Mouser Cats Story | Page 7

was more than two weeks before the old fellow could get out of bed, and the lesson did him as much good as the one Mr. Donkey gave the Wild Hog, for he wasn't quarrelsome again, and behaved himself decently well forever after."

MR. DONKEY'S LESSON IN GOOD MANNERS.
"I think the story about the donkey must be one which I have never heard," your Aunt Amy said. "Although the animals on the farm have told me quite a lot about Mr. Donkey, I have never thought of him as a teacher.
"It isn't what you might rightly call a story; but only something that happened when Mr. Donkey showed his good sense. Now I don't understand why Mr. Man tells about any one being as stupid as a donkey. Why, our Neddy is as wise as anybody on this farm, and you will think so when I have told this story about him.
"It was one night after supper, and he thought he would take a stroll up the road, because he hadn't been working very hard that day, and the exercise might do him good. He was going along, minding his own business, when Mr. Wild Hog came out from the bushes, and into the road.
"Mr. Donkey stepped over one side so as to give him plenty of room, saying 'good evening' politely, and was walking on when Mr. Wild Hog bristled up to him, showing both his big tusks, and said:
"'Why don't you turn out when you meet anybody of consequence?'
"'Perhaps I do when I meet them,' Mr. Donkey replied, and that made Mr. Hog terribly angry. "'Do you know I have a mind to give you a lesson in good manners?' growled Mr. Hog, and Mr. Donkey said with a grin:
"'Why not go off somewhere alone, and give yourself a lesson or two?'
"Of course that made Mr. Hog more angry than ever, and he said:
"'Do you know what I do when stupid animals like you try to be too smart?'
"'No; I don't care either,' Mr. Donkey replied; 'but I will show you what I do when animals make bigger hogs of themselves than is natural.'
"Just as he said this he turned around, swung up both heels, struck Mr. Hog under the chin, and knocked him over and over as many as six times. Then Mr. Donkey trotted off slowly, with a smile on his face that was for all the world like Mr. Crocodile's after he had been to the dentist's."
[Illustration: Mr. Wild Hog tries to give Mr. Donkey a lesson in good manners.]

WHEN MR. CROCODILE HAD HIS TEETH EXTRACTED.
"Why did he go to the dentist?" your Aunt Amy asked, thinking to hear another story.
[Illustration: Mr. Crocodile in Pain.]
"I had better repeat the poetry Mr. Crow wrote about it, for that tells the whole story, and without further delay Mrs. Mouser Cat recited the following:
Come, listen, and I'll sing awhile About a winsome crocodile, Who had a most engaging smile Whene'er he smole.
His basket with fresh fish to fill Each day he'd tramp o'er vale and hill, For he possessed quite wondrous skill With rod and pole.
But as he fished, one summer's day, A toothache chased his smiles away; No longer could he fish and play His favorite role.
[Illustration: Not a Tooth in His Head.]
He stamped and growled, the pain was vile, No more he grinned, Sir Crocodile, (And he'd a most engaging smile Whene'er he smole.)
So straight he to the dentist went, On stopping or extraction bent, His soul was with such anguish rent; He reached his goal.
"Come sit down in the chair awhile; Open your mouth, Sir Crocodile!" (He had a most engaging smile Whene'er he smole.)
"Which is the tooth?" the dentist said; "Dear, dear! You must have suffered-- You've not a sound tooth in your head, Not one that's whole!"
He pulled them out; it took some while, And then that toothsome crocodile Had not quite such a pleasing smile Whene'er he smole.
"How do you suppose Mr. Crocodile felt when he was hungry, and wanted to eat something?" your Aunt Amy asked.

THE DISSATISFIED CAT.
"Most likely much the same as did old Mrs. Pussy Cat up on the next farm."
"How was that?" your Aunt Amy asked.
"Well, you see, she was partly black and partly white, and not being a very neat cat, the white hair got dirty so often that she believed it would be a great thing if it was all black. So she got the idea into her head that if she should shave off the white hair, it would be the color she wanted when it grew out again.
"Well, now what do you suppose that poor foolish thing did? Why she went to the barber's, and had him shave all the white hair off of her body. She actually frightened the ducks and the geese when