The Washington times., 1903-07-05
A Good Joke on
The WOOdChuCk

n nee upon a time there was an
~ old crab standing with one
foot In the water and opa
on the land down at the pond IN
the pasture. This crab must have
been feeling very bad. for he was crv-
ing hard. with the tears running down
on his whiskers. Now. It happened that
there was big crow who was walking
up and down the bank making funny
tracks in the mud. and when he saw
the crab he said: Good afternoon
neighbor. What are you crying abous
on this fine day?"
Trouble enough" said the crab
THAT old woOdchuck who lives mn an
the orchard has been abusing me. Re
put stone over the door OF nv hoyao,
and when crawled out through th, NM
with sand in my eyes he Just lay dogrn IN.
the smartweed and laughed He aasd p
was neither a beast nor a bird oo- !.
FISH"
That was too BAD said the crow
and he walked around the crab and look-
ed at him first with one eye and then
with the other BY and By the crow
asked: Would you like TO play a good
joke on the woodchuckT"
Yes. I would answered the crab.
wiping his eyes with his pocket hand
kerchief- What can we do TO him."
The wise old crow looked all around
to be sure that none OF the mud swal-
lows was listening. and then he whis-
pered something to the crab and few
away toward the orchard.
After the crow had gone the crab
went out to the edge Of the water IN
wash his face and hands, and az he
erawled along the swallows say they
heard him actually laugh out, loud
The crow soon reached the wood
chuck's house, which was under an old
zine stump in the corner Of the orchard
and there he found Mrs woodchuck
CIT in the sun eombing the chiIdren's
hair.
Good afternoon" said the crow. Us
my friend Mr.. Woodchuck at homer"
Il am very sorry" said his wife.
but he has just gone down to the
meadow to get some artichokes for sup
per"
Well" said the crow, s'I wanted to
see him on important business. and
wish you would ask him TO meet me
down at the pond in the pasture Just
as soon as possible"
When the crow got back to the pond
he found the crab waiting for him at
the stone pier which the boys had made
TO stand on when they came down 10
FISH for sinners and buIlheads.
~, -
tween two big stones u1lt5t he heard him
count -one. two. three" and then to
creep out and pinch the woodchuck's
tail like anything.
Before long the woodchuck came hur-
rying down 70 the pond. He was all out
OF breath and his eyes were wide open
10 see what important business the
crow could have with him.
Good afternoon" said the crow.
Gene out on this big stone and 7 viii
show you the funniest thing you ever
saw in your life
What can IL be-" thought the wood
chuck, as he walked carefully out on the
edge OF the pier. The crow stretched out
bis neck and looked over into the water,
saying, I think I can see on the bot
tom Of this pond the siIIiest fellow IN
all the country"
And then as Mr. Woodchuck looked
down into the water the crow counted
"One two. three
You can guess what happened. Ths
woodchuck was so scared when the crab
pinched his tail that he tuTTbIed OF
into the pond. and when he crawied cut
he was as wet as water and as dirty as
mud: but the crab had crawled under a
big stone and the crow had flown up into
tree, where he sat and laughed and
laughed and laughed.
DO you think" said the crow, that
Il Mrs. Woodehuck could see you now
she would know whether you were &
beast or a bird or a fish,
But the woOdchuck did not get mad,
for he knew how TO take Joke
First he called the crab out and apollo
gized for being so rude to him, and theu
he crawled up on the dry June grass and
rolled over and over 20 get the mud on
The sunshine soon made him dry, but Il
was quite late when he got home, and
Mrs. Woodchuck was beginning 20 get
worried about him. When she asked hin
where he had been all the afternoon he
would only say that he had had very i'm
pOrtant business with his friend the