Hi,
Stefania,
And we've got the next chapter of Uncle Wiggly in the woods.
This story is Uncle Wiggly and the Bitter Medicine.
How was Jackie this morning,
Mrs.
Bow-Wow?
Asked Uncle Wiggly Long-Ears,
The rabbit gentleman,
One day as he stopped at the kennel where the dark lady lived with her two little boys,
Jackie and Petey Bow-Wow,
The puppies.
How was Jackie?
Jackie is not so well,
I'm sorry to say,
Answered Mrs.
Bow-Wow,
As she looked carefully along the back fence to see if there were any bad cats there who might meow and try to scratch the puppies.
Not so well.
I'm sorry to hear that,
Spoke the bunny uncle.
What seems to be the matter?
Oh,
You know,
Jackie and Petey both had the measles,
Went on Mrs.
Bow-Wow.
They seemed to get over them nicely,
At least Petey did,
But then Jackie caught the epizootic and he had to stay in bed a week longer and take bitter medicine.
Bitter medicine,
Eh?
Exclaimed Uncle Wiggly.
I am sorry to hear that,
For I don't like bitter medicine myself.
Neither does Jackie,
Continued Mrs.
Bow-Wow.
In fact,
He really doesn't know whether he likes this bitter medicine or not.
Why not?
Asked the rabbit gentleman.
Because we can't get him to take a drop,
Said the puppy dog boy's mother.
Not a drop will he take,
Though I have fixed it up for him with orange juice and sugar and even put it in a lollipop,
But he won't take it.
And Dr.
Possum says he won't get well unless he takes the bitter medicine.
Well,
Dr.
Possum ought to know,
Said Uncle Wiggly,
But why don't you ask him a good way to give the medicine to Jackie?
That's what I'm waiting out here for now,
Said Mrs.
Bow-Wow.
I want to catch Dr.
Possum when he comes past and ask him to come in and give Jackie the medicine.
The poor boy really needs it to make him well.
Of course he does,
Agreed Uncle Wiggly,
And while you are waiting for Dr.
Possum,
I'll see what I can do.
What are you going to do?
Asked Mrs.
Bow-Wow as the bunny uncle started for the dog kennel.
I'm going to try to make Jackie take his bitter medicine.
You just stay out here a little while.
Well,
I hope you do it,
But I'm afraid you won't,
Spoke Mrs.
Bow-Wow with a sigh.
I've tried all the ways I know.
I was just going,
As you came along,
To get a toy balloon,
Blow it up,
And put the medicine inside.
Then I was going to let Jackie burst it by sticking a pin in it,
And I thought when the balloon exploded,
The medicine might be blown down his throat.
Oh,
Well,
I think I have a better way than that,
Said Uncle Wiggly with a laugh.
He went in where Jackie,
Who had the measles at Bezootique,
Was in bed.
Good morning,
Jackie,
Said the bunny uncle.
How are you?
Not very well,
Answered Jackie,
The puppy dog boy.
But I'm glad to see you.
I'm not going to take the bitter medicine even for you,
Though,
Uncle Wiggly.
Just you wait until you're asked,
Cried Mr.
Long-Ears in his most jolly voice.
Now let me have a look at that bitter medicine,
Which is making so much trouble.
Where is it?
In that cup on the chair?
And Jackie pointed to it near his bed.
I see,
Said Uncle Wiggly,
Looking at it.
No,
Jackie,
I'm a good friend of yours,
And you wouldn't mind just holding this cup of bitter medicine in your paw,
Would you,
To please me?
I'll do that for you,
Uncle Wiggly,
But I'll not take it,
Jackie said.
Never mind about that,
Laughed the bunny uncle.
Just hold the medicine in your paw,
So.
And Jackie did as he was told.
Now,
Would you mind holding it up to your lips as if you were going to make believe,
Take it?
Asked Uncle Wiggly.
Mind you,
Don't you dare take a drop of it.
Just hold the cup to your lips,
But don't swallow any.
Why do you want me to do that?
Asked Jackie as he did what Uncle Wiggly asked.
Because I want to draw a picture of you making believe,
Pretending to take bitter medicine,
Said the bunny as he took out pencil and paper.
I'll show it to any other of my little animal friends who may not like their medicine,
And I'll say to them,
See how brave Jackie is to take his bitter medicine.
Of course,
I won't tell them that you really are afraid to take it.
And without saying any more,
Uncle Wiggly began to draw the puppy dog boy's picture on the paper.
Hold the cup a little nearer to your lips and tip it up a bit,
Jackie,
Said the bunny man,
But mind you,
Don't swallow a drop.
I said,
Higher,
Higher,
Higher up,
Tip it more.
I want the picture to look natural.
Jackie tipped the cup higher,
Holding it close to his mouth and threw back his head.
And then Uncle Wiggly suddenly cried,
Ouch.
And Jackie was so surprised that he opened his mouth and before he knew it,
He had swallowed the bitter medicine.
