The Tale of Solomon Owl Page 4

  "Come back to-morrow at this time," he said.

  XVININE FIGHTS

  The next evening, just at dusk, Jasper Jay and old Mr. Crow returned toSolomon Owl's house, looking much bedraggled. One of Mr. Crow's eyes wasalmost closed; and Jasper Jay's crest seemed to have been torn half offhis head.

  "What's the matter?" asked Solomon, as soon as he saw them.

  "We've had three fights," said Jasper Jay.

  "Yes! And I've whipped him each time!" cried Mr. Crow. "So I must be inthe right. And you'd better decide our dispute in my favor at once."

  But Solomon Owl was still in no hurry.

  "It's a difficult question to settle,' said he. 'I don't want to make anymistake. So I shall have to ask you to come back here to-morrow at thistime."

  Both Jasper and Mr. Crow seemed disappointed. Although Mr. Crow had woneach fight, he was very weary, for he was older than Jasper Jay.

  As they went off, Solomon Owl began to feel much pleased with himself.

  The following evening, at sunset, old Mr. Crow and Jasper Jay visitedSolomon Owl once more. And they looked more battered than ever.

  "We've had three more fights," said Mr. Crow.

  "Yes! And I won each time!" Jasper Jay piped up. "So I must be in theright. And you'd better decide in my favor without any further delay."

  Solomon Owl thought deeply for some time.

  "Maybe I ought to wait until to-morrow----" he began.

  But his callers both shouted "No!"

  "Well," said Solomon, "Mr. Crow has won three fights; and Jasper Jay haswon three. So it is certain that each must be in the wrong."

  But that announcement did not satisfy Jasper and Mr. Crow. And they leftthe hemlock grove, disputing more loudly than ever.

  And the next day, at dusk, they came back again.

  "We've had three more fights; and I won!" they both cried at the sametime.

  "That proves my claim," said Solomon Owl. "You're both wrong."

  They whispered together for a few minutes.

  "We don't like your way of settling disputes," Mr. Crow remarked shortly."But we've decided to stop quarreling."

  "Good!" said Solomon Owl. "That shows that you are sensible."

  "Yes!" replied Jasper. "We've decided to stop quarreling and fight _you_!"

  "Wait a moment!" said Solomon Owl hastily, as they drew nearer. "I don'twant my new suit spoiled." And he ducked inside the hollow tree beforethey could reach him.

  Jasper and Mr. Crow waited and waited. But Solomon Owl did not reappear.And since his two visitors did not dare follow him into the dark cavernwhere he lived, they decided at last that they would go home--and get intobed.

  "Let's take away his sign, anyhow!" Jasper Jay suggested.

  So they pulled down Solomon's sign, which said "Disputes Settled Within,"and they carried it off with them and hid it in some bushes.

  That same night Solomon Owl hunted for it for a long time. But he neverfound it.

  He decided not to hang out another, for he saw that settling disputes wasa dangerous business.

  XVIICOUSIN SIMON SCREECHER

  Solomon Owl had a small cousin named Simon Screecher. He was unlikeSolomon in some respects, because he always wore ear-tufts, and his eyeswere yellow instead of black. But in some other ways he was no differentfrom Solomon Owl, for he was a noisy chap and dearly loved mice--to eat.

  It happened that the two met in the woods one fine fall evening; and theyagreed to go hunting mice together.

  Now, being so much smaller than Solomon, Simon Screecher was all thespryer. In fact, he was so active that he could catch mice faster thanSolomon Owl could capture them. And they had not hunted long beforeSolomon discovered that Simon had succeeded in disposing of six mice tohis three.

  That discovery did not please Solomon at all.

  "Look here!" he said. "Since we are hunting together it's only fair todivide what we catch, half and half."

  Simon Screecher hesitated. But after reflecting that his cousin was verybig and very strong, he agreed to Solomon's suggestion.

  So they resumed their hunting. And every time one of them caught two mice,he gave one mouse to his cousin.

  Still Solomon Owl was not satisfied.

  "Wait a moment!" Solomon called to Simon Screecher. "It has just occurredto me that I am more than twice as big as you are; so I ought to havetwice as many mice as you."

