by David Cory
"Take me with you, good friends," he said. "I will reward you with apresent from my pack."
"Jump in," said Little Jack Rabbit. "You may sit with Professor Crow onthe back seat." So the little old man crawled in, bundle and all, andafter a while he undid the string that tied the bag and put his handinside.
"What shall I pick from out of the bag. Say what you'd like the best. A watch or a ring or a diamond stud, Or a purple velvet vest?"
THE WITCH'S SPELL
Now I guess Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare, the nice oldgentleman bunny, have had plenty of time since I wrote the last story tothink what they would rather have from the pack, which the funny littleold man had untied as he rode along with them in the Bunnymobile.
"Now tell me what you'd like," he said again.
"I'll take a diamond pin," said the old gentleman rabbit.
"Give me a watch," cried the little bunny.
"A gold ring will suit me," said the little pig. "I can wear it like anearring in my nose."
"I'd like a purple velvet vest," said Prof. Jim Crow; "it will go verynicely with my black swallow-tail coat."
Then the funny little old man pulled out his hand, and, would youbelieve it? he handed Little Jack Rabbit a diamond pin. And then he puthis hand in the bag again and drew out a watch, a ring, and a lovelypurple vest.
"Goodness gracious me, but you are generous," said Uncle John Hare. "Howcan we ever repay you?"
"I will tell you," answered the little old man. "And I hope you will bewilling to do what I ask."
"Oh, dear me," thought Little Jack Rabbit, "I know he's going to ask usto do something dangerous."
"In yonder forest," said the little old man, "lives an old witch whokeeps in a wicker cage a lovely bird. Now this little bird is really mydaughter, but the wicked witch has cast a spell over her. And the onlyway she can be set free is for someone to touch her with a little blueflower which grows all by itself near a big oak tree, not far fromhere."
"I will fly away and bring back the flower," said Professor Jim Crow.
"Now then," said the funny little old man, "I will tell you what to do.The little pig must go around to the back of the witch's hut and dig upher garden, and when she runs out to send him away, you two rabbits hopup on the porch and carry off the cage. And as soon as you have it safein the Bunnymobile, come back to me. I will wait for you here."
Well, by this time, as Prof. Jim Crow had flown after the flower, thetwo little rabbits and the pig started off for the witch's hut and byand by, after a while, they stopped in the wood and got out. And whenthey were quite near, the little pig ran around to the back and began todig up the garden.
Pretty soon, the old witch ran out of the back door to chase the pig andby this time Little Jack Rabbit had placed the birdcage in theBunnymobile. But, oh dear me. Just as he and his uncle were driving awaythey heard a dreadful scream, and in the next story I'll tell you whathappened after that.
THE MAGIC FLOWER
"Come back, come back with my pretty bird, Or I'll change you both into a snake. How dare you act like a couple of thieves And my little pet blue bird take?"
And then the witch gave a dreadful scream, and jumping on herbroom-stick flew after Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare.
Now it may seem strange that a broom-stick can go as fast as aBunnymobile, but it did, just the same. And maybe a little faster, forpretty soon the old witch was alongside and stretching out her bony handtried to snatch up the cage with the little blue bird. But just then,all of a sudden, up came Professor Jim Crow with the magic blue flower,and as soon as he touched the little bird she changed into a lovelyprincess, and the old witch gave another dreadful scream and almost felloff her broom-stick. You see she was afraid of that little magic blueflower, for she knew if she came near it she would turn into a bat, andthat would be the end of her. So she flew away on her broom-stick, backto her hut in the wood.
Well, by this time they had reached the funny little old man with hispack who lost no time in touching the little magic flower, when, presto!chango! as the magician says, he turned into a handsome king, andthrowing his arms around the princess, cried, "My dearest daughter! Atlast you are free!" And then he turned to the two little rabbits andProf. Jim Crow. "How shall I ever repay you?"
"Don't mention it again," said the old gentleman bunny. "We are all gladto have helped you; and besides, you gave us all a present."
Just then the little pig came up, much out of breath, for he had run allthe way from the witch's house.
