Evening star., 1942-02-27
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.

That's funny thing to do-to
fight with yourself-isn't it? But
that is what Peter Rabbit did
fought with himself. Yes. sirf Peter
fought with himself, and it was a
hard fight You know, that kind
of fighting is the very hardest kind
of fighting in the world. You see,
it was this way: Peter had been
lucky, very lucky. He had started
out to follow Busy Bee from the
Green Meadows to her storehouse
In the Green Forest, and almost
right away he had lost sight Of her.
But he kept on deep into the Green
Forest, wandering this way and
that way, until he had grown so
tired that he just had to sit down
at the foot of big tree to rest. And
as he rested he had heard a hum
ming sound way up high over his
head, and it sounded as If it came
from inside the great tree. When
Peter looked up he saw Busy Bee
and all her relations coming and
going from a little hole way up
near the top of the tree. Then ne
knew that Just by chance he had
found the storehouse OF Busy Bee,
How Peters heart did leap! He
did a little joy dance all by hlm-
self. with no one to see, just DE-
cause he was so tickled. NOW"
said Peter to himself, 'T will tell
Buster Bear, and he will be SO
pleased that he will always be
friendly to me, and I need never be
afraid of him any more. They say
he loves honey better than any
thing else in the world. I'll hurry
and tell him as soon as I can
before any one else finds this store
house and gets ahead Of me-"
Peter started off, lipperty-hpperty-
lin as fast as he could 60 to look for
Buster Bear, but he had gone only
a little way when he stopped sud
denly. He had remembered what
Bumble, the cousin OF Busy Bee,
had said when he had asked him
to tell him where Busy Bees store
house was. Bundle had been IN
dignant, very indignant. He mad
hummed and buzzed angrily. He
had said some very sharp things
to Peter about people who went
about making trouble for others
peter had gone home to the dear
Old Briar Patch and thought it all
over and had made up his nina
that Bundle was right. 1t was a
dreadful thing to make trouble Tor
others. and he didn't want TO 90
ANYTHING of the kind. But that was
before he had found the storehouse
of BUSY Bee. Then it had been
easy to make up his mind that ne
would do nothing like that. But
now-well, now it was different.
First he scratched his long right
ear with his long left hind loot.
Then he scratched his long left ear
with his long right hind foot.
st don't know that Buster Bear
will make any trouble for Busy
Bee" thought Peter, and hoppeo
on a few steps.
"Yes, you do, too" said a small
voice inside, and Peter sat down.
IF I don't tell him, some one
else will" thought Peter, and
started on again.
perhaps no one else will find the
storehouse," said the small voice
inside, and Peter stopped hopping
some one is sure to-" thought
Peter, once more starting on IF
they do it is no business OF yours"
said the small voice, and Peter
sat down.
I'm going to tell" said Peter
fiercely, and began to hurry faster
than ever.
You're not, either! You couldn't
be so mean" protested the small
voice, and Just as before Peter sat
still.
Now all this time that Peter had
been fighting with himself he had
been too busy to watch out, and so
he did not see the crafty face OF
Reddy Fox peeping out from behind
an old stump just ahead OF him.
Reddy was grinning wickedly, for
he saw that Peter for once was not
looking for danger. Two more jumps
and PeteE would be right where