 CHAPTER XII. Why there is a black head in a buzzard family. All Mr. Buzzard had just told the story of why he has a bald head and is proud of it. You know he hasn't a feather on it and it is very, very red. It was a very interesting story and it had been listened to with the closest attention by a lot of the little meadow and forest people. Uncle Billy Possum, who is old Mr. Buzzard's particular friend, both having come from way down South, happened along just in time to hear the end of it. May I ask you a question, Bearer Buzzard? Said he. Certainly, Bearer Possum, certainly, replied old Mr. Buzzard. Is Buzzard really your family name? Asked Uncle Billy. No, Bearer Possum, it isn't, replied old Mr. Buzzard. Everybody looked surprised. You see, no one ever had heard him call anything but Buzzard. But no one said anything and after a minute or two, old Mr. Buzzard explained. My family name is Vulture, said he. Yes, my family name is Vulture. But weans done been called Buzzards so long that I don't know as I would know I was being spoken to if I was called Mr. Vulture. And do I understand all of your family have red heads, required Uncle Billy? Old Mr. Buzzard looked down at Uncle Billy and saw a twinkle in Uncle Billy's shrewd little eyes. Old Mr. Buzzard grinned. Ah, no, it's just what you got in your mind, Bearer Possum, said he. It's that trifling, no count cousin of mine. He's a Buzzard or a Vulture if you like that better, just like I am. But he belongs to another branch of the family. He has a bald head, just like I have, but his head is black instead of red. That's because his grandpa was trifling on poor trash, just like he is. Peter Rabbit picked up his ears. This sounded like another story. He was curious about that black-headed cousin of old Mr. Buzzard, very curious indeed. He wondered if old Mr. Buzzard would have to be teased for a story like grandfather frog. Anyway, he would find out there would be no harm in trying. If you please, how does your cousin happen to have a black head, asked Peter as politely as he knew how? Because his grandpa asked too many questions, replied old Mr. Buzzard, slyly winking at the others. Everybody left, for everybody knows that no one asks more questions than Peter Rabbit. Peter left with the rest, although he looked a wee bit foolish. But he didn't mean to give up just because he was laughing at, oh my, no. Please Mr. Buzzard, please tell us the story. He bagged. Now old Mr. Buzzard is naturally good-natured and accommodating, and when Peter bagged so hard, he just couldn't find it in his heart to refuse. Besides, he rather enjoys telling stories. So he shook his feathers out, half-spread his wings to let the air blow under them, looked down at all the little meadow and forest people gathered about the foot of the tall, that tree where he delights to roost, grinned at them in the funniest way, and then began his story. Way back in the days, when Grandpa Buzzard had his little falling-out-with-old King Eagle and then flies so high he scorched the feathers off in his head, he had a cousin, did Grandpa Buzzard, and this cousin was just naturally lazy and no-count. Like most no-count people, he used to make a regular nuisance of himself, poking his nose into everybody's business and never tending to his own. Wasn't anything going on that this trifling member of the Buzzard family didn't find out about and meddle in? He could ask more questions than Peter Rabbit can, and anybody that can do that has got to ask a lot. Everybody looked at Peter and laughed. Peter made a funny face and laughed too. Like he just went round from morning to night asking questions, continued old Mr Buzzard, got so that everybody dreaded to see that no-count Buzzard coming, because he bound to pester with questions about things but don't concern in no ways. Now you know that way down in old Virginia where I done come from, my family done got the habit of sitting on top of chimneys in the winter time to warm their toes. Why, I thought it was warm down south, interrupted Peter Rabbit. So it is, Bear Rabbit, so it is, old Mr Buzzard hastened to say, but you'll see all Jack Frost try to come down there sometimes, and he crawled the air off a right smart slot before he turned tail and run back where he belonged. So Wiens sit on the chimney tops whenever old Jack Frost gets to straying down where he have no business. You'll see if Wiens keep our toes warm, Wiens are warm all over. One day, this no-count trifling cousin of Grandpa Buzzard get cold in his feet. He look round right smart for a chimney for to warm his toes, and pretty soon he sees one where he never been before. It was on a little old house, a little old tumble down house. Mr Buzzard fly right over and sit on that chimney top for to warm his toes. Of course he right smart curious about the little old tumble house and who live there. We hear somebody inside talking to their self, but he can't hear what they say, just a mumbling sound that come up the chimney to him. He listen and listen, then he ships round to the other side of the chimney and listen. No matter where he sit, he can't hear what being sat down inside that little old tumble down house. And what do you think Mr Buzzard do? Why he just stretch his full head as far down the chimney as he can and listen and listen. Yes, that is just what that no-count buzzard do, but all he hears is just a mumbling and a mumbling, and that make him more curious than ever. It seem to him that he must go clean out in his head, lest he hear what going down inside that little old