Public-domain ebook
by David Cory
Language: en1,662 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: Children & Young Adult Reading·Adventure
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #21497.
The story opens in the bustling Shady Forest School, where a nervous little Jack Rabbit and his classmates, Twinkle Tail the squirrel, Featherhead the mischievous squirrel, and others, are scolded by the stern Professor Crow for their tardiness and lack of discipline. The narrative quickly moves from the classroom reprimand to a series of escapades: Featherhead’s reckless use of a looking‑glass, a flood that creates a pond around the Big Chestnut Tree, and the squirrels’ improvised raft expedition to harvest nuts from an owl‑guarded island. Along the way the characters confront authority, negotiate with birds, and grapple with the practicalities of finding homes, all framed by the forest’s lively community of rabbits, squirrels, crows, owls, and magpies.
Written in a lively, rhyming verse that echoes late‑19th‑century children’s poetry, the book blends humor with gentle moral lessons. Its brisk, dialogue‑rich style and anthropomorphic animal cast will appeal to readers who enjoy whimsical tales of woodland adventures, especially those who appreciate rhythmic storytelling and the charm of classic juvenile fiction.
The opening · free to read
One day he held a small piece of looking glass in the sunlight. The flash almost blinded the poor old crow's eyes, and at first he couldn't tell who had done it. But naughtiness will always out, and the next time Featherhead was caught.
Yes, sir! The next time he tried it on Professor Crow, that old gentleman bird jumped down from the platform and took hold of that naughty squirrel's ear. And not so very gently, either.
Featherhead squirmed and tried to get away, but the good professor held on tight, and pretty soon the little squirrel grew very quiet indeed. He grew as quiet as a little lamb; that's what he did.
"Young man!" said Professor Crow in a hard, stern voice, "your father, Squirrel Nutcracker, is a dear old friend of mine. If it weren't for that I'd give you a flogging."
Goodness me! When Featherhead heard that he trembled all over, and his beautiful bushy tail lost its curl and dragged on the floor like a piece of string!
"You're a bad lot," went on the old professor bird. "You never know your lessons, and if you don't mend your ways I'll expel you from the school!"
Gracious me! Think of having that said to you! Goosey Lucy's little son, Goosey Gander, almost fell off the dunce stool, and Little Jack Rabbit was so frightened that his little pink nose trembled for an hour.
Nobody played games during recess that day, but hung around in little groups talking it over. And you may be sure they kept away from Featherhead, who stood all alone by the flag pole wishing he hadn't been such a bad squirrel.
Something had happened in the Shady Forest since Busy Beaver had built his dam. You see, as it held back the Bubbling Brook, the water grew deeper and deeper, and by and by it began to spread all around, until after a while, there was a pond.
This didn't trouble the Little People of the Shady Forest. No, indeed. They liked to have a pond in the forest. But they didn't like to have the Big Chestnut Tree right in the middle of it. No, sir. The water had spread all around the biggest and finest nut tree in the whole forest, and, of course, now no one could gather the nuts.
"What are we going to do?" asked Chippy Chipmunk.
"Make a boat and sail over," answered Featherhead, the gray squirrel. This wasn't a bad idea, but who was going to make the boat? Nobody in the Shady Forest knew how to build one.
Professor Crow suggested that the birds carry the nuts for the four-footed people, but they answered that they had all they could do to feed themselves and couldn't spare the time. And Grandmother Magpie said she wouldn't carry nuts for anybody, even if she had all the time that was wasted every day by some people right there in the Shady Forest.
Just then along came Old Squirrel Nutcracker.
"Why not make rafts out of twigs? You don't need a boat builder for that, you know."
This seemed a splendid idea, and at once all the squirrels set to work, and in a short time quite a fleet was ready to be launched. There wasn't room for more than one squirrel on a raft, so some of the squirrels had to stay ashore.
Featherhead was the first to shove off. He had a little sack and a large oar, and spread out his tail for a sail.
Billy Breeze was very kind and blew the rafts over to the island on which the Big Chestnut Tree stood. Then all the squirrels went ashore and commenced to fill their sacks with nuts, when, all of a sudden, Old Barney Owl looked out of his nest and said:
"This is my tree and these nuts belong to me. If you wish any, you must pay a penny!"
"If we bring you something to-morrow, will that do?" asked Twinkle Tail.
"Yes," answered the old owl.
So the squirrels filled their sacks and sailed home.
But soon the news from Squirrelville Spread o'er the meadow to the hill, And up the Shady Forest Trail, And through the quiet verdant vale.
It's strange how Rumor quickly goes; It runs on very nimble toes, And everybody hears the news Before it has worn out its shoes.
It wasn't very long before all the Little People in the Shady Forest had heard how the squirrels had sailed over to the island after nuts. So when Featherhead and the other squirrels set out the next day there was quite a crowd on shore to watch them.
Featherhead had a nice new-laid egg from Henny Penny for Old Barney Owl, and Twinkle Tail a little fish from the Bubbling Brook.
When they reached the island, the two little squirrels ran up the Big Chestnut Tree and rapped on Old Barney Owl's front door. They had to rap three or four times before he opened it. He was cross and sleepy, and at first didn't remember them at all. In fact, his eyes were so blinky that I don't believe he even saw them.
"We have brought you an egg for the nuts we took yesterday," said Featherhead.
"And here is a little fish for what we'll take to-day," added Twinkle Tail.
Old Barney Owl opened one eye and, taking the egg and the little fish, closed the door without even thanking them.
"He didn't say we could have any nuts to-day," said Twinkle Tail. "He took the little fish, so I guess it's all right."
"Guess it's all right!" cried Featherhead. "Of course, it's all right. What do we care, anyway? he can't see in the light. What right has Old Barney to say all these nuts belong to him?"
It didn't take the squirrels long after the sacks were filled to carry them down to the shore and load them on the rafts. But, oh dear me. Billy Breeze wasn't very kind this time. No matter how they held up their tails for sails, as soon as they had pushed off, he blew them right back on the land.
"We'll have to paddle around to the other side," said Featherhead. "Then perhaps Billy Breeze will push us home."
After a good deal of trouble, for it was no easy matter to paddle the rafts around the island, they set off once again. And this time Billy Breeze did his best, and landed them safely on the mainland.
"I couldn't help you on the other side," he explained. "You see, I can blow only one way to-day."
"That's all right," answered the Squirrel Brothers. "We have the nuts!" and away they scampered.
Twinkle Tail and Featherhead were old enough to find homes for themselves, so Old Squirrel Nutcracker thought. And when that old squirrel had thought out a thing seriously he was pretty likely to put it into words.
"I feel sorry for the boys," said Mrs. Nutcracker, wiping her eyes with her calico apron, as she stood beneath the Big Chestnut Tree talking to Mrs. Rabbit. "They've had such a comfortable home, if I do say it myself. But last night Squirrel Nutcracker said after dinner:
"'Boys, it's time for you to get out and hustle for yourselves. It will make men-squirrels out of you. If you get into trouble, always remember your father will help you. And don't forget your mother.'"
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