The Tale of Jolly Robin Page 3

  XI

  WHAT A SNOWBALL DID

  Jolly Robin was too frightened to laugh when he saw Johnnie Green'ssecond snowball strike the moon-faced stranger in the orchard. Yousee, the snowball hit one of the stranger's arms. And to Jolly'samazement, the arm at once dropped off and dashed upon the ground,breaking into a dozen pieces.

  That alone was enough to startle Jolly Robin. But the moon-faced manpaid not the slightest attention to the accident. There was somethingghostly in the way he stood there, all in white, never moving, neveronce saying a word.

  But Johnnie Green did not seem frightened at all. He set up a greatshouting and began to let fly his snowballs as fast as he could throwthem.

  They did not all find the mark. But the very last one struck thesilent stranger squarely upon his left ear. And to Jolly Robin'shorror, his head toppled off and fell horridly at his feet.

  Jolly Robin fully expected the man in white to turn and chase JohnnieGreen then--or at least to hurl his stick at Johnnie. But nothing ofthe sort happened. And Jolly did not wait for anything more. He feltthat he had seen quite enough. So he flew away to the shelter of thewoods, to find somebody to whom he could talk and tell of the strangething that had happened in the orchard.

  Over in the woods Jolly was lucky enough to meet Jimmy Rabbit, whowas always very friendly toward him. And as soon as he had inquiredabout Jimmy Rabbit's health (they had not seen each other since theprevious fall, you know), Jolly related how he had seen Johnnie Greenknock off the head of the man in the orchard.

  "And the man never paid the slightest heed to what happened," saidJolly Robin. "He had a stick in his hand; but he didn't throw it."

  "There's nothing queer about that," Jimmy Rabbit remarked. "How couldhe see where to throw his stick, when he had no head?"

  But Jolly Robin could not answer that question. And he looked morepuzzled than ever.

  "I don't understand it," he said with a shake of his own head. "Thewhole affair was very odd. I'm afraid I shall not care to live in theorchard this summer, especially if there's a headless man there! Forhow can he ever see to leave the orchard?"

  It was Jimmy Rabbit's turn to look puzzled, for that was a questionthat he couldn't answer.

  "Maybe there is something queer about this case," he said. "I'll goover to the orchard to-morrow and take a look at that headlessstranger and see what I think about him. If you'll meet me here we cango together."

  Now, Jolly Robin had almost decided that he would never go near theorchard again. But he felt that if he went with Jimmy Rabbit thereought not to be much danger. So he agreed to Jimmy's suggestion.

  "I'll be here before the morning's gone," he promised.

  XII

  JOLLY FEELS BETTER

  Jolly Robin awoke at dawn. And he knew at once that the day was goingto be a fine one. Though the sun had not yet peeped above the rim ofthe eastern hills, Jolly Robin was sure that there would be plenty ofsunshine a little later. He had many ways of his own for telling theweather; and he never made a mistake about it.

  Now, it had grown quite warm by the time Jolly Robin went to the woodslate in the morning to meet Jimmy Rabbit. And the snow had melted awayas if by magic.

  "Summer's coming! Summer's coming!" Jolly called joyfully as soon asJimmy Rabbit came hopping into sight. "The apple-blossoms will burstout before we know it."

  "Yes--and the cabbages, too," Jimmy Rabbit replied. "I'm glad thewhite giant in the orchard lost his head," he added, "because there'sno telling what he would have done to the cabbages later, if he hadwandered into the garden. He might have eaten every one of them. And Ishouldn't have liked that very well."

  Then they started off together toward the orchard to look at theheadless stranger who had given Jolly Robin such a fright the daybefore. Jimmy Rabbit went bounding along with great leaps, while JollyRobin flew above him and tried not to go too fast for his long-earedfriend.

  Once in the orchard, Jolly led Jimmy to the spot where he had seenJohnnie Green knock off the giant's head with the snowball.

  "Here he is!" Jolly Robin whispered--for he was still somewhat afraidof the giant, in spite of his having lost his head. "He doesn't seemas big as he was yesterday. And he has dropped the stick that hecarried."

  Jimmy Rabbit stopped short in his tracks and stared at the stillfigure under the apple tree. For a few moments he did not speak.

