Evening star., 1942-04-16
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.

You ve often heard the saylnE old about
thr famous slip
Thst Unexpectedly occurs between the cup
Twas even nus with Reddy Fox when
most he would be fed
On Meadow Mouse ne thought TO dine, but
hunEry went instead
When Danny Meadow Mouse
darted right in front Of Reddy Fox
to save little Miss Nanny Meadow
Mouse. on whom Reddy was just
about to spring. he did one Of the
bravest deeds that any one could
do. Reddy was so surprised that
for lust a teeny. weeny minute he
didn't know lust what to do. and in
that teeny. weeny minute little MISS
Nanny ran out from under the little
bunch of grass where she had been
sitting. and where Reddy had known
that she was sitting. and away to a
place of safety. Then Reddy sprang.
He sprang straight at bold Danny
Meadow Mouse, Just as Danny had
expected he would, and because he
was so excited and surprised he
missed Danny, which was also as
Danny expected.
Danny lodged and ran along the
little path that led through the
thickest grass, and then began one
of the most exciting races of all
the exciting races Danny had ever
run. The grass was so thick that
Reddy could not see him, but he
could see the grass move as Danny
ran, and so he kept jumping Just
ahead of the place where the grass
was moving. Time and time again
he almost landed on poor. frightened
Danny Once his toenailS actually
tore Danny's trousers and made
Danny sQueal with pain and fright,
but he wriggled free and ran harder
than ever.
Now Danny had had great deal
of experience in his short life and
he knew the ways of Reddy Fox
quite as well as Reddy knew his
ways. He knew that it was his wits
against Reddys wits. He knew, too,
that if he just ran Reddy would
catch him, for, of course, a great
big fellow like Reddy can run a
great deal faster than a little bit OF
a fellow like Danny. So he knew
that if he would escape he must fool
Reddy Fox. So once as Reddy sprang
Danny stopped short, and, OF course,
Reddy sprang completely over him.
Then Danny darted back the way
he had Just come. For minute
Reddy was fooled. Then he heard
the rustic of Danny's scurrying feet
behind him and knew what had
happened Instantly he whlrled
about and was after Danny once
mere.
Now if Danny had been near his
own home he would have had plenty
of safe hiding places, but over here
at the home of little Miss Nanny he
didn't know where the hiding places
were and he felt quite helpless. He
was getting quite out of breath and
he felt lame and very sore where
Reddy'S claws had hurt him. But
his courage was good and he was
bound that he wouldn't give up.
He had been in tight places before
and he was sure that somehow he
would get out of his present trouble
if he only kept his wits about him
and tried his very hardest. He
lodged into little side path just
because it was handy, and then he
remembered that this little path
led straight to the old brush pile,
under which little Miss Nanny had
so many little galleries and where
he had tried so hard to find her. If
he could reach that he would be
safe.
Danny drew long breath and ran
harder than ever. He didn't stop to
look behind him. He didn't need
to. His ears told him all that he
needed to know. Reddy Fox had
discovered which path he had taken
and was right after him. There
was the old brush pile just ahead!
Could he get there in time? How
tired his legs were. 1t seemed as
if he couldn't run another step.
He gritted his teeth and just made
himself run faster than ever.
Plump! Down came the paws of
Reddy Fox, and one of them landed
on Danny's funny, little, stubby tail.
He Squeaked with fright and pain.
The skin of his tail slipped off, and
with a last frantic jump Danny
was under the old brush pile. Reddy
Fox had almost caught a dinner,
but not quite.