Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-09-21
Master Rabbit
PART ].

A very long time ago Master Rabbit
lived alone with his grandmother
Their wigwam stood in the center Of
a great forest. -
1t was winter, and Master Rabbit
had hard time to get food for hif
family. The ponds and rivers were
frozen over, and the ground was Gov
!ered with a thick coat Of snow.
One cold day Master Rabbit was out
in the forest looking for food. He was
cold. and tired, and hungry. He had
found nothing.
AS he travelled on, he caught sight
Of lonely wigwam. It stood on the
bank of river. It was the home OF
Brother Otter ..0...
Come in," said Brother Otter, "and
be welcome. It is cold day to
travel"
Then he turned to his housekeepe,
and babe her get ready to cook the
dinner.
Il shall return with food in few
minutes" he said,
With these words, Brother Otter
took down some hooks and left the
wigwam. Before his door was an Icy
path that led down to the river. Down
this he slid, and disappeared through
a hole in the ice.
In a short time he came back with a
number of cells. The housekeeper
took them and put them over the fire
to cook. Soon the dinner was ready.
Dear me-" thought Rabbit, what
an easy way Otter has Of getting food.
I shall have to follow his example.
Master Rabbit felt sure that he could
do as we'll as the Otter. AS he took
his leave he invited Brother Otter to
dine with him three days later.
The very next day he told his grand
mother to pack up the wigwam. They
carried it down to the shore of the
lake and set it up.
Then Master Rabbit made an ice
path down to the lake and cut a hole
| in the ice He wished to do just as
Brother otter had done.
In due time the visitor arrived
Master Rabbit turned to his grand
mother.
"Get ready to cook the dinner" he
commanded.
"But what shall cook?" she asked.
Never mind; will look after that"
answered Master Rabbit.
He took a willow on which to string
the fish, and left the wigwam. He went
to the ice slide he had made and
sprang on to it.
Sliding was not so easy as it looked.
He rolled from side to side, perkfng
and humping about. Sometimes he
was on his face, and sometimes on his
~ To- ~ IN {h4 Inv
water.
How cold it felt: and how helpless
he was, for he could not swim at all.
He choked and came near being
drowned.
what is the matter with Rabbit"
cried Otter, who stood looking on.
81 don't know" answered the grand
mother, "but I think he has seen
some one do something like that. Now
he is trying to do it, too"
Here, Master Rabbit cried Of
ter, come out Of the water; you will
drown. I will get the fish,"
Stick in hand, Brother Otter slid
easily down the bank. and in few
minutes came back with fine string
of cells. Throwing them down In dis
gust, liz ltlI JLlC WISWdLI. I1O "ouAA
not even stay to share the dinner.
Master Rabbit was very much
ashamed. He did not speak 10 his
grandmother. Soon afterwards he
wrapped himself up in his blanket and
went to sleep.
PART
Master Rabbit was never willing to
not long after his adventure with
Brother Otter he had another similar
one.
He was walking through the woods.
All at once he came upon a wigwam
in which lived several maidens. Each
wore a bright red cap on her head.
They were the Maiden Woodpeckers.
Master Rabbit decided to call on
them. He was very polite and pleas
ant in his manner. He wished them
to think we'll of him. So they did, and
invited him to stay to dinner.
One of the pretty maidens took a
wooden dish and climbed up the trunk
Of a tree near by. How gracefully and
quickly she moved. 1t seemed as If
she really ran up the side Of the tree.
Every little while she stopped and
tapped on the bark. She was looking
for the tiny insects that look so much
like rice. 1t was only short time
before she had gathered enough for
dinner
She brought them down, and they
were soon cooked. Such dinner as
it was, so tender and so dainty.
"Ah!" thought Master Rabbit, as he
sat eating, chow easy it was to get
this fine food. I believe I could do it
Just as we'll as these Woodpecker
girls"
So then and there he invited the
Maiden Woodpeckers to- come to dine
with him. They thought him a fine
young man, and accepted his invita-
ton.
"I will have good dinner for you"
he said to them, as he departed.
At the. proper time, the Maiden
Woodpeckers arrived at Master Rab-
bits wigwam. Then, to show how
smart he could be, he took the head
from spear and fastened it to his
nose'for a beak. He was now ready,
he Thought. for gathering insects