 CHAPTER 1 OF BILLY BUNNY AND UNCLE BOLLEFROG RAIN RAIN GO AWAY, BILLY BUNNY WANTS TO PLAY. This is what Willie Wynne sang one morning, oh so early as the raindrops pitter-pattered on the roof of the little rabbit's house in the old briar patch. And then, of course, he woke up and wiggled his little pink nose a million times less or more, and pretty soon he was wide awake, so he got up and looked into the mirror to see if his eyes were open, as he wasn't quite sure he was wide awake after all. For the raindrops made a drowsy noise on the old shingles, and the alarm clock wouldn't go off, although it was fourteen o'clock. Well, after a little while, not so very long, his mother called through him. Billy Bunny, the stewed lollipops are getting cold, and the robin's eggs will be hard-boiled if you don't hurry up, or hurry down, or something. I'll be ready in a jiffy, answered the little rabbit, and then he brushed his whiskers and parted his hair in the middle with a little chip, and after that he was ready for breakfast and dinner and supper, for rabbits are always hungry, you know, and can eat all the time, so I've been told. And I guess it must be true, for why should an old rabbit have told me that if it isn't the truth? What would you like to know? And so would you, I'm sure. Don't forget your rubber boots," said Mrs. Bunny, after the morning meal was over, as Billy Bunny started to hop out doors. So like a good little bunny boy, he came back and put them on, and then before he went he polished the brass door-knob on the front door and swept the leaves off the little sewn walk. And after that he was ready to do whatever he liked, so while he went on the pleasant meadow to eat some clover-tops, so as not to feel hungry for the next ten minutes. And just then Mrs. Cow came along with her tinkle-tinkle bell that hung from her throat from a leather collar. Where are you going? She asked, but the little rabbit didn't know. He was only looking around. He hadn't had time to make up his mind what to do, and just then, all of a sudden just like that, Mr. Black Snake rose out of the grass. Look out, kind Mrs. Cow! Maybe he's going to eat you. But whether he was, I'm sure I don't know. But Billy Bunny didn't wait to see. He didn't care whether Mr. Black Snake wanted his breakfast, but hopped away as fast as he could, and pretty soon, not so very far, he came to the babbling-brook, and there sat the little fresh water-crab on the sand, and when he saw Billy Bunny he said, It's rainy, Billy Bunny, but you and I don't care, for rain-dups make the flowers grow and blossom fair. And this is what every little boy and girl should say, on rainy days. End of Chapter 1 Chapter 2 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. 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 Jen Broda. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and the Freshwater Crab. Let me see. It was raining in the last story when we left off, wasn't it? Billy Bunny and the little freshwater crab were talking together, weren't they? That's it, and now I know where to begin. For it stopped raining since then, and Mr. Happy Sun is shining in the sky, and the little clouds are chasing each other over the blue meadows like little lambs. I like that little piece of poetry you just said, cried the little rabbit. Please say another. So the freshwater crab wrinkled his forehead and then he began, and when the sun is shining and all is bright and gay, just keep a little sunshine to help a rainy day. I will, said the little bunny, for he was a cheerful little fellow, and then he hopped away and by and by he came to the old mill pond. But Uncle Bullfrog was nowhere to be seen. There stood the old log, but there was nobody on it but a black snail. It seemed strange not to see the old gentleman frog sitting there, his eyes winking and blinking and his white weight-co shining in the sun, and it made the little rabbit feel lonely. Where is Uncle Bullfrog? He asked a big blue-bottle fly, who was buzzing away at a great rate, but he didn't know, and neither did a big darning needle that was skimming over the quiet water. I wonder if that dreadful miller's boy has taken Uncle Bullfrog away, thought Billy Bunny, and just then Mrs. Oriel flew down from her nest that swung in the weeping willow tree and said, Are you looking for Uncle Bullfrog, little rabbit? Yes, ma'am, do you know where he is? He's down by the mill-dam, answered the pretty little bird, and then she flew back to her nest that looked like an old white cotton stocking at Christmas time, because it was all bulgy and full only, of course. Others had little birds inside, and a Christmas stocking has all sorts of toys, with an orange in the toe and a jack in the box sticking out of the top. So off hopped the little rabbit, and pretty soon he saw the old gentleman Bullfrog catching flies and undoing his waistcoat one button every time a fly disappeared down his throat. I thought at first that dreadful miller's boy had taken you away, said Billy Bunny, and I was very sad, for I like you, Uncle Bullfrog, and I've never forgotten how you found the letter I lost a long time ago. Tutt, tutt, said the old gentleman Frog, how's your mother? And then he swallowed another fly and unbuttoned the last button, and if he takes off his waistcoat I'll tell you so in the next story. CHAPTER III of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. This is a LibraVox recording. All LibraVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibraVox.org. Recording by Susan Florsinger, Montana. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. CHAPTER III Billy Bunny and the sorrowful J-Bird. Well, Uncle Bullfrog didn't take off his waistcoat as I thought he might in the last story, so I'm not going to tell you anything more about him. We'll just leave him in the old mill pond and go along with Billy Bunny, who is hopping away toward the friendly forest. Buy and buy after he had gone into the shady depths For maybe a million and two or three hops, he came across his old friend the J-Bird, who had sold him the airship, you remember, and then bought it back again. I wish you had kept your old flying machine, said the J-Bird sorrowfully. But you wanted to buy it back, said the little rabbit, so it's not my fault. Perhaps not, replied the sorrowful J-Bird. But that doesn't make matters any better. Why, what's the trouble? asked the little rabbit, sitting down and taking a lollipop out of his knapsack. I had an accident, answered the J-Bird. I ran into a thunder cloud and spilled out all the lightning. And oh dear, oh dear, I just hate to talk about it. But I will. The lightning jumped all around, then struck the old tower clock and broke the mainspring, so that it wouldn't go anymore. And now nobody in Rabbitville can tell the day of the month, or when it'll be Thanksgiving or 4th of July. Yeah, it's go to the clockmaker and ask him to fix it. Suggested the little rabbit, and this so delighted the sorrowful J-Bird, that he smiled and flew after Billy Bunny. And pretty soon they came to an old clockmaker, who was an old black spider. Certainly I'll fix it, he said. But it will cost you nine million and some billion flies. All right, said Billy Bunny. I'll go down to the three-and-one-cent store and buy a flight catcher. So off he went, and pretty soon he came back with a great big fly-catching box. And after he set it down, they stood and watched the flies go in until it was so full that not another one could even poke in his nose. No, Mr. Spider, said Billy Bunny. There may be a trillion flies in that box, or the storekeeper told me it was guaranteed to hold that many. So please fix the town clock. For it would be too bad if the little boys and girls didn't know it was Christmas when it really came. So the spider got out his little tool bag and climbed up the steeple and fixed that old town clock so well that it began to play a tune, which it had never done before. And all the people in Rapidville were so delighted that they gave the spider a little house to live in for the rest of his days. End of chapter three, recording by Susan Floreschinger Montana. Chapter four of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. 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 Anita Sloma Martinez. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and the Ting-a-ling telephone. Ting-a-ling went the telephone bell in Uncle Lucky left Hindfoot's house. The kind old gentleman rabbit who was the uncle of Billy Bunny, you know. And I only say this right here in case some little boy or girl should read this story without having seen all the million in one or two or three that have gone before. So Uncle Lucky jumped out of the hammock where he had been swinging up and down on the cool front porch of his little house in Bunny Town, corner of Lettuce Avenue and Carrot Street, and hopped into the library and took down the receiver and said, "'Helloa, this is Mr. Lucky left Hindfoot talking.'" "'Is that you, Uncle Lucky?' answered a voice at the other end of the wire. "'This is Billy Bunny, and I'm lost in the friendly forest.' "'What?' cried the old gentleman rabbit, and he got so excited that he put the wrong end of the receiver to his left ear and got an awful electric shock that nearly wiggled his ear off. "'Where are you now?' "'I don't know,' replied the small nephew. "'I'm lost. Don't you understand?' "'Grecious, goodness mebes,' exclaimed the old gentleman rabbit. "'Then how am I to find you?' "'I don't know, but please do,' said Billy Bunny sorrowfully, "'for I'm dreadfully hungry, and I haven't got a single lollipop or apple pie left in my knapsack. "'Well, you just stay where you are, and I'll get into the Luckmobile and find you,' replied the old gentleman rabbit, as cheerfully as he could, although he didn't know how he was going to do it, and neither do I, and neither do you. But let's wait and see.' So pretty soon, in a few short seconds, Uncle Lucky was tearing along the dusty road toward the friendly forest, and by and by he came to the house where his cousin, Mr. O'Hare, lived. So he stopped the automobile and knocked on the door, and as soon as Mr. O'Hare opened it, he said, "'Jump in with me, for my little nephew is lost, and I want you to help me find him.' So away they went into the friendly forest, and they looked all around. But of course there was no little rabbit that looked like Billy Bunny anywhere in sight. So Uncle Lucky and Mr. O'Hare got out, and after tying the automobile to a tree, they set out in different directions to find the little bunny. And Uncle Lucky went along a little path, and Mr. O'Hare followed a small brook, and after a while the old gentleman rabbit heard a bird singing, "'I saw a little rabbit, a sitting by a tree, and I should say he'd lost his way. That's how he looked to me.' "'Where did you see him?' asked Uncle Lucky excitedly. But what the little bird replied, you must wait to hear in the next story.' End of chapter four. Chapter five of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bull Frog. 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 Anita Sloma Martinez. