Good evening and welcome back to Dreamtime Stories with Jackie.
Tonight we're going to pop in to Bob White and find out what he and his Mrs.
Bob are up to.
In the last chapter,
Chapter six,
They picked out a place to build their new nest and Mrs.
Bob sent him along to go and do his whistling far away from where she was building the nest.
And now we're going to begin chapter seven.
So snuggle down into your bed,
Get your blankets all the way you like them.
I like mine snuggled right up to my chin and we'll begin.
Chapter seven,
Bob White finds that Mrs.
Bob is right.
A quarrel you may often stay by letting others have their way.
And you will find too that other people are quite as likely to be right as you are.
Now while Bob White told Mrs.
Bob that he guessed she was right about choosing the place that she did for their home,
He was not at all sure of it in his own mind.
No,
He wasn't.
It wasn't a place that he would have chosen if the matter had been left to him.
No,
Sir,
That place wouldn't have been his choice.
He knew of at least half a dozen places which he thought would be much better and safer.
But after all,
This was to be Mrs.
Bob's home,
Even more than his,
For she was the one who would have to stay there all day long sitting on those beautiful white eggs they hoped to have soon.
So Bob kept his opinions to himself.
And if he worried a little because the new home was so close to the crooked little path along which Reddy and Granny Fox went so often,
He said and brought his share of grasses,
Straw,
And leaves with which to build the nest.
Mrs.
Bob was very particular about that nest,
Just a common open nest.
No,
That wouldn't do.
Perhaps in that wise little head of hers,
She guessed just what was going on in Bob's mind and how he really didn't approve at all of building the nest there.
So she made a very clever little roof or dome of grasses and straw over the nest with a little entrance on one side.
When it was all done,
Only the very sharpest eyes ever would discover it.
Of course,
Bob was proud of it,
Very proud indeed.
My dear,
It's the finest nest I've ever seen,
He declared.
I hope,
I do hope no one will find it.
Mrs.
Bob looked at him sharply.
Why don't you own up that you just wished it was somewhere else,
She demanded.
Bob looked a little foolish.
Well,
I can't quite get over the idea that this is a very dangerous place,
He confessed.
But I have great faith in your judgment,
My dear,
He hastened to add.
Then please see to it that you are very careful when you come over this way and never under any circumstances fly directly here,
Retorted Mrs.
Bob.
Keep away unless I call for you.
And when you do come,
Please fly over into the long grass back there and then keep out of sight and walk over here under the cover of the grass and the weeds.
Bob promised he would do just as she told him to.
And to prove it,
He stole away through the long grass and did not take flight until he was far from the nest.
Then he flew over beyond the dear old briar patch and whistled with all his might from sheer happiness.
It wasn't long before there were 15 beautiful white eggs in the nest in the weeds beside the crooked little path.
And then Bob's anxiety increased,
You may be sure.
Time and time again,
He saw Ready Fox or Granny Fox or Jimmy Skunk trot down that crooked little path.
And he knew that they were coming to look for that nest.
But never once did they think of looking in that patch of weeds,
For it never entered their heads that anyone would build so close to a path that was used so much.
But they hunted and hunted everywhere else.
And all the time,
Little Mrs.
Bob sat on those white eggs.
And the color of her cloak was so nearly the color of the brown grasses and leaves that even if they had looked straight at her,
It isn't at all likely that they would have seen her.
Little by little,
Bob confessed to himself that Mrs.
Bob was right.
She had chosen the very safest place on the green meadows for their home.
It was safest because it was the last place anyone would look for it.
Then Bob grew less anxious,
And he spent all his spare time in fooling those who were looking for his home.
Oh,
He's so clever.
Come back again soon for chapter eight.
Now snuggle down into your bed and have a wonderful night's sleep.
This is Jackie thanking you so much.
Good night.