house. Now when he stretch his head and neck down the chimney that way, he get them all black with suit. But he don't mind that, no son he don't mind that a bit. The fact is he don't notice it. He so curious he don't notice anything and pretty soon he plan forget where he is and that he is listening where he have no business. He plan forget all about this and he holler down the chimney, yes he holler right down that chimney. Will you all please speak a little louder, he holler down the chimney, just like that. Now the little old woman who lived by herself in that little old tumble down house hadn't seen that no-count buzzard light on the chimney fall to warm his toes. Even when she hear that boys coming right out in the fireplace, she was some flustered and scared was that little old woman, yes saw she surely was plump scared. She so scared she tip over a whole kettle full of soup right in the fire. Of course that make a terrible mess and a powerful lot of smoke and hot ashes fly up the chimney. They like to choke that no-count buzzard to death. They burn the feathers off in his head and neck and the suit made him black all but his feet and legs and the inside of his wings which he kept closed. Mr. Buzzard he give a mighty squawk and fly away. When he get home he try and try to brush the suit off but it don't get into the skin and it stay there and from that day his head and neck stay black and he never speak less than he spoken to and then he only grunt. His chilling just like him and his chilling chilling the same way and that is the reason that my cousin who lives down south don't have a black head concluded old Mr. Buzzard. A little sigh of satisfaction went round the circle of listeners as usual Peter Rabbit was the first to speak. That was a splendid story Mr. Buzzard said he and I'm ever and ever so much applies to you. It was just as good as one of grandfather frogs. All Mr. Buzzard grinned and slowly winked one eye at Uncle Billy Possum as he replied. Thank you Barrow Rabbit that's quite the nicest thing you could say. But it's true shouted all together and then everybody gave three cheers for all Mr. Buzzard before starting off to attend to their own private affairs. End of Chapter 12 Recording by Sophia Choi. Chapter 13 of Mother West Wind Why Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sheryl Hackney. Mother West Wind Why Stories by Thornton W. Burgess. Chapter 13 Why Buster Bear Appears to Have No Tale. Peter Rabbit had something new to bother his bump of curiosity and it did bother it a lot. He had just seen Buster Bear for the first time and what do you think had impressed him most? Well, it wasn't Buster's great size or wonderful strength or big claws or deep grumbly rumbly voice. No sir, it wasn't one of these. It was the fact that Buster Bear seemed to have no tale. Peter couldn't get over that. He almost pitied Buster Bear. You see, Peter has a great admiration for fine tales. He has always been rather ashamed of the funny little one he has himself. Still, it is a real tale and he has often comforted himself with that thought. So the first thing Peter did when he saw Buster Bear was to look to see what kind of tale he had. Just imagine how surprised he was when he couldn't make sure that Buster had any tale at all. There was something that might, just might, be meant for a tale and Peter wasn't even sure of that. If it was, it was so ridiculously small that Peter felt that he had no reason to be ashamed of his own tale. He was still thinking about this when he started for home. Halfway there he paused, saw that the way to the smiling pool was clear and suddenly made up his mind to ask Grandfather Frog about Buster Bear's tale. Off he started, lippity, lippity, lipp. Oh, Grandfather Frog he panted as soon as he reached the edge of the smiling pool. Has Buster Bear got a tale? Grandfather Frog regarded Peter in silence for a minute or two. Then very slowly he asked, What are your eyes for, Peter Rabbit? Couldn't you see whether or not he has a tale? No, Grandfather Frog, I really couldn't tell whether he has a tale or not, replied Peter quite truthfully. At first I thought he hadn't, and then I thought he might have. If he has, it doesn't seem to me that it is enough to call a really truly tale. Well, it is a really truly tale, even if you don't think so, retorted Grandfather Frog, and he has it for a reminder. A reminder, exclaimed Peter, looking very much puzzled, a reminder of what? Grandfather Frog cleared his throat two or three times. Sit down, Peter, and learn a lesson from the tale of the tale of Old King Bear, said he very seriously. You remember that once upon a time long ago, when the world was young, Old King Bear ruled in the green forest, and everybody brought tribute to him. Peter nodded, and Grandfather Frog went on. Now Old King Bear was the great, great, ever so great grandfather of Buster Bear, and he looked very much as Buster does, except that he didn't have any tale at all, not the least sign of a tale. At first, before he was made King of the Green Forest, he didn't mind this at all. In fact, he was rather pleased that he didn't have a tale. You see, he couldn't think of any earthly use he would have for a tale, and so he was glad that he hadn't got one to bother with. This was just Old Mother Nature's view of the matter. She had done her very best to give everybody everything that they really needed, and not to give them things which they didn't need. She couldn't see that Mr. Bear had the least need of a tale, and so she hadn't given him one. Mr. Bear