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bull Frog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and the Runaway Dog. You remember in the last story, just as Uncle Lucky asked the little bird to tell him where Billy Bunny was, I had to leave off for there was no more room in the story for me to add another word. Well, what the little bird said was, "'Follow the path, Mr. Lucky, left hind foot, till you come to a bridge, and then turn to your right, and pretty soon, if the little bunny hasn't hopped away, you'll find your lost nephew.' So Uncle Lucky started right off. He didn't wait to even dust off his old wedding stovepipe hat, and by and by he came to the bridge. But oh, dear me, right in the middle of it stood a big dog, and when he saw the old gentleman rabbit, he gave a loud bark and ran at him. And what do you think the dear old bunny did? He honked on his automobile horn, which he had in his paw, and this frightened the dog so dreadfully that he turned around and ran away so fast that he would have left his tail a thousand miles behind him if it hadn't been tied on the way dog's tails are, you know. And after that, Uncle Lucky crossed the bridge and turned to his right, and pretty soon he saw Billy Bunny under a bush looking very miserable and unhappy. But when he heard his Uncle Lucky's voice for the old gentleman rabbit gave a cry of delight as soon as he saw him, the little rabbit looked as happy as he had before he was lost. Here's an apple pie for you, said the dear kind old gentleman rabbit, taking a lovely pie out of his pocket. I knew you'd rather have something to eat than a million carrots since. And of course the little rabbit would, for he was so hungry he could have eaten brass tacks or maybe iron nails. Now come along with me, said Uncle Lucky. We'll go back to the Lucky Mobile. Your cousin, Mr. O'Hare, went the other way to look for you, so I suppose we'll have a dreadful time to find him. But never mind, I've found you. And dear affectionate Uncle Lucky hugged his small nephew. He was so glad to be with him once more. Well, after they reached the automobile they honked and honked on the horn hoping Mr. O'Hare would hear them. But I guess he didn't, for he never came back, although they waited until it was almost 13 o'clock. We'll have to go home without him, said Uncle Lucky at last. And I guess he was wise not to wait any longer, for it was growing dark and to drive an automobile through a forest is not an easy thing to do at night. And just then, all of a sudden, Willie Wind came blowing through the treetops. When he saw the two little bunnies, he said, your cousin, Mr. O'Hare, has fallen into a deep hole over yonder. And Willie Wind pointed down the friendly forest trail. In the next story, you shall hear how Uncle Lucky and Billy Bunny found their cousin, Mr. O'Hare. End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bull Frog 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 Anita Sloma Martinez. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bull Frog by David Corey Billy Bunny and Mr. O'Hare's Escape You remember in the last story how Willie Wind whispered to Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky that their cousin, Mr. O'Hare, had fallen into a deep hole? Well, it didn't take the two little rabbits more than five short seconds and maybe five and a half hops to reach the spot. And then they looked over the edge, but very carefully, you know, for fear they might fall in. And there, sure enough, way down at the bottom was Mr. O'Hare looking very miserable indeed. Keep up your courage, cried Uncle Lucky in as cheerful a voice as he could muster. And then he looked around to find a rope or a ladder. But, of course, there were not any ropes and ladders lying about, so that kind old gentleman rabbit peeped over the edge of the hole and called down again. Keep up your courage. We'll get you out. Although he didn't know how he was going to do it, and neither do you, and neither do I, neither does the printer man. Well, after a while, and it was quite a long while, too, Billy Bunny found a wild grapevine which he let down into the hole. Make a loop and put it around your waist and Uncle Lucky and I will haul you out, he called down. And then Mr. O'Hare did as he was told and after the two little rabbits had pulled and pulled until their breath was almost gone, Mr. O'Hare's head appeared at the top of the hole and then with one more big pull they brought him out safely although his waist was dreadfully sore because the grapevine had cut into his spur and squeezed all the breath out of him. I'm going to complain to the street cleaning department or the first policeman I see, said Mr. O'Hare. It's a dreadful thing to have a hole like this in the middle of the friendly forest trail. Never mind that, said Billy Bunny. Let's go back to the Lucky Mobile. It will be late before we get out of the woods and maybe the electricity will all be gone and then we can't light the lamps and maybe we'll be arrested. And this is just what happened. They had only gone a little ways when they heard a voice say, Stop your motor-car, I say. You have no lamps to light the way. Come, stop your car and get right out. Listen, don't you hear me shout? Stop your car or I will shoot. Don't try away from me to scoot. We don't intend to, said Uncle Lucky. And he put on the brake and the Lucky Mobile came to a standstill and there in the road stood a big policeman cat with a club and gold buttons on his coat and a big helmet and his number was two dozen and a half. Get out of your car, he commanded, which means to say something sternly. But before the two little rabbits obeyed, something happened. But what it was, you must wait to hear in the next story. End of Chapter 6 Chapter 7 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Elizabeth Holland Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Chapter 7 Billy Bunny and the Policeman Cat Well, I'm glad to say it was something nice that happens just as I left off in the last story. You remember the Policeman Cat had arrested Billy Bunny and his Uncle Lucky? Well, just as that Policeman Cat lifted his club to tickle Uncle Lucky's left hind foot, a big elm tree began to bark, and of course the Policeman Cat was nearly scared to death. He thought it was a dog, you see, and instead of tickling dear kind Uncle Lucky with his club, he turned tail and ran off down the road. And he ran so fast that he left his number behind and Uncle Lucky picked it up and put it on the automobile. And after that they asked two little fireflies to sit inside the lamps and make them shine. For you remember, the electricity had all burned up. Well, after a while they came to a turn in the road and goodness gracious, before they could stop the automobile they ran into a milk wagon. And oh dear me, there was whipped cream all over the place and Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky looked like two little cream puffs. And I suppose you were wondering where the driver of the milk wagon was all this time. And so were Uncle Lucky and Billy Bunny. And if you'll wait a minute, I'll tell you, as soon as my typewriter behaves itself, for it got so excited when Lucky Mobile ran into the milk wagon that it caught my thumb and pinched it. Well, pretty soon after Uncle Lucky had looked behind the moon and Billy Bunny into all the empty milk cans and one full one, they found the driver up in a weeping willow tree. I'll come down if you'll promise not to run over me, he said, for he was nearly frightened to death and looked dreadfully funny for one of the milk can covers had fallen on his head. I thought he would be mad as a hornet, whispered Billy Bunny to his rabbit uncle. But where's my horse? said the milk man when he reached the ground. So they all looked around and everywhere else, but they couldn't find him until they looked up into another weeping willow tree. And there was the poor horse high up in the branches. Oh, I'll come down from this willow tree if you'll promise me just one thing. And that is never again to say, get up as you drive me along the way. For I always go the best I can. I'm a faithful friend to every man, so please don't hurry me so, for I'm not trying to go too slow. All right, my good old horse, said kind Uncle Lucky, your master shall give me his word. So the horse jumped down and the willow tree stopped weeping right away, for it was so glad that the poor old milk horse was never again to be hurried on his way. And in the next story, I'll tell you why. End of Chapter 7 Chapter 8 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Elizabeth Holland. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Chapter 8 Billy Bunny and the Gray Mouse You remember in the last story how the Lucky Mobile had run into a milk wagon? Well, after Billy Bunny had helped the milkman hitch up his horse, and Uncle Lucky had filled the milk cans with ice cream and soda water from a nearby candy store, so us do not have all the little boys and girls disappointed at breakfast when they didn't get their milk. Our two little rabbit friends got into the Lucky Mobile and started off again. Well, it was evening, you know, and the little fireflies who had crawled into the lamps made them as bright as possible, so it wasn't hard to steer the automobile. And after a while, maybe a mile, they came to a house where lived a gray mouse all along by herself in a hole near a shelf where cake and mince pies made her open her eyes, for they looked oh so good as a pie or cake should. Now, I didn't know I was going to write poetry or I should have let my hair grow long like a poet instead of going to the barber for a shave. Well, anyway, the two little rabbits stopped the automobile right in front of Mousey's door, and when she heard the horn go honk, honk, she came to the window and looked out. Why, it's Mr. Lucky Left Hindfoot, she squeaked, and then she opened the door and asked the two little rabbits in and gave them some pie and cake. You can put the automobile in the barn if you like, she said, and spend the night here for it's getting very dark and maybe you'll run into something. So Billy Bunny took the Lucky Mobile around to the barn and just then an old owl began to toot. I'm very fond of little gray mice and little white rabbits, too, are nice. And down flew that old gray owl and made a grab for Billy Bunny. But he didn't catch him. No, sirree, ma'am. For the little rabbit hopped into the henhouse through the little round door and the big red rooster began to crow. Look here, Mr. Owl, if you come inside I'll hurt you with my spur. Don't you dare get funny with Billy Bunny or must his pretty white fur. And then he flew down from his perch and said, cock-a-doodle-doo, three times and a half, and after that the owl flew away. That was very kind of you, said the little rabbit. Oh, don't mention it, said the red rooster. But there is one thing you can do for me. What's that? asked Billy Bunny. Take me Lucky Mobile and laugh the red rooster. All right. Tomorrow Uncle Lucky and I will invite you for a nice drive, said the little rabbit. And if the Lucky Mobile doesn't get sick maybe Uncle Lucky will ask some little boy or girl to go, too. And maybe it might be you. End of Chapter 8 Chapter 9 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Elizabeth Holland Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Chapter 9 Billy Bunny and Red Rooster Well, the next morning when the little rabbits woke up the sun was shining brightly through their bedroom window and Mrs. Mousey was singing a song down in the kitchen below as she made hot muffins for breakfast. And this is what she