Ah,
Why,
I took it,
He cried.
It went down my throat and hmm,
It wasn't so bad after all.
I thought it wouldn't be,
Said Uncle Wiggly as he finished the picture of Jackie.
And now he could really say it showed the doggy boy actually taking the medicine,
For Jackie did take it.
So Dr.
Possum didn't have to come in to see Jackie after all to make him swallow the bitter stuff and the little chap was soon well again.
And he was pretty soon playing with his friends and he didn't mind anymore having to take the bitter medicine.
Next,
I'll tell you about Uncle Wiggly and the Pinecones.
Uncle Wiggly and the Pinecones.
Uncle Wiggly long ears,
The nice rabbit gentleman was out walking in the woods one day when he felt rather tired.
He had been looking all around for an adventure which was something he liked to have happen to him,
But he has seen nothing like one so far.
And I don't want to go back to my hollow stump bungalow without having had an adventure to tell Miss Jane fuzzy wuzzy about,
Said Mr.
Long Ears.
But as I said,
The rabbit gentleman was feeling rather tired and seeing a nice log covered with a cushion of green moss,
He sat down on that to rest.
Perhaps an adventure will happen to me here,
Thought the bunny uncle as he leaned back against a pine tree to rest.
It was nice and warm in the woods and with the sun shining down upon him,
Uncle Wiggly soon dozed off in a little sleep.
But when he awakened,
Still no adventure had happened to him.
Well,
I guess I must travel on,
He said,
And he started to get up,
But he could not.
He could not move his back away from the pine tree against which he had leaned to rest.
Oh,
Oh dear,
What has happened?
Cried the bunny uncle.
I am stuck fast.
I can't get away.
Oh dear.
At first,
He thought perhaps the skillery,
Skillery alligator with the humps on his tail had come to softly sneak up behind him as he slept and had him in his claws.
But by sort of looking around backward,
Mr.
Long Ears could see no one,
Not even a fox.
But what is it holding me?
He cried as he tried again and again to get loose,
But could not.
I am sorry to say I am holding you,
Spoke a voice up over Uncle Wiggly's head.
I am holding you fast.
Who are you,
If you please,
Asked the rabbit gentleman.
I am the pine tree against which you leaned your back.
And on my bark was a lot of sticky pine gum.
It is that which is holding you fast.
The tree answered.
Why?
Why is just like sticky flypaper,
Isn't it?
Asked Uncle Wiggly,
Trying again to get loose,
But not doing so.
And it is just like the time you held the bear fast for me.
Yes,
It is.
But flypaper is made from my sticky pine gum,
Said the tree.
I am so sorry you are stuck,
But I did not see you lean back against me until it was too late.
And now I can't get you loose,
For my limbs are so high over your head that I cannot reach them down to you.
Try to get loose yourself.
I will,
Said Uncle Wiggly.
And he did,
But he could not get loose,
Though he almost pulled out all his fur.
So he cried,
Help,
Help,
Help.
Then all of a sudden,
Along through the woods came Neddy Stubtail,
The little bear boy.
And Neddy had some butter,
Which he had just bought at the store for his mother.
Oh,
Cried the pine tree,
If you rub some butter on my sticky gum,
It will loosen and melt it so Uncle Wiggly will not be stuck any more.
Neddy did so,
And soon the bunny uncle was free.
Oh,
I can't tell you how sorry I am,
Said the pine tree.
I am a horrid creature and of no use in this world,
Uncle Wiggly.
Butter trees have nice fruit or nuts or flowers on them,
But all I have is sticky gum or brown,
Rough,
Ugly pine cones.
Oh dear,
I am of no use in the world.
Oh,
Yes you are,
Said Uncle Wiggly kindly,
As for having stuck me fast,
That was my own fault.
I should have looked before I leaned back.
As for your pine cones,
I dare say they are very useful.
No,
They are not,
Said the pine tree sadly,
If they were only ice cream cones,
They might be some good.
Oh,
I wish I were a peach tree or a rose bush.
Never mind,
Spoke Uncle Wiggly,
I like your pine cones,
And I am going to take some home with me,
And when I next see you,
I shall tell you how useful they were.
Don't feel so bad,
Me.
So Uncle Wiggly gathered a number of the pine cones,
Which are really big dried seeds of the pine tree,
And the bunny uncle took them to his bungalow with him.
A few days later,
He was in the woods again and stopped near the pine tree,
Which was sighing and wishing it were an umbrella plant or a goldfish.
Hush,
Cried Uncle Wiggly,
You must try to do the best you can for what you are,
And I have come to tell you how useful your pine cones were.
Really?
Asked the tree in great surprise.
Really?
Really and truly,
Answered Uncle Wiggly.
With some of your cones,
Nurse Jane started her kitchen fire when all the wood was wet.
With others,
I built a little playhouse and amused Lulu Wibble Wobble,
The dog girl when she had the toothache.
And other cones,
I threw at a big bear that was chasing me.
