The Bedtime Story-Books THE ADVENTURES OF PRICKLY PORKY BY THORNTON W. BURGESS Author of "Old Mother West Wind Series, " "MotherWest Wind 'How' Stories, " "The BedtimeStory-Books, " etc. _With Illustrations by HARRISON CADY_ BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1916 [Illustration: "Do tell me quickly what has happened to Peter!"FRONTISPIECE. _See page 94. _] CONTENTS I HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL MAKES A FIND II THE STRANGER FROM THE NORTH III PRICKLY PORKY MAKES FRIENDS IV PETER RABBIT HAS SOME STARTLING NEWS V PETER RABBIT TELLS HIS STORY VI PETER HAS TO TELL HIS STORY MANY TIMES VII JIMMY SKUNK CALLS ON PRICKLY PORKY VIII PRICKLY PORKY NEARLY CHOKES IX JIMMY SKUNK AND UNC' BILLY POSSUM TELL DIFFERENT STORIES X UNC' BILLY POSSUM TELLS JIMMY SKUNK A SECRET XI WHAT HAPPENED TO REDDY FOX XII WHAT REDDY FOX SAW AND DID XIII REDDY FOX IS VERY MISERABLE XIV REDDY FOX TRIES TO KEEP OUT OF SIGHT XV OLD GRANNY FOX INVESTIGATES XVI OLD GRANNY FOX LOSES HER DIGNITY XVII GRANNY FOX CATCHES PETER RABBITXVIII A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED XIX JIMMY SKUNK TAKES WORD TO MRS. PETER XX A PLOT TO FRIGHTEN OLD MAN COYOTE XXI SAMMY JAY DELIVERS HIS MESSAGE XXII OLD MAN COYOTE LOSES HIS APPETITEXXIII BUSTER BEAR GIVES IT ALL AWAY LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "DO TELL ME QUICKLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO PETER!" _Frontispiece_ "POOH, " EXCLAIMED REDDY FOX. "WHO'S AFRAID OF THAT FELLOW?" THEN HE BRACED HIMSELF AND PULLED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT REDDY WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS ALIVE "DROP HIM!" HE GRUNTED "I SEE YOU ARE UP TO YOUR OLD TRICKS, PRICKLY PORKY!" HE SHOUTED THE ADVENTURES OF PRICKLY PORKY I HAPPY JACK SQUIRREL MAKES A FIND Happy Jack Squirrel had had a wonderful day. He had found some bigchestnut-trees that he had never seen before, and which promised togive him all the nuts he would want for all the next winter. Now hewas thinking of going home, for it was getting late in the afternoon. He looked out across the open field where Mr. Goshawk had nearlycaught him that morning. His home was on the other side. "It's a long way 'round, " said Happy Jack to himself, "but it is bestto be safe and sure. " So Happy Jack started on his long journey around the open field. Now, Happy Jack's eyes are bright, and there is very little that Happy Jackdoes not see. So, as he was jumping from one tree to another, he spiedsomething down on the ground which excited his curiosity. "I must stop and see what that is, " said Happy Jack. So down the treehe ran, and in a few minutes he had found the queer thing, which hadcaught his eyes. It was smooth and black and white, and at one end itwas very sharp with a tiny little barb. Happy Jack found it out bypricking himself with it. "Ooch, " he cried, and dropped the queer thing. Pretty soon he noticedthere were a lot more on the ground. "I wonder what they are, " said Happy Jack. "They don't grow, for theyhaven't any roots. They are not thorns, for there is no plant fromwhich they could come. They are not alive, so what can they be?" Now, Happy Jack's eyes are bright, but sometimes he doesn't use themto the very best advantage. He was so busy examining the queer thingson the ground that he never once thought to look up in the tops of thetrees. If he had, perhaps he would not have been so much puzzled. Asit was he just gathered up three or four of the queer things andstarted on again. On the way he met Peter Rabbit and showed Peter whathe had. Now, you know Peter Rabbit is very curious. He just couldn'tsit still, but must scamper over to the place Happy Jack Squirrel toldhim about. "You'd better be careful, Peter Rabbit; they're very sharp, " shoutedHappy Jack. But as usual, Peter was in too much of a hurry to heed what was saidto him. Lipperty-lipperty-lip, lipperty-lipperty-lip, went PeterRabbit through the woods, as fast as his long legs would take him. Then suddenly he squealed and sat down to nurse one of his feet. Buthe was up again in a flash with another squeal louder than before. Peter Rabbit had found the queer things that Happy Jack Squirrel hadtold him about. One was sticking in his foot, and one was in the whitepatch on the seat of his trousers. II THE STRANGER FROM THE NORTH The Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were excited. Yes, Sir, they certainly were excited. They had met Happy Jack Squirrel andPeter Rabbit, and they were full of the news of the queer things thatHappy Jack and Peter Rabbit had found over in the Green Forest. Theyhurried this way and that way over the Green Meadows and told everyone they met. Finally they reached the Smiling Pool and excitedly toldGrandfather Frog all about it. Grandfather Frog smoothed down his white and yellow waistcoat andlooked very wise, for you know that Grandfather Frog is very old. "Pooh, " said Grandfather Frog. "I know what they are. " "What?" cried all the Merry Little Breezes together. "Happy Jack sayshe is sure they do not grow, for there are no strange plants overthere. " Grandfather Frog opened his big mouth and snapped up a foolish greenfly that one of the Merry Little Breezes blew over to him. "Chug-a-rum, " said Grandfather Frog. "Things do not have to be onplants in order to grow. Now I am sure that those things grew, andthat they did not grow on a plant. " The Merry Little Breezes looked puzzled. "What is there that grows anddoesn't grow on a plant?" asked one of them. "How about the claws on Peter Rabbit's toes and the hair of HappyJack's tail?" asked Grandfather Frog. The Merry Little Breezes looked foolish. "Of course, " they cried. "Wedidn't think of that. But we are quite sure that these queer thingsthat prick so are not claws, and certainly they are not hair. " "Don't you be too sure, " said Grandfather Frog. "You go over to theGreen Forest and look up in the treetops instead of down on theground; then come back and tell me what you find. " Away raced the Merry Little Breezes to the Green Forest and began tosearch among the treetops. Presently, way up in the top of a bigpoplar, they found a stranger. He was bigger than any of the littlemeadow people, and he had long sharp teeth with which he was strippingthe bark from the tree. The hair of his coat was long, and out of itpeeped a thousand little spears just like the queer things that HappyJack and Peter Rabbit had told them about. "Good morning, " said the Merry Little Breezes politely. "Mornin', " grunted the stranger in the treetop. "May we ask where you come from?" said one of the Merry Little Breezespolitely. "I come from the North Woods, " said the stranger and then went onabout his business, which seemed to be to strip every bit of the barkfrom the tree and eat it. III PRICKLY PORKY MAKES FRIENDS The Merry Little Breezes soon spread the news over the Green Meadowsand through the Green Forest that a stranger had come from the North. At once all the little meadow people and forest folk made some excuseto go over to the big poplar tree where the stranger was so busyeating. At first he was very shy and had nothing to say. He was aqueer fellow, and he was so big, and his teeth were so sharp and solong, that his visitors kept their distance. Reddy Fox, who, you know, is a great boaster and likes to brag of howsmart he is and how brave he is, came with the rest of the littlemeadow people. "Pooh, " exclaimed Reddy Fox. "Who's afraid of that fellow?" Just then the stranger began to come down the tree. Reddy backed away. "It looks as if _you_ were afraid, Reddy Fox, " said Peter Rabbit. "I'm not afraid of anything, " said Reddy Fox, and swelled himself upto look twice as big as he really is. "It seems to me I hear Bowser the Hound, " piped up Striped Chipmunk. [Illustration: "Pooh, " exclaimed Reddy Fox. "Who's afraid of thatfellow?" _Page 