Part 3

Then the greedy cat walked out of the mouse’s house and down the road, swinging his tail, for he felt very fine.

On his way he met an old woman. Now the old woman had been peeping in at the window, and she had seen what that greedy cat had done.

“You greedy cat,” she said, “to eat your friend, the mouse.”

“Greedy, indeed,” said the cat, “I have a mind to eat you.”

Then he opened his mouth very wide, and down his throat went the old woman.

Then on down the road went the cat, swinging his tail, and feeling finer than ever. As he went he met an old man taking his load of apples to market. The old man was beating his donkey to make it go faster.

“Scat, scat, pussy,” said the man, “my donkey will tread on you.”

“Tread on me, indeed,” said the cat, shaking his fat sides, “I have eaten my friend the mouse, I have eaten an old woman. What is to hinder my eating you?”

So the greedy cat opened his mouth very wide, and down his throat went the man and his donkey.

Then he walked along in the middle of the road again. After a while he spied a great cloud of dust, and he heard a great tramping of feet. It was the king riding in his chariot, and behind him marched all his soldiers and his elephants.

“Scat, scat, pussy,” said the king, “my elephants might step on you.”

“Step on me, indeed,” said the cat, “I have eaten my friend the mouse, I have eaten an old woman, I have eaten an old man and a donkey. What is to hinder my eating a king and a few elephants?”

So the cat opened his mouth wide, and down his throat went the king and the soldiers and all the elephants.

Then the cat started on again, but more slowly. He was really not hungry any more. As he traveled he met two land crabs, scuttling along in the dust.

“Scat, scat, pussy,” squeaked the crabs.

“I have eaten my friend the mouse,” said the cat, “I have eaten an old woman, and a man and a donkey, and a king and all his soldiers and all his elephants. What is to hinder my eating you, too?”

Then the cat opened his mouth wide, and down his throat went the two crabs.

But the crabs began to look about them there in the dark. There were the soldiers trying to form in fours, but there was not room. The elephants were stepping on each other’s toes. The old woman was scolding, and in a corner sat the poor little mouse, her paws and ears all drooping.

“We must go to work,” said the crabs.

Then they began snipping and snipping with their sharp little claws. Soon there was a hole large enough, and they crept out.

Then out came the king and his soldiers and all his elephants. Out came the old woman scolding her cat. Out came the man and his donkey. Last of all, out came the little mouse with one little cake under her arm, for one cake was all that she had wanted.

But the greedy cat had to spend all the rest of the day sewing up the hole in his coat.

THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF.

Once upon a time there were three Billy Goats, and one was a very large Goat, and one was a middle-sized Goat, and one was a tiny Goat, but the three had the very same name, which was Gruff.

One morning the three Billy Goats started away from home, for they had decided to go far, far to a hillside where there was a quantity of green grass, and they might eat of it and make themselves fat.

Now, on the way to the hillside there ran a brook, and over the brook was a bridge, and under the bridge lived a Troll with eyes as large as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker. And this Troll was fond of eating Billy Goats.

First of all came the youngest Billy Goat Gruff to cross over the bridge. Trip trap, trip trap, his little feet pattered upon the boards.

“Who is that tripping over my bridge?” called up the Troll in a surly voice.

“Oh, it’s only I, the tiniest Billy Goat Gruff, going over to the hillside to make myself fat,” the Goat called back in a wee small voice.

“I am going to gobble you up, Billy Goat Gruff,” said the Troll.

“Oh, no, pray do not take me,” said the tiniest Billy Goat Gruff; “I am too little, that I am. Wait until the second Billy Goat Gruff comes along. He is ever so much bigger than I.”

“Well, be off with you,” said the Troll.

Then came the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff, to cross the bridge. Trip trap, trip trap, his middle-sized feet pattered upon the boards.

“Who is that tripping over my bridge?” called up the Troll.

“Oh, it’s only I, the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff, going over to the hillside to make myself fat,” the Goat called back in a middle-sized voice.

“I am coming to gobble you up, Billy Goat Gruff,” said the Troll.

“Oh, no, pray do not take me,” said the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff; “I am a little larger than the tiniest Billy Goat, but I am not large enough to make a mouthful for you. Of that I am quite sure.”

“Well, be off with you,” said the Troll.

Then, last of all, came the great Billy Goat Gruff, to cross over the bridge.

Trip trap, trip trap, his great feet tramped across the boards.

