Evening star., 1942-03-04
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGES

Redtail the Hawk was lazily sail
ing round and round high in the air.
very much after the manner of OF
Mistah BuzZard He was doing 1t
for two reaSonS-becauSe he just
loves to sail round and round that
way and look down on all that is
going on ON the Green Meadows
and in the Green Forest, and be-
cause he was getting hungry and he
was trying to make up his mind
what he wanted most for his dinner
He wasn't very particular, not real
ly. There were several things he
could think of that would taste
good. There was Chatterer the Red
Squirrel. He had had his eye on
Chatterer for some time, but some
how Chatterer always managed to
give him the slip. There was Danny
Meadow Mouse. He wouldn't make
a very big dinner, but he would
be tender and very delicious. 1t
was very annoying that Danny man
aged to keep himself out of sight
so much these days. Then there
was Mr. Greensnake and Grand
father Frog. But Mr.. GreenSnake
was hard to see unless he happened
to be moving, and Grandfather Frog
was so old and wise that RedtaiF
had about given up trying to catch
him. He had just about decided
to go over to the Smiling Pool and
try for one of Grandfather Frogs
foolish children, when he heard the
voice of Blacky the Grow down be-
low him in the Green Forest.
Redtail's sharp eyes tWinkled. Il
wonder what Blacky sees now"
thought he. IF it can get him so
excited as all that, I guess l will
have a look myself
With that he sailed swiftly over the
Green Forest until he was right
over Blacky the Grow, who was in
the top of big pine tree. Blacky
was SO busy watching what was
going on below him that he didn't
see Redtail at all, Now, Redtails
eyes are very, very sharp, and,
looking down from high up in the
blue, blue sky, he could see all that
Blacky saw and more, too. He saw
Peter Rabbit lodging this way and
that way for his life, with Reddy
Fox right at his heels. He saw Old
Man Coyote and Granny Fox hur-
ryirg up and he felt sure that when
they got there Peter wouldn't have
the least chance in the world. He
surely would be caught by one OF
them, and that would be the end
of him. Right away Redtail made
up his mind that neither Reddy
Fox nor Granny Fox nor Old Man
Coyote should have Peter Rabbit If
he could help it. Not that he
meant to help Peter. Oh, my. no!
The fact is, he meant to have Peter
for his own dinner. He had had his
eye on Peter for a long time, and
he had tried many times to catch
him. but always Peter had been too
smart for him. But now, with so
many others TO dodge, Peter wouldn't
be watching up in the sky He would
Just watch his chance and snatch
feltI l4SIll OuC 1lOII illbtI lilt
very noses of the others. 1t would be
great fun. for he had no love for
any of them. They hunted so much
on the Green Meadows that he
sometimes found it hard work to
get enough to eat, and now he
would get even with them!
He sailed down. down out of the
blue, blue sky almost to the tree
tops and no one saw him. Then as
Peter ran lipperty -lipperty-lip
across a little open place, he closed
his wings. and with his great cruel
claws spread wide he shot down
like a brown thunderbolt to seize
Peter just as Granny Fox sprang
out from her hiding place and Reddy
came tearing along at Peters heels
And, like them, Redtail the Hawk
was just wee. wee bit too late
Peter was safe under a big pile of
brush.