10. _] Now Striped Chipmunk had not heard Bowser the Hound at all when hespoke, but just then there was the patter of heavy feet among thedried leaves, and sure enough there was Bowser himself. My, howeverybody did run, --everybody but the stranger from the North. He kepton coming down the tree just the same. Bowser saw him and stopped insurprise. He had never seen anything quite like this big dark fellow. "Bow, wow, wow!" shouted Bowser in his deepest voice. Now, when Bowser used that great deep voice of his, he was accustomedto seeing all the little meadow people and forest folk run, but thisstranger did not even hurry. Bowser was so surprised that he juststood still and stared. Then he growled his deepest growl. Still thestranger paid no attention to him. Bowser did not know what to make ofit. "I'll teach that fellow a lesson, " said Bowser to himself. "I'll shakehim, and shake him and shake him until he hasn't any breath left. " By this time the stranger was down on the ground and starting foranother tree, minding his own business. Then something happened. Bowser made a rush at him, and instead of running, what do you supposethe stranger did? He just rolled himself up in a tight ball with hishead tucked down in his waistcoat. When he was rolled up that way, allthe little spears hidden in the hair of his coat stood right out untilhe looked like a great chestnut-burr. Bowser stopped short. Then hereached out his nose and sniffed at this queer thing. Slap! The tailof the stranger struck Bowser the Hound right across the side of hisface, and a dozen of those little spears were left sticking there justlike pins in a pin-cushion. "Wow! wow! wow! wow!" yelled Bowser at the top of his lungs, andstarted for home with his tail between his legs, and yelling withevery jump. Then the stranger unrolled himself and smiled, and all thelittle meadow people and forest folk who had been watching shoutedaloud for joy. And this is the way that Prickly Porky the Porcupine made friends. IV PETER RABBIT HAS SOME STARTLING NEWS Little Mrs. Peter Rabbit, who used to be Little Miss Fuzzytail, sat atthe edge of the dear Old Briar-patch, anxiously looking over towardsthe Green Forest. She was worried. There was no doubt about it. LittleMrs. Peter was very much worried. Why didn't Peter come home? She didwish that he would be content to stay close by the dear OldBriar-patch. For her part, she couldn't see why under the sun hewanted to go way over to the Green Forest. He was always havingdreadful adventures and narrow escapes over there, and yet, in spiteof all she could say, he would persist in going there. She didn't feeleasy in her mind one minute while he was out of her sight. To be surehe always turned up all right, but she couldn't help feeling thatsometime his dreadful curiosity would get him into trouble that hecouldn't get out of, and so every time he went to the Green Forest, she was sure, absolutely sure, that she would never see him again. Peter used to laugh at her and tell her that she was a foolish littledear, and that he was perfectly able to take care of himself. Then, when he saw how worried she was, he would promise to be very, verycareful and never do anything rash or foolish. But he wouldn't promisenot to go to the Green Forest. No, Sir, Peter wouldn't promise that. You see, he has so many friends over there, and there is always somuch news to be gathered that he just couldn't keep away. Once ortwice he had induced Mrs. Peter to go with him, but she had beenfrightened almost out of her skin every minute, for it seemed to herthat there was danger lurking behind every tree and under every bush. It was all very well for Chatterer the Red Squirrel and Happy Jack theGray Squirrel, who could jump from tree to tree, but she didn't thinkit a safe and proper place for a sensible Rabbit, and she said so. This particular morning she was unusually anxious. Peter had been goneall night. Usually he was home by the time Old Mother West Wind camedown from the Purple Hills and emptied her children, the Merry LittleBreezes, out of her big bag to play all day on the Green Meadows, butthis morning Old Mother West Wind had been a long time gone about herbusiness, and still there was no sign of Peter. "Something has happened. I just know something has happened!" shewailed. "Oh, Peter, Peter, Peter Rabbit Why will you be so heedless? Why will you take such dreadful risks, So foolish and so needless?" "Don't worry. Peter is smart enough to take care of himself, " criedone of the Merry Little Breezes, who happened along just in time tooverhear her. "He'll be home pretty soon. In fact, I think I see himcoming now. " Mrs. Peter looked in the direction that the Merry Little Breeze waslooking, and sure enough there was Peter. He was heading straight forthe dear Old Briar-patch, and he was running as if he were trying toshow how fast he could run. Mrs. Peter's heart gave a frightenedthump. "It must be that Reddy or Granny Fox or Old Man Coyote isright at his heels, " thought she, but look as hard as she would, shecould see nothing to make Peter run so. In a few minutes he reached her side. His eyes were very wide, and itwas plain to see that he was bursting with important news. "What is it, Peter? Do tell me quick! Have you had another narrowescape?" gasped little Mrs. Peter. Peter nodded while he panted for breath. "There's another stranger inthe Green Forest, a terrible looking fellow without legs or head ortail, and he almost caught me!" panted Peter. V PETER RABBIT TELLS HIS STORY When Peter Rabbit could get his breath after his long hard run fromthe Green Forest to the dear Old Briar-patch, he had a wonderful storyto tell. It was all about a stranger in the Green Forest, and to haveheard Peter tell about it, you would have thought, as Mrs. Peter did, that it was a very terrible stranger, for it had no legs, and it hadno head, and it had no tail. At least, that is what Peter said. "You see, it was this way, " declared Peter. "I had stopped longer thanI meant to in the Green Forest, for you know, my dear, I always try tobe home by the time jolly, round, red Mr. Sun gets out of bed and OldMother West Wind gets down on the Green Meadows. " Mrs. Peter nodded. "But somehow time slipped away faster than I thought for, or else Mr. Sun got up earlier than usual, " continued Peter. Then he stopped. Thatlast idea was a new one, and it struck Peter as a good one. "I dobelieve that that is just what happened--Mr. Sun must have made amistake and crawled out of bed earlier than usual, " he cried. Mrs. Peter looked as if she very much doubted it, but she didn't sayanything, and so Peter went on with his story. "I had just realized how light it was and had started for home, hurrying with all my might, when I heard a little noise at the top ofthe hill where Prickly Porky the Porcupine lives. Of course I thoughtit was Prickly himself starting out for his breakfast, and I lookedup with my mouth open to say hello. But I didn't say hello. No, Sir, I didn't say a word. I was too scared. There, just starting down thehill straight towards me, was the most dreadful creature that ever hasbeen seen in the Green Forest! It didn't have any legs, and it didn'thave any head, and it didn't have any tail, and it was coming straightafter me so fast that I had all I could do to get out of the way!"Peter's eyes grew very round and wide as he said this. "I took onegood look, and then I jumped. My gracious, how I did jump!" hecontinued. "Then I started for home just as fast as ever I could makemy legs go, and here I am, and mighty glad to be here!" Mrs. Peter had listened with her mouth wide open. When Peter finished, she closed it with a snap and hopped over and felt of his head. "Are you sick, Peter?" she asked anxiously. Peter stared at her. "Sick! Me sick! Not a bit of it!" he exclaimed. "Never felt better in my life, save that I am a little