Pretty soon the king and the princess drove off in a great coach drawnby four milk white horses, after saying good-by to the bunnies, the crowand pig. And not so very long, they heard a voice singing:
"My little white dress I have washed so clean, I will iron the ruffles in between, And when the prince comes riding along, I'll sing my prettiest fairy song."
"Who is singing?" asked the little rabbit, and they stopped theBunnymobile and knocked at the door of a little house they spied in thewood and in less than five seconds, it was opened by a little girl.
"Come in," she said, "I've never seen such nice rabbits before." And inthe next story you shall hear what happened after that.
THE RIBBON TREE
In the story before this I told you how a little girl opened the door ofher cottage when the two little rabbits went rat-a-tat-tat three times.And you remember she was singing a song about her pretty ruffled dresswhich she meant to put on before the prince came riding by. Well, assoon as the two little rabbits sat down in the parlor, the little girlsaid:
"I have a little tree, on which silk ribbons grow; Some are red as roses, some are white as snow. And some are yellow, pink and blue, Come, I'll show my tree to you."
And then she led Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare into her gardenand showed them this wonderful tree. It certainly was a beautiful tree,just covered with little silk ribbons of many colors and on the topmostbranch Bobbie Redvest had a nest full of little blue eggs.
And while they stood there admiring this wonderful tree, five littledwarfs ran into the garden and said:
"We want a yard of ribbon As blue as sunny sky, Two yards of purple color And three of crimson dye."
Then the little girl took a pair of silver scissors from her pocket andclipped off the ribbons. And wasn't it wonderful? No sooner had she cutoff a piece than another grew in its place. And after she had rolled upthe ribbons in a neat package, the five little dwarfs each took adiamond out of his pocket and gave it to her, and then they hurried awaywithout a word to the two little rabbits.
"They never speak to anyone except in poetry," said the little girl,"and maybe they were too bashful to think of a rhyme for you."
"I'd like to buy a blue ribbon for a tie," said Uncle John Hare.
"I will give you one for nothing," said the little girl, "if you willtake me in your Bunnymobile to the One-Two-Three-Cent Store in CatnipCity."
"All right," answered Uncle John Hare. So the little girl cut off apiece of blue ribbon and tied it around his neck and then off they wentto the One-Two-Three-Cent Store.
The Little Girl Tied a Ribbon Around Uncle John Hare'sNeck.]
"I sell these ribbons for Pussy Cats and Bow-wow Dogs," she said,opening a box which she carried under her arm. "Then I buy groceries andshoes for myself, and some day when the prince comes riding by on hisbig white horse he will stop to see me, and then maybe he'll ask me tomarry him, and I shall be a princess. But I shall take my little magictree with me and plant it in the castle garden, for it is my luckycharm." And in the next story, just wait until you hear what happens.
THE FAIRY CAT
When the two little rabbits and the little girl reached theOne-Two-Three-Cent Store in Catnip City, they all jumped out of theBunnymobile. Now, I don't believe I ever told you about theOne-Two-Three-Cent Store. It was kept by a Fairy Cat, whose name wasTabby Tiny Cat. And all the fairies for miles
around bought things ather store, for she kept every kind of a thing--candies made of honeydew, nuts and maple sugar, Sunbeam Taffy and Moonlight Marshmallows, aswell as Cobweb Laces and pretty moss rugs and Sugar Maple Icicle Candy.
"Come in, come in," said the Fairy Cat.
"I've things for a penny and some for two, and others for three, nowwhat will it be?"
"Let me look around first," said Little Jack Rabbit. "Mrs. Daisy Duck,my uncle's housekeeper, makes all the good things we want to eat, butmaybe you will have something we'd like to buy." So while he and UncleJohn Hare looked around, the little girl showed the lovely Magic TreeRibbons to the Fairy Cat who said:
"I'll take them all, for the Fairy Cats will need bows for Easter." Thenthe little girl bought flour and sugar and a pair of little red shoes,and a dainty sunbonnet with a yellow butterfly on it. And then she wasready to go home. But the two little rabbits were still looking aroundtrying to find something which they could buy for Mrs. Daisy Duck.
