VI. JIMMY SKUNK GOES WITH REDDY FOX
|JIMMY SKUNK and Reddy Fox trotted along down the Crooked Little Path tothe Green Meadows. Reddy was impatient and in a hurry. But Jimmy Skunknever hurries, and he didn't now. He just took his time, and Reddy Foxhad to keep waiting for him. Reddy was nervous and anxious. He keptturning his head this way and that way. He looked behind every littlebush and clump of grass. He cocked his sharp ears at every little sound.He sniffed every little breeze. It was very plain that Reddy Fox was illat ease.
"Hurry up, Jimmy Skunk! Hurry up!" he urged every few minutes, and hehad hard work to make his voice sound pleasant.
But Jimmy didn't hurry. Indeed, it seemed as if Jimmy were slower thanusual. The more impatient Reddy grew, the slower Jimmy seemed to go.And every time Reddy's back was turned, Jimmy would grin, and his sharplittle eyes twinkled with mischief. You see, he knew that despite allhis boasting Reddy Fox afraid, and because he wasn't afraid himself,Jimmy was getting a lot of fun out of watching Reddy. Once, when Reddyhad stopped to look over the Green Meadows, Jimmy stole up behind himvery softly and suddenly pulled Reddy's tail. Reddy sprang forward witha frightened yelp and started to run as only Reddy can. Then he heardJimmy Skunk laughing and knew that Jimmy had played a joke on him. Hestopped short and whirled around.
"What are you laughing at, Jimmy Skunk?" he shouted angrily.
"Oh, nothing, nothing at all," replied Jimmy, and his face was as soberas if he never had laughed and never could laugh. Reddy opened his mouthto say something ugly, but suddenly remembered that if he quarrelledwith Jimmy Skunk, then Jimmy wouldn't go any farther with him. So hegulped down his anger as best he could and grinned sheepishly while hewaited for Jimmy to catch up with him.
So at last they came to the bunch of grass and bushes in which Reddy hadfound the half-eaten chicken early that morning. There it lay just asReddy had left it. Reddy stopped at a safe distance and pointed it outto Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy looked at it thoughtfully.
"Who do you suppose could have brought it away down here on the GreenMeadows?" whispered Reddy, as if afraid that some one might overhearhim.
Jimmy Skunk scratched his head as if thinking very hard. "It might havebeen Redtail the Hawk," said he at last.
"That's so. I didn't think of him," replied Reddy.
"But it looks to me as if it were left there in the night, and Redtailnever hunts at night because his eyes are for seeing in the daytime andnot in the dark," added Jimmy Skunk. "Let's go closer, and perhaps wecan tell who left it there."
"Of course. That's a good idea," replied Reddy, starting forward asif he were going to walk right up to the chicken. After a few steps hestopped as if he had a sudden thought. "I tell you what," said he "oneof us had better keep watch to see that no danger is near. I am tallerthan you and can see over the grass better than you can, so I'll keepwatch while you see what you can find out."
Now Jimmy Skunk saw through Reddy's plan right away, but Jimmy wasn'tafraid, because he isn't afraid of much of anything, so he agreed. WhileReddy kept watch, he carefully made his way to the half-eaten chickenhidden in the clump of grass and bushes. All the time he kept his eyeswide open for traps. But there were no traps there. He was gone a longtime, and when at last he came out, his face was very sober.
"Well, was it Redtail the Hawk?" asked Reddy eagerly.
"No," said Jimmy. "No, it wasn't Redtail the Hawk or Hooty the Owl. Itwas some one with teeth very much like yours, Reddy Fox, only bigger,and with feet very much like yours, only these were bigger too. Andthe chicken wasn't one of Farmer Brown's at all; it was brought fromsomewhere farther away than Farmer Brown's, and that shows that it wassome one smarter than you, Reddy Fox, because whoever it was knew thatif they stole a chicken from Farmer Brown, his boy and Bowser the Hound,would come looking for it."
VII. A CALL ON DIGGER THE BADGER
For fox or man the better plan
With unknown danger near,
Is to go home and no more roam
Until the way be clear.
|THAT is what Reddy Fox thinks. The thought popped right into his headwhen Jimmy Skunk told him that the half-eaten chicken had been left onthe Green Meadows by some one with teeth and feet very like Reddy's ownbut bigger. But Reddy pretended not to believe it. "Pooh!" said he."How do you know that this stranger has feet like mine, only bigger. Youhaven't seen him, have you?"
