Little Jack Rabbit and the Squirrel Brothers

But , oh dear me. One morning when Little Jack Rabbit met the Squirrel Brothers, Featherhead, the naughty gray squirrel, asked him to stop and play a game of marbles. “Where are your marbles?” asked the little rabbit. “Here they are,” answered Featherhead, taking some red and yellow oak apples out of his pocket. “They make dandy marbles.” Little Jack Rabbit dropped his school books, and quickly dug a hole in the ground. Then they all took turns rolling the marbles to see who would have the first shot. The little bunny’s was the first to drop into the hole, although Twinkle Tail’s was very close and Featherhead’s not far away. It was then easy for Little Jack Rabbit to hit the two marbles. Why, he couldn’t miss them, they were so close. I guess they would have been playing until now if all of a sudden, just like that, Bobbie Redvest hadn’t called out: “Ding-a-ling! ding-a-ling! the school bell is ringing.” “Gracious me!” cried little bunny, and off he went, clipperty clip, lipperty lip. Featherhead and Twinkle Tail picked up their books and followed. It certainly was lucky that the little robin had shouted, “Ding-a-ling! ding-a-ling!” for hardly had they reached the top of the hill when the school bell commenced: “Ding, dong! ding, dong! ding, dong!” “Hurry up!” cried Little Jack Rabbit, “or we’ll be late,” and he hopped along faster than ever. Professor Crow was standing in the doorway waiting for the last scholar to arrive. All out of breath and scared to death, Came little Jackie Bunny. And Twinkle Tail began to quail, And Featherhead felt funny. They thought the teacher standing there Gave them a cold and angry stare. Perhaps he did, but soon he went And o’er his platform table bent, While Featherhead and Twinkle Tail Slipped in their seats with faces pale. Then up stood stern Professor Crow And said some scholars are so slow That if they’d stop upon the way They’d never get to school all day. Then he sat down and called the school to order. But, oh dear me! None of the little marble players knew his lesson. And instead of being allowed to go when school was over, they were kept in and made to study until late in the afternoon. Back to Contents A LITTLE PIECE OF LOOKING GLASS