Pretty soon a Yellow Bird in a wicker cage began to sing:
"Buy a fairy dewdrop pin Your purple tie to fasten in."
"Good," said Uncle John Hare, "that's what I want."
"Buy a silver tick-tock watch To tell the time of day. You'll find it very useful When riding miles away,"
sang the little bird.
"That's the very thing," exclaimed Little Jack Rabbit. And as soon asthey had paid the Fairy Cat, they all jumped into the Bunnymobile andstarted back for the little girl's house where in the garden grew theMagic Ribbon Tree I told you about in the last story.
But, oh dear me. Just as they drew up at the front gate, they saw theRagged Rabbit Giant behind the house. "Oh, dear," said the little girl."He will pick off all the lovely ribbons. What shall I do?"
Well, just then, all of a sudden, a big tremendous long snake crawledout from behind a tree. And in the next story, you shall hear whathappened after that.
THE BIG BLACK SNAKE
"I'm as strong as an iron rope I can bind a giant fast; If I coil like a belt around his waist, I can make him breathe his last,"
sang the Big Black Snake just as I finished the last story.
"Then help us," said Little Jack Rabbit, "for the Ragged Rabbit Giant ispicking all the lovely ribbons from the little girl's magic tree."
"Keep quiet," said the snake, "and I will glide around into the gardenand see what I can do."
So Uncle John Hare, Little Jack Rabbit and the little girl hid behind alilac bush. And pretty soon, not so very long, they heard a dreadfulnoise. Oh, dear me, yes. And in another minute the Ragged Rabbit Giantran out of the garden with the big snake coiled about his waist.
Now the Ragged Rabbit Giant was tremendously strong, and the snake foundit hard work to squeeze the breath out of him. But, just the same,Ragged Rabbit Giant was mighty uncomfortable, let me tell you. Andpretty soon he said in a whisper:
"If you will tell this dreadful snake To bother me no more, I'll never pass this way again Nor knock upon your door."
"Shall I let him go?" asked the snake, winking his left eye at UncleJohn Hare. "First make him give us a promise," answered the wise oldgentleman rabbit. So the big bunny giant made a solemn vow never tobother them again.
"You are a very kind snake," said the little girl, "I will give you someribbons for your children's Easter bonnets." And she ran into the gardenand with her silver scissors clipped off some pretty ribbons and gavethem to the snake, who then glided away to his home.
Just then the sound of a bugle was heard and the little girl cried:
"Here comes the prince on his snow-white steed As my godmother told me he would, To take me away to his castle gay In the midst of the whispering wood."
And sure enough, in a few minutes the prince came by and asked thelittle girl to come to his castle. So she pulled up the Magic RibbonTree and locked the door of her little house, and then the handsomeprince lifted her up on the saddle and rode away to the castle. And assoon as the little girl was seated behind him she grew into a beautifulyoung princess. And in the next story, oh, just wait until you hear whathappens.
THE SUGAR BARREL
Said Mrs. Daisy Duck one day, "The sugar all has gone away The ants have made a call I fear, And taken it away from here."
"Never mind," said Uncle John Hare, the old gentleman rabbit, "perhapsthey couldn't buy any lollypops at the One-Two-Three-Cent Store."
"But what am I to do?" asked Mrs. Daisy Duck. "I must have sugar to makeAngel cake."
"If that's the case," said the old gentleman bunny, "I'll motor over toTurnip City and buy some." So he and Little Jack Rabbit jumped into theBunnymobile and away they went, and after a while, and maybe a mile, anda laugh and a smile, they stopped at the Big Grocery Store.
Now the manager of the sugar department was a very nice pig, and when headvised Uncle John Hare to take a barrel of sugar instead of threepounds for twenty-five cents, the old gentleman rabbit said all right,he would. But, goodness me. They had a dreadful time getting that heavybarrel into the Bunnymobile. But after a while they rolled it up on theback seat, and then they started off for home. But, goodness me again!They had gone but a little way when, all of a sudden, just like that, avoice sang out:
"What have you got in that barrel That sits up so straight on the seat. You'd have a close call if it happened to fall On top of your four little feet."
