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STORY XXI

BUDDY IN A DEEP HOLE

Once upon a time it happened that Buddy Pigg was out taking a walk over
the fields and through the woods. He often used to do this, sometimes
taking a stroll for pleasure, and again to see if he could find anything
to eat. This time he was looking for something to eat, and so he walked
very slowly, looking from side to side, and sniffing the air from time
to time.

"For," he said, "who knows but what I may find a nice cabbage or a
turnip, or a radish, or a bit of molasses cake, or a ginger snap, or
even an ice cream cone. Any of those things would be very good," thought
Buddy to himself, "especially an ice cream cone on a hot day."

But, though he looked and he looked and he looked, oh, I guess maybe
about a dozen times, he couldn't find a single thing that was good to
eat, and he was beginning to get discouraged.

"I'll go a little bit farther," he thought, "and then if I don't find
anything I'll turn around, go back home, and get some bread and butter,
for that is better than nothing; and I am getting hungry."

So he walked on a little farther, and, as he walked along, he sang this
little song which no one is allowed to sing unless they are very, very
hungry.

So in case it happens that you have just had an ice cream cone, or
something good like that, and are not hungry, you must not sing this
song until just before dinner or breakfast or supper. Anyhow here's the
song and you can put it aside until you are nearly starving. This is how
it goes:

"I wish I had some candy
Or a peanut lolly-pop.
I'd eat an ice-cream cone so quick
You could not see me stop.
If I had two big apples,
An orange or a peach.
I'd give my little sister
A great big bite from each.

"But there is nothing here to eat--
Not even cherry pie.
Though we had one at our house once,
And some got in my eye.
Oh! how I'd like a cocoanut!
And watermelon, too.
I'd eat two slices off the ice--
Now, really, wouldn't you?"

No sooner had Buddy finished singing this song, than he came to a place
in the woods, where there was a big hole going down into the ground. Oh,
it was quite a large hole, not quite so big as the one going down to
China, but pretty large and it looked just as if some animal were in the
habit of going in and out of it.

"Ha, ho!" exclaimed Buddy Pigg. "This looks like something; it surely
does," and, my dear children, the funny p