Mary Frances Blaisdell

“ Robin Redbreast called again.
"Don't call for rain," said Bunny Rabbit. "I like to have the sun shine all the time."
"So do I," said Sammy Red Squirrel. "I do not like to have it rain on my fur coat."
"See how the flowers hang down their heads," said the robin.
"I am sure they would like to have a drink of fresh water."
"The flowers are sleepy," said Bunny. "That is why they hang their heads."
"Quack, quack, quack!" said Mrs. Duck. "Come, children, we will go down to the brook."
The duck and all the little ducks waddled across the road and into the meadow. ”

“ Jill. "Let's bring our pumpkins to school and make our lanterns at noon."
"Yes, yes, that is just the thing!" they shouted.
"Then when they are finished we can ask Miss Phillips which is the prettiest."
As if a Jack-o'-lantern could ever be pretty!
The next morning there was a funny sight in the dressing-room.
Under each hook was a pumpkin.
There were big ones, little ones, fat ones, long ones, short ones, yellow ones, and green ones.
In fact, no two pumpkins were alike, except of course, Jack's and Jill's.
"It will never do for us to have ours different," said Jill. ”

“ Then North Wind puffed out his cheeks and blew more leaves under the oak tree.
"Oh, what fun!" said Bunny. "I should like to do that."
Bunny puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew, as hard as he could blow.
But the leaves did not move, until North Wind came to help him.
"This is just the day to fly a kite," said Bobtail.
"Yes," said Billy. "The children always fly kites when the wind blows."
"I wish we had a kite," said Bunny. "I should like to see it sail up in the air and over the trees."
"I can make a kite," said Bobtail. ”

“ Mary sat up and did not feel one bit sleepy.
"Why, Miss Smith," said Mary, "how can we be a book?"
"I will show you," said Miss Smith.
"We will play that we are the Mother Goose Book.
"You must each think of some child from Mother Goose land whom you would like to be.
"Then each one can come to the front of the room and play at being that little child.
"The rest of us will try to guess who the child is."
The children all thought that would be great fun, and for a few minutes it was so quiet they could almost hear the snow falling. ”

“ Bunny saw the bee flying round and round over their heads.
"It must have been a bee that stung you," said Bunny.
Billy looked at the bee.
"I am going home," he said. "I did not want to come so far anyway. There are plenty of good things eat in our own field."
So Billy hopped along home very slowly.
He stopped every few steps to rub his poor little nose.
Mother Rabbit saw him coming and went to the door to meet him.
"What is the matter?" she asked.
"I went to the meadow to eat clover," said Billy. "The bees were there and one stung me on the nose." ”

“ Then she waked up her doll, and Boy Blue went on reading from his story-book.
Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow, And everywhere that Mary went The lamb was sure to go. He followed her to school one day, Which was against the rule. It made the children laugh and play To see a lamb at school. And so the teacher put him out, But still he lingered near, And waited patiently about Till Mary did appear. ”

“ Duck made her feet go so fast that she was soon in the middle of the brook.
Paddle, paddle, paddle, went all the little ducks, and they were swimming after their mother.
"Oh, what fun this is!" said the littlest duck.
"How cool the water is," said the biggest duck.
"Come in, Bunny," called all the ducks. "Swimming is the easiest thing in the world."
"Why don't you try it, Bunny?" asked Mr. Green Frog, who was sitting on a rock close by.
"The water is cool, and swimming is the easiest thing in the world." ”

“ The three little rabbits hopped off to find the big patch of clover.
They hopped down to the brook, but they could not see any clover there.
"Perhaps it was in the meadow," said Billy.
"The brook runs through the meadow."
"Yes," said Bobtail, "and then it runs through the woods."
"Clover would not grow under the trees," said Bunny. "It grows in the fields where the sun shines."
"The sun shines in the meadow," said Billy. "Let's go down there and look for the clover patch." ”

