The Burgess Animal Book for Children | Page 9

Jack has more of a tail than you have, just as
he has longer legs. My, how he can run! He goes with great bounds and
about every tenth bound he jumps very high. This is so that he can get a
good look around to watch out for enemies."

"Who are his enemies?" asked Peter.
"Foxes, Coyotes, Hawks, Eagles, Owls, Weasels, and men," replied
Old Mother Nature. "In fact, he has about as many enemies as you
have."
"I suppose when you say men, you mean hunters," said Peter.
Old Mother Nature nodded. "Yes," said she, "I mean those who hunt
him for fun and those who hunt him to get rid of him."
Peter pricked up his ears. "What do they want to get rid of him for.
What harm does he do?" he asked.
"When he lives far away from the homes of men he does no harm,"
replied Old Mother Nature. "But when he lives near the homes of men
he gets into mischief, just as you do when you visit Farmer Brown's
garden." Old Mother Nature looked very severe when she said this and
Peter hung his head.
"I know I ought to keep away from that garden," said Peter very
meekly, "but you have no idea what a temptation it is. The things in
that garden do taste so good."
Old Mother Nature turned her head to hide the twinkle in her eyes.
When she turned toward Peter again her face was severe as before.
"That is no excuse, Peter Rabbit," said she. "You should be sufficiently
strong-minded not to yield to temptation. Yielding to temptation is the
cause of most of the trouble in this world. It has made man an enemy to
Jack Rabbit. Jack just cannot keep away from the crops planted by men.
His family is very large, and when a lot of them get together in a field
of clover or young wheat, or in a young orchard where the bark on the
trees is tender and sweet, they do so much damage that the owner is
hardly to be blamed for becoming angry and seeking to kill them. Yes,
I am sorry to say, Jack Rabbit becomes a terrible nuisance when he
goes where he has no business. Now I guess you have learned sufficient
about your long-legged cousins. I've a great deal to do, so skip along
home, both of you."

"If you please, Mother Nature, may we come again to-morrow?" asked
Peter.
"What for?" demanded Old Mother Nature. "Haven't you learned
enough about your family?"
"Yes," replied Peter, "but there are lots and lots of things I would like
to know about other people. If you please, I would like to come to
school to you every day. You see, the more I learn about my neighbors,
the better able I will be to take care of myself."
"All right, Mr. Curiosity," replied Old Mother Nature good-naturedly,
"come again to-morrow morning. I wouldn't for the world deny any one
who is really seeking for knowledge."
So Peter and Jumper politely bade her good-by and started for their
homes.
CHAPTER IV
Chatterer and Happy Jack Join
Peter Rabbit, on his way to school to Old Mother Nature, was trying to
make up his mind about which of his neighbors he would ask. He had
learned so many surprising things about his own family that he
shrewdly suspected many equally surprising things were to be learned
about his neighbors. But there were so many neighbors he couldn't
decide which one to ask about first.
But that matter was settled for him, and in a funny way. Hardly had he
reached the edge of the Green Forest when he was hailed by a sharp
voice. "Hello, Peter Rabbit!" said this sharp voice. "Where are you
bound at this hour of the morning? You ought to be heading for home
in the dear Old Briar-patch."
Peter knew that voice the instant he heard it. It was the voice of Happy
Jack the Gray Squirrel. Happy Jack was seated on the top of an old
stump, eating a nut. "I'm going to school," replied Peter with a great

deal of dignity.
"Going to school! Ho, ho, ho! Going to school!" exclaimed Happy Jack.
"Pray tell me to whom you are going to school, and what for?"
"I'm going to school to Old Mother Nature," retorted Peter. "I've been
going for several days, and so has my cousin, Jumper the Hare. We've
learned a lot about our own family and now we are going to learn about
the other little people of the Green Forest and the Green Meadows."
"Pooh!" exclaimed Happy Jack. "Pooh! I know all about my own
family, and I guess there isn't much worth knowing about my neighbors
that I don't