The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-04
with the two stingy old women after

Will Tic I"O SlllSS OlQ women d1Iof
| him.
" Catch it and rum the deer called
! to the bear, waiting behind the rock,
| and he threw it to the bear, and he
| caught the firebrand and he ran and
| he ran. Now the two women were
q, after him, and pretty soon the bear
called to the bat, Catch it and fiy.'
| The bat caught the firebrand and he
flew and he flew. Catch it and run,
the bat called to the squirrel; and the
| squirrel caught the frebrand and he
ran and he ran.
| Serpent, oh, serpent screamed
the old women to the serpent, who
was curled up in the shadow of a
rock, you don't care anything about
these Indians. They are no friends
of yours. Help us. Hurry up and
snatch that frebrand away from the
| squirrel
! And the mean old serpent listened
to them and when the squirrel rushed
past him, the serpent jumped up and
I,tried to get hold of the firebrand. He
wasn't quick enough, though, for the
| squirrel hung on, and even though the
| smoke went up his nose and made him
cough, the plucky little squirrel ran
| on and on and on till he got to the
frog at the pond He was coughing
! terribly when he got there, though
He could just gasp, Catch it and run,
1 as he threw the firebrand to the frog
For the first time, then. when the
frog was on his way with the fire
brand the squirrel thought about him
self, and then he was ready to cry
! His beautiful bushy tail, which used
to hang down so nice and straight
was curled right up over his back
Sure, all squirrels tails are the
same said the cobbler -
Yes, I know, ever since that day,
agreed the little boy. " Don't you
| care, cried the young warrior, who
had gotten down to the other side of
the pond by this time. Whenever an
Indian shall see squirrel with his
tail curled up like yours, he will throw
him big nut And they do.
| We'll, most firebrands would have
| been all burned up by this time, |
guess, but this one wasn't. The frog
| held it in his mouth and made for
the pond as fast as any frog could
run. Just as he reached the water,
one Of the old women caught up with
him and grabbed him by the tall
ooh, my, that's pity cried the
old man.
Just you wait" giggled Johnny.
I've got him. she yelled. Don't
let him go!' screamed the other old
woman, running up. No, indeed,
won't, said the first old woman; but
that's where she told a big story, for
she did let him go, because the little
frog tore himself away and dived into
the water. All she had of him was his
funny little tail, which he'd left in her
hand. Ho, hot" laughed the little boy,
hugging Puss in his glee.
And did he have the firebrand,
wonder?" questioned the cobbler when
the story-teller had regained his
breath.
"Of course he did; and he swan
right over to where the young warrior
was waiting. Here it is he said. I
don't see it, said the warrior. So
then the frog coughed and out came
the firebrand. 1t was awful small now,
but it was still burning, and the In
dams had a heap Of tWigs and dried
leaves ready, and it set fire to them.
Then the Indians threw more and
bigger sticks on the fire, and they
were all warm. They sang songs and.
they danced around the blaze. When
an Indian dances he just leaps up and
down. There's a picture of them in
the book.
THE poor little frog was the only
one feeling bad, because he didn't
have any tail now, you know; so when
the young warrior saw him, he said,
Never YOU care, little frog; you have
been a good friend to us Indians, and
as long as there is an Indian in the
world, we will never throw a stone at
a frog without tail, and they don't.
Shall find another big piece of coal,
that one is almost burned up" ex-
claimed the little boy.
mo, child. I'll just open the door
a bit now, and we'll leave it So He
put the child's shoe with the new piece
of roughly shaped leather on it's small
sole on his work bench, and shook
the scraps from his leather apron. as
he united it's long strings. And so
that's the way, you tell me, that. the
wild savages first got fire to warm
themselves. Indeed'n it's a fine tale
and you didn't spoil it in the tellin'.
Put down that great cat now, and
find your mittens and cap. It's bound
to be dark in few minutes, and
wouldn't want you to be on the streets.
I'll go with you as far as the grocer's.
Not leaf of tea have | to my name"
"All right. Goodbye, Puss,' whis-
pered the little boy, burying his nose
in the cats velvety coat. Il think r
feel SCOT on my face Does it show
much? guess it came off my hands,
because. | was feeling that big. lump,
before | threw it on the fire."
The old man, standing in the door.
way looked at the streaked face up-
lifted for inspection and then at the
fast darkening street. i've seen
cleaner in my time,' he laughed, "but
at this time of night twill not be-