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Title: Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare
Author: David Cory
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LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE JOHN HARE
by
DAVID CORY
Author of Little Jack Rabbit's Adventures, Little Jack Rabbit and Danny
Fox, Little Jack Rabbit and the Squirrel Brothers, Little Jack Rabbit
and Chippy Chipmunk, Little Jack Rabbit and the Big Brown Bear, Little
Jack Rabbit and Professor Crow
_LITTLE JACK RABBIT BOOKS_
(Trademark Registered)
Illustrated by H. S. Barbour
New York
Grosset & Dunlap
Publishers
Made in the United States of America
Copyright, 1922, by
Grosset & Dunlap
[Illustration: The Bunnymobile Horn Made Giant Rabbit Stop His Ears and
Shut His Eyes.]
CONTENTS
UNCLE JOHN HARE
A USEFUL GUMDROP
THE RAGGED RABBIT GIANT
JACK SPRITE
THE WOODLAND ELF
"FEE, FIE!"
THE OLD WITCH
STRAWBERRIES
MRS. ANT
MORE ADVENTURES
THE WISHING EGG
MAGIC BOOTS
THE TINY COBBLER
FIREFLY LANTERNS
INVITATIONS
UNCLE JOHN HARE'S PARTY
THE LITTLE RING
DOCTOR CAT
THE BIG BLACK BEAR
CHICKEN CITY
MRS. WILDCAT
PROFESSOR CROW
THE WITCH'S SPELL
THE MAGIC FLOWER
THE RIBBON TREE
THE FAIRY CAT
THE BIG BLACK SNAKE
THE SUGAR BARREL
THE YELLOW DOG TRAMP
"ALWAYS TRUST THE FAIRIES"
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE BUNNYMOBILE HORN MADE GIANT RABBIT STOP HIS EARS AND SHUT HIS EYES.
THE WISHING EGG BRINGS NEW CLOTHES TO PROFESSOR CROW.
JACK SPRITE AND FOREST FAY ARRIVE AT UNCLE JOHN HARE'S PARTY.
THE LITTLE GIRL TIED A RIBBON AROUND UNCLE JOHN HARE'S NECK.
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE JOHN HARE
UNCLE JOHN HARE
"Heigh-ho," said Little Jack Rabbit to himself one bright morning, "how
happy I'd be if I could find Uncle John Hare." And then, all of a sudden
he came to a sign by the road on which was printed in big red letters:
"THREE MILES TO TURNIP CITY"
"Perhaps someone there can tell me where he lives," and the little
rabbit set out with a brave heart once more, and pretty soon, not so
very far, he came to a little house painted white, with green shutters
and a red chimney. And, goodness me! Before he could say "Winky pinky"
Uncle John Hare himself opened the door.
"How did you get here all by yourself? It's a long way from the Old
Bramble Patch," inquired the old gentleman rabbit.
Well, you can imagine how glad the little tired bunny was to find his
uncle, and for a long time he for got to ask him how he came to leave
the Sunny Meadow, and why he had bought this little house in Turnip
City. But, by and by, his uncle explained it all by saying he wished to
pass the rest of his days in quiet, far away from the Farmer's Boy and
Danny Fox.
"Now come around to the back of the house and I'll show you my little
garage," said the old gentleman bunny. "I have a Bunnymobile that goes
so fast you can't count the miles before you are home again." Wasn't
that a wonderful automobile to have? Well, I just guess it was. And
after the little rabbit had looked it over his uncle took him back in
the house and showed him the little room which was to be his as long as
he lived in Turnip City.
"Won't we have fine times together!" said the old gentleman rabbit, with
a laugh. "I've been waiting for just this happy moment. You and I can
travel all over together in sunshiny, snow-falling, rain-wetting
weather." And he slapped the little bunny's back and gave a hop, skip
and jump to one side, and then laughed some more, for he was as happy as
a clam at high tide, as an old fisherman used to say when I was a boy
not so very long ago, but just long enough to make me wish I were twenty
years younger, just the sam_ee_.
Well, after a while, it was bedtime, and the cuckoo came out of her
little clock-house and said:
"Time for bed, you sleepy head,
Don't sit up too late.
It won't be long before my song
Will make the clock strike eight."
And in the next story you shall hear what happened after that.
A USEFUL GUMDROP
The next morning when Little Jack Rabbit woke up for a moment he forgot
he was in Uncle John Hare's house, Turnip City, U.S.A. But in less than
five hundred short seconds he knew where he was, when the cuckoo came
out of her little clock-house and sang:
"Wake up, wake up! It's early morn,
The sun is sparkling the dew on the corn,
The little field mouse is looking about
And the little red rooster's beginning to shout,"
and his kind rabbit uncle looked in at the door and said:
"The buckwheat cakes are sizzling hot,
The maple sugar's sweet,
So hurry up and dress yourself
So we'll have time to eat."
Well, you can just bet your last Liberty bond coupon the little bunny
didn't linger in bed, but dressed himself as fast as a fireman and was
down at the breakfast table before his uncle had eaten more than
thirteen buckwheat cakes.
As soon as the old gentleman rabbit's housekeeper, Mrs. Daisy Duck, had
cleared away the table and made out a list for the grocer, these two
happy rabbits hopped into the Bunnymobile and started off for Turnip
City to buy sugar and flour and maybe a bag of animal crackers.
Well, they had gone only just so far when they met little Red Riding
Hood on her way to her grandmother's.
"Jump in and we'll save you maybe a mile," said the old gentleman
rabbit. "But we must keep a sharp lookout for Mr. Wicked Wolf!" So in
jumped little Red Riding Hood and then off they went. But, oh dear me!
In a little while they saw the big bad wolf creeping along among the
trees.
"Never mind," said the old gentleman rabbit. "He won't dare touch us
while we're in the Bunnymobile!" But just the same he felt a little bit
worried, let me tell you, and so would you and so would I if we met a
wolf out automobiling.
"We'll play a little trick on him," said the old gentleman rabbit, and
he opened his tool box and took out a gumdrop as large as a baseball.
"Now if he comes too near I'll throw it to him and he'll snap it up, and
before he knows it his long teeth will be stuck in so tight he won't be
able to open his mouth for a week and a month!" And the next minute this
is just what happened.
"Here's a little gumdrop for you," said the old gentleman rabbit. And
the ugly wolf snapped it up in his teeth. But when he tried to open his
mouth he couldn't. All he could do was to try to get it out with his
paws, and in the next story you will hear what happened after that.
THE RAGGED RABBIT GIANT
Oh, the Bunnymobile's a wonderful car;
It goes just as fast as a swift shooting star,
And every one says, with a toss of his cap
That Uncle John Hare's a lucky old chap.
And now you remember how the last story ended; although in case you
don't I'll tell you. Little Jack Rabbit was riding with his dear uncle,
Mr. John Hare, of Turnip City, U. S. A.
