Evening star., 1943-04-21
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON ". BURGESS.
Fee. A. TO- Danny,
What's become OF little Nanny?


If Danny Meadow Mouse could
have answered that, it would have
saved him a lot of gray hairs. At
least, that Is what he says You
know, worry is supposed to turn the
hair gray. But as Danny is rather
gray, anyway. I cannot see how
worrying possibly could have made
any difference in this respect. He
did worry, There is no doubt about
that. In fact, he worried more than
he ever had worried before in all
his life.
You see, Danny hadn't the least
Idea what had become of Nanny.
He hadn't seen her dodge under the
old cornstalks when Redtail the
Hawk swooped at them He had
been too busy saving his own skin to
see what Nanny was doing. At first,
he feared that Redtail had caught
her. But when he got to thinking
it over, he remembered that Redtall
had tried to catch him and had come
uncomfortably near to doing it. OF
course, he couldn't have caught
Nanny-not then, anyway. But II
he hadn't caught her, what could
have become of her? She must have
reached the shelter Of the bushes
and grass along that fence at
different point from where he had.
Thinking she might be somewhere
ahead of him. Danny hurried along
as fast as he could; but when he
had gone a long way and found
no trace OF ner, he just had to make
up his mind that Nanny was lost.
It was a dreadful situation. 1t
certainly was. When they had
started out from Farmer Browns
barn on the long journey back to
their beloved Green Meadows, 1t
hadn't once entered Danny's head
that they might become separated
He had known that there would be
all sorts of dangers. A Meadow
Mouse never can take even snort
Journey without running rick. and
on such a long journey as this there
would be all sorts of dangers. But
Danny had great confidence In NM
self, and self-con1dence Is splen-
did thing. He felt absolutely sure
that he could take care Of himself,
and Nanny, too. And now, before he
was halfway home, Nanny was lost.
"If she hasn't been caught by some
body already she surely will be-
moaned Danny. And it's all my
fault. I ought never to have taken
her away from the safety Of that
barn. What does she know about
the dangers of the Great World?
II Dedtail the Hawk hasn't got her.
Reddy or Granny Fox or Old Man
Coyot will get her. She doesn't
know how to take care Of herself.
She doesn't even know the way
home"
Danny quite forgot that he was
only guessing at the way home him.
self
II always knew I loved her dearly"
he went on. but l didn't know how
much until now. If anything does
happen to her. and I'm sure some
thing will. I just don't want to live.
I'll let Reddy Fox catch me. That's
what I'll do. But won't do it just
vet. I'll make sure first that I'm
never going to see Nanny again"
IT hate Redtail" he broke out
fercely. "I hate him! I hate him!
T hate him! But for him, I wouldn't
have lost my Nanny. Whatever will
she do?"
So Danny worried and worried. He
lost his appetite. He was too wor-
ried to eat. He was undecided what
to do. He would go back little way.
then change his mind and race
ahead. only to do it all over again.
And he tired himself out so that,
at last. he Just had to find a hiding
place and lie down. But even then,
for a long time, he couldn't get to
sleep. He kept thinking off all the
terrible things that might have hap
pened to Nanny Meadow Mouse. 1t
never once entered Danny's funny
little head that Nanny was anything
but helpless. He thought of her
iust as If she were one Of his babies,
With no knowledge of the Great
world, when the truth was that
Nanny was quite as smart as Danny
and lot more careful