“Who is that tramping over my bridge?” called up the Troll.

“It is I, the great Billy Goat Gruff, going over to the hillside to make myself fat,” the Goat called back in a great voice.

“I am coming to gobble you up, Billy Goat Gruff,” said the Troll.

“Come along,” said the great Billy Goat Gruff.

So the Troll, whose eyes were as large as saucers and his nose as long as a poker, came hurrying up to the top of the bridge,—but, ah, this is what happened to him.

[Illustration: The Goat tossed the Troll so high with his horns.]

There on the bridge stood the great Billy Goat Gruff with his feet firmly planted on the boards and his head lowered, and as soon as the Troll came near—rush, scamper—the Goat tossed the Troll so high with his horns that no one has ever seen a Troll under a bridge from that day to this.

Then the great Billy Goat Gruff went on to the hillside, and the three Billy Goats ate, and ate, and made themselves so fat that they could scarcely walk home again.

THE HOBYAHS.

Once upon a time there lived a little old man and a little old woman in a house all made of hemp stalks. And they had a little dog named Turpie who always barked when any one came near the house.

One night when the little old man and the little old woman were fast asleep, creep, creep, through the woods came the Hobyahs, skipping along on the tips of their toes.

“Tear down the hemp stalks. Eat up the little old man, and carry away the little old woman,” cried the Hobyahs.

Then little dog Turpie ran out, barking loudly, and he frightened the Hobyahs so that they ran away home again. But the little old man woke from his dreams, and he said:

“Little dog Turpie barks so loudly that I can neither slumber nor sleep. In the morning I will take off his tail.”

So when it came morning, the little old man took off little dog Turpie’s tail to cure him of barking.

The second night along came the Hobyahs, creep, creep through the woods, skipping along on the tips of their toes, and they cried:

“Tear down the hemp stalks. Eat the little old man, and carry away the little old woman.”

Then the little dog Turpie ran out again, barking so loudly that he frightened the Hobyahs, and they ran away home again.

But the little old man tossed in his sleep, and he said:

“Little dog Turpie barks so loudly that I can neither slumber nor sleep. In the morning I will take off his legs.”

So when it came morning, the little old man took off Turpie’s legs to cure him of barking.

The third night the Hobyahs came again, skipping along on the tips of their toes, and they called out:

“Tear down the hemp stalks. Eat up the little old man, and carry away the little old woman.”

Then little dog Turpie barked very loudly, and he frightened the Hobyahs so that they ran away home again.

But the little old man heard Turpie, and he sat up in bed, and he said:

“Little dog Turpie barks so loudly that I can neither slumber nor sleep. In the morning I will take off his head.”

So when it came morning, the little old man took off Turpie’s head, and then Turpie could not bark any more.

That night the Hobyahs came again, skip-ping along on the tips of their toes, and they called out:

“Tear down the hemp stalks. Eat the little old man, and carry off the little old woman.”

Now, since little dog Turpie could not bark any more, there was no one to frighten the Hobyahs away. They tore down the hemp stalks, they took the little old woman away in their bag, but the little old man they could not get, for he hid himself under the bed.

Then the Hobyahs hung the bag which held the little old woman up in their house, and they poked it with their fingers, and they cried:

“Look you! Look you!”

But when it came daylight, they went to sleep, for Hobyahs, you know, sleep all day.

The little old man was very sorry when he found that the little old woman was gone. He knew then what a good little dog Turpie had been to guard the house at night, so he brought Turpie’s tail, and his legs, and his head, and gave them back to him again.

Then Turpie went sniffing and snuffing along to find the little old woman, and soon came to the Hobyahs’ house. He heard the little old woman crying in the bag, and he saw that the Hobyahs were all fast asleep. So he went inside.

Then he cut open the bag with his sharp teeth, and the little old woman hopped out and ran home; but Turpie got inside the bag to hide.

When it came night, the Hobyahs woke up, and they went to the bag, and they poked it with their long fingers, crying:

“Look you! Look you!”

But out of the bag jumped little dog Turpie, and he ate every one of the Hobyahs. And that is why there are not any Hobyahs now.

THE KID WHO WOULD NOT GO.

Once upon a time I was walking across London Bridge, and I found a penny. So I bought a little kid. But the kid would not go. And I saw by the moonlight it was long past midnight. It was time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.

Then I met a staff, and to the staff I said:

“Staff, staff, drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

But the staff would not drive kid.

