Part 2

The Birthday Fairy had kept her secret well, so they all had the merriest kind of a time, and Bobby Bright Eyes had a Birthday Party after all. The Birthday Fairy was the merriest one of all for she sang as they cut the Birthday Cake:

“A happy Birthday to you dear friend, From beginning to end, from beginning to end.”

The Happy Hare

“I am happy to-day and happy to-morrow, Trouble I never stop to borrow,”

sang the Happy Hare one misty morning.

As he was walking along he chanced to meet the Croaking Crocodile who greeted him saying:

“To be happy or sad I can’t decide whether, I always worry so over the _Weather_!”

The Crocodile shed real tears and the Happy Hare said:

“We’ll go and seek the Weather Man out, He would like to help us beyond a doubt.”

So, they went on a journey to find the Weather Man, and they met many animals as they passed along the Winding Road for half of a half of a quarter of a mile.

They bowed to all the animals they met and inquired what kind of weather they wanted.

Said Pussy Whiskers, “I like it dry, Such wet weather makes me want to cry.”

The Croaking Crocodile said:

“Join our procession—we’ve a plan, We’re going to the Weather Man.”

So, Pussy Whiskers followed on behind, but Old Web-Foot the Duck had heard her remark, and as she thoroughly enjoyed wet weather she said:

“Pussy Whiskers, take your wish back, I like wet weather, quack, quack, quack.”

The Happy Hare skipped on ahead but the Croaking Crocodile invited Old Web-Foot to go with them, and they went on for half of a half of a quarter of a mile, until they met Chatter-Box, the monkey, who said:

“I’ll join your procession, like as not, Oh, how I wish it would turn real hot!”

He was glad to go on the journey to the Weather Man. Next they met Snowball, the Polar Bear sighing:

“I come from a cold country as you know, How I enjoy the ice and snow.”

Before the Croaking Crocodile could make a remark

The Happy Hare said, “I do declare, There’s a difference of opinion everywhere.”

Just at this very minute they met a little old man in a little old brown suit, carrying a little old brown umbrella.

They all bowed politely and said:

“Some day we will explain our plan, Please lead us to the Weather Man.”

To this, the little old man bowed politely and said:

“The Weather Man is my own name, Please tell me kind friends why you came.”

The Happy Hare said, in reply:

“A Happy Hare with smiling face, Enjoys the weather any place.”

The Weather Man smiled and remarked:

“The Croaking Crocodile has such fears, At times, I regret he sheds real tears.”

Then all the animals began to shout together:

Pussy Whiskers said, “I want it dry”; Old Web-Foot said, “For rain I cry”; Chatter-Box said, “I like it hot”; Snowball said, “It will be icy like as not.” The Weather Man in a brown study sat; He said, “I’ll have to think over that”; He ordered all kinds of _Weather_ that day And on a cyclone they blew away.

The Happy Hare landed on his feet after he had been blown half of a half of a quarter of a mile saying:

“Ha, ha, ha, let’s be happy together, Every day in spite of the weather!”

The Croaking Crocodile remarked:

“I’ll shed some tears, I can’t decide whether I like this, or that, or the other weather.”

Pussy Whiskers and Web-Foot and Chatter-Box and Snowball sat down in a circle and tried to get their breath and they remarked in concert:

“Ha, ha, we’ll have all the fun we can, In spite of the queer little Weather Man.”

Now, if one ever notices a day half rain and half sunshine, half hot and half cold, one will know that the animals have gone to visit the Weather Man,

And if one thinks it worth his while, He can chat with the Croaking Crocodile.

Perhaps if one wears Fairy Spectacles, one can see the Happy Hare peeping out of his wee little house in the woods, and one may hear him singing, as I did once,

“I’m a Happy Hare, I can’t find out, Why the weather’s a thing to worry about,” Then he put on his cap and away he ran, For a chat with the queer little Weather Man.

The Road to Sleepy-Town

Little Boy Blue went to visit Uncle Phil on the farm and when night came he lay all alone in a big bed upstairs.

He was so tired he wanted to weep, But still he could not go to sleep.

