Mother West Wind How" Stories"

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ROW LOST HIS

emed trying to see just how much noise he could make with that harsh voice

, I'd forget I could talk. Yes, Sir, I'

quickly to find Jimmy Skunk. "What

getting that you had a

Peter, although he grinned a wee bit foolishly as he loo

retorted Jimmy. "I'm afraid that you would

nd took notice. "Did old Mr. Crow really lose his to

s going to run away. Peter jumped in front of him. "No, you don't

least idea in the world what Peter was talking

outed Blacky the Crow fr

ou may as well tell me first as last, because I'l

to," said he. "Wait until I find a comfortable place

hanging his position two or three times to make

upon a

ee why all stories have to begin 'Once upon a time.' I

this story won't begin

hamed for interrupting,

or flew. He could imitate any and everybody, and he did. He could sing like Mr. Meadow Lark, or he could bark like Mr. Wolf. He could whistle like Mr. Quail, or he could growl like old Ki

m long to discover that no one else had such a wonderful tongue. It was even more wonderful than the tongue of old Mr. Mocker the Mocking Bird. Mr. Mocker could imitate the songs of other birds, but old Mr. Crow

f that, he started out to find out, and on one excuse or another he managed to get all his neighbors to show him their tongues. Sur

f mine. Nobody else has got one like it, but nobody knows that but m

it, your grandfather a thousand times removed, coming along, he would hide, and just as Mr. Rabbit was passing, he would snarl like Mr. Lynx. Of course Mr. Rabbit would be scared almost to death, and away he would go, lipperty-lipperty-lip, and old Mr. Crow would laugh so that he had to hold his black sides. He would hide in the top of a tree nea

l, and one day when he chanced to discover one of his neighbors just sitting down to a good meal, a new idea came to him. He stole as near as he could without being seen

he frightened them away and helped himself. All the time he was so sly about it that never once was he suspected. He was a great talker,

' It is a question which was the more surprised, Mr. Coon or Mr. Crow. Mr. Coon didn't forget his manners. He politely invited Mr. Crow to sit down and take breakfast with him. But Mr. Crow had lost his appetite. Somehow his tongue felt very queer. He thanked Mr. Coon and begged to be excused. Then he hurried over to the nearest pool of water in which he cou

it, for you remember he had been a great gossip. They said that he must have lost his tongue. Of course he hadn't

lacky from the top of the

tfully, "if he could imitate other p

s sure, and that is that he is just as smart and sly as his great-great-ever-so-gre