sang. Upstairs in my nice guest room are two nice little rabbits in bed. As soon as I'm able I'll fix up the table and give them some honey and bread. And then a hot muffin to give them a stuffing and then they'll be bountifully fed. And when Billy Bunny heard her he grew so hungry that he hurried faster than he had ever hurried before. And so did the old gentleman rabbit and he buttoned his collar on backwards and put his left shoe on his right foot and tripped over his old wedding stovepipe hat. And after that they both hopped downstairs and as soon as Mrs. Mousey heard them she brought in the bread and honey and the hot muffins and they all had breakfast. And after that Billy Bunny asked her to go automobiling with them. So she put on her old gray bonnet with a bit of ribbon on it and tied the strings under her chin and put on her black silk mitts and her gold locket breast pin with the picture of Mr. Mousey inside. You don't mind if we invite the red rooster to go along too do you? asked Billy Bunny. And then he told her how the rooster had scared away the old owl. And of course Mrs. Mousey didn't care so the rooster got in and sat on the back seat with Mrs. Mousey. Well after they had gone for maybe a mile and maybe some more they came to a beautiful candy store where the windows were full of peppermint sticks and a brown sugar monkey did all sorts of tricks. Stop right here said the red rooster and I'll get out and buy you a bag of candy. And when he came back he had four bags of candy. Just think of that. In one bag was sugar coated carrots for Billy Bunny and another bag was full of candied carrots for Uncle Lucky. And in the bag he gave to Mrs. Mousey were two little chocolate mice. What have you got in your bag? asked Uncle Lucky as he made the Lucky Mobile jump over a high ditch and run along through a lovely green meadow spread all over with buttercups. Sugared peanuts answered the red rooster. I just loved him. The last time I went to the circus I ate 49 bags and a half and drank 23 glasses of pink lemonade and a bushel of popcorn. Wait a minute said the old gentleman rabbit. I've got a stomach ache listening. How did you do it? And in the next story I'll tell you what the rooster said. That is if nothing happens to prevent it for he certainly was a wonderful rooster to be able to eat all that. End of chapter 9 Chapter 10 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Boothrog This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Billy Bunny and Uncle Boothrog by David Corey Chapter 10 Billy Bunny and Mr. Scow Well something did happen to prevent the red rooster from telling Billy Bunny how he had been able to eat 49 bags and a half of peanuts at the circus as I mentioned in the last story. You see, as the lucky mobile galloped along over the meadow all of a sudden, just like that it ran right into the Boblin Brook and then of course it stopped so suddenly that Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky didn't stop at all. Neither did Mr. Scow and the red rooster. They just kept right on going and the first thing they knew they all landed in a long grass beside Mr. Scow. My, how you startled me! She exclaimed and she wrung the little bell on her neck and uprun her little calf who was only two weeks old and had never seen Billy Bunny and his friends before. After that she walked down to the Boblin Brook but oh dear me! All the electricity oil had spilled down over the cabaret and she couldn't drink the water and all the little fish were covered with it just like sardines, you know and the watercress had salad dressing all over it so of course she couldn't eat the watercress. Never mind, said kind little Billy Bunny and he took out of his knapsack a big yellow lemon lollipop and gave it to her and then she didn't care for she just loved Candy. I'll help you get the automobile out said Mr. Scow gratefully for she liked anybody who was kind to her little calf. So she put her horns on the roof front of the lucky mobile and then she said and pushed and shoved and lifted that big heavy automobile right out of the brook without even cracking her two long horns. If you don't mind, said the red rooster I'll leave you two little rabbits and make a colon cocky-dokey up at the old farm and if you don't care squeak little Mr. Mousy I'll call on DK Maddow Mouse so Uncle Lucky and Billy Bunny hopped into the automobile and drove off while Mr. Scow tinkled her bell and sang Moo, moo, moo I'm glad I helped you too One could turn deserve another When you see your bunny mother tell her how your car I took safely from the bablin brook It's a puzzle to me, said Uncle Lucky Why we are always having so many accidents Maybe I had better get a chauffeur You won't need any chauffeur after I'm done with you said a deep, groly voice and out from behind a clump of bushes jumped a weak wildcat and beat one of the front tires She was so hungry And what do you suppose happened then? Why the tire burst with such a loud noise just like a gun, you know that the wildcat was frightened early to death and she turned around and ran away so fast that she got home an hour too early for supper End of chapter 10 Chapter 11 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and the Big Bear Near the friendly forest pool is the Woodland Singing School Little Squirrel Bushetail sings the Dore Mi Fa Scale Uncle Bullfrog sings Cuchunk from his floating elm tree trunk and a big good-natured bear sings an old, familiar air It's time for your singing lesson said Mrs. Bunny to her little rabbit So Billy Bunny started off Hopity Hop down the friendly forest trail and by and by he reached the pool where all the pupils came to take their singing lessons Mr. Grasshopper was there with his fiddle and the tree toed with his drum and the lark with her flute and little Jenny Wren with her piano And what do you suppose Billy Bunny had tucked away in his knapsack? Why Uncle Lucky's automobile horn You see, the kind old gentleman rabbit was making a visit at the old briar patch where he had taken his automobile after that dreadful wildcat had bitten the front tyre and this is how Billy Bunny came to get the horn Well sir, after the music started he pulled out his horn and gave a tremendous honk on it and everybody thought an automobile was going to run over him Some jumped into the pool and some ran up the trees and oh dear me everybody got all out of tune and the bear lost the air and couldn't find it again And just then who should come along but a peddler with a pack of tin cans rattling away on his back and of course he made more noise than all the singing school put together and when the big bear saw him he was so angry that he jumped from behind a tree and said Boo! Do you want to buy it in plate? asked the peddler trying hard not to be frightened Oh, would you rather have a dishpan? Don't want either said the bear with a terrible growl Perhaps you'd like a nutmeg grater? said the poor old peddler and he was so frightened by this time that his knees knocked into the tin pans and made a dreadful noise I've a dandy egg beater! went on the peddler in a trembling voice but after that he never said another word for that great big bear jumped right at him and took the egg beater out of his hands and growled so terribly that the tin peddler turned away and ran down the forest path as fast as he could go and then all the little and big forest folk began to sing hip hip hooray the peddler's gone away no more he'll make his tin pan shake and spoil our singing school beside the forest pool and in the next story if the baby who lives in the house opposite doesn't shake his rattle at me all night so that I can't get to sleep and dream about the next story in time to write it for tomorrow night I'll tell you more about the little rabbit's adventures End of chapter 11 Chapter 12 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and the Rabbitville Gazette There was once a little rabbit who was very fond of pie apple pie with sugar on the crust and he had a little habit of eating apple pie until he bust This is what Mr. William Bunny the little rabbit's father, you know was singing one day and the reason was because Mrs. Bunny had found little Billy Bunny in the pantry and what happened to the little rabbit I'm not going to tell you for it is so sad that it would make you weep to hear it All day he nibbled pie till at last I thought he'd die said the doctor with a sigh Mr. William Bunny looked at his small son and sighed too for he had just paid the doctor's bill Please don't sing any more said little Billy Bunny Don't you remember the doctor said I was to be kept quiet So Mr. William Bunny went out on the porch to smoke a cigar and read the Rabbitville Gazette until after supper time and while he was reading Mrs. Bunny looked over his shoulder and read Wanted a second hand automobile in good condition Bring up your uncle Lucky on the telephone she called to Billy Bunny Here's a chance for him to sell his Lucky Mobile So the little rabbit rang up zero zero zero Lettuceville and in a few minutes he heard the old gentleman's voice at the other end of the wire But I don't want to sell my Lucky Mobile he said it's the only one in existence which means the only one ever made and I guess he was right He rode in a Lucky Mobile Did you? But mother thinks you ought to sell it said Billy Bunny and so does father for they both say you'll have a terrible accident someday if you don't look out Well then I'll look out said Uncle Lucky with a laugh But I won't sell my Lucky Mobile and then he asked Billy Bunny to make him a visit So the little rabbit put on his knapsack and picked up his striped candy cane asking his mother's permission of course and after he had gone for maybe a million hops he came to a big tree where old Bunny the owl had his nest but of course he wasn't awake oh my no he had his eyes tightly closed for owls don't like a bright light you know they can see in the dark but not in the daytime but when Billy Bunny called out hello Mr. Bunny the old gentleman owl blinked his eyes and said who's calling me and then the little rabbit thought he'd play a joke so he said Mr. Mouse and if there was anything that old Bunny loved to eat it was mice and in the next story I'll tell you what Billy Bunny did End of chapter 12 Chapter 13 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog This is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for permission or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and Mr. Mole you remember in the last story I promised to tell you what Billy Bunny did when old Bunny the owl asked him who's there and the little rabbit replied Mr. Mouse just to fool him you know well after that old Bunny the owl was a terrible scowl as he looked at little Bill Bunny you thought you were wise but my blinky old eyes can see you are not a bit funny I can see from my house you are not Mr. Mouse and then the old blinkety-winkety owl flopped down to the ground and tried to catch the little rabbit but Billy Bunny was too quick for him he jumped into a hollow stump before you could say Jackrabbit come out of there ah cried old Bunny in a screechery teachery voice but you just bet the little bunny didn't he knew what would happen if he did well by and by after a long while he looked around and would you believe it he found a little pair of stairs so down he hopped until he came to a door on which was painted