He missed his mother’s tucking in and good night kiss.

He thought of all the sleepy things mother had told him to think about. He tried counting sheep going over a fence. He hummed a lullaby song, but his eyes were still wide open when Fairy Moonlight peeped in and sang:

“Hello, little boy in the white night gown, Are you on the road to Sleepy-Town?”

Little Boy Blue answered in a sing-song kind of way:

“The harder I try to go to sleep, The wider awake my eyes will peep.”

Fairy moonlight danced right into the room at that, and danced beside a picture that hung on the wall, as she sang:

“Some go up, and some go down, On the road to Sleepy-Town.”

The picture showed a long road with houses on each side.

Suddenly the most surprising thing happened!

Stars shone out in the sky in the picture, and began to twinkle, twinkle, twinkle.

Lights came out in the windows of the houses; they began to twinkle, twinkle, twinkle.

Fairy Moonlight said:

“Little Boy, though I do not know your name, Let us just step over the picture frame.”

No sooner said than done.

They were on the road to Sleepy Town.

As Little Boy Blue looked back one hundred and six children also stepped over the picture frame and he saw all his little friends following him.

There was Betty with her new doll snuggled up close and Bobby with his Teddy Bear, Little Mary came drawing her cart behind her.

A sleepy old man was lighting lamps all along the road singing:

“Right foot, left foot up and down, Thus we march to Sleepy-Town.”

They saw a sleepy old wind-mill turning round and round, round and round, and the wind-mill sang:

“Here they come with smiles and frown, On the road to Sleepy-Town.”

At that very minute Betty sat down and fell asleep under the wind-mill.

All the rest of the children trooped on. They could see the lights of Sleepy-Town twinkle, twinkle, twinkle in the distance.

They heard the sleepy little birds twittering in the trees.

“Here comes a boy much like a clown, He often visits Sleepy-Town.”

At that very minute Billy sat down under the trees and fell asleep, while the other children went hurrying on.

They passed by a sleepy little brook that went singing over the stones:

“Hurrah, hurrah for your little night gown, You’ll need it soon in Sleepy-Town.”

At that, all the children but Little Boy Blue sat down and began to throw pebbles into the brook and soon their heads went nid-nid nodding and they were fast asleep.

Fairy Moonlight sang:

“The hours come, the hours go, The Sandman’s rocking to and fro.”

Sure enough, there was the sleepy old Sandman rocking to and fro in a hammock.

Little Boy Blue was so tired he crept in beside him and so he fell asleep right there on the road to Sleepy-Town.

The lights went out in the streets and houses one by one, and every one went nid-nid nodding.

“Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,” rang a bell and Little Boy Blue looked about. The Sandman was gone. Fairy Sunshine cried:

“You wake up happy now, it seems You came back from the land of dreams!”

Little Boy Blue woke up sure enough in the great big bed, and soon he ran down stairs with a hop and skip and bound.

Uncle Phil said:

“Good morning, how fast you did come down.”

Little Boy Blue replied:

“I just got back from Sleepy-Town.”

The most surprising part of the most surprising part of the story is still to come.

When Uncle Phil took Boy Blue home that evening in the old buggy he put a mysterious box with a mysterious paper and string covering it, into the old buggy.

When they arrived he handed Boy Blue the box.

In the box were little paper houses, and little paper street lamps, and windmills, and trees, and under one tree was a hammock for the Sandman.

It took Boy Blue exactly one hour to set the little town up, and Uncle Phil attached a cord and Boy Blue cried out with delight as from every house and every street lamp there shone a light that twinkled, twinkled, twinkled.

Uncle Phil said:

“You’re a good little boy with never a frown, And so I bought you this Sleepy-Town.”

Boy Blue thanked Uncle Phil and had many happy hours playing with his new toy town.

Fairy Moonlight peeped in the window and sang as she watched Boy Blue at play:

“Every child in his little gown Is on the road to Sleepy-Town.”

Her voice was so sleepy, sleepy, sleepy as she sang that even Uncle Phil, who was telling this story, fell asleep, and

All the fairies looking down Said, “They’re on the road to _Sleepy-Town_!”

