The Project Gutenberg EBook of Old Mother West Wind, by Thornton W. Burgess

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Title: Old Mother West Wind

Author: Thornton W. Burgess

Posting Date: December 23, 2008 [EBook #2557]
Release Date: March, 2001

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD MOTHER WEST WIND ***

Produced by Eve Sobol

OLD MOTHER WEST WIND

By Thornton W. Burgess

TO MY MOTHER TO WHOM I OWE SO MUCH AND TO MY LITTLE SON WHOSE
LOVE OF STORIES INSPIRED THESE TALES THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS
AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.

CONTENTS:

CHAPTER

I. MRS. REDWING'S SPECKLED EGG

II. WHY GRANDFATHER FROG HAS NO TAIL

III. HOW REDDY FOX WAS SURPRISED

IV. WHY JIMMY SKUNK WEARS STRIPES

V. THE WILFUL LITTLE BREEZE

VI. REDDY FOX GOES FISHING

VII. JIMMY SKUNK LOOKS FOR BEETLES

VIII. BILLY MINK'S SWIMMING PARTY

IX. PETER RABBIT PLAYS A JOKE

X. HOW SAMMY JAY WAS FOUND OUT

XI. JERRY MUSKRAT'S PARTY

XII. BOBBY COON AND REDDY FOX PLAY TRICKS

XIII. JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD

XIV. LITTLE JOE OTTER'S SLIPPERY SLIDE

XV. THE TALE OF TOMMY TROUT WHO DIDN'T MIND

XVI. SPOTTY THE TURTLE WINS A RACE

CHAPTER I. MRS. REDWING'S SPECKLED EGG

Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the golden light
of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a bag--a great big
bag--and in the bag were all of Old Mother West Wind's children, the
Merry Little Breezes.

Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills to the Green
Meadows and as she walked she crooned a song:

"Ships upon the ocean wait;
I must hurry, hurry on!
Mills are idle if I'm late;
I must hurry, hurry on."

When she reached the Green Meadows Old Mother West Wind opened her bag,
turned it upside down and shook it. Out tumbled all the Merry Little
Breezes and began to spin round and round for very joy, for you see they
were to lay in the Green Meadows all day long until Old Mother West Wind
should come back at night and take them all to their home behind the
Purple Hills.

First they raced over to see Johnny Chu