in red letters Mr. Mole Subway Contractor then the little rabbit knocked on the door the door was opened and there stood Mr. Mole himself what do you want he asked trying to squint out of his little tiny eyes that were hidden all over with hair it's me Billy Bunny replied the little rabbit Mr. Owl tried to catch me and I hopped into your hollow stump entrance but I haven't got a ticket for the Subway well you can come in anyway said the kind old Mole my Subway isn't finished yet and the trains won't be running for some time come in so Billy Bunny hopped inside and sat down on a chair close to a little brass railing behind which stood Mr. Mole's desk then Mr. Mole sat down and looked at Billy Bunny as much as to say and now what can I do for you so Billy Bunny said I would like to get up on the ground again can you show me a new way because I don't want to go back the way I came then Mr. Mole pressed a little bell and in came a Mole with overalls on and a little pickaxe show my friend Mr. Billy Bunny through the tunnel to the Moss Bank entrance thank you said the little rabbit and he hopped after the Workman Mole until they came to an opening and when the little rabbit got outside once more he found himself on a mossy bank where blossomed a lovely bed of violets so he picked a bouquet for himself and stuck it in his buttonhole and after that he hopped away singing a song and if Robbie Redbreast hadn't heard it I never would have been able to tell it to you wasn't it lucky that the little Robin sang it to me this morning while I was still in bed because if he hadn't how would I have ever learned it over the clover and over the grass hopperty hop by go over the leaves from the autumn trees and over the soft white snow with a whistle and song I go hopping along and Billy Bunny you know end of chapter 13 chapter 14 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and the Water Snake over the grass or over the snow the white breeze I go I'm Billy Bunny, Billy Bunny you know thus sang the little rabbit even after I left off in last night's story isn't it strange maybe I dreamed it anyhow that's what I think he did and after a while when he had stopped singing you know he came to a little hill on the top of which was a high white pole with an American flag flying from it and underneath was a whole regiment of little boy bunny scouts with harky with guns and caps and brass buttons and guns and drums and a captain under five and I guess there were three or four fives and as soon as they saw the little rabbit they all shouted here comes Billy Bunny let's get him to join our regiment I belong to the Billy Bunny Boy Scouts of Old Snake Fence Corner replied the little rabbit I can't join your regiment so he hopped along and by and by came to a big white swan that was sailing up and down on a pond would you like to take a sail she asked, coming up close to the bank because if you would just hop on my back and I'll take you around the pond two times and maybe a half if you'll give me a lollipop so the little rabbit opened his knapsack and gave her one and then he hopped on her back and went for a lovely sail in and out among the pond lilies across islands well, everything was going along beautifully when all of a sudden just like that, a big water snake came swimming by oh, don't let him swallow me cried the little rabbit and he took his pop gun out of his knapsack and stuck the cork in the end I'll shoot you on the tail if you touch me he cried just as bravely as he could but he nearly slipped off the swan's back just the same he was so frightened how many nearer said the swan with a fierce hiss but the snake didn't care he swam around and around until the little rabbit got so dizzy that he had to hold on to the swan's neck please swim around the other way pleaded the little rabbit you make me dreadfully dizzy but the bad water snake said he wouldn't because that's just what he wanted Billy Bunny to be so dizzy that he would fall into the water and then that dreadful water snake would follow him and maybe a pondlily besides look here said the swan if you don't stop making snakery circles all around me I'll bite your head off with my big strong beak and then what do you think the little rabbit did why? he managed somehow to lift up his gun and shoot it off and the cork hit the water snake on the end of the tail and gave him such a headache that he swam over to the long grass and a piece of lemon pie and while he was doing that the swan took the little rabbit to the other side of the pond and he hopped away so fast that he didn't tell me what he was going to do in tomorrow's story end of chapter 14 chapter 15 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and the peacock well if it hadn't been for Robbie Redbreast who saw little Billy Bunny hopping away from the lily pond as I told you in the last story I never would have found out what he did after that and so there would have been no story tonight so the next time you see Robbie Redbreast please thank him and now this is what he told me after the little rabbit had hopped along for maybe a mile or three he came to a high stone wall I wonder what's on the other side he said to himself and then a beautiful peacock looked over and said I'll tell you little rabbit it's a beautiful garden where a fountain plays all day and the breezes sing all night and the flowers whisper and bow their heads how can I get in how flowers and I never heard a fountain play what does it play oh all sorts of waterfall music said the peacock and he spread his beautiful tail out like a fan and brushed a little green fly off his nose it plays trills and rills and cascades and ripples and dipples and this made the little rabbit so curious that he hunted all around to find a gate in the high stone wall and pretty soon he came to one with big iron rods and curiously carved images of lions and dragons and animals with wings so he squeezed through and hopped up to the beautiful fountain where lots of little gold and silver fish swam around and around and the water fell in diamonds and rubies and emeralds but he didn't know that it was Mr. Happy Son who coloured the water drops to make them look like precious stones please play me a tune said the little rabbit and then the beautiful peacock said what tune would you like and the little rabbit answered sprinkle sprinkle little star just a water drop you are twinkle twinkle drops of dew with the sunlight shining through so the beautiful fountain played this little song while Billy Bunny sat there listening and the beautiful peacock spread his tail to catch the sparkle from the glittering drops of water and then all the roses began singing roses white and roses red and roses yellow too instead and pretty lilies white as snow and every other flower you know and after that Billy Bunny asked the peacock to sing a song but when he started to sing oh dear oh dear for you know just because a bird has beautiful feathers he may not have a beautiful voice and the sounds the peacock made were dreadful yes indeed and if the little rabbit hadn't skipped away he would have had to hold his paws over his ears and then maybe he couldn't have stopped them up for he had very large ears and very small feet End of Chapter 15 Chapter 16 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and the Marble Deer in the story before this I told you how the beautiful peacock sang a song which was dreadful so very dreadful that little Billy Bunny had to hold his ears and run away from the lovely fountain well after he had hopped along for maybe a million hops or less he came to a little deer on a smooth lawn so he stopped and spoke to him but the pretty little animal never said a word he didn't even look at the little rabbit so Billy Bunny touched him on the nose but oh dear me it was cold and hard not at all like the nose of a real little deer but the little bunny didn't know it was a marble deer he just thought it was alive you see and he was puzzled and didn't know what to do and then a lovely white dove flew down and said he can't speak he's only a statue what is that? asked the little rabbit for he had never seen one before why? a statue is a figure carved out of marble or stone answered the dove and then she began to coo and comb her feathers with her bill well I'll just hop along then said Billy Bunny and he said goodbye and after a while he came to a little house all covered with red rambler roses so he looked inside to see who lived there and thought perhaps it might be a fairy who owned this beautiful garden with the lovely fountain and the wonderful peacock but there was no one inside so he hopped in and sat down on a small wicker chair and rocked back and forth for it was a rocking chair you know and by and by he fell asleep and dreamed that the beautiful peacock was flying around the fountain and scattering the water drops all about with his magnificent tail and then all of a sudden for somebody was saying isn't this a dear little bunny and Billy Bunny opened his eyes and saw a little girl with yellow curls leaning over him give him to me said a boy's voice and there stood a small boy dressed in a sailor suit and a big sailor hat on which was written battleship Uncle Sam and then Billy Bunny knew it was time to be going so he gave one big hop and maybe two million and a half little skips and jumps and soon he was far away and if he hadn't maybe that little boy would have put him in a cage or a big box and kept him shut up for a long time goodness said the little rabbit I must be more careful next time and then something happened a little hard ball hit him on the left hind foot and a man's voice called out if it hadn't been for that pesky little rabbit I would have made that hole and the big man put his golf stick in the bag and watched Billy Bunny limp away to hide in the woods close by End of chapter 16 Chapter 17 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Dan and Ward Kiv, Ukraine Billy Bunny and the forest dance When the moon is big and bright little bunnies dance at night how they skip and hop and go on their lucky left hind toe Well sir, that's what Billy Bunny was doing It was a lovely moon that night in August and the big round moon was gleaming down on the pleasant meadow just like an electric lamp only it was up in the sky you know, and not on the ceiling and Mrs. Bunny was there too and so was Cousin Cotton Tail and all the little rabbits for miles around Now it's dangerous thing to be dancing even in the moon is bright for owls and hawks they fly by night and if they happen to see a bunny dancing they always fly down and break it up they don't say a word they just fly away with one of the little bunny dancers and he never dances anymore No sir, me, ma'am Well on this particular night little Billy Bunny was doing the fox trot with a nice lady bunny when all of a sudden the sound of the friendly force came sly boots and bushy tail the small sons of Daddy Fox you remember and the reason they were out so late at night was because their father had sprained his foot jumping over a stone fence to get away from a pack of hounds who had chased him for a thousand and one miles and fourteen feet Now Billy Bunny had forgotten all about Daddy Fox he was thinking only about Robert Hawk and old Barney the Owl so he never saw the two foxes until they were so close on him that they almost stubbed their whiskers on his powder puff