Old Mother Bear’s Christmas Stocking

Old Mother Bear sat in her red rocking chair knitting and singing:

“Click, click, click, I must hurry because Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, comes Santa Claus.”

She was finishing a stocking to hang up by the chimney for Santa Claus to fill.

At this very minute she heard, “Rap, a, tap” on the door and she sang:

“Click, click, click, who comes here? Rap, a tap, a tap, visitors appear.”

In came Charlie Chatter-Box, the monkey, saying:

“I am Charlie Chatter-Box—sad because, I’ve no stocking to hang up for Santa Claus.”

He wiped his eyes on his 5 cent pocket handkerchief and Old Mother Bear felt so sorry for him, she finished the stocking she was knitting in a hurry, and gave it to him.

Charlie Chatter-Box thanked her and went off saying:

“Merry Christmas comes in song and rhyme, Old Mother Bear may you have a good time.”

Old Mother Bear was a wonderful knitter, and soon she had another stocking nearly finished. She sang as before:

“Click, click, click, I must hurry because, Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, comes Santa Claus.”

Then a light foot-fall was heard outside.

On the window-pane she heard such a clatter, She got right up to see what was the matter!

Old Shaggy Brother, the tramp dog, stood there saying:

“Santa Claus comes as I remember, May I warm my paws in old December?”

Old Mother Bear let him in of course, and as he sat and warmed his paws by the fire, he said in a mournful way that he had no stocking to hang up for Santa Claus, and he cried into his 10 cent pocket handkerchief.

Old Mother Bear’s needles clicked faster and faster and soon she had a stocking ready for Old Shaggy Brother.

He went dancing off saying:

“I wish you a Merry Christmas I do declare, Dear little, queer little, Old Mother Bear.”

Old Mother Bear set up another stocking and began to knit faster and faster, singing:

“Click, click, click, I must hurry because, Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, comes Santa Claus.”

“Ting, a, ling,” rang the telephone and Sister Pussy Whiskers called:

“Hello, hello, Old Mother Bear, I am very sad I do declare, It may be hard for you to believe, I’ve no stocking to hang up on Christmas Eve.”

Old Mother Bear could hear her weeping into her new 25 cent pocket handkerchief, so she said she would mail her a stocking to-morrow.

Sister Pussy Whiskers shouted, “Merry Christmas!” and Old Mother Bear went back to her knitting, singing:

“I’ll set up a new stocking as sure as fate, Santa Claus comes, I must not be late.”

Then, as she worked away busily she heard a great roaring and crying outside and a voice said:

“Hear the Mad March Hare roaring out of season, I need a stocking, that is the reason!”

Old Mother Bear opened the door and invited the Mad March Hare in. He ran wildly about the room and tangled up her yarn and it was one hour and thirty-two minutes before Old Mother Bear could get him to sit down and dry his fur and whiskers.

He said:

“I am roaring this way because, I’ve no stocking to hang up for Santa Claus.”

Old Mother Bear said:

“Just calm yourself and with me stay, I’ll give you this stocking in a week and a day.”

The Mad March Hare was happy to stay in the warm house and he did all the house work, while Old Mother Bear’s needles clicked away.

He made a furious dust when he swept the floor and broke a good many dishes but he said:

“You must not really think me bad, It is just my nature to be mad.”

When at last he went off with his stocking Old Mother Bear drew a sigh of relief. He called back to her:

“I hope Old Santa will fill _your_ stocking too, Merry, Merry Christmas, Mother Bear, to you.”

Then suddenly, and without any warning whatever Cousin Nanny Goat and Sammy Small Tail the Rabbit, came bounding in crying:

“We’ve no stockings to hang by the fireside For miles we ran and cried, and cried!”

Old Mother Bear replied:

“Do dry your eyes, oh dear, oh dear, I’ve a pair of stockings left from last year.”

Then Cousin Nanny Goat dried her eyes on her blue silk pocket handkerchief and Sammy Small Tail dried his eyes on his red silk pocket handkerchief, and they watched Old Mother Bear go to a chest and draw out a pair of stockings!

