Mother West Winds Children | Page 6

the chicken of Reddy Fox
to his own stolen eggs.

Because Reddy Fox is the largest he was given the place of honor at the
head of the table under the Lone Pine. On his right sat Little Joe Otter
and on his left Jerry Muskrat. Shadow the Weasel was next to Little Joe
Otter, while right across from him was Jimmy Skunk. Peter Rabbit was
next, sitting opposite his cousin, Jumper the Hare. At the extreme end,
facing Reddy Fox, sat Billy Mink, with the plump duck right under his
sharp little nose.
Boomer the Nighthawk excused himself on the plea that he needed
exercise to aid digestion, and as he had brought nothing to the feast, his
excuse was politely accepted.
Reddy Fox is very, very cunning, and his crafty brain had been busily
working out a plan to get all these good things for himself. "Little
brothers of the Green Meadows," began Reddy Fox, "we have met here
to-night for a feast of brotherly love."
Reddy Fox paused a moment to look hungrily at Billy Mink's duck.
Billy Mink cast a longing eye at Little Joe Otter's trout, while Jimmy
Skunk stole an envious glance at Reddy Fox's chicken.
"But there is one missing to make our joy complete," continued Reddy
Fox. "Who has seen Bobby Coon?"
No one had seen Bobby Coon. Somehow happy-go-lucky Bobby Coon
had been overlooked when the invitations were sent out.
"I move," continued Reddy Fox, "that because Billy Mink runs swiftly,
and because he knows where Bobby Coon usually is to be found, he be
appointed a committee of one to find Bobby Coon and bring him to the
feast."
Now nothing could have been less to the liking of Billy Mink, but there
was nothing for him to do but to yield as gracefully as he could and go
in search of Bobby Coon.
No sooner had Billy Mink disappeared down the Lone Little Path than
Reddy Fox recalled a nest of grouse eggs he had seen that day under a

big hemlock, and he proposed that inasmuch as Jimmy Skunk already
wore stripes for having stolen a nest of eggs from Mrs. Grouse, he was
just the one to go steal these eggs and bring them to the feast.
Of course there was nothing for Jimmy Skunk to do but to yield as
gracefully as he could and go in search of the nest of eggs under the big
hemlock.
No sooner had Jimmy Skunk started off than Reddy Fox remembered a
big shining sucker Farmer Brown's boy had caught that afternoon and
tossed among the rushes beside the Smiling Pool. Little Joe Otter
listened and his mouth watered and watered until he could sit still no
longer. "If you please," said Little Joe Otter, "I'll run down to the
Smiling Pool and get that sucker to add to the feast."
No sooner was Little Joe Otter out of sight than Reddy Fox was
reminded of a field of carrots on the other side of the Green Meadows.
Now Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare are very fond of tender young
carrots and they volunteered to bring a supply for the feast. So away
they hurried with big jumps down the Lone Little Path and out across
the Green Meadows.
No sooner were Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare fairly started than
Reddy Fox began to tell of some luscious sweet apples he had noticed
under a wild apple tree a little way back on the hill. Now Jerry Muskrat
is quite as fond of luscious sweet apples as of fresh-water clams, so
quietly slipping away, he set out in quest of the wild apple tree a little
way back on the hill.
No sooner was Jerry Muskrat lost in the black shadows than Reddy Fox
turned to speak to Shadow the Weasel. But Shadow the Weasel
believes that a feast in the stomach is worth two banquets untasted, so
while the others had been talking, he had quietly sucked dry the three
big eggs stolen by Jimmy Skunk from old Gray Goose, and then
because he is so slim and so quick and so sly, he slipped away without
anyone seeing him.
So when Reddy Fox turned to speak to Shadow the Weasel, he found

himself alone. At least he thought himself alone, and he smiled a
wicked, selfish smile as he walked over to Billy Mink's duck. He was
thinking how smart he had been to get rid of all the others, and of how
he would enjoy the feast all by himself.
As Reddy Fox stooped to pick up Billy Mink's duck, a great shadow
dropped softly, oh so softly, out of the Lone Pine down onto the plump
chicken. Then without the teeniest, weeniest bit of noise, it