Hi,
This is Stefania and we're back with another episode of Uncle Wiggly's Fortune.
This story is called Uncle Wiggly and Jackie.
Uncle Wiggly,
With the grasshopper and Petey Bow Wow,
The little puppy dog,
Were traveling along the road together and the old gentleman rabbit was looking on both sides for his fortune.
It was the day after Petey has saved Uncle Wiggly from the bad alligator and the three friends had spent the night in a hollow stump in the woods.
Then they had breakfast,
Eating some cherry pie that the rabbit had left in his suitcase.
Tell me,
Petey,
Said Uncle Wiggly as they walked along.
How does it happen that you are so far from home?
And what were you doing in the woods just before you scared the alligator away?
Oh,
My brother Jackie and I came to visit our grandpa who lives somewhere around here,
Said the puppy dog.
Yesterday,
Jackie and I went for a walk in the woods and I got lost.
It was then that the grasshopper found me and asked me to come and help you,
Which you kindly did,
Said the old gentleman rabbit as he brushed a mosquito off his twinkly nose.
But I didn't know you were lost,
Petey.
Why didn't you say something about it?
And here you've been away from your grandpa's house all night and he and your brother Jackie must be very much worried.
Why didn't you tell me about this yesterday?
Well,
I thought you had troubles enough of your own,
Said Petey politely.
And he looked down in a puddle of water to see if his tail was fastened on straight.
But I would like very much,
Uncle Wiggly,
To find my way back to grandpa's house and see Jackie,
He went on.
And I know he'll be glad to see you.
Then we must start off at once and look for your grandpa's house,
Declared the old gentleman rabbit.
I will let my fortune go for today and we will take care of you.
So off they started looking for the house of Petey's grandpa.
The little puppy dog helped them look,
Of course,
But he was too small to be of much use.
Every once in a while he would find a nice juicy bone and he would start to gnaw on that instead of looking for the path back home.
Oh,
You mustn't do that,
Said Uncle Wiggly as he leaned on his crutch to rest himself.
There will be time enough to eat bones after you are home.
Try it along now,
Petey.
Well,
I'll just bury this bone here where Jackie and I can get to it later,
Said Petey.
So he dug a hole for the bone and carefully covered it with earth where it would keep just as good as if it was in the fridge.
The rabbit and the grasshopper and the puppy dog looked in all the places they could think of around corners and up and down the middle and on both sides for a sight of Petey's grandpa.
But they couldn't seem to find it.
Then all of a sudden,
So quickly that it happened,
So fast,
There was a growling in the bushes and a shaking of the leaves and out popped a big black bear.
My,
Oh my,
But he was a big bear.
And as soon as he saw Uncle Wiggly,
He cried out,
Now I have you,
My fine rabbit friend and a puppy dog,
To say nothing of a grasshopper with which to finish off.
Oh,
This is a lucky day for me.
You,
You don't mean to say that you're going to eat us,
Do you?
Asked Uncle Wiggly,
Turning pale around the ears.
Thus,
Exactly what I do mean,
Said the bear in a grillery,
Growlery voice.
Oh,
And how very lucky.
It's just my dinner time.
And he looked at his watch to make sure,
Then shut the cover with a bang.
Well,
You can't eat me,
Cried the grasshopper,
With that he gave a spring and landed inside of a jack-in-the-pulpage plant growing on top of a high rock.
And he pulled the cover of the plant over him so the bear couldn't see him.
Well,
The grasshopper got away,
Said the bear in a disappointed voice.
But I have you two yet anyhow.
And with that he made a jump and grabbed Uncle Wiggly in one paw and Petey Bow Wow in the other paw.
Then he hugged them tight.
And the bear looked down at them,
First at Uncle Wiggly and then at Petey.
And that bear showed his ugly teeth and said in his grillery,
Growlery voice,
Let me see which one of you shall I eat first.
You can just imagine how frightened Uncle Wiggly and the puppy dog were.
