Little Jack Rabbit's Adventures Part 7

Into his house popped Timmy Meadowmouse, and none too soon, for Black Cat landed on the very spot where he had stood talking to the little rabbit.

"So it was you who warned Timmy Meadowmouse, was it?" he hissed, humping up his back and waving his long tail back and forth. Oh my, but he looked ugly.

"Yes, it was I," answered Little Jack Rabbit bravely, and then he did what his mother had taught him to do when in a tight place. He suddenly turned his back on Black Cat and struck out with his strong hind legs.

Thump! they went against Black Cat's ribs, knocking him over. Then away hopped the little rabbit back to the Old Bramble Patch.

If you do what mother says You'll grow tall and strong.

On your lips a happy smile, In your heart a song-- If you do what mother says You will not go wrong.

LITTLE JACK RABBIT STUBS HIS TOE

c.o.c.kY DOODLE stood by the Big Red Barn and clapped his wings. Then digging his feet well into the ground, he began his morning c.o.c.k-a-doodle-do.

Mr. Merry Sun lifted his head from his crimson pillows and looked over the misty hilltop.

"Time for me to get up," he yawned. "c.o.c.ky Doodle is calling."

Teddy Turtle crawled along the Old Cow Path to the Old Duck Pond. He didn't see Little Jack Rabbit hopping over the gra.s.s. Teddy is so slow that he never thinks any one can go faster. So it was only when the little rabbit stubbed his toe on the little turtle's hard sh.e.l.l house that he woke up. Of course he wasn't really asleep, but he might just as well have been.

"You ought to know better than to go to sleep right in the Old Cow Path," said the little bunny, rubbing his toe. "Why don't you keep your head out to see where you're going if you walk in your sleep?"

"I pulled my head inside my sh.e.l.l when you hit me, as all well-trained turtles do in time of danger," answered Teddy Turtle.

"Goodness, I wouldn't be afraid of anything if I had a strong sh.e.l.l house like yours to creep into."

"Well, I'm not afraid of anybody except the Miller's Boy," said Teddy Turtle. "But when he turns me over on my back I'm helpless."

"Where are you going?" asked the little rabbit.

"Down to the Old Duck Pond. I'm going to sleep in the soft mud for the winter," answered Teddy Turtle.

"Well, goodby," said the little rabbit, hopping off to the Old Farm Yard.

"c.o.c.k-a-doodle-do," sang c.o.c.ky Doodle. "I hope everybody is awake. There comes Mr. Merry Sun up the sky. c.o.c.k-a-doodle-do. Everybody gets up when I call. Don't you hear Billy Breeze singing over the Sunny Meadow? I wake the Little People of the Shady Forest and the Sunny Meadow every morning. c.o.c.k-a-doodle-do."

Yes, sir. This little rooster was better than an alarm clock, for you didn't have to wind him. He crowed every morning his cheerful song to help the old world wag along.

MUD TURTLE TOWN

THE Mud Turtles were having a fine time on the banks of the Old Duck Pond. What is more fun I should like to know than making mud pies and forts, and these little turtles had been busy for several days until they had built a mud city, with bridges and houses, towers and castles.

Goodness me! It was muddy, and the Farmyard Folk were all complaining, except Ducky Waddles. He just loved mud, and found it great fun waddling over the mud bridges. And if they broke down, he didn't mind a muddy splas.h.i.+ng! No, indeed he didn't. So, of course, he and the Mud Turtles were great friends.

One day Mr. Merry Sun, seeing how things were going on, said to himself: "I guess I'll dry up all the Turtle Mud Houses." So he set to work, s.h.i.+ning down from the bright blue sky, and before evening the mud palaces and castles were hard as bricks.

"Hurrah!" he said, just before he went to sleep on the crimson pillows of the West, "I've finished Mud Turtle Town!"

Of course, all this was more or less of an accident, for the Mud Turtles hadn't asked Mr. Merry Sun to help them. But when they saw what he had done, they were delighted, and at once sent out invitations to all the Barnyard Folk to spend a week in Turtle Town.

c.o.c.ky Doodle and Henny Penny accepted at once; so did Goosey Lucy; and as soon as they had packed their things, they set out for the Old Duck Pond.

"I don't think I shall lay an egg while I'm there," said Henny Penny--"I'm not used to Mud Nests."

"Suit yourself," said c.o.c.ky Doodle.

"Henny Penny is right," said Goosey Lucy. "It will be a little vacation for us. I, for one, shall be glad to forget all about home duties."

Just then there was a great flapping of wings and Ducky Waddles came wabbling after them. "Why don't you wait for a fellow," he panted. "I'm all out of breath trying to catch up to you. I almost had to fly."

As they crossed the Old Cow Path they met Little Jack Rabbit hopping home to the Old Bramble Patch.

"We're going to make a visit in Turtle Town," said Henny Penny. "Why don't you come, too?"

"Haven't time," answered the little bunny. "Mother sent me over to Cousin Cottontail for lollypop frosting. She must have it in time to cover the carrot cake for supper."

BOBBY TAIL

MR. JOHN RABBIT had been a great jumper in his youth, and Little Jack Rabbit wished to learn to jump as far as his father, and even farther.

So every day he practiced jumping in the Sweet Clover Field near the Old Rail Fence until by and by he could jump over the second rail.

"Pretty good," said Mr. Rabbit. "Don't believe I did any better when I was your age. How is Bobby Tail getting along?"

Now Little Jack Rabbit's brother was called Bobby Tail, because his tail was so short. Yes, siree, it was so short that it looked exactly like a white powder puff. And his eyes were just like little pink beads. But they weren't any pinker than his nose.

But, I'm sorry to say, there was something wrong with Bobby Tail. He was too lazy for anything. That was what was the matter with him. He didn't want to learn to jump--he'd rather spend his time eating clover tops. By and by he grew to be dreadfully fat.

And a fat bunny can't run fast nor jump far. Bobby Tail found this to be true when one day Sic'em, the Farmer's Dog, chased him across the Sunny Meadow.

The Bunny Brothers had hopped down to the Old Duck Pond to see Granddaddy Bullfrog, when all of a sudden Sic'em saw them. Goodness me!

What a chase he gave them! Over the Sunny Meadow, through the Shady Forest, and along the Old Rail Fence! At first Bobby Tail was able to keep up with brother, but after a while he fell behind.

"Hurry up!" shouted Little Jack Rabbit. But, Oh dear me! Bobby Tail was so fat and so short of breath that he couldn't. Closer and closer came Sic'em till the little bunny could almost feel his hot breath.

"If I ever get back to the Old Bramble Patch," he thought, "I'll practice running and jumping every day in the week."

Just then, he reached the Old Rail Fence. Another jump landed him in the dear Old Bramble Patch, leaving Sic'em barking and growling outside the p.r.i.c.kly bushes.