  "That looks to me like _snow_," he said at last. And he crept up towhat was left of the giant and sniffed at him. "It _is_ snow!" hedeclared.

  When he heard that, Jolly Robin flew to a low branch just above thegiant.

  "I don't understand it," he said. "There's his head on the ground,with the big, black eyes. _They_ certainly aren't made of snow."

  "No!" Jimmy Rabbit agreed, as he sniffed at the terrible eyes."They're _butternuts_--that's what they are!"

  Well, Jolly Robin was so surprised that he all but tumbled off hisperch.

  "There's his hat--" he continued, as he clung to the limb--"that's areal hat. It's not made of snow--or butternuts, either."

  "Yes!" Jimmy Rabbit said. "It's a sure-enough hat. Farmer Green woreit on Sundays for a good many years. I've often seen him starting forthe meeting-house over the hill with this very hat on his head."

  "Then the giant stole it from him!" Jolly Robin cried in greatexcitement.

  But Jimmy Rabbit thought differently.

  "It's my opinion--" he said--"it's my opinion that Johnnie Green tookthis old hat and put it on the giant's head, after he had made him."

  "Made him!" Jolly Robin repeated. "You don't mean to say that JohnnieGreen could make a giant, do you?"

  "Well, he knows how to make a snow-man--so I've been told," JimmyRabbit replied. "And though I've never seen one before, it's plainthat that's what this creature is."

  Jolly Robin had listened with growing wonder. Spending his winters inthe South, as he did, he had never even heard of a snow-man.

  "Are they dangerous--these snow-men?" he inquired anxiously.

  "This one certainly isn't," Jimmy Rabbit told him. "With his head off,he can't do any harm. And with the sun shining so warm I should saythat by to-morrow he'll be gone for good. It looks to me as if hemight be the last snow-man of the winter, for I don't believe there'llbe any more snow until next fall."

  "Good!" Jolly Robin cried. "I shall come back to the orchard to live,after all, just as I had intended." And he felt so happy that he beganto sing.

  "I'm glad I brought you here to see the snow giant," he told JimmyRabbit, when he had finished his song. "But when my wife and I startto build our summer-house a little later in the spring, I hope you'llsay nothing to her about this affair. It might upset her, you know, ifshe knew that a giant lost his head in the orchard--even if he wasmade of snow."

  "I understand!" said Jimmy Rabbit. "And I won't mention the matter toher. You're afraid she might lose _her_ head, I suppose, if she heardabout it."

  Having made a joke, Jimmy Rabbit thought it was a good time for him tobe leaving. So he said good-by and hopped briskly away.

  And Jolly Robin's wife never knew that her husband and Jimmy Rabbithad a secret that they did not tell her.

  Of course, if they had told her it would have been no secret at all.

  XIII

  THE HERMIT

  Though Jolly Robin was quite bold for his size, he had a cousin whowas actually shy. This timid relation of Jolly's belonged to theHermit Thrush family; and Jolly Robin always spoke of him as "TheHermit," which was a good name for him, because he never strayed fromthe depths of the swamp near Black Creek. At least, he stayed thereall summer long, until the time came for him to go South.

  If Jolly Robin wanted to see this shy cousin, he had to go into theswamp. For the Hermit never repaid any of Jolly's calls. He was afraidof Farmer Green and the other people that lived in the farmhouse.Apple orchards, and gardens and open fields he considered good placesto avoid, because he thought them dangerous.

  "There's no place to live that's qui
te as safe and pleasant as aswamp," he often remarked. "I have one brother who prefers anevergreen thicket, which doesn't make a bad home. And another brotherof mine lives in some bushes near a road. But how he can like such adwelling-place as that is more than I can understand."

  Now, there were two things for which this cousin of Jolly Robin's wasnoted. He was an exquisite singer; and he always wore a fine, spottedwaistcoat.

  Jolly always admired the Hermit's singing. But he didn't like hisspotted waistcoat at all.

  "That cousin of mine is too much of a dandy," Jolly remarked to hiswife one day. "I'm going to pay him a visit this afternoon. And Ishall speak to him about that waistcoat he's so fond of wearing. It'swell enough for city birds to dress in such finery. But it's a foppishthing for anybody to wear way up here in the country."