“ Of course they all wanted one.
"I know something better than a Christmas tree," said Miss Smith.
"Something better than a Christmas tree!" said Mistress Mary. "What can it be?"
"I must tell you about it," said Miss Smith. "You know I have told you about Mrs. Brown."
"Yes," said Boy Blue, "she is the 'Old Woman in the Shoe.'"
Miss Smith laughed. "Is that what you call her?" she said.
"Yes," said Mary, "you know she has a great many children."
"Well, Tommy and Betty Brown have been sick a long time.
"Mrs. Brown has had to work very hard to get food to eat. ”

“ Bunny and Billy were over in the meadow eating clover.
Mother Rabbit and Bobtail were in the garden eating cabbage.
Billy was fond of cabbage, too. But the garden was far away, across the field and over the other side of the road.
So Billy ate clover in the meadow.
Bunny had eaten cabbage the day before. So he ate clover in the meadow with Billy.
The two little rabbits nibbled at the tender leaves.
"I have had enough to last me all day," said Bunny. "Now let's go and play."
"Oh, no!" said Billy. "I am going home and take a nap." ”

“ Jack and Jill Went up the hill, To get a pail of water. Jack fell down And broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after.
JACK AND JILL
Tommy Tucker and Mary had many good times together that summer.
They fished in the brook at the end of the meadow.
They went berrying and took their dinner with them.
They rode to market in the big wagon with Grandpa Hall.
In fact, they did everything that boys and girls who live on a farm like to do.
But they did not always play alone. ”

“ The squirrels ran up and down the trees, and all around everywhere to find hidden nuts.
All at once Bunny Rabbit heard a noise.
He sat up on his hind legs and held up his long ears.
The other rabbits listened, too.
Sammy and Bobby heard the noise and scampered up into the little pine tree.
"Bow-wow-wow!" barked Jip, as he ran through the woods.
"It's the dog!" cried Bunny. "Let's run and hide."
The little rabbits whirled around and hopped back to their house.
Sammy and Bobby were safe in the tree, so they did not try to run away. ”

“ There are horses, and cows, and sheep, and pigs, and ducks, and hens and chickens on the farm.
Of course, Boy Blue likes the cows and sheep best.
He likes to drive the cows to the pasture in the morning.
Sometimes, at night, he drives them home again.
He likes to watch his father milk the cows and feed them.
"When I am a big boy," he says, "I shall milk my own cow every day."
Sometimes he goes with the boy to watch the sheep.
Shep, the dog, always goes with them. He watches the sheep all day long.
They like to get into the meadow where the grass is green and sweet. ”

“ But Snowball did not seem to think so.
One morning Boy Blue went out to feed her, and she would not leave her nest.
"Cluck, cluck!" said she, "I can hear my little chickens."
Boy Blue kept very still and listened.
"Peep, peep, peep," he heard.
"Yes, Snowball," he said, "I can hear your chickens, too."
All day he was busy helping John build a chicken house.
They built the house in the field near the barn.
"I know Snowball will like this house," said Boy Blue.
The next morning Snowball let him see her chickens. ”

“ Tommy put Humpty Dumpty up on the stone wall and ran off with the twins.
Grandpa Hall's old white cow was in the meadow eating grass.
As she came near the wall she saw something that looked very much like a pumpkin.
Mrs. Cow was fond of pumpkins, so she thought she would go and see what it really was on the wall.
"Why, it surely is a pumpkin," said Mrs. Cow, "but I wonder what all those holes are for."
Humpty Dumpty felt very much hurt to think that Mrs. Cow should speak of his eyes and mouth as holes. ”

“ Then Blacky Crow flapped his big wings and flew far, far away.
Sammy watched the crow fly over the tallest tree and out of sight.
"I wish I could fly," he said to himself. "I know I could if I had some wings."
Just then a flock of sparrows flew over head.
"Twitter, twitter!" they said.
"Twitter, twitter, twitter!"
Sammy watched the sparrows flying until they were out of sight.
"I know I could fly," he said to himself again, "if I had some wings. ”