Well, pretty soon they stopped in front of a grocery store and Little
Red Riding Hood, who was with them, you remember, jumped out and went to
call on her grandmother, who lived in a little house in the wood.
"Now, let me see," said the old gentleman rabbit, taking out of his
pocket the piece of paper on which his housekeeper, Mrs. Daisy Duck, had
written the things she wanted him to buy at the grocery store:
"I want a pound of chocolate prunes,
Four dozen ice cream cones,
A pound or two of sugar glue
Some raisins without stones."
"Here they are, Mr. John Hare," said the saleslady, who was a slim young
tabby cat, and she handed him the package nicely done up with pink
ribbons. So off went the two little rabbits in their Bunnymobile. But,
oh, dear me! On their way home whom should they meet but the Ragged
Rabbit Giant of the Skyhigh Mountain. He had just climbed down to take a
look over Turnip City, which is on the other side of the Sippi River,
you know.
"Hey, hey!" he shouted. "Where are you going?"
"I guess I'd better stop," said the old gentleman rabbit. "I don't want
to be impolite, but neither do I want to be foolhardy, and it certainly
is risky talking to a giant." But, oh, dear me; while he was thinking
this over the Ragged Rabbit Giant took one long step and stood beside
them.
"Well, well, well," he said with a low bow, "if this isn't the little
bunny who once made me a visit."
And then he laughed so loud that the trees trembled. "What have you got
in that paper bag tied up so nicely?" And he stretched out his big hand
to take it, when the old gentleman rabbit made the Bunnymobile horn go
off just like a gun which so frightened the Giant Rabbit that he put his
fingers to his ears and shut his eyes. And before you could say Jack
Robinson the old gentleman bunny started up the Bunnymobile and was
almost home when the giant opened them again. And in the next story you
shall hear what happened after that.
JACK SPRITE
"Oh, dear me," said Mrs. Daisy Duck, Uncle John Hare's old lady
housekeeper, you know, "why don't they get home?" and she looked up and
down the road, but she couldn't see the Bunnymobile anywhere.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear, I feel so queer,
I wonder what can be the matter;
It's quarter past eight and supper is late;
I'm so worried I'll never grow fatter."
And then that kind-hearted, anxious duck went into the kitchen to see if
the lollypop cookies were burning. And just then, all of a sudden, she
heard the honk! honk! of the Bunnymobile horn and she gave a quack of
relief and made the turnip tea.
"Ha, ha," said Uncle John Hare, stepping into the kitchen. "Sorry we are
late, but we met the Ragged Rabbit Giant on our way home and were
detained." Well, pretty soon he and Little Jack Rabbit sat down to
supper, and when that was over they both went into the sitting room and
made the pianograph play a new tune.
But just then, all of a sudden, they heard a little voice at the
keyhole, such a tiny little low voice that at first the little rabbit
hardly heard it.
Again the tiny voice came through the keyhole:
"Open the door and let me in
I'm hardly as tall as a little tin pin."
"Who are you?" asked Uncle John Hare, getting up from his chair and
going over to the door. And then the little voice spoke again. "I'm
little Jack Sprite."
So the old gentleman bunny opened the door, and there stood the
prettiest little fairy you ever saw. He was dressed in blue, with a tiny
green cap on his head, and long pointed turned up shoes.
"I suppose you wonder what brings me here," he said, bowing very
politely. "Well, I'll tell you. Somebody has broken the
jack-in-the-pulpit flower I live in, and while I was looking for a new
home I spied the little light in your window. So I said to myself,
'Perhaps it's a firefly's lantern, then, maybe, it isn't, but I'll go
and find out.'"
Then little Jack Sprite hopped up on a chair and crossed his legs. But
goodness me. He didn't half fill the chair, although it was the smallest
one in the house.
And maybe he would have fallen asleep by and by if the two little
rabbits hadn't sent him upstairs to bed, and in the next story you shall
hear what happened in the middle of the night.
THE WOODLAND ELF
The little gray mouse came out of her house
Just at the hour of twelve.
And what she saw on the moonlit floor
Was a tiny woodland elf.
"S-s-sh!" he said, as the little mouse blinked her eyes, frightened, I
suppose, at seeing such a strange sight. "Don't wake up the little
rabbit."
"What do you want?" asked the little mouse. "Mr. John Hare is very kind
to me, and I don't want anything to happen to him."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the little elf, only very low, of course, so as not to
be heard. "How could I hurt a big rabbit?"
"I'm not so sure about that," replied the little mouse. "Sometimes
little things are more dangerous than big ones," and she tried to look
very wise instead of a little bit frightened.
"Don't be worried," said the elf, "I'll tell you why I'm here. Jack
Sprite, who lives in a jack-in-the-pulpit flower in the wood, is asleep
upstairs. I must see him before the big red rooster crows at three
o'clock."
"Mercy me," said the little mousie. "I didn't know there was a fairy
upstairs. What's this house coming to? A fairy upstairs and a fairy
downstairs. The first thing you know there'll be a giant in the garage."
"Never mind," whispered the elf, walking over to the door. "I must go
upstairs and wake Jack Sprite. Otherwise something dreadful is going to
happen." And so up he climbed on his tiptoes to the spare room where the
little fairy lay asleep in a big feather bed.
"Gracious me!" said the elf to himself. "I shall have to climb up the
bedpost," and up he went like a telephone man, only of course he didn't
have any spikes in the heels of his shoes. And it was just as well he
didn't, for he certainly would have scratched off all the nice varnish.
"Twinkle, twinkle, firefly, like a lantern in the sky," he sang, very
soft and low. And pretty soon Jack Sprite opened his eyes and when he
saw the little elf, wasn't he surprised.
"Come, Jack, you must be quick. The Ragged Rabbit Giant is gathering all
the Jack-in-the-pulpit flowers and pretty soon there won't be one left."
"But how can I stop him?"
"Come with me," said the little elf. "I'll help you." So they both
opened the window and slid down a moonbeam. Well, pretty soon, the
little gray mouse grew impatient. So she ran upstairs to see what they
were about, and in the next story you shall hear what happened after
that.
"FEE, FIE!"
"The moonlight shone on the bedroom floor
As the little gray mouse peeked in through the door,
But the little fairy I told you about
Had opened the windows and just gone out.
So the little gray mouse had nothing to do
But close it again to keep out the flu."
Then she softly stole downstairs so as not to waken Little Jack Rabbit,
and after eating a cheese sandwich went to bed. And now I suppose you
are wondering what became of the little elf and the tiny fairy I
mentioned in the story before this. Well, I'll tell you right away.
As soon as they slid off the moonbeam, they scampered away to the
forest where the big Ragged Rabbit Giant was stealing all the
Jack-in-the-pulpit flowers he could lay hands on.
"Now hide behind this tree and I'll creep under this bush," said the
little elf, "and when the Ragged Rabbit Giant comes by you blow your
policeman's whistle and I'll blow mine, and I guess that will so
frighten him that he'll never come here again."
