Evening star., 1942-02-17
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.

None Of the little people who were
there ever will forget how Buster
Bear was introduced in the Green
Forest. It was the funniest intro
duction any of them can remember.
They laugh now whenever they
think Of it, though at the time
some Of them didn't laugh at all.
No, indeed! The truth is some Of
them were too frightened to see
anything funny. You see, it hap
pened like this:
Jimmy Skunk had met Buster
Bear up by the pond of Paddy
the Beaver deep in the Green For
est and he had made Buster Bear
get out of his way. Peter Rabbit
had seen him do it. and, of course,
Peter had told every one he met.
Every one had expressed great
deal of admiration for Jimmy
Skunk until Peter came to Prickly
Porky the Porcupine. Prickly Porky
had said that it was nothing to
make Buster Bear get out of the
way and that he would do the same
thing If some one would invite Bus
ter Bear to come down where he
was. Jumper the Hare had offered
to go invite Buster Bear and Reddy
Fox had planned to prevent Jumper
ever getting near Buster Bear. So
Reddy had hidden where he could
jump out at Jumper and perhaps
catch him. Along had come Jumper,
and just as Reddy was getting ready
to spring he heard a step behind
him and had turned to look right
straight in the face of Buster Bear.
Now, Reddy Fox is a coward. He
always has been a coward. Per-
haps he can't help it, but anyway
he is a coward. When he saw who
1t was behind him he gave one
frightened yelp and then he put his
tail between his legs and he started
for home faster than ever he had
run before. His eyes looked as If
they would pop right out of his
head. His tongue hung out Of one
side Of his mouth, and his teeth
would have chartered with fright
If he had stopped long enough to
close his mouth. My, my, my, he
certainly was frightened, was Reddy
Fox. You see, it was the first time
he had seen Buster Bear. He had
heard about him, but he hadn't be-
lieved all he had heard. Now, when
he actually saw Buster Bear and
how big he was. he couldn't get
away quick enough.
The minute Reddy started to run
Jumper the Hare started after him.
Reddy can run fast, but Jumper, as
you know, can run faster, So he
had no trouble in keeping right at
Reddy's heels. But Reddy didn't
know this. He was so frightened
that he didn't stop to look back,
and when he heard some one Just
behind him he thought it was Bus
ter Bear. and tried to run harder.
AS for Buster Bear himself he was
so tickled at the sight of Reddy Fox
chased by timid Jumper the Hare
that he started after them as fast
as he could 80 so as to see what
would happen next.
At the foot of the tree in which
sat Prickly Porky, were several OF
the little people of the Green For
est gossiping about Buster Bear and
wondering if Jumper the Hare really
would invite Buster Bear to meet
them. No one excepting Prickly
Porky believed he would. Prickly
Porky knew Jumper better than the
others because they had both come
from the same Great Woods to live
In the Green Forest. Suddenly
there was a great racket. Every.
body looked up to see what it meant
There came Reddy Fox running a.
II he thought his very last minute
had come and right at his heels wa.
Jumper the Hare. It looked iust
as If Reddy was running away from
Jumper, and everybody shouted with
laughter. Reddy didn't stop. Oh
my no! He kept right on. Bu-
Jumper stopped.
I've brought my old friend
Buster Bear, to introduce him" sale
Jumper, and as he spoke with 9
great hufnng and putting Buste,
Bear himself came crashing into
their midst.
All the laughter stopped right
then and there. You never, never
did see such a frightened scamper.
ing! Unc' Billy Possum and Happy
Jack Squirrel got in each other!
way as they tried to climb the same
tree. Striped Chipmunk tried tt
crawl into a hole too small for him
Bobby Coon fell packard from ar
old stump on which he was sitting
Only Jimmy Skunk and Prickly
Porky seemed unafraid. Buster
Bear sat up and his little eye
twinkled and he grinned broadly al
he said: I'm ever so glad to NEE
you and I hope we'll get better
acquainted when you are not II
such hurry"
And this Is the way that Buster
Bear was introduced to the littl,
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