As she gave them to those cunning animals they shouted:

“You’re so good we’ll not shed another tear, We wish you Merry Christmas every year.”

As they danced off with their stockings, it grew near and nearer, Christmas Eve.

One evening as Sammy Small Tail hopped by Old Mother Bear’s house he peeped in the window. There she sat still in her red rocking chair. The knitting needles lay idle on the window-sill but they could see things with their eyes. They said:

“She will have no presents now because, She has no stocking to hang up, for Santa Claus.”

Now, Sammy Small Tail went off in a hurry when he heard this, saying:

“Hippety-hop, I have the habit, Of carrying news, says Sammy Rabbit.”

He called all the animals together and said:

“I have some news, it’s rather shocking, Old Mother Bear hangs up no stocking!”

The animals asked:

“Why doesn’t she hang it up this year For Santa Claus will soon appear.”

Sammy Small Tail replied:

“Click, click, click, the needles say, She gave every stocking she had, away.”

One and all the animals went to work and made a stocking three feet long, and one foot wide! They made it for Old Mother Bear!

Charley Chatter-Box put in a cocoanut and Old Shaggy Brother put in an orange and Sister Pussy Whiskers put in an apple and Cousin Nanny Goat put in a plum, and the Mad March Hare put in a new cup and saucer, and Sammy Small Tail put in a cookie.

They crept to Old Mother Bear’s House and crept to the window and stole in silently, and hung up the stocking.

They pinned a card on it, which said:

“One good turn deserves another, Here is a stocking for Old Bear Mother.”

Old Mother Bear by and by began to rock to and fro, half awake, singing sleepily:

“Click, click, click, I must hurry because, Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, comes Santa Claus.”

Sure enough, Santa Claus was on his way.

Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, went his sleigh bells.

He filled all the animals’ stockings and when he came to the house of Old Mother Bear and saw her big stocking he laughed until his sides shook, saying:

“It’s a great big stocking I do declare, How can I fill it for Old Mother Bear?”

Then Old Mother Bear woke up and she and Santa Claus danced a hornpipe, and for all I know they are dancing yet:

They must have had a merry time because, When up the chimney went Santa Claus, He wore new red socks I do declare, Carefully knit by Old Mother Bear!

Old Mother Bear’s Happy New Year

Old Mother Bear sat in the chimney corner one New Year’s Eve sighing:

“I have four naughty Bears, oh dear, How can I have a Happy New Year?”

Lady Wind peeped in a crack under the window and said:

“The night is bright, the stars are clear, Old Mother Bear, Happy New Year!”

Old Mother Bear shook her head sighing:

“It sounds very sad in song and rhyme, My Boxer is never in school on time.”

Old Mother Moon peeped in the window next singing:

“I wonder if my voice you’ll hear, Old Mother Bear, Happy New Year.”

Old Mother Bear shook her right paw and said:

“I have my troubles, Drowsy-Head Never wants to go to bed.”

Then a snowflake Fairy called:

“January is drawing near, Old Mother Bear, Happy New Year.”

Old Mother Bear answered:

“It is very well for you to sing, Bruin never picks up anything!”

Then Fairy See-It-All came bouncing into the room shouting:

“There’s something wrong inside I fear, Old Mother Bear, Happy New Year.”

Old Mother Bear replied:

“Bright Eyes does not mean to tease, But never says, ‘Thank you, or if you please’.”

Old Mother Bear began to growl, and growl, and growl, and finally she said, “How can I have a Happy New Year when Boxer is always late to school, and Drowsy-Head never wants to go to bed, and Bruin leaves his things around, and Bright Eyes is always impolite?”

Fairy See-It-All had a wee little carriage that ran by itself, and in the twinkling of an eye she tucked in those four naughty little Bears and they rode away, away, away until they came to a wee little house in the woods on New Year’s Eve.

She said to Boxer:

“You can’t get out however you climb, Unless you learn to be on time.”

Then for one whole year Boxer had to practice being on time to breakfast, dinner and supper, and he said:

“On time to-day, on time to-morrow On time, will save me from my sorrow.”