was perfectly happy without one, and was so busy getting enough to eat that he didn't have time for silly thoughts or vain wishes. Then he was made King over all the people of the Green Forest, and his word was law. It was a very great honor, and for a while he felt it so, and did his best to rule wisely. He went about just as before, hunting for his living, and had no more time than before for foolish thoughts or vain wishes. But after a little, the little people over whom he ruled began to bring him tribute, so that he no longer had to hunt for enough to eat. Indeed he had so much brought to him that he couldn't begin to eat all of it, and he grew very dainty and fussy about what he did eat. Having nothing to do but eat and sleep, he grew very fat and lazy, as is the case with most people who have nothing to do. He grew so fat that when he walked he puffed and wheezed. He grew so lazy that he wanted to be waited on all the time. It happened about this time that he overheard Mr. Fox talking to Mr. Wolf, when they both thought he was asleep. A pretty kind of king he is, sneered Mr. Fox, the idea of a king without a tail. But so, assented Mr. Wolf, why, even that little upstart Mr. Rabbit has got a make-believe tail. Grandfather Frog's eyes twinkled as he said this, and Peter looked very much embarrassed. But he didn't say anything, so Grandfather Frog went on. Old King Bear pretended to wake up just then, and right away Mr. Fox and Mr. Wolf were as polite and smiling as you please, and began to flatter him. They told him how proud they were of their king and how handsome he was, and a lot of other nice things, all of which he had heard often before and had believed. He pretended to believe them now, but after they were through paying their respects and had gone away, he kept turning over and over in his mind what he had overheard them say, when they thought he was asleep. After that he couldn't think of anything but the fact that he hadn't any tail. He took particular notice of all who came to pay him tribute, and he saw that every one of them had a tail. Some had long tails, some had short tails, some had handsome tails, and some had homely tails. But everybody had a tail of some kind. The more he tried not to think of these tails, the more he did think of them. The more he thought of them, the more discontented he grew, because he had none. He didn't stop to think that probably all of them had use for their tails. No sir, he didn't think of that. Everybody else had a tail and he hadn't. He felt that it was a disgrace that he, the king, should have no tail. He brooded over it so much that he lost his appetite and grew cross and peevish. Then along came old mother nature to see how things were going in the green forest. Of course she saw right away that something was wrong with old King Bear. When she asked him what the matter was, he was ashamed to tell her at first. But after a little he told her that he wanted a tail, that he could never be happy unless he had a tail. She told him that he hadn't the least use in the world for a tail, and that he wouldn't be any happier if he had one. Nothing that she could say made any difference. He wanted a tail. Finally she gave him one. For a few days old King Bear was perfectly happy. He spent all his spare time admiring his new tail. He called the attention of all his subjects to it, and they all told him that it was a very wonderful tail and was very becoming to him. But it wasn't long before he found that his new tail was very much in the way. It bothered him when he walked. It was in the way when he sat down. It was a nuisance when he climbed a tree. He didn't have a single use for it, and yet he had to carry it with him wherever he went. Worse still he overheard little Mr. Squirrel and Mr. Possum making fun of it, and then he discovered that the very ones who admired his tail so to his face were laughing at him and poking fun at him behind his back. And then old King Bear wished that he hadn't a tail more than ever he wished that he did have a tail. Again he lost his appetite and grew cross and pee-vish so that no one dared come near him. So matters went from bad to worse until once more old mother nature visited the green forest to see how things were. Very humbly old King Bear went down on his knees and begged her to take away his tail. At first old mother nature refused, but he begged so hard and promised so faithfully never again to be discontented that finally she relented and took away his tail. All but just a wee little bit. And that she left as a reminder lest he should forget the lesson he had learned and should again grow envious. And every bear since that long ago day has carried about with him a reminder. You can hardly call it a real tail of the silly, foolish discontent of old King Bear, concluded Grandfather Frog. Peter Rabbit scratched one long ear thoughtfully as he replied, Thank you, Grandfather Frog. I think that hereafter I will be quite content with what I've got, and never want things it is not meant that I should have. End of Chapter 13, Recording by Cheryl Hackney CHAPTER XIV OF MOTHER WESTELIN TWICE STORIES This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Red Ballari Anne Walden MOTHER WESTELIN Why Stories by Thornton W. Burgess CHAPTER XIV WHILE FLITTER THE BAT FLIES AT NIGHT Flitter the Bat made Peter Rabbit's head dizzy. Peter couldn't help watching him. He just had to. It seems so wonderful that Flitter could really fly that whenever he saw him, Peter had to stop and watch. And then, as he saw Flitter twist