The Adventures of Peter Cottontail Read online

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  THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTONTAIL

  By Thornton W. Burgess

  Author of "The Adventures of Reddy Fox"

  "Old Mother West Wind," etc.

  With Illustrations by Harrison Cady

  Boston

  Little, Brown, And Company

  1917

  THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTONTAIL

  I. PETER RABBIT DECIDES TO CHANGE HIS NAME

  |PETER RABBIT! Peter Rabbit! I don't see what Mother Nature ever gaveme such a common sounding name as that for. People laugh at me, but if Ihad a fine sounding name they wouldn't laugh. Some folks say that a namedoesn't amount to anything, but it does. If I should do some wonderfulthing, nobody would think anything of it. No, Sir, nobody would thinkanything of it at all just because--why just because it was done byPeter Rabbit."

  Peter was talking out loud, but he was talking to himself. He sat in thedear Old Briar-patch with an ugly scowl on his usually happy face. Thesun was shining, the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind weredancing over the Green Meadows, the birds were singing, and happiness,the glad, joyous happiness of springtime, was everywhere but in PeterRabbit's heart. There there seeded to be no room for anything butdiscontent. And such foolish discontent--discontent with his name! Andyet, do you know, there are lots of people just as foolish as PeterRabbit.

  "Well, what are you going to do about it?"

  The voice made Peter Rabbit jump and turn around hastily. There wasJimmy Skunk poking his head in at the opening of one of Peter's privatelittle paths. He was grinning, and Peter knew by that grin that Jimmyhad heard what he had said. Peter didn't know what to say. He hung hishead in a very shame-faced way.

  "You've got something to learn," said Jimmy Skunk.

  "What is it?" asked Peter.

  "It's just this," replied Jimmy.

  "There's nothing in a name except

  Just what we choose to make it.

  It lies with us and no one else

  How other folks shall take it.

  It's what we do and what we say

  And how we live each passing day

  That makes it big or makes it small

  Or even worse than none at all.

  A name just stands for what we are;

  It's what we choose to make it.

  And that's the way and only way

  That other folks will take it."

  Peter Rabbit made a face at Jimmy Skunk. "I don't like being preachedto."

  "I'm not preaching; I'm just telling you what you ought to know withoutbeing told," replied Jimmy Skunk. "If you don't like your name, whydon't you change it?"

  "What's that?" cried Peter sharply.

  "If you don't like your name, why don't you change it?" repeated Jimmy.

  Peter sat up and the disagreeable frown had left his face. "I--I--hadn'tthought of that," he said slowly. "Do you suppose I could, Jimmy Skunk?"

  "Easiest thing in the world," replied Jimmy Skunk. "Just decide whatname you like and then ask all your friends to call you by it."

  "I believe I will!" cried Peter Rabbit.

  "Well, let me know what it is when you have decided," said Jimmy, ashe started for home. And all the way up the Crooked Little Path, Jimmychuckled to himself as he thought of foolish Peter Rabbit trying tochange his name.

  II. PETER FINDS A NAME

  |PETER RABBIT had quite lost his appetite. When Peter forgets to eat youmay make up your mind that Peter has something very important tothink about. At least he has something on his mind that he thinks isimportant. The fact is, Peter had fully made up his mind to change hisname. He thought Peter Rabbit too common a name. But when he tried tothink of a better one, he found that no name that he could think ofreally pleased him any more. So he thought and he thought and he thoughtand he thought. And the more he thought the less appetite he had.

  Now Jimmy Skunk was the only one to whom Peter had told how discontentedhe was with his name, and it was Jimmy who had suggested to Peter thathe change it. Jimmy thought it a great joke, and he straightway passedthe word along among all the little meadow and forest people that PeterRabbit was going to change his name. Everybody laughed and chuckled overthe thought of Peter Rabbit's foolishness, and they planned to havea great deal of fun with Peter as soon as he should tell them his newname.

  Peter was sitting on the edge of the Old Briar-patch one morning whenOl' Mistah Buzzard passed, flying low. "Good mo'ning, Brer Cottontail,"said Ol' Mistah Buzzard, with a twinkle in his eye.

  At first Peter didn't understand that Ol' Mistah Buzzard was speakingto him, and by the time he did it was too late to reply, for Ol' MistahBuzzard was way, way up in the blue, blue sky. "Cottontail, Cottontail."said Peter over and over to himself and began to smile. Every time hesaid it he liked it better.

  0024]

  "Cottontail, Peter Cottontail! How much better sounding that is thanPeter Rabbit! That sounds as if I really was somebody. Yes, Sir, that'sthe very name I want. Now I must send word to all my friends thathereafter I am no longer Peter Rabbit, but Peter Cottontail."

  Peter kicked up his heels in just the funny way he always does when heis pleased. Suddenly he remembered that such a fine, long, high-soundingname as Peter Cottontail demanded dignity. So he stopped kicking up hisheels and began to practise putting on airs. But first he called to theMerry Little Breezes and told them about his change of name and askedthem to tell all his friends that in the future he would not answer tothe name of Peter Rabbit, but only to the name of Peter Cottontail. Hewas very grave and earnest and important as he explained it to the MerryLittle Breezes. The Merry Little Breezes kept their faces straight whilehe was talking, but as soon, as they had left him to carry his messagethey burst out laughing. It was such a joke!

  And they giggled as they delivered this message to each of the littleforest and meadow people:

  "Peter Rabbit's changed his name.

  In the future without fail

  You must call him, if you please,

  Mr. Peter Cottontail."

  While they were doing this, Peter was back in the Old Briar-patchpractising new airs and trying to look very high and mighty andimportant, as became one with such a fine sounding name as PeterCottontail.

  III. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE OLD NAME AFTER ALL

  |BOBBY COON and Jimmy Skunk had their heads together. Now when thesetwo put their heads together, you may make up your mind that they areplanning mischief. Yes, Sir, there is sure to be mischief afoot whenBobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk put their heads together as they were doingnow. Had Peter Rabbit seen them, he might not have felt so easy in hismind as he did. But Peter didn't see them. He was too much taken up withtrying to look as important as his new name sounded. He was putting onairs and holding his head very high as he went down to the Smiling Poolto call on Jeny Muskrat.

  Whenever any one called him by his old name, Peter pretended not tohear. He pretended that he had never heard that name and didn't knowthat he was being spoken to. Bobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk thought it agreat joke and they made up their minds that they would have some funwith Peter and perhaps make him see how very foolish he was. Yes, Sir,they planned to teach Peter a lesson. Bobby Coon hurried away to findReddy Fox and tell him that Peter had gone down to the Smiling Pool, andthat if he hid beside the path, he might catch Peter on the way back.

  Jimmy Skunk hunted up Blacky the Crow and Sam
my Jay and told them of hisplan and what he wanted them to do to help. Of course they promised thatthey would. Then he went to Ol' Mistah Buzzard and told him. Ol' MistahBuzzard grinned and promised that he would do his share. Then Bobby Coonand Jimmy Skunk hid where they could see all that would happen.

  Peter had reached the Smiling Pool and now sat on the bank admiring hisown reflection in the water and talking to Jerry Muskrat. He had justtold Jerry that when his old name was called out he didn't hear it anymore when along came Blacky the Crow.

  "Hello, Peter Rabbit! You're just the fellow I am looking for; I've avery important message for you," shouted Blacky.

  Peter kept right on talking with Jerry Muskrat just as if he didn'thear, although he was burning with curiosity to know what the messagewas.

  "I say, Peter Rabbit, are you deaf?" shouted Blacky the Crow.

  Jerry Muskrat looked up at Blacky and winked. "Peter Rabbit isn't here,"said he. "This is Peter Cottontail."

  0030]

  "Oh!" said Blacky. "My message is for Peter Rabbit, and it's somethinghe really ought to know. I'm sorry he isn't here." And with that, awayflew Blacky the Crow, chuckling to himself.

  Peter looked quite as uncomfortable as he felt, but of course hecouldn't say a word after boasting that he didn't hear people who calledhim Peter Rabbit. Pretty soon along came Sammy Jay. Sammy seemed verymuch excited.

  "Oh, Peter Rabbit, I'm so glad I've found you!" he cried. "I've somevery important news for you."

  Peter had all he could do to sit still and pretend not to hear, but hedid.

  "This is Peter Cottontail," said Jerry Muskrat, winking at Sammy Jay.

  "Oh," replied Sammy, "my news is for Peter Rabbit!" and off he flew,chuckling to himself.

  Peter looked and felt more uncomfortable than ever. He bade JerryMuskrat good-by and started for the dear Old Briar-patch to think thingsover. When he was half way there, Ol' Mistah Buzzard came sailing downout of the sky.

  "Brer Cottontail," said he, "if yo' see anything of Brer Rabbit, yo'tell him that Brer Fox am hiding behind that big bunch of grass justahead."

  Peter stopped short, and his heart gave a great leap. There, behind theclump of grass, was something red, sure enough. Peter didn't wait to seemore. He started for a hiding place he knew of in the Green Forest asfast as he could go, and behind him raced Reddy Fox. As he ran, he heardBlacky the Crow and Sammy Jay laughing, and then he knew that this wasthe news that they had had for him.

  "I--I--guess that Peter Rabbit is a good enough name, after all," hepanted.

  IV. PETER RABBIT FOOLS JIMMY SKUNK

  |PETER RABBIT came hopping and skipping down the Crooked Little Path.Unc' Billy Possum always calls him Brer Rabbit, but everybody else callshim Peter. Peter was feeling very fine that morning, very fine indeed.Every few minutes he jumped up in the air, and kicked his heelstogether, just for fun. Presently he met Jimmy Skunk.

  Jimmy was on his way back from Farmer Brown's corn field, where he hadbeen helping Blacky the Crow get free from a snare. Jimmy was stilltickling and laughing over the way Blacky the Crow had been caught. Hehad to tell Peter Rabbit all about it.

  Peter thought it just as good a joke as did Jimmy, and the two trottedalong side by side, planning how they would spread the news all overthe Green Meadows that Blacky the Crow, who thinks himself so smart, hadbeen caught.

  "That reminds me," said Jimmy Skunk suddenly, "I haven't had mybreakfast yet. Have you seen any beetles this morning, Peter Rabbit?"

  Peter Rabbit stopped and scratched his long left ear with his long lefthind foot.

  "Now you speak of it, it seems to me that I did," said Peter Rabbit.

  "Where?" asked Jimmy Skunk eagerly.

  Peter pretended to think very hard.

  "It seems to me that it was back at the top of the Crooked Little Pathup the hill," said Peter.

  "I think I will go look for them at once," replied Jimmy.

  "All right," replied Peter, "I'll show you the way."

  So up the Crooked Little Path hopped Peter Rabbit, and right behind himtrotted Jimmy Skunk. By and by they came to an old pine stump. PeterRabbit stopped. He put one hand on his lips.

  "Hush!" whispered Peter. "I think there is a whole family of beetles onthe other side of this stump. You creep around the other side, and I'llcreep around this side. When I thump the ground, you spring right aroundand grab them before they can run away."

  So Jimmy Skunk crept around one side of the stump, and Peter Rabbitcrept around the other side. Suddenly Peter thumped the ground hard,twice. Jimmy Skunk was waiting and all ready to spring. When he heardthose thumps, he just sprang as quickly as he could. What do you thinkhappened?

  Why, Jimmy Skunk landed _thump!_ right on Reddy Fox, who was taking asun nap on the other side of the pine stump!

  "Ha, ha, ha," shouted Peter Rabbit, and started down the Crooked LittlePath as fast as his long legs could take him.

  V. REDDY POX GETS INTO TROUBLE

  |REDDY FOX, curled up behind the big pine stump, was dreaming of a coopfull of chickens, where there was no Bowser the Hound to watch overthem. Suddenly something landed on him with a thump that knocked all hisbreath out. For an instant it frightened Reddy so that he just shook andshook. Then he got his senses together and discovered that it was JimmySkunk who had jumped on him.

  Jimmy was very polite. He begged Reddy's pardon. He protested that itwas all a mistake. He explained how Peter Rabbit had played a trickon both of them, and how he himself was just looking for beetles forbreakfast.

  Now, Reddy Fox is very quick tempered, and as soon as he realized thathe had been made the victim of a joke, he lost his temper completely. Heglared at Jimmy Skunk. He was so angry that he stuttered.

  "Y-y-you, y-y-y-you, y-y-y-you did that on p-p-purpose," said Reddy Fox.

  "No such thing!" declared Jimmy Skunk. "I tell you it was a joke on thepart of Peter Rabbit, and if you don't believe me, just look down thereon the Green Meadows."

  Reddy Fox looked. There sat Peter, his hands on his hips, his long earspointed straight up to the blue sky, and his mouth wide open, as helaughed at the results of his joke.

  Reddy shook his fist.

  "Ha, ha, ha," shouted Peter Rabbit.

  Reddy Fox looked hard at Jimmy Skunk, but like all the other littlemeadow and forest people, he has a very great respect for Jimmy Skunk,and though he would have liked to quarrel with Jimmy, he thought itwisest not to. Instead, he started after Peter Rabbit as fast as hislegs could go.

  Now, Reddy Fox can run very fast, and when Peter saw him coming, Peterknew that he would have to use his own long legs to the very best of hisability. Away they went across the Green Meadows. Jimmy Skunk, sittingon top of the hill, could see the white patch on the seat of PeterRabbit's trousers bobbing this way and that way, and right behind himwas Reddy Fox. Now, Peter Rabbit could run fast enough to keep away fromReddy for a while. You remember that Peter's eyes are so placed that hecan see behind him without turning his head. So he knew when Reddy wasgetting too near.

  In and out among the bushes along the edge of the Green Meadows theydodged, and the more he had to run, the angrier Reddy Fox grew. He paidno attention to where they were going; his whole thought was of catchingPeter Rabbit.

  Now, when Peter began to grow tired he began to work over towards FarmerBrown's corn field, where he knew that Farmer Brown's boy was hiding,with Bowser the Hound. Dodging this way and that way, Peter worked overto the fence corner, where Jimmy Skunk had watched Blacky the Crow getcaught in a snare. He let Reddy almost catch him, then he dodged outinto the open corn field, and Reddy, of course, followed him, "Bow-wow,bow-wow-wow!"

  Reddy did not need to turn to know what had happened. Bowser the Houndhad seen him and was after him. Peter just ducked behind a big bunch ofgrass and sat down to get his breath, while Reddy started off as hard ashe could go, with Bowser the Hound behind him.

  VI. REDDY FOOLS BOWSER THE HOUND

  |AWAY across the Green Meadows and up the hi
ll through the Green Forestraced Reddy Fox at the top of his speed. Behind him, nose to the ground,came Bowser the Hound, baying at the top of his lungs. Reddy ran alongan old stone wall and jumped as far out into the field as he could.

  "I guess that will fool him for a while," panted Reddy, as he sat downto get his breath.

  When Bowser came to the place where Reddy had jumped on the stone wall,he just grinned.

  "That's too old a trick to fool me one minute," said Bowser to himself,and he just made a big circle, so that in a few minutes he had foundReddy's tracks again.

  Every trick that Reddy had heard old Granny Fox tell about he tried,in order to fool Bowser the Hound, but it was of no use at all. Bowserseemed to know exactly what Reddy was doing, and wasted no time.

  Reddy was beginning to get worried. He was getting dreadfully out ofbreath. His legs ached. His big, plumey tail, of which he is very, veryproud, had become dreadfully heavy. Granny Fox had warned him never,never to run into the snug house they had dug unless he was obliged toto save his life, for that would tell Bowser the Hound where they lived,and then they would have to move.

  How Reddy did wish that wise old Granny Fox would come to his relief. Hewas running along the back of Farmer Brown's pasture, and he could hearBowser the Hound altogether too near for comfort. He looked this way andhe looked that way for a chance to escape. Just ahead of him he sawa lot of woolly friends. They were Farmer Brown's sheep. Reddy had abright idea. Like a flash he sprang on the back of one of the sheep. Itfrightened the sheep as badly as Reddy had been frightened, when JimmySkunk had landed on him that morning.