Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-23
The Long T allied Titmousc.
Retoid by s. P. NJ.

hetotu " o. ~.
This Is story my grandmother's grand
mother used to tell her grandchildren:
Once upon time there lived a utmouse
who had very long tail. of which he was
very, very proud. His nest was a bramble
bush, where Mrs. T4tmouse sat the whole
day long upon a nestful OF little eggs.
keeping one eve upon him as he perched
upon a twig near by admiring his beautiful
tail. He never would have stirred had not
Mrs. Titmouse called out. now and then.
sharp and shrfll. as a titmouse will: How
do you expect me to hatch out nestful or
tomtits with tails like your own IL you do
not bring me bug or grub to eat?"
Then the ttmouse would hop. and the tit
mouse would jump and away he would go
in search of the food.
One day, while he was pulling a fat bug
from his hole. big cat stole up behind
him, and With one grab Of her horrid teeth
pulled out every feather of his beautiful
tail.
The titmouse hoped. and the titmouse
jumped, amazed to see how little and mean
he was without his beautiful tail. Then he
cried out. sharp and shrill, as a titmouse
will. Cat, cat. give me back my long
ta-a-a-u again.
The old cat finding nothing to tempt her
taste in the feathers. said: II will give you
back your tail. but first you must get me
saucer of milk"
SO the titmouse hoped. and the titmouse
jumped. and away he went until he came
to cow, when he cried out, sharp and
shriH, as a titmouse will:
Cow, co-o-o-w. give me some milk!
III give the milk to the cat.
And the cat will give
My great long ta-aa-ail again.
The COW turned her great big, solemn
eyes upon him and said: II will give you
the milk. but first you must get me some
hay"
So the titmouse hoped and the titmouse
jumped, and away he went until he came
to the barn, where he called out, sharp and
shrill, as a titmouse will:
Barn. ba-a-a-rn. give me some hay!
III give the hay to the cow,
The I'll cow will give me some milk.
I'll rive the milk to the cat
and the cat will give
My great. long ta-a-a-ail again."
II will give you the hay" said the barn.
but first you must get a key to open my
DOORS
Then the titmouse hoped, and the tit
mouse jumped. and away went the tit
mouse. until he came to the blacksmith
where he called out. sharp and shrill. as
titmouSe will:
Blacksmith. bla-a -acksmith. give me a key!
III give the key to the barn.
The barn will give me the hay,
IN give the hay to the COW.
The COW will give me the milk,
I'll give the milk to the cat
And the cat will give
My great, long ta-a-a-ail again"
"I'll give you the key" said the black
smith, but you must go to the sea and
get me some coal"
So the titmouse hoped, and the titmouse
jumped. and away went the titmouse, until
he came to the big rolling sea, where he
called out, sharp and shrill, a titmouse
will:
Sea. sea, sea, give me coal!
I'll give the coal to the blacksmith,
The blacksmith win give me a key.
II give the key to the barn,
The barn Will give me some hay,
I'll give the hay TO the cow,
The COW Will give me some milk,
I'll give the milk to the cat
And the cat will give
Ny great, long ta-a-a-an again"
AS the next wave rolled in. 1t brought a
big lump of shining black coal which the
sturdy little titmouse rolled and pushed
over the hill and dale until he reached the
forge where
The blacksmith gave him the key,
He gave the key to the barn,
The barn gave him the hay.
He gave the hay to the COW,
The gave him the milk,
He gave the milk to the cat
And the cat gave him his great long ta-a-a-ail
again.
There was lively swing to this story.
When grandmother nodded her head we all
nodded without knowing IL. and all clapped
hands as the titmouSe took back his great,
long ta-a-a-ail again.