Then I met a hatchet, and to the hatchet I said:

“Hatchet, chop staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

But the hatchet would not chop staff.

Then I met a torch, and to the torch I said:

“Torch, burn hatchet, hatchet will not chop staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

But the torch would not burn the hatchet.

Then I met the wind, and to the wind I said:

“Wind, put out torch, torch will not burn hatchet, hatchet will not chop staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

But the wind would not put out the fire.

Then I met a tree, and to the tree I said:

“Tree, stop wind, wind will not put out torch, torch will not burn staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

But the tree would not.

Then I met a wee mouse, and to the mouse I said:

“Mouse, gnaw tree, tree will not stop wind, wind will not put out torch, torch will not burn staff, staff will not drive kid. I see by the moonlight it is long past midnight. It is time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.”

Then the wee, wee mouse began to gnaw the tree, the tree began to stop the wind, the wind began to put out the torch, the torch began to burn the staff, the staff began to drive the kid, and the kid began to go.

See by the moonlight it is almost midnight. But kid and I were home an hour and a half ago.

THE ROBIN’S CHRISTMAS SONG.

Once upon a time there was an old gray Pussy and she was down by the waterside when the trees and ground were white with snow. And there she saw a wee, wee Robin Redbreast hopping upon a branch, so Pussy said to him:

“Where are you going, Robin Redbreast, this frosty Yuletide weather?”

Then the wee, wee Robin said to the Pussy, “I am going to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.”

And the gray Pussy replied, “Go not yet. Come here, Robin Redbreast, and I will let you see the bonny white necklace I wear around my neck.”

But the wee, wee Robin said, “No, no, gray Pussy. You may show the bonny white necklace that you wear around your neck to the little mice, but not to me.”

[Illustration: “Where are you going, Robin Redbreast?”]

Then off flew the wee, wee Robin until he came to a wall of turf and there he saw a greedy Hawk sitting and watching to see what small birds passed by. And the greedy Hawk called to him and said, “Where are you going, Robin Redbreast, this frosty Yuletide weather?”

Then the wee, wee Robin said to the Hawk, “I am going to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.”

And the greedy Hawk replied, “Go not yet. Come here, Robin Redbreast, and I’ll let you see a bonny green feather that I wear in my wing.”

But the wee, wee Robin said, “No, no, greedy Hawk. You have pecked all the tiny birds but you’ll not peck me.”

Then off flew the wee, wee Robin until he came to a hollow in the hillside and there he saw a sly Fox sitting. The sly Fox saw Robin and called to him, “Where are you going, Robin Redbreast, this frosty Yuletide weather?”

Then the wee, wee Robin said to the Fox, “I am going to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.”

And the sly Fox replied, “Go not yet. Come here, Robin Redbreast, and I will show you a bonny spot on the tip of my tail.”

But the wee, wee Robin said, “No, no, sly Fox. You may show the bonny spot on the tip of your tail to the lambs but not to me.”

Then off flew the wee, wee Robin until he came to a little shepherd Lad sitting beside his cot. The little shepherd Lad saw Robin and called to him, “Where are you going, Robin Redbreast, this frosty Yuletide weather?”

Then the wee, wee Robin said to the shepherd Lad, “I am going to the King to sing him a song this good Yule morning.”

And the shepherd Lad replied, “Go not yet. Come here and I will give you some crumbs from my pouch.”

But the wee, wee Robin said, “No, no, little shepherd Lad. You caught the goldfinch but you’ll not catch me.”

Then off flew the wee, wee Robin until he came to the King, and he sat down upon a plowshare just outside of the King’s window, and he sang him a pretty song because it was such a good Yule morning. The King was very much pleased indeed and he said to the Queen, “What shall we give the wee, wee Robin Redbreast for singing us such a pretty song?”

The Queen thought and thought and at last she decided. “I think we will give the wee, wee Robin Redbreast a wee Wren to be his wife,” the Queen said to the King.

So the wee, wee Robin Redbreast and the wee Wren were married and the King, and the Queen, and all the court, and the whole countryside danced at their wedding. And after the wedding the two flew home to the Robin’s own waterside.

THE STORY OF IBBITY.

Once upon a time there was a little brown boy named Ibbity. He lived in a warm country where there are jungles and tigers and sandy deserts. Now Ibbity was always wondering about things, and one day he said to his mother:

“I wonder, oh, I do wonder what is the strongest thing in the world.”