  Jolly's wife told him plainly that he had better mind his ownbusiness.

  "It's no affair of yours," she said. "And you ought not to mention thematter to your cousin."

  Jolly Robin did not answer her. He thought there was no use arguingwith his wife. And since the Hermit was his own cousin, he saw noreason why he shouldn't tell his relation exactly what he thought.

  The Hermit appeared glad to see Jolly Robin when he came to the swampthat afternoon. At least, the Hermit said he was much pleased. He hadvery polished manners for a person that lived in a swamp. Beside him,Jolly Robin seemed somewhat awkward and clownish. But then, Jollyalways claimed that he was just a plain, rough-and-ready countryman.

  "I never put on any airs," he often said. "Farmer Green and I are agood deal alike in that respect."

  After the Hermit had inquired about Jolly's health, and that of hiswife as well, he smoothed down his spotted vest, flicked a bit of mossoff his tail, and said that if Jolly cared to hear him he would singone of his best songs.

  "I'd like to hear you sing!" Jolly told him.

  So the Hermit sang a very sweet and tender melody, which was quitedifferent from Jolly's cheery carols.

  It was a great pleasure to hear such a beautiful song. And JollyRobin was so delighted that he began to laugh heartily the moment hiscousin had finished the final note.

  "I wouldn't laugh, if I were you," the Hermit reproved him mildly."That's a sad song.... If you care to weep, I'd be more thangratified," he said. And he shuddered slightly, because Jolly'sboisterous laughter grated upon his sensitive nerves.

  You can see, just from that, that the Hermit was a very differentperson from his merry cousin, Jolly Robin.

  XIV

  ONE OR TWO BLUNDERS

  Jolly Robin's cousin, the Hermit, seemed much disappointed becauseJolly did not weep after hearing the beautiful, sad song. But nomatter how mournful a song might be, Jolly Robin could no more haveshed tears over it than a fish could have. Naturally, a fish neverweeps, because it would be a silly thing to do. Surrounded by water ashe is, a fish could never see his own tears. And so all the weeping hemight do would be merely wasted.

  Not wanting to hurt his cousin's feelings, Jolly Robin said that hewould try to weep after he went home. And that made the Hermit feelhappier once more.

  "Perhaps you'd like to see our eggs?" he suggested.

  And since Jolly Robin said he would be delighted to look at them, ifthe Hermit's wife had no objection, his cousin led him further intothe swamp. And there, in a nest of moss and leaves, lined with pineneedles, the Hermit proudly pointed to three greenish blue eggs,somewhat smaller than those in Jolly's own nest in Farmer Green'sorchard.

  Jolly Robin stared at the nest in amazement. And pretty soon theHermit grew quite uncomfortable.

  "What's the matter?" he asked. "You seem surprised."

  "I certainly am!" Jolly Robin cried. "How do you dare do it?"

  "Do what?" his cousin inquired uneasily.

  "Why, you and your wife have built your nest on the ground!"

  "Well, why shouldn't we?" the Hermit asked. And he looked the leastbit angry.

  "But everybody knows that the best place for a nest is in a tree,"Jolly Robin told him.

  His cousin shook his head at that.

  "It's a matter of taste," he said. "Our family have always preferredto build their nests on the ground. And as for me, I shall continue tofollow their example.... It suits me very well," he added.

  Jolly Robin couldn't help laughing, the sight struck him as being suchan odd one.

  "It's a wonder--" he remarked--"it's a wonder your wife doesn't buryher eggs in the sand beside the creek, like old Mrs. Turtle."

  "I'd thank you," said the Hermit, stiffly, "not to say such thingsabout my wife." And though he spoke politely enough, his manner wasquite cold. It was clear that he felt terribly insulted.

  Jolly Robin saw that he had blundered. And wishing to change thesubject, he said hastily:

  "Won't you sing another song?"

  So the Hermit cleared his throat and began to sing again.

  Although this song was not so sad as the first one, Jolly Robin didnot like it half so well. The chorus, especially, he considered quiteoffensive. And it is not surprising, perhaps, that it displeased him,for this is the way it went:

  "Any old vest May do for the rest; But _I_ like a spotted one best!"