Pretty soon, not so very long, they heard a sharp crashing of branches
and a big thumping on the ground, and then, all of a sudden, the Ragged
Rabbit Giant appeared.
"Fee, fie, china and delf,
I smell the blood of a little elf,
Fie, fee, left, right,
I smell the blood of a little sprite."
And, goodness me. Little Jack Sprite and the tiny elf were so frightened
that they almost forgot to blow their policeman whistles. And I guess
they would have if a little round-eyed owl hadn't tooted:
"Blow your whistles quick I say,
And frighten this Rabbit Giant away!"
Goodness me, again! Then how they did blow their whistles, and the Giant
almost jumped through his collar, and before you could say Jack
Robinson, ran back to his castle and climbed into his big folding bed.
"Now I guess our Shady Forest will be as quiet as Philadelphia," said
the tiny elf. And little Jack Sprite said, "Maybe he has left one
Jack-in-the-pulpit flower in which I can make my home." Then they both
came out from their hiding places and before very long, just a little
while, Jack found a Jack-in-the-pulpit flower. So he was all right and
as happy as could be, and as the little elf had a home in a big oak
tree, he said good-by and ran away just as the little Red Rooster began
to crow.
THE OLD WITCH
"Come, let's go for a ride in the Bunnymobile," said Uncle John Hare.
"The wind is blowing from the west,
And I've got on my new pink vest,
We'll go through Fairy Land, I guess,
Maybe a thousand miles or less."
And the old gentleman bunny curled his whiskers and winked at Mrs. Daisy
Duck, his old lady housekeeper.
"Well, be sure and get back in time for supper," she said as he and
Little Jack Rabbit hopped into the Bunnymobile and rode away.
By and by, after a while, and a laugh and a smile, they came to a queer
little house in the wood, so the two little rabbits hopped out and
knocked on the door, which was opened by a little girl dressed in blue.
"Good morning," she said, with a courtesy. "Come in and see
grandmother." Now her grandmother was a witch, but one of those nice
kind witches you seldom hear about. She didn't have a crooked nose, nor
a turned-up chin, and her back wasn't humped at all. She really was very
nice-looking, indeed, for her blue eyes were kind and her voice sweet
and low.
"What can I do for you two gentlemen bunnies?" she asked, taking up her
knitting and making the needles fly so fast that they wondered how she
could keep from making a slip now and then, and sometimes oftener.
"We're looking for strawberries," answered Little Jack Rabbit.
"Oh, ho!" said the nice old witch, "so that's what you're after. Don't
you know that this isn't the time of year for strawberries?"
"I thought they grew all the year 'round in Fairy Land," said Uncle
Hare.
"Well, I know where you may find some, but you'll have to sweep away the
snow," said the nice old witch. "Go down to the meadow by the River
Sippi, and then up a little hill, on the top of which stands a tiny
house. Knock on the door and ask Tim Woodman to show you his strawberry
patch."
"Thank you," said Uncle John Hare, and he drove away with his little
nephew 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. I
guess he wanted the strawberries for himself. But anyway, when kind
Uncle John Hare offered to give him a ride in the Bunnymobile, Tim led
them around to the rear of his house, and taking a broom began to sweep
away the snow. And in the next story you shall hear what happened after
that.
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 a
little snow fairy jumped out from behind a bush and said: "Brush away
the snow, Tim Woodman, and you'll find red, ripe strawberries." And sure
enough 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 take
you for a ride in the Bunnymobile." And then the two little rabbits rode
away, carefully holding the box of strawberries, and pretty soon they
came to their little house, where Mrs. Daisy Duck, their old
housekeeper, was waiting for them.
Goodness me! I wish you could have seen the strawberry shortcake she
made for supper. But perhaps it's just as well you couldn't, for I'm not
sure you would have been invited to have a piece.
Well, the next morning Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare set off
again in the Bunnymobile, and after they had gone for maybe a mile or
more they came to a cave, outside of which sat a queer little dwarf
dressed in green, with a red-peaked hat on his head. His long white
beard was covered with snowflakes and his bright black eyes twinkled
merrily.
"Hello, little rabbits," he called out. "What are you doing so far away
from 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 he
shook the snow from his beard and opened a little door. The two little
rabbits 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--boots
and breeches, coats and hats, and one little mouse carried a cane. I
guess he was the leader of these little mice men, for they all seemed to
do just exactly what he did.
"I never would have invited you in," said the little dwarf, "if I hadn't
trusted you not to tell the Farmer's big Black Cat."
"Ha, ha!" laughed Uncle John Hare, "I don't believe Black Cat has caught
a mouse since Little Jack Rabbit kicked him over."
And this made the dwarf smile, for he had just read about it in a book
called "Little Jack Rabbit's Adventures." But he didn't have time to say
so to Uncle John Hare, for just then the little mice began to sing the
song you shall hear in the next story.
MRS. ANT
Now let's put our heads together and try to think where we left off in
the last story. Oh, yes, now I remember. Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle
John Hare were in the Dwarf's cave listening to the little mice sing
about 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 of
cheese and said good-by to the dwarf, and after he and Uncle John Hare
had gone for maybe a mile, the Bunnymobile all of a sudden, just like
that, stopped right in the middle of the road and wouldn't go a step
further.
"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 tiny
ant, dressed in a pink calico gown and a purple sunbonnet.
"Goodness me!" exclaimed Uncle John Hare, "it's a good thing the
Bunnymobile saw you in time, because I didn't. Maybe I'd better buy
myself 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 which
was three miles away, and so were the two little rabbits, so all three
started off again, and by and by, they stopped in front of the bakery
shop.
"Thank you very kindly, gentlemen," said Mrs. Ant, "it would have taken
me a long time to have walked those three miles. Maybe some day I can do
you a good turn!" And dropping them a courtesy, she went in to buy a
cookie and maybe a jelly tart.
"Where shall we go now?" asked the old gentleman bunny, putting on his
goggles 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 off
they 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 had
only 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 the
next 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 their
pretty fur habits."
"You won't eat either one of us," said Little Jack Rabbit, taking his
popgun from his knapsack. "Do you remember what happened to your brother
when 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 still
closer. But the little rabbit never winked an eyelash; he just waited
till 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. "I
don't feel much like sightseeing. Let's turn the Bunnymobile around and
get 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 Crow
sitting on a fence.
"Goodness me!" exclaimed Little Jack Rabbit, "he looks just like that
naughty 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. "It
was a cousin of mine. Will you give me a ride in your Bunnymobile? I'll
tell you something nice if you do."
"All right, jump in," said the old gentleman rabbit. "What's the nice
thing you mention?"
"Not very far from here lives a little yellow hen in a green house. I've
heard that she has a magic china egg which is as good as a wishing
stone. All you have to do is to hold it in your hand and make a wish and
the wish comes true."
