NUTS AND RAISINS
There was a grand feast after the wedding of Twinkle Tail and little Miss Squirrel. There were nuts and raisins for everybody, and I don’t know of anything much nicer than nuts and raisins.
Of course, all the Barnyard Folk ate raisins, for they couldn’t crack the nuts. It almost gave Ducky Waddles a toothache watching Twinkle Tail crack the shells.
Cocky Doodle made a pretty speech, wishing the Twinkle Tails a long life and a happy one, in which all the little people of the forest joined him.
After that everybody looked at the wedding presents, which if not beautiful, were very useful.
Henny Penny gave a nice new laid egg and Turkey Tim a bag of corn. Little Jack Rabbit brought a big carrot and Chippy Chipmunk a basket of nuts. Of course Ducky Waddles didn’t give them anything more—the little gold ring was his present, which Twinkle Tail had slipped on the little toe-finger of Miss Squirrel at a nod from Parson Owl.
You see, Twinkle Tail had never been married before, so Parson Owl had helped him a little—which I presume all good kind ministers do when they marry young people. At any rate, Parson Owl did, and so everything went off very smoothly.
On the way home if it hadn’t been for some friendly Fireflies, Little Jack Rabbit might have lost his way. And then again, maybe not, for he was a pretty bright little bunny and like all the Forest Folk, knew how to take care of himself. At the same time, it’s nice to have a lantern on a dark night. One might, you know, stumble into a deep hole.
When they reached the Old Bramble Patch, the little rabbit said: “I’d ask you in, only I’m afraid mother’s asleep.”
“Thank you just the same,” answered the kind Fireflies. “We are glad to have helped you with our little lanterns,” and they flew away to the Sunny Meadow to wink and blink like little stars among the tall grasses.
The little rabbit opened the door and hopped softly up to his room and was soon fast asleep in his comfortable bed.