by David Cory
"Thank you," said Uncle John Hare, and he drove away with his littlenephew and by and by they came to the little house. And sure enough,when they knocked on the door, Tim Woodman opened it. But goodness me!When they told him what they wanted, he didn't seem at all pleased. Iguess he wanted the strawberries for himself. But anyway, when kindUncle John Hare offered to give him a ride in the Bunnymobile, Tim ledthem around to the rear of his house, and taking a broom began to sweepaway the snow. And in the next story you shall hear what happened afterthat.
STRAWBERRIES
Tim Woodman swept away the snow To find his strawberry patch. Just then the wind began to blow
And broke his back door latch.
"Botheration!" said Tim. "I'll have to make a new one!" Just then alittle snow fairy jumped out from behind a bush and said: "Brush awaythe snow, Tim Woodman, and you'll find red, ripe strawberries." And sureenough he found them, and picking a quart, or maybe more, he said:
"Tell the witch within the wood I really gave you all I could."
"You are very kind," said Uncle John Hare. "Tomorrow we'll come and takeyou for a ride in the Bunnymobile." And then the two little rabbits rodeaway, carefully holding the box of strawberries, and pretty soon theycame to their little house, where Mrs. Daisy Duck, their oldhousekeeper, was waiting for them.
Goodness me! I wish you could have seen the strawberry shortcake shemade for supper. But perhaps it's just as well you couldn't, for I'm notsure you would have been invited to have a piece.
Well, the next morning Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare set offagain in the Bunnymobile, and after they had gone for maybe a mile ormore they came to a cave, outside of which sat a queer little dwarfdressed in green, with a red-peaked hat on his head. His long whitebeard was covered with snowflakes and his bright black eyes twinkledmerrily.
"Hello, little rabbits," he called out. "What are you doing so far awayfrom the Old Bramble Patch, U. S. A.?"
"We are visiting Fairy Land," answered Little Jack Rabbit.
"Well, come in and see my tame mice," said the little dwarf, and heshook the snow from his beard and opened a little door. The two littlerabbits hopped out of the Bunnymobile and followed him into the cave.Goodness me! You should have seen all the tame mice. Some were white,and some were gray, but they were all dressed up like little men--bootsand breeches, coats and hats, and one little mouse carried a cane. Iguess he was the leader of these little mice men, for they all seemed todo just exactly what he did.
"I never would have invited you in," said the little dwarf, "if I hadn'ttrusted you not to tell the Farmer's big Black Cat."
"Ha, ha!" laughed Uncle John Hare, "I don't believe Black Cat has caughta mouse since Little Jack Rabbit kicked him over."
And this made the dwarf smile, for he had just read about it in a bookcalled "Little Jack Rabbit's Adventures." But he didn't have time to sayso to Uncle John Hare, for just then the little mice began to sing thesong you shall hear in the next story.
MRS. ANT
Now let's put our heads together and try to think where we left off inthe last story. Oh, yes, now I remember. Little Jack Rabbit and UncleJohn Hare were in the Dwarf's cave listening to the little mice singabout crackers and cheese.
"We are the mice of the little dwarf king, Who has taught us so well the way to sing; Tra la la la, to ro la loo, The rose is red and the violet blue."
When they had finished Little Jack Rabbit gave them a big piece ofcheese and said good-by to the dwarf, and after he and Uncle John Harehad gone for maybe a mile, the Bunnymobile all of a sudden, just likethat, stopped right in the middle of the road and wouldn't go a stepfurther.
"What's the matter now, I wonder," asked the old gentleman rabbit
"You nearly ran over me," said a little voice, and there stood a tinyant, dressed in a pink calico gown and a purple sunbonnet.
"Goodness me!" exclaimed Uncle John Hare, "it's a good thing theBunnymobile saw you in time, because I didn't. Maybe I'd better buymyself some farsighted goggles."
"Where are you going, Mrs. Ant?" piped in the little rabbit.
Now it happened that she was going to the baker shop in Antville whichwas three miles away, and so were the two little rabbits, so all threestarted off again, and by and by, they stopped in front of the bakeryshop.
