Peter Rabbit's New Year

By Thornton W. Burgess

Peter Rabbit was very happy. At first he couldn't think why he felt so happy. He just did, that was all. His heart was full of happiness, so full that it fairly bubbled over. It seemed to Peter that never had the dear Old Brier Patch looked so beautiful. The ground was covered with soft snow, and Peter wondered if ever before there was snow so white and pure and altogether lovely. It had made even the ugliest old bramble bush so beautiful that Peter held his breath as he looked at it. The Green Meadows were white, such a glistening, sparkling white that it was hard to believe that they ever had been green. Way over beyond, only the pine trees and the spruce trees and the hemlock trees retained their green needles that no one should forget that this was still the Green Forest.

"Dee-dee-dee! Happy New Year, Peter Rabbit! Happy New Year! Dee-dee-dee!" called a merry voice.

Peter looked up to see Tommy tit, the Chickadee, hanging head down from a branch of the ugliest old bramble bush, which was now so beautiful, and Tommy tit looked as happy at Peter felt. Peter jumped straight up in the air and kicked his long heels together. "That's it!" he cried excitedly. "I had forgotten all about it, but that's it! That's why I feel so happy."

"What's it?" asked Tommy Tit, just as if he didn't know.

"Why, New Year's Day, of course!" cried Peter. "Everybody must be happy on New Year's day because everybody wishes good wishes, and good wishes make happiness. I must hurry and leave my good wishes with all my friends, and I'll begin with you. I wish you a very, very Happy New Year, Tommy Tit!"

"Dee-dee-dee! Thank you, Peter Rabbit. Dee-dee-chickadee!" replied Tommy Tit and laughed a merry laugh as he watched Peter Rabbit scampering towards the Green Forest.

On the way there he stuck his head in at Jimmy Skunk's door. "Happy New Year!" he shouted.

"Too cold; altogether too cold," grumbled a sleep voice way down below.

Peter laughed. "It's just like Jimmy to say that, but he doesn't mean it at all," thought Peter as he hurried on. In the far corner of the Old Orchard he poked his head in at Johnny Chuck's door and shouted "Happy New Year," but he didn't wait for a reply because he knew that Johnny was fast asleep and would stay asleep all winter. But he felt better for having left his good wishes there, for he and Johnny are great friends.

Down in the Green Forest Peter heard a harsh voice screaming "Thief! thief! thief!" He hurried in that direction. "Happy New Year, Sammy Jay!" he shouted. "Thi --," Sammy stopped right in the middle of a scream. Peter looked up at him and smiled. Sammy started to scream again and then looked foolish and finally grinned sheepishly. "I wish you the same," said he, and screamed no more.

So all the bright day Peter hurried around leaving his good wishes. He left them with Unc' Billy Possum and Bobby Coon and Prickly Porky, the Porcupine. He even poked his head out of a hollow log and shouted them at Reddy Fox who happened along (that was why Peter was in the hollow log) and Reddy actually changed his mind about trying to catch Peter that day and politely wished Peter the best year of his life, for you know Reddy can be very polite when he pleases.

Late that afternoon Peter once more sat in the dear Old Brier Patch, and his heart fairly bubbled over with happiness. "I believe that wishing happiness for others is the surest way of getting happiness for oneself," thought Peter.

And you know and I know that Peter was just exactly right.