“ Boy Blue had never seen such a large school in all his life.
In the little country school there were only ten children.
In Mary's school there were fifty boys and girls in one room, and there were ten rooms in the school-house.
Now it was winter, and there was snow on the ground.
The children had been to school three months.
Every afternoon they had great fun coasting down the long hill behind the school-house.
One day Miss Smith said, "Children, do you know what month this is?"
"Yes, yes!" they all said. "This is December."
"Christmas comes this month," said one little girl. ”

“ When Jill's mother called the children to dinner, there was a long row of cakes and pies and, cookies.
"We ought to eat our dinner here," said Mary.
"I like mother's pies and cookies best," said Jack.
So Jack and Jill ran up the hill once more, and Mary and Tommy climbed over the fence and ran across the garden to see what Grandma Hall had for their dinner.
Little Jack Homer Sat in a corner, Eating his Christmas pie; He put in his thumb And pulled out a plum, And said, "What a big boy am I!"
JACK HORNER'S PIE
I am going to tell you about another one of Boy Blue's friends. ”

“ But Bunny and Bobtail would not let him. They took hold of his hand, and made him hop along with them through the snow.
"Where are you going?" called Bobby Gray Squirrel.
"Follow us and you will see," answered Bunny.
"Oh, no," said Bobby. "I like best to run about in this big tree.
"After I have found something to eat I shall curl up in my warm nest and go to sleep.
"Summer is the time to play, but winter is the time to sleep."
II
The little rabbits hopped off through the woods. ”

“ Rags trotted along behind him, wagging his tail and barking at everything he saw.
"What can you do, Tommy?" asked Grandpa.
"I can play my violin and sing," said Tommy. "That is all I know how to do."
"Little Tommy Tucker, Sings for his supper.
"I think we shall have to call you 'Tommy Tucker'," said Grandpa.
But Tommy could do many things besides sing and play.
He helped Grandpa Hall feed the hens and chickens.
He gave them fresh water and found all the eggs.
Then he brought in some wood for Grandma's fire.
There are a great many things for a boy to do on a farm. ”

“ After a dozen pies had been put into the oven, Jill said, "Oh, Jack! we must have some more water.
"Will you run up to the house and get some?"
"Yes," said Jack, "if someone will go with me."
Tommy had gone for more apples and Mary was mixing her cake.
"I will go with you," said Jill. "Here is our pail."
So Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail of water.
Their mother let them fill their pail.
Then she gave them four cookies that she had just taken from the oven.
When they started down the hill, Jack began to run. ”

“ They saw some little yellow heads peeping out from under her wings.
"Quack, quack!" she said. "See my ducks. They are the prettiest ducks you ever saw.
"And they have the brightest eyes in the world." ”

“ She lived in the city, and her father owned a big toy-store.
Mary liked to go to the store with him.
She liked to see all the dolls and toys and books.
Sometimes she played store with her own toys.
But I must tell you about her lamb.
One summer Mary went to the country to visit Boy Blue.
Of course there were cows, and pigs, and sheep, and lambs on the farm,
Mary liked the lambs best, and one of them was a great pet.
She called him Fleecy, and pulled sweet clover for him to eat.
Fleecy followed Mary all over the farm. Sometimes he even ran down the road after her. ”

“ What if Mr. Man or Jip should see him.
II
At last they reached Whitie's house and the two little rabbits hopped through the gate.
"Oh, see these cabbage leaves," said Whitie. "Jack left them here for my dinner."
But Bunny did not look at the cabbage leaves, for just at that moment he heard Jip barking.
And then he heard Jack talking to the dog.
Poor Bunny's heart began to beat very fast.
"What shall I do? What shall I do?" he said.
"Jack and Jip will not hurt you," said Whitie. "I think Jack is coming to close the gate." ”