"No," said Jimmy Skunk, shaking his head, "no, I haven't seen him, andI don't need to, to know that. His footprints are right over here in thesand. Come look for yourself, Reddy Fox."
"No, thanks!" said Reddy hastily. "The fact is, I have some veryimportant matters to look after in the Green Forest, and I must hurryalong. You'll excuse me, won't you, Jimmy Skunk? If you say that thereare footprints like mine, only larger, of course I believe it. I wouldstop to look at them if I could, but I find that I am already very late.By the way, if you will look a little closer at those footprints, Ithink you will find that they were made by a dog. I'm sorry I can't waitfor you, but you are such a slow walker that I really haven't the time.Let me know if you find out anything about this stranger." And with thatoff he started for the Green Forest.
Jimmy Skunk grinned, for he knew that Reddy had nothing more importantto attend to than to get away as fast as he could from a place which hefelt might be dangerous.
"Don't fool yourself, Reddy Fox, by thinking I don't know the footprintsof a dog when I see them. Besides, I smelled of them, and they don'tsmell of dog!" shouted Jimmy, before Reddy could get out of hearing.
Jimmy watched Reddy out of sight and chuckled as he saw Reddy keepturning to look over his shoulder as if he expected to find somethingterrible at his heels. "I'd never run away until I knew what I wasrunning from!" exclaimed Jimmy, with the greatest scorn. "Did you eversee such a coward?"
With Reddy gone, Jimmy's thoughts came back to the queer things whichwere driving all the happiness from the Green Meadows at the veryhappiest time of all the year. There was that strange, terrible voicein the night, the voice that was not that of Hooty the Owl or Dippythe Loon or a little yelping dog, yet which sounded something like allthree, and which was frightening all the little people until they wereafraid to move out of sight of their homes. And here was this half-eatenchicken hidden in the clump of grass and hushes on the Green Meadowsby some one with teeth and feet very much like those of Reddy Fox onlybigger. It was all very queer, very queer indeed. The more he thoughtabout it, the more Jimmy felt sure that the owner of the terrible voicewas the owner of the big teeth and the maker of the strange footprints.He was scratching his head as he puzzled over the matter when hehappened to look over to the home of Digger the Badger. Jimmy's eyesbrightened.
"I believe I'll make a call on Digger. Perhaps he will know somethingabout it," said he, and off he started.
Digger the Badger sat on his doorstep. He has very few friends, for heis grumpy and very apt to be out of sorts. Besides, most of the littleMeadow people are afraid of him. But Jimmy Skunk isn't afraid of any onebut Farmer Brown's boy, and not even of him unless he has his terriblegun. So he walked right up to the doorstep where Digger the Badger wassitting.
0052]
"Good morning," said Jimmy politely.
"Morning," grunted Digger the Badger.
"What do you think of the queer doings on the Green Meadows?" askedJimmy.
"What queer doings?" asked Digger.
Then Jimmy Skunk told all about the strange voice and the strangefootprints.
Digger the Badger didn't say a word until Jimmy was through. Then hechuckled.
"Why," said he, "that is only my old friend from the Great West--Old ManCoyote."
VIII. OLD MAN COYOTE MAKES HIMSELF AT HOME
|IT was out at last. Digger the Badger had told Jimmy Skunk who it wasthat had so frightened the little people of the Green Forest and theGreen Meadows with his terrible voice, and Jimmy Skunk had straightwaysent the Merry Little Bre
ezes of Old Mother West Wind over to theSmiling Pool, up along the Laughing Brook, through the Green Forest,and over the Green Meadows to spread the news that it was Old Man Coyotefrom the Great West who had come to make his home on the Green Meadows.And that night when they heard his voice, somehow it didn't soundso terrible. You see, they knew who it was, and that made all thedifference in the world.
The shivers still might crawl and creep
And chase away good friendly Sleep,
But knowing whom he had to fear
Brought to each heart a bit of cheer.
