Show SLEEPY SLEEPY- SLEEPy TIME T W TALES A L E S MT t L THE TALE OF dir NIMBLE I v DEER DEERA A BY ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY rk HL Ii MISTAKE One On morning Nimble's mother said to him Tonight just as the moon rises we will start for Farmer Greens Green's garden garden garden gar gar- den patch He knew what that meant It meant that he was vas going to know at last what carrots tasted like And he was delighted You have improved fast his mother moth moth- er told him You have grown a good deal You start to run run- much more quickly did a month ago and andou you ou are quite speedy now I X must say that you ou dont don't mind me any too well Take care that tonight you do exactly exactly exact exact- ly as you are ordered Nimble promised I X will be good he said No matter how many carrots you ou want me to eat Ill I'll finish every on one e. e No matter of you haven't had a chance to eat a single carrot If It I X tell you to run you ou must obey Instantly his mother warned him Two sec sec- delay might be fatal she added solemnly If It we hear a twig snap you must not stop to look or listen Yes said Nimble But ten minutes minutes min mm- utes later he could not have repeated a word that his mother said except that they were going to start fi r the garden when the th moon rose That much he told Jimmy Rabbit when he hemet hemet hemet met him In the woods a little while afterward And Jimmy Rabbit agreed to get the news news- somehow to Fatty Coon and Cuffy Cutty Bear He was as good as his promise even beter For Jimmy told everybody he hemet hemet hemet met that day He expiated about the excursion to the garden gardn patch I and that everyone must be ready to start just as the moon peeped over the rim of the world for Nimble Deers Deer's mother would not wait walt for anybody who was not on hand Nimble found that day a long one He was so eager to get a carrot be between between be- be tween his lips that ha he thought night would never come comet But darkness fell at last And some hours later his mother said to him Are you ready He was So together they passed silently along the old runway which led as his mother knew to the pasture pasture pas pas- ture fence The woods were inky black for the moon had not yet risen But Nimble's mother remarked that she thought they would see it when they reached reached- the open L Just before they came to the fence somebody spoke Nimble's mother Jumped when somebody cried Good GooI evening evening- But Dut she knew at at once that it was only Jimmy Rabbit I X see you u are on time he said I haven't been 30 are waiting long Waiting Nimble's mother e ex ex- ex m m claimed Waiting for for- what wha I For you he answered I heard you OU were going down to the garden patch tonight and Im I'm to be one of I the party The good lady thought it queer How had Jimmy Rabbit happened to have hae heard of the excursion excursion- She couldn't Imagine But Dut he was a harmless lit littie little lit lit- tle tie fellow Really she didn't mind having him go with her e Very well she told him But re re- re member you mUst be quiet And she was Just about to walk up to the fence when she gave a searching look all around Bless me she muttered I X saw Raw so many eyes In all my life Who are all these people It was no wonder sh she she- asked that question for no matter where she turned pairs of eyes burned in the darkness Strangely enough h. h nobody answered I Jimmy Rabbit didn't say a word And as for far Nimble he didn't seem to hear nor understand nay thing his mother saidI said I 1 repeat she spoke poke again who are arc these people Why have they gathered gathered gath gath- ered here The The- woods arent aren't afire are they And she lifted her nose and sniffed at the air but she could find no trace of ot smoke Somehow Nimble began to feel ill III at ease He edged away from his mother and tried to hide behind Jimmy TImmy And that was a ridiculous thing to do because Nimble was ever so much the bigger of ot the two Presently his mother game him a 8 sharp look And then he too raised his muzzle and sniffed I X do dont don't t smell any ny smoke he stam stam- I Do you know why there Is such a a crowd here she asked him sternly I think he said they the expect togo togo to togo go to the garden patch with us And his mother wondered then why she hadn't guessed the secret In- In Copyright 1 1952 22 by Metropolitan News News- F S paper Se Service New ew York Tomorrow Tomorrow Mrs Deer fleer Asks a Few Questions Which Bother Nimble a L Good Deal |