Billy Bunny and Uncle Bull Frog | Page 2

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 outdoors. 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 stone walk.
And after that he was ready to do whatever he liked, so out 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 at 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. Blacksnake rose
out of the grass.
"Look out!" cried Mrs. Cow. "Maybe he's going to eat you," but
whether he was I'm sure I don't know, for Billy Bunny didn't wait to see.
He didn't care whether Mr. Blacksnake 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 raining, Billy Bunny, But you and I don't care, For raindrops make
the flowers Grow and blossom fair."
And this is what every little boy and girl should say on rainy days.

STORY II.
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's 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 waist-coat shining in the sun, and it
made the little rabbit feel lonely.
"Where is Uncle Bullfrog?" he asked a big bluebottle 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. Oriole 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,
hers 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."
"Tut, tut," 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.

STORY III.
BILLY BUNNY AND THE SORROWFUL JAY 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