Bumper the White Rabbit — Bumper becomes the white king of the rabbits
STORY XVI
BUMPER BECOMES THE WHITE KING OF THE RABBITS
What Bumper saw and smelt when he hopped into the burrow under the rocks made a great impression upon his mind.
It was a large burrow directly under the huge rock, with no other entrance to it than the one through the hollow tree trunk.
No wonder the fox couldn't reach the rabbits!
They were as well protected from him as if they lived in a house of stone.
There were all sizes of rabbits around him--little ones scarcely able to hop around without falling over, big, husky fellows with fierce looking muzzles and eyes, and very old ones who seemed too feeble to move very fast.
But it was the one who had commanded the others to let Bumper in that attracted his attention the most.
He had been a big, stalwart rabbit at one time, and his frame was still large and angular, but age had shrunken his body and haunches, and his cheeks were thin and wrinkled.
The eyes stared straight at Bumper as though they would go right through him.
It was not until later that Bumper understood it was blindness that made that stare seem so penetrating.
"Tell me your name again!"
this old patriarch said when Bumper stood trembling before him.
"Bumper the White Rabbit!"
The old one hopped nearer, using one of his companions as a guide.
"Is it true," he asked finally, turning to the others, "that he's white?"
"Yes," they all responded in chorus.
"No gray or brown hairs on him?"
"No gray or brown hairs on him."
"Be sure!"
commanded the old leader.
"Lick them to see if the gray shows underneath."
Several obeyed this order, and Bumper felt as if he was being washed all over, so vigorously did the tongues of his cousins lick him to discover any fraud.
"He still remains white," one of the rabbits said finally.
"There are no gray or brown hairs underneath."
"That is well!"
ejaculated the blind leader.
"Now tell me the color of his eyes."
"Pink!"
they cried.
"Ah!"
The blind rabbit seemed suddenly excited and trembled with emotion.
"Pure white, you say, and pink eyes!
Is he a young rabbit, or very, very old?"
"He is young, no older than Piggy."
"Then it must be true," murmured the old blind patriarch.
"It must be true."
The others were all quiet, and waited for their wise, blind leader to speak again.
This he did after a long pause.
"Years ago," he began slowly, "there was a white rabbit who was sent to us as a leader.
He was the wisest and shrewdest and bravest of our kind.
Where he came from no one knew.
We made him king, and he ruled wisely and well for many years.
He died before I was born, and that you know was a long time ago.
Before he died he told us that some day another white rabbit, with pink eyes, would come to us, and his coming would be as strange and unknown as his."
The speaker stopped and seemed to weigh his words.
All the rabbits held their breaths, and glanced from the blind leader to Bumper.
"When he came--this white rabbit, with pink eyes--we were to receive him and make him our king and leader.
His wisdom would be greater than that of all ours combined, and in time he would deliver us from our enemies.
You know how it is with us in the woods here.
We're the meekest and most innocent of the wild animals.
Even the birds prey upon us at times, and Mr. Fox and Buster the Bear hold us in contempt because we cannot defend ourselves.
We would live on friendly terms with all the wild creatures of the woods, but they won't let us."
He sighed, and then continued: "Our only weapon is our teeth, but we never use them except to chew our food.
Yet they are as sharp as those of the Squirrel, and nearly as long as those of the Fox.
Yet we don't know how to use them in defence, or if we do we're too timid to attempt it.
We're cowardly, and easily get frightened so that our enemies kill us without danger to themselves.
They all hold us in contempt here in the woods."
This remarkable speech made many of the rabbits drop their heads in dejection, for the truth of it was all too well known to them.
"But this new leader and king was to deliver us from our fear and timidity," the blind speaker continued.
"He was to show us how we could make friends with all through his wisdom and foresight.
We have been waiting for him for many, many years, and now that he has come we should be glad and joyful.
Let us do homage to Bumper the White Rabbit, for he is our new leader and king!
I am happy to live to see the day come when I could welcome him!
My only regret is that age has blinded me, and I cannot see him with my own eyes.
I could die in peace then!"
With that the blind, old rabbit humbled himself before Bumper and kissed one of his paws.
This apparently was the signal for all the others to do likewise.
They came to him in turn, and promised to follow and obey his word, secretly admiring his white fur and pink eyes.
To Bumper this sudden change of hostility to abject admiration and worship was embarrassing.
His mind was all in a whirl, and when the others knelt before him and kissed his paw he could find no words to say.
He simply smiled as graciously as he could, and accepted the homage in silence.
Without knowing it this was the correct thing to do.
It was more impressive than if he had protested or tried to explain that there was a mistake.
He was almost king-like in his attitude without trying to be so.
