The Fairy School of Castle Frank

by Grant Balfour

  CHAPTER IV.

  THE ADVICE OF HUG-GRIPPY, THE AFFECTIONATE.

  The class was just finishing when Hug-grippy, the chief of the Chippewabears, appeared upon the scene. He had come on a friendly visit, andto get a breakfast of ripe raspberries and honey that Robin hadpromised him for saving the white pony, Plumpy, from the horns of ahuge elk. He had indulged in a recent meal evidently, for his ribsbulged out so much and so comically that Chattie shrieked with laughterand cried out--

  "There is more nourishment in fasting sometimes than in eating overmuch."

  Hug-grippy himself laughed, although had he been thin-skinned he wouldnot, but he was good-natured, and looking up he merely remarked thatMiss Chattie appeared to him to be uttering a contradiction in some wayor other. For his entertainment the teacher gave the class anotherquestion in division, and Hug-grippy wondered at their cleverness.

  "As for me," said he, "I am bad at any kind of counting, but I can't dodivision at all. I suppose it's because I----"

  "like everything to myself," said Chattie, finishing his sentence andlaughing a her own joke.

  When Robin told his class to count the bear's toes, they all jumpedfrom their seat and seized his feet, and before he could recover fromhis mock alarm he was astonished to learn what he never could find outfor himself--that he had no fewer than twenty toes. Then the friskiesjumped upon his great back and head like a lot of monkeys. During thefun and confusion that followed, Black Ribbon ran to his home (whichwas close by) and begged a nut from his mamma; then returning quickly,he stood upon his hind legs and duly presented it to Hug-grippy. Thegreat bear looked down, and patting the little fellow on the head,remarked, with a broad grateful smile, that he was a dear wee boy, fitto be at the head of his class, if for kindness only. Then turning toRobin he said--

  "I think you should get up a kindness class, and (with a sly twinkle atChattie) I shall come along often, not to talk and joke like somepeople, but to give the class an opportunity of putting their learninginto practice."

  "Very good advice," replied Robin.

  Encouraged by this, Hug-grippy continued--

  "There is too much teaching of the head in this world, and too littleacting of the heart. Is it not intended that every bit of us should beexercised? If people neglect kindness, that fine feeling will die."

  "Hear, hear," said Robin, "you have spoken well."

  "Mind, master Robin," answered Bruin earnestly, "I am not hintinganything against your class, for the friskies need head treatment, andI am sure you show them in your own life how to be kind; but they willbe all the better of doing as well as seeing, and so I have humblysuggested a class for the exercise of the faculty of kindness."

  "Thank you, Hug-grippy, the idea is capital. I will raise such a classvery soon, and put my best arithmetic-pupils into it by way of reward."

  "Yes," replied Bruin, "the cleverest often need it most, to restore theproper balance between head and heart; and put Chattie in it," he addedwith a funny smile, as he lay down on the grass with his nose betweenhis toes.

  "And Hug-grippy too," cried Chattie.

  "Oh no," said the bear, "I am trained."

  "But you require to keep up your education, Mr. Bruin."

  "True, very true," replied Hug-grippy quietly, "but too much exerciseis bad, and I need an occasional rest. Besides, my dear, the classmust have someone to work upon, someone to whom to be kind." Puttingone of his great paws over his eyes he looked through his claws atRobin, and with a modest but humorous smile added--

  "And if I might venture to speak of myself, I may mention that I am notunfavorable to honey."

  "Oh you cunning rascal," cried the parrot.

  "Hush," said the white pony, putting back her ears, "hush, hush."

  And Robin laughed.