tired from mylong run. What a silly question! Do I look sick?" "No-o, " replied little Mrs. Peter slowly. "No-o, you don't look sick, but you talk as if there were something the matter with your head. Ithink you must be just a little light-headed, Peter, or else you havetaken a nap somewhere and had a bad dream. Did I understand you to saythat this dreadful creature has no legs, and yet that it chased you?" "That's what I said!" snapped Peter a wee bit crossly, for he saw thatMrs. Peter didn't believe a word of his story. "Will you please tell me how any creature in the Green Forest or outof it, for that matter, can possibly chase any one unless it has legsor wings, and you didn't say anything about its having wings, "demanded Mrs. Peter. Peter scratched his head in great perplexity. Suddenly he had a happythought. "Mr. Blacksnake runs fast enough, but he doesn't have legs, does he?" he asked in triumph. Little Mrs. Peter looked a bit discomfited. "No-o, " she admittedslowly, "he doesn't have legs; but I never could understand how heruns without them. " "Well, then, " snapped Peter, "if he can run without legs, why can'tother creatures? Besides, this one didn't run exactly; it rolled. NowI've told you all I'm going to. I need a long nap, after all I've beenthrough, so don't let any one disturb me. " "I won't, " replied Mrs. Peter meekly. "But, Peter, if I were you, Iwouldn't tell that story to any one else. " VI PETER HAS TO TELL HIS STORY MANY TIMES Once you start a story you cannot call it back; It travels on and on and on and ever on, alack! That is the reason why you should always be sure that a story yourepeat is a good story. Then you will be glad to have it travel on andon and on, and will never want to call it back. But if you tell astory that isn't true or nice, the time is almost sure to come whenyou will want to call it back and cannot. You see stories are justlike rivers, --they run on and on forever. Little Mrs. Peter Rabbitknew this, and that is why she advised Peter not to tell any one elsethe strange story he had told her of the dreadful creature withoutlegs or head or tail that had chased him in the Green Forest. Peterknew by that that she didn't believe a word of it, but he was tootired and sleepy to argue with her then, so he settled himselfcomfortably for a nice long nap. When Peter awoke, the first thing he thought of was the terriblecreature he had seen in the Green Forest. The more he thought aboutit, the more impossible it seemed, and he didn't wonder that Mrs. Peter had advised him not to repeat it. "I won't, " said Peter to himself. "I won't repeat it to a soul. No onewill believe it. The truth is, I can hardly believe it myself. I'lljust keep my tongue still. " But unfortunately for Peter, one of the Merry Little Breezes of OldMother West Wind had heard Peter tell the story to Mrs. Peter, and itwas such a wonderful and curious and unbelievable story that the MerryLittle Breeze straightway repeated it to everybody he met, and soonPeter Rabbit began to receive callers who wanted to hear the story allover again from Peter himself. So Peter was obliged to repeat it everso many times, and every time it sounded to him more foolish thanbefore. He had to tell it to Jimmy Skunk and to Johnny Chuck and toDanny Meadow Mouse and to Digger the Badger and to Sammy Jay and toBlacky the Crow and to Striped Chipmunk and to Happy Jack Squirrel andto Bobby Coon and to Unc' Billy Possum and to Old Mr. Toad. Now, strange to say, no one laughed at Peter, queer as the storysounded. You see, they all remembered how they had laughed at him andmade fun of him when he told about the great footprints he had founddeep in the Green Forest, and how later it had been proven that hereally did see them, for they were made by Buster Bear who had comedown from the Great Woods to live in the Green Forest. Then it hadbeen Peter's turn to laugh at them. So now, impossible as this newstory sounded, they didn't dare laugh at it. "I never heard of such a creature, " said Jimmy Skunk, "and I can'tquite believe that there is such a one, but it is very clear to methat Peter has seen something strange. You know the old saying that helaughs best who laughs last, and I'm not going to give Peter anotherchance to have the last laugh and say, 'I told you so. '" "That is very true, " replied Old Mr. Toad solemnly. "Probably Peterhas seen something out of the ordinary, and in his excitement he hasexaggerated it. The thing to do is to make sure whether or not thereis a stranger in the Green Forest. Peter says that it came down thehill where Prickly Porky the Porcupine lives. Some one ought to go askhim what he knows about it. If there is such a terrible creature upthere, he ought to have seen it. Why don't you go up there and askhim, Jimmy Skunk? You're not afraid of anybody or anything. " "I will, " replied Jimmy promptly, and off he started. You see, he feltvery much flattered by Old Mr. Toad's remark, and he couldn't verywell refuse, for that would look as if he were afraid, after all. VII JIMMY SKUNK CALLS ON PRICKLY PORKY "A plague upon Old Mr. Toad!" grumbled Jimmy, as he ambled up the LoneLittle Path through the Green Forest on his way to the hill wherePrickly Porky lives. "Of course I'm not afraid, but just the same Idon't like meddling with things I don't know anything about. I'm notafraid of anybody I know of, because everybody has the greatestrespect for me, but it might be different with a creature without legsor head or tail. Whoever heard of such a thing? It gives me a queerfeeling inside. " However, he kept right on, and as he reached the foot of the hillwhere Prickly Porky lives, he looked sharply in every direction andlistened with all his might for strange sounds. But there was nothingunusual to be seen. The Green Forest looked just as it always did. Itwas very still and quiet there save for the cheerful voice of Redeyethe Vireo telling over and over how happy he was. "That doesn't sound as if there were any terrible stranger aroundhere, " muttered Jimmy. Then he heard a queer, grunting sound, a very queer sound, that seemedto come from somewhere on the top of the hill. Jimmy grinned as helistened. "That's Prickly Porky telling himself how good his dinnertastes, " laughed Jimmy. "Funny how some people do like to hear theirown voices. " The contented sound of Prickly Porky's voice made Jimmy feel very surethat there could be nothing very terrible about just then, anyway, andso he slowly ambled up the hill, for you know he never hurries. It wasan easy matter to find the tree in which Prickly Porky was at workstripping off bark and eating it, because he made so much noise. "Hello!" said Jimmy Skunk. Prickly Porky took no notice. He was so busy eating, and making somuch noise about it, that he didn't hear Jimmy at all. "Hello!" shouted Jimmy a little louder. "Hello, there! Are you deaf?"Of course this wasn't polite at all, but Jimmy was feeling a littleout of sorts because he had had to make this call. This time PricklyPorky looked down. "Hello yourself, and see how you like it, Jimmy Skunk!" he cried. "Come on up and have some of this nice bark with me. " Then PricklyPorky laughed at his own joke, for he knew perfectly well that Jimmycouldn't climb, and that he wouldn't eat bark if he could. Jimmy made a face at him. "Thank you, I've just dined. Come down herewhere I can talk to you without straining my voice, " he replied. "Wait until I get another bite, " replied Prickly Porky, stripping offa long piece of bark. Then with this to chew on, he came half way downthe tree and made himself comfortable on a big limb. "Now, what is ityou've got on your mind?" he demanded. At once Jimmy told him the queer story Peter Rabbit had told. "I'vebeen sent up here to find out if you have seen this legless, headless, tailess creature. Have you?" he concluded. Prickly Porky slowly shook his head. "No, " said