nd of
course had got mustard into them and could not see. He waked up all
the little Green Forest folk who sleep through the night, as good
people should, and they all gathered around to see what was the matter
with Mr. Coon.

"Finally old Mother Nature came to his relief and brought him some
water. Then she led him to his home in the great hollow in the big
chestnut tree, and when she had seen him curled up in a tight little
ball among the dried leaves she put him into the long sleep as she had
old King Bear.

"In the spring, when gentle Sister South Wind kissed away all the snow
and ice, old King Bear, who was king no longer, and Mr. Coon awoke and
both were very thin, and both were very hungry, oh very, very hungry
indeed. Old King Bear, who was king no longer, wasn't the least mite
fussy about what he had to eat, but ate gladly any food he could find.

"But Mr. Coon remembered the burning of his stomach and mouth and could
not forget it. So whenever he found anything to eat he first took it
to the Laughing Brook or the Smiling Pool and washed it very carefully,
lest there be some mustard on it.

"And ever since that long ago time, when the world was young, the Coon
family has remembered that experience of Mr. Coon, who was second
cousin to old King Bear, and that is why Bobby Coon washes his food,
travels about at night, and sleeps all winter," concluded Grandfather
Frog, fixing his great goggle eyes on a foolish green fly headed his
way.

"Oh thank you, thank you, Grandfather Frog," cried the Merry Little
Breezes as they danced away over the Green Meadows. But one of them
slipped back long enough to get behind the foolish green fly and blow
him right up to Grandfather Frog's big lily pad.

"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog, smacking his lips.

XIII

THE MERRY LITTLE BREEZES HAVE A BUSY DAY

Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the shadowy
coolness of the early morning, before even jolly, round, red Mr. Sun
had thrown off his rosy coverlids for his daily climb up through the
blue sky. The last little star was blinking sleepily as Old Mother
West Wind turned her big bag upside down on the Green Meadows and all
her children, the Merry Little Breezes, tumbled out on the soft green
grass.

Then Old Mother West Wind kissed them all around and hurried away to
hunt for a rain cloud which had gone astray. The Merry Little Breezes
watched her go. Then they played hide and seek