The Tale of Nimble Deer | Page 8

something about "Spike
Horn" that sounded much more important.
Somehow there was a new crop of Spike Horns that summer--Nimble's
second summer. And every one of them had been--like him--a little

spotted fawn the year before.
At first Nimble had thought it fun to use his new horns to jab anybody
that happened to be with him. One day he even stole up behind his own
mother and gave her a sharp prod with them.
He never did that again. His mother quickly taught him better. She
wheeled and struck him smartly with her fore feet.
"There!" she cried. "That's the first time a child of mine has played that
trick on me.... Let it be the last!"
And it was. Nimble was very careful, after that, to prod only those that
didn't mind such pranks.
Luckily he soon found that the other Spike Horns liked the same sort of
fun that he did. They were just as proud of their new horns as he was of
his. And (sad to say!) there was a good deal of boasting among them.
Each one declared that his own horns were the longest and strongest.
All the Spike Horns, including Nimble, were forever butting one
another in play. And they had just discovered a new sport when Nimble
met with what he feared, for a time, was a terrible accident.
Late in the fall, before the deep snows came, both his horns loosened
and dropped off his head.
"Oh! oh!" he cried when he saw what had happened. "I'll never be able
to take part in another mock battle again!" For the Spike Horns had had
gay times pretending to fight one another in a most savage fashion.
After Nimble lost his horns he carefully avoided all his playmates. He
didn't want the other Spike Horns to see him. At last, to his great
dismay, one day he came face to face with one of them. They both tried
to dodge out of sight. But the other, whose name was Dodger, was not
quite quick enough. Before he hid behind a thicket Nimble saw that he
had lost his horns too!

Then Nimble guessed the truth. He knew why it was that he had
managed to keep out of sight of his friends. Every Spike Horn in the
neighborhood had lost his horns! And every one of them had been
trying to keep out of sight.

X
AT THE CARROT PATCH
During his first summer Nimble never reached Farmer Green's carrot
patch once. His mother had planned to take him there. But on account
of an unexpected party she had postponed their visit. And somehow the
right night for a trip after carrots never seemed to come again.
Now, Nimble had never forgotten what his mother had told him about
carrots. And he was going after some--so he promised himself--just as
soon as he was big enough.
When Nimble's second summer rolled around he was big enough and
old enough to prowl through the woods and fields much as he pleased.
He was a Spike Horn. And he felt fit to go to the carrot patch without
waiting for anybody to show him the way.
So one night he stole down the hillside pasture, across the meadow, and
jumped the fence into Farmer Green's garden.
He saw at once that somebody was there ahead of him. It was Jimmy
Rabbit. He was very busy with one of Farmer Green's cabbages.
"I've come down to try the carrots," said Nimble.
Jimmy Rabbit made no reply, except to nod his head slightly. He was
eating so fast that he really couldn't speak just then.
"Are these carrots?" Nimble inquired, as he looked about at the big
cabbages, which crossed the garden in long rows.

Jimmy Rabbit shook his head.
"They seem to be good," said Nimble, "whatever they are. I'll taste of
one."
And he did. In fact he tasted of three or four of them, eating their
centers out neatly.
Meanwhile Jimmy Rabbit was becoming uneasy. And at last he spoke.
"I thought," he said, "you told me you had come down here to try the
carrots."
"So I did," Nimble answered. "But I don't know where the carrots are."
"Why didn't you say so before?" Jimmy Rabbit asked him. And without
waiting for a reply he cried, "Follow me! I'll show you." And he
hopped off briskly, with Nimble after him.
Soon Jimmy Rabbit came to a halt.
"Here it is!" he said. "Here's the carrot patch. Help yourself!" And then
he hopped away again, back to his supper of cabbages.
[Illustration: Nimble Deer Followed Jimmy Rabbit. Page 57]
Nimble Deer began to eat the carrot tops. And he was greatly
disappointed.
"They're not half as good as those great round balls," he muttered.