"Let's make her a visit," said Little Jack Rabbit, and off they all went
to the yellow hen's house and if they reach there I will tell you all
about this wonderful wishing egg in the next story.
THE WISHING EGG
"Good morning," said Little Jack Rabbit as the little Yellow Hen opened
the door of her tiny green house. "Uncle John and I would like to see
your 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 as
long as you're all here, come in," and she led the way to the sitting
room. Over in the corner was a nest of nice clean straw, in which lay a
big china egg.
"Now you all come here and make a wish," she said, spreading her wings
over 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 Jack
Rabbit nor Uncle John Hare could decide what they wanted. But Prof. Jim
Crow could. Oh, my, yes! For all of a sudden in through the window came
a silk hat and a swallow tail coat and a big diamond pin.
[Illustration: The Wishing Egg Brings New Clothes to Professor Crow.]
"Ha, ha!" he laughed, "here are my wishes--one, two, three. Well, now
I'm as happy as happy can be," and in less than five hundred short
seconds 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 two
little bunnies. So Little Jack Rabbit wrinkled his little pink nose and
Uncle John Hare shut his eyes, and pretty soon they must have made their
wishes for in through the window came a lot of things--a pianograph, a
box 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 rabbit
with a smile, stroking his whiskers. "But what did you wish for?"
"Nothing at all," answered the little hen. "When you know you can get
whatever you want by just wishing you don't want anything. But maybe
some day I will, and then I'll wish, never fear." And after that she
combed her yellow curls, beg pardon, I mean her feathers--with her red
coral comb till she looked prettier than her picture, which hung over
the mantelpiece in a red plush frame.
"Some day I hope we'll be able to do you a good turn," said kind Uncle
John Hare as he and his little rabbit nephew hopped out to the
Bunnymobile. "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. Jim
Crow flew away by himself because he wanted to show his new clothes to
Mrs. Crow before supper. And in the next story you shall hear what
happened 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 up
the Bunnymobile.
"I don't see anybody," answered his little bunny nephew, "but there must
be 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 dwarf
wedged in between a tree and a big rock.
"Wait a minute! We'll see what we can do," and in less than five hundred
short seconds Little Jack Rabbit and his uncle were tugging away at the
little 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 that
I would lose my power."
"Are yours magic boots?" asked the old gentleman rabbit, looking down at
his own, which he considered about the finest in the world, let me tell
you.
"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 of
your 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 enough
to get away from a giant anyway." So both little rabbits gave a big tug
and out came the dwarf, but the boot was left behind, which made the
dwarf quite unhappy until he was asked to take a ride in the
Bunnymobile.
"There's an old cobbler who lives near here," said the dwarf. "Perhaps
he might make me a boot. I hear he's a very wonderful cobbler." So the
two little rabbits set off to find him and soon they came to a hut in
the middle of the wood, on the roof of which sat a little robin
redbreast singing. But what he said you must wait to hear in the next
story.
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 story
has lost one of his wonderful thousand league boots, you remember. And
if you don't, please take my word for it, as there won't be space enough
in this story to tell you how it happened.
"Let's go in and ask the price," said Uncle John Hare. So the two little
bunnies and the dwarf hopped out of the Bunnymobile and went into the
hut. On a wooden bench sat a tiny man dressed in a big leather apron and
red-peaked hat, busily making a boot. He didn't seem a bit surprised
when 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 are
making?"
"What will you give me for it?" asked Jim Cobbler, waxing his thread and
drawing it carefully through the holes he had just punched in the
leather.
"Rubies and diamonds," answered the dwarf, taking a bag from his pocket.
"Two diamonds and three rubies, five precious stones, the like of which
you have never seen."
"I will finish the boot in a short time," answered Jim Cobbler, "and
then you may try it on." And he set to work, and pretty soon, not so
very long, it was finished. And would you believe it, it fitted the
dwarf perfectly and matched his other boot exactly.
And as soon as he had paid for it, he walked outside and said in a
singing 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 Hare
could get out his spyglass.
"Well, well," laughed the wonderful shoemaker, coming to the door and
shading 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 had
done a good day's work, and maybe he had, for two diamonds and three
rubies are a fair price for one boot, although it may have a stride of a
thousand 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 along
with her, for I don't know how the two little rabbits would have reached
home if she hadn't lighted the way for them, for the Bunnymobile lantern
had gone out, you see.
"We must buy some new ones," said the old gentleman bunny. "We may be
arrested any night, and that would be most unpleasant." So the next
morning he and Little Jack Rabbit started off for Bunnyville and by and
by, after a while, they crossed the bridge that spanned Rabbit River,
which wasn't really much wider than a little brook, and stopped before a
hardware store.
"What kind of lanterns have you?" asked Uncle John Hare of the fat
Turkey 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 looking
at this and looking at that the old gentleman rabbit picked out two Jack
Lanterns.
"These will look scrumptious," he said. "I don't believe another car in
town will have one." And then they started off again down the road to
see 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 you
wonder 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 these
two nice bunnies wouldn't hurt him, and in the second place, he wore a
collar and belt of leather studded with sharp pointed tacks, which would
hurt anyone who tried to catch him.
"Helloa, Ben," said the old gentleman rabbit when the little mouse
opened the door. "Have you any green cheese?"
"Maybe, but I'm not sure. It is over two weeks since the Man in the Moon
was here," answered Benjamin Meadow Mouse, for that was his whole name,
you know, only everybody called him "Ben" for short, and the little mice
called him "Bennie."
Pretty soon he came out with a piece of cheese wrapped up in a napkin
and 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 and
stay till late," and then he turned the Bunnymobile around and away they
went. Pretty soon they passed through the wood, where Bobbie Redvest had
his nest.
"Come to my party tonight at eight, bring Mrs. Robin and stay till
late," said Uncle John Hare, and in the next story you shall hear what
happened after that.
INVITATIONS
You remember in the last story that Uncle John Hare was giving a party
and had invited Benjamin Meadow Mouse and Bobbie Redvest, to be there
early 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 all
around Uncle John's house, and if you didn't have a key to the little
gate, why, of course, you couldn't get in. But the old gentleman rabbit
had bought a thousand keys and to every one of his friends had given
one, and sometimes two, but not at the same time.
"Now who else shall we invite?" asked the old gentleman bunny, as they
rolled along with a laugh and a song.
"Jack Sprite," answered Little Jack Rabbit.
"Of course," laughed the old gentleman bunny, and he turned down the
shady dell where the Jack-in-the-pulpit flowers grew, and by and by he
came to the one in which Jack lived.
"Oh, yes, I'll come," he said, "and I'll stay late, until the rooster
crows at eight."
"All right," answered Uncle John Hare, "I don't care, but don't blame me
if I should fall asleep before that time," and then away went the
Bunnymobile and before very long the two little rabbits met the little
fairy who had once upon a time, not very many stories ago, slept in the
old gentleman rabbit's bed.