  If it hadn't been for that song, Jolly Robin would not have rememberedthat he had intended to speak to his cousin about his spottedwaistcoat. Jolly had been so interested in the nest on the ground thatthe matter of the waistcoat had slipped out of his mind. But now hesuddenly recalled the reason why he had come to see the Hermit. And hedisliked his cousin's spotted finery more than ever.

  Thereupon, he resolved that he would speak about it, too.

  XV

  LOST--A COUSIN!

  When the Hermit Thrush had finished his song about the spotted vest,he looked at his cousin Jolly Robin out of the corner of his eye.

  "How do you like that one?" he inquired. He noticed that Jolly was notlaughing.

  "That seems to me to be a very silly song," Jolly Robin said. "But I'mglad you sang it, because it has reminded me that I was going to speakto you about that spotted waistcoat you're so fond of wearing."

  "What's the matter with my waistcoat?" the Hermit asked quickly. "I'msure it's a very handsome one."

  "I don't like it!" Jolly told him. "I wouldn't be caught with it on mefor anything. Everybody says that you're a great dandy because youwear it. And since you're my cousin, I think I ought to tell you whatpeople are saying about you."

  "I don't care what people say!" the Hermit exclaimed. "Those thatdon't like my beautiful waistcoat can look the other way when I'maround. And if my style of dress doesn't please you, I'd suggest thatyou keep out of this swamp."

  "Now, don't get angry!" Jolly Robin begged. He gave his cousin asmile, hoping that it might make him feel pleasanter. "I was onlytrying to help you. I was only going to advise you to wear a redwaistcoat, like mine."

  Now, the mere thought of wearing a red waistcoat made the Hermit feelfaint. Some people say that all great singers are like that. If theydon't like a thing, they can't bear even to think about it. And it wasa fact that the words "red waistcoat" had always made Jolly Robin'scousin shudder.

  Maybe one reason why he never went to visit Jolly was because hecouldn't endure the sight of his bright red vest.

  Of course, Jolly Robin knew nothing about all this.

  "Red would be very becoming to you," he continued. "And it's certainlya cheerful color, too. You need brightening up. I don't believe it'sgood for you, living in this damp swamp and singing sad songs. Whatyou ought to do is to get some clothes like mine and bring your wifeover to Farmer Green's orchard and build a nest in an apple tree....We could have some gay times together," he said smilingly.

  Like many other people Jolly Robin thought his own ways were the best.And since the Hermit was just as sure that nobody else knew how todress, or how to sing, or how to build a house as well as he did, itis quite plain that the two cousins never could agree.

&nb
sp; "Just tell your wife about my plan when she comes home," said JollyRobin. "And I'll fly over to-morrow and show you the way to theorchard."

  "I'll tell her," his cousin promised.

  "Good!" said Jolly Robin. And he gave his delicate cousin a heartyslap on the back, which made the poor fellow wince--for it hurt himnot a little. "Good-by!" Jolly cried. And chirping loudly, he flewback home.

  Now, Jolly noticed, as he left, that his cousin called "Farewell!" ina melancholy tone. But he thought no more about it at the time. Hetold his wife the good news as soon as he reached the orchard; forJolly was sure that his cousin the Hermit was going to follow hisadvice.

  But the next day Jolly met with a great surprise. When he went to theswamp near Black Creek he couldn't find his cousin anywhere--nor hiscousin's wife, either. Even their three eggs had disappeared from thenest on the ground.

  "I hope Fatty Coon hasn't eaten the eggs," said Jolly Robin, as hegazed into the empty nest. "But it's no more than anybody could expectwho's so foolish as to build a nest on the ground." He grew quiteuneasy. And he was puzzled, too.

  Later, when Jolly Robin met old Mr. Crow, he learned that his cousin,the Hermit Thrush, and his wife had moved away from the swamp theevening before.

  "They've left for parts unknown," old Mr. Crow explained. "I saw themwhen they started. And when I asked your cousin where they were going,he said that they didn't know, but they were hoping to find somepeaceful neighborhood where they had no relations."