tail and if it hadn't been for the lady bunny who was dancing with him maybe sly boots or maybe bushy tail would have caught the little bunny but the lady rabbit saw them just in time and she gave a scream and hopped into a hollow stump and Billy Bunny right after and then all the two foxes could do was stand close by and say isn't that a shame to spoil their little game to stop their dancing and their prancing what do you thinks to blame you are you two bad foxes said Billy Bunny but he didn't come out of the hollow stump no sir email he stayed inside so that the little lady rabbit and by and by the two bad foxes went away and told their father Daddy Fox all about it and he says don't make any excuse you are very poor hunters if you can't catch a rabbit and I guess he was right for sly boots and bushy tail were so ashamed that they didn't there look at their mothers looking glass for two days and three nights and in the next story of Billy Bunny gets out the hollow stump to see before him I'll ask Robbie Redbreast to tell me what he does so that I can write down tomorrow story for you to read in of chapter 17 chapter 18 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Kennan Ward Kiv Ukraine Billy Bunny and the Ragged Rabbit Robbie Redbreast told me this morning he saw Billy Bunny hop out of the hollow stump where he had hidden with the little lady bunny you remember the last story to escape from the two dead foxes after he had looked around to make sure they were gone he said goodbye to Miss Rabbit and then, so Robbie Redbreast told me, he looked at his gold watch and chain which his dear kind Uncle Lucky had given him for a birthday present and that was just 13 o'clock that's my lucky number explained Little Rabbit maybe I'll find my fortune today and he looked all about him under a stone and behind a bush but there wasn't any fortune inside not even a $20 gold piece so he wound his watch and started off again by and by not so very far he came to a castle where lived a giant bunny whose name was Ragged Rabbit because he always wore torn and tattered clothing and when he saw Billy Bunny hopping along he said ha ha ho hum I'll eat that little bunny as sure as I'm a foot high and he was 21 feet high less or more he surely thought he would what did you say as Billy Bunny for his quick ears had caught the sound of the Ragged Rabbit's voice but not the woods oh never mind answered the Ragged Giant Rabbit come I'll show you my castle and oh dear me Billy hopped in the big giant closed the door with a bang and all the pictures on the wall almost fell down and the chandelier rattled like a milk wagon full of empty cans but the little bunny wasn't frightened and could you guess what he did if I let you guess until tomorrow night well sir that brave little bunny took his pop gun out of his knapsack and shot it off and made a dreadful loud pop and the big ragged rabbit said oh my was that a cannon and he laughed so loud that he broke a window pane and had to telephone right away to the plumber to have one put in that's my pop gun Mr. Giant said Billy Bunny and if you try to hurt me I'll shoot you and then the ragged giant began and this time the picture of his grandfather fell down and made a big dent in the floor if you don't stop laughing said the little rabbit you'll deafen me so the giant rabbit grew very polite indeed and only smiled and then of course nothing broke tell me who you are and where you're going and what time it is to do something to eat but before the little rabbit could reply a loud knocking came on the door and so you'll have to wait to hear who was there till tomorrow for I've no more room in this story End of Chapter 18 Chapter 19 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and Taylor Bird you remember in the last story somebody was knocking at the door of the ragged rabbit's castle don't you the giant rabbit who always wore torn and tattered clothes because he had no wife to mend them and wouldn't pay his Taylor's bills who do you suppose was on the other side of that door just wait until the giant rabbit opens it and you shall see now open your eyes if you have shut them and see Uncle Lucky as sure as I am writing this story and you are reading it yes sir there stood the dear old gentleman rabbit and oh dear me didn't he look worried I suppose he thought he'd find Billy Bunny inside the giant but when he saw Billy Bunny standing there safe and sound and happy with his pop gun in his hand and a smile on his face he began to laugh exclaimed the old gentleman rabbit greatly relieved which means to feel much better I am glad to see you my dear nephew and also to make your acquaintance Mr Ragged Rabbit Giant my name is Mr Lucky left hind foot and he put out his right front paw and shook hands with the giant who had to lean way down to reach Uncle Lucky's paw but goodness me said the old gentleman rabbit after looking at the giant for some moments you need a Taylor let me call the Taylor bird to mend your clothes you are too nice a rabbit not to be well dressed Uncle Lucky went to the telephone and told the Taylor bird to bring a spool of thread a mile long and a needle as big as a spear for he had a giant customer for him with holes in his clothes as big as a circus ring the Taylor bird said he'd try to but wouldn't promise unless he could send in a bill as big as a newspaper spread out flat well that be alright asked Uncle Lucky explained matters to the ragged giant rabbit certainly said the giant rabbit with a grin and tell him I'll pay him with a dollar bill as big as a Turkish rug or a Krex carpet and then they all sat down and told funny stories and Billy Bunny sang a song that went something like this only much nicer but I can't quite remember it all oh you're a raggedy-taggedy man and a castle big and old and I'm a Billy Bunny boy with a heart that's brave and bold you can't scare me with your thunder laugh or your club like a telegraph pole so you'd better allow the Taylor bird to sew up each raggedy hole and then the Taylor bird commenced and it took him until half past 14 o'clock to mend that giant rabbit's clothes I might just as well have made you a new suit he said as the last inch of the mile-long spool of thread was used up I declare I never had such a job before and I guess he spoke the truth for I never met a giant rabbit in my Taylor shop although I once had a giant bill from my Taylor End of chapter 19 chapter 20 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Catherine Phipps Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and Parson Crow well after the Taylor bird got his money from the ragged giant rabbit ending his clothes he thanked Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky and said he must be going for he had to make a suit of clothes right away for Parson Crow if you wait a minute you can go with us said kind Uncle Lucky we'll take you home in the automobile of course the Taylor bird was only too anxious to get a ride although he did have a good pair of wings but the needle was pretty heavy and anyway Taylor birds don't often have the opportunity to ride in automobiles well after a little ways not so very far the Lucky Mobile came to a stop and of course Billy Bunny had to get out to see what was the matter and he hunted and hunted all over the machine but couldn't find out what was wrong by and by he saw one of the numbers had dropped off the little license plate that hung down from the rear axle so he hopped back and by and by just as he was going to give up looking for it Parson Crow flew by and when he saw Billy Bunny he stopped and said what are you looking for little rabbits and when Billy Bunny told him he took the number 7 out of his pocket and handed it to the little bunny here's your number called the black crow although I never heard of a white one except once and that was a bad bird who had been whitewashed by a coloured painter because he ate up all the corn my lucky number said Billy Bunny and then the crow said in a mournful voice it's mine too and I just hate to give it up well if you can get me another number I don't care if you keep it said the little rabbit and then what do you think that crow did why? he got a nice smooth little chip and made a lovely number 3 on it with a red pencil and handed it to the little rabbit and tied it on the lucky mobile would you believe it if I didn't say so that lucky mobile started to go all by itself and if Billy Bunny hadn't been mighty quick he would have been left behind where are you two rabbits going? asked the crow as he flew alongside of the lucky mobile because if you're not in a hurry why don't you come with me to the meeting house tonight and hear me preach we will said kind Uncle Lucky I'll drop a carrot scent in the collection box if you want me to so after a while they stopped near a tall pine tree and passing crow sat on a limb and waited for all the little people of the forest to come to the meeting well after they were all there he began now listen to the words I say and do your duty every day be always good and most polite and do the things you know alright oh never say an angry word to any animal or bird so when the night comes we'll be good to feel you've done the best you could and after that Uncle Lucky dropped a carrot dollar in the collection box and drove home with Billy Bunny end of chapter 20 chapter 21 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Elaine Conway England Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and Jack in the Box oh I'm a rollicking Jack in the Box and I'm not afraid of a bear or a fox for everyone scared went up by Pop and the little girl cries oh stop oh stop I'm the bravest thing you ever saw I'm not afraid of my mother-in-law well sir I suppose you'll think Billy Bunny was frightened and that Uncle Lucky lost his breath and the automobile attired but nothing of the sort happened instead the old gentleman rabbit laughed so hard that his collar button fell out and it took him 15 minutes and half an hour to find it and then he never would have if the Jack in the Box hadn't seen it first and where do you suppose that exasperating which means teasing button was you'd never guess so I'll have to tell you without asking you again it was in the old gentleman rabbit's waistcoat pocket where he kept his gold watch and chain and pocket knife and pencil with a rubber on the end and a toothpick now did you see it pop into my pocket he asked the Jack in the Box I'll never tell you said the Jack in the Box but what does that matter you found your collar button and that's enough if I come across your cousin Jack in the pulpit said Uncle Lucky after he had buttoned up his collar and wound his watch I'll tell him how kind you were to find my collar button for me and then the old gentleman rabbit took off his old wedding stovepipe hat and bowed to the Jack in the Box and drove away in the Luckmobile down the road and when he came to a bridge he said to his little nephew do you think we're on the right road I don't remember this bridge do you? and then a voice cried out don't be anxious Mr Lucky left hind foot this is the road to Lettisfil keep right on after you cross the bridge until you come to a little red schoolhouse and then turn to your left and then turn to your right and if you don't get home until morning you've made a mistake thank you said Uncle Lucky I'll come back and give you a scolding and after