How Tiny Hare Met Cat
: ANIMAL STORIES: Boys And Girls Bookshelf
[IN WORDS OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR LETTERS]
BY A. L. SYKES
Once, just as the long, dark time that is at the end of each day came,
Mama Hare said to Tiny Hare, who was at play,
"Come in, now, it is time for bed. You know you must hide from Man, and
Dog, and Hawk; but I must tell you that you are to hide from Cat, also."
"Who is CAT?" said Tiny Hare.
"CAT is not so big as DOG. She has soft fur and two big wild eyes."
"She is just like me," said Tiny Hare. "I have soft fur and big eyes;
then CAT is just a Hare."
"The very idea!" said Mama Hare. "You have not big wild eyes, and your
tail is not long like CAT'S. CAT is not good for a Hare to meet. She can
run very fast, and she has a claw for each toe," and she gave Tiny Hare
a wee bite.
"Does CAT live in our wood?" said Tiny Hare.
"No, she is with MAN and DOG, but she goes out in the day time or at
dark, and she can get a Tiny Hare who runs away from home when he is
too tiny."
"Am I too tiny?" said Tiny Hare. "Yes, yes, yes; far too tiny," said his
Mama; and how she did wash him from his head to his feet!
"I wish to see CAT," said Tiny Hare.
"No, no, no," said his Mama; and how she did wash his soft fur!
He did not wish to see CAT for many, many days, but one day the rain
came, and it was cold, and his Mama told him to stay at home in the dry
hay.
"I want to go with you," said Tiny Hare to his Mama and Papa when they
were to go out for food.
"It is too wet," said his Mama. "If your fur gets too wet you can't run
far and fast, and it is not safe for you to go."
"I like rain. I like the wet. I want to go out. I want to do just as I
like," said Tiny Hare, and he laid his ears back, and half shut his
eyes, and put his pink lip out, and did not look kind.
"Hush!" said Papa Hare, in a low, deep tone. And Mama Hare and Papa Hare
went away, and left Tiny Hare at home.
Do you know what Tiny Hare did then? Oh, it was not good!
"I will go to see CAT," he said, very loud. He ran out, over the damp
moss in the wet, wet wood, and, oh, dear me! up the path to the door of
MAN and CAT. The door was open. CAT sat by the fire in a box. She was
most sad, for once she had two baby cats in that box, and now they were
gone. She did not purr. She did not eat. She did not wash her soft fur.
She just sat by the fire and was sad. By and by she was so sad with no
baby cat to love that she said very low and deep: "Mew! Mew!" Tiny Hare
was so wet and so weak he just had to lie down on the step. Then CAT
saw him.
How fast she did jump out of the box, and run to the door! Tiny Hare saw
her long tail, and her big wild eyes. He shut his eyes; and how he did
wish he was at home! But CAT did not eat him. She took him in her soft
lips, and laid him in the box by the fire.
"Now she will eat me," said Tiny Hare; and how he did wish he was at
home!
Then MAN and DOG came in. MAN was wet, and had much mud on him. He took
the box away from the fire to put fresh hay in it, and then he saw Tiny
Hare. Then MAN went near the fire to get warm and dry, and DOG ran to
CAT to look at her baby cat. When he saw Tiny Hare he gave a loud bark,
"Bow-wow-wow-wow!" and his tail did not wag any more. But just as he was
to JUMP on Tiny Hare, CAT put a claw on his nose.
"Wow!" said DOG, and MAN made DOG lie down, and he came once more to
look at CAT in her box. "Well, well," said he, "a hare for a baby cat!
Do you mean to eat it, Puss?"
"Purr, purr, purr," said CAT, and Tiny Hare did not like to hear her
purr, and he said: "She will eat me now"; and how he did wish he was
at home!
CAT did not want to eat Tiny Hare, but she did want to wash him, and
play that he was her own baby cat. And she did wash him, oh, so hard,
and so much, from head to feet, and from feet to head, over and over
and over. She gave him a wee bite now and then when she felt a knot in
his wet fur.
"Wee! Wee! Wee!" said Tiny Hare, very loud and high, when she hurt him
too much, but CAT did not care, and did not stop.
By and by when Tiny Hare was warm and dry, and his fur was like silk,
MAN and DOG went out to tea; and CAT saw that the eyes of Tiny Hare were
shut, so she went out to tea. When CAT was gone, oh, how fast did Tiny
Hare jump out of the box, and run out of the door, and skip up the
long road, and leap past the wet wood, home to his Mama. The rain was
over, and the sun was warm, so he was now dry, and his fur was like
silk.
