Imperial Valley press., 1932-04-01
| don't feel cold

I'll eat before I go out" spoke
Uncle Wiggily. So after he had
taken some carrot pancakes, with
lettuce gravy sprinkled on them,
he hoped out. II was colder out
side than inside his bungalow and
the rabbit gentleman, twinkling
his pink nose, said to himself:
Il think the beaver pond must
be frozen again. I'm going to hop
over there and see what Toodle
and Noodle Flat Tail are doing"
Toodle and Noodle were two
beaver boys, and the reason they
were named Flat Tail was because
they had broad, flat tails like pan
cake turner's. only without the long
handles. Beavers are strange ami
mails, with strong teeth for gnaw-
ing down trees which they pile up
to make dams. The dams, or mud
banks, hold back the water of a
brook making a deep pond where
the beavers build their houses OF
mud, sticks sand and grass plas-
tered together SO they look like
half an orange with a round
side up.
Reaching the beaver pond, Uncle
Wiggily saw that, indeed, it was
frozen over again; covered with a
sheet of ice. A few days before
the pond had been open water
wherein the ducks and beavers had
been swimming.
But if Toodle and Noodle want
to swim now" said Mr., Longears.
they will have to do it under the
ice. The pond can't be frozen very
thickly, and in a few days the ice
will melt again.
Uncle Wiggily stood on the edge
Of the frozen beaver pond looking
at the mud and stick house where
the Flat Tail family lived In d
little while Toodle popped up
through a hole in the ice. The
front door Of his house was under
water and to get out Toodle had
TO dive. swim under the thin ice
and then come up out of the hole
his father had made for him.
Hello, Toodle!' called Uncle
Wiggily. We'll, this is quite
change from the nice, warm
weather We had yesterday ISN'T it?"
"Oh, yes, Uncle Wiggily, a big
change said Toodle. But l have
such a thick fur coat I don't feel
cold"
4 don't either Uncle Wiggily
said, putting his paws in the
pockets of his fur coat. Toodle
came walking over the top of the
slippery ice, dragging his broad,
flat tail behind him. In the water
Toodle used his flat tail as a rud-
der to steer with as he padded
along with his hind feet, which
were Webbed like those of a duck.
All Of a sudden some little field
mice. who had come out of their
warm nest in the shore grass, to
look at the frozen pond, began to
squeak and call:
Give US a ride on your sled!
Please give US a ride on youl sled!"
Il haven't any sled said
Toodle.
What's that broad, flat thing
dragging behind you?" asked a
little mouse boy. 1T looks like
sled and it slides over the ice"
That's TOodles tail" SAID Uncle
Wiggily. Put, now that look az
1t, Toodle. it is ike a sled. Perhaps
you could give the little mice a ride
on it across the ice" spoke the
rabbit.
"Of course I can said Toodle,
laughing. Then the beaver boy ran
over the ice to the shore where the
mice children stood Toodle swung
his broad, flat tail around and ali
the little mice got on it.
All ready! Co. called Uncle
Wiggily. ride them on your sled,
ToCdle, my beaver boy!"
Toodle ran across the ice, drag
ging his flat tail behind him, and
the little mice boys and girls
squeaked in delight at the fun they
we're having. Back and forth over
the frozen pond Toodle pulled them
on his tail sled until it was time
for them all to go to school.
Just as they started and as Uncle
Wiggily was hopping home TO his
bungalow, the hungry Weasel
nGSsi n,ses and made
WOMAN.