The Burgess Animal Book for Children | Page 4

too much for him and he
started for the Green Forest to look for Old Mother Nature. It didn't
take long to find her. She was very busy, for there is no time in all the
year when Old Mother Nature has quite so much to do as in the spring.
"If you please, Old Mother Nature," said Peter timidly but very politely,
"I've some questions I want to ask you."
Old Mother Nature's eyes twinkled in a kindly way. "All right, Peter,"
she replied. "I guess I can talk and work at the same time. What is it
you want to know?"
"I want to know if it is true that there are any other members of the
Rabbit and the Hare family besides my big cousin, Jumper, who lives
here in the Green Forest, and myself."
Old Mother Nature's eyes twinkled more than ever. "Why, of course,
Peter," she replied. "There are several other members. You ought to
know that. But then, I suppose you don't because you never have
traveled. It is surprising how little some folks know about the very
things they ought to know most about."
Peter looked very humble and as if he felt a little bit foolish. "Is--is--is

it true that way down in the Sunny South I have a cousin who loves to
spend his time in the water?" stammered Peter.
"It certainly is, Peter," replied Old Mother Nature. "He is called the
Marsh Rabbit, and he is more nearly your size, and looks more like you,
than any of your other cousins."
Peter gulped as if he were swallowing something that went down hard.
"That is what Jenny Wren said, but I didn't believe her," replied Peter
meekly. "She said she had often watched him swimming about like
Jerry Muskrat."
Old Mother Nature nodded. "Quite true. Quite true," said she. "He is
quite as much at home in the water as on land, if anything a little more
so. He is one member the family who takes to the water, and he
certainly does love it. Is there anything else you want to know, Peter?"
Peter shifted about uneasily and hesitated. "What is it, Peter?" asked
Old Mother Nature kindly. "There is nothing in the Great World equal
to knowledge, and if I can add to your store of it I will be very glad to."
Peter took heart. "If--if you please, Mother Nature, I would like to learn
all about my family. May come to school to you every day?"
Old Mother Nature laughed right out. "Certainly you may go to school
to me, old Mr. Curiosity," said she. "It is a good idea; a very good idea.
I'm very busy, as you can see, but I'm never too busy to teach those
who really want to learn. We'll have a lesson here every morning just at
sun-up. I can't be bothered any more to-day, because it is late. Run
along home to the dear Old Briar-patch and think up some questions to
ask me to-morrow morning. And, by the way, Peter, I will ask YOU
some questions. For one thing I shall ask you to tell me all you know
about your own family. Now scamper along and be here to-morrow
morning at sun-up."
"May I bring my cousin, Jumper the Hare, if he wants to come?" asked
Peter, as he prepared to obey Old Mother Nature.

"Bring him along and any one else who wants to learn," replied Old
Mother Nature kindly.
Peter bade her good-by in his most polite manner and then scampered
as fast as he could go, lipperty-lipperty-lip, to the dear Old Briar-patch.
There he spent the remainder of the day thinking up questions and also
trying to find out how much he really did know about his own family.
CHAPTER II
Peter and Jumper go to School
Hardly had jolly, round, red Mr. Sun thrown off his rosy blankets and
begun his daily climb up in the blue, blue sky when Peter Rabbit and
his cousin, Jumper the Hare, arrived at the place in the Green Forest
where Peter had found Old Mother Nature the day before. She was
waiting for them, ready to begin the first lesson.
"I am glad you are so prompt," said she. "Promptness is one of the most
important things in life. Now I am very, very busy these days, as you
know, so we will begin school at once. Before either of you ask any
questions, I am going to ask some myself. Peter, what do you look like?
Where do you live? What do you eat? I want to find out just how much
you really know about yourself."
Peter scratched one ear with a long hind foot and hesitated as if he
didn't know just how to begin.