"Come to my party, come at eight,
And bring your key to my little front gate."
"I'll be there, never fear," laughed the little fairy, for Uncle John
Hare was noted for his wonderful parties.
"Now that makes three," said Little Jack Rabbit. "Shall we ask the
Ragged Rabbit Giant?"
"Sh-s-sh!" whispered the old gentleman bunny, "don't mention his name. I
have only ten pounds of cheese for the rarebit. He'd eat a ton at one
bite." Then they went on until they met Little Red Riding Hood.
"Come to my party, come at eight,
And bring your key to my little front gate."
"I'll be there," answered Little Red Riding Hood, and she ran down to
the village to buy a new gown.
"Now who else?" asked the old gentleman rabbit.
"Goodness me, yes, indeed, there's Bo Peep," said Billy Bunny. And in
the next story you shall hear about the party.
UNCLE JOHN HARE'S PARTY
You remember we left off in the last story just as the two little
rabbits were on their way to ask Bo Peep to come to their party. Well,
she said she would, of course, and then Uncle John Hare, the old
gentleman bunny, went to the telephone and called up Mother Goose and
invited her and all the little people of Mother Goose Land to his party.
"Come to my party, come at eight,
And bring your key to my little front gate,"
he added, before hanging up the receiver, for he didn't want anybody to
be disappointed, you know. But they would be, just the same, if they
forgot to bring their keys, for the old gentleman rabbit would never
open his front gate after eight.
"Now we had better hurry home to help Mrs. Daisy Duck get things ready
for tonight," and he changed places with his bunny nephew, who took the
wheel and steered the Bunnymobile, while kind Uncle John Hare looked
over the list of names to make sure no one had been left out, and pretty
soon, not so very long, they were home and as busy as could be getting
everything ready for the big party.
At eight o'clock, and maybe a few minutes before, the little front gate
began to rattle, and Mother Goose came up the walk, followed by
Goosey-Goosey-Gander and the Three Blind Mice, who held on to the
gander's tail feathers so as not to stub their toes on the front door
step.
Then pretty soon, the lock began to rattle again, and in came Jack
Sprite and the little Forest Fay, and before 13 minutes past 8 every one
was there. Well, by and by it came time to cut the big birthday cake in
which was hidden a little gold ring, and of course everyone hoped he
would find it in his piece of cake. But of course everybody except
Benjamin Meadow Mouse was disappointed, which tells you right away who
got the ring.
[Illustration: Jack Sprite and Forest Fay Arrive at Uncle John Hare's
Party.]
Now everything was going along as nicely as you please, when, all of a
sudden, there came a rap-tap-a-tap at the little front gate, and Mrs.
Daisy Duck, the old housekeeper, whispered:
"Somebody's knocking at the gate,
We won't let him in because it's too late;
No one gets in who has lost his key
No matter what time the hour may be."
But, goodness me. The knocking kept right on, only louder and louder,
and pretty soon a gruff voice said:
"I'm the Ragged Rabbit Giantman
Open the gate as quick as you can."
"What shall we do?" asked Mrs. Daisy Duck, who was a timid lady duck and
never felt safe unless she was out in the middle of Turnip City Lake.
And in the next story, if that big giant doesn't break down the gate,
I'll tell you what happened after that.
THE LITTLE RING
"If you don't open the gate, I'll step over the wall
It's not very high, and I'm pretty tall.
I guess you had better open the gate;
In case I get angry you'll find it too late."
"Oh, dear me!" said Mrs. Daisy Duck, "What shall we do?"
Then what do you suppose little Benjamin Meadow Mouse said? You'd never
guess. He ran out of the house, down to the gate, and called out to that
great big giant: "Have you a little boy at home?"
"I certainly have," replied the big immense giant rabbit.
"Then take this little ring to him," said Benjamin Meadow Mouse, handing
over the ring which he had just found in his piece of birthday cake, as
I told you in the last story.
"You are very kind," said the giant. "I'll go home at once and give it
to him." And away he went to climb up his mountain.
Well, after that, the birthday party broke up, and all the little guests
went home, but before Benjamin Meadow Mouse said good night, Little Jack
Rabbit gave him another ring, maybe a little prettier than the one in
the birthday cake.
The next morning when Mr. Merry Sun looked into the window he said:
"Wake up, wake up! little boy rabbit
Dress yourself in your white fur habit.
It's going to be a beautiful day
For I've driven the rain clouds all away."
"That's very nice of you, Mr. Merry Sun," said the little bunny, rubbing
his eyes, for he was still sleepy from the birthday party. Then, after a
yawn or two, he jumped out of bed, and pretty soon he was downstairs
with Uncle John Hare, reading the Bunnyville News.
Well, before very long, they were ready to go for a drive, so they
cranked up the Bunnymobile, and started off, and by and by, after a
while, and many a mile and a song and a smile, they met little Bobbie
Redvest who told them that the Cow That Jumped Over the Moon wasn't
feeling very well.
"Goodness me, that's too bad," said the old gentleman bunny. "I guess
I'll get the doctor." So off he went, with Little Jack Rabbit, and
pretty soon, not so very far, they came to the good doctor's house on
the corner of Lettuce Avenue and Pumpkin Square.
And in the next story you shall hear what happened after that.
DOCTOR CAT
Oh, Doctor Cat was very wise,
Oh, very wise was he.
He knew you'd smile in a little while
If tickled on the knee.
Well, I hope you remember where we left off in the last story, but in
case you don't, Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare had gone after
Doctor Cat to tell him that the Cow That Jumped Over the Moon was ill
with the rheumatism.
"That's pretty hard to cure," said the wise cat doctor after the little
bunnies had explained matters. "But I will get my little black bag and
go with you," and filling it full of little medicine bottles and boxes
of pills he put on his coat and hat and followed the two little rabbits
out to the Bunnymobile. Then they all started for Mrs. Cow's house in
Meadowville, on the corner of Corn Cob Avenue and Clover Street.
"I don't know what will happen if she never can jump over the moon
again," said Little Jack Rabbit. "Just think how disappointed all the
little boys and girls will be who read Mother Goose. Maybe the Little
Dog will never laugh again and the Dish won't run after the Spoon."
"I'll give her a jumping powder," said Dr. Cat. "That's all she needs.
Don't worry. I once treated a kangaroo for the same trouble," And he
began to purr as if nothing could worry him except, maybe, a big dog.
Well, pretty soon they came to Mrs. Cow's house, so the doctor jumped
out and went in. But, oh dear me, Mrs. Cow was sicker than he thought, I
guess, for he didn't come out for fifteen minutes, and maybe more.
"How is she?" inquired kind Uncle John Hare when the famous cat doctor
was once more seated in the Bunnymobile.
"She hasn't got rheumatism at all," he answered. "She bumped her foot on
the edge of the moon, but it will be all well in a few days."
By and by the two little rabbits and the famous cat doctor came to a
bridge where they found the old dog who took the toll ill with the flu.