"Thank you very kindly, gentlemen," said Mrs. Ant, "it would have takenme a long time to have walked those three miles. Maybe some day I can doyou a good turn!" And dropping them a courtesy, she went in to buy acookie and maybe a jelly tart.
"Where shall we go now?" asked the old gentleman bunny, putting on hisgoggles and pulling up his coat collar, for it was pretty cold and Mr.North Wind was whistling through the forest.
"Let's go down to the pond to skate," said Little Jack Rabbit, and offthey went, but, oh dear me, just as they were strapping on their skates,who should come along but Mr. Wicked Wolf. And poor Uncle John Hare hadonly one skate on.
"Oh, Mr. Wolf, don't bother me, For somebody's hiding behind the tree, He's looking for you with a great big gun, Perhaps he's the Big Kind Farmer's Son,"
shouted Little Jack Rabbit. But Mr. Wicked Wolf didn't care. And in thenext story you shall hear what he said.
MORE ADVENTURES
"Ha, ha!" growled Mr. Wicked Wolf as he looked at the little rabbits."Which one shall I eat, for they both look sweet, dressed in theirpretty fur habits."
"You won't eat either one of us," said Little Jack Rabbit, taking hispopgun from his knapsack. "Do you remember what happened to your brotherwhen he tried to kill little Red Riding Hood?"
"Never mind," replied the big beast, creeping toward the Bunnymobile,"I've learned a lot about fighting since that time." And he crept stillcloser. But the little rabbit never winked an eyelash; he just waitedtill the wicked animal was close enough to shoot off his left ear.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear! I've lost an ear What shall I ever do? I never thought I would be caught And made to look so queer."
And that unhappy wolf turned tail and ran away.
"Well, that was a narrow escape," said the old gentleman rabbit. "Idon't feel much like sightseeing. Let's turn the Bunnymobile around andget away from here. This old wolf might come back with his brother."
So off they went, and by and by whom should they meet but Prof. Jim Crowsitting on a fence.
"Goodness me!" exclaimed Little Jack Rabbit, "he looks just like thatnaughty bird who when
The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes, Hopped along the clothesline And nipped off her nose."
"But you know I'm not that bird," he answered, flapping his wings. "Itwas a cousin of mine. Will you give me a ride in your Bunnymobile? I'lltell you something nice if you do."
"All right, jump in," said the old gentleman rabbit. "What's the nicething you mention?"
"Not very far from here lives a little yellow hen in a green house. I'veheard that she has a magic china egg which is as good as a wishingstone. All you have to do is to hold it in your hand and make a wish andthe wish comes true."
"Let's make her a visit," said Little Jack Rabbit, and off they all wentto the yellow hen's house and if they reach there I will tell you allabout this wonderful wishing egg in the next story.
THE WISHING EGG
"Good morning," said Little Jack Rabbit as the little Yellow Hen openedthe door of her tiny green house. "Uncle John and I would like to seeyour Wishing Egg."
"Who told you I had a Wishing Egg?" she asked, looking sharply at Prof.Jim Crow.
"I did," answered that old black bird, with a twist of his tail.
"You're a meddlesome old person," cackled the little Yellow Hen, "but aslong as you're all here, come in," and she led the way to the sittingroom. Over in the corner was a nest of nice clean straw, in which lay abig china egg.
"Now you all come here and make a wish," she said, spreading her wingsover the egg while she sang very low:
"Wishing Egg, Wishing Egg, Grant three wishes now I beg."
But, oh dear me. For almost a minute and a half neither Little JackRabbit nor Uncle John Hare could decide what they wanted. But Prof. JimCrow could. Oh, my, yes! For all of a sudden in through the window camea silk hat and a swallow tail coat and a big diamond pin.
The Wishing Egg Brings New Clothes to Professor Crow.]
"Ha, ha!" he laughed, "here are my wishes--one, two, three. Well, nowI'm as happy as happy can be," and in less than five hundred shortseconds he had them on, silk hat, swallow tail coat and big diamond pin.