It all seemed like a dream to him.
He was led away to the choicest sleeping part of the burrow, and attendants brought him food and drink.
There was always some one to wait on him no matter what he wanted to do.
It was slightly embarrassing at first, but, as the novelty of it wore off he accepted the situation with a smile.
"If they take me for their king, why not act the part?"
he asked himself.
"I believe I could do it.
I certainly look more like a king than any of the others.
And I'm prettier than any of my cousins."
Bumper was in danger of getting intolerably conceited, and for a time he showed it; but his better sense came to his rescue finally.
"If I'm going to be their king and leader," he concluded, "I'll try to be a wise and good one.
I'll not disappoint them.
I'll listen to Mr. Blind Rabbit, and when I know all he does I'll try to use the knowledge for the good of all the rabbits in the woods."
So Bumper the White Rabbit did not regret his loss of the red-headed girl and the beautiful garden, for in becoming the king of the wild rabbits he had a greater career before him, and how well he acquitted himself in that position we shall see in future stories, in the book entitled "Bumper the White Rabbit in the Woods."
------------------------------------------------------------------------ WHITE TAIL'S ADVENTURES
STORY I
White Tail Jumps Stepping Stone Brook White Tail grew rapidly in size and strength, his long, clean limbs showing taut muscles and great springing power; and his neck grew thick and short, which is well for a buck, who must use it in savage thrusts when the head is a battering ram.
His horns were short and bony, but they protruded in front like knobs against which it would be unpleasant to fall.
But his antlers were his pride.
They spread out fan-shape on his head, crowning it with a glory that made Mother Deer supremely happy.
At times it seemed as if the antlers were too heavy for the head and neck, but White Tail carried them easily, and when he shook them in sport or anger any one could see they were just fitted to him.
In time he stood as high as Father Buck, and a head taller than Mother Deer.
The day the tip of his antlers reached an inch above Father Buck's, he felt a little thrill of pride.
The continuation of this interesting story will be found in WHITE TAIL THE DEER'S ADVENTURES
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ WASHER THE RACCOON
STORY ONE
Washer's First Adventure Washer was the youngest of a family of three Raccoons, born in the woods close to the shores of Beaver Pond, and not half a mile from Rocky Falls where the water, as you know, turns into silvery spray that sparkles in the sun-shine like diamonds and rubies.
And, indeed, the animals and birds of the North Woods much prefer this glittering spray and foam that rise in a steady cloud from the bottom of the falls to all the jewels and gems ever dug out of the earth!
For, though each drop sparkles but a moment, and then vanishes from sight, there are a million others to follow it, and when you bathe in them they wash and scour away the dirt, and make you clean and fresh in body and soul.
Washer had his first great adventure at Rocky Falls, and it is a wonder that he ever lived to tell the tale, for the water which flows over the falls is almost as cruel and terrible as it Is sparkling and inviting.
But...
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ WHITE TAIL THE DEER
STORY I
White Tail's First Lesson High among the timberland of the North Woods White Tail the Deer was born, and if you had stumbled upon his home in the thickets you would have been surprised by a noise like the rushing of the wind, and then by a very remarkable silence that could almost be felt.
The first was made by Mother White Tail as she deserted her young and took to quick flight.
White Tail, crouching low down in the bushes, so still that he scarcely moved a hair, would hide his beautiful head in the branches and leaves like an obedient child.
Left alone he knew that his one chance of escape was not to move or whimper or cry.
That was the first lesson White Tail was taught by his mother--to keep absolutely quiet in the presence of danger.
When he was so small that he could hardly hold up his head, she whispered to him: "Listen, White Tail!
When I give the signal that the hunters are coming, you must flatten yourself down..."
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUSTER THE BIG BROWN BEAR'S ADVENTURES
STORY I
Buster Visits His Birthplace Buster's return to the North Woods, after his many travels in different parts of the country as a trick bear in a circus, was an important event to him.
He had been away so long--ever since he was a little cub--that nothing seemed familiar to him.
His recollection of the river that flowed in front of the cave where he had been born was very dim and uncertain, and he was not sure which way to go when he had crossed it.
Browny the Woodchuck had informed him that he was in the North Woods when he waded up on shore, but Browny had an important engagement with his family, and immediately left him.
Happy and excited that he was now free in the woods, and no longer in danger of being pursued and captured, Buster for a time was satisfied in roaming around in the bushes, eating the wild fruit and berries.
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ BOBBY GRAY SQUIRREL'S ADVENTURES
STORY I
An Adventure With Dasher the Hawk When Bobby Gray Squirrel left the deserted house where he had spent the winter with Stripe the Chipmunk and Web the Flying Squirrel, not to mention White Foot the Deer Mouse, he was in a very serious mood, and his first thought was to go right to work to build a home for himself in some friendly tree, and stock it early with nuts for winter use.
