Wild Creatures in Winter 7

"It's Spring! It's Spring!"

IT WAS a nice, warm morning in March on the Old Homestead. Down along Little River the Pussy Willows were covered with Silky Little Buds, and overhead the Laughing Yellow Sun was smiling down in a way that would warm the cold ground and start the Tender Grass Shoots to peeping through.

Over in the Black Forest Growler the Bear had awakened after sleeping all winter, and had left his Warm Dark Cave. He was hunting Dried Berries and Dry Grass to eat to start his lazy stomach to working. Growler did not care to walk much in search of food until his tender feet became tough. They were peeling on the bottom after not using them for such a long time.

Of course, Paddletail the Beaver was very busy at night, fixing his High Dam and cutting Soft Poplar Trees. Danny Muskrat and Mrs. Muskrat could dig in the Oozy Mud all they wanted to after Sweet Cat-tail Stalks and Juicy Water Bulbs. Snowshoe the Hare was changing his white winter coat for a grayish tan one, so he could hide easier when there was no Fleecy Snow on the ground.

Drummer the Grouse had even tried out his Favorite Drumming Log a few times, perhaps just to get in practice. And, oh, how happy Lutra the Otter was since he could play Slide and go fishing in the Wildwood Pond without the Glassy Ice bothering!

Lightfoot the Deer was back in the Big Jungle Thicket where there were many Savory Twigs to eat. He was not so afraid of Sneak the Cougar after the Fleecy Snow left.

Trailer the Mink and Billy Coon spent many hours in the Weird Darkness hunting Pinchtoe the Crawfish and other Favorite Food around the Duck Pond and along Little River.

High overhead there was a loud "Honk, honk! " as Honker the Goose sailed over the Old Homestead on his way to his summer home in the Land of Cool Breezes. Out by the Rambling Old Barn, Old Cluck was singing her best spring song. Down in the Woodlot, Chatterer the Red Squirrel was making a great fuss about nothing. Over on the side of High Cliff, Johnny Chuck lazed around all day and let the Bright Little Sunbeams warm his broad back, -that is, when he wasn't eating. Johnny Chuck had not eaten anything all winter, and so he had to make up for it now. It seemed as if he never would get enough.

Virginia Opossum and Mephitis the Skunk and Digger the Badger and Spot the Skunk could all take long strolls at night without the weather's interfering; none of them liked to be out when the night was very cold.

And then there were Molly and Peter Cottontail. How happy they were as the days grew warmer and warmer! They knew that soon the Tender Grass Shoots would be springing out of the ground; and then what a feast they would have! Of course, the Dried Clover Leaves, which Bud had brought to them during Wintry Weather, had tasted good; but nothing was quite so delicious as Tender Green Things.

Loxia the Crossbill and Snowy the Bunting and Blue Darter the Goshawk had returned to their homes in the Far North, where they were never too warm.

Over in the Hedgerow along the Apple Orchard, Bobby White whistled his name, "Bob White, Bob-by White," and down in the Green Meadow, which would soon be really green, Ringneck the Pheasant flapped his wings and crowed.

Jim Crow and his undesirable cousins, Tattler the Jay and Pesty the Magpie, were noisier than usual as the days grew longer.

And those three pirates, Shaggy the Wolf and Ranger the Coyote and Reddy Fox, were busy as usual, roaming across the Broad Prairie and through Wildwood Lanes and sneaking through Jungle Thickets, trying to find something to pounce upon.

It was an interesting time for all the Wild Creatures on the Old Homestead when the Wintry Weather was past. Of course, there would be many more Stormy Days, for it was the time of year when Old Man Winter and Jolly Spring were having an argument about who was running the weather. But it would not be long until Old Man Winter would go back to the Land of Ice and let Jolly Spring have his way.

And now what do you suppose the Smiths were doing? Well, sir, they were just as busy as they could be. You see, it was almost time for Mr. Smith to begin to plow the Fresh Earth Fields and plant them with Tiny Little Seeds. And so he was sharpening his plow and doing the other things that he would be too busy to do after he started to plow.

Mrs. Smith was busy with her spring house cleaning so she would have it finished before it was time to plant garden and care for many, many Chicklets, for it would not be long until Old Cluck would decide it was time to sit on some eggs and hatch them.

And then there were Bud and Mary. It kept them busy with their studies and doing their chores. School would not be out for two months, and that was a long time to stay indoors when everything was getting to be so nice outside.

"I tell you," said Bud, as they started to school that pleasant March morning, "Old Man Winter is almost whipped. It will not be long until he will have to go to the Far North and hide."

"And then how glad I shall be!" exclaimed Mary.

As Bud and Mary hurried down the Red Stone Walk toward the front gate, they heard a familiar voice. It was one that they had not heard since Old Man Winter had come and had driven many of their Feathered Friends away to the Sunny Southland.

When Bud and Mary looked up, whom do you suppose they saw? Why, Mr. Bluebird, of course, and he was sitting on the Nesting Box that Bud had made for him and put in the front yard the year before.

"It's spring ! it's spring!" said both the children at once, and then they ran back to tell Mother Smith.

They knew that when Mr. Bluebird came back, it would not be long until Jolly Spring would drive Old Man Winter far away from the Old Homestead.

END OF BOOK FOUR