  This time Simon Screecher hesitated longer. He did not like the secondsuggestion even as well as the first. And in the end he said as much, too.

  But Solomon Owl insisted that it was only fair.

  "You surely ought to be glad to please your own cousin," he told Simon.

  "It's not that," said Simon Screecher. "It seems to me that since I'm nothalf your size, I ought to have twice as many mice to eat, so I'll growbigger."

  Well, Solomon Owl hadn't thought of that. He was puzzled to know what tosay. And he wanted time in which to ponder.

  "I'll think over what you say," he told Simon Screecher. "And now, sinceit's almost dawn, we'd better not hunt any longer to-night. But I'll meetyou again at dusk if you'll come to my house."

  "Very well, Cousin Solomon!" Simon answered. "I'm sure that after you'vehad a good sleep you'll be ready to agree with me."

  "If that's the case, I may not take any nap at all," Solomon replied.

  "Oh! You ought to have your rest!" his cousin exclaimed. Simon knew thatif Solomon went all day without sleep he would be frightfully peevish bynightfall.

  "Well--I'll try to get forty winks," Solomon promised. "But I don't believeI can get more than that, because I have so much on my mind that I'm sureto be wakeful."

  Simon Screecher was somewhat worried as they parted. His wailing,tremulous whistle, which floated through the shadowy woods, showed that hewas far from happy.

  XVIIIXVIII - A COUSINLY QUARREL

  It proved to be just as Solomon Owl had told his cousin, Simon Screecher.Solomon had so much on his mind that he had no sooner fallen asleep thanhe awoke again, to study over the question that perplexed him. Hecertainly did not want Simon to have twice as many mice as he. But Simon'sargument was a good one. He had said that since Solomon was more thantwice his size, it was proper that he should have a chance to grow. Andeverybody knew--Solomon reflected--everybody knew that _eating_ made onelarger.

  The longer Solomon pondered, the farther he seemed from any answer that heliked. And he had begun to fear that he would not succeed in getting morethan thirty-nine winks all day--instead of forty--when all at once an ideacame into his mind.

  Solomon knew right away that he had nothing more to worry about. Hedropped into a sound sleep with a pleasant smile upon his usually solemnface. And when he opened his eyes again it was time for Simon Screecher toarrive.

  Yes! Solomon could hear his cousin's whistle even then. So he hurried tohis door; and there was Simon, sitting on a limb of the big hemlockwaiting for him!

  "It's all right!" said Solomon to his cousin. "I agree to your suggestion.We'll hunt together again to-night; and if you will give me one-third ofall the mice you catch, I promise to give you two-thirds of all the micethat I capture."

  "Good!" said Simon Screecher. And he looked vastly relieved. "Just hootwhen you have any mice for me!"

  "Whistle when you have any for me!" Solomon Owl replied.

  And at that they started out for their night's sport. It was not longbefore Simon Screecher's well known whistle brought Solomon hurrying tohim. Simon already had three mice, one of which he gave to Solomon,according to their agreement.

  That same thing happened several times; until at last Simon Screecherbegan to grumble.

  "What's the matter?" he asked his cousin. "You are not hooting, as youpromised you would."

  "But I haven't caught any mice yet!" Solomon Owl replied.

  [_Illustration 3_]

  "It's All Right," Said Solomon

  Again and again and again Simon's call
summoned Solomon. But not once didSolomon's summon Simon. And all the time Simon Screecher grew morediscontented. Toward the end of the night he declared flatly that hewasn't going to hunt any more with his cousin.

  "I've done exactly as I agreed!" Solomon Owl protested.

  "You're altogether too slow and clumsy," Simon Screecher told him bluntly."If I'm going to hunt with anybody after this I'm going to choose someonethat's as spry as I am. There's no sense in my working for you. Here I'vetoiled all night long and I'm still hungry, for I've given you a third ofmy food."

  They parted then--and none too pleasantly.

  In Simon's whistle, as he flew away toward his home, there wasunmistakable anger. But Solomon Owl's answering hoots--while they were notexactly sweet--seemed to carry more than a hint of laughter.