that they crossed the bridge and just as they came to the first turn in the road they heard a dreadful loud noise in the woods close by what's that? asked Billy Bunny and he turned up his left ear and his coat collar so that he could hear better it's an old friend of yours answered a deep growly kind of a voice and before the two rabbits could wonder who it was their friend the good natured bear jumped out of the bushes take me with you please he said for I've run a split through my foot and it hurts me to walk and in the next story you shall hear of another adventure which the two little rabbits had End of Chapter 21 Chapter 22 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Kudrna Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and Duck2Duck you remember in the last story how the good natured bear asked Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky to give him a ride to the car because he had run a splinter in his foot well as soon as he had climbed into the automobile and it took him almost 23 and half seconds to do it for the splinter was so long that it caught on the door Uncle Lucky started off and by and by they came to the house where the good Duck Doctor lived Doctor Kwak you remember now I'll go in and get him to come out and look at your splinter said Billy Bunny as he hopped and drank the front doorbell and in a minute a nice looking lady duck came out and said the Doctor is away on his vacation he's gone to the lily pond for two weeks but you can call him up on the telephone if you like the number is Waterill23amte11 so the little rabbit called up the number and when the doctor heard what was the matter he said you had better come to see me you have the automobile right there and it's a dangerous thing to have so large a splinter as that tell Mr. Barrie he'll have a dreadful corn if it isn't taken out at once so they all hurried away and pretty soon they came to lily pond and there was Duck Doctor Duck swimming around among the pond lilies and the frogs having a lovely time and wasn't he sunburned well I should say he was his bill was as dark as a little brown berry and his nose was as red as a little choked cherry and it looks very serious to me said he putting on his glasses and looking at Mr. Barrie's injured feet I'll have to get a saw and cut off your foot and then Mr. Barrie gave a dreadful howl oh please don't saw off my foot it's far enough already I didn't mean to saw off your foot said Duck Doctor Duck did I say that I mean to saw off the splinter and then put it on pull this and draw out the pain well it took a long time to do all that and the poor bear cried several times where it heard the splinter dreadfully you know to be sawed off that way but by and by the pull this began to draw and pretty soon out came the splinter and Mr. Barrie felt ever so much better that is until the doctor said it will cost you a million dollars for that was a very serious operation I have never even seen a million dollars said the bear nor even a million cents you'll have to mail me a corrected bill and then he jumped into the automobile and asked Uncle Lucky to drive away stop stop cried to the doctor but Uncle Lucky paid no attention to him and the more than the bear paid the bill you sent a corrected bill to my friend said the old gentleman rabbit and mind you you had better corrected three times and a half if you ever wanted paid and in the next story here of an exciting adventure which the two little rabbits had with the fretful porcupine end of chapter 22 chapter 23 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Claire Haney facebook.com slash VoiceBeans Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey chapter 23 Billy Bunny and the fretful porcupine oh never tease a porcupine for reasons I'll relate he's like a cushion full of pins that stand out stiff and straight and if you stand too close I know he'll stick one in your little toe well that's just what Uncle Lucky did and of course he got stuck with one of those prickly stickery porcupine needles and it was an awful bother to get it out and the fretful porcupine laughed and this made Billy Bunny very angry and he took his pot gun out of his knapsack and hit the porcupine on the end of the nose with the cork bullet and the prickly animal run away and after that the two rabbits started off again in the Luckymobile and by and by they came to a little village where they made lollipops by the million and the first thing Uncle Lucky did was to buy a big box full of them and put it in the back of the Luckymobile for said the kind old gentleman rabbit we may run across some boys and girls and we'll have something nice to give them wasn't that kind of him but he was always doing nice things was dear kind generous Uncle Lucky well after a while they came to some woods where a picnic was being held there were lots and lots of children playing under the trees and the women were sitting around talking and telling their troubles and the men were making whistles and bows and arrows for the boys and telling how they used to shoot them when they were little boys hello there children cried Uncle Lucky while Billy Bunny honked to the horn don't you want some lollipops and in about 500 short seconds there wasn't a lollipop left in that big box and Uncle Lucky was a hero or a Santa Claus remember which and then one big boy said let's give three cheers for the two rabbits and one more for the lucky mobile and you never heard such a noise in your life one little boy got so excited that he swallowed a raspberry lollipop and his mother had to reach down his throat and pull it out by the stick now be good until I see you again said the kind old gentleman rabbit as he drove off and by and by Billy Bunny saw something moving among the trees what's that he said to his rabbit uncle but before the old gentleman rabbit could reply a big stone hit one of the lamps on the automobile and broke it to splinter rings stop that whoever you are shouted Billy Bunny if you do it again shoot and he held his pop gun up to his shoulder just like a soldier boy in battle and if the little canary in my room doesn't wink at me all night so that I can't hear the alarm clock in the morning I'll tell you another story end of chapter 23 well my little canary bird didn't wink at me all night as I feared it might in the last story and my alarm clock said good morning to me at half past 14 o'clock so I got up in time and here is the story I wrote before I went out into the garden to eat raspberries with Robbie red breast one evening I went out to the garden to eat raspberries with Robbie red breast one evening as Uncle Lucky and Billy Bunny were driving along in the Lucky Mobile who should they come across but a little billy goat named Danny he had a little beard that hung down from his chin and two little horns that stuck up from his head and he was playing on a flute while he sat cross-legged on a stone by the roadside and when he saw our two small friends in their machine he began to play it's not so far to the Twinkle Star in the little white boat of sleep so list to my tune like a breeze in June where the honeysuckles creep over the sky way up high in the little white boat of sleep ever so far to the Twinkle Star way up in the sky blew deep where did you learn that lullaby ask kind Uncle Lucky brushing a tear from his eye for he remembered just a little song his mother used to sing when he was a little boy rabbit you know I don't know answered Danny goat he pulled on his goatee and smiled and then he began again up in the sky when the sun is high the white cloud boats go sailing by and the summer breeze in the tall tall trees is singing a song the whole day long and this is the song they sing we ring the bell in the cool damp dell that grows on the lilies stock we bend the ferns in the river's turns and the tail of the great grey hawk and the foamy spray in the big deep bay we blow on the great boardwalk that reminds me of Atlantic City said Uncle Lucky let's drive down there and go for a swim just the thing said the little rabbit I've got my bathing suit in my knapsack I'm ready so off they went and by and by the sea shore but there wasn't a hotel in sight so of course they knew they had made a mistake they didn't care especially Billy Bunny for not very far from land was a big good-natured whale who had taken him for a sail a long, long time ago there's my friend the whale ship cried the little rabbit and in the next story if that whale doesn't swim away I'll tell you something more about Billy Bunny and his kind Uncle Lucky End of Chapter 24 Recording by Jen Broda Chapter 25 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Billy Bunny and the Whale you remember in the story before this that Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky were at the seashore and out a little ways from the land was the good-natured whale well as soon as he saw the little rabbit he swam up to the beach and said hello and then Billy Bunny introduced him to Uncle Lucky and after that the whale said don't you both want to go for a sail too? and as the old gentleman rabbit had never been on a whale ship in his life he said yes right away and so did the little rabbit then the whale pushed his tail up on the sand and the two little rabbits hopped over it just like a bridge and then they sat down and away went the whale with a swish of his tail that spattered the spray all over the bay goodness me cried the old gentleman rabbit he had to wipe off my spectacles and he took his polka dot panker cheap from his pocket and after that he tied it over his old wedding stovepipe hat for he wasn't going to lose that hat no sirree and no sirree ma'am not even if he had to tie the anchor to it by and by that's a very long they heard a sweet voice singing so it looked everywhere but the only thing they saw was the ocean I wonder who is singing said uncle lucky and he took his spyglass out of his waistcoat pocket and twisted it around and around until he could see distinctly which means plainly you know there she is cried the old gentleman rabbit and he got so excited that he looked through the wrong end of the spyglass and then he said no she isn't hey you know what did you see asked the little rabbit and he pushed forward uncle lucky's old wedding stovepipe hat to keep it from falling over his left ear a mermaid cried the old gentleman rabbit and before he could turn the spyglass the other way a lovely mermaid swam up and handed him her card and on it was written in lovely purple ink purple sea form oceanville USA please to meet you cried the old gentleman rabbit most politely this is my nephew William bunny brier patch old snake fence corner and my name is Mr. Lucky left hind foot and I live in lettuceville corner of carrot and lettuce streets for it was tied down tight you remember with his blue polka dot pager chief and after that the mermaid asked them to visit her coral island where she and her sisters sold coral beads and scarf pins and in the next story you shall hear well I guess I won't tell you now but let you wait and see end of chapter 25 chapter 26 Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog this is LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Violet Blue Albertville Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey Chapter 27 Billy Bunny and the Mermaid well now we'll commence by saying Uncle Lucky reached the coral island