"I will be good now, Mama." "Oh, dear," said his Mama. "This is a
CAT."
"Oh, no, no, no, no, NO!" said Tiny Hare. "I am your Tiny Hare."
"Is it our Tiny Hare?" said Mama Hare to wise Papa Hare.
"Yes," said Papa Hare, "it is, but he is too much like CAT."
Tiny Hare was not glad, and he did not want to play, so he sat near his
home till the dark came. Then his Mama grew too sad for his sake, and
she came out to him. How she did rub him with moss and hay, and how
she did wash him, from his head to his feet. Tiny Hare did not like
it, but he did not say one word.
"Now, you are like my dear Tiny Hare," she said at last, and she
took him home. When it grew dark, Tiny Hare said: "I am your Tiny Hare,
and I will be good now," and Papa Hare said, "Yes, I am sure you
will," and gave the ear of Tiny Hare a wee bite for love.
Then Mama Hare put her ears down, and Papa Hare put his ears down,
and Tiny Hare put his ears down, and they all took a long, long nap
till the dawn.
More
-
How Polly Had Her Picture Taken
BY EVERETT WILSON It was a bright spring morning, and all the animals on the Meadowbrook Farm had been given their breakfast, and the Piggy-wig family had settled down to a cozy nap. Suddenly there was heard a great noise and rushing out in the a... How Rabbit Deceived Fox
Long ago in Indian days in Canada, when Rabbit worked for Glooskap as his forest guide, he was a great thief. He liked most of all to steal by moonlight, and he crept quietly into gardens and fields where Indian vegetables were growing, f... How Raven Brought Fire To The Indians
Many ages ago when the world was still young, Raven and White Sea-gull lived near together in Canada, far in the north country on the shores of the Great Water in the west. They were very good friends and they always worked in harmony and... How Reynard Outwitted Bruin
Once on a time there was a bear, who sat on a hillside in the sun and slept. Just then Reynard came slouching by and caught sight of him. "There you sit taking your ease, grandsire," said the fox. "Now, see if I don't play you a trick." So he we... How Sampo Lappelill Saw The Mountain King
From the Swedish of Z. Topelius. FAR away in Lapland, at a place called Aimio, near the River Jana, there lived, in a little hut, a Laplander and his wife, with their small son, Sampo. Sampo Lappelill was now between seven and eight years of ... How Six Men Travelled Through The Wide World
There was once upon a time a man who understood all sorts of arts; he served in the war, and bore himself bravely and well; but when the war was over, he got his discharge, and set out on his travels with three farthings of his pay in his pocket. ... How Smaland And Schonen Came To Be
The Smalanders declare: At the time when our Lord created the earth, he made a level and fruitful stretch of land, and that was Schonen. But the devil had been busy in the meantime, and had created Smaland, a barren region consisting mainly of ... How Some Wild Animals Became Tame Ones
Once upon a time there lived a miller who was so rich that, when he was going to be married, he asked to the feast not only his own friends but also the wild animals who dwelt in the hills and woods round about. The chief of the bears, the wolve... How The Alphabet Was Made
THE week after Taffimai Metallumai (we will still call her Taffy, Best Beloved) made that little mistake about her Daddy's spear and the Stranger-man and the picture-letter and all, she went carp-fishing again with her Daddy. Her Mummy wanted her ... How The Beggar Boy Turned Into Count Piro
Once upon a time there lived a man who had only one son, a lazy, stupid boy, who would never do anything he was told. When the father was dying, he sent for his son and told him that he would soon be left alone in the world, with no possessions but ... How The Bluebird Came
<p>Nana-bo-jou, that some think is the Indian name for El Sol and some say is Mother Carey, was sleeping his winter's sleep in the big island just above the thunder-dam that men call Niagara. Four moons had waned, but still he slept. The frost draper... How The Buttercup Grew Yellow
Long, long ago it is told that the flowers were all white and that each received its color by some magic power. The little Daisy, with its yellow eye, received its golden center when the angry elves pelted the little Fairies with sunbeams. T... How The Camel Got His Hump
NOW this is the next tale, and it tells how the Camel got his big hump. In the beginning of years, when the world was so new and all, and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling... How The Chipmunk Got The Stripes On Its Back
Do you all know the little striped chipmunk which lives in our woods? He has a cousin in far off India called the geloori. It is said the stripes came on the back of the geloori in a wonderful way. One day the great Shiva saw a little gray ... How The Dragon Was Tricked
From Griechtsche und Albanesische Marchen, von J. G. von Hahn. (Leipzig: Engelmann. 1864.) Once upon a time there lived a man who had two sons but they did not get on at all well together, for the younger was much handsomer than his elder broth... How The First Letter Was Written
ONCE upon a most early time was a Neolithic man. He was not a Jute or an Angle, or even a Dravidian, which he might well have been, Best Beloved, but never mind why. He was a Primitive, and he lived cavily in a Cave, and he wore very few clothes, ... How The Hermit Helped To Win The King's Daughter
Sicilianische Mahrchen Long ago there lived a very rich man who had three sons. When he felt himself to be dying he divided his property between them, making them share alike, both in money and lands. Soon after he died the king set forth a pro... How The Indian Pipe Came
<div> <img src="/images/i108.png" alt="How the Indian Pipe Came" title="How the Indian Pipe Came" height="400" width="353" /> How the Indian Pipe Came </div> <p>In the last tale you learned the fate of the Rev. John T. Arum, and the origin of Jack-in-t... How The Indian Summer Came
<p>Wahkonda, the Great Spirit, the Ruler of the World, had found pleasure the whole summer long in making mountains, lakes, and forests. Then when the autumn came, and the leaves fell from the trees, He lighted His pipe and sat down to look over the ... How The Leopard Got His Spots
IN the days when everybody started fair, Best Beloved, the Leopard lived in a place called the High Veldt. 'Member it wasn't the Low Veldt, or the Bush Veldt, or the Sour Veldt, but the 'sclusively bare, hot, shiny High Veldt, where there was sand... How The Little Brother Set Free His Big Brothers
In a small hut, right in the middle of the forest, lived a man, his wife, three sons and a daughter. For some reason, all the animals seemed to have left that part of the country, and food grew very scarce; so, one morning, after a night of snow... How The Little Redbird Became Red
Jack and Evelyn had been playing circus all day. Jack had been the big man who stands in the middle of the ring and cracks his whip, while Evelyn had turned somersaults and made pretty bows. They told daddy all about it when he came home that e... How The Littlest Owl Came
<p>After the Great Spirit had made the world and the creatures in it, he made the Gitchee O-kok-o-hoo. This was like an Owl, but bigger than anything else alive, and his voice was like a river plunging over a rocky ledge. He was so big that he though... How The Mouse-bird Made Fun Of The Brownie
<div> <img src="/images/i058.png" alt="The Brownie and the Mouse-bird" title="The Brownie and the Mouse-bird" height="400" width="264" /> The Brownie and the<br /> Mouse-bird </div> <hr /> <p>Once there was a conceited Brownie, who thought he cou... How The Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story
<div> <img src="/images/i168.png" alt="How the Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story" title="How the Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story" height="400" width="262" /> How the Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story </div> <hr /> <p>Suppose you are in the woods, and your woods ... How The Red Clover Got The White Mark On Its Leaves
<div> <img src="/images/i064.png" alt="How the Red Clover Got the White Mark on Its Leaves" title="How the Red Clover Got the White Mark on Its Leaves" height="400" width="312" /> How the Red Clover Got the White Mark on Its Leaves </div> <p>Once upon a... How The Rhinoceros Got His Skin
ONCE upon a time, on an uninhabited island on the shores of the Red Sea, there lived a Parsee from whose hat the rays of the sun were reflected in more-than-oriental splendour. And the Parsee lived by the Red Sea with nothing but his hat and his k... How The Robin's Breast Became Red
Long ago in the far North, where it is very cold, there was only one fire. A hunter and his little son took care of this fire and kept it burning day and night. They knew that if the fire went out the people would freeze and the white bear woul... How The Shad Came And How The Chestnut Got Its Burrs
<p>In the woods of Poconic there once roamed a very discontented Porcupine. She was forever fretting. She complained that everything was wrong, till it was perfectly scandalous, and Wahkonda, the Great Spirit, getting tired of her grumbling, said:</p... How The Spark Of Fire Was Saved
Long ago when fire was first brought to earth, it was given into the care of two beldams at the end of the world. The Cahroc Indians knew where it was hidden. They needed fire and were always planning ways to get it. They went at last to the ... How The Stalos Were Tricked
'Mother, I have seen such a wonderful man,' said a little boy one day, as he entered a hut in Lapland, bearing in his arms the bundle of sticks he had been sent out to gather. 'Have you, my son; and what was he like?' asked the mother, as sh... How The Violets Came
<div> The Meadow she was sorry<br /> For her sister Sky, you see,<br /> 'Cause, though her robe of blue was bright,<br /> 'Twas plain as it could be.<br /> <br /> And so she sent a skylark up<br /> To trim the Sky robe right<br /> Wi... How The Whale Got His Throat
