"That must be a Christmas tree," said Bobby. "I wonