Sandman's Goodnight Stories

By Abbie Phillips Walker

Illustrated by Rhoda C. Chase

Harper & Brothers, Publishers

SANDMAN'S GOOD-NIGHT STORIES
Copyright, 1921, by Harper & Brothers

To My Sister
MARY P. BABCOCK
I Lovingly Dedicate
These Little Stories

CONTENTS

THE EATYOUP
THE TELL-TALE GOBLIN
DAME CRICKET'S STORY
THE PLAYROOM WEDDING
MORNING-GLORY
THE PEACOCK BUTTERFLIES
THE REVENGE OF THE GNOMES
THE LITTLE CHINA SHEPHERDESS
HOW THE BUTTERCUP GREW YELLOW
WAS IT THE FIELD FAIRY?
THE FROGS AND THE FAIRIES
JACK THE PREACHER
MR. CROW GOES AND TELLS
DISCONTENTED DEWDROP
INQUISITIVE MR. POSSUM
WHAT THE FLOWERS TOLD MARTHA
WHEN JACK FROST WAS YOUNG
THE REVENGE OF THE FIREFLIES
SALLIE HICKS'S FOREFINGER
THE RAIN ELVES
MR. FOX'S HOUSEWARMING
LITTLE PITCHER-MAN
THE WIND-FLOWER'S STORY
PUSSY WILLOW'S FURS
ORIANNA
OLD NORTH WIND
MR. FOX CUTS THE COTTONTAILS
LITTLE NEVER-UPSET

THE EATYOUP

The Eatyoup

Dicky Duck was a very wise young fellow. He swam about the pond alone long before his brothers left their mother, and such worms and bugs and things of that sort as he found made all the other young ducks quite green with envy.

But one day Dicky Duck almost lost his life by thinking he was so wise, for he was swimming around the pond when he came to the woods where Mr. Fox was hiding back of some bushes.

Dicky did not go near enough for Mr. Fox to catch him, but Mr. Fox could see that he was a nice plump duck and it made his eyes shine with longing to look at him.

"Ah me," he sighed as Dicky swam by, "if only I knew some wise creature to ask! I am far too dull to know anything myself."

When Dicky heard the word "wise" he felt sure that meant him, for was not he the wisest duck of his size and age? So he stopped swimming and looked around.

Mr. Fox had hidden himself well under the bushes now. Not even the tip of his nose could be seen and he made his voice sound very weak, as if he were a very small animal.

"Who is it that wants to know a wise creature?" asked Dicky Duck.

"Oh, a poor little animal called Eatyoup," answered Mr. Fox, laughing so at his joke that he could hardly speak. "I am very stupid and do not know much and I have no wise friends."

Dicky Duck had never heard of an Eatyoup, but he had no intention of letting anyone think there was anything he did not know, so he swam nearer and said, "Well, I am wise, and if you wish to know anything ask me. Come out where I can see you and we can talk to each other better." He was trying all the time to get a glimpse of the new animal, but Mr. Fox was a wise creature himself and he had no intention of being seen.

"Oh, dear! I should hate to show my miserable little self to such a big, fine-looking creature as you are," he said. "It is bad enough to have you know I am stupid, but if you will come closer I will tell you what it is I want to know."

Dicky Duck