IN the sea, once upon a time, O my Best Beloved, there was a Whale, and he ate fishes. He ate the starfish and the garfish, and the crab and the dab, and the plaice and the dace, and the skate and his mate, and the mackereel and the pickereel, and... How The Wicked Tanuki Was Punished
The hunters had hunted the wood for so many years that no wild animal was any more to be found in it. You might walk from one end to the other without ever seeing a hare, or a deer, or a boar, or hearing the cooing of the doves in their nest. If the... How The Wolves Teach Their Whelps
I was walking along the road, and heard a shout behind me. It was the shepherd boy who was shouting. He was running through the field, and pointing to something. I looked, and saw two wolves running through the field: one was full-grown, and th... How The Wren Became King Of The Birds
<p>The story is very old, and it may not be true, but this is how they tell it in many countries.</p> <p>The animals had chosen the lion for their King because his looks and his powers seemed to fit him best of all for the place. So the birds made up... How Tiny Hare Met Cat
[IN WORDS OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR LETTERS] BY A. L. SYKES Once, just as the long, dark time that is at the end of each day came, Mama Hare said to Tiny Hare, who was at play, "Come in, now, it is time for bed. You know you must hide from M... How To Find Out A True Friend
Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who longed to have a son. As none came, one day they made a vow at the shrine of St. James that if their prayers were granted the boy should set out on a pilgrimage as soon as he had passed his eighteent... How To Tell A True Princess
There was once upon a time a Prince who wanted to marry a Princess, but she must be a true Princess. So he travelled through the whole world to find one, but there was always something against each. There were plenty of Princesses, but he could n... How Trees Walk
One day we were cleaning an overgrown path on a hillock near the pond. We cut down a lot of brier bushes, willows, and poplars,--then came the turn of a bird-cherry. It was growing on the path, and it was so old and stout that it could not be less... Hudden And Dudden And Donald O'neary
There was once upon a time two farmers, and their names were Hudden and Dudden. They had poultry in their yards, sheep on the uplands, and scores of cattle in the meadow-land alongside the river. But for all that they weren't happy. For just be... Hugh Of Lincoln
He tossed the ball so high, so high, He tossed the ball so low; He tossed the ball in the Jew's garden, And the Jews were all below. Oh, then out came the Jew's daughter, She was dressed all in green; ... Humpty Dumpty
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King's horses and all the King's men Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again." I There he lay, stretched out on the ground, ... Hungarian Marriage And Divorce Laws
In Hungary proper and Transylvania, together with Fiume and certain parts of the Military Boundary, the marriage law of 1894, supplemented by the Civil Registration Act of the same year, is in operation for all citizens, without regard to religiou... Hunting Worse Than Slavery
We were hunting bears. My companion had a chance to shoot at a bear: he wounded him, but only in a soft spot. A little blood was left on the snow, but the bear got away. We met in the forest and began to discuss what to do: whether to go and fi... Hush-a-bye Baby
Hush-a-bye, baby, in the tree top: When the wind blows, the cradle will rock; When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, Down will come baby, cradle, and all. ... Hyacinthus
BY OVID (ADAPTED) Once when the golden-beamed Apollo roamed the earth, he made a companion of Hyacinthus, the son of King Amyclas of Lacedaemon; and him he loved with an exceeding great love, for the lad was beautiful beyond compare. The sun-go... Hymen And Death
Sixteen, d'ye say? Nay, then 'tis time; Another year destroys your prime. But stay--The settlement? "That's made?" Why then's my simple girl afraid? Yet hold a moment, if you can, And heedfully the fable scan. The shades were ... Hynde Horn
"'Oh, it's Hynde Horn fair, and it's Hynde Horn free; Oh, where were you born, and in what countrie?' 'In a far distant countrie I was born; But of home and friends I am quite forlorn.'" Once upon a time there was a King o... I Had A Little Husband
"I had a little husband No bigger than my thumb, I put him in a pint pot, And there I bid him drum I bought a little handkerchief To wipe his little nose, And a pair of little garters To tie his little hose... I Know What I Have Learned
From the Danish. There was once a man who had three daughters, and they were all married to trolls, who lived underground. One day the man thought that he would pay them a visit, and his wife gave him some dry bread to eat by the way. After he ... I Love Little Pussy
