The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes

CHAPTER VIII.

THE TALE OF TIMMY TIPTOES he had a nest thatched with leaves in the top of a tall tree and he had a little squirrel wife called goody timmy tiptoes sat out enjoying the breeze he whisked his tail and chuckled little wife goody the nuts are ripe we must lay up a store for winter and spring goody tiptoes was busy pushing moss under the thatch the nest is so snug we shall be sound asleep all winter then we shall wake up all the thinner when there is nothing to eat in springtime replied prudent timothy when timmy and goody tiptoes came to the nut thicket they found other squirrels were there already timmy took off his jacket and hung it on a twig they worked away quietly by themselves every day they made several journeys and picked quantities of nuts they carried them away in bags and stored them in several hollow stumps near the tree where they had built their nest when these stumps were full they began to empty the bags into a hole high up a tree that had belonged to a woodpecker the nuts rattled down down down inside how shall you ever get them out again it's like a money box said goody i shall be much thinner before springtime my love said timmy tiptoes peeping into the hole They did collect quantities because they did not lose them.

Squirrels who bury their nuts in the ground lose more than half because they cannot remember the place.

The most forgetful squirrel in the wood was called Silvertail.

You'll understand.

Kewpie, the original Japanese mayonnaise.

and other squirrels began to dig the whole wood was in commotion unfortunately just at this time a flock of little birds flew by from bush to bush searching for green caterpillars and spiders there were several sorts of little birds twittering different songs the first one sang who's been digging up my nuts who's been digging up my nuts and another sang little bit of bread and no cheese little bit of bread and no cheese the squirrels followed and listened the first little bird flew into the bush where timmy and goody tiptoes were quietly tying up their bags and sang who's been digging up my nuts who's been digging up my nuts timmy tiptoes went on with his work without replying indeed the little bird did not expect an answer it was only singing its natural song and it meant nothing at all but when the other squirrels heard that song they rushed upon timmy tiptoes and cuffed and scratched him and upset his bag of nuts The innocent little bird, which had caused all the mischief, flew away in fright.

Timmy rolled over and over and then turned tail and fled towards his nest, followed by a crowd of squirrels shouting, Who's been digging up my nuts? They caught him and dragged him up the very same tree where there was the little round hole, and they pushed him in.