I hit him on the nose with them and he was glad enough to run away.
So you see how useful you are,
Pine tree?
Oh,
Oh,
Oh,
I am so glad,
Said the tree.
I guess it is better to be just what you are and do the best you can.
And Uncle Wiggly said,
It was.
Next I'll tell you about Uncle Wiggly and his torn coat.
Uncle Wiggly and his torn coat.
Do you think I look all right?
Asked Uncle Wiggly Long Ears,
The rabbit gentleman of Nurse Jane Vuzzy Wuzzy,
His muskrat lady housekeeper.
He was standing in front of her,
Turning slowly about,
And he had on a new coat.
For now the summer was near,
The bunny uncle had laid aside his heavy fur coat and was wearing a lighter one.
Yes,
You do look very nice,
Nurse Jane said,
Tying her tail in a knot,
So Uncle Wiggly would not step on it as he turned around.
Nice enough to go to Grandfather Goosey Gander's party?
Asked the rabbit gentleman.
Oh,
Yes,
Indeed,
Exclaimed Nurse Jane.
I didn't know Grandpa Goosey was to give a party,
But if he is,
You certainly look well enough to go with your new coat.
Of course,
It might be better if it had some lace insertion around the buttonholes,
Or a bit of rushing with oyster shell trimming sewed down the back,
But- Oh,
No,
Indeed,
Laughed the bunny uncle.
If it had those things,
It would be a coat for a lady.
I like mine plainer.
Well,
Take care of yourself,
Called Nurse Jane after him as he hopped off over the fields and through the woods to the house where Grandfather Goosey Gander lived.
No,
I must be very careful not to get my new coat dirty or I won't look nice at the party,
The old rabbit gentleman was saying to himself as he hopped along.
I must be very careful indeed.
He went along as carefully as he could,
But just as he was going down a little hill under the trees,
He came to a place which was so slippery that before he knew it,
All of a sudden Uncle Wiggly fell down and slid to the bottom of the hill.
My goodness,
He cried as he stood up after his slide.
I did not know there was snow or ice on that hill.
And when he looked,
There was not,
But it was covered with long,
Thin pine needles,
Which are almost as slippery as glass.
It was on these that the rabbit gentleman had slipped down the hill.
Well,
There is no great harm done,
Said Uncle Wiggly to himself as he found no bones broken.
I had a little slide,
That's all.
I must bring Sammy and Susie Littletail here someday and let them slide on the pine needle hill.
Johnny and Billy Bushytail,
The two squirrels,
Would also like it.
And so would Nanny and Billy Wagtail,
My two goat friends.
Uncle Wiggly was about to go on to the party when as he looked at his new coat,
He saw that it was all torn.
In sliding down the slippery pine needle hill,
The coat had caught on sticks and stones and it had many holes torn in it.
It was also ripped here and there.
Oh,
Dear me,
Cried Uncle Wiggly.
Oh,
Sorrow.
Oh,
Unhappiness.
Now I'll have to go back to my hollow stump bungalow and put on my old coat that isn't torn for I can never wear my new one to the party.
That would never do.
But the trouble is,
If I go back home,
I'll be late.
Oh,
Dear,
What trouble I am in.
Now was the time for some of Uncle Wiggly's friends to help him in his trouble,
As he had often helped them.
But as he looked through the woods,
He could not see even a little mouse or so much as a grasshopper.
Oh,
The tailor bird would be just the one I'd like to see now,
Said the rabbit uncle.
She could mend my torn coat nicely.
Or tailor birds can take a piece of grass with their bill for a needle and sew leaves together to make a nest.
But there was no tailor bird in the woods and Uncle Wiggly did not know what to do.
I certainly do not want to be late to Grandpa Goosy's party,
Said the bunny uncle,
Nor do I want to go to it in a torn coat.
Oh,
Dear.
Just then,
He heard down on the ground near him a little voice saying,
Perhaps we could mend your coat for you,
Uncle Wiggly.
You,
Who are you?
And how can you mend my torn coat?
The bunny gentleman wanted to know.
We are some little black ants,
Was the answer.
And with the pine needles lying on the ground,
Some of the same needles on which you slip,
We can sew up your coat with long grass for thread.
Ooh,
That would be fine if you can do it,
Spoke the bunny uncle.
Can you?
We'll try,
The ants said.
Then about 14,
622 black ants took each a long sharp pine needle.
And threading it with grass,
They began to sew up the rips and tears in Uncle Wiggly's coat.
And in places where they cannot easily sew,
They stuck the cloth together with sticky gum from the pine tree.
So though the pine tree was to blame in a way for Uncle Wiggly's fall,
It also helped in the mending of his coat.
Soon,
The coat was almost as good as new and you could hardly tell where it was torn.
And Uncle Wiggly,
Kindly thanking the ants,
Went on to Grandpa Goosey's party and had a fine time and also some ice cream.
And that's it for this round of stories.
We'll be back again next time with a story about Uncle Wiggly and the sycamore tree.