and turn, fly high, fly low, and go round and round, Peter's head would begin to swim and grow dizzy, and he wondered and wondered how it was that Flitter himself didn't grow dizzy. It must be fine to fly, thought Peter. I wish I could fly. If I could, I wouldn't spend all my time flying around the way Flitter does. I'd go on long journeys and see the great world. I'd fly way, way up in the blue, blue sky, the way old Mr. Buzzer does, where I could look down and see all that is going on in the green forest and on the green meadows. And I'd fly in the daytime, because there is more going on then. I wonder now why it is that Flitter never comes out until after jolly, round, red Mr. Sun has gone to bed behind the purple hills. I never see him in the daytime, and I don't even know where he keeps himself. I never thought of it before, but I wonder why it is that he flies only at night. I believe I'll ask Grandfather Frog the very next time I see him. Now you know that once Peter Rabbit's curiosity is aroused, it just has to be satisfied. No sooner did he begin to wonder about Flitter the bat than he could think of nothing else. So he watched until the way was clear, and then he started for the smiling pool as fast as he could go, liberty, liberty, lip. He hoped he would find Grandfather Frog sitting as usual on his big green lily pad, and that he would be good-natured. If he wasn't feeling good-natured, it would be of no use to ask him for a story. When Peter reached the smiling pool, he was disappointed, terribly disappointed. The big green lily pad was there, but there was no one sitting on it. Somehow the smiling pool didn't seem quite like itself without Grandfather Frog sitting there, watching for foolish green flies. Peter's face showed just how disappointed he felt. He was just going to turn away when a great deep voice said, Chug rum, where are your manners, Peter Rabbit, that you forget to speak to your elders? Peter stared eagerly into the smiling pool, and presently he saw two great ugly eyes and the top of a green head, way out, almost in the middle of the smiling pool. It was Grandfather Frog himself having his morning swim. Oh, Grandfather Frog, I didn't see you at all, cried Peter. If I had, of course I would have spoken. The fact is, I, I... You want a story, finished Grandfather Frog for him. You can't fool me, Peter Rabbit. You came over here just to ask me for a story. I know you, Peter. I know you. Well, what is it this time? If you please, replied Peter politely and happily, for he saw that Grandfather Frog was feeling good-natured. Why is it that Flitter the Bat flies only at night? Grandfather Frog climbed out on his big green lily pad and made himself comfortable. Peter sat still and tried not to show how impatient he felt. Grandfather Frog took his time. It tickled him to see how hard, impatient Peter was trying to be patient, and his big, gogly eyes twinkled. Chug a rum, said he at last, with a suddenness that made Peter jump. That's very good, Peter, very good indeed. Now I'll tell you the story. Of course he meant that Peter's effort to keep still was very good, but Peter didn't know this, and he couldn't imagine what Grandfather Frog meant. However, what he cared most about was the story, so he settled himself to listen, his long ears standing straight up, and his eyes stretched wide open as he watched Grandfather Frog. The latter cleared his throat two or three times, each time as if he intended to begin right then. It was one of Grandfather Frog's little jokes. He did it just to tease Peter. At last he really did begin, and the very first thing he did was to ask Peter a question. What is the reason that you stay in the dear old briar patch when Reddy Fox is around? So that he won't catch me, of course, replied Peter. Very good, said Grandfather Frog. Now why do you go over to the sweet clover patch every day? Why, because there is plenty to eat there, replied Peter, looking very, very much puzzled. Well, now you've answered your own question, grunted Grandfather Frog. Flutter flies at night because he is safest then, and because he can find plenty to eat. Oh! said Peter, and his voice sounded dreadfully disappointed. He had found out what he wanted to know, but he hadn't had a story. He fidgeted about and looked very hard at Grandfather Frog, but the latter seemed to think that he had told Peter what he wanted to know, and that was all there was to it. Finally Peter sighed, and it was such a heavy sigh. Then very slowly he turned his back on the smiling pool and started to hop away. Chug a rum, said Grandfather Frog, and his deepest story-telling voice. A long time ago when the world was young, the great ever-so-great grandfather of Flutter the Bat first learned to fly. I know, cried Peter eagerly. You told me about that, and it was a splendid story. But when he learned to fly he found that Old Mother Nature never gives all her blessings to any single one of her little people, continued Grandfather Frog, without paying the least attention to Peter's interruption. Old Mr. Bat had wings, something no other animal had, but he found that he could no longer run and jump. He could just flop about on the ground and was almost helpless. Of course that meant that he could very easily be caught, and so the ground was no longer a safe place for him. But he soon found that he was not safe in the air in daytime. Old Mr. Hawk could fly even faster than he, and Mr. Hawk was always watching for him. At first Mr. Bat didn't know what to do. He didn't like to go to Old Mother Nature and