University of Virginia Library

11. XI
JOHNNIE BUSHYTAIL AND THE FOX

YOU see, it all happened this way: Johnnie and Billie Bushytail had quarreled. Johnnie wanted to play with Billie's bow and arrow, or else Billie wanted to take Johnnie's knife. I really can't, at this moment, remember just what it was. But I'm sure of this, either Billie wouldn't let Johnnie have what he wanted, or else Johnnie wouldn't give in to his little squirrel brother. So they quarreled. Then Johnnie puffed up his tail, just as a cat does when it gets angry, and he went off by himself in the woods. He didn't much care where he was going, and he thought maybe, if he went a

long way off, and never, never, never came back, or if a Wahoo should catch him, why then maybe Billie would be sorry for being so cross to him. I don't just know what a Wahoo is, but I'm sure it is something dreadful.

So Johnnie wandered off by himself in the woods. Grandpa Lightfoot didn't say anything when he saw his little grandson going off like that. The old gentleman squirrel just looked over the edge of his glasses and said to Grandma Lightfoot:

“Well, maybe a long walk will do him good.”

“I'm sure it will,” said grandma, “only I hope he comes to no harm,” for she loved Johnnie, and, for that matter, so did grandpa, only he knew that sometimes boys had to learn by experience.

Well, Johnnie walked a long, long way

into the woods, and the first thing he knew, some one shouted at him:

“Hello, Johnnie Bushytail!”

Johnnie looked up, and then he looked down, but he could see no one, and he thought perhaps he had dreamed it. Then he heard the voice again:

“Hello, Johnnie Bushytail!”

He looked up, and what should he see but a great big, red, furry creature, with a big tail and a sharp nose and a pair of the brightest eyes you ever saw. Brighter even than Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy's eyes.

“Oh,” said Johnnie, “who are you?”

“Why,” said the creature with the big tail, “I'm a squirrel, just like you”; and he wasn't at all; he was a big fox — now, what do you think about that, eh? “Yes,” he went on; “I'm a squirrel. Won't you come over to my house and play? We'll have lots of fun.”

“I never saw a squirrel as big as you,” said Johnnie.

“Oh, well, you see I am quite an old squirrel,” said the fox, cunningly, for he wanted to get Johnnie into his den, where he would probably eat him. “When one gets old, one gets larger.”

“My grandfather is old,” said Johnnie, “but he is not as large as you are.”

“Well,” said the fox, “of course that may be true. Perhaps he doesn't eat enough. It takes lots of eating to make one fat. I eat lots. I am always hungry.”

“Are you hungry now?” asked Johnnie.

“Yes!” cried the fox, and he smacked his lips, and then he said, quickly: “Oh, I mean no — I'm not a bit hungry,” for he thought maybe Johnnie would be frightened.

“I never saw a squirrel with such a big tail,” went on Johnnie.

“Oh, well,” answered the fox, “that is a small matter. You see, I got this big tail when I was a boy, and I never bothered to change it. But I do assure you that I am a squirrel, and I'd like to have you come and play with me. I have lots of nice things in my den, and if you'll come along, I'll recite a little verse for you.”

“Will you, really?” asked Johnnie, who was fond of poetry.

“I will,” said the fox. “Listen to this,” and he recited:

“What rhymes with turkey?” asked the fox, suddenly.

“How should I know?” answered Johnnie. “I don't know how to make poetry. I thought you did.”

“I do,” said the fox, “only I have just forgotten the right word. However, it is no matter. Come along to my house, and we will play `Pop Goes the Squirrel' — I mean weasel, and `Hide the Tail,' and all games like that.”

Then that bad fox, who was pretending he was a squirrel, just to fool Johnnie Bushytail, went up to him and took hold of the little boy squirrel, and was going to lead him off to his den, and maybe eat him all up, when who should come along but Jennie Chipmunk and Billie. And as soon as Jennie saw the fox, she knew right away that he was going to harm Johnnie. So she took up a piece of bark and dropped it on the fox's head, and it frightened him so that he ran away. By that time Johnnie was all over being angry, and he was very glad his brother and Jennie had come along in time

to save him. So the squirrels and the chipmunk went home very happy together. Now, if the Wiggitywog doesn't make any trouble, you shall hear to-morrow night about how Grandpa Lightfoot fell down the gatepost.