Soon the queer little old man had his breakfast. He had freshly pickedberries and bread, and clear, cool water from a spring near by.
Then he sat down on a log, to think.
Suddenly he heard a great rustling of leaves and a flapping andfluttering of wings.
Turning around, he found himself face to face with such a gathering ofanimals and birds as he had never in his life seen.
And at his elbow stood--who do you suppose? Great Gray Owl, whom hehad heard hoot in the night.
Before Father Thrift had time to ask what the gathering was about,Great Gray Owl rolled his big eyes and said: "Father Thrift, permit meto introduce to you the animals of the forest."
"I am happy to meet you all," said Father Thrift kindly.
Then the animals gave a shout that sounded like three cheers and ahundred tigers.
Do you wonder at that? You will not when I tell you all that werepresent.
There were the shaggy bears, the red foxes, the busy beavers, the graywolves, the cottontail rabbits, the bushytail squirrels, thewoodchucks, the chipmunks, and the deer.
Then there were the eagles, the owls, the hawks, the crows, the bluejays, and the robins, and many others of the bird family. Even thehoneybees and the butterflies, the insects and the snakes were there.
Indeed, all the animals of the forest must have been present, therewere so many.
It was wonderful how quickly they had learned of Father Thrift'scoming to their home.
Now the Great Gray Owl was waving a stick in the air, motioning forsilence.
When everything was quiet, he perched himself on a tall stump, whereevery one could see him, and made a speech.
"Father Thrift," he said, "we welcome you to the forest. We are gladthat you have come to live with us.
"Many years ago we birds and animals had a king. But he died and sincethen things have not gone well with us.
"We have not lived wisely. I fear many of us have wasted when we hadplenty, and suffered when what we had was gone.
"If you will be our king, we will promise to do exactly as you say."
He rolled his big eyes at the animals and asked, "Won't we?" And everyone of the animals shouted, "We will!"
But Father Thrift declared that he would rather be only one of them,instead of being their ruler.
He would advise them, and teach them, and help them.
"And we will help you, too," said Shaggy Bear. "I'll give you my cavefor keeps, to begin with."
"And I'll bring you nuts to eat," said Bushytail Squirrel.
"And I'll bring you some of my honey," said Honeybee. "That is, I willif Shaggy Bear doesn't steal it all."
"And I'll bring you plenty of mice," said Great Gray Owl.
But Father Thrift only smiled at that. For, of course, mice would beof no use to him!
WHAT MADE THE BEAR SICK
Father Thrift was busy carrying pine needles into his cave. Pineneedles make a soft carpet. And the bare floor of the cave was _so_hard.
At last he had enough and he sat down to rest.
Just then he looked out of his cave and saw Shaggy Bear, half walking,half crawling toward him.
"Why, whatever is the matter?" Father Thrift exclaimed inastonishment.
"I am so sick I believe I shall die," groaned the bear. The poorfellow's face was pale and tears were running down his cheeks.
"Oh, cheer up, cheer up!" cried Father Thrift briskly. "Why should you_want_ to die?"
"That's it--I don't!" returned the bear sorrowfully. "But I believe mytime has come."
"Where do you feel the worst--in your stomach?" asked Father Thrift.
"Yes," replied Shaggy Bear. "That is where the trouble started."
"I thought so; I thought so," said Father Thrift. "I wonder that youwere not sick before.
"Now, first of all, let me tell you that you are not going to die, notyet. But should you keep on eating as you have eaten in the past fewweeks, you could never expect to be strong and healthy."
"Why?" asked the bear, brightening up suddenly.
But Father Thrift did not answer his question.
"I am going to suggest something for you to do, Shaggy," he said.
The bear looked puzzled but hopeful.
"You won't like it," Father Thrift continued. "No one ever did. But itis the only way by which you can become well and strong again.
"The very first time I saw you I knew that you were not eating theright kind of meals.
"Why, bears are known to have such good appetites that we often hearboys say, 'I'm as hungry as a bear!'
"But you don't feel that way. That is because you eat too much honeyand not enough solid, nourishing food.
"This makes you sick. And while perhaps you wouldn't die from it, youwould grow to be cross and disagreeable. Then no one would like you.Would that be any better?"
The bear scratched his head. "But what am I to do?" he asked.
"Stop eating sweets for three months," advised Father Thrift. "Don'tyou see that you spoil your appetite for good roots and berries byeating too much honey?
"What, do you suppose, would become of boys and girls who ate nothingbut cookies and candy, instead of milk and eggs, and meat and bread,and vegetables and fruit?
"A little candy, when eaten after meals, seldom hurts anybody. Whenyou are better you may have a little honey again, too.
"Another thing. Besides eating and sleeping, what do you do?"
"Nothing," replied Shaggy Bear.
"Hereafter you must spend some time each day working or walking orplaying outdoors," said Father Thrift. "You need exercise.
"Don't be afraid to run. That will fill your lungs with pure, freshair and make your blood circulate more freely.
"Eat only three meals a day and be regular. Do not eat between meals.Remember that the stomach works hard and needs rest as much as do yourfeet.
