Now old Granny Fox can be very dignified when she wants to be, and shewas now. She didn't hurry the least little bit. She carried her big,plumey tail just so. And she didn't once look behind her, for she feltsure that there was nothing out of the way there, and to have done sowould have been quite undignified. She had reached the bottom of thehill and was walking along the hollow, smiling to herself to think howeasily some people are frightened, when her sharp ears caught a soundon the hill behind her. She turned like a flash and then--well, for aminute old Granny Fox was too surprised to do anything but stare.There, rolling down the hill straight towards her, was the very thingReddy had told her about.
At first Granny decided to stay right where she was and find out whatthis thing was, but the nearer it got, the stranger and more terribleit seemed. It was just a great ball all covered with dried leaves, andyet somehow Granny felt sure that it was alive, although she could seeno head or tail or legs. The nearer it got, the stranger and moreterrible it seemed. Then Granny forgot her dignity. Yes, Sir, sheforgot her dignity. In fact, she quite lost it altogether. Granny Foxran just as Reddy had run!
XVII
GRANNY FOX CATCHES PETER RABBIT
Now listen to this little tale That deals somewhat with folly, And shows how sometimes one may be A little bit too jolly.
No sooner was old Granny Fox out of sight, running as if she thoughtthat every jump might be her last, than Jimmy Skunk came out from thehole under a big stump where he had been hiding, Peter Rabbit came outof the hollow log from which he had been peeping, and Unc' BillyPossum dropped down from the hemlock-tree in which he had so carefullykept out of sight, and all three began to dance around Prickly Porky,laughing as if they were trying to split their sides.
"Ho, ho, ho!" shouted Jimmy Skunk. "I wonder what Reddy Fox would havesaid if he could have seen old Granny go down that hollow!"
"Ha, ha, ha!" shouted Peter Rabbit. "Did you see how her eyes poppedout?"
"Hee, hee, hee!" squeaked Unc' Billy Possum in his funny crackedvoice. "Ah reckons she am bound to have sore feet if she keeps onrunning the way she started."
Prickly Porky didn't say a word. He just smiled in a quiet sort of wayas he slowly climbed up to the top of the hill.
Now old Granny Fox had been badly frightened. Who wouldn't have beenat seeing a strange creature without head, tail, or legs rolling downhill straight towards them? But Granny was too old and wise to runvery far without cause. She was hardly out of sight of the four littlescamps who had been watching her when she stopped to see if thatstrange creature were following her. It didn't take her long to decidethat it wasn't. Then she did some quick thinking.
"I said beforehand that there was some trick, and now I'm sure of it,"she muttered. "I have an idea that that good-for-nothing old BillyPossum knows something about it, and I'm just going back to find out."
She wasted no time thinking about it, but began to steal back the wayshe had come. Now, no one is lighter of foot than old Granny Fox, andno one knows better how to keep out of sight. From tree to tree shecrawled, sometimes flat on her stomach, until at last she reached thefoot of the hill where she had just had such a fright. There wasnothing to be seen there, but up at the top of the hill she sawsomething that made a fierce, angry gleam come into her yellow eyes.Then she smiled grimly. "The last laugh always is the best laugh, andthis time I guess it is going to be mine," she said to herself. Veryslowly and carefully, so as not to so much as rustle a leaf, she beganto crawl around so as to come up on the back side of the hill.
Now what old Granny Fox had seen was Peter Rabbit and Jimmy Skunk andUnc' Billy Possum rolling over and over in the dried leaves, turningsomersaults, and shouting and laughing, while Prickly Porky satlooking on and smiling. Granny knew well enough what was tickling themso, and she knew too that they didn't dream but that she was stillrunning away in fright. At last they were so tired with their goodtime that they just had to stop for a rest.
"Oh, dear, I'm all out of breath," panted Peter, as he threw himselfflat on the ground. "That was the funniest thing I ever saw. I wonderwho we--"
Peter didn't finish. No, Sir, Peter didn't finish. Instead, he gave afrightened shriek as something red flashed out from under alow-growing hemlock-tree close behind him, and two black paws pinnedhim down, and sharp teeth caught him by the back of the neck. OldGranny Fox had caught Peter Rabbit at last!
XVIII
A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED
The friendship which is truest, best, Is that which meets the trouble test.
