The Hollow Tree and Deep Woods Book Part 9

Pretty soon Mr. 'Possum puffed and blowed because he was so fat, and said he thought they ought to sit right down and begin to eat, and let Mr. Jack Rabbit read his poem to them through the first course. The Rabbit was willing to do that, for he would rather read his own poetry than eat any time, and, besides, the first course was something he didn't like very well. So then they all sat down around the table cloth which they had spread on the gra.s.s, and Mr. Rabbit got up and put his right hand in the breast of his coat. He commenced by saying that his friends seemed to think he was a good deal of a poet, but that he had always been too busy to really write his best, and that all his poems, like the one he was just about to read, had been little inspirations tossed off on the spur of the moment. Of course, everybody there knew that Jack Rabbit had sat up two whole days and nights to write his poem, but they all cheered and clapped their hands, and Mr. Rabbit bowed and coughed a little and began to read:--

WHEN MR. DOG'S AWAY.

By J. Rabbit.

Oh, 'tis happy in the woodland When Mr. Dog's away; 'Tis happy in the woodland Upon the first of May.

He's gone across the gra.s.sland We hope he's gone to stay; Then don't forget the feast is set And Mr. Dog's away.

The Robin was just about to speak up at this moment and say that Mr. Dog was surely coming, but the others cheered so that n.o.body heard him, and Mr. Rabbit went on with his poem.

Then 'tis hey! for Mr. Woodchuck!

And tis hi! for Mrs. Quail!

And 'tis ho! for Mr. 'Possum With a bowknot on his tail!

Then 'tis hip! for Mr. Robin And for all the rest, hurray!

The friends are met, the feast is set, And Mr. Dog's away.

"Hurray! hurray!" shouted all the others. "The friends are met, the feast is set, and Mr. Dog's away!"

Then hand around the gla.s.ses And fill them to the brim, And drink a health to Mr. Dog, For we are fond of him.

And, though he be not present Upon this happy day, We'll fill the cup and drink it up To Mr. Dog away!

[Ill.u.s.tration: SAW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.]

At the last line everybody was just about to lift their gla.s.ses and give a great big cheer for the poem, when all at once they saw by Jack Rabbit's face that something was wrong. Then they all looked where he was looking, and there, right before them, bowing and smiling, stood Mr. Dog himself! He had just come in time to hear the last stanza of the poem and was ready to dance with joy, he was so happy to think they were drinking his health when he wasn't there.

He felt so good that he didn't notice how surprised they looked, and slipped into a seat at the table, saying he was sorry to be late, and that he had just heard the last lines of Mr. Rabbit's poem, but that they had made him very proud and happy, and he hoped Mr. Jack Rabbit would read it again for his benefit.

Of course, nearly everybody there was scared almost into fits, but they didn't dare to let on, for they saw that there had been an awful mistake somewhere, and if Mr. Dog found it out and knew he hadn't been invited no telling what might happen. Jack Rabbit smiled, kind of sickly like, and said that he had been overcome by the excitement, and didn't feel quite able to read the poem again. He said he hoped Mr. Dog would judge the first verses, though, by the last, and feel just as glad to be there as they were to have him. And all the rest said, "Oh, yes, so glad to have Mr. Dog with us," and kept piling things oh his plate, so he wouldn't want anything to eat besides his dinner. Mr. Dog felt so well and was in such a good humor that he commenced pretty soon to tell stories and jokes on himself, and by and by told about the time he went over to take dancing lessons of Jack Rabbit.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HE SET OUT FOR HOME.]

Everybody thought at first that they'd better laugh at Mr. Dog's jokes, and they did laugh like everything, but when he started that story about what Mr. Rabbit had done to him they didn't know whether to laugh or not. Some laughed a little and some didn't, and Mr. Rabbit said he thought it was getting a little too warm for him there in the sun, and he believed he'd go and sit in the shade a minute and cool off, so he went over behind some waxberry bushes, where it was shady, and the minute he got where Mr. Dog couldn't see him he set out for home just about as fast as he could travel, without stopping to say goodby or to look behind him.

Pretty soon Mr. 'c.o.o.n said he thought mebbe Mr. Rabbit was sicker than he let on, and he guessed he'd better go and see about it. So he went over behind the waxberry bushes, too, and was half way home before you could say "Jack Robinson." Then Mr. 'Possum told Mr. Crow that he hoped he and the others would entertain Mr. Dog a while, for he knew Mr. 'c.o.o.n would need help, and away he went, and before long Mr. Fox and Mr.