"Eat slowly and chew your food well, and I promise that at the end ofthree months you will feel better than you have ever felt in yourlife."
The bear made a wry face at all this. For he liked honey about as muchas he disliked exercise.
"Mayn't I eat _some_ honey?" he asked pleadingly.
Father Thrift looked at him a little sternly.
"None for three months," he said.
Shaggy Bear was in earnest and at once promised to do as he was told.
Then, as the bear rose to go, Father Thrift patted him on the back.
"You mustn't let this spoil your good times," he said. "Only rememberthat nobody can be happy without good health."
It was a hard trial for the bear.
Many, many times he was tempted to stuff himself with honey and thenroll up in his cave and go to sleep. But each time he turned sadlyaway from temptation.
And at the end of three months he was as sound and healthy as a bearcould be. Then how grateful he was to Father Thrift for his goodadvice!
And the queer little old man was happy to think that he had been ableto help Shaggy so much.
HOW THE WOODPECKERS HELPED
One morning, as Father Thrift was sitting in front of his cave sunninghimself, he heard some one crying.
It was a squeaky sort of cry.
Father Thrift could not imagine who it could be that was in trouble.
He looked around, but saw no one.
Then he listened. The sound came from behind a large tree near by. Hewalked over to the spot. And there sat--who do you suppose?
Little Gray Squirrel, crying into his maple-leaf handkerchief asthough his very heart would break!
"What is the matter, Gray Squirrel?" asked Father Thrift.
"Oh, Father Thrift," sobbed Little Gray Squirrel, "let me tell youwhat some bad boys did to me!
"I live in the big old oak tree near the edge of the forest. I have anest in the old tree's trunk. There I live with my baby squirrels.There, too, I have gathered and stored nuts for food.
"And now some boys have stolen all my nuts!
"S
oon the cold days of winter will come. Then what shall I do for foodfor my babies and myself?"
And the poor little squirrel cried until he almost choked, and freshtears ran down his cheeks.
Father Thrift looked angry. He said: "This is very bad. I am sorry tohear all this, good Gray Squirrel. While I cannot give you back thenuts which the boys stole, I think I can send some one to help yougather more.
"There are still some nuts on the ground, and we'll help you to findthem."
Little Gray Squirrel thanked Father Thrift for his kind words. Then hedried his tears and started for home.
And the queer little old man sat watching the bushy tail as it whiskeddown the crooked path and out of sight.
Then all of a sudden he heard a sharp "Tap-tap-tap!"
Without even looking up Father Thrift knew who it was. "A friend inneed," he said to himself.
Then he called to the woodpecker that was doing the knocking. "I wishto talk with you," he said.
Woodpecker flew down, and Father Thrift told him all about Little GraySquirrel.
"Oh, we will help him gather a fresh store of nuts," said Mr.Woodpecker. "Indeed, we will help!" And he flew away.
Within a very short time a whole flock of woodpeckers was flyingtoward Little Gray Squirrel's home.
Soon Little Gray Squirrel's troubles were over, for the woodpeckersfilled his winter storeroom full of the choicest nuts. Now he was sureof having plenty to eat all winter for himself and his family. And howthankful he was!
But that is not all.
When the woodpeckers were through filling the squirrel's storeroomwith nuts, did they stop?
No, indeed! One woodpecker who was older than the others got up on thetopmost branch of the tree and said:
"Dear brothers, do you realize now how foolish we have been all ourlives?
"In the summer we feed on bugs and beetles and ants and seeds.
"Then in the winter, because we know no better, some of us go South.Some of us go hungry, and some of us die, because we cannot findenough to eat.
"Why cannot we, too, store up nuts and have food for the winter as thesquirrels do?"
"The very thing!" cried the other woodpeckers.
So they all began gathering acorns and beechnuts and storing them inthe bark of the trees.
Some of the nuts they would drop beneath the bark of the tree. Andsome they would drive with their strong bills into cracks and holeswhich they found here and there.
The trees which were old and worm-eaten were, of course, the easiestinto which to drive the nuts. Knotholes, too, were good places inwhich to store food.
When the woodpeckers had many, many nuts stored away, one of themsaid:
"Isn't it strange that we didn't think of this before! We need not goSouth to find a new home this winter. We can stay right here and stillhave plenty to eat."
And that is what they did.
So, while the woodpeckers helped Little Gray Squirrel out of histrouble, they helped themselves into the good habit of learning tosave. And they have not forgotten it to this day.
THE BUSY BEAVERS
One evening Father Thrift was sitting by the brook, looking into thewater. The bright silver moon made the night almost as light as day.Everything was quiet, except for a faint ripple of the water.
Suddenly Father Thrift heard something go, "Splash-sh! splash-sh!splash! splash!" almost beside him.
Then he heard a voice calling from the water.
"Father Thrift," it said, "you have never visited us. Won't you takeyour canoe and come now?"
And Father Thrift, looking into the water, saw that it was Mr. Beaverwho was calling.
