The Tale of Grumpy Weasel Sleepy-Time Tales   By: Arthur Scott Bailey (1877-1949)

SLEEPY TIME TALES (Trademark Registered)

BY ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY

AUTHOR OF TUCK ME IN TALES (Trademark Registered)

The Tale of Cuffy Bear The Tale of Frisky Squirrel The Tale of Tommy Fox The Tale of Fatty Coon The Tale of Billy Woodchuck The Tale of Jimmy Rabbit The Tale of Peter Mink The Tale of Sandy Chipmunk The Tale of Brownie Beaver The Tale of Paddy Muskrat The Tale of Ferdinand Frog The Tale of Dickie Deer Mouse The Tale of Timothy Turtle The Tale of Major Monkey The Tale of Benny Badger

[Illustration: Grumpy Weasel and Jimmy Rabbit Run a Race. Frontispiece ( Page 46 )]

SLEEPY TIME TALES (Trademark Registered)

THE TALE OF GRUMPY WEASEL

BY ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY

Author of "TUCK ME IN TALES" (Trademark Registered)

ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY L. SMITH

NEW YORK

GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS

Made in the United States of America

COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY GROSSET & DUNLAP

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I A SLIM RASCAL 1

II AT THE OLD STONE WALL 5

III MASTER ROBIN'S LESSON 9

IV HUNTING A HOLE 13

V SOLOMON OWL INTERRUPTS 18

VI MR. MEADOW MOUSE ESCAPES 23

VII PADDY MUSKRAT'S BLUNDER 28

VIII THE DARE 33

IX SAVING HIS FEET 38

X HA! AND HA, HA! 42

XI A LONG RACE 46

XII WINNING BY A TRICK 51

XIII SILLY MRS. HEN 56

XIV GRUMPY VANISHES 60

XV THE GREAT MYSTERY 64

XVI GUARDING THE CORNCRIB 69

XVII GRUMPY'S MISTAKE 73

XVIII POP! GOES THE WEASEL 78

XIX HIDING FROM HENRY HAWK 83

XX A FREE RIDE 88

XXI A NEW SUIT 93

XXII GRUMPY'S THREAT 98

XXIII A BOLD STRANGER 103

XXIV FUR AND FEATHERS 107

XXV PETER MINK'S PROMISE 112

XXVI HOW GRUMPY HELPED 116

THE TALE OF GRUMPY WEASEL

I

A SLIM RASCAL

Old Mr. Crow often remarked that if Grumpy Weasel really wanted to be of some use in the world he would spend his time at the sawmill filling knot holes in boards.

"He's so slender," Mr. Crow would say, "that he can push himself into a knot hole no bigger round than Farmer Green's thumb."

Naturally it did not please old Mr. Crow when Solomon Owl went out of his way one day to tell him that he was sadly mistaken. For after hearing some gossip repeat Mr. Crow's opinion Solomon Owl the wise old bird had given several long hoots and hurried off, though it was broad daylight, to set Mr. Crow right.

"The trouble " Solomon explained when he had found Mr. Crow on the edge of the woods "the trouble with your plan to have Grumpy Weasel work in the sawmill is that he wouldn't keep a knot hole filled longer than a jiffy. It's true that he can fit a very small hole. But if you'd ever watched him closely you'd know that he's in a hole and out the other side so fast you can scarcely see what happens. He's entirely too active to fill the bill."

Old Mr. Crow made a queer noise in his throat, which showed that Solomon Owl had made him angry.

"I never said anything about Grumpy Weasel's filling any bills," Mr. Crow spluttered. "Knot holes were what I had in mind. I've no doubt, though, that you'd like Grumpy Weasel to fill your own bill."