So, he stayed in the wee little house in the woods a whole year and learned to be on time.

Fairy See-It-All said to Drowsy-Head:

“You must learn to like to go to bed, Dear little, queer little Drowsy-Head.”

Then Drowsy-Head had to practice doing useful things in the wee little house a whole year until he was tired enough to go to bed.

Fairy See-It-All said to Bruin:

“You’ll never get out of here I’ll be bound, ’Till you pick up things you’ve left around.”

All day long and every day for a whole year Bruin had to pick up his things and the belongings of the other Bears.

Fairy See-It-All said to Bright Eyes:

“You’ll have to practice words like these, ‘Thank you, thank you, and if you please’.”

Of course after that Bright Eyes tried to be polite.

Every night the four little Bears flattened their noses against the window panes and cried out:

“We are four little Bears, who don’t like to roam, We want Mother Bear, we want to go home.”

Lady Wind blew around the wee house and Mother Moon peeped in the window, the Snowflake Fairy danced lightly down and at last, a year later, on New Year’s Eve, Fairy See-It-All brought her carriage that ran by itself, and tucked the four little Bears safely inside and away, away, away, they rode homeward.

They all were happy as happy could be, shouting:

“We’ve learned our lessons never fear, Old Mother Bear, Happy New Year.”

Old Mother Bear was happy, for Boxer had learned to be on time, and was always on time at school, and Drowsy-Head liked to go to bed, and Bruin picked up his clothes and toys and Bright Eyes said, “Thank you,” and “If you please.”

After some children had read this story 99 times _the most surprising things happened_!

One little boy got to school every day for a whole year on time, so his teacher had a Happy New Year. One little girl went happily to bed every night, so one mother had a Happy New Year, and one little boy began to pick up his toys, so one father had a Happy New Year.

So many children learned to say “Thank you” and “If you please,” that people everywhere in town smiled and shook hands on the street when they met, and called, “A Happy New Year, A Happy New Year.”

Little Tommy Tittlemouse

Little Tommy Tittlemouse sat by the fire one evening saying:

“Three times seven, I cannot see Why you always puzzle me.”

As he looked into the grate he saw a red flame curl up, and up, and soon a Funny Fairy dressed in red and white jumped up on one of the logs and cried:

“You’re never going to pass your grade, If you keep on like this, I am afraid.”

Tommy was just going to answer when the Funny Fairy jumped out of the fire and called:

“Number Fairy bright and airy, By fire-light, come out to-night.”

Then, the Number Fairy came whisk! bound, out of the fire. She wore a black dress with white numbers upon it:

The numbers they went from her head to her toes She was very learned as you may well suppose.

She shook her finger at Tommy and cried:

“To learn the three’s you’re surely able, Come and recite the entire table.”

Tommy stood on one foot and then on the other, and could not get farther than “three times four,” to save his life.

The Funny Fairy felt sorry for him so he cried:

“Reader Fairy, bright and airy, By fire-light, come out to-night.”

The Reader Fairy came out with a hop, skip and bound. She had words printed all over her coat. She bowed to Tommy and said of him:

“This little mortal reads like a fairy, He can even read a dictionary.”

Tommy was pleased you may be sure, for he was the best reader in his class.

The Funny Fairy called next:

“Writing Fairy, bright and airy, By fire-light, come out to-night.”

The Writing Fairy came out with letters all over him, whistling and singing:

“He has the neatest copy-book, In the school-room, come and look.”

Tommy knew that he did write neatly. The Funny Fairy said:

“Be it fancy, fact, or fable, He must really learn his table.”

Then the most surprising thing happened.

The Number Fairy took his hand and ran with him out of the house, away, away, away, to Number Land.

They met funny little Fairies everywhere with numbers all over them.

Four little Number Fairies offered him the cutest cookies with sugar upon them saying:

“Two cakes and two cakes, answer quick, Ho, ho, do you know your arithmetic?”

Tommy shook his head and passed sadly by the cakes, but in a minute the Number Fairies offered him bananas, saying:

“Three times seven is quite a trick, Can you do it by arithmetic?”

Tommy could not answer, so they went hurrying by.