see it clearly

Grandfather Frog Sends Out Invitations

By Thornton W. Burgess

Billy Mink had gone off up the Laughing Brook feeling most uncomfortable. Grandfather Frog had watched him go. When Billy Mink was out of sight, Grandfather Frog suddenly smiled to himself, then he opened his big mouth very wide and laughed and laughed without making a sound.

Pretty soon Grandfather frog beckoned to the Merry Little Breezes who were playing on the bank. At once they stopped teasing the butter-cups and daisies and hurried to gather around Grandfather Frog as he sat on his big, green lily-pad in the Smiling Pool.

"Chugarum!" said Grandfather Frog. "How would you like a story?" The Merry Little Breezes clapped their hands and danced for joy.

"Ever and ever and ever so much! Oh, ever so much, Grandfather Frog!"

"All right you shall have it if --" Grandfather paused and his eyes twinkled.

"If what, Grandfather Frog?" cried one of the Merry Little Breezes, anxiously.

"If you will do a favor for me," replied Grandfather Frog.

"Of course we will, Grandfather Frog! of course we will!" shouted the Merry Little Breezes all together.

Then Grandfather Frog whispered to the Merry Little Breezes and sent them hurrying over the Green Meadows and through the Green Forest.

One found Happy Jack Squirrel. "Grandfather Frog invites you to be at the Big Hickory Tree by the Smiling Pool at sundown tonight, and he said to be ready to climb your fastest," said the Merry Little Breeze.

Happy Jack smiled. "I will be there!" said he.

Another Merry Little Breeze hunted until he found Peter Rabbit. "Grandfather Frog invites you to come to the Smiling Pool at sundown and be ready to show how fast you can fun," said the Merry Little Breeze.

"I will be there!" said Peter Rabbit with a chuckle.

A third Little Breeze invited Johnny chuck to come and show how he can dig, and a fourth Little Breeze invited Jumper the Hare to come and show how he can jump. The other Merry Little Breezes invited all the rest of the little meadow people and forest folks to be at the Smiling Pool at sundown, and, of course, everybody agreed to come.

All this time, Billy Mink knew nothing of what Grandfather Frog and the Merry Little Breezes were doing. He had boasted that he could do anything that any of the others could do, and Grandfather Frog had said that he could find someone who could do something that Billy Mink couldn't do, and had called Billy Mink a boaster.

Now Billy Mink was waiting for sundown, and feeling very uncomfortable as he waited. He would have felt more uncomfortable had he known of Grandfather Frog's invitations.