asleep, Now, perhaps, Johnny Chuck, thinking that no one knew wherehe lived, would not be on watch, and he might be able to catch Johnny.
So Reddy, with one eye on Farmer Brown's house and one eye on the watchfor some sign of Johnny Chuck, stole into the old orchard. Every fewsteps he would stop and look and listen. At every little noise he wouldstart nervously. Then Sammy Jay would chuckle under his breath.
So Reddy Fox crept and tiptoed about through the old orchard. Everyminute he grew more nervous, and every minute he grew more disappointed,for he could find no sign of Johnny Chuck's house. He began to thinkthat Sammy Jay had fooled him, and the very thought made him grind histeeth. At last he decided to give it up.
He was down in the far corner of the old orchard, close by the old stonewall now, and he got all ready to jump over the old stone wall, whenhe just happened to look on the other side of the big apple-tree he wasunder, and there was what he was looking for--Johnny Chuck's new house!Johnny Chuck wasn't in sight, but there was the new house, and Johnnymust be either inside or not far away. Reddy grinned. It was a sly,wicked, hungry grin. He flattened himself out in the grass behind thebig apple-tree.
"I'll give Johnny Chuck the surprise of his life!" muttered Reddy Foxunder his breath.
Now Sammy Jay had been watching all this time. He knew that Johnny Chuckwas safely inside his house, for Johnny had seen Reddy when he firstcame into the old orchard. And Sammy knew that Johnny Chuck knew thatwhen Reddy found that new house, he would hide just as he had done.
"Johnny Chuck won't come out again to-day, and there won't be anyexcitement at all," thought Sammy Jay in disappointment, for he hadhoped to see a fight between Reddy Fox and Johnny Chuck. Just then Sammylooked over to Farmer Brown's house, and there was Farmer Brown's boygetting ready to saw wood. The imp of mischief under Sammy's pert capgave him an idea. He flew over to the old apple-tree, just over Reddy'shead, and began to scream at the top of his lungs.
Farmer Brown's boy stopped work and looked over towards the old orchard.
"When a jay screams like that there is usually a fox around," hemuttered, as he unfastened Bowser the Hound.
XVIII. FARMER BROWN'S BOY MAKES A DISCOVERY
Reddy Fox glared up at Sammy Jay. "What's the matter with you?" snarledReddy Fox. "Why don't you mind your own affairs, instead of makingtrouble for other people?" You see, Reddy was afraid that Johnny Chuckwould hear Sammy Jay and take warning.
"Hello, Reddy Fox! I thought you had gone down to the Green Meadows!"Sammy said this as if he was very much surprised to see Reddy there. Hewasn't, for you know he had been watching Reddy hunt for Johnny Chuck'snew house, but Reddy had pretended that he was going down to the GreenMeadows early that morning, and so now Sammy pretended that he hadthought that Reddy really had gone.
"I changed my mind!" he snapped. "What are you screaming so for?"
"Just to exercise my lungs, so as to be sure that I can scream when Iwant to," replied Sammy, screaming still louder.
"Well, go somewhere else and scream; I want to sleep," said Reddycrossly.
Now Sammy Jay knew perfectly we
ll that Reddy Fox had no thought oftaking a nap but was hiding there to try to catch Johnny Chuck. AndSammy knew that Farmer Brown's boy could hear him scream, and that heknew that when Sammy screamed that way it meant there was a fox about.Sitting in the top of the apple-tree, Sammy could see Farmer Brown'sboy starting for the old orchard, with Bowser the Hound running ahead ofhim.
Farmer Brown's boy had no gun, so Sammy knew that no harm would come toReddy, but that Reddy would get a dreadful scare; and that is what Sammywanted, just out of pure mischief. So he screamed louder than ever.
Reddy Fox lost his temper. He sat up and called Sammy Jay all the badnames he could think of. He forgot where he was. He told Sammy Jay whathe thought of him and what he would do to him if ever he caught him.
Sammy Jay kept right on screaming. He made such a noise that Reddydidn't hear footsteps coming nearer and nearer. Suddenly there was agreat roar right behind him. "Bow, wow, wow! Bow, wow, wow, wow!"--justlike that.