"Let me off here," said Dr. Cat, "and you can go on your way." So the
two little bunnies crossed the bridge and stopped at a moving picture
theatre.
"There's going to be a show very soon," said a green parrot. "Get your
tickets. Don't be late. There won't be a seat by half past eight."
"Shall we go in?" asked the old gentleman rabbit.
And you don't suppose for a minute that Little Jack Rabbit answers "no"
in the next story, do you?
THE BIG BLACK BEAR
Now the Moving Picture to which Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare
went in the story before this was about a dog that barked at the moon
till the Man in the Moon threw him a bone, after which he sat out in the
backyard every night to catch the bones the Man in the Moon threw down
to him.
"I wish it had been about the little bird in the Moon Man's house," said
Little Jack Rabbit. "I don't care much about dogs."
Well, after that they both jumped into the Bunnymobile and started off
for home. But, oh dear me. They had gone only a little way, just so far,
when out from the wood jumped a big black bear.
"What are you doing out here by my wood?
Your Bunnymobile makes a noise
It will wake up my cub with its rub-a-dub-dub,
And frighten the little bird boys."
"No, it won't," answered the old gentleman rabbit. "Everybody in the
Shady Forest knows me. I've taken the fairies out for a drive. They like
it."
Well, when the Black Bear heard that he grew more sociable and pretty
soon he invited the two little bunnies to call. So Little Jack Rabbit
asked him to get in the Bunnymobile, and away they went to the bear's
home. And after a while, they saw among the trees a cute little log
house.
"That's where I live," said the Black Bear, and in less time than I can
take to tell it, they were all out of the Bunnymobile and seated in the
parlor.
"Now wait a minute and I'll see if my little cub is awake," said the big
Black Bear, and he went to the foot of the stairs to listen.
"Go to sleep, you naughty cub,
What makes you wriggle so?
You ought to be in Dreamy Land
Where pretty flowers grow."
"Sh-s-sh!" said the big Black Bear, motioning to Uncle John Hare. "Mrs.
Bear is singing him to sleep!" So the two little rabbits tiptoed out of
the log cabin and hopped into the Bunnymobile, and went softly away, for
they knew how hard it is for mothers to get their children to sleep and
they didn't want to make trouble for kind Mrs. Bear.
Well, pretty soon these kind little bunnies reached home, where Mrs.
Daisy Duck, their housekeeper, stood waiting on the front porch. It was
quite late and the Twinkle, Twinkle Star was shining down from the sky.
And next time if
The Man in the Moon doesn't lose a cent
And so is unable to pay his rent,
I'll tell you another story about these two little rabbits.
CHICKEN CITY
One morning as Uncle John Hare and his bunny nephew sat on the front
porch of their little house on the corner of Turnip Square and Lettuce
Avenue they saw a Yellow Hen walking down the road. She had on a pink
shawl and a purple sunbonnet and a pair of little red slippers.
"Cackle, cackle, what do you think,
I went to the store to buy some ink,
Paper and pen a letter to write,
But they told me they'd all sold out last night."
"So here I am," said the little Yellow Hen. "I must make you a call,"
and she hopped up on the porch and sat down in the rocking chair.
"Well, we're glad to see you," said the old gentleman rabbit. "How are
all the folks in Chicken City?"
"The old Red Rooster has the chicken pox," she answered. And when the
old gentleman rabbit heard that he was dreadfully sorry, for once upon a
time that very same rooster used to wake him up every morning for
breakfast.
"We'll take the Bunnymobile and go over to see him," he said. And in
less than 500 short seconds all three of them were driving toward
Chicken City. But, would you believe it, when they reached the old Red
Rooster's house they were told he had gone for a walk on the meadow. And
pretty soon they heard him say:
"I got over the chickenpox,
But I nearly had the flu
I'm so glad I'm well again--
Cock-a-doodle-do!"
"Too bad you took all this trip for nothing," said the Yellow Hen.
"Not a bit of it," answered the old gentleman bunny. "It's worth going a
thousand miles to hear my old friend crow again." And then he and Little
Jack Rabbit jumped into the Bunnymobile and started off for home. But
they had gone only a little way, maybe a mile and maybe less, when they
saw a little pig by the road-side, eating clover tops and wagging his
little curly tail to brush away the flies.
"Come, take a ride with us," shouted Little Jack Rabbit. So in jumped
the little pig and sat down on the back seat and then the old gentleman
bunny made the Bunnymobile go twice as fast to frighten the little pig.
But he wasn't scared. He lay back against the nice soft cushions and
took a lollypop out of his pocket and made believe he was smoking a
pipe. And when the old gentleman rabbit turned around, he nearly upset
the Bunnymobile he was so surprised.
And in the next story you shall hear what happened after that.
MRS. WILDCAT
The Bunnymobile went gliding along,
While the two little rabbits sang a song.
The little pig now and then joined in,
But, oh, dear me! his voice was thin.
"Stop that noise!" cried somebody, all of a sudden, just like that. And
from behind a bush a big wildcat jumped right out into the middle of the
road. And, oh dear me, again, and maybe once more, but she had dreadful
long teeth and sharp pointed claws.
"I won't stop," answered the old gentleman rabbit.
"Yes, you will," said the wildcat, "and what is more I'm going to eat
your friend Mr. Pig."
Goodness gracious me! That was a terrible thing to hear, especially if
you're a pig. And then with a leap that fierce wildcat landed in the
Bunnymobile. But, oh dear me, before she could touch him Little Jack
Rabbit picked up a big round rubber tire and threw it over that wicked
wildcat's head, and when she tried to get it off the little air valve
opened and blew in her eye until she couldn't see anything. And while
she had her eyes shut the old gentleman rabbit put a big chain around
her waist and padlocked it to the Bunnymobile.
"Now will you be good?" asked Little Jack Rabbit with a grin. "We'll
take you to the Catnip City jail and turn you over to the Policeman
Dog."
And away went the two little rabbits, but, let me tell you, before they
even started the little pig jumped over the seat and sat down beside
them, for he didn't want to stay with the big wildcat. Oh, dear no! Not
even if she were chained and padlocked.
Well, pretty soon, not so very long, although it seemed a month to the
little pig, they came to Catnip City, and in a few minutes after that
they stopped in front of the jail.
"What have you got here?" asked the Policeman Dog, coming out with his
club in his right paw. "Oh, I see, Mrs. Wildcat. I'm mighty glad you've
caught her." And he tickled her ear with his club and locked her up in a
cell.
"She won't bother anybody for thirty days," said the Policeman Dog.
And then away went the two little bunnies till they came to a farm where
a big turkey gobbler lived.
"Gobble, gobble, gobble!
Cried the great big turkey cock.
I'd like to find some one to darn,
The hole in my purple sock."
"Give it to me and I'll take it home to my housekeeper," said Uncle John
Hare. And in the next story you shall hear what happened after that.