"Hurry up and make your wishes," said the little Yellow Hen to the twolittle bunnies. So Little Jack Rabbit wrinkled his little pink nose andUncle John Hare shut his eyes, and pretty soon they must have made theirwishes for in through the window came a lot of things--a pianograph, abox of lollypops, a gold watch, a Liberty Bond and a fountain pen.
"Now, that's a pretty good day's work," said the old gentleman rabbitwith a smile, stroking his whiskers. "But what did you wish for?"
"Nothing at all," answered the little hen. "When you know you can getwhatever you want by just wishing you don't want anything. But maybesome day I will, and then I'll wish, never fear." And after that shecombed her yellow curls, beg pardon, I mean her feathers--with her redcoral comb till she looked prettier than her picture, which hung overthe mantelpiece in a red plush frame.
"Some day I hope we'll be able to do you a good turn," said kind UncleJohn Hare as he and his little rabbit nephew hopped out to theBunnymobile. "Any time you are in need call up 'Harebell, one, two,three, Hurray! Turnip City.'"
"Good-by," said the little Yellow Hen, and off they went, but Prof. JimCrow flew away by himself because he wanted to show his new clothes toMrs. Crow before supper. And in the next story you shall hear whathappened after that.
MAGIC BOOTS
As Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare rode along in the Bunnymobile,all of a sudden, just like that, they heard someone calling:
"Oh, please come and help me out, I'm caught so tight and fast I haven't seen my dear old home For two weeks Sunday last."
"Who can it be?" asked the old gentleman rabbit in a whisper, slowing upthe Bunnymobile.
"I don't see anybody," answered his little bunny nephew, "but there mustbe somebody in trouble, just the same." And then the voice came again,only louder than before:
"Oh, please, oh, please, come rescue me. I'm caught so tight in this old oak tree."
And then, all of a sudden, the two little rabbits saw a tiny dwarfwedged in between a tree and a big rock.
"Wait a minute! We'll see what we can do," and in less than five hundredshort seconds Little Jack Rabbit and his uncle were tugging away at thelittle dwarf and pretty soon they had him out, all except his left foot.
"Slip your foot out of your boot," said the old gentleman rabbit.
"No, that would never do," answered the little man. "If I should do thatI would lose my power."
"Are yours magic boots?" asked the old gentleman rabbit, looking down athis own, which he considered about the finest in the world, let me tellyou.
"Indeed they are," answered the dwarf, "they are thousand league boots.I can run away from a giant as easily as an automobile from a pushcart."
"Goodness me," exclaimed Uncle John Hare, "they are certainly wonderful.But what are you going to do? Stay fast to that tree all the rest ofyour life, or walk about like other people?"
Well, this made the dwarf think pretty hard, and by and by he said:"Pull me out and leave the boot. Maybe I can hop on one leg fast enoughto get away from a giant anyway." So both little rabbits gave a big tugand out came the dwarf, but the boot was left behind, which made thedwarf quite unhappy until he was asked to take a ride in theBunnymobile.
"There's an old cobbler who lives near here," said the dwarf. "Perhapshe might make me a boot. I hear he's a very wonderful cobbler." So thetwo little rabbits set off to find him and soon they came to a hut inthe middle of the wood, on the roof of which sat a little robinredbreast singing. But what he said you must wait to hear in the nextstory.
THE TINY COBBLER
"Tick, tack, two The Cobbler makes a shoe That takes a stride The whole world wide, Tick, tack, two."
"Did you hear that?" whispered the little dwarf, who in the last storyhas lost one of his wonderful thousand league boots, you remember. Andif you don't, please take my word for it, as there won't be space enoughin this story to tell you how it happened.
"Let's go in and ask the price," said Uncle John Hare. So the two littlebunnies and the dwarf hopped out of the Bunnymobile and went into thehut. On a wooden bench sat a tiny man dressed in a big leather apron andred-peaked hat, busily making a boot. He didn't seem a bit surprisedwhen the door opened, and he said:
"My little tame robin Just told me that you Have left in a tree, Your thousand league shoe."