Reddy was so frightened that he didn't even look to see where he wasjumping, and bumped his head against the apple-tree. Then he started forthe Green Forest, with Bowser the Hound at his heels.
Sammy Jay laughed till he lost his breath and nearly tumbled off hisperch. Then he flew away, still laughing. He thought it the greatestjoke ever.
Farmer Brown's boy had followed Bowser the Hound into the old orchard.
"I wonder what a fox was doing up here in broad daylight," said he,talking to himself. "Perhaps one of my hens has stolen her nest downhere, and he has found it. I'll have a look, anyway."
So he walked on down to the far corner of the old orchard, straight tothe place from which he had seen Reddy Fox jump. When he got there, ofcourse he saw Johnny Chuck's new house right away.
"Ho!" cried Farmer Brown's boy. "Brer Fox was hunting Chucks. I'll keepmy eye on this, and if Mr. Chuck makes any trouble in my garden, I'llknow where to catch him."
XIX. JOHNNY CHUCK'S PRIDE
Ever since Farmer Brown's boy and Reddy Fox had found his new house inthe far corner of the old orchard, Johnny Chuck had been worried. Itwas not that he was afraid for himself. Oh, my, no! Johnny Chuck feltperfectly able to take care of himself. But there was Polly Chuck! Hewas terribly afraid that something might happen to Polly Chuck. You seeshe was not big and strong like him, and then Polly Chuck was apt to becareless. So for a while Johnny Chuck worried a great deal.
But Reddy Fox didn't come again in daytime. You see Bowser the Houndhad given him such a scare that he didn't dare to. He sometimes cameat night and sniffed hungrily at Johnny Chuck's doorway, but Johnny andPolly were safe inside, and this didn't trouble them a bit. And FarmerBrown's boy seemed to have forgotten all about the new house. So aftera while Johnny Chuck stopped worrying so much. The fact is Johnny Chuckhad something else to think about. He had a secret. Yes, Sir, JohnnyChuck had a secret.
Sammy Jay came up to the old orchard almost every morning. His sharpeyes were not long in finding out that Johnny Chuck had a secret, buttry as he would he could not find out what that secret was. Whatever itwas, it made Johnny Chuck very happy. He would come out on his doorstepand smile and sometimes give a funny little whistle of pure joy.
It puzzled Sammy Jay a great deal. He couldn't see why Johnny Chuckshould be any happier than he ever was. To be sure it was a happy timeof year. Everybody was happy, for it was spring-time, and the GreenForest and the Green Meadows, even the Old Pasture, were very lovely.But somehow Sammy Jay felt sure that it was something more than this, asecret that Johnny Chuck was keeping all to himself, that was making himso happy. But what it was, Sammy Jay couldn't imagine. He spent so muchtime thinking about it and wondering what it could be, that it actuallykept him out of mischief.
One morning Johnny Chuck came out, looking happier than ever. Hechuckled and chuckled as only a happy Chuck can. Then he did foolishthings. He kicked up his heels. He rolled over and over in the grass. Hewhistled. He even tried to sing, which is something no Chuck can do orshould ever try to do. Then suddenly he scrambled to his feet, carefullybrushed his coat, and tried to look very dignified. He strutted backand forth in front of his doorway, as if he was very proud of something.There was pride in the very way in which he took each step. There waspride in the very way in which he held his head. It was too much forSammy Jay.
"What are you so proud about, Johnny Chuck?" he demanded, in his harshvoice, "If I didn't have a better looking coat than you've got, Iwouldn't put on airs!"
You know Sammy Jay is very proud of his own handsome blue and white coatand dearly loves to show it off.
"It isn't that," said Johnny Chuck.
"Well, if it is because you think yourself so smart to hide yourself uphere in the old orchard, let me tell you that I found you out long ago,and so did Reddy Fox, and Bowser the Hound, and Farmer Brown's boy,"sneered Sammy Jay in the most disagreeable way.
"It isn't that," said Johnny Chuck.
"Well, what is it, then?" snapped Sammy Jay.
"That's for you to find out," replied Johnny Chuck.
"There's foolish pride and silly pride and pride of low degree; A better pride is honest pride, and that's the pride for me."
And with that, Johnny Chuck disappeared in his new house.