But his mother could not tell him, so Ibbity started off by himself to find out.

He went a long, long way, and at last he came to a tree. Up the tree climbed Ibbity and looked abroad over the jungle and the desert for something very big and strong. But just then the top of the tree broke. Bump, down fell little Ibbity to the ground.

“Oh, Tree, you are the strongest thing, are you not?” cried Ibbity, sitting up and rubbing his head. “You are able to throw Ibbity to the ground.”

“No, I am not as strong as the wind,” sighed the tree, “it was the wind that broke my branch.”

Then Ibbity ran far away to the place where the wind was blowing the sand in the desert, and he said:

“Oh, Wind, the tree threw Ibbity, but you broke the tree. Are you not the strongest one?”

“No, I am not the strongest one,” said the wind, “the hill is able to stop my blowing.”

So Ibbity ran on and on, until he came to a high hill, and to the hill he said:

“Oh, Hill, the tree threw Ibbity, and the wind broke the tree, but you are able to stop the wind. Are you not the strongest one?”

“Not I,” said the hill. “At my feet lives a small mouse. She is cutting a tunnel straight through me.”

So Ibbity went down the hill, and looked around in the bushes until he found a small brown mouse. To the mouse he said:

“O Mouse, the tree threw Ibbity, the wind broke the tree, and the hill can stop the wind, but you have dug a tunnel through the hill. Are you not the strongest one?”

“No,” said the mouse. “Cannot the tiger catch me?”

So Ibbity traveled to the jungle, where the tiger lives, and he said:

“Oh, Tiger, the tree threw Ibbity, the wind broke the tree, the hill is able to stop the wind, and the mouse has dug a tunnel through the hill, but you can catch the mouse. Are you not the strongest one?”

But the tiger was caught fast in a net, and he said to Ibbity:

“No, this rope is stronger than I.”

And Ibbity said to the rope:

“Oh, Rope, the tree threw Ibbity, the wind broke the tree, the hill can stop the wind, the mouse has dug a tunnel under the hill, the tiger is able to catch the mouse, but you have caught the tiger. Are you not the strongest one?”

“No,” said the rope, “for the fire burns me.”

So Ibbity ran and ran until he came to a fire, and to the fire he said:

“Oh, Fire, the tree threw Ibbity, the wind broke the tree, the hill stops the wind, the mouse tunnels the hill, the tiger catches the mouse, the rope catches the tiger, but you are able to burn the rope. Are you not the strongest one?”

“No,” said the fire, “my heat is less than that of the great sun.”

Then Ibbity looked up at the sky, and he called loudly to the sun:

“Oh, great Sun, the tree threw Ibbity, the wind broke the tree, the hill stops the wind, the mouse tunnels the hill, the tiger catches the mouse, the rope catches the tiger, the fire burns the rope, but your heat is greater than that of the fire. Are you not the strongest one?”

Then the sun winked its large yellow eye at Ibbity, and never a word did it say, for it was too far off to hear Ibbity’s little voice.

So Ibbity clapped his hands and cried, “I have found the strongest one. It is the sun.”

And little Ibbity went home again to tell his mother.

THE CHIPMUNK WHO CHATTERED TOO MUCH.

Once upon a time, when Indians and animals lived together in the same forest and animals could speak, the Chipmunk was the greatest talker of them all.

He lived in a lodge in the middle of the woods with his grandfather who was very old and wise as well. But the Chipmunk was young, and very daring. He was able to run so fast and climb trees, and jump from one branch to another that he thought nothing in the world could harm him. He had a louder voice then than he has now. He chattered all day long, boasting about himself. At last he became very tiresome to the other animals.

They came at last and spoke to the Chipmunk’s grandfather about him.

“Your grandson chatters so loudly,” scolded the Blue Jay, “that the birds are not able to hear me when I warn them of danger in the forest.”

And the Frog came to the Chipmunk’s grandfather with tears in his eyes. “Your grandson chatters so loudly,” croaked the Frog, “that no one can hear me when I sing on the edge of the stream in the evening.”

It was quite true. The Chipmunk talked and boasted all the time. He chattered as he started out from his lodge in the morning and all the way down the path to let every one know that he was on his way. He chattered when he came to a nut tree and when he picked up some nuts. He had pockets in his cheeks, so he could chatter even when he came home with a mouthful of nuts. There seemed to be no way of keeping this young Chipmunk quiet, and at last his grandfather decided to speak to him about it.