PROFESSOR CROW
Now I forgot to tell you in the last story that as soon as the two
little rabbits reached the farm where the big Turkey Gobbler had a hole
in his purple sock, the little pig jumped out of the Bunnymobile and ran
around to the pigsty, and he was in such a hurry that he forgot all
about thanking them for the nice ride.
"Now I hope my housekeeper, Mrs. Daisy Duck, has some purple yarn," said
the old gentleman rabbit as the Turkey Gobbler handed over the sock with
the hole in it, "but if she hasn't I'll get some for her at the
One-Two-Three-Cent Store in Turnip City."
"You're very kind," answered the Turkey Gobbler. "Some day I'll do you a
favor."
Well, by and by, after a while, the two little rabbits came to a hill
which the Bunnymobile wouldn't go up. No, siree. It just stood still and
turned its two brass lamps around to see what the old gentleman rabbit
was going to do about it.
"Goodness gracious me!" he said. "Now what do you think is the matter.
Maybe it wants some gasoline to drink or maybe some milk. I'm sure I
don't know which!" And just then Professor Crow flew by and said:
"What is the matter with you, I say;
There's a wire stretched across the way,
Can't you see it from where you sit?
The two front wheels are caught by it."
"So there is," exclaimed Little Jack Rabbit. "Thank you, Professor
Crow."
"But how can we cut the wire?" asked the old gentleman rabbit. "I wish
Mrs. Daisy Duck were here with her work basket; we could borrow her
scissors."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the old black crow. "If you'll give me a ride I'll cut
the wire with my beak."
"That will be fine," said Uncle John Hare. "Go ahead and cut it, and
then jump in and we'll take you wherever you wish." In a few minutes
that clever black bird cut the wire in two, and then the Bunnymobile
went up the hill as nicely as you please. And when they reached the top
they met a little old man with a pack on his back. He was a very queer
looking person, not the least like a dwarf, but much smaller than a boy.
"Take me with you, good friends," he said. "I will reward you with a
present from my pack."
"Jump in," said Little Jack Rabbit. "You may sit with Professor Crow on
the back seat." So the little old man crawled in, bundle and all, and
after a while he undid the string that tied the bag and put his hand
inside.
"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 old
gentleman bunny, have had plenty of time since I wrote the last story to
think what they would rather have from the pack, which the funny little
old 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 an
earring in my nose."
"I'd like a purple velvet vest," said Prof. Jim Crow; "it will go very
nicely with my black swallow-tail coat."
Then the funny little old man pulled out his hand, and, would you
believe it? he handed Little Jack Rabbit a diamond pin. And then he put
his hand in the bag again and drew out a watch, a ring, and a lovely
purple vest.
"Goodness gracious me, but you are generous," said Uncle John Hare. "How
can we ever repay you?"
"I will tell you," answered the little old man. "And I hope you will be
willing to do what I ask."
"Oh, dear me," thought Little Jack Rabbit, "I know he's going to ask us
to do something dangerous."
"In yonder forest," said the little old man, "lives an old witch who
keeps in a wicker cage a lovely bird. Now this little bird is really my
daughter, but the wicked witch has cast a spell over her. And the only
way she can be set free is for someone to touch her with a little blue
flower which grows all by itself near a big oak tree, not far from
here."
"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 up
her garden, and when she runs out to send him away, you two rabbits hop
up on the porch and carry off the cage. And as soon as you have it safe
in 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, the
two little rabbits and the pig started off for the witch's hut and by
and by, after a while, they stopped in the wood and got out. And when
they were quite near, the little pig ran around to the back and began to
dig up the garden.
Pretty soon, the old witch ran out of the back door to chase the pig and
by this time Little Jack Rabbit had placed the birdcage in the
Bunnymobile. But, oh dear me. Just as he and his uncle were driving away
they heard a dreadful scream, and in the next story I'll tell you what
happened 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 her
broom-stick flew after Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare.
Now it may seem strange that a broom-stick can go as fast as a
Bunnymobile, but it did, just the same. And maybe a little faster, for
pretty soon the old witch was alongside and stretching out her bony hand
tried 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 lovely
princess, and the old witch gave another dreadful scream and almost fell
off her broom-stick. You see she was afraid of that little magic blue
flower, for she knew if she came near it she would turn into a bat, and
that would be the end of her. So she flew away on her broom-stick, back
to her hut in the wood.
Well, by this time they had reached the funny little old man with his
pack who lost no time in touching the little magic flower, when, presto!
chango! as the magician says, he turned into a handsome king, and
throwing his arms around the princess, cried, "My dearest daughter! At
last you are free!" And then he turned to the two little rabbits and
Prof. Jim Crow. "How shall I ever repay you?"
"Don't mention it again," said the old gentleman bunny. "We are all glad
to 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 all
the way from the witch's house.
Pretty soon the king and the princess drove off in a great coach drawn
by four milk white horses, after saying good-by to the bunnies, the crow
and 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 the
Bunnymobile and knocked at the door of a little house they spied in the
wood 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 in
the 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 of
her 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 dress
which she meant to put on before the prince came riding by. Well, as
soon as the two little rabbits sat down in the parlor, the little girl
said:
"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 garden
and showed them this wonderful tree. It certainly was a beautiful tree,
just covered with little silk ribbons of many colors and on the topmost
branch Bobbie Redvest had a nest full of little blue eggs.
And while they stood there admiring this wonderful tree, five little
dwarfs 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 and
clipped off the ribbons. And wasn't it wonderful? No sooner had she cut
off a piece than another grew in its place. And after she had rolled up
the ribbons in a neat package, the five little dwarfs each took a
diamond out of his pocket and gave it to her, and then they hurried away
without 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 will
take me in your Bunnymobile to the One-Two-Three-Cent Store in Catnip
City."
"All right," answered Uncle John Hare. So the little girl cut off a
piece of blue ribbon and tied it around his neck and then off they went
to the One-Two-Three-Cent Store.
[Illustration: The Little Girl Tied a Ribbon Around Uncle John Hare's
Neck.]
"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 and
shoes for myself, and some day when the prince comes riding by on his
big white horse he will stop to see me, and then maybe he'll ask me to
marry him, and I shall be a princess. But I shall take my little magic
tree with me and plant it in the castle garden, for it is my lucky
charm." 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 the
One-Two-Three-Cent Store in Catnip City, they all jumped out of the
Bunnymobile. Now, I don't believe I ever told you about the
One-Two-Three-Cent Store. It was kept by a Fairy Cat, whose name was
Tabby Tiny Cat. And all the fairies for miles around bought things at
her store, for she kept every kind of a thing--candies made of honey
dew, nuts and maple sugar, Sunbeam Taffy and Moonlight Marshmallows, as
well 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, now
what 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, but
maybe you will have something we'd like to buy." So while he and Uncle
John Hare looked around, the little girl showed the lovely Magic Tree
Ribbons to the Fairy Cat who said:
"I'll take them all, for the Fairy Cats will need bows for Easter." Then
the 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 was
ready to go home. But the two little rabbits were still looking around
trying 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 as
they had paid the Fairy Cat, they all jumped into the Bunnymobile and
started back for the little girl's house where in the garden grew the
Magic 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 the
Ragged 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 crawled
out from behind a tree. And in the next story, you shall hear what
happened 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 is
picking all the lovely ribbons from the little girl's magic tree."