No one really knows who his best friends are until he gets in trouble.When everything is lovely and there is no sign of trouble anywhere,one may have ever and ever so many friends. At least, it may seem so.But let trouble come, and all too often these seeming friendsdisappear as if by magic, until only a few, sometimes a very few, areleft. These are the real friends, the true friends, and they are worthmore than all the others put together. Remember that if you are a truefriend to any one, you will stand by him and help him, no matter whathappens. Sometimes it is almost worth while getting into trouble justto find out who your real friends are.
Peter Rabbit found out who some of his truest friends are when,because of his own carelessness, old Granny Fox caught him. Peter hasbeen in many tight places and had many terrible frights in his life,but never did he feel quite so helpless and hopeless as when he feltthe black paws of old Granny Fox pinning him down and Granny's sharpteeth in the loose skin on the back of his neck. All he could do wasto kick with all his might, and kicking was quite useless, for Grannytook great care to keep out of the way of those stout hind legs ofhis.
Many, many times Granny Fox had tried to catch Peter, and alwaysbefore Peter had been too smart for her, and had just made fun of herand laughed at her. Now it was her turn to laugh, all because he hadbeen careless and foolish. You see, Peter had been so sure that Grannyhad had such a fright when she ran away from the strange creature thatrolled down Prickly Porky's hill at her that she wouldn't think ofcoming back, and so he had just given himself up to enjoying Granny'sfright. At Peter's scream of fright, Unc' Billy Possum scampered forthe nearest tree, and Jimmy Skunk dodged behind a big stump. You see,it was so sudden that they really didn't know what had happened. ButPrickly Porky, whom some people call stupid, made no move to run away.He happened to be looking at Peter when Granny caught him, and so heknew just what it meant. A spark of anger flashed in his usually dulleyes and for once in his life Prickly Porky moved quickly. Thethousand little spears hidden in his coat suddenly stood on end andPrickly Porky made a fierce little rush forward.
"Drop him!" he grunted. _Page 89._]
"Drop him!" he grunted.
Granny Fox just snarled and backed away, dragging Peter with her andkeeping him between Prickly Porky and herself.
By this time Jimmy Skunk had recovered himself. You know he is notafraid of anybody or anything. He sprang out from behind the stump,looking a wee bit shame-faced, and started for old Granny Fox. "Youlet Peter Rabbit go!" he commanded in a very threatening way. Now thereason Jimmy Skunk is afraid of nobody is because he carries with hima little bag of very strong perfume which makes everybody sick buthimself. Granny Fox knows all about this. For just a minute shehesitated. Then she thought that if Jimmy used it, it would be as badfor Peter as for her, and she didn't believe Jimmy would use it. Soshe kept on backing away, dragging Peter with her. Then Unc' BillyPossum took a hand, and his was the bravest deed of all, for he knewthat Granny was more than a match for him in a fight. He slipped downfrom the tree where he had sought safety, crept around behind Granny,and bit her sharply on one heel. Granny let go of Peter to turn andsnap at Unc' Billy. This was Peter's chance. He slipped out from underGranny's paws and in a flash was behind Prickly Porky.
XIX
JIMMY SKUNK TAKES WORD TO MRS. PETER
When old Granny Fox found Prickly Porky, with his thousand littlespears all pointing at her, standing between her and Peter Rabbit, shewa
s the angriest old Fox ever seen. She didn't dare touch PricklyPorky, for she knew well enough what it would mean to get one of thosesharp, barbed little spears in her skin. To think that she actuallyhad caught Peter Rabbit and then lost him was too provoking! It wasmore than her temper, never of the best, could stand. In her anger shedug up the leaves and earth with her hind feet, and all the time hertongue fairly flew as she called Prickly Porky, Jimmy Skunk, and Unc'Billy Possum everything bad she could think of. Her yellow eyessnapped so that it seemed almost as if sparks of fire flew from them.It made Peter shiver just to look at her.
Unc' Billy Possum, who, by slipping up behind her and biting one ofher heels, had made her let go of Peter, grinned down at her from asafe place in a tree. Jimmy Skunk stood grinning at her in the mostprovoking manner, and she couldn't do a thing about it, because shehad no desire to have Jimmy use his little bag of perfume. So shetalked herself out and then with many parting threats of what shewould do, she started for home. Unc' Billy noticed that she limped alittle with the foot he had nipped so hard, and he couldn't helpfeeling just a little bit sorry for her.