where the lovely mermaid lived for she had asked them to call you remember they got off the whale and after asking him to wait for them while they made a little visit sat down on the sand and pretty soon the mermaid brought them each a lovely coral scarf pin and the one she gave to Uncle Lucky was a little image of herself and the one she gave to Billy Bunny was a little fish then the little rabbit opened his knapsack and gave it to her and she was so pleased that she ate it all up and then she said I'll give you a lovely breast pin made of beautiful coral for your mother Mr. Billy Bunny if you'll give me another pie so the little rabbit opened his knapsack and took out another fresh juicy apple pie and placed the beautiful present for his mother carefully in the knapsack and after that he ate a lollipop and Uncle Lucky drank a bottle of ginger ale and then they said goodbye and board the whale ship and sailed away and would you believe it? Dear kind Uncle Lucky almost cried. You see he had never seen a mermaid before and he thought she was lovely and I guess she was for Uncle Lucky couldn't make a mistake I'm sure for he had traveled abroad and had seen lots and lots of beautiful lady bunnies and now where are we going? asked the little rabbit but Uncle Lucky was too busy trying to find his other blue polka dot handkerchief to keep his eyes to answer and then he couldn't find it and the reason was because he had given it to a Chinaman the day before but he didn't remember that for he was so miserable at leaving the beautiful mermaid oh dear oh dear sighed the old gentleman rabbit tis sad to part my poor old heart is nearly nearly breaking alas alas that mermaid lass has set my head a shaking and after that his old wedding stovepipe hat almost fell off his head and it would have I'm sure if it hadn't been for the blue polka dot handkerchief which he had tied over the top of it and just then all of a sudden the whale ship bumped into a motorboat and nearly upset it what's the matter with your pilot screamed the man who was in the motorboat and when Uncle Lucky looked over the side of the whale he saw it wasn't a man at all but the old billy goat who owned the ferry boat I told you about some umpteen leaven stones ago excuse us please said the kind old gentleman rabbit but what the billy goat said I'll have to tell you in the next story for there's no more room in this one end of chapter 27 recording by Violet Blue Albert Phil chapter 27 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog 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 Violet Blue Albert Phil Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey chapter 27 Billy Bunny and the Beanstalk seeing it's you answered the billy goat who you remember in the last story had gotten very angry because Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky had bumped into his motorboat with their whale ship I'll forgive you and then he raced the whale all the way to the shore and would have beaten him too if he had gone faster and as soon as the whale ship ran up on the beach the two little rabbits hopped off and got into their automobile and drove away and the whale went back and told the mermaid that the two little rabbits had a beautiful Lucky mobile and she felt dreadfully sorry that she hadn't gone with them well after a little while not so very far there was a wonderful beanstalk which was growing up so high that you couldn't see the top and if Billy Bunny had only known the story about Jack and the Beanstalk I guess he would have thought that the story had come true my gracious exclaimed Uncle Lucky my lima beans at home grow pretty high but never as high as this and he took out of his waistcoat pocket his spyglass and tried to find the top of the beanstalk but he couldn't think of that I'm going to climb up that beanstalk said the little bunny maybe I'll find my fortune at the top and I'll go with you said the old gentleman rabbit for he wasn't going to let his small nephew go up a strange beanstalk and perhaps get lost in the clouds you know not good, kind Uncle Lucky no sorry ma'am so they hopped out of the Lucky mobile and started up the beanstalk and by and by after a pretty long time the first thing they saw was their friend American Eagle and his wife and she was sitting on her nest hatching out the big eggs which she had laid we'll need lots of eagles now that we've gone to war said the big bird and he flapped his wings and sang Yankee Doodle Dandy three times over and then once more and this made the old gentleman rabbit so excited that he stood up and made a speech and then he threw his old wedding stove pipe hat up into the air and gave three cheers to a dozen tigers and two or three bears and after that Billy Bunny opened his knapsack and took out an American flag and put it on top of the beanstalk so that all the people in the airplane could see it and say hip hooray for the USA when the little eagles came out of their shells you must bring them to call on me said good kind Uncle Lucky to Mrs. Eagle I have some popcorn and lollipops at home and I know how children like those things but this made Mrs. Eagle very happy and Mr. Eagle very proud and he helped the two little rabbits to climb down the beanstalk in time for me to write what they did in the next story which will be about an adventure in the friendly forest End of Chapter 27 Recording by Violet Blue Albert Phil Chapter 28 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog After Billy Bunny and Uncle Lucky reached the ground for they had climbed down the beanstalk you remember as I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you when I told you And as the old gentleman's grill was very nice and well-behaved, it made Uncle Lucky provoke to think that his son should be such a scatterbrains. So Uncle Lucky stopped the automobile and said, Well, young squirrel, have you been troubling your father lately? And scatterbrains answered, No, Mr. Lucky, left-hined for it, not lately, not since yesterday. What? It exclaimed the old gentleman-rubbit, Do you mean to say you troubled him yesterday? Why didn't you wait until tomorrow? And then Uncle Lucky winked at Billy Bunny, and then scowled at scatterbrains. And just then they heard a dreadful noise. It sounded just as if the trees were snapping to pieces, and all of a sudden a tornado struck them, and up in the air went to the Lucky Mobile with the two little rabbits. But what happened to the little squirrel? I really don't know, unless it took him up, too, and hid him in a cloud. And perhaps it did, for I've often seen clouds that looked exactly like squirrels, haven't you, and other animals, too, like bears and cats? Gracious me, cried Uncle Billy, Hang on, Billy Bunny, and don't let the cushion slip or the electricity run out of the cabaret, for if we ever get back to earth, I'd like to get home and stay home forever. Oh, home, sweet home! And the old gentleman-rubbit took off his automobile goggles, for they were full of tears, and he couldn't see anything. Well, by and by the tornado let go, and the automobile fell on top of a clothesline, and balanced there, as nicely as a tightrope dancer. And when the two little rabbits looked about them, they found they were in Mrs Bunny's backyard, in the old briar patch. Wasn't that lucky? Well, I guess it was. And just then Mrs Bunny came out of the kitchen door to hang up some of Billy Bunny's little shirts on the line, for it was Monday morning, you know, and when she saw the lucky mobile on her clothesline, she gave her a scream, and then she began to laugh. And after that she ran back into the house, and brought out her scissors, and cut the rope, and the automobile came down with a bang, and out tumbled the two little rabbits. Well, well, well, said Mrs Bunny, and she sat down on the clothespin basket, and laughed, but of course there weren't any clothespins, or any other kind of pins in it, you see, for then she wouldn't have laughed. And in the next story, if my umbrella doesn't open, and stand over my bed to keep off the mosquitoes, I'll tell you another story, tomorrow night. End of Chapter 28 Chapter 29 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. 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 Jen Broda. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and Mrs Black Cat. Awake, awake, tis early morn, the cow is climbing the stalks of corn, the little bird is beating an egg, and the rooster is dancing about on one leg, and the pig is trying on her new bonnet, with a little blue bow and a red cherry on it. Uncle Lucky rolled over in bed, and then he got up and wiggled his nose and his left ear, and after that he was so wide awake that he didn't want to get back into bed, as I did when I woke up this morning. And just then the breakfast bell rang, and Mrs Bunny put on coffee in the baked lollipops and the stewed prunes and, oh dear meme, I really can't remember what rabbits eat every day, for I'm sure they don't eat the same old thing. For if they did they wouldn't be jolly and gay and hop about merrily all through the day, but would sit in a corner and sulk and be sad, and maybe get angry and maybe get mad. So always remember to have something new, for no one can always enjoy a prune stew. There, I've gone and written another piece of poetry, and my typewriter wouldn't print it properly. Isn't that too bad? Well, after breakfast the old gentleman rabbit went out for a walk in the pleasant meadow, and he went all alone too, for Billy Bunny had to stay home and polish the front doorknob and sweep the piazza and feed the canary and bring in the wood. For Mrs. Bunny had to hurry up with the breakfast dishes, so is to be able to go over and see Cousin Cottontail, who had just had a new baby rabbit. Well, as I was saying, Uncle Lucky hopped along the pleasant meadow until he came to the old farm yard where cocky docky and Henny Jenny and all the other barnyard folk lived with the good-natured farmer. And just as he was going through the gate, who should bounce out at him but a big black cat? And, oh dear me, her claws were sticking out her front feet like pins, and her eyes were yellow as fire, and her teeth glittered, and her whiskers stood out like bayonets, and her tail was as big as a rolling pin, and her back was humped up worse than a camel's. If you can think of anything worse than the way that cat looked, I wish you would write me a letter and tell me so that I can scare Uncle Lucky, for which you believe it, he wasn't the least bit frightened. No, sirree, ma'am. He just took off his old wedding-stove pipette and bowed most politely to Mrs. Black Cat, and she was so surprised that she turned around and went back to her three little kittens who never wore mittens, because they didn't have any. And after that the old gentleman rabbit hopped into the barn and ate some corn and had a talk with Mr. Sharp-tooth Rat, and maybe he would have been talking there yet if something hadn't happened. And when you don't expect it, something very often, and sometimes most always does, happen. The miller's dog ran into the barn and made a grab for the old gentleman rabbit, but Uncle Lucky was too quick for him. He hopped to one side and then out of that barn, so that he hopped right into tomorrow night's story. Wasn't that wonderful? End of Chapter 29. Recording by Jen Broda. Chapter 30 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. 