"I love little pussy, her coat is so warm, And if I don't hurt her, she'll do me no harm. I'll sit by the fire and give her some food, And pussy will love me because I am good." I never will dress her again, that is sure. ... I Saw A Ship A-sailing
I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And, oh! it was all laden With pretty things for thee! There were candies in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the ... Idle Ben
Idle Ben was a naughty boy (If you please, this story's true), He caused his teachers great annoy, And his worthy parents, too. Idle Ben, in a boastful way To his anxious parents told That while he was y... If I Were Queen
BY LUCY FITCH PERKINS. If I were Queen of Anywhere, I'd have a golden crown, And sit upon a velvet chair, And wear a satin gown. A Knight of noble pedigree Should wait beside my seat, To serve me upon b... Ii The Bravery Of Richard Kirtland
Richard Kirtland was a sergeant in the Second Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers. The day after the great battle of Fredericksburg, Kershaw's brigade occupied the road at the foot of Marye's Hill. One hundred and fifty yards in front of the r... Ilyas
In the Government of Ufa there lived a Bashkir, Ilyas. His father had left him no wealth. His father had died a year after he had got his son married. At that time Ilyas had seven mares, two cows, and a score of sheep; but Ilyas was a good master ... In July
BY A. S. WEBBER. 10 Ten little fire crackers Standing in a line, One thought he'd light a match Then-- There were nine. 9 Nine little fire crackers Walking very... In Merry England
BY LUCY FITCH PERKINS. In merry, merry England, In the merry month of May, Miss Mary Ella Montague Went out in best array. Her wise mama called out to her, "My darling Mary Ella, It looks like rain to-d... In The Land Of Souls
From the Red Indian. Far away, in North America, where the Red Indians dwell, there lived a long time ago a beautiful maiden, who was lovelier than any other girl in the whole tribe. Many of the young braves sought her in marriage, but she woul... Ingleborough
"Here are three great hills, not far distant asunder, seeming to be as high as the clouds, which are Ingleborow, Penigent, and Pendle, on the top of which grows a peculiar plant called cloudsberry, as though it came out of the clouds. This hill form... Injurious Air
In the village of Nikolskoe, the people went on a holiday to mass. In the manor yard were left the cow-tender, the elder, and the groom. The cow-tender went to the well for water. The well was in the yard itself. She pulled out the bucket, but cou... Inquisitive Mr Possum
It was Mr. Owl who gave the wood folk the warning by calling out one night, "To whom it may concern!" At least the wood people knew that was what he meant, but anyone else might have thought he just cried "To whoo! To whoo!" So when all the ... Inside Again
A man was walking through the forest one day when he saw a funny black thing like a whip wriggling about under a big stone. He was curious to know what it all meant. So he lifted up the stone and found there a huge black snake. "That's well," s... Introduction To Notes
Ever since the Brothers Grimm in 1812 made for the first time a fairly complete collection of the folk-tales of a definite local or national area in Europe, the resemblance of many of these tales, not alone in isolated incidents but in continuous ... Ireland
Ireland like Scotland has its separate judicial system, and many of its laws differ from those of all other parts of the British Empire. The Irish law relating to marriage and matrimonial controversies is administered under the Matrimonial Cause... Iris' Bridge
In the sky where the amber tints are seen on the clouds, Iris was born. She loved her home and all the beautiful things around her. Perhaps she sailed in the moon's silver boat and knew why the stars kept twinkling. Perhaps she feasted on s... Iron Hans
There was once upon a time a king who had a great forest near his palace, full of all kinds of wild animals. One day he sent out a huntsman to shoot him a roe, but he did not come back. 'Perhaps some accident has befallen him,' said the king, and th... Isle Of Man
All the bairns unborn will rue the day That the Isle of Man was sold away; And there's ne'er a wife that loves a dram, But what will lament for the Isle of Man. ... Isle Of Wight Shrovers
Until within about the last thirty years, it had been the custom in the Isle of Wight from time immemorial at all the farms and some other charitable houses to distribute cakes on Shrove-Tuesday, called Shrove-cakes, to the poor children of the pari... It Is Quite True!
"That is a terrible story!" said a Hen in a quarter of the town where the affair had not happened. "That is a terrible story from a poultry-yard. I dare not sleep alone to-night! It is quite fortunate that there are so many of us on the roost toge... It Is Time That You Should Stop
"Whenever you spit, whenever you sneeze, Whenever your rugs you beat, When you scatter dust with a feather broom, And shake it on the street, Where rubbish you pile upon the road, ...