Old Mother West Wind | Page 3

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Etext created by Eve Sobol, South Bend, Indiana, USA

OLD MOTHER WEST WIND

by Thornton W. Burgess

TO MY MOTHER TO WHOM I OWE SO MUCH AND TO MY
LITTLE SON WHOSE LOVE OF STORIES INSPIRED THESE
TALES THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED.
CONTENTS:

CHAPTER
I. MRS. REDWING'S SPECKLED EGG
II. WHY GRANDFATHER FROG HAS NO TAIL
III. HOW REDDY FOX WAS SURPRISED
IV. WHY JIMMY SKUNK WEARS STRIPES
V. THE WILFUL LITTLE BREEZE
VI. REDDY FOX GOES FISHING
VII. JIMMY SKUNK LOOKS FOR BEETLES
VIII. BILLY MINK'S SWIMMING PARTY
IX. PETER RABBIT PLAYS A JOKE
X. HOW SAMMY JAY WAS FOUND OUT
XI. JERRY MUSKRAT'S PARTY
XII. BOBBY COON AND REDDY FOX PLAY TRICKS
XIII. JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD
XIV. LITTLE JOE OTTER'S SLIPPERY SLIDE

XV. THE TALE OF TOMMY TROUT WHO DIDN'T MIND
XVI. SPOTTY THE TURTLE WINS A RACE

CHAPTER I.
MRS. REDWING'S SPECKLED EGG
Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the golden
light of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a bag--a great
big bag--and in the bag were all of Old Mother West Wind's children,
the Merry Little Breezes.
Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills to the Green
Meadows and as she walked she crooned a song:
"Ships upon the ocean wait; I must hurry, hurry on! Mills are idle if I'm
late; I must hurry, hurry on."
When she reached the Green Meadows Old Mother West Wind opened
her bag, turned it upside down and shook it. Out tumbled all the Merry
Little Breezes and began to spin round and round for very joy, for you
see they were to lay in the Green Meadows all day long until Old
Mother West Wind should come back at night and take them all to their
home behind the Purple Hills.
First they raced over to see Johnny Chuck. They found Johnny Chuck
sitting just outside his door eating his breakfast. One, for very mischief,
snatched right out of Johnny Chuck's mouth the green leaf of corn he
was eating, and ran away with it. Another playfully pulled his whiskers,
while a third rumpled up his hair.
Johnny Chuck pretended to be very cross indeed, but really he didn't
mind a bit, for Johnny Chuck loved the Merry Little Breezes and
played with them everyday.
And if they teased Johnny Chuck they were good to him, too. When
they saw Farmer Brown coming across the Green Meadows with a gun
one of them would dance over to Johnny Chuck and whisper to him
that Farmer Brown was coming, and then Johnny Chuck would hide
away, deep down