he. "I've been righthere all the time, and I haven't seen any such creature. " "That's all I want to know, " replied Jimmy. "Peter Rabbit's gotsomething the matter with his eyes, and I'm going straight back to theOld Briar-patch to tell him so. Much obliged. " With that Jimmy startedback the way he had come, grumbling to himself. VIII PRICKLY PORKY NEARLY CHOKES Hardly was Jimmy Skunk beyond sight and hearing after having made hiscall than Redeye the Vireo, whose home is in a tree just at the footof the hill where Prickly Porky lives, heard a very strange noise. Hewas very busy, was Redeye, telling all who would listen how happy hewas and what a beautiful world this is. Redeye seems to think thatthis is his special mission in life, that he was put in the GreenForest for this one special purpose, --to sing all day long, even inthe hottest weather when other birds forget to sing, his little songof gladness and happiness. It never seems to enter his head that heis making other people happy just by being happy himself and sayingso. At first he hardly noticed the strange noise, but when he stoppedsinging for a bit of a rest, he heard it very plainly, and it soundedso very queer that he flew up the hill towards the place from which itseemed to come, and there his bright eyes soon discovered PricklyPorky. Right away he saw that Prickly Porky was in some kind oftrouble, and that it was he who was making the queer noise. PricklyPorky was on the ground at the foot of a tree, and he was rolling overand kicking and clawing at his mouth, from which a little piece ofbark was hanging. It was such a strange performance that Redeye simplystared for a minute. Then in a flash it came to him what it meant. Prickly Porky was choking, and if something wasn't done to help him, he might choke to death! Now there was nothing that Redeye himself could do to help, for he wastoo small. He must get help somewhere else, and he must do it quickly. Anxiously he looked this way and that way, but there was no one insight. Then he remembered that Unc' Billy Possum's hollow tree was notfar away. Perhaps Unc' Billy could help. He hoped that Unc' Billy wasat home, and he wasted no time in finding out. Unc' Billy was at home, and when he heard that his old friend Prickly Porky was in trouble, hehurried up the hill as fast as ever he could. He saw right away whatwas the trouble. "Yo' keep still just a minute, Brer Porky!" he commanded, for he didnot dare go very near while Prickly Porky was rolling and kickingaround so, for fear that he would get against some of the thousandlittle spears Prickly Porky carries hidden in his coat. Prickly Porkydid as he was told. Indeed, he was so weak from his long struggle thathe was glad to. Unc' Billy caught hold of the piece of bark hangingfrom Prickly Porky's mouth. Then he braced himself and pulled with allhis might. For a minute the piece of bark held. Then it gave way sosuddenly that Unc' Billy fell over flat on his back. Unc' Billyscrambled to his feet and looked reprovingly at Prickly Porky, who laypanting for breath, and with big tears rolling down his face. [Illustration: Then he braced himself and pulled with all his might. _Page 30. _] "Ah cert'nly am surprised, Brer Porky; Ah cert'nly am surprised thatyo' should be so greedy that yo' choke yo'self, " said Unc' Billy, shaking his head. Prickly Porky grinned weakly and rather foolishly. "It wasn't greed, Unc' Billy. It wasn't greed at all, " he replied. "Then what was it, may Ah ask?" demanded Unc' Billy severely. "I thought of something funny right in the middle of my meal, and Ilaughed just as I started to swallow, and the piece of bark went downthe wrong way, " explained Prickly Porky. And then, as if the merethought of the thing that had made him laugh before was too much forhim, he began to laugh again. He laughed and laughed and laughed, until finally Unc' Billy quite lost patience. "Yo' cert'nly have lost your manners, Brer Porky!" he snapped. Prickly Porky wiped the tears from his eyes. "Come closer so that Ican whisper, Unc' Billy, " said he. A little bit suspiciously Unc' Billy came near enough for PricklyPorky to whisper, and when he had finished, Unc' Billy was wipingtears of laughter from his own eyes. IX JIMMY SKUNK AND UNC' BILLY POSSUM TELL DIFFERENT STORIES The little people of the Green Meadows and the Green Forest didn'tknow what to believe. First came Peter Rabbit with the strangest kindof a story about being chased by a terrible creature without legs, head, or tail. He said that it had come down the hill where PricklyPorky the Porcupine lives in the Green Forest. Jimmy Skunk had beensent to call on Prickly Porky and ask him if he had seen any strangecreature such as Peter Rabbit had told about. Prickly Porky had saidthat he hadn't seen any stranger in that part of the Green Forest, andJimmy had straightway returned to the Green Meadows and told all hisfriends there that Peter Rabbit must have had something the matterwith his eyes or else was crazy, for Prickly Porky hadn't been awayfrom home and yet had seen nothing unusual. At the same time Unc' Billy Possum was going about in the Green Foresttelling everybody whom he met that he had called on Prickly Porky, andthat Prickly Porky had told him that Peter Rabbit undoubtedly had seensomething strange. Of course Jimmy Skunk's story soon spread throughthe Green Forest, and Unc' Billy Possum's story soon spread over theGreen Meadows, and so nobody knew what to believe or think. If JimmySkunk was right, why Peter Rabbit's queer story wasn't to be believedat all. If Unc' Billy was right, why Peter's story wasn't as crazy asit sounded. Of course all this aroused a great deal of talk and curiosity, andthose who had the most courage began to make visits to the hill wherePrickly Porky lives to see if they could see for themselves anythingout of the ordinary. But they always found that part of the GreenForest just as usual and always, if they saw Prickly Porky at all, heseemed to be fast asleep, and no one liked to wake him to askquestions. Little by little they began to think that Jimmy Skunk wasright, and that Peter Rabbit's terrible creature existed only inPeter's imagination. About this time Unc' Billy told of having just such an experience asPeter had. It happened exactly as it did with Peter, very early in themorning, when he was passing the foot of the hill where Prickly Porkylives. "Ah was just passing along, minding mah own business, when Ah heard anoise up on the hill behind me, " said Unc' Billy, "and when Ah lookedup, there was something coming straight down at me, and Ah couldn'tsee any legs or head or tail. " "What did you do, Unc' Billy?" asked Bobby Coon. "What did Ah do? Ah did just what yo'alls would have done, --Ah donerun!" replied Unc' Billy, looking around the little circle of forestand meadow people, listening with round eyes and open mouths. "Yes, Sah, Ah done run, and Ah didn't turn around until Ah was safe in mahholler tree. " "Pooh!" sneered Reddy Fox, who had been listening. "You're a coward. Iwouldn't have run! I would have waited and found out what it was. Youand Peter Rabbit would run away from your own shadows. " "You don't dare go there yourself at daybreak to-morrow!" retortedUnc' Billy. "I do too!" declared Reddy angrily, though he didn't have the leastintention of going. "All right. Ah'm going to be in a tree where Ah can watch to-morrowmo'ning and see if yo' are as brave as yo' talk, " declared Unc' Billy. Then Reddy knew that he would have to go or else be called a coward. "I'll be there, " he snarled angrily, as he slunk away. X UNC' BILLY POSSUM TELLS JIMMY SKUNK A SECRET Be sure before you drop a friend That you've done nothing to offend. A friend is always worth keeping. Unc' Billy Possum says so, and heknows. He ought to, for he has made a lot of them in the Green Forestand on the Green Meadows, in spite of