That may seem a bit queer, but it was so. You see, not knowing what orwhom to be afraid of made the little meadow and forest people afraidevery minute of the time, afraid to sleep, afraid to put their noses outof their homes, almost afraid to draw a long breath. But now that theyknew it was Old Man Coyote who had so frightened them, they felt better,for Digger the Badger, who had known him in the Great West where theyhad been neighbors, had told Jimmy Skunk what he looked like, and JimmySkunk had spread the news so that everybody would know Old Man Coyotewhen they saw him. So though each one knew that he mustn't give Old ManCoyote a chance to catch him, each felt sure right down in his heartthat all he had to do was to be just a little bit smarter than Old ManCoyote, and he would be safe.
Of course it didn't take Old Man Coyote long to learn that he had beenfound out. He grinned to himself, stretched, and yawned, and then cameout from his secret hiding place.
"I think I'll call on my neighbors," said he, and trotted towards thehouse of Digger the Badger. The Merry Little Breezes saw him first andin a great flutter of excitement they hurried this way and that way totell everybody that the stranger from the Great West had come out inthe light of day. My, my, my! such a scampering as there was for a safeplace from which to peep out at Old Man Coyote! He pretended not tonotice, and didn't look this way or that way, but trotted on about hisown business.
Digger the Badger was sitting on his doorstep, and he grinned when hesaw Old Man Coyote coming.
"It's about time you called on your old friend," said he.
It was Old Man Coyote's turn to grin. "That's so, Brother Badger," hereplied, "but the fact is, I've been living very quietly."
"Excepting at night," said Digger, showing all his teeth in a ratherbroad grin. "You're voice certainly has sounded good to me."
"I guess it's the first time," interrupted Old Man Coyote.
"The first time I heard it I thought I was dreaming," continued Digger,just as if he hadn't heard what Old Man Coyote said. "Seems just likehome to have you about. But tell me, how does it happen that you havecome here out of the Great West?"
"That's too long a story to tell now. Anyway, I might ask you the samething. But here I am, and I believe I'll stay. I like the Green Meadowsand the Green Forest. Now I must be going along to call on the restof my new neighbors. I hope they'll be glad to see me." Old Man Coyotegrinned again when he said this, for no one knew better than he did howvery much afraid of him his new neighbors were.
"Come again when you can stop longer," said Digger the Badger.
"I will," replied Old Man Coyote, starting toward the Smiling Pool.
IX. OLD MAN COYOTE MEETS REDDY FOX
No matter how you feel inside
Hold up your head! Call up your pride!
Stand fast! Look brave! Then none will guess
The fear you feel, but won't confess.
|JIMMY SKUNK learned this when he was a very little fellow. Now he isn'tafraid of much of anything, but there was a time when he was. Oh, my,yes! There was a time when he first started out to see the world, andbefore he had found out that all the world is afraid of that little bagof scent he always carries with him, when Jimmy often was as frightenedas Peter Rabbit ever is, and you know Peter is very easily frightened.But Jimmy used to think of that little verse, and though sometimes hehad to shut his mouth as tightly as he knew how to keep his teeth fromchattering with fear, he would hold up his head, stand fast, and lookbrave. What do you think happened? Why, in a little while people beganto say that Jimmy Skunk wasn't afraid of anything, and so no one triedto bother him. Of course when he found this out, Jimmy wasn't afraid.
But Reddy Fox is different. He dearly loves to tell how brave he is.He brags and boasts. But when he finds himself in a place where he isafraid, he shows it. Yes, Sir, he shows it. Reddy Fox has never learnedto stand fast and look brave. When Reddy had first been told that thestranger with the voice which had sounded so terrible in the night wasOld Man Coyote from the Great West, and that he had decided to makehis home on the Green Meadows, Reddy had said: "Pooh! I'm not afraid ofhim!" and had swelled himself up and strutted back and forth as if hereally meant it. But all the time Reddy took care, the very greatestcare, to keep out of the way of Old Man Coyote.