"Keep quiet," said the snake, "and I will glide around into the garden
and see what I can do."
So Uncle John Hare, Little Jack Rabbit and the little girl hid behind a
lilac bush. And pretty soon, not so very long, they heard a dreadful
noise. Oh, dear me, yes. And in another minute the Ragged Rabbit Giant
ran out of the garden with the big snake coiled about his waist.
Now the Ragged Rabbit Giant was tremendously strong, and the snake found
it hard work to squeeze the breath out of him. But, just the same,
Ragged Rabbit Giant was mighty uncomfortable, let me tell you. And
pretty 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 Uncle
John Hare. "First make him give us a promise," answered the wise old
gentleman rabbit. So the big bunny giant made a solemn vow never to
bother them again.
"You are a very kind snake," said the little girl, "I will give you some
ribbons for your children's Easter bonnets." And she ran into the garden
and with her silver scissors clipped off some pretty ribbons and gave
them 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 the
little girl to come to his castle. So she pulled up the Magic Ribbon
Tree and locked the door of her little house, and then the handsome
prince lifted her up on the saddle and rode away to the castle. And as
soon as the little girl was seated behind him she grew into a beautiful
young princess. And in the next story, oh, just wait until you hear what
happens.
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, "perhaps
they 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 make
Angel cake."
"If that's the case," said the old gentleman bunny, "I'll motor over to
Turnip City and buy some." So he and Little Jack Rabbit jumped into the
Bunnymobile and away they went, and after a while, and maybe a mile, and
a 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 he
advised Uncle John Hare to take a barrel of sugar instead of three
pounds for twenty-five cents, the old gentleman rabbit said all right,
he would. But, goodness me. They had a dreadful time getting that heavy
barrel into the Bunnymobile. But after a while they rolled it up on the
back 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, a
voice 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 Bunnymobile
and looking all about him. But he couldn't see anybody, and neither
could the little rabbit, although he put up his spyglasses and looked
over the top of a tall oak tree.
"Here I am," said the voice, and all of a sudden, just like that, a big
honey bee flew out of a flower.
"Ha, ha!" laughed the old gentleman rabbit, "I guess you smelt sugar. We
have enough in that barrel to last for maybe a year and a day, as they
say 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 they
went and soon they came across an old rag doll lying in the dusty road.
"Goodness me," exclaimed the old gentleman rabbit, "she must have
fainted." And, sure enough, this was the case, for as soon as she was
lifted into the Bunnymobile she opened her eyes and said: "In the next
story I'll tell you how I was lost by a little girl with a blue
sunbonnet."
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 her
up in the last story, you remember.
"Dear me!" exclaimed the old gentleman bunny. "What's the name of the
little girl?"
"Lucy Locket," said the Rag Doll. And then Little Jack Rabbit began to
laugh, for he had once read of a little Lucy Locket who had lost her
pocket, and he remembered that she lived not far away. So he steered the
Bunnymobile while the old gentleman bunny talked to the Rag Doll, and by
and by, not so very long, they came to a pretty house, and right there
on the front porch sat a little girl crying.
"Hello, don't cry; wipe your eye!" shouted kind Uncle John Hare. "We
have found your rag dolly!" And in another minute the Rag Dolly was in
the little girl's arms.
"Good-by," said the two little rabbits, and they drove away to find
another adventure, and pretty soon they found one. Oh, my yes! The
Yellow 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. "You're not
the kind of a dog who bothers little bunnies."
"No, I'm not," answered the Yellow Dog Tramp, "I'd like to find a nice
home and stay there."
"Well, you come with us," said the little bunny. "You can clean the
Bunnymobile 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 hundred
more short seconds they were in the garage where the old gentleman
rabbit fixed up a little room for the Yellow Dog Tramp, with a looking
glass at one end and a little white bed at the other.
"Now you brush your coat and trousers and part your hair in the middle
and then come in to supper," said the old gentleman rabbit. And in the
next 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 the
garage, where we left him in the last story, "they seem to be having a
fine time!" And he sighed, for he was thinking of another garden up in
Vermont and the old farm where he was a boy, long ago, before he had run
away 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 stopped
playing but they couldn't see anything but the Yellow Dog Tramp's right
eye, which, I forgot to tell you, was peeping through a tiny knothole.
"The Yellow Dog Tramp, who is old and lame
Is watching you play your tag-a-rag game,"
he answered, whereupon all the fairies said:
"Jump over the fence, and play awhile
Drop your scowl and put on a nice smile."
And when the Yellow Dog Tramp heard that, he couldn't help but laugh,
and in less than five hundred short seconds he was over the wall. But,
oh dear me. In a few minutes the big Ragged Rabbit Giant leaned over the
tree top and said in a deep gruff voice:
"Fee, fum, fag, fog.
I smell the blood of a yellow dog."
"Quick, I must change you into a fairy puppy," said the queen fairy, and
she waved her bright wand, and in less time than I can take to tell it
he became small enough to creep into a tulip flower.
"Where has that dog gone?" asked the big Ragged Rabbit Giant, peeking
under the bushes and behind the sunflowers, but he never thought to look
in the tulip.
"Thunder and lightning! What happened to that dog," and the Giant Rabbit
dusted off the knees of his trousers after creeping under a lilac bush;
"he must be here somewhere." But not a fairy said a word, and pretty
soon a mosquito stung that wicked old Giant Rabbit on the back of his
neck, which made him so angry that he stepped over the garden wall and
walked away.
And when he was out of sight the queen fairy changed the Yellow Dog
Tramp back again into his natural shape:
"Always trust the fairies
If danger you are in.
And always say 'A lucky day!'
When e'er you find a pin,"
sang the queen fairy as the happy Yellow Dog Tramp ran into Uncle John
Hare's little house.
And there we will leave him for the present, but in another book,
entitled "Little Jack Rabbit and Professor Crow," you'll hear more about
the little rabbits and their friends.
THE END
LITTLE JACK RABBIT BOOKS
(Trademark Registered)
BY DAVID CORY
LITTLE JACK RABBIT'S ADVENTURES
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND DANNY FOX
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE SQUIRREL BROTHERS
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND CHIPPY CHIPMUNK
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE BIG BROWN BEAR
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE JOHN HARE
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND PROFESSOR CROW
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND OLD MAN WEASEL
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND MR. WICKED WOLF
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND HUNGRY HAWK
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE POLICEMAN DOG
LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND MISS MOUSIE
***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE JOHN
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