The Tale of Jasper Jay | Page 8

So without even stopping to knock on the door he dashed into the
chicken house and alighted on a roost in the darkest corner he could
find.
For two excellent reasons Mr. Red-shouldered Hawk did not follow
him. First, he had always made it a rule never to go inside one of
Farmer Green's buildings. And second, he happened to catch a glimpse
of Farmer Green running into the house through the kitchen door.
Mr. Hawk knew what that meant. Farmer Green was going for his gun!
And so he winged his way swiftly toward Black Creek, hoping--as he
went--that he had taught Jasper Jay a lesson.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, there was a great uproar in the chicken house. But Farmer
Green paid no attention to that--supposing, of course, that it was merely
because of the fright the hawk had given the hens.
For once there was more noise than even Jasper Jay liked. It appeared
that there was a bold young rooster in the chicken house. And he
objected to Jasper Jay's presence.

"What do you mean by coming in here where you're not wanted?" he
screamed. "Where are your manners?"
Actually, Jasper Jay wondered what the rooster was talking about.
Never having had any manners, Jasper didn't know the meaning of the
word. And since he could not answer, he said nothing.
"Stick your spurs into him and maybe he'll speak!" screeched a pert
young hen.
Jasper looked at the rooster then; and he saw that the brazen fellow
wore long, sharp spurs upon his legs. They looked almost as wicked as
Mr. Hawk's cruel talons.
"Please," said Jasper, "I've come in to get out of the way of Mr. Hawk."
"Ha!" cried the rooster. "Unless I'm mistaken you're the rogue that's
always frightening the ladies by screaming like Mr. Hawk. So I don't
see why you should object to his society."
"I was only fooling," Jasper Jay whined. "I meant no harm, you know.
Let me stay here a while and I promise you I won't bother the hens
again."
"I accept your apology, as well as your promise," the rooster replied
with great dignity. And then he began crowing in a manner that was
most annoying to Jasper Jay. It was the same as saying, "This rascal's
afraid of me!"
That was true, too. And that was what made the crowing sound so
unpleasant in Jasper's ears.
He left as soon as he dared show himself out of doors. And he
sometimes remarked afterward that a chicken house wouldn't be a bad
place to live in, after all, if it weren't for the roosters.
"They boast too much," said Jasper Jay. "Nothing could induce me to
listen to their silly crowing. And to tell the truth, I don't see how the

hens manage to stand it."

X
THE NUTTING PARTY
FOR a long time Jasper Jay had been waiting for something. It was fall;
and he impatiently watched the tree-tops on the side of Blue Mountain
change from their quiet summer green to hues of flaming gold and red.
Though they were beautiful, to tell the truth Jasper did not in the least
care what color a tree was. So long as it bore nuts, he was satisfied.
And to him the turning leaves meant only that the autumn was
lengthening--and the nuts were growing ripe.
That was what Jasper Jay was waiting for. And as soon as the frosts
came and burst open the prickly pods that covered the beechnuts he
intended to lead the first nutting party of the season to the place where
the beeches grew.
Now, going a-nutting with a crowd is much more fun than gathering
nuts alone. And Jasper usually preferred a nutting party of a dozen blue
jays. Then he always had twelve times as much fun as he could have
just by himself--because there was twelve times the noise.
So on the very first day that the nuts were ready to be eaten Jasper Jay
asked eleven friends to join him. As it happened, Jasper found a
company of twelve waiting for him at the appointed time on the edge of
the woods. Somehow, Noisy Jake (whom Jasper hadn't invited) had
heard of the party. And he invited himself.
Jasper was not at all pleased when he found that Noisy Jake intended to
go a-nutting too. He had not yet forgiven that boisterous rowdy for not
having warned him, when Mr. Red-shouldered Hawk was sailing about
over Farmer Green's barnyard, and Jasper had to seek safety in the
chicken house.
Jasper gave Jake a cool nod and turned his back on him. But it would

have taken a great deal more than that to hurt Noisy Jake's feelings.
Indeed, he was so impudent that he immediately imitated