How Grasshopper Green defended the Meadow Mice

 

       Early one Saturday morning-it must have been about the end of February- Father Meadow-Mouse looked out of the window and saw that there had been quite a thaw during the night.

       "Mother Meadow-Mouse," said he, "it is much warmer this morning, and I think the ice that filled up that hole under Farmer Green's corn-crib must be melted away. Now our larder is nearly empty; so you and I'd better go over there right away and get some corn before the squirrels wake up." 

       So Mother Meadow-Mouse put on her little dark blue shawl, and Father Meadow-Mouse put on his little bright red muffler, and, taking two sacks with them, they started off to get the corn. 

Meadow-Mouse children clean up the house while their parents are away.

    

   Grasshopper Green stayed home with the children (the day being Saturday, they didn't have to go to school), for in spite of the thaw the weather was still too cold for him to safely venture out.

       Making Everything spic and span "Now, children," said Grasshopper Green, "we'll wash the breakfast dishes, and sweep and dust the room, and make everything spick and span to surprise your Mother and Father when they come back." 

       So Long-Tail, Sharp-Eyes, Pink-Ears and Mouseykins all put on funny little blue aprons and fell to work, and in a very short time the dishes were all washed and dried and the room was as neat as a new pin.

       When all the work was done, Grasshopper Green got out his fiddle and said that it was time for a dancing lesson. 

       Oh, how the little Meadow-Mouse Children enjoyed dancing lessons! Of course they couldn't equal the wonderful twirling leaps of their teacher, Grasshopper Green, but they did very well, and you should have seen how gracefully they waved their tails; and that was something that Grasshopper Green couldn't do for the reason, of course, that he hadn't any tail to wave. 

       The first part of the lesson was over, and Grasshopper Green was just starting to re-tune his little fiddle, when they heard a creaking sound - as if someone were cautiously trying to push open the front door, which was bolted on the inside.

       Long-Tail, who happened to be standing near the little window, peeped out to see who was there, then suddenly jumped back and dived into the corner cupboard, squeaking in a trembly voice, "It's Mouser!"

       Now "Mouser" was Farmer Green's big, yellow-eyed, black cat! 

      Father Meadow-Mouse had once said to Grasshopper Green, "Our home is so far away from the farmhouse and barn and is so well disguised that there is really no danger of that terrible Mouser ever finding it." But here he was at last! 

       Mouser, no doubt, had heard--perhaps the weasel who lived near-by had told him--that Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse had both gone out that morning, leaving the children alone. 

       He probably did not know that Grasshopper Green was there with the little Meadow-Mice, though, of course, even if he had, he wouldn't have thought anything of it. And what, indeed, could a little Grasshopper do against a big cat? 

       There was only one thing he could do, Grasshopper Green decided, and that was to go for help without a moment's delay. 

Thistlewhistle the fairy, lived with 
some rabbit friends.

       Now Grasshopper Green knew that Thistle-Whistle, the Fairy, lived with some rabbits in a rabbit-hole among the briars not far away, and he was sure that Thistle-Whistle, who was quite a powerful Fairy, could in some way drive off Mouser and rescue the little Meadow-Mice.

       So, not even stopping to put on a muffler, he raised the window very quietly and hopped out.

       Mouser was intent on trying to open the door by clawing and pushing, and didn't notice the window at all.

       Then you should have seen Grasshopper Green's tremendous leaps! You may be sure he went faster than any Grasshopper had ever hopped before. Warmed by his excitement an d exertions, he didn't feel the cold a bit.

       He soon reached the rabbit-hole. Alas! The Fairy was not there. As Grasshopper Green turned to go, he spied a small chest standing near the door. At the sight of this a brilliant idea immediately popped into his head!

       Now Listen! In that chest were some tiny black pellets, magic pellets, about the size of mustard seeds.

       Thistle-Whistle and Grasshopper Green had become great friends that winter an d the Fairy had told Grasshopper Green about these magic pellets; if you swallow only one, and then wished yourself any size you wanted to be-as small as a Flea or as big as an Elephant, or any size in between. You would become that size instantly!

       Grasshopper Green returned to the whole promptly and with the seed in his mouth, wished to be as large as a small dog!

       The moment Mouser poked his head inside of the mouse hole, his eyes met with Grasshopper Greens'. The sight of the massive insect nearly paralyzed Mouser with surprise!

       Although a grasshopper is usually a very good-natured little fellow he has a really terrifying face, but we don't notice it often because he's so very small.

Grasshopper Green very scary when he's the size of a small dog!

       Look very closely at one sometime and then try to imagine what a strange looking monster he would be if he were as big as a dog!

       Great-Grandfather Goodheart said, when he told me the story, that Mouser never stopped running until he got to the next village, five miles away, and that he shrieked out to every animal he passed on the way that he had seen a dragon!

       At any rate, he was never seen about Farmer Green's place again. And that certainly was a great relief to all the Meadow-Mice, I can attest to it.

       As soon as Mouser disappeared in the distance, Grasshopper Green swallowed another pellet and wished himself back to his usual size. Then he called to the Meadow-Mouse children to come out of their hiding places and told them the good news. For Long-Tail and Sharp-Eyes had been squeezed in the cupboard and Pink-Ears and Mouseykins were under the bed all that time.

       Pretty soon Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse returned with their sacks full of corn.

       When they heard that Mouser had been so frightened that he probably would never return, you can guess how happy they were. They would be able to caper about freely for certain.

       They sent out invitations right away for a fine big party in honor of Grasshopper Green, who was, of course, their hero for many years to come. The End.

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