complain that his new wings were not all that he had thought they would be. That would look as if he were ungrateful for her kindness in giving him the wings. I've got to think of some way out of my troubles myself, thought Old Mr. Bat. When I'm sure that I can't it will be time enough to go to Old Mother Nature. Now of course it is very hard to think when you are twisting and dodging and turning in the air. Of course, said Peter Rabbit, just as if he knew all about it. So Mr. Bat went looking for a place where he could be quiet all by himself and think without danger of being gobbled up for someone's dinner. Continued grandfather frog. He flew and he flew and had almost given up hope of finding any such place when he saw a cave. It looked very black inside but it was big enough for Mr. Bat to fly into and in he went. He knew that Mr. Hawk would never come in there and when he found a little shelf up near the roof he knew that he was safe from any four-footed enemies who might follow him there. It was just the place to rest and think. So he rested and while he rested he thought and thought. By and by he noticed that it was growing dark outside. My goodness, if I am going to get anything to eat today I shall have to hurry. Thought he. When he got outside he found that Mr. Son had gone to bed. So had all the birds except Mr. Al and Mr. Nighthawk. Now Mr. Nighthawk doesn't belong to the Hawk family at all so there was nothing to fear from him. Then Mr. Bat had a very pleasant surprise. He found the air full of insects ever so many more than in the daytime. By being very smart and quick he caught a few before it was too dark for him to see. They didn't feel his stomach but they kept him from starving. As he flew back to the cave a great idea came to him, the idea for which he had been thinking so hard. He would sleep days in the cave where he was perfectly safe and come out to hunt bugs and insects just as soon as Mr. Hawk had gone to bed. Then he would be safe and would not have to complain to old Mother Nature. At first old Mr. Bat, who wasn't old then you know, had hard work to catch enough insects before it grew too dark. But he found that every night he could see a little longer and a little better than the night before until by and by he could see as well in the dusk as he used to see in the daytime. Then he realized that old Mother Nature had once more been very good to him and that she had helped him just as she always helps those who help themselves. She had given him night seeing eyes and he no more had to go hungry. Mr. Bat was very grateful and from that day to this bats have been content to live in caves and fly in the evening. You ask Flitter if it isn't so. Peter grinned. He never stays in one place long enough for me to ask him anything, said he. I'm ever so much obliged for the story, grandfather frog. It pays to make the best of what we have, doesn't it? It certainly does, juggerum. It certainly does, replied grandfather frog. End of Chapter 14 Spoddy the turtle carries his house with him. Spoddy the turtle sat on an old log on the bank of the smiling pool taking a sun bath. He had sat that way for the longest time without once moving. Peter Rabbit had seen him when he went by on his way to the laughing brook and the green forest to look for someone to pass the time of day with. Spoddy was still there when Peter returned a long time after and he didn't look as if he had moved. A sudden thought struck Peter. He couldn't remember that he had ever seen Spoddy's house. He had seen the houses of most of his other friends, but think as hard as ever he could. He didn't remember ever having seen Spoddy's. Hi, Spoddy, he shouted. Where do you live? Spoddy slowly turned his head and looked up at Peter. There was a twinkle in his eyes, though Peter didn't see it. Right here in the smiling pool, where else should I live? He replied. I mean, where is your house, returned Peter? Of course I know you live in the smiling pool, but where is your house? Is it in the bank or down under water? It is just wherever I happen to be. Just now it is right here, said Spoddy. I always take it with me wherever I go. I find it much the handiest way. With that Spoddy disappeared. That is to say, his head and legs and tail disappeared. Peter stared very hard. Then he began to laugh, for it came to him that what Spoddy had said was true. His house was with him, and now he had simply retired inside. He didn't need any other house than just that hard-spotted shell, inside of which he was now so causally tucked away. That's a great idea, ho-ho-ho, that's a great idea, shouted Peter. Of course it is, replied Spoddy, putting nothing but his head out. You will always find me at home whenever you call, Peter, and that is more than you can say of most other people. All the way to his own home in the dear old briar patch, Peter thought about Spoddy and how queer it was that he should carry his house around with him. I wonder how it happens that he does it, thought he. No wonder he is so slow. Of course it is very handy to have his house always with him. As he says, he is always at home. Still, when he is in a hurry to get away from an enemy, it must be very awkward to have to carry his house on his back. I... I... Why, how stupid of me! He doesn't have to run away at all. All he has got to do is to go inside his house and stay there until the danger has passed. I never thought of that before. Why, that is the handiest thing I ever heard of. Now Peter knew that there must be a good story about Spoddy and his house, and you