the pranks he has cut up and thetricks he has played. And when Unc' Billy makes a friend, he keepshim. He says that it is easier and a lot better to keep a friend thanto make a new one. And this is the way he goes about it: Whenever hefinds that a friend is angry with him, he refuses to be angryhimself. Instead, he goes to that friend, finds out what the troubleis, explains it all away, and then does something nice. Jimmy Skunk and Unc' Billy had been friends from the time that Unc'Billy came up from ol' Virginny to live in the Green Forest. In fact, they had been partners in stealing eggs from the hen-house of FarmerBrown's boy. So when Jimmy Skunk, who had made a special call onPrickly Porky to find out if he had seen the strange creature withouthead, tail, or legs, told everybody that Prickly Porky had seennothing of such a creature, he was very much put out and quiteoffended to hear that Unc' Billy was telling how Prickly Porky hadsaid that Peter might really have some reason for his queer story. Itseemed to him that either Prickly Porky had told an untruth or thatUnc' Billy was telling an untruth. It made him very angry. The afternoon of the day when Unc' Billy had dared Reddy Fox to go atsun-up the next morning to the hill where Prickly Porky lives he metJimmy Skunk coming down the Crooked Little Path. Jimmy scowled and wasgoing to pass without so much as speaking. Unc' Billy's shrewd littleeyes twinkled, and he grinned as only Unc' Billy can grin. "Howdy, Brer Skunk, " said he. Jimmy just frowned harder than ever and tried to pass. "Howdy, Brer Skunk, " repeated Unc' Billy Possum. "Yo' must havesomething on your mind. " Jimmy Skunk stopped. "I have!" he snapped. "I want to know whether itis you or Prickly Porky who has been telling an untruth. He told methat he hadn't seen anything like what Peter Rabbit said chased him, and you've been telling around how he told you that Peter may have hadgood grounds for that foolish story. If Peter saw that thing, PricklyPorky would know it, for he hasn't been away from home this summer. Why would he tell me that he hasn't seen it if he has?" "Don' be hasty, Brer Skunk. Don' be hasty, " replied Unc' Billysoothingly. "Ah haven't said that Brer Porky told me that he had_seen_ the thing that Peter says chased him. He told the truth when hetold you that he hadn't seen any stranger around his hill. What hetold me was that--" Here Unc' Billy whispered. Jimmy Skunk's face cleared. "That's different, " said he. "Of course it is, " replied Unc' Billy. "Yo' see Peter _did_ seesomething strange, even if Brer Porky didn't. Ah have seen itmahself, and now Ah invites yo' to be over at the foot of Brer Porky'shill at sun-up to-morrow mo'ning and see what happens when Brer Foxtries to show how brave he is. Only don' forget that it's a secret. " Jimmy was chuckling by this time. "I won't forget, and I'll be there, "he promised. "I'm glad to know that nobody has been telling untruths, and I beg your pardon, Unc' Billy, for thinking you might have been. " "Don' mention it, Brer Skunk, don' mention it. Ah'll be looking fo'yo' to-morrow mo'ning, " replied Unc' Billy, with a sly wink that madeJimmy laugh aloud. XI WHAT HAPPENED TO REDDY FOX Reddy Fox wished with all his might that he had kept his tongue stillabout not being afraid to meet the strange creature that had givenPeter Rabbit such a fright. When he had boasted that he would stop andfind out all about it if he happened to meet it, he didn't have theleast intention of doing anything of the kind. He was just idlyboasting and nothing more. You see, Reddy is one of the greatestboasters in the Green Forest or on the Green Meadows. He likes tostrut around and talk big. But like most boasters, he is a coward atheart. Unc' Billy Possum knew this, and that is why he dared Reddy to go thenext morning to the foot of the hill where Prickly Porky the Porcupinelives, and where Peter Rabbit had had his strange adventure, and whereUnc' Billy himself claimed to have seen the same strange creaturewithout head, tail, or legs which had so frightened Peter. Unc' Billyhad said that he would be there himself up in a tree where he couldsee whether Reddy really did come or not, and so there was nothing forReddy to do but to go and make good his foolish boast, if the strangecreature should appear. You see, a number of little people had heardhim boast and had heard Unc' Billy dare him, and he knew that if hedidn't make good, he would never hear the end of it and would becalled a coward by everybody. Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk hestarted to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost hisappetite. Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying tothink of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill atdaybreak. But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excusethat would sound reasonable. "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chainedup at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have thevery best kind of an excuse, " thought he. But he knew that Bowser_was_ chained. Nevertheless he did go up to Farmer Brown's dooryard tomake sure. It was just as he expected, --Bowser was chained. Reddy sneaked away without even a look at Farmer Brown's hen-house. Hedidn't see that the door had carelessly been left open, and even if hehad, it would have made no difference. He hadn't a bit of appetite. No, Sir. Reddy Fox wouldn't have eaten the fattest chicken there if ithad been right before him. All he could think of was that queer storytold by Peter Rabbit and Unc' Billy Possum, and the scrape he had gothimself into by his foolish boasting. He just wandered aboutrestlessly, waiting for daybreak and hoping that something would turnup to prevent him from going to Prickly Porky's hill. He didn't dareto tell old Granny Fox about it. He knew just what she would say. Itseemed as if he could hear her sharp voice and the very words: "Serves you right for boasting about something you don't know anythingabout. How many times have I told you that no good comes of boasting?A wise Fox never goes near strange things until he has found out allabout them. That is the only way to keep out of trouble and live to aripe old age. Wisdom is nothing but knowledge, and a wise Fox alwaysknows what he is doing. " So Reddy wandered about all the long night. It seemed as if it neverwould pass, and yet he wished it would last forever. The more hethought about it, the more afraid he grew. At last he saw the firstbeams from jolly, round, red Mr. Sun creeping through the GreenForest. The time had come, and he must choose between making his boastgood or being called a coward by everybody. Very, very slowly, ReddyFox began to walk towards the hill where Prickly Porky lives. XII WHAT REDDY FOX SAW AND DID Who guards his tongue as he would keep A treasure rich and rare, Will keep himself from trouble free, And dodge both fear and care. The trouble with a great many people is that they remember this toolate. Reddy Fox is one of these. Reddy is smart and sly and clever insome ways, but he hasn't learned yet to guard his tongue, and half thetrouble he gets into is because of that unruly member. You see it is aboastful tongue and an untruthful tongue and that is the worstcombination for making trouble that I know of. It has landed him inall kinds of scrapes in the past, and here he was in another, all onaccount of that tongue. Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun had kicked his rosy blankets off and wassmiling down on the Great World as he began his daily climb up in theblue, blue sky. The Jolly Little Sunbeams were already dancing throughthe Green Forest, chasing out the Black Shadows, and Reddy knew thatit was high time for him to be over by the hill where Prickly Porkythe Porcupine lives. With lagging steps he sneaked along from tree totree, peering out from behind each anxiously, afraid to go on, andstill more afraid not to, for fear that he would be called a coward. He had almost reached the foot of the hill without seeing anything outof the usual and without any signs of Unc' Billy Possum. He was justbeginning to hope that Unc' Billy wasn't there, as he had said hewould be, when a voice right over his head said: "Ah cert'nly am glad to see that yo' are as good as your word, BrerFox, fo' we need some one brave like yo' to find out what this strangecreature is that has been chasing we-uns. " Reddy looked up with a sickly grin. There sat Unc' Billy Possum in apine tree right over his head. He knew now that there was no backingout; he had got to go on. He tried to swagger and look very bold andbrave. "I told you I'm not afraid. If there's anything queer around here, I'll find out what it is, " he once more boasted, but Unc' Billynoticed that his voice sounded just a wee bit trembly. "Keep right on to the foot of the hill; that's where Ah saw ityesterday. My, Ah'm glad that we've got some one so truly brave!"replied Unc' Billy. Reddy looked at him sharply, but there wasn't a trace of a smile onUnc' Billy's face, and Reddy couldn't tell whether Unc' Billy wasmaking fun of him or not. So, there being nothing else to do, he wenton. He reached the foot of the hill without seeing or hearing a thingout of the usual. The Green Forest seemed just as it always hadseemed. Redeye the Vireo was pouring out his little song of gladness, quite as if everything was just as it should be. Reddy's courage beganto come back. Nothing had happened, and nothing was going to happen. Of course not! It was all some of Peter Rabbit's foolishness. Some dayhe would catch Peter Rabbit and put an end to such silly tales. "Ah! What was that?" Reddy's sharp ears had caught a sound up near thetop of the hill. He stopped short and looked up. For just a little weeminute Reddy couldn't believe that his eyes saw right. Coming downthe hill straight towards him was the strangest thing he ever hadseen. He couldn't see any legs. He couldn't see any head. He couldn'tsee any tail. It was round like a ball, but it was the strangestlooking ball that ever was. It was covered with old leaves. Reddywouldn't have believed that it was alive but for the noises it wasmaking. For just a wee minute he stared, and then, what do you thinkhe did? Why, he gave a frightened yelp, put his tail between his legs, and ran just as fast as he could make his legs go. Yes, Sir, that'sjust what Reddy Fox did. [Illustration: Reddy wouldn't have believed that it was alive. _Page 69. _] XIII REDDY FOX IS VERY MISERABLE When Reddy Fox put his tail between his legs and started away fromthat terrible creature coming down the hill where Prickly Porky lives, he thought of nothing but of getting as far away as he could in theshortest time that he could, and so, with a little frightened yelpwith every jump, he ran as he seldom had run before. He forgot allabout Unc' Billy Possum watching from the safety of a big pine-tree. He didn't see Jimmy Skunk poking his head out from behind an old stumpand laughing fit to kill himself. When he reached the edge of theGreen Forest, he didn't even see Peter Rabbit jump out of his pathand dodge into a hollow log. When Reddy was safely past, Peter came out. He sat up very straight, with his ears pointing right up to the sky and his eyes wide open withsurprise as he stared after Reddy. "Why! Why, my gracious, I dobelieve Reddy has had a fright!" exclaimed Peter. Then, being Peter, he right away began to wonder what could have frightened Reddy so, andin a minute he thought of the strange creature which had frightenedhim a few days before. "I do believe that was it!" he cried. "I dobelieve it was. Reddy is coming from the direction of Prickly Porky's, and that was where I got my fright. I--I--" Peter hesitated. The truth is he was wondering if he dared go up thereand see if that strange creature without head, tail, or legs reallywas around again. He knew it would be a foolish thing to do, for hemight walk right into danger. He knew that little Mrs. Peter waswaiting for him over in the dear Old Briar-patch and that she wouldworry, for he ought to be there this very blessed minute. But he wasvery curious to know what had frightened Reddy so, and his curiosity, which has led him into so many scrapes, grew greater with everypassing minute. "It won't do any harm to go part way up there, " thought Peter. "Perhaps I will find out something without going way up there. " So, instead of starting for home as he should have done, he turnedback through the Green Forest and, stopping every few hops to look andlisten, made his way clear to the foot of the hill where Prickly Porkylives. There he hid under a little hemlock-tree and looked in everydirection for the strange creature which had frightened him so thelast time he was there. But nobody was to be seen but Prickly Porky, Jimmy Skunk, and Unc' Billy Possum rolling around in the leaves at thetop of the hill and laughing fit to kill themselves. "There's no danger here; that is sure, " thought Peter shrewdly, "and Ibelieve those fellows have been up to some trick. " With that he boldly hopped up the hill and joined them. "What's thejoke?" he demanded. "Did you meet Reddy Fox?" asked Jimmy Skunk, wiping the tears oflaughter from his eyes. "Did I meet him? Why, he almost ran into me and didn't see me at all. I guess he's running yet. Now, what's the joke?" Peter demanded. When the others could stop laughing long enough, they gathered aroundPeter and told him something that sent Peter off into such a fit oflaughter that it made his sides ache, "That's a good one on Reddy, andit was just as good a one on me, " he declared. "Now who else can wescare?" All of which shows that there was something very like mischief beingplanned on the hill where Prickly Porky the Porcupine lives. XIV REDDY FOX TRIES TO KEEP OUT OF SIGHT Never in all his life was Reddy Fox more uncomfortable in his mind. Heknew that by this time everybody in the Green Forest, on the GreenMeadows, around the Smiling Pool, and along the Laughing Brook, knewhow he had put his tail between his legs and run with all his might atthe first glimpse of the strange creature which had rolled down thehill of Prickly Porky. And he was right; everybody _did_ know it, andeverybody _was_ laughing about it. Unc' Billy Possum, Jimmy Skunk, Prickly Porky, and Peter Rabbit had seen him run, and you may be surethey told everybody they met about it, and news like that travelsvery fast. It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't boasted beforehand that ifhe met the strange creature he would wait for it and find out what itwas. As it was, he had run just as Peter Rabbit had run when he sawit, and he had been just as much frightened as Peter had. Now, as hesneaked along trying to find something to eat, for he was hungry, hedid his very best to keep out of sight. Usually he is very proud ofhis handsome red coat, but now he wished that he could get rid of it. It is very hard to keep out of sight when you have bright coloredclothes. Presently Sammy Jay's sharp eyes spied him as he tried tocrawl up on the young family of Mrs. Grouse. At once Sammy flew overthere screaming at the top of his lungs: "Reddy Fox is very brave when there's no danger near; But where there is, alas, alack! he runs away in fear. " Reddy looked up at Sammy and snarled. It was of no use at all now totry to surprise and catch any of the family of Mrs. Grouse, so heturned around and hurried away, trying to escape from Sammy's sharpeyes. He had gone only a little way when a sharp voice called:"Coward! Coward! Coward!" It was Chatterer the Red Squirrel. No sooner had he got out out of Chatterer's sight than he heardanother voice. It was saying over and over: "Dee, dee, dee! Oh, me, me! Some folks can talk so very brave And then