V

GRANDFATHER FROG JUMPS JUST IN TIME


Back and forth over the Green Meadows sailed Whitetail the Marsh Hawk.
Like Longlegs the Blue Heron, he was hungry. His sharp eyes peered down
among the grasses, looking for something to eat, but some good fairy
seemed to have warned the very little people who live there that
Whitetail was out hunting. Perhaps it was one of Old Mother West Wind's
children, the Merry Little Breezes. You know they are always flitting
about trying to do some one a good turn.

They love to dance and romp and play
From dawn to dusk the livelong day,
But more than this they love to find
A chance to do some favor kind.

Anyway, little Mr. Green Snake seemed to know that Whitetail was out
hunting and managed to keep out of sight. Danny Meadow Mouse wasn't to
be found. Only a few foolish grasshoppers rewarded his patient search,
and these only served to make him feel hungrier than ever. But old
Whitetail has a great deal of persistence, and in spite of his bad luck,
he kept at his hunting, back and forth, back and forth, until he had
been all over the Green Meadows. At last he made up his mind that he was
wasting time there.