Woodchuck, and Mr. Squirrel and all their folks had gone over behind the waxberry bushes to look after Mr. Rabbit too, and none of them wasted a minute's time making tracks for home as soon as they got out of sight.

But the Crow and the Turtle and the Robin didn't go because they were all on good terms with Mr. Dog. Mrs. Quail didn't go either, though before long most everybody else had gone. Then Mr. Crow said he guessed poor Mr. Rabbit's friends had taken him home, and Mr. Dog said he was sorry, and that it was too bad anything should happen that way when folks were having such a good time. He said he'd call at Jack Rabbit's house next day to see how he was and hear the rest of that poem. Then Mr. Crow and Mr. Turtle laughed and laughed, and Mr. Dog didn't know what they were laughing at, but he felt so well that he laughed too, and Mr. Robin, who had found out by this time what a bad mistake he had made, couldn't help laughing some himself.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MR. DOG MADE A SPEECH.]

Then they had dessert, and Mr. Dog made a speech and thanked them for the fine party and surprise in his honor, and declared he had never spent such a happy day in all his life. He said there had been a little misunderstanding now and then between himself and some of the forest folks, but he knew now that all was forgiven, and that he would never forget this happy May party.

And Mr. Dog never did forget it, concluded the Story Teller--at least not for a long time--and he doesn't know to this day that the party wasn't given specially for him, or that Mr. Jack Rabbit's poem wasn't written in his honor.

"You can sing the Hollow Tree Song, now," said the Little Lady, drowsily.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE THREE FRIENDS.]

So then the Story Teller sang the song that the forest people sing when, on dark nights in the far depths of the Deep Woods, they are feasting at the table of the 'c.o.o.n, the 'Possum and the Old Black Crow.

Long before he had finished, the Little Lady was in the land of dreams.

And the Story Teller had been dreaming, too, while he sang.

THE HOLLOW TREE SONG.

Oh, there was an old 'Possum in the Big Deep Woods-- As fat as a 'Possum could be-- And he lived in a hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, He lived in a hollow tree.

Oh, there was an old c.o.o.n in the Big Deep Woods-- As sly as a 'c.o.o.n could be-- And he lived in a hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, He lived in a hollow tree.

Oh, there was an old Crow in the Big Deep Woods-- As black as a Crow could be-- And he lived in a hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, He lived in a hollow tree.

For they all lived together in the Big Deep Woods, As you can plainly see, And the 'Possum made one, and the 'c.o.o.n made two, And the Old Black Crow made three.

Then here's to the 'Possum, and the Old Black Crow, And the 'c.o.o.n, with a one, two, three!

And here's to the hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, And here's to the hollow tree.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE LITTLE LADY'S VACATION AND HER RETURN

The Little Lady who lives in the House of Many Windows (sometimes called a flat or an apartment by people who, because they are grown up, do not know any better) had been spending the summer on a nice farm in the Land of Pleasant Fields. There had been many things to see--little pigs among other things, and some very small chickens. Also a cow with two calves--one a dark red one, and one spotted, even to its tail, that looked like a barber pole.

Amid all this, and a great deal more, not forgetting the Hillside of Sweet Fruits, the Little Lady had almost forgotten a number of people who lived in the Big Deep Woods, and whose acquaintance she had made through the Story Teller during the winter before, while sailing at evening in the Rockaby Chair for the Sh.o.r.e of White Pillows.

But when the cold winds began to blow and they were all back to the City of Rumbling Streets in the House of Many Windows again and she heard the wind men moaning in the speaking tube, she forgot even the striped tailed calf, and remembered all at once the dark forest and the queer people who dwelt there. And when the Story Teller that night had drawn his chair up before the fire and sat rocking she climbed upon his knee and rocked, too, while he thought, and smoked, and looked into the blaze.

The Little Lady waited a good while. Then she took hold of the lapel of his coat and tugged it gently and looked up into the Story Teller's face.

"Tell me a story," she commanded softly. "One about Mr. Crow and Mr.

'Possum, and Mr. Jack Rabbit and all the others. What did they do this summer? You know; tell it."

The Story Teller grumbled something about not having met any of these fellows lately, and rocked a little harder and thought very fast.

"I s'pose you've heard about Mr. Crow's April fool," he said, as he knocked the ashes from his pipe into the grate.

"No, I haven't--not that story--I never heard that story," she said eagerly.

So, then, the Story Teller rocked some more, and half shut his eyes and began.