Mother West Wind When" Stories"

e down to the Green Forest to live, but kept to the Great Woods and the Big Mountains. At the very mention of Puma the thousand little spears of Prickly Porky had rattled together, a

Peter that Prickly Por

could hardly wait to get Jumper alone so that he might satisfy his curiosity. The first chance he got h

does he look like? Why-" It was then that Jumper clapped his hands over his

t people he likes to air his knowledge, and also because he is very fo

ma is the biggest member of the Ca

Tuffy the Lynx?"

and great claws which are terribly sharp. He is so soft-footed that he can steal through the woods without making a sound; he can climb trees like Happy Jack Squirrel, and he is so big and strong that every one but Buster Bear is afraid of him, even Prickly Porky, f

" said he. "But if he is so big and

it is because way back in the beginning of things his great-great-ever-so-great

honor?" demanded Peter, fairly itc

he beginning of things. Old King Bear ruled the Great Woods then, and there was peace between all the animals. Mr. Panther was sleek and handsome and graceful in all his movements. He knew it, too. He spent a great deal

e more this feeling grew. He became envious and then jealous. But he took care never to let old King Bear know this. You see, there was one thing about King Bear which Mr. Panther did respect, and that was his strength. He had no desire to quarrel with King Bear. So whenever the

r neighbors who were smaller or weaker or more helpless. But the law was made that none should kill more than was needed to fill an

eing next in strength and far more kingly in appearance, will be made king in

tprints going to and away from the place, and they were the footprints of old King Bear! So all the forest people began to hate King Bear and to mutter among themselves that they would have him for king no longer. Fina

yes caught a glimpse of a shadowy form sneaking along behind old King Bear. It was Mr. Panther, and he was stepping with the greatest care so as to leave no footprints. Old Mother Nature sat down and waited. She saw Mr. Panther bound away through the trees. By and by

look her straight in the face while she asked if they had hunted fairly and honorably and only when they were hungry. Each in turn looked her straight in the face and sai

n him, and he tried his best to look her in the face, but he couldn't do it. You see, he hadn't any honor. He had lost it, and without honor no one can loo

uted 'Coward! Sneak! Coward! Sneak!' until Mr. Panther fairly ran to get out of hearing. From that time on he lived by himself and would not look even timid Mr. Hare in the face. Instead of hunting openly and boldly like M

in spite of their great size and strength, for it has been in their bloo

le and timid, but I'd rather be that way than to be big like