Good evening.
And welcome to Dreamtime Stories with Jackie.
I am so glad you are here tonight to join me in another exciting adventure.
With the Bob White family.
When last we left them,
In chapter 16,
Farmer Brown's boy had been discussing with his dad how to keep the Bobwhite family safe during hunting season.
So we're going to go on to chapter 17,
But before we do,
Snuggle down.
Into your bed.
And make sure everything is just the way you like it.
And we'll begin chapter 17.
A beautiful day made dreadful.
A pity,
Tis I,
Tis a shame,
That rests on all mankind,
That human beings in cruelty can sport and pleasure find.
There never was a more beautiful day than that crisp October one.
It was one of those days when you just feel all over how good it is to be alive.
Bob White felt it.
He tingled all over with the joy of living just as soon as he opened his eyes very early that morning.
He whistled for the very joy of it.
He loved the great world and he felt that all the great world loved him.
He wanted to tell the great world so.
The merry little breezes of old Mother West Wind.
Tumbling out of the big bag in which she had brought them down from the purple hills to play all day long on the green meadows,
Danced over to tell him that they loved him too.
This made Bob happier still.
A certain man,
Tramping along the road toward the home of Farmer Jones,
Was feeling glad too,
But his gladness was of a different kind.
I guess we are going to have some sport today,
Old fellow.
He said to the dog,
Trotting at his heels,
And he shifted a terrible gun from one shoulder to the other.
Hunting season had begun.
Now,
If Bob White had understood the warning given to him by Farmer Brown's boy,
He never,
Never would have done as he did that day.
But he didn't understand that warning.
And so he took it into his pretty little head that he wanted to try his wings.
And he led his family straight over to the land of Farmer Jones.
He often had been there before,
And he saw no reason why he shouldn't go there as often as he pleased.
No harm had ever come to him on his previous visits,
So straight over to the stubble of Farmer Jones Wheatfield he led the way.
And soon he and his family were very busy picking up scattered grains of wheat.
And we're happy as you or I would be over a good breakfast.
Right in the midst of it.
Bob's quick ears heard footsteps.
He stretched his neck up to peep over the stubble.
And suddenly.
.
.
All the gladness and brightness of the day was blotted out.
What he saw was a dog with his nose to the ground.
And he was following the scent that one of Bob's children made.
As he ran about picking up wheat.
Suddenly,
The dog stops.
And stood perfectly still.
With one foreleg up and nose pointing straight.
At a certain spot.
Bob knew that right at that spot.
One of his children was squatting close to the ground.
As still as a statue stood the dog.
From behind him came a man.
Walking slowly and carefully with a terrible gun held in readiness.
When he reached the dog,
He sent him on.
There was nothing for the Bob White squatting there to do but to fly.
Up into the air he shot on swift wings.
Bang went the terrible gun and down dropped that little brown bird.
At the sound of the terrible gun.
Up jumped all the rest of Bob White's children in terrible fright.
For they never before had heard such a dreadful noise.
Bang went the gun again,
But this time only a few brown feathers floated to the ground.
Bob and Mrs.
Bob waited until after the second bang.
Before they too took to the air.
For they had had experience and knew that after the second bang,
They were likely to be safe for a little while.
The bobwhites had scattered in all directions,
As they had been taught to do when in danger.
Bob flew straight over to Farmer Brown's wheat field.
And there presently began to call to his children.
One after another of his family answered.
All but the one who had fallen at the first shot.
I got one anyway,
" said the hunter,
As he loaded his terrible gun.
And he actually looked happy as he went over to help his dog hunt for the bobwhite who had fallen at that first terrible bang.
Oh,
That's so sad.
But I'm sure we'll have more happiness coming up.
In the next few chapters.
With Bob White.
So you snuggle down and have a good night's sleep.
And come back soon.
And we'll see what else happens with the Bob White family.
This is Jackie.
Thank you so much for coming tonight.
I am sending you so many hugs.
Good night now.