"Who are you?" asked the old gentleman bunny, stopping the Bunnymobileand looking all about him. But he couldn't see anybody, and neithercould the little rabbit, although he put up his spyglasses and lookedover the top of a tall oak tree.
"Here I am," said the voice, and all of a sudden, just like that, a bighoney bee flew out of a flower.
"Ha, ha!" laughed the old gentleman rabbit, "I guess you smelt sugar. Wehave enough in that barrel to last for maybe a year and a day, as theysay in Fairy Land."
"I will give you a box of honey for two pounds of sugar," said the bee."Mr. Bee told me this morning that he was tired of honey in his coffee."
"Get in the Bunnymobile and come with us," said the old gentleman bunny."When we get there I'll open the barrel and give you some." So away theywent and soon they came across an old rag doll lying in the dusty road.
"Goodness me," exclaimed the old gentleman rabbit, "she must havefainted." And, sure enough, this was the case, for as soon as she waslifted into the Bunnymobile she opened her eyes and said: "In the nextstory I'll tell you how I was lost by a little girl with a bluesunbonnet."
THE YELLOW DOG TRAMP
"I'm a plain rag doll in a dress of blue, And I've been lost, an hour or two By a little girl with a curly head Who will cry for me when she goes to bed."
This is what the Rag Doll said to the two little rabbits who picked herup in the last story, you remember.
"Dear me!" exclaimed the old gentleman bunny. "What's the name of thelittle girl?"
"Lucy Locket," said the Rag Doll. And then Little Jack Rabbit began tolaugh, for he had once read of a little Lucy Locket who had lost herpocket, and he remembered that she lived not far away. So he steered theBunnymobile while the old gentleman bunny talked to the Rag Doll, and byand by, not so very long, they came to a pretty house, and right thereon the front porch sat a little girl crying.
"Hello, don't cry; wipe your eye!" shouted kind Uncle John Hare. "Wehave found your rag dolly!" And in another minute the Rag Dolly was inthe little girl's arms.
"Good-by," said the two little rabbits, and they drove away to findanother adventure, and pretty soon they found one. Oh, my yes! TheYellow Dog Tramp came out of the wood and said:
"I've been tramping, tramping, tramping For many a weary mile; Across the way, through fields of hay, And through the old turnstile. Oh, won't you take me for a ride? I've a dreadful pain in my poor old side."
"Jump in," said the old gentleman rabbit with a kind smile. "Y
ou're notthe kind of a dog who bothers little bunnies."
"No, I'm not," answered the Yellow Dog Tramp, "I'd like to find a nicehome and stay there."
"Well, you come with us," said the little bunny. "You can clean theBunnymobile and work in the garden."
"Hurrah!" barked the Yellow Dog Tramp. "I feel like a boy again already,I used to do those things before I became a hobo doggy."
Well, by this time they were almost home, and in less than five hundredmore short seconds they were in the garage where the old gentlemanrabbit fixed up a little room for the Yellow Dog Tramp, with a lookingglass at one end and a little white bed at the other.
"Now you brush your coat and trousers and part your hair in the middleand then come in to supper," said the old gentleman rabbit. And in thenext story you shall hear what happened after that.
"ALWAYS TRUST THE FAIRIES"
Uncle John's little garden Is full of bright flowers And the fairies play tag Through all the bright hours.
"Dear me," said the Yellow Dog Tramp, to himself, peeping out of thegarage, where we left him in the last story, "they seem to be having afine time!" And he sighed, for he was thinking of another garden up inVermont and the old farm where he was a boy, long ago, before he had runaway from home.
"Who's eye is watching us?" cried one of the fairies, all of a sudden,just like that. And then, of course, all these little people stoppedplaying but they couldn't see anything but the Yellow Dog Tramp's righteye, which, I forgot to tell you, was peeping through a tiny knothole.