such cowards be. " It was Tommy Tit the Chickadee. Reddy couldn't think of a thing to sayin reply, and so he hurried on, trying to find a place where he wouldbe left in peace. But nowhere that he could go was he free from thosetaunting voices. Not even when he had crawled into his house was hefree from them, for buzzing around his doorway was Bumble Bee andBumble was humming: "Bumble, grumble, rumble, hum! Reddy surely can run some. " Late that afternoon old Granny Fox called him out, and it was clear tosee that Granny was very much put out about something. "What is this Ihear everywhere I go about you being a coward?" she demanded sharply, as soon as he put his head out of the doorway. Reddy hung his head, and in a very shamefaced way he told her aboutthe terrible fright he had had and all about the strange creaturewithout legs, head, or tail that had rolled down the hill wherePrickly Porky lives. "Serves you right for boasting!" snapped Granny. "How many times haveI told you that no good comes of boasting? Probably somebody hasplayed a trick on you. I've lived a good many years, and I neverbefore heard of such a creature. If there were one, I'd have seen itbefore now. You go back into the house and stay there. You are adisgrace to the Fox family. I am going to have a look about and findout what is going on. If this is some trick, they'll find that oldGranny Fox isn't so easily fooled. " XV OLD GRANNY FOX INVESTIGATES In-vest-i-gate is a great big word, but its meaning is very simple. Toin-vest-i-gate is to look into and try to find out all aboutsomething. That is what old Granny Fox started to do after Reddy hadtold her about the terrible fright he had had at the hill wherePrickly Porky lives. Now old Granny Fox is very sly and smart and clever, as you all know. Compared with her, Reddy Fox is almost stupid. He may be as sly andsmart and clever some day, but he has got a lot to learn before then. Now if it had been Reddy who was going to investigate, he would havegone straight over to Prickly Porky's hill and looked around andasked sly questions, and everybody whom he met would have known thathe was trying to find out something. But old Granny Fox did nothing of the kind. Oh, my, no! She went abouthunting her dinner just as usual and didn't appear to be paying theleast attention to what was going on about her. With her nose to theground she ran this way and ran that way as if hunting for a trail. She peered into old hollow logs and looked under little brush piles, and so, in course of time, she came to the hill where Prickly Porkylives. Now Reddy had told Granny that the terrible creature that had sofrightened him had rolled down the hill at him, for he was at thebottom. Granny had heard that the same thing had happened to PeterRabbit and to Unc' Billy Possum. So instead of coming to the hillalong the hollow at the bottom, she came to it from the other way. "If there is anything there, I'll be behind it instead of in front ofit, " she thought shrewdly. As she drew near where Prickly Porky lives, she kept eyes and earswide open, all the time pretending to pay attention to nothing but thehunt for her dinner. No one would ever have guessed that she wasthinking of anything else. She ran this way and that way all over thehill, but nothing out of the usual did she see or hear excepting onething: she did find some queer marks down the hill as if somethingmight have rolled there. She followed these down to the bottom, butthere they disappeared. As she was trotting home along the Lone Little Path through the GreenForest, she met Unc' Billy Possum. No, she didn't exactly meet him, because he saw her before she saw him, and he promptly climbed atree. "Ah suppose yo'all heard of the terrible creature that scared Reddyalmost out of his wits early this mo'ning, " said Unc' Billy. Granny stopped and looked up. "It doesn't take much to scare the youngand innocent, Mr. Possum, " she replied. "I don't believe all I hear. I've just been hunting all over the hill where Prickly Porky lives, and I couldn't find so much as a Wood Mouse for dinner. Do you believesuch a foolish tale, Mr. Possum?" Unc' Billy coughed behind one hand. "Yes, Mrs. Fox, Ah confess Ah donehave to believe it, " he replied. "Yo' see, Ah done see that thing mahown self, and Ah just naturally has to believe mah own eyes. " "Huh! I'd like to see it! Maybe I'd believe it then!" snapped GrannyFox. "The only time to see it is just at sun-up, " replied Unc' Billy. "Anybody that comes along through that hollow at the foot of BrerPorky's hill at sun-up is likely never to forget it. Ah wouldn't do itagain. No, Sah, once is enough fo' your Unc' Billy. " "Huh!" snorted Granny and trotted on. Unc' Billy watched her out of sight and grinned broadly. "As sho' asBrer Sun gets up to-morrow mo'ning, Ol' Granny Fox will be there, " hechuckled. "Ah must get word to Brer Porky and Brer Skunk and BrerRabbit. " XVI OLD GRANNY FOX LOSES HER DIGNITY Unc' Billy Possum had passed the word along to Jimmy Skunk, PeterRabbit, and Prickly Porky that old Granny Fox would be on hand atsun-up to see for herself the strange creature which had frightenedReddy Fox at the foot of the hill where Prickly Porky lives. How didUnc' Billy know? Well, he just guessed. He is quite as shrewd andclever as Granny Fox herself, and when he told her that the only timethe strange creature everybody was talking about was seen was atsun-up, he guessed by the very way she sniffed and pretended not tobelieve it at all that she would visit Prickly Porky's hill the nextmorning. "The ol' lady suspects that there is some trick, and we-uns have gotto be very careful, " warned Unc' Billy, as he and his three friendsput their heads together in the early evening. "She is done bound tocome snooping around before sun-up, " he continued, "and we-uns must beout of sight, all excepting Brer Porky. She'll come just the way shedid this afternoon, --from back of the hill instead of along theholler. " Unc' Billy was quite right. Old Granny Fox felt very sure that someone was playing tricks, so she didn't wait until jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was out of bed. She was at the top of the hill where Prickly Porkylives a full hour before sun-up, and there she sat down to wait. Shecouldn't see or hear anything in the least suspicious. You see, Unc'Billy Possum was quite out of sight, as he sat in the thickest part ofa hemlock-tree, and Peter Rabbit was sitting perfectly still in ahollow log, and Jimmy Skunk wasn't showing so much as the tip of hisnose, as he lay just inside the doorway of an old house under theroots of a big stump. Only Prickly Porky was to be seen, and he seemedto be asleep in his favorite tree. Everything seemed to be just as oldGranny Fox had seen it a hundred times before. At last the Jolly Little Sunbeams began to dance through the GreenForest, chasing out the Black Shadows. Redeye the Vireo awoke and atonce began to sing, as is his way, not even waiting to get a mouthfulof breakfast. Prickly Porky yawned and grunted. Then he climbed downfrom the tree he had been sitting in, walked slowly over to another, started to climb it, changed his mind, and began to poke around in thedead leaves. Old Granny Fox arose and slowly stretched. She glanced atPrickly Porky contemptuously. She had seen him act in this stupid, uncertain way dozens of times before. Then slowly, watching outsharply on both sides of her, without appearing to do so, she walkeddown the hill to the hollow at the foot. 