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 Shree Kala Sivakumar. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and Big Yellow Dog. Let me see. Didn't I say that Billy Bunny hopped out of the old barn so fast in last night's story that he jumped right into this one? Well, he did. And here he is saying, I'm ready for another adventure. And no sooner had he said this, then along came a big yellow dog with a muzzle on his nose. And when the little rabbit saw him, he laughed out love. Oh, Mr. Yellow Dog. Did you put your nose into a mousetrap? No, I didn't reply the yellow dog. It's a muzzle to keep me from biting little rabbits. And then he gave a dreadful growl and tried to pull off the muzzle with his front paws. I won't wait until you get it off, said Billy Bunny. And he hopped away as fast as he could, for he wasn't the least bit curious to see whether that muzzle was tied on tight. And by and by he came to a hollow stump where lived an old rabbit named Hopity Hop. Hello, my little friend, said the old rabbit. And then he wriggled his nose a million times or less. For I guess he smelt the lettuce sandwich which Billy Bunny had in his knapsack. Good morning, said Billy Bunny. But he didn't open his knapsack. No, sir. It wasn't 14 o'clock, which is the luncheon hour in Rabbitville, so I've been told. And this, of course, made the old rabbit very sad. Oh, dear me, he cried. I am so hungry and if there's anything I love more than a lettuce sandwich, it's apple pie. How do you know I've got an apple pie? As Billy Bunny, and he took out his gold watch and chain to see what time it was. For he began to feel hungry all of a sudden. But oh, dear me, it wasn't 14 o'clock or anywhere near it. So he twisted the stem of his watch until the hands pointed at the luncheon time. And then he took out the lettuce sandwich and the apple pie. And he and the old rabbit ate them up right then and there. And after that, they felt ever so much better. Now, I'll tell you a secret, said the old rabbit. There's a candy shop not very far from here. And if you've got any money in your knapsack, I'll take you there. Wasn't that kind of that old rabbit? So off they hopped and pretty soon, not so very far. They came to the candy shop and the old lady Woodchuck, who kept it, was awfully kind and generous. For she filled up a paper bag right to the top for a lettuce dollar bill, which I think was a very cheap price to pay for all that candy, don't you? And when it was all gone, Billy Bunny said goodbye and hopped away, singing at the top of his voice. Oh, who is so merry and who is so gay as a rabbit who always has money to pay for candy and popcorn and nice apple pie and other sweet things that you're longing to buy? And in the next story, if Billy Bunny does eat any more carrot candy and gets so dizzy, he can hop in a circle. I'll tell you some more about the little rabbit. End of chapter 30, chapter 31 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. 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 Catherine Phipps. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and a happy birthday. It very often happens, you don't know what to do. And then's the time the mischief man comes smiling round to you. He whispers something in your ear. You know you shouldn't stop to hear. And then's the time for you to say, oh mischief man, please go away. This is what dear good Uncle Lucky wrote in Billy Bunny's album. For it was the little rabbit's birthday, you know, and Uncle Lucky thought he ought to warn him against the mischief man. Well, as soon as the inquest dries so that the little rabbit could put the album away in Uncle Lucky's desk, the kind old gentleman rabbit said, let us take a ride in the Lucky Mobile. Maybe we can go someplace where we will have a good time. So they got into the automobile and started off and by and by they came to a shady spot in the woods. And there right under a big spreading chestnut tree was a little table covered with a clean white cloth and in the middle was a lovely birthday cake with candles and big frosted letters, which read a happy birthday to Billy Bunny. And oh my, wasn't he delighted? And so were all the little forest folk, for they were all there. Let me tell you from old squirrel nutcracker to the big brown bear. And so were the little people from the Pleasant Meadow, Dicky Meadowmouse and Robbie Redbreast and many others. And pretty soon along came the barnyard folk, Cocky Docky, Hennie Jenny and Ducky Daddy's. Even Mrs. Cow wasn't too busy to be there. And if you'll wait a minute, I'll tell you the names of some more of Billy Bunny's friends. Turkey Perky, Danny Beaver, Old Mother Magpie, Timmy Chipmunk, Scatterbrains, The Gray Squirrel and Shadowtail, his brother. Daddy Fox would like to have been there. Only Uncle Lucky hadn't sent him an invitation. The only friend who wasn't there was Uncle Bullfrog. He couldn't leave his log in the old mill pond. So he sent his regrets by little Mrs. Oriole, who lived in the Willow Tree by the old mill. No, we'll cut the cake, said kind Uncle Lucky. And he went over to the Lucky Mobile to get the big carving knife, which he had hidden under the cushions. There's a little gold ring hidden away somewhere. He said as he cut the cake very carefully, so as not to topple over the pretty candles and get the pink and green melted wax all over the white frosting. And then everybody ate up his piece of cake as fast as he could to find the little gold ring. I've got it! I've got it! Screamed Timmy Chipmunk, but oh, dear me, it wasn't the ring at all. It was only a hard nut. And the little Chipmunk was so disappointed that he ran home to tell his mother all about it. And she gave him one. She had found when she was a little girl in the toe of her stocking one happy Christmas morning. And in the next story, you'll be surprised to hear who got the ring after all. End of chapter 31. Chapter 32 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. 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 Catherine Phipps. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and the Lost Ring. Something's going to happen. I feel it in the air, but what it is you soon shall know. So hold your breath and stare. You remember in the last story, I told you about Billy Bunny's birthday party and promised to tell you who found the little gold ring in the frosted cake. Well, just as the little rabbit said, I found it. Daddy Fox sprang from behind a bush and grabbed the piece of cake right out of the little rabbit's paw. And then he jumped over the Lucky Mobile and ran off to his den to give it to Sly Boots or Bushy Tail. He's two little sons, you know. But which one got it? I can't remember. For everybody was so excited that they forgot to ask the naughty old Fox before he got away. That's too bad, said kind Uncle Lucky. I'll have to get you another one. So he said goodbye to everybody and took Billy Bunny down to the three and ten cent store where they bought a lovely gold ring with a big ruby in it. Wasn't that nice? And then they came back to the woods. But everybody had gone home and there was no more birthday cake anywhere to be seen. Not even a little piece of candle. Well, what shall we do now? Said the kind old gentleman rabbit. And he poured some lettuce oil into the cabaret and took out his blue polka dot handkerchief and wiped his ear. And then he dusted off his old wedding stovepipe pattern, hopped the automobile horn and blew up a tire and turned a cushion upside down to hide a grease spot. And after that, he put on his goggles and started off again. And by and by, not so very long, they came to a signpost on which was written, which road shall I take? Goodness gracious me, exclaimed the old gentleman rabbit. What's the matter with my goggles? And he took them off and looked at the signpost again. It says the same old thing, he said with a sigh. And he took off his old wedding stovepipe hat and dusted the top. And after he had put it on his head again, he heard a voice saying, take the road that leads to the left and not the one to the right. For if you don't, you will get left and you won't get home till night. Who's speaking, said Billy Bunny. And the reason he hadn't said anything before was because he had been sound asleep. And then who should come out from behind that funny signpost but a great roaring bull with two horns and about ten feet long and big red snorting nostrils. Don't let us disturb you, which means bother or something like that. Said Uncle Lucky, and he honked the horn with all his might. And would you believe it? The bull was so frightened that he ran away and never stopped till he got home and covered himself with the crazy quilt on his old four-poster bed. End of chapter 32, chapter 33 of Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog. 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 Catherine Phipps. Billy Bunny and Uncle Bullfrog by David Corey. Billy Bunny and the Great News. Once upon a time, so I've heard tell, there lived a little rabbit in a shady del and on one side a clover patch where red topped clovers grew and other side was lollipops of red and white and blue. This is the song Mrs. Bunny sang one morning as she set to work to wash her little rabbit's white duck trousers. For it was Monday and that is wash day in Rabbitville. So they tell me and just as she was hanging them out on the line, who should fly up but old Mother Magpie and my wasn't she excited? Why, she was so disturbed that her bonnet had fallen off her head and was hanging by the strings. Have you heard the news? She asked and she rolled off one of her black silk mitts and turned her wedding ring around three times and a half. Heard what? Asked Mrs. Bunny, putting the clothespin in her mouth instead of on the clothesline. Why, the miller's boy has gone off to the war. Hooray! shouted little Billy Bunny, who was polishing the brass door knob on the back door. Hooray! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, said old Mother Mischief. His poor mother is nearly crazy with grief. I'm sorry for her, said Mrs. Bunny, and she thought how thankful she ought to be that her little rabbit didn't have to shoulder a musket. Well, I'm glad she's going, said Billy Bunny. He can shoot at something else now besides little rabbits. Old Mother Magpie ruffled her feathers. Well, if I had a boy like you, I'd teach him not to glory over another person's grief. And then she flew away. Oh, I'm sorry for his mother, said Mrs. Bunny, but the miller boy will never be missed. And the clothespin fell out of her mouth and stood up in the grass like a little wooden soldier. Do you want anything at the store? Asked the little rabbit after he had finished cleaning the door knob. If you do, tell me, for I'm going by there. Well, you can order a pound of carrot tea and some lollipops. Answered his mother. And then Billy Bunny picked up his striped candy cane and set off for the village. And by and by, he came to the post office. And the nice lady postmistress called to him that there was a letter there addressed to Billy Bunny. Old Briar Patch. But what was written in it? I'm not going to tell you now. For I must stop and play a game of Peanuckle with dear, kind Uncle Lucky, who just telephoned me to come over to his house and have a game with him this evening. And I mustn't keep him waiting another minute. End of chapter 33.