El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-21
Bedtime Story For the Little Ones
''Uncle Wiggily and the Crooked Man"
BY HOWARD r. GARIs.

/ But you know this is the first day
OF spring, and the little birds should
begin to sing I am looking to see if
the black birds are flying up from
down south, where they went to spend
the winter They always come back
IN the spring. you know"
Yes, said Uncle Wiggily. But l
90 not see any black birds coming"
ana ne, too. looked up at the sky II
was blue-very blue and pretty-lil0e
Whlle clouds in the sky, floating along
IKE fairy ships. But there were no
black birds to be seen.
l nope nothing has happened to
mem said Mother Goose, sort of
anxious like. They should be here
Il. too, hope they are all right"
Uncle Wiggily said. q am going for
a walk. and if l see the black birds,
! VIII tell them to hurry, as you are
looking for them"
I'll be very glad if you do that"
spoke Mother Goose, and then she had
10 go next door to see if Little Bo-Peep
had found her lost sheep.
once more Uncle Wiggily hoped
along He looked on all sides CT him.
and up i'm the air. hoping he might
see the black birds. for then. surely.
II would be spring and winter had
lasleu All too long for the animal folk.
But no birds could the bunny uncle
a while. he came to the palace, where
lived Old King Cole, the jolly old soul.
And. as Mr.. Longears was wondering
whether or not to go in. and pay King
Cole VISIT, he heard some one hum
ming verse that went like this:
Sing a song Of sixpence.
pocket fun Of rye
FOur-and-twenty black birds
Baked within a pie
When the ME was Onenpd
The birds began to sing
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the King"
Uncle Wiggily stood still He thought
for a moment.
I wonder" he said. "'I wonder-four
and twenty-black birds2 Mother
Goose didn't say how many she was
expecting, and these may be the very
same ones. 1 guess I'll go in and see
about this"
Into the palace of Old King Cole
went the bunny uncle. Well ne knew
his way about for he had been there
before. From the kitchen came all
sorts Of the most delicious smells lust
like a pie baking.
why, hello, Uncle Wiggily," cried
jolly Old King Cole, as he saw the
bunny uncle hopping along. Come in
and sit down, How are you?"
Fire" cried the gunny uncle Very
fine, indeed. And yourselfT'
I never felt better I'm nv life. I
am just going to have a bit of lunch.
Won't YOU sit down and help me enjoy
it2' asked Old King Cole politely
You may have some carrots with let
tuce sauce on. or bit Of boiled loliy-
pops with ice cream cones sprinkled
on the top. Anything you wish.'
That is very good OF you" said I'm
Gle Wiggily. But don't go to any trou-
BILE on my account TIL have whatever
you are going to have"
Then it will be piew cried Old King
Cole. ''I told the cook to have pie to-
day. and 1 think it is ready. I'll ring
the bell for It,"
Ding dongi" rang the bell. In came
the cook with big pie on a dish. And
the cook began to hum:
Sing a song of sixpence.
A pocket fun Of rye.
Four-and-twenty black birds,
Baked within pie
What's that" cried Old King cole
'Twenty-four black birds baked in my
pie, Why, how did that happen"
TT was this way" said the cook
You told me to give you pie today.
Well. I made all ready for il, but. at
the last minute. I had nothing to put
in the pie-no apples, no cherries, no
peaches-nothing at all. 7 did not
know what to do. but all Of a sudden,
I looked out Of the window, and saw
two dozen black birds flying along.
The very thingr said ] to myself
They'll do for Old King Coles pier
L asked them if they would mind get
ting in between the crusts, and they
said no."
And did theyg" asked the King. put
ting his crown on sideways.
''They did" answered the cook
Look" and he sang.
when the pie was opened
The birds began TO sing.
Wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the KinS?'
Then, taking care not TO hurt the
feathered singers. the cook cut open {
the pie Surely enough, out flew the /
black birds singing as sweetly as one
could wish. Around and around the |
palace they flew, singing, and Uncle /
Wiggily cried:
Z why, these must be the black birds |
Mother Goose is looking for Did you !
come up from the south to tell US that |
spring has Gomez he asked them.
Yes" answered the birds. we did.
But first we wanted to get in the pie !
for the King"
laughed Old King Cole. But, now, L /
don't need you in my pie any longer,
so fly away to Mother Goose. Uncle 1
Wiggily and I will eat cake"
And they did. and the black birds |
Wnlcn nfiu only DtNI put III the pic I
lust after it came from the oven. flew |
all about animal land, singing: Spring 1
is herei Spring is herer'
SO. the bunny gentleman had his /
adventure after all, you see. and if the /
cake of soap doesn't slide over the 1
bath room floor. and bunk into the [
wash rag I'll tell you next about |
Uncle Wiggily and the fat man.-(Copy-
right. 1916, by Mcclure Newspaper 1
Sundicate.)
IT, NIL, RIouaL.4s