usy, busy."

From flower to flower they hurried, each with a bag of gold over his
shoulder. Wherever they left a bag they took a bag, and all the little
flowers nodded happily to see the Merry Little Breezes at work.

Jolly, round, red Mr. Sun climbed higher and higher and higher in the
blue sky, where he can look down and see all things, great and small.
His smile was broader than ever as he watched the hurrying, scurrying
Little Breezes working instead of playing. Yet after all it was a kind
of play, for they danced from flower to flower and ran races across
bare places where no flowers grew.

By and by the Merry Little Breezes met Peter Rabbit. Now Peter Rabbit
had made a good breakfast of tender young carrots, so he felt very
good, very good indeed.

"Hi!" shouted Peter Rabbit, "come play with me."

"Can't," cried the Merry Little Breezes all together, "we have work to
do!"

Off they hurried, while Peter Rabbit stretched himself out full length
in a sunny spot, for Peter Rabbit also is a lazy fellow.

Down the Crooked Little Path onto the Green Meadows came Jimmy Skunk.

"Ho!" shouted Jimmy Skunk as soon as he saw the Little Breezes, "come
play with me."

"Can't," cried the Little Breezes, "for we are busy, busy, busy," and
they laughed happily.

When they reached the Laughing Brook they found Billy Mink curled up in
a round ball, fast asleep. It isn't often that Billy Mink is caught
napping, but he had had a good breakfast of trout, he had found no one
to play with and, as he never works and the day was so bright and warm,
he had first looked for a place where he thought no one would find him
and had then curled himself up to sleep, One of the Little Breezes laid
down the bag of gold he was carrying and creeping ever so softly over
to Billy Mink began to tickle one of Billy's ears with a straw.

At first Billy Mink didn't open his eyes, but rubbed his ear with a
little black hand. Finally he jumped to his feet wide awake and ready
to fight whoever was bothering him. But all he saw was a laughing
Little Breeze running away with a bag of gold on his back.

So all day long, till Old Mother West Wind came with her big bag to
carry them to their home behind the Purple Hills, the Merry Little
Breezes hurried this way and that way over the Green Meadows. No wee
flower was too tiny to give and receive its share of gold, and not one
was overlooked by the Merry Little Breezes.

Old Mother Nature, who k