tell us a story."

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes danced this way, and that way, before the
mirror and cried out together,

"Who is so ugly? Nobody knows."

The mirror answered,

"Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes."

The Seventeen Little Bears clapped their little paws and cried, "Tell
it again, tell it again!"

Then Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes danced this way, and that way, before
the mirror and asked,

"Who took cold when they fell through the ice?"

The mirror would not answer this time.

The Seventeen Little Bears wept and wailed. Bunny and Susan came
upstairs to see what was the matter.

Bunny said, "Never mind, I will tell you a story about my reading by
candle-light."

Then the Seventeen Little Bears cried, "Oh, Bunny, tell us a new story,
please."

Now, Bunny could not think of a new story to tell to save his life, so
Susan said, "I will tell you about the Circus cookies that came alive."

Then, the Seventeen Little Bears shouted, "We know that story by heart,
we know every word of it."

They took out their seventeen little red pocket handkerchiefs and cried
and cried.

All this time Grandpa Grumbles was sitting in an easy chair by the
fire. He grumbled,

"'Tis silly to make such a dreadful noise,
You are worse than seventeen girls and boys."

Then he took his green cotton umbrella and went upstairs.

As soon as the Seventeen Little Bears caught sight of Grandpa Grumbles
they set up a shout, "A story, a story, do tell us a story."

Grandpa Grumbles shook his green cotton umbrella fiercely and shouted,

"Every one must keep as still as a mouse,
So you can hear a pin drop in the house."

Then, will you believe it? The Seventeen Little Bears were so still you
could hear a pin drop.

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes were so still they did not wink an eyelash.
They sat on two little stools in the corner.

Grandpa Grumbles said, "You can guess all day and you can guess all
night, but you cannot one of you guess what kind of a shop I am going
to open."

Then the Seventeen Little Bears begged for Bunny Cotton-Tail's
thinking-cap. They put it on in turn and guessed and guessed what kind
of a shop Grandpa Grumbles would open.

Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes said, "Will it be a candy-shop?"

Grandpa Grumbles shook his green cotton umbrella fiercely and
grumbled, "I told you, you could not guess. I am going to open a Toy
Shop!"

"A Toy Shop!" shouted the Seventeen Little B