XX. SAMMY JAY UNDERSTANDS
It was a beautiful morning. Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had thrown hisbedclothes off very early and started to climb up the sky, smiling hisbroadest. Old Mother West Wind had swept his path clear of clouds. TheMerry Little Breezes, who, you know, are Mother West Wind's children,had danced across the Green Meadows up to the old orchard, where theypelted each other with white and pink petals of apple blossoms untilthe ground was covered. Each apple-tree was like a huge bouquet ofloveliness. Yes, indeed, it was very beautiful that spring morning.
Sammy Jay had gotten up almost as early as Mr. Sun and Old Mother WestWind. As soon as he had swallowed his breakfast, he flew up to the oldorchard and hid among the white and pink apple blossoms to watch forJohnny Chuck. You see, he knew that Johnny Chuck had some sort of asecret which filled Johnny with very great pride; but what it was SammyJay couldn't even guess, and nothing troubles Sammy Jay quite so much asthe feeling that he cannot find out the secrets of other people. So hesat very, very still among the apple blossoms and waited and watched.
By and by Johnny Chuck appeared on his doorstep. He seemed very muchexcited, did Johnny Chuck. He sat up very straight and looked this wayand looked that way. He looked up in the apple-trees, and Sammy Jay heldhis breath, for fear that Johnny would see him. But Sammy was so wellhidden that, bright as Johnny Chuck's eyes are, they failed to see him.Then Johnny Chuck actually climbed up on the old stone wall so as to seebetter, and he sat there a long time, looking and looking.
Sammy Jay grew impatient. "He seems to be terribly watchful thismorning. I never knew him to be so watchful before. I don't understandit," muttered Sammy to himself.
After a while Johnny Chuck seemed quite satisfied that there was no oneabout. He hopped down from the old stone wall and scampered over tothe doorway of his new house, and there he began to chatter. Sammy Jaystretched his neck until it ached, trying to hear what Johnny Chuck wassaying, but he couldn't because Johnny's head was inside his doorway.
Pretty soon Johnny Chuck backed out and sat up, and he looked very proudand important. Then Sammy Jay saw something that nearly took his breathaway. It was the head of Polly Chuck peeping out of the doorway. It wasthe first time that he had seen Polly Chuck.
"Why," gasped Sammy Jay, "it must be that Johnny Chuck has a mate, and Ididn't know a thing about it! So that's his secret and the reason he hasappeared so proud lately!"
Polly Chuck came out on the doorstep. She looked just as proud as JohnnyChuck, and at the same time she seemed terribly anxious. She sat upbeside Johnny Chuck, and she looked this way and that way, just asJohnny had. Then she put her head in at the doorway and began to call inthe softest voice.
In a minute Sammy Jay saw something more. It surprised him so that he
nearly lost his balance. It was another head peeping out of the doorway,a head just like Johnny Chuck's, only it was a teeny-weeny one. Thenthere was another and another! Polly kept talking and talking in thesoftest voice, while Johnny Chuck swelled himself up until he looked asif he would burst with pride.
Sammy Jay understood now why Johnny Chuck had been so proud for the lastfew days. It was because he had a family! Sammy looked down at the threelittle Chucks sitting on the doorstep, trying to sit up the way JohnnyChuck sat, and they looked so funny that Sammy forgot himself andlaughed right out loud. In a flash the three little Chucks and PollyChuck had disappeared inside the house, while Johnny Chuck looked upangrily. He knew that his secret was a secret no longer.
XXI. SAMMY JAY HAS A CHANGE OF HEART
There's no one ever quite so bad That somewhere way down deep inside A little goodness does not find A place wherein to creep and hide.
It is so with Sammy Jay. Yes, Sir, it is so with Sammy Jay. You maythink that because Sammy Jay is vain, a trouble-maker and a thief, heis all bad. He isn't. There is some good in Sammy Jay, just as there issome good in everybody. If there wasn't, Old Mother Nature never,never would allow Sammy Jay to go his mischievous way through the GreenForest. He dearly loves to get other people into all kinds of trouble,and this is one reason why nobody loves him. But if you watch out sharpenough, you will find that hidden under that beautiful blue and whitecoat of his there really is some good. You may have to look a long timefor it, but sooner or later you will find it. Johnny Chuck did.