Imperial Valley press., 1922-06-12

ping on his way through the forest
with a basket of corn muffin cakes
on his paw.
All of sudden, as Uncle Wlgglly
was hopping past a little woodland pooi
of water, he heard quacklng SOUND,
and voice said
81 IN very sorry, my dears, but ]
can't give you anything to eat just
now. Be patient and II fly through
the woods and see if | can find any
thing for you.
"Oh, but we re 50 hungry, Daddy! y
cried some little voices.
"This is too bad!" thought Uncle
Wiggily, thinking of his basket of
corn mullins. ~ wonder who these
creatures are?
The bunny peered through the bushes
and saw two large birds and some
smaller birds AT least Uncle Wiggily
thought they were birds, for one OF
them had Il coat of the most beautiful
feathcrs-grcen, red, purple, white and
yellow, all mixed up ON his back, head
and wings, as though he had fallen
into q paint box.
"Oh, what pretty bird you are! -
cried Uncle Wiggily, as he hoped out
from behind bush. "And as your
little birds are hungry / will give them
some corn muffins. There are more
here than Uncle Butter will need.
"Thank you,' said the creature with
the beautiful and many colored feath-
ers. cit is very kind of you to feed
my little ones, but, as it happens, /
am not exactly a bird
rn1 hun
81 am Il wood duck" was the an
swcr, "and this is my wife,
The Wood Duck pointed one wcbbcd
| foot ut his mate, who, though she had
some colorcd feathers, was not as gay
| as was her husband.
"Well, if you aren t bird; shall
| call you the Painted Duck" laughed
Uncle Wiggily. ''For you look just
| like wooden duck from Il toy store,
painted i'll all the colors of the rain
| bow
"All right, call me the Painted Duck
if you like said the wcbfootcd crea-
turc, with a quacking laugh 4" And
now what about those corn muffins?
Uncle Wiggily took some of the muf-
fins from the basket, and the little
Wood Ducks, as well as Mr.. and Mrs.
Painted Duck, had all they wanted to
eat. Then Mrs. Duck took the little
| ducks for "a swim in the pond, and MI.
| Painted Duck walked little way
| through the forest with Uncle Wiggi-
ly
The bunny was looking at the gay
feathers of his new friend when, all
| of % sudden, out of the bushes jumped
| the Fuzzy Fox.
| "Now for some ear nibblcs!' barkcd
the Fox. Uncle Wiggily stood still
with fear, and the Painted Duck at his
side did not move, at first. ''Ycs,
now for some fine ear nibDles, barked
| the Fox.
"Hcrc You let Uncle Wiggily alone
if YOU plcasc!' suddenly quacked the
Wood Duck, and with that he spread
out his wings and flappcd them.
The Fox gave "a howl, tucked his tail
between his hind legs and started to
run away, crying as he went:
"Oh! Obi Oh! / never saw any
thing like that! Uncle Wiggily has a
wooden toy painted duck with him
But it comes to life and talks and flaps
its wings Oh, there must be "a fairy
inside and she III pull out all my teeth
if / stayl oh, IN going ~ run! ,
And run the Fox did, not nibbling
Uncle Wiggily's ears at all.
"IIa! Hail. laughed the bunny. 81
did right in calling you a painted Duck
my friend, for you do look exactly like
a toy, wooden, painted duck, with
your many colors. And that's what Tho
lFox thought you were until you
quacked aud flapped your wings. Oh
YOU scared him all right!"
"I'm glad | didl" quackcd th,
painted Duck s. IN glad saved YOU
earsln And the bunny was also glad
And if the chocolate cake doosu' t try
to hide in the milk pitcher when tho
napkin ring rolls around the table aftei
il, II tell you next about Uncle Wig
gily and the Sore Throat Bird.