know Peter dearly loves a good story. So at the very first opportunity the next day, he hurried over to the smiling pool to ask Grandfather Frog about it. As usual, Grandfather Frog was sitting on his big green lily pad. No sooner did Peter pop his head above the edge of the bank of the smiling pool than Grandfather Frog exclaimed. Chug a rum! You've kept me waiting a long time, Peter Rabbit. I don't like to be kept waiting. If you wanted to know about Spoddy the Turtle, why didn't you come earlier? All the time there was a twinkle in the big, gogly eyes of Grandfather Frog. Peter was so surprised that he couldn't find his tongue. He hadn't said a word to anyone about Spoddy, so how could Grandfather Frog know what he had come for? For a long time he had had a great deal of respect for Grandfather Frog, who, as you know, is very old and very wise. But now Peter felt almost afraid of him. You see, it seemed to Peter as if Grandfather Frog had read his very thoughts. I—I didn't know you were waiting. Truly I didn't, stammered Peter. If I had, I would have been here long ago. If you please, how did you know that I was coming and what I was coming for? Never mind how I knew. I know a great deal that I don't tell, which is more than some folks can say," replied Grandfather Frog. Peter wondered if he meant him, for you know Peter is a great gossip. But he didn't say anything, because he didn't know just what to say. And in a minute, Grandfather Frog began the story Peter so much wanted. Of course you know, without me telling you, that there is a reason for Spotty's carrying his house around with him, because there is a reason for everything in this world. And of course you know that that reason is because of something that happened a long time ago, way back in the days when the world was young. Almost everything today is the result of things that happened in those long ago days. The great, great, ever-so-great grandfather of Spotty the Turtle lived then, and unlike Spotty, whom you know, he had no house. He was very quiet and bashful was Mr. Turtle, and he never meddled with anyone's business, because he believed that the best way of keeping out of trouble was to attend strictly to his own affairs. He was a good deal like Spotty, just as fond of the water and just as slow-moving. But he didn't have the house which Spotty has now. If he had had, he would have been saved a great deal of trouble and worry. For a long time everybody lived at peace with everybody else. Then came the trying time, of which you already know, when those who lived on the green meadows and in the green forest had the very hardest kind of work to find enough to eat and were hungry most of the time. Now Mr. Turtle, living in the smiling pool, had plenty to eat. He had nothing to worry about on that score. Everybody who lives in the smiling pool knows that it is the best place in the world anyway. Grandfather Frog winked at Jerry Musgrat, who was listening, and Jerry nodded his head. But presently Mr. Turtle discovered that the big people were eating the little people whenever they could catch them, and that he wasn't safe a minute when on shore and not always safe in the water, continued Grandfather Frog. He had two or three very narrow escapes, and these set him to thinking. He was too slow and awkward to run or to fight. The only thing he could do was to keep out of sight as much as possible. So he learned to swim with only his head out of water, and sometimes with only the end of his nose out of water. When he went on land he would cover himself with mud, and then when he heard anybody coming, he would lie perfectly still, with his legs in his tail and his head drawn in just as close as possible, so that he looked for all the world just like a little lump of brown earth. One day he had crawled under a piece of bark to rest, and at the same time keep out of sight of anyone who might happen along. When he got ready to go on his way he found that the piece of bark had caught on his back and that he was carrying it with him. At first he was annoyed and started to shake it off. Before he succeeded he heard someone coming, and so he promptly drew in his head and legs and tail. It was Mr. Fisher, and he was very hungry and fierce. He looked at the piece of bark under which Mr. Turtle was hiding, but all he saw was the bark because, you know, Mr. Turtle had drawn himself wholly under. I believe, said Mr. Fisher, talking out loud to himself, that I'll have a look around the smiling pool and see if I can catch that slow-moving turtle who lives there. I believe he'll make me a good dinner. Of course Mr. Turtle heard just what he said, and he blessed the piece of bark which had hidden him from Mr. Fisher's sight. For a long time he lay very still. When he did go on he took the greatest care not to shake off that piece of bark, for he didn't know but that any minute he might want to hide under it again. At last he reached the smiling pool and slipped into the water, leaving the piece of bark on the bank. Thereafter, when he wanted to go on land, he would first make sure that no one was watching, then he would crawl under the piece of bark and get it on his back. Wherever he went he carried the piece of bark so as to have it handy to hide under. Now all this time old mother Nature had been watching Mr. Turtle and it pleased her to see that he was smart enough to think of such a clever way of fooling his enemies. So she began to study how she could help Mr. Turtle. One day she came up behind him just as he sat down to rest. The piece of bark