The Tale of Major Monkey | Page 3

the Major remarked. "And if your neighbors are half as
pleasant as you are, I think I'll stay right here for the present."
Naturally, old Mr. Crow was flattered. He couldn't remember when anybody had said he
was pleasant.
"I hope you will settle in Pleasant Valley," he told Major Monkey. "As for the
neighbors--well, you'll find them a queer lot, mostly."
"What's the matter with them?" the Major asked him.
Thereupon old Mr. Crow shook his head.

"They're not at all like me," he replied slowly.
"Of course, there's my cousin, Jasper Jay. He's not a bad sort--except that he's rude, noisy,
and a good deal of a rascal. But the others--well, most of them are too greedy. If I didn't
watch this cornfield closely some of them wouldn't care if they didn't leave a single
kernel for anybody else."
"Do you like corn?" the Major inquired.
Mr. Crow swallowed once or twice before answering.
"I can eat it," he said finally. "It keeps one alive, you know. But if you've never had any, I
advise you not to touch it."
Major Monkey thanked him.
"Don't mention it!" said Mr. Crow. "I'm delighted to be of help to a stranger. And if there
is anything else I can do, don't hesitate to call on me."
Major Monkey thanked him again. And then he said:
"I'd like to get acquainted with all the neighbors--such as they are. And I would suggest
that you give a party and invite me and a lot of people to come to it, so I can meet them."
Old Mr. Crow bit his tongue. It struck him that Major Monkey was just the least bit too
forward.
"What about refreshments?" Mr. Crow asked him. "It's easy to see that you don't know
the neighbors. I can tell you that they have enormous appetites--every one of them."
"Oh! that's easily arranged," said Major Monkey. "Tell everybody to be sure to have his
refreshments before he comes to the party."
"A good idea!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. With that difficulty removed he was willing to give
a party, for he quite liked the prospect of introducing everybody to "his old friend, Major
Monkey."
"You're sure you don't know anybody in this valley except me?" Mr. Crow asked. He
didn't want to divide with anyone else the honor of being a friend of anybody so
imposing as the Major.
"I haven't spoken to a soul but you," Major Monkey assured him.
Mr. Crow said he was glad of that. And then he asked the Major to keep out of sight until
the time came for the party to begin.
At first Major Monkey objected. And not until Mr. Crow promised to have the party that
very day--an hour before sunset--did he consent to hide himself.

"Where's a good place?" he asked Mr. Crow.
"That tree is hollow," said Mr. Crow, pointing to the one in which he had first seen the
Major. "Just slip inside that hole there, about half way up the trunk, and don't come out
till I call you!"
Major Monkey scrambled back into the tall tree. And Mr. Crow watched him narrowly
until he was out of sight. Indeed, the old gentleman even continued to stare at the hole
after his friend had vanished inside it.

IV
Wanted--A Lodging
Afterward old Mr. Crow had to admit that he must have been forgetful. He had told
Major Monkey to hide inside the hollow tree. And being a total stranger in the
neighborhood, of course the Major didn't know that an owl lived there.
So he entered the dark hole boldly. And soon he came dashing out of it much faster than
he had gone in, shrieking at the top of his voice.
Old Mr. Crow was poised on a branch, as if he were waiting for something. And he
almost smiled as he looked at the Major and saw that he was shaking. The poor fellow's
teeth were chattering, too.
"What's the matter?" Mr. Crow called to him.
"There's--there's a Tiger inside this tree!" Major Monkey stammered. "I know it's a Tiger,
for I saw his eyes."
"Nonsense!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. And he burst into a loud haw-haw. "It's nothing but an
old Owl. I forgot all about him. A fine soldier you are--afraid of an old Owl!"
Major Monkey straightened his cap and looked as soldierly as he could.
"You're mistaken, in a way," he told Mr. Crow. "I admit I was afraid. I was afraid I had
frightened him, waking him up so suddenly. So I retreated."
Old Mr. Crow stopped laughing and looked very thoughtful. It occurred to him that
Major Monkey was a somewhat slippery person. Certainly he could slip out of a hole
about as easily as anybody Mr. Crow knew.
"You'll