"That's right," answered the dwarf. "Will you sell me the one you aremaking?"
"What will you give me for it?" asked Jim Cobbler, waxing his thread anddrawing it carefully through the holes he had just punched in theleather.
"Rubies and diamonds," answered the dwarf, taking a bag from his pocket."Two diamonds and three rubies, five precious stones, the like of whichyou have never seen."
"I will finish the boot in a short time," answered Jim Cobbler, "andthen you may try it on." And he set to work, and pretty soon, not sovery long, it was finished. And would you believe it, it fitted thedwarf perfectly and matched his other boot exactly.
And as soon as he had paid for it, he walked outside and said in asinging way:
"Boots, boots, I would be A thousand miles across the sea."
And, whisk! away he went and was lost to sight before Uncle John Harecould get out his spyglass.
"Well, well," laughed the wonderful shoemaker, coming to the door andshading his eyes with his hand, "it didn't take him long to walk away.Ha! ha! My boots are better than airships." I guess he thought he haddone a good day's work, and maybe he had, for two diamonds and threerubies are a fair price for one boot, although it may have a stride of athousand leagues, more or less.
And just you wait until you hear what happens in the next story.
FIREFLY LANTERNS
Twinkle, twinkle, firefly, Like a diamond in the sky.
Well, it was mighty lucky that this firefly had her tiny lantern alongwith her, for I don't know how the two little rabbits would have reachedhome if she hadn't lighted the way for them, for the Bunnymobile lanternhad gone out, you see.
"We must buy some new ones," said the old gentleman bunny. "We may bearrested any night, and that would be most unpleasant." So the nextmorning he and Little Jack Rabbit started off for Bunnyville and by andby, after a while, they crossed the bridge that spanned Rabbit River,which wasn't really much wider than a little brook, and stopped before ahardware store.
"What kind of lanterns have you?" asked Uncle John Hare of the fatTurkey Gobble who kept the store.
"We have Jack lanterns, and miners' lamps, and Japanese lanterns,and----"
"That'll do," said the little bunny, "let's see them." And after lookingat this and looking at that the old gentleman rabbit picked out two JackLanterns.
"These will look scrumptious," he said. "I don't believe another car intown will have one." And then they started off again down the road tosee little Ben Meadow.
Now little Ben Meadow lived in a round house. His first name was Ben and his last name was Mouse.
So now you know who little Ben is, but just the same I suppose youwonder why he would be delighted to have two rabbits call on him. Well,I'll tell you. It was because, in the first place, he knew that thesetwo nice bunnies wouldn't hurt him, and in the second place, he wore acollar and belt of leather studded with sharp pointed tacks, which wouldhurt anyone who tried to catch him.
"Helloa, Ben," said the old gentleman rabbit when the little mouseopene
d the door. "Have you any green cheese?"
"Maybe, but I'm not sure. It is over two weeks since the Man in the Moonwas here," answered Benjamin Meadow Mouse, for that was his whole name,you know, only everybody called him "Ben" for short, and the little micecalled him "Bennie."
Pretty soon he came out with a piece of cheese wrapped up in a napkinand handed it to the old gentleman rabbit, who thanked him and said:"I'm going to give a party tonight. You are invited. Come at eight andstay till late," and then he turned the Bunnymobile around and away theywent. Pretty soon they passed through the wood, where Bobbie Redvest hadhis nest.
"Come to my party tonight at eight, bring Mrs. Robin and stay tilllate," said Uncle John Hare, and in the next story you shall hear whathappened after that.
INVITATIONS
You remember in the last story that Uncle John Hare was giving a partyand had invited Benjamin Meadow Mouse and Bobbie Redvest, to be thereearly and stay till late and bring a key to his little front gate.
But now that I come to think of it, I didn't tell you about the key. No,sir, I must have forgotten that. Well, you see, there was a fence allaround Uncle John's house, and if you didn't have a key to the littlegate, why, of course, you couldn't get in. But the old gentleman rabbithad bought a thousand keys and to every one of his friends had givenone, and sometimes two, but not at the same time.