was uncomfortable and scratched his back. I wish, said he, talking to himself, for he didn't know that anyone else was near. I wished that I had a house of my own that I could carry on my back all the time and be perfectly safe when I was inside of it. You shall have, said old mother Nature, and reaching out she touched his back and turned the skin into hard shell. Then she touched the skin of his stomach and turned that into hard shell. Now draw in your head and your legs and your tail, said she. Mr. Turtle did as he was told to do, and there he was in the very best and safest kind of a house, perfectly hidden from all his enemies. Oh, mother Nature, how can I ever thank you? he cried. By doing as you always have done, attending wholly to your own affairs, replied old mother Nature. So ever since that long ago day when the world was young, all turtles have carried their houses with them and never have meddled in things that didn't concern them, concluded Grandfather Frog. Oh, thank you, Grandfather Frog, exclaimed Peter, drawing a long breath. That was a perfectly splendid thing for old mother Nature to do. Then he started for his own home in the dear old brier patch, and all the way there he wondered and wondered how Grandfather Frog knew that he wanted that story, and to this day he hasn't found out. You see, he didn't notice that Grandfather Frog was listening when he asked Spotty about his house. Of course, Grandfather Frog knows Peter and his curiosity so well that he had guessed right away that Peter would come to him for the story, just as Peter did. End of Chapter 15 CHAPTER XVI OF MOTHER WESTWIND HWI STORIES This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. MOTHER WESTWIND HWI STORIES by Thornton W. Burgess CHAPTER XVI Why Paddy the Beaver has a broad tail. Usually the thing that interests us most is something that we haven't got ourselves. It is that way with Peter Rabbit. Peter is not naturally envious, oh my, no. Peter is pretty well satisfied with what he has, which is quite as it should be. There is only one thing with which Peter is really dissatisfied, and it is only once in a while when he hasn't much of anything else to think about that he is dissatisfied with this. Can you guess what it is? Well, it is his tail. Yes, sir, that is the one thing that ever really troubles Peter. You see, Peter's tail is nothing but a funny little bunch of cotton which doesn't look like a tail at all. The only time he ever sees it is when he is back to the smiling pool and looks over his shoulder at his reflection in the water, and then of course he really doesn't see his tail itself. So sometimes when Peter sees the fine tails of his neighbors, a little bit of envy creeps into his heart for just a little while. Why even little Danny Meadowmouse has a real tail, short as it is. And for happy Jack Squirrel and Reddy Fox and Bobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk, everybody knows what beautiful tails they have. Sometimes Peter thought about it so much that Grandfather Frog noticed how sober he was and asked Peter what the trouble was. When Peter told him that it seemed to him that Old Mother Nature had not been fair in giving him such a foolish little tail when she had given others such beautiful ones, Grandfather Frog just opened his big mouth and laughed until he had to hold his sides. Why, Peter, said he, you look so sober that I thought you really had something to worry about. What would you do with a big tail if you had one? It would always be in your way. Just think how many times Reddy Fox or Old Granny Fox have almost caught you. They certainly would have before this if you had had a long tail sticking out behind for them to get hold of. I had a long tail when I was young and I was mighty glad to get rid of it. After he heard that, Peter felt better. But he didn't lose interest in tails and he spent a great deal of time in wondering why some of his neighbors had big, bushy tails and some had long, slim tails and why he himself had almost no tail at all. So when Patty the Beaver came to live in the green forest and made a pond there by building a wonderful dam across the laughing book, the first thing Peter looked to see was what kind of a tail Patty has. And the first time he got a good look at it, his eyes popped almost out of his head. He just stared and stared. He hardly noticed the wonderful dam or the equally wonderful canals which Patty had made. All he could think of was that great, broad, flat, thick tail which is so unlike any tail he had ever seen or heard of. The very next morning he hurried over to the smiling pool to tell Grandfather Frog about it. Grandfather Frog's big, goggly eyes twinkled. "'Chug rum,' said he. "'Patty the Beaver has one of the most useful tails I know of. Would you like to know how he comes by such a queer tail?' "'Oh, if you please, if you please, Grandfather Frog, I didn't suppose there was such a queer tail in all the world. And I don't see what possible use it can be. Do tell me about it,' cried Peter. "'Chug rum. If you had used your eyes when you visited Patty, you might have guessed for yourself how he came by it,' replied Grandfather Frog gruffly. Some people never do learn to use their eyes.' Peter looked a bit sheepish, but he said nothing and waited patiently. Presently, Grandfather Frog cleared his throat two or three times and began to talk. Once upon a time, long, long ago, when the world was young, it seems to me that everything wonderful happened long ago when the world was young, interrupted Peter. Grandfather