Of course, some one told Digger the Badger what Reddy had said, andDigger told Old Man Coyote, who just grinned and said nothing. But henoticed how careful Reddy was to keep out of his way, and he made up hismind that he would like to meet Reddy and find out how brave he reallywas. So one moonlight night he hid behind a big log near one of Reddy'sfavorite hunting places. Pretty soon Reddy came tiptoeing along,watching for foolish young mice. Just a little while before he had heardthe voice of Old Man Coyote way over on the edge of the Old Pasture, sohe never once thought of meeting him here. Just as he passed the end ofthe old log, a deep voice in the black shadow said:
"Good evening, Brother Fox." Reddy whirled about. His heart seemed tocome right up in his throat. It was too late to run, for there was OldMan Coyote right in front of him. Reddy tried to swell himself up justas he so often did before the little people who were afraid of him, butsomehow he couldn't. "Go-good evening, Mr. Coyote," he replied, but hisvoice sounded very weak. "I hear you've come to make your home on theGreen Meadows. I-I hope we will be the best of friends."
"Of course we will," replied Old Man Coyote. "I'm always the best offriends with those who are not afraid of me, and I hear that you are notafraid of anybody."
"N-no, I-I'm not afraid of anybody," said Reddy. "Everybody is afraidof me." All the time he was speaking, he was slowly backing away, and inspite of his bold words, he was shaking with fear. Old Man Coyote saw itand he chuckled to himself.
"I'm not, Brother Fox!" he suddenly snapped, in a deep, horrid soundingvoice. "Gr-r-r-r-r, I'm not!" As he said it, all the hair along his backstood on end, and he showed all his great, cruel-looking teeth.
Instead of holding his ground as Jimmy Skunk would have done, Reddyleaped backward, tripped over his own tail, fell, and then scrambled tohis feet with a frightened yelp, and ran as he had never run before inall his life. And as he ran, he heard Old Man Coyote laughing, and allthe Green Meadows and the Green Forest heard it:
"Ho, ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha! Hee, hee, hee! Ho, ha, hee, ho! Reddy Fox isn'tafraid! Ho, ho!"
Reddy ground his teeth in rage, but he kept on running.
X. GRANNY FOX VISITS PRICKLY PORKY
"I've often heard old Granny say:
' He longest lives who runs away.'"
|REDDY FOX didn't realize that he was speaking aloud. He was trying tomake himself think that he wasn't a coward and that in running away fromOld Man Coyote he had done only what every one of the little meadow andforest people would have done in his place. So, without knowing it, hehad spoken aloud.
"But he who runs must leave behind
His self-respect and peace of mind."
The voice came from right over Reddy's head, but he didn't have to lookup to know who was there. It was Sammy Jay, of course. Sammy is alwayson hand when he isn't wanted, and Reddy knew by the look in his eyesthat Sammy knew about the meeting with Old Man Coyote.
"What are you waiting around here for?" asked Reddy, with a snarl.
"To tell Old Granny Fox how brave you are," reto
rted Sammy Jay, his eyessparkling with mischief, "and how fast you can run."
"You'd better mind your own affairs and leave mine alone. I shall tellGranny all about it myself, anyway," snapped Reddy.
Now when Reddy said that, he didn't tell the truth, for he had nointention of telling Old Granny Fox of how he had run from Old ManCoyote, but hardly were the words out of his mouth when old GrannyFox herself stepped out from behind a bush. She had been up in the OldPasture for a week or two and had just come back, so she knew nothingof the fright which Old Man Coyote had given those who live in the GreenMeadows and the Green Forest.
"I'm already to listen right now, Reddy," said she.
Reddy hung his head. He coughed and cleared his throat and tried tothink of some way out of it. But it was of no use. There sat Sammy Jayready to tell if he didn't, and so, mumbling so low that twice Grannytold him to speak louder, Reddy told how he had run, and how Old ManCoyote had laughed at him so that all the little people in the GreenForest and on the Green Meadows had heard.
"Of course he laughed!" snapped old Granny Fox. "You're a coward, ReddyFox, just a plain coward. It's all well enough to run away when you knowyou have to, but to run before there is anything to be afraid of showsyou are the biggest kind of a coward. Bah! Get out of my sight!"
Reddy slunk away, muttering to himself and glaring angrily at Sammy Jay,who was chuckling with delight to see Reddy looking so uncomfortable.Old Granny Fox made sure that Reddy was out of sight, and then she satdown to think, and there was a worried pucker in her forehead.