  One would naturally think that Solomon might have been even hungrier thanhis small cousin. But it was not so. He had had more to eat than usual;for he had been very busy catching locusts and katydids--and frogs, too.Solomon Owl had not tried to catch a single mouse that night.

  You know now the idea that had come to him while he was lying awake in hishouse during the daytime. He had made up his mind that he would not huntfor _mice_. And since he had not promised Simon to give him anything else,there was no reason why he should not eat all the frogs and katydids andlocusts that he could find.

  Perhaps it was not surprising that Simon Screecher never guessed thetruth. But he seemed to know that there was something queer about thatnight's hunting, for he never came to Solomon Owl's house again.

  XIXTHE SLEET STORM

  It was winter. And for several days a strong south wind had swept upPleasant Valley. That--as Solomon Owl knew very well--that meant a thaw wascoming. He was not sorry, because the weather had been bitterly cold.

  Well, the thaw came. And the weather grew so warm that Solomon Owl couldstay out all night without once feeling chilled. He found the change soagreeable that he strayed further from home than was his custom. Indeed,he was far away on the other side of Blue Mountain at midnight, when itbegan to rain.

  Now, that was not quite so pleasant. But still Solomon did not mindgreatly. It was not until later that he began to feel alarmed, when henoticed that flying did not seem so easy as usual.

  Solomon had grown heavy all at once--and goodness knows it was not becausehe had overeaten, for food was scarce at that season of the year.Moreover, Solomon's wings were strangely stiff. When he moved them they_crackled_.

  "It must be my joints," he said to himself. "I'm afraid this wetting hasgiven me rheumatism." So he started home at once--though it was onlymidnight. But the further he went, the worse he felt--and the harder it wasto fly.

  "I'll have to rest a while," he said to himself at last. So he alighted ona limb; for he was more tired than he had ever been in all his life.

  But he soon felt so much better that he was ready to start on again. Andthen, to his dismay, Solomon Owl found that he could hardly stir. Themoment he left his perch he floundered down upon the ground. And though hetried his hardest, he couldn't reach the tree again.

  The rain was still beating down steadily. And Solomon began to think it abad night to be out. What was worse, the weather was fast turning cold.

  "I'm afraid I'll have to stay in bed a week after this," he groaned. "If Isit here long, as wet as I am, while the thaw turns into a _freeze_, Ishall certainly be ill."

  Now, if it hadn't been for the rain, Solomon Owl would have had no troubleat all. Or if it hadn't been for the freezing cold he would have been inno difficulty. Though he didn't know it, his trouble was simply this: Therain froze upon him as

  fast as it fell, covering him with a coating of ice. It was no wonder thathe felt strangely heavy--no wonder that he couldn't fly.

  There he crouched on the ground, while the rain and sleet beat upon him.And the only comforting thought that entered his head was that on sostormy a night Tommy Fox and Fatty Coon would be snug and warm in theirbeds. _They_ wouldn't go out in such weather.

  And Solomon Owl wished that he, too, had stayed at home that night.

  From midnight until almost dawn Solomon Owl sat there. Now and then hetried to fly. But it was no use. He could scarcely raise himself off theground.

  At last he decided he would have to _walk_ home. Fortunately, a hard crustcovered the soft snow. So Solomon started off on his long journey.

  Flying, Solomon could have covered the distance in a few minutes. But hewas a slow walker. By the time he reached his home among the hemlocks thesun was shining brightly--for the rain had stopped before daybreak.

  Solomon wondered how he would ever succeed in reaching his doorway, highup in the hollow tree. He gazed helplessly upward. And as he sat theremournfully the bright sunshine melted the ice that bound his wings. Aftera time he discovered that he could move freely once more. And then he rosequickly in the air and in a twinkling he had disappeared into the darknessof his home--that darkness which to him was always so pleasant.

  XXA PAIR OF RED-HEADS

  In the woods there was hardly one of Solomon Owl's neighbors that couldn'tpoint out the big hemlock tree where he lived. And mischievous fellowslike Reddy Woodpecker sometimes annoyed Solomon a good deal by rappingloudly on his door. When he thrust his head angrily out of his house andblinked in the sunlight, his tormentors would skip away and laugh. Theylaughed because they knew that they had awakened Solomon Owl. And theydodged out of his reach because he was always ill-tempered when anybodydisturbed his rest in the daytime.