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. [Illustration: "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, shewas 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 Danny 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. XXII OLD MAN COYOTE LOSES HIS APPETITE Hardly was Sammy Jay out of sight, flying towards the Old Orchard, before Old Man Coyote started for the Green Forest. He is very sharp, is Old Man Coyote, so sharp that it is not very often that he isfooled. If Sammy Jay had gone to him and told him what a splendidchance he would have to catch Peter Rabbit if he hurried up to theGreen Forest right away, Old Man Coyote would have suspected a trickof some kind. Sammy had been clever enough to know this. So he hadjust mentioned in the most matter-of-fact way that he had seen Peterover on Prickly Porky's hill and that Peter appeared to have been introuble, so that he was too lame to go to his home in the dear OldBriar-patch. There wasn't even a hint that Old Man Coyote should goover there. This was what made him sure that the news about Peter wasprobably true. Now as soon as Sammy was sure that Old Man Coyote couldn't see him, heheaded straight for the Green Forest and the hill where Prickly Porky, Jimmy Skunk, Unc' Billy Possum, and Peter and Mrs. Peter Rabbit werewaiting. As he flew, he saw Reddy Fox and old Granny Fox stretchedflat behind an old log some distance away, but where they could seeall that might happen. "I knew they would be on hand, " he chuckled. When he reached the others, he reported that he had delivered themessage to Old Man Coyote, and that he was very sure, in fact he waspositive, that Old Man Coyote was already on his way there in the hopethat he would be able to catch Peter Rabbit. It was decided thateverybody but Peter should get out of sight at once. So Unc' BillyPossum climbed a tree. Jimmy Skunk crawled into a hollow log. SammyJay hid in the thickest part of a hemlock tree. Prickly Porky gotbehind a big stump right at the top of the hill. Little Mrs. Peter, with her heart going pit-a-pat, crept into the old house between theroots of this same old stump, and only Peter was to be seen when atlast Old Man Coyote came tiptoeing along the hollow at the foot of thehill, as noiseless as a gray shadow. He saw Peter almost as soon as Peter saw him, and the instant he sawhim, he stopped as still as if he were made of stone. Peter took acouple of steps, and it was very plain to see that he was lame, justas Sammy Jay had said. "That good-for-nothing Jay told the truth for once, " thought Old ManCoyote, with a hungry gleam in his eyes. Whenever Old Man Coyote thought that Peter was not looking his way, hewould crawl on his stomach from one tree to another, always getting alittle nearer to Peter. He would lie perfectly still when Peter seemedto be looking towards him. Now of course Peter knew just what wasgoing on, and he took the greatest care not to get more than a coupleof jumps away from the old house under the big stump, where Mrs. Peterwas hiding and wishing with all her might that she and Peter were backin the dear Old Briar-patch. It was very still in the Green Forestsave for the song of happiness of Redeye the Vireo who, if he knewwhat was going on, made no sign. My, but it was exciting to those whowere watching! Old Man Coyote had crept half-way up the hill, and Peter was wonderinghow much nearer he could let him get with safety, when a suddengrunting broke out right behind him. Peter knew what it meant andjumped to one side. Then down the hill, rolling straight towards OldMan Coyote, started the strange, headless, tailess, legless creaturethat had so frightened Reddy and Granny Fox. Old Man Coyote took one good look, hesitated, looked again, and thenturned tail and started for the Green Meadows as fast as his long legswould take him. It was plain to see that he was afraid, very muchafraid. Quite suddenly he had lost his appetite. XXIII BUSTER BEAR GIVES IT ALL AWAY It was very clear that Old Man Coyote wasn't thinking about hisstomach just then, but about his legs and how fast they could go. Hehad been half-way up the hill when he first saw the terrible creaturewithout head, tail, or legs rolling down straight at him. He stoppedonly long enough for one good look and then he started for the bottomof the hill as fast as he could make his legs go. Now, it is a verybad plan to run fast down-hill. Yes, Sir, it is a very bad plan. Yousee, once you are started, it is not the easiest thing in the world tostop. And then again, you are quite likely to stub your toes. This is what Old Man Coyote did. He stubbed his toes and turned acomplete somersault. He looked so funny that the little scampswatching him had all they could do to keep from shouting right out. Old Granny Fox and Reddy Fox, looking on from a safe distance, didlaugh. You know they had not been friendly with Old Man Coyote sincehe came to live on the Green Meadows, and as they had themselves had aterrible fright when they first saw the strange creature, theyrejoiced in seeing him frightened. But Old Man Coyote didn't stop for a little thing like a tumble. Oh, my, no! He just rolled over on to his feet and was off again, harderthan before. Now there are very few people who can see behind themwithout turning their heads as Peter Rabbit can, and Old Man Coyoteis not one of them. Trying to watch behind him, he didn't see wherehe was going, and the first thing he knew he ran bump into--guess who!Why, Buster Bear, to be sure. Where Buster had come from nobody knew, but there he was, as big aslife. When Old Man Coyote ran into him, he growled a deep, provokedgrowl and whirled around with one big paw raised to cuff whoever hadso nearly upset him. Old Man Coyote, more frightened than ever, yelpedand ran harder than before, so that by the time Buster Bear saw who itwas who had run into him, he was safely out of reach and stillrunning. Then it was that Buster Bear first saw, rolling down the hill, thestrange creature which had so frightened Old Man Coyote. Unc' BillyPossum, Jimmy Skunk, Sammy Jay, Peter Rabbit and Mrs. Peter, watchingfrom safe hiding places, wondered if Buster would run too. If he did, it would be almost too good to be true. But he didn't. He looked firstat the strange creature rolling down the hill, then at Old Man Coyoterunning as hard as ever he could, and his shrewd little eyes began totwinkle. Then he began to laugh. "Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! Ha, ha, ho! I see you are up to your oldtricks, Prickly Porky!" he shouted, as the strange creature rolledpast, almost over his toes and brought up against a little tree at thefoot of the hill. [Illustration: "I see you are up to your old tricks, Prickly Porky!"he shouted. _Page 114. _] Old Man Coyote heard him and stopped short and turned to see what itmeant. Very slowly the strange creature unrolled and turned over. There was a head now and a tail and four legs. It was none other thanPrickly Porky himself! There was no doubt about it, though he stilllooked very strange, for he was covered with dead leaves which clungto the thousand little spears hidden in his coat. Prickly Porkygrinned. "You shouldn't have given me away, Buster Bear, just because you haveseen me roll down hill before in the Great Woods where we both camefrom, " said he. "I think it was high time I did, " replied Buster Bear, stillchuckling. "You might have scared somebody to death down here wherethey don't know you. " Then everybody came out of their hiding places, laughing and talkingall at once, as they told Buster Bear of the joke they had played onOld Man Coyote, and how it had all grown out of the fright PeterRabbit had received when he just happened along as Prickly Porky wasrolling down hill just for fun. As for Old Man Coyote, he sneakedaway, grinding his teeth angrily. Like a great many other people, hecouldn't take a joke on himself. So Prickly Porky made himself at home in the Green Forest and took hisplace among the little people who live there. In just the same way OldMan Coyote came as a stranger to the Green Meadows and establishedhimself there. In the next book you may read all about how he came tothe Green Meadows and of some of his adventures there and in the GreenForest. THE END