When she had gone, the others turned to Peter Rabbit to see how badlyhe had been hurt. They looked him all over and found that he wasn'tmuch the worse for his rough experience. He was rather stiff and lame,and the back of his neck was very sore where Granny Fox had seizedhim, but he would be quite himself in a day or two.
"I must get home now," said he in a rather faint voice. "Mrs. Peterwill be sure that something has happened to me and will be worriedalmost to death."
"No, you don't!" declared Jimmy Skunk. "You are going to stay righthere where we can take care of you. It wouldn't be safe for you to tryto go to the Old Briar-patch now, because if you should meet Old ManCoyote or Reddy Fox or Whitetail the Marshhawk, you would not be ableto run fast enough to get away. I will go down and tell Mrs. Peter,and you will make yourself comfortable in the old house behind thatstump where I was hiding."
Peter tried to insist on going home, but the others wouldn't hear ofit, and Jimmy Skunk settled the matter by starting for the dear OldBriar-patch. He found little Mrs. Peter anxiously looking towards theGreen Forest for some sign of Peter.
"Oh!" she cried, "you have come to bring me bad news. Do tell mequickly what has happened to Peter!"
"Nothing much has happened to Peter," replied Jimmy promptly. Then inthe drollest way he told all about the fright of Granny Fox when shefirst saw the terrible creature rolling down the hill and all thathappened after, but he took great care to make light of Peter'sescape, and explained that he was just going to rest up there onPrickly Porky's hill for that day and would be home the next night.But little Mrs. Peter wasn't wholly satisfied.
"I've begged him and begged him to keep away from the Green Forest,"said she, "but now if he is hurt so that he can't come home, he needsme, and I'm going straight up there myself!"
Nothing that Jimmy could say had the least effect, and so at last heagreed to take her to Peter. And so, hopping behind Jimmy Skunk, timidlittle Mrs. Peter Rabbit actually went into the Green Forest of whichshe was so much afraid, which shows how brave love can be sometimes.
XX
A PLOT TO FRIGHTEN OLD MAN COYOTE
Mischief leads to mischief, for it is almost sure To never, never be content without a little more.
Now you would think that after Peter Rabbit's very, very, narrowescape from the clutches of Old Granny Fox that Jimmy Skunk, Unc'Billy Possum, Peter Rabbit, and Prickly Porky would have beensatisfied with the pranks they already had played. No, Sir, they werenot! You see, when danger is over, it is quickly forgotten. No soonerhad Peter been made comfortable in the old house behind the big stumpon the hill where Prickly Porky lives than the four scamps began towonder who else they could scare with the terrible creature withouthead, legs, or tail which had so frightened Reddy and Old Granny Fox.
"There is Old Man Coyote; he is forever frightening those smaller andweaker than himself. I'd just love to see him run," said Peter Rabbit.
"The very one!" cried Jimmy Skunk. "I wonder if he would be afraid.You know he is even smarter than Granny Fox, and though she wasfrightened at first, she soon got over it. How do you suppose we canget him over here?"
"We-uns will take Brer Jay into our secret. Brer Jay will tell BrerCoyote that Brer Rabbit is up here on Brer Porky's hill, hurt so thathe can't get home," said Unc' Billy Possum. "That's all Brer Jay needto say. Brer Coyote is gwine to come up here hot foot with his tonguehanging out fo' that dinner he's sho' is waiting fo' him here."
"You won't do anything of the kind!" spoke up little Mrs. Peter, who,you know, had bravely left the dear Old Briar-patch and come up herein the Green Forest to take care of Peter. "Peter has had troubleenough already, and I'm not going to let him have any more, so there!"
"Peter isn't going to get into any trouble," spoke up Jimmy Skunk."Peter and you are going to be just as safe as if you were over in theOld Briar-patch, for you will be in that old house where nothing canharm you. Now, please, Mrs. Peter, don't be foolish. You don't likeOld Man Coyote, do you? You'd like to see him get a great scare tomake up for the scares he has given Peter and you, wouldn't you?"