They didn't know what to do.
I think I'll eat you first,
Mr.
Rabbit,
Said the bear at length.
And he was just getting ready to eat Uncle Wiggly as you would eat a strawberry.
When there came a rushing sound in the bushes behind the bear and a brave voice called out,
Norma's the bear.
You're not going to eat either of them.
Put Uncle Wiggly down and let go of Petey Bow Wow at once,
I say.
Who are you?
Cried the bear,
Looking around quickly in order to see better.
Who are you,
If I may ask?
I'm Jackie Bow Wow,
Was the answer.
And if you don't do at once,
As I say,
You will be sorry.
Well,
You can just imagine how surprised Uncle Wiggly and Petey were to see Jackie standing there as brave as a lion.
I'm not going to let them go,
Cried the bear.
And he hugged the rabbit and puppy dog tighter than ever.
And I'm going to shoot,
Cried Jackie.
One,
Two,
Three,
He counted.
Here I go.
Oh,
Don't shoot,
Don't shoot,
Begged the bear.
And he quickly dropped the rabbit and the doggy.
And then he ran away through the bushes,
Taking his little stubby tail with him.
Then Jackie burst out laughing as hard as he could.
Oh,
What's the matter?
Asked Uncle Wiggly in surprise.
Laughed Jackie.
What a joke on that bear.
He was so scared that he let you go.
It's a good thing you came along when you did,
Said his brother Petey.
We were just looking for Grandpa's house.
I was lost,
You know,
And couldn't find my way back.
I know you were,
And I was looking for you,
Spoke Jackie.
Then Petey told him about the alligator and where he had been with Uncle Wiggly.
And Jackie was very glad to see his brother and the old gentleman rabbit again.
And he was soon ready to show them the way to his grandpa's house.
But they have forgotten about the grasshopper in the Jack and the Bulbit plant.
And a very curious thing happened to that poor insect.
I'll tell you about it in the next story called Uncle Wiggly and the Red Monkey.
Uncle Wiggly and the Monkey Uncle Wiggly with Petey and Jackie Bow Wow was walking along the road toward the puppy dog's grandpa's house.
And they were talking about how Jackie had made the black bear run away.
All at once,
The old gentleman rabbit exclaimed,
The grasshopper.
What about the grasshopper?
Asked Jackie.
Did one bite you,
Uncle Wiggly?
No,
But my friend,
The green grasshopper jumped into a Jack and the Bulbit plant when the bear came.
And here we have come away and forgotten all about him.
We must go right back.
So back they started.
And on the way,
The rabbit told what a kind friend the grasshopper had been to him on his travels.
Well,
They got to the place where the bear scared them.
But when they looked up on the rock,
No Jack and the Bulbit plant was to be seen.
And there was no sign of the grasshopper.
Oh,
I'm sure it was here that the grasshopper made his jump,
Said Uncle Wiggly,
Looking carefully about.
Yes,
Said Jackie.
But there was no Jack and the Bulbit on this rock at all.
Here is a pile of dirt,
Though,
Spoke Petey.
Perhaps there's a bone under it.
Let's dig,
Jackie.
So those two puppy dogs dug in the earth while Uncle Wiggly looked all around for the grasshopper.
Then all of a sudden,
Petey cried out,
Oh,
Look here,
The Jack and the Bulbit plant is under this pile of earth.
The top is just sticking out.
Now we'll find the hopper grass.
I see how it is,
Said the rabbit.
When the bear ran away so fast,
The toenails of the creature scattered up the earth and it went into a shower all over Jack where the grasshopper was hidden.
No wonder we couldn't find him for he was buried.
But please dig very carefully,
Petey and Jackie,
Or you might scratch him with your paws.
We'll be careful,
Said Jackie.
So he and his brother dug and dug until the Jack and the Bulbit plant was almost uncovered.