His experience that winter, before he had found his fortune in the bag of nuts in the tower room, had made him very thoughtful.
"I'm not going to put off work again that should be done to-day," he said to himself as he frisked along from tree to tree.
"I can't expect to have such good luck another winter.
But my!"
--smiling in recollection--"those nuts were delicious!"
He smacked his lips at the thought, and right on top of it came the low trill of a bird.
It was Goldy the Oriole, who had just returned north.
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUSTER THE BIG BROWN BEAR
STORY I
When Buster Was a Cub In the North Woods where Buster was born, a wide river tinkles merrily over stones that are so white you'd mistake them for snowballs, if you were not careful, and begin pelting each other with them.
The birches hanging over the water look like white sticks of peppermint candy, except in the spring of the year when they blossom out in green leaves, and then they make you think of fairyland where everything is painted the colors of the rainbow.
The rocks that slope up from the bank of the river are dented and broken as if some giant in the past had smashed them with his hammer, cracking some and punching deep holes in others.
It was in one of these holes, or caves, that Buster was born.
He didn't mind the hard rocky floor of his bed a bit, nor did he mind the darkness, nor the cold winds that swept through the open doorway.
He was so well protected by his...
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT AND HIS FRIENDS
STORY I
Bumper and Sleepy the Opossum Bumper, after working hard to trick his enemies so they would be more afraid of the rabbits in the woods, had decided the ways of peace were better than those of war.
Not that he was going to permit Sneaky the Wolf or Loup the Lynx to pounce upon his people and eat them up without fighting, but instead of going around with a chip on his shoulder, expecting and looking for trouble, he intended to make friends of all the animals and birds, and be helpful to them.
It is wonderful how much good to others we can overlook if we go about with our eyes shut.
There is plenty to do if we look for it.
So Bumper found in a short time that he had missed a good deal in always looking for the worst in others instead of for the best.
Only a few days after his change of plans, which was told of in a former book, Bumper stumbled upon Sleepy the Opossum in a tree, with his eyes closed in slumber.
At first he...
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ BOBBY GRAY SQUIRREL
Bobby's Introduction There are many squirrels living in the North Woods, but only one real Bobby Gray Squirrel, and if you saw him once you would never mistake him for any other.
Bobby was a gay, rollicking happy-go-lucky fellow, who believed in enjoying himself to-day and letting the morrow take care of itself.
He wasn't exactly lazy, but he didn't believe in doing work that wasn't actually necessary, and sometimes, I'm afraid, he forgot to do what was really necessary.
Bobby had many friends in the woods, and they all liked him and smiled at him, but there were some who thought his careless ways might get him in trouble some day.
So instead of chattering pleasantly with him, they shook their heads and preached to him.
"Why don't you get busy these pleasant days, Bobby, and store up food for the winter?"
Gray Back the Weasel asked reprovingly one bright, sunny day.
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT IN THE WOODS
STORY I
Bumper Hunts With The Pack Bumper the White Rabbit, when he escaped from Edith, the red-headed girl who owned the garden where he lived, found his way into the woods, and, after many adventures with the Bats, the Crow, the Fox and Buster the Bear, he was adopted by the wild rabbits as their leader and king.
The Old Blind Rabbit welcomed him, and told the story of how it was prophesied that some day a pure white rabbit, with pink eyes, would come to deliver them from their enemies, and teach them how to live in the woods without fear of danger.
No one had been more surprised than Bumper at this sudden welcome.
At first he was for telling them he was no leader, and not fit to be their king; but, as he was very lonely and without a...
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT AND HIS FOES
STORY I
Bumper Plans to Fight His Enemies Now in the reign of King Bumper and Queen Fuzzy Wuzz many things happened in the woods that made exciting times for the wild rabbits and their friends.
They came to pass in the first year of their reign, for Bumper the white rabbit was not content to be idle when his people were surrounded by so many enemies that their lives were never safe.
Some kings just eat and drink and make merry the live long day, and forget all about duty; but lots of such kings have lost their thrones, and others who have ruled wisely have been blessed with many friends, and when they died all the people mourned their loss.
Bumper the white rabbit intended to be a good and wise ruler, and therefore he spent much time in trying to think of ways to help his wild cousins of the woods.
The story of how he escaped from the garden owned by the...
The continuation of this interesting story will be found in BUMPER THE WHITE RABBIT AND HIS FOES
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------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
1. Punctuation has been normalized to contemporary standards.
2. Frontispiece illustration relocated to after title page.
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