Lord Bruin, I've been out fishing and caught them," said the
fox.

So the bear had a mind to learn to fish, too, and bade the fox tell
him how he was to set about it.

"Oh, it is quite easy," answered the fox, "and soon learned. You've
only got to go upon the ice, and cut a hole and stick your tail down
through it, and hold it there as long as you can. You're not to mind
if it smarts a little; that's when the fish bite. The longer you hold
it there, the more fish you'll get; and then all at once out with it,
with a cross pull side ways and a strong pull, too."

Well, the bear did as the fox said, and though he felt very cold, and
his tail smarted very much, he kept it a long, long time down in the
hole, till at last it was frozen in, though of course he did not know
that. Then he pulled it out with a strong pull, and it snapped short
off, and that's why Bruin goes about with a stumpy tail to this day!

* * * * *

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

Once upon a time, when pigs could talk and no one had ever heard of
bacon, there lived an old piggy mother with her three little sons.

They had a very pleasant home in the middle of an oak forest, and were
all just as happy as the day was long, until one sad year the acorn
crop failed; then, indeed, poor Mrs. Piggy-wiggy often had hard work
to make both ends meet.

One day she called her sons to her, and, with tears in her eyes, told
them that she must send them out into the wide world to seek their
fortune.

She kissed them all round, and the three little pigs set out upon
their travels, each taking a different road, and carrying a bundle
slung on a stick across his shoulder.

The first little pig had not gone far before he met a man carrying a
bundle of straw; so he said to him: "Please, man, give me that straw
to build me a house?" The man was very good-natured, so he gave him
the bundle of straw, and the little pig built a pretty little house
with it.

No sooner was it finished, and the little pig thinking of going to
bed, than a wolf came along, knocked at the door, and said: "Little
pig, little pig, let me come in."

But the little pig laughed softly, and answered: "No, no, by the hair
of my chinny-chin-chin."

Then said the wolf sternly: "I will _make_ you let me in; for I'll
huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!"

So he huffed and he puffed, and he blew his house in, because, you
see, it was only of straw and t