Then they didn't dig anymore,
But with their tails,
Which were like dusting bushes,
They dashed off the earth very gently until the plant was all clear and out popped the grasshopper.
Not a bit harmed,
Though he was somehow frightened.
My,
I thought I'd never get out,
Exclaimed the jumping chap,
Taking a long breath and blowing the dust off his legs.
Then he was introduced to Jackie Bow Wow,
Whom he had not met before.
And the four friends walked along the road together.
Pretty soon they came to the house of Grandpa Bark.
And the old gentleman dog was very glad to see Petey,
Who had been lost and stayed away all night.
And I am very glad to see you also,
Uncle Wiggly,
Said Grandpa Bark.
And likewise the grasshopper.
Come in and have something to eat and stay a while to rest yourself.
So Uncle Wiggly did this.
And after a while,
He said,
Well,
Now I must be off once more to seek my fortune.
When I find it,
I'm going back home.
And I hope that soon comes to pass for I am tired of traveling about.
So he said goodbye to Petey and Jackie Bow Wow.
And he and the grasshopper hopped off together.
On and on they went over hills and dales,
Through the woods and fields.
And pretty soon they came to a place in the woods where there was a big box.
It was almost as large as a small house.
And it had a front door,
But no windows.
The front door was open.
And over it was a card reading,
Come in if you want to.
Hmm.
I wonder if that means me,
Said Uncle Wiggly.
Perhaps I may find my fortune in there.
I'm going inside.
I wouldn't if I were you,
Spoke the grasshopper.
It may be a trap.
Nonsensicalness,
Exclaimed the old gentleman rabbit quick like.
Come along.
We'll go in.
So he and the grasshopper went inside,
But no sooner had they entered than slam bang came the sliding door with a crash,
Catching them.
Oh,
What did I tell you?
Cried the grasshopper sadly.
This is a trap.
We're in it.
Yes,
I see we are,
Spoke Uncle Wiggly,
Much puzzled.
It was all my fault.
I should have been more careful.
Never mind,
Said the grasshopper kindly as he wiped away his tears on a piece of green leaf.
I see a crack between the boards that I can crawl through.
It is too small for you,
But I can get out and I'll go for help.
So out he crawled,
Leaving Uncle Wiggly there.
The old gentleman rabbit was thinking of all the dreadful things that might happen to him when all of a sudden he heard someone unlocking the front door that had fallen shut.
I must see who it is,
Whispered the rabbit to himself.
So he looked out of a crack and he saw something red and fuzzy like at the door.
Oh,
It's a red bear,
Thought the rabbit,
And he was looking for a place to hide when all of a once door opened and there stood a nice,
Kind,
Red monkey with a red cap on.
Oh,
I've got company,
I see,
Cried the red monkey in delight.
I'm glad of that.
Uncle Wiggly,
I've been waiting some time to see you.
How did you get here?
Isn't isn't this a trap?
Asked the rabbit.
Not a bit of it,
Cried the red monkey with a jolly laugh.
This is my house.
I went out this morning and left the door open.
It must have blown shut by mistake.
I'm sorry you were frightened.
Wait,
I'll do some tricks to make you laugh.
So the red monkey stood on his nose and then on one ear and then he made all the letters of the alphabet on his tail,
All except the letter X,
Which is very hard for a monkey to make.
Then the monkey took two apple pies and made them into one and he and Uncle Wiggly ate it.
Oh,
My,
How good it was.
By this time,
The rabbit wasn't frightened anymore and he told the red monkey all about his travels to find a fortune.
And then the grasshopper came hopping back with old dog Percival to help Uncle Wiggly get out of the trap.
But there wasn't any need.
It was no trap at all,
You see.
So the red monkey and the dog and the grasshopper and the old gentleman rabbit had a nice time at the house of the red monkey,
Who told them many stories.
And one was how he came to be colored red.
I'll tell you about that in the next story,
Which will be called Uncle Wiggly and the Butterfly.
Until next time.
Bye for now.
