some harm will surely come
to me if I do not find it."
"I'll go seek it," said Flitting Butterfly. "I will find your golden
comb, have no fear."
So she looked and she looked and she looked, but no comb could she find.
Just then along came Wrinkled Brown Toad.
"Oo-o-o-o! You ugly thing! Out of my sight!" cried Lesa. "I have
trouble enough without you! I have lost my comb, my golden comb! No
one can find it! Oh, what shall I do?"
"I'll go seek it," croaked Wrinkled Brown Toad. "I will find your
golden comb, have no fear."
"You find my comb!" cried Lesa. "If Rollicking Robin and Busy Bee and
Fleet-footed Field Mouse and Chirping Cricket and Gliding Brown Snake
and Cunning Black Ant and Flitting Butterfly cannot help me, how can
such a stupid, ugly, hobbling thing as you find my golden comb? Be
off! Get out of my sight!"
Poor Wrinkled Brown Toad hopped away and Lesa was left alone. "Oh,
what shall I do? What shall I do?" she cried. "Oh, my comb, my golden
comb! Some harm will surely come to me if I do not find it!" And,
throwing herself upon the ground, Lesa sobbed as if her heart would
break.
For a long time this forlorn little girl lay with her face buried in
the moss and leaves. Suddenly she heard a strange noise behind her.
She sprang to her feet and, turning, saw coming toward her with great
flying leaps--whom do you suppose? Yes, it was Wrinkled Brown Toad
again. And what do you suppose he held in his ugly jaws? Yes, it was
Lesa's golden comb.
"Oh, there it is! There it is! Oh, I'm so glad, so glad!" cried Lesa.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Where did you find it? I'm sorry I was
cross! I'm sorry I called you stupid and ugly and hobbling! You have
bright eyes. I did not notice them before. Yes, they are really
beautiful, all golden like my comb."
And Lesa bent and stroked Wrinkled Brown Toad on his ugly head; and,
ever after that, they were friends.
BILLY BOBTAIL.
Once upon a time a little boy named Billy Bobtail went to seek his
fortune; and on the road he met a bull.
"Moo, moo, moo!" said the bull. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"
"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail.
"May I go, too?" said the bull.
"No," said Billy Bobtail.
"Yes, I will," said the bull.
"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail.
So the bull followed on after Billy Bobtail.
They went along a little way farther, and met a goat.
"Baa, baa, baa
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