Frog looked at Peter severely, and Peter hastened to beg his pardon. After a long time, Grandfather Frog began again. Once on a time, long, long ago, lived Mr. Beaver, the great, great, ever-so-great grandfather of Patty, up there in the green forest. Old Mr. Beaver was one of the hardest working of all of Old Mother Nature's big family, and one of the smartest, just as Patty is today. He always seemed happiest when he was busiest. And because he liked to be happy all the time, he tried to keep busy all the time. He was very thrifty, was Mr. Beaver, not at all like some people I know. He believed in preparing today for what might happen tomorrow. And so, when he had all the food he needed for the present, he stored away food for the time when it might not be so easy to get. And he believed in helping himself, did Mr. Beaver, and not in leaving everything to Old Mother Nature, as did most of his neighbors. That is how he first came to think of making a dam and a pond. Like his small cousin, Mr. Musgrat, he was very fond of the water, and felt most at home and safest there. But he found that sometimes the food which he liked best, which was the bark of certain kinds of trees, grew some distance from the water, and it was the hardest kind of hard work to roll and drag the logs down to the water, where he could eat the bark from them in safety. He thought about this a great deal, but instead of going to Old Mother Nature and complaining, as most of his neighbors would have done in his place, he studied and studied to find some way to make the work easier. One day he noticed that a lot of sticks had caught in the stream where he made his home, and that because the water could not work its way between them as fast as where nothing hindered it, it made a little pool just above the sticks. That made him think harder than ever. He brought some of the logs and sticks from which he had gnawed the bark and fastened them with the others, and right away the pool grew bigger. The more sticks he added, the bigger the pool grew. Mr. Beaver had discovered what a dam is for and how to build it. Why, thought he, if I make a pond at the place nearest to my food trees I can carry the water to the trees instead of the trees to the water, and that will be easier and ever so much safer as well. So Mr. Beaver built a dam at just the right place, while all the other little people laughed at him and made fun of him for working so hard. Just as he had thought it would do, the dam made a pond, and the pond grew bigger and bigger until it reached the very place where his food trees grew. Mr. Beaver built him a big comfortable house out in the pond, and then he went to work as hard as ever he could to cut down trees and then cut them up into the right-sized pieces to store away in his big food pile for the winter. Now cutting down trees is hard work. Yes, sir, cutting down trees is the hardest kind of hard work. Mr. Beaver had to sit up on his hind legs to do it, and his legs grew very, very tired. In those days he had a tail very much like the tail of Jerry Muscratt. It was very useful when he was swimming, but it was of no use at all at any other time. Sometimes he tried to brace himself with it when he was sitting up to cut trees and found it of no help. But he didn't complain. He just kept right on working and only stopped to rest when his legs ached so that he had to. He was working just as usual one day when Old Mother Nature came along to see how he was getting on. She saw the new dam and the new pond, and she asked Mr. Beaver who had made them. He told her that he had and explained why. Old Mother Nature was greatly pleased, but she didn't say so. She just passed the time of day with him and then sat down to watch him cut a tree. She saw him try to brace himself with his useless tail, and she saw him stop to rest his tired legs. That looks to me like pretty hard work, said Old Mother Nature. So it is, replied Mr. Beaver, stretching first one leg and then another. But things worth having are worth working for, and with that he began cutting again. You ought to have something to sit on, said Old Mother Nature, her eyes twinkling. Mr. Beaver grinned. It would be very nice, he confessed, but I never waste time wishing for things I haven't got and can't get, and went right on cutting. The next morning when he awoke, he had the greatest surprise of his life. He had a new tail. It was broad and thick and flat. It wasn't like any tail he had ever seen or heard of. At first he didn't know how to manage it, but when he tried to swim, he found that it was even better than his old tail for swimming. He hurried over to begin his day's work, and there he made another discovery. His new tail was just the most splendid brace. It was almost like a stool to sit on, and he could work all day long without tiring his legs. Then was Mr. Beaver very happy, and to show how happy he was, he worked harder than ever. Later he found that his new tail was just what he needed to pat down the mud with which he covered the roof of his house. Why, he cried, I believe it is the most useful tail in all the world. And then he wished with all his might that old mother nature would return so that he might thank her for it. And that, concluded Grandfather Frog, is how Mr. Beaver came by his broad tail. You see, old mother nature always helps those who help themselves, and ever since that long ago day all beavers have had broad tails and have been the greatest workers in the world. End of Chapter 16, End of Mother West Wind Why Stories by Thornton W. Burgess.