"Thank you, thank you, Mr. Beaver!" replied the queer little old man."I will accept your invitation with pleasure."
And soon the two were making their way through the water to the placewhere the beavers were building their home.
And where do you suppose that was?
On a nice sunny hill? Or in the shade of the trees?
No, no! Instead, it was in the middle of a pond which the beaversthemselves had made by building a dam of mud and sticks.
The beavers' house was made of mud and sticks mixed with stones. Or,rather, it was being made. The beavers were still working at it.
"My, my," said Father Thrift, "how very, very late you beavers work!Don't you ever rest?
"I know you are very industrious. Nearly everybody knows that, asthere is a familiar saying among us that an industrious person workslike a beaver. But I never supposed that you worked all the time!"
"We don't," replied Mr. Beaver. "We work only at night. All of ourwork is done then. And I am ashamed to tell you that there are somebeavers who do not wish to work at all."
"_So!_" exclaimed Father Thrift. "I am surprised at that. And do theylive here, too?"
"Oh, no," said Mr. Beaver. "We have no place for lazy beavers, or 'oldbachelors,' as we call them. Usually we cut their tails off and chasethem away."
"That is punishment enough," said Father Thrift. "Still, lazy folksdeserve no better. Wasting time is just as bad as wasting food, ormoney, or anything else."
Then Father Thrift stopped to watch the interesting and wonderful waysof the wise beavers.
Some of them dug mud out of the bottom of the creek.
Others cut sticks from bushes and trees with their big chisel-edgedteeth. By biting out chips, one by one, a beaver can easily cut down alarge tree.
The mud and sticks for their house and dam they carried against theirbreasts as they swam, holding them there with their forefeet. Thenthey would put the sticks in place and press the mud down.
Their tails they used only for swimming. But, then, those big, strongtails make fine propellers.
"You are building a very large house, it seems to me," remarked FatherThrift.
"Yes," replied Mr. Beaver. "But you must remember that severalfamilies of beavers live in the different rooms of this house."
"Just so, just so," said the queer little old man. "I suppose that youfind your house comfortable. But isn't it rather damp?"
"In some parts, yes," admitted Mr. Beaver. "But in the center of ourhouse we have rooms above the water.
"Of course, as you know, we cannot climb trees like a squirrel.Neither can we burrow like a cottontail rabbit. But in deep water weare safe.
"We enter and leave our homes from beneath the water, unseen. And whenwe are attacked by enemies we take to the water to save ourselves."
"I have been told that your food is chiefly the roots of the commonyellow water lily," said Father Thrift. "What do you do in the winterwhen the pond is frozen and there are no lily roots to be had?"
"Oh," said Mr. Beaver, "we eat the bark of trees, too--mostly poplar,birch, and willow. But, as the ice prevents us from getting to theland in winter, we should not have even that to eat if we did not cuta supply of sticks in the summer time.
"These we throw into the water opposite the doors of our houses andleave them there for the winter, for bark is good beaver food."
Father Thrift nodded. But on his way home he could have been heard tosay: "Wise little animals! Always working. Always saving. Alwayshaving."
THE GRAY FOXES AND THE RED FOXES
After Father Thrift came to the forest to live, one night each week(except in bad or very cold weather) had been "story night."
On "story night" all the animals would meet in front of his cave tohear and tell stories.
This night Gray Fox was to tell a story.
Gray Fox was a good story-teller, and so he always had a largeaudience. Most of the animals were present to hear him.
And this is the story Gray Fox told:
* * * * *
There was once a young fox who was very wasteful. He left half hisfood on his plate. He spent all his pennies for candy. He broke hisplaythings purposely, and tore his clothes needlessly. There wasreally no end to his wastefulness.
This fox belonged to the family of Gr
ay Foxes. And the Gray Foxes werea prosperous nation.
They lived peaceably among themselves and with their neighbors, andevery one had plenty to eat, to wear, and to spend.
So no one paid much attention to Young Fox's wastefulness. Or if theother foxes did pay attention to him, they rather imitated him, for he_was_ a clever young fox.
Soon nearly all the young foxes grew wasteful. They all left halftheir food on their plates. They all spent their pennies for candy.They all broke their playthings purposely, and tore their clothesneedlessly. There was no end to their wastefulness.
And so things went from bad to worse.
But one day a messenger brought the Gray Foxes some bad news. The RedFoxes were preparing to make war upon the Gray Foxes!
"Why make war upon us?" asked the Gray Foxes. "We are a peaceablenation. We harm no one."
"True, true!" said Governor Gray Fox. "But remember, also, that we area prosperous nation. We are _too_ prosperous to please the Red Foxes.We must prepare to defend ourselves."
And they did prepare. And then there was a long and bloody war betweenthe Gray Foxes and the Red Foxes.
The Gray Fox fathers and brothers, who should have been working in thefields and mills and factories, were out killing the Red Fox fathersand brothers.
And the Red Fox fathers and brothers, instead of working in theirfields and mills and factories, were out killing the Gray Fox fathersand brothers.
Father Thrift and His Animal Friends Page 2