  Solomon Owl did not mind so _very_ much so long as that trick was notplayed on him too often. But after a time it became one of ReddyWoodpecker's favorite sports. Not only once, but several times a day didhe go to the hemlock grove to hammer upon Solomon's hollow tree. And eachtime that he brought Solomon Owl to his door Reddy Woodpecker laughed moreloudly than ever before.

  Once Solomon forgot to take off his nightcap (though he wore it in thedaytime, it really was a nightcap). And Reddy Woodpecker was so amusedthat he shouted at the top of his lungs.

  "What's the joke?" asked Solomon Owl in his deep, rumbling voice. He triedto look very severe. But it is hard to look any way except funny with anightcap on one's head.

  As luck had it, Jasper Jay came hurrying up just then. He had heard ReddyWoodpecker's laughter. And if there was a joke he wanted to enjoy it, too.

  Jasper Jay, alighting in a small hemlock near Reddy Woodpecker, asked thesame question that Solomon Owl had just put to his rude caller.

  "What's the joke?" inquired Jasper Jay.

  Reddy could not speak. He was rocking back and forth upon a limb, chokingand gasping for breath. But he managed to point to the big tree whereSolomon Owl lived.

  And when Jasper looked, and saw Solomon's great, round, pale, questioningface, all tied up in a red nightcap, he began to scream.

  They were no ordinary screams--those shrieks of Jasper Jay's. Thatblue-coated rascal was the noisiest of all the feathered folk in PleasantValley. And now he fairly made the woods echo with his hoarse cries.

  "This is the funniest sight I've ever seen!" Jasper Jay said at last, tonobody in particular. "I declare, there's a pair of them!"

  At that, Reddy Woodpecker suddenly stopped laughing.

  "A pair of what?" he asked.

  "A pair of red-heads, of course!" Jasper Jay replied. "You've a redcap--and so has he!" Jasper pointed at Solomon Owl (a very rude thing todo!).

  Then two things happened all at once. Solomon Owl snatched off his rednight-cap--which he had quite forgotten. And Reddy Woodpecker dashed atJasper Jay. He couldn't pull off _his_ red cap, for it grew right on hishead.

  "So that's what you're laughing at, is it?" he cried angrily. And thennobody laughed any more--that is, nobody but Solomon Owl.

  Solomon was so pleased by the fight that followed between Jasper Jay andReddy Woodpecker that his deep, rumbling laughter could be heard for halfan hour--even if it _was_ midday. "_Wha-wha! Whoo-ah!_" The sound reachedthe ears of Farmer
Green, who was just crossing a neighboring field, onhis way home to dinner.

  "Well, well!" he exclaimed. "I wonder what's happened to that old owl!Something must have tickled him--for I never heard an owl laugh in broaddaylight before."

  XXIAT HOME IN THE HAYSTACK

  After what happened when he came to his door without remembering to takeoff his red nightcap, Solomon Owl hoped that Reddy Woodpecker would stopteasing him.

  But it was not so. Having once viewed Solomon's red cap, Reddy Woodpeckerwanted to see it some more. So he came again and again and knocked onSolomon's door.

  Solomon Owl, however, remembered each time to remove his nightcap beforesticking his head out. And it might be said that neither of them wasexactly pleased. For Reddy Woodpecker was disappointed; and Solomon Owlwas angry.

  Not a day passed that Reddy Woodpecker didn't disturb Solomon's rest atleast a dozen times. Perhaps if Solomon had just kept still inside hishouse Reddy would have grown tired of bothering him. But Solomon Owl--forall he looked so wise--never thought of that.

  But he saw before a great while that he would have to make a change ofsome sort--if he wanted to enjoy a good, quiet sleep again.

  For a long time Solomon Owl pondered. It was a great puzzle--to know justhow to outwit Reddy Woodpecker. And Solomon almost despaired of finding away out of the difficulty. But at last an idea came to him, all in aflash. He would take his daytime naps somewhere else!