Little Mrs. Peter was forced to admit that she would, and after alittle more teasing she finally agreed to let them try their plan forgiving Old Man Coyote a scare. Sammy Jay happened along just as JimmySkunk was starting out to look for him, and when he was told what waswanted of him, he agreed to do his part. You know Sammy is alwaysready for any mischief. Just as he started to look for Old Man Coyote,Unc' Billy Possum made another suggestion.
"We-uns have had a lot of fun with Reddy and Granny Fox," said he,"and now it seems to me that it is no more than fair to invite themover to see Old Man Coyote and what he will do when he first sees theterrible creature that has frightened them so. Granny knows now thatthere is nothing to be afraid of, and perhaps she will forget heranger if she has a chance to see Old Man Coyote run away. Yo' know sheisn't wasting any love on him. What do yo' alls say?"
Peter and Mrs. Peter said "No!" right away, but Jimmy Skunk andPrickly Porky thought it a good idea, and of course Sammy Jay waswilling. After a little, when it was once more pointed out to them howthey would be perfectly safe in the old house behind the big stump,Peter and Mrs. Peter agreed, and Sammy started off on his errand.
XXI
SAMMY JAY DELIVERS HIS MESSAGE
Sammy Jay has been the bearer of so many messages that no one knowsbetter than he how to deliver one. He knows when to be polite, and noone can be more polite than he. First he went over to the home ofReddy and Granny Fox and invited them to come over to the hill wherePrickly Porky lives and see the terrible creature which had frightenedthem so give Old Man Coyote a scare. Both Reddy and Granny promptlysaid they would do nothing of the kind, that probably Sammy wasengaged in some kind of mischief, and that anyway they knew that therewas no such creature without head, legs, or tail, and though they hadbeen fooled once, they didn't propose to be fooled again.
"All right," replied Sammy, quite as if it made no difference to him."You admit that smart as you are you were fooled, and we thought youmight like to see the same thing happen to Old Man Coyote."
With this he flew on his way to the Green Meadows to look for Old ManCoyote, and as he flew he chuckled to himself. "They'll be there," hemuttered. "I know them well enough to know that nothing would keepthem away when there is a chance to see some one else frightened,especially Old Man Coyote. They'll try to keep out of sight, butthey'll be there."
Sammy found Old Man Coyote taking a sun-bath. "Good morning, Mr.Coyote. I hope you are feeling well," said Sammy in his politestmanner.
"Fairly, fairly, thank you," replied Old Man Coyote, all the timewatching Sammy sharply out of the corners of his shrewd eyes. "What'sthe news in the Green Forest?"
"There isn't any, that is, none to amount to anything," declaredSammy. "I never did see such a dull summer. Is there any news downhere on the Green Meadows? I hear Dann
y Meadow Mouse has found hislost baby."
"So I hear," replied Old Man Coyote. "I tried to find it for him. Youknow I believe in being neighborly."
Sammy grinned, for as he said this, Old Man Coyote had winked one eyeever so little, and Sammy knew very well that if he had found thatlost baby, Danny Meadow Mouse would never have seen him again. "By theway," said Sammy in the most matter-of-fact tone, "as I was comingthrough the Green Forest, I saw Peter Rabbit over on the hill wherePrickly Porky lives, and Peter seems to have been in some kind oftrouble. He was so lame that he said he didn't dare try to go home tothe Old Briar-patch for fear that he might meet some one looking for aRabbit dinner, and he knew that, feeling as he did, he wouldn't beable to save himself. Peter is going to come to a bad end some day ifhe doesn't watch out."
"That depends on what you call a bad end," replied Old Man Coyote witha sly grin. "It might be bad for Peter and at the same time be verygood for some one else."
Sammy laughed right out. "That's one way of looking at it," said he."Well, I should hate to have anything happen to Peter, because I havelots of fun quarreling with him and should miss him dreadfully. Ithink I'll go up to the Old Orchard and see what is going on there."
Off flew Sammy in the direction of the Old Orchard, and once more hechuckled as he flew. He had seen Old Man Coyote's ears prick up everso little when he had mentioned that Peter was over in the GreenForest so lame that he didn't dare go home. "Old Man Coyote will startfor the Green Forest as soon as I am out of sight," thought Sammy. Andthat is just what Old Man Coyote did.