Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare Part 2

"Oh, ho!" said the nice old witch, "so that's what you're after. Don't you know that this isn't the time of year for strawberries?"

"I thought they grew all the year 'round in Fairy Land," said Uncle Hare.

"Well, I know where you may find some, but you'll have to sweep away the snow," said the nice old witch. "Go down to the meadow by the River Sippi, and then up a little hill, on the top of which stands a tiny house. Knock on the door and ask Tim Woodman to show you his strawberry patch."

"Thank you," said Uncle John Hare, and he drove away with his little nephew and by and by they came to the little house. And sure enough, when they knocked on the door, Tim Woodman opened it. But goodness me!

When they told him what they wanted, he didn't seem at all pleased. I guess he wanted the strawberries for himself. But anyway, when kind Uncle John Hare offered to give him a ride in the Bunnymobile, Tim led them around to the rear of his house, and taking a broom began to sweep away the snow. And in the next story you shall hear what happened after that.

STRAWBERRIES

Tim Woodman swept away the snow To find his strawberry patch.

Just then the wind began to blow

And broke his back door latch.

"Botheration!" said Tim. "I'll have to make a new one!" Just then a little snow fairy jumped out from behind a bush and said: "Brush away the snow, Tim Woodman, and you'll find red, ripe strawberries." And sure enough he found them, and picking a quart, or maybe more, he said:

"Tell the witch within the wood I really gave you all I could."

"You are very kind," said Uncle John Hare. "Tomorrow we'll come and take you for a ride in the Bunnymobile." And then the two little rabbits rode away, carefully holding the box of strawberries, and pretty soon they came to their little house, where Mrs. Daisy Duck, their old housekeeper, was waiting for them.

Goodness me! I wish you could have seen the strawberry shortcake she made for supper. But perhaps it's just as well you couldn't, for I'm not sure you would have been invited to have a piece.

Well, the next morning Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare set off again in the Bunnymobile, and after they had gone for maybe a mile or more they came to a cave, outside of which sat a queer little dwarf dressed in green, with a red-peaked hat on his head. His long white beard was covered with snowflakes and his bright black eyes twinkled merrily.

"h.e.l.lo, little rabbits," he called out. "What are you doing so far away from the Old Bramble Patch, U. S. A.?"

"We are visiting Fairy Land," answered Little Jack Rabbit.

"Well, come in and see my tame mice," said the little dwarf, and he shook the snow from his beard and opened a little door. The two little rabbits hopped out of the Bunnymobile and followed him into the cave.

Goodness me! You should have seen all the tame mice. Some were white, and some were gray, but they were all dressed up like little men--boots and breeches, coats and hats, and one little mouse carried a cane. I guess he was the leader of these little mice men, for they all seemed to do just exactly what he did.

"I never would have invited you in," said the little dwarf, "if I hadn't trusted you not to tell the Farmer's big Black Cat."

"Ha, ha!" laughed Uncle John Hare, "I don't believe Black Cat has caught a mouse since Little Jack Rabbit kicked him over."

And this made the dwarf smile, for he had just read about it in a book called "Little Jack Rabbit's Adventures." But he didn't have time to say so to Uncle John Hare, for just then the little mice began to sing the song you shall hear in the next story.

MRS. ANT

Now let's put our heads together and try to think where we left off in the last story. Oh, yes, now I remember. Little Jack Rabbit and Uncle John Hare were in the Dwarf's cave listening to the little mice sing about crackers and cheese.

"We are the mice of the little dwarf king, Who has taught us so well the way to sing; Tra la la la, to ro la loo, The rose is red and the violet blue."

When they had finished Little Jack Rabbit gave them a big piece of cheese and said good-by to the dwarf, and after he and Uncle John Hare had gone for maybe a mile, the Bunnymobile all of a sudden, just like that, stopped right in the middle of the road and wouldn't go a step further.

"What's the matter now, I wonder," asked the old gentleman rabbit

"You nearly ran over me," said a little voice, and there stood a tiny ant, dressed in a pink calico gown and a purple sunbonnet.

"Goodness me!" exclaimed Uncle John Hare, "it's a good thing the Bunnymobile saw you in time, because I didn't. Maybe I'd better buy myself some farsighted goggles."

"Where are you going, Mrs. Ant?" piped in the little rabbit.

Now it happened that she was going to the baker shop in Antville which was three miles away, and so were the two little rabbits, so all three started off again, and by and by, they stopped in front of the bakery shop.

"Thank you very kindly, gentlemen," said Mrs. Ant, "it would have taken me a long time to have walked those three miles. Maybe some day I can do you a good turn!" And dropping them a courtesy, she went in to buy a cookie and maybe a jelly tart.

"Where shall we go now?" asked the old gentleman bunny, putting on his goggles and pulling up his coat collar, for it was pretty cold and Mr.

North Wind was whistling through the forest.

"Let's go down to the pond to skate," said Little Jack Rabbit, and off they went, but, oh dear me, just as they were strapping on their skates, who should come along but Mr. Wicked Wolf. And poor Uncle John Hare had only one skate on.

"Oh, Mr. Wolf, don't bother me, For somebody's hiding behind the tree, He's looking for you with a great big gun, Perhaps he's the Big Kind Farmer's Son,"

shouted Little Jack Rabbit. But Mr. Wicked Wolf didn't care. And in the next story you shall hear what he said.

MORE ADVENTURES

"Ha, ha!" growled Mr. Wicked Wolf as he looked at the little rabbits.

"Which one shall I eat, for they both look sweet, dressed in their pretty fur habits."

"You won't eat either one of us," said Little Jack Rabbit, taking his popgun from his knapsack. "Do you remember what happened to your brother when he tried to kill little Red Riding Hood?"

"Never mind," replied the big beast, creeping toward the Bunnymobile, "I've learned a lot about fighting since that time." And he crept still closer. But the little rabbit never winked an eyelash; he just waited till the wicked animal was close enough to shoot off his left ear.

"Oh, dear, oh, dear! I've lost an ear What shall I ever do?

I never thought I would be caught And made to look so queer."

And that unhappy wolf turned tail and ran away.

"Well, that was a narrow escape," said the old gentleman rabbit. "I don't feel much like sightseeing. Let's turn the Bunnymobile around and get away from here. This old wolf might come back with his brother."

So off they went, and by and by whom should they meet but Prof. Jim Crow sitting on a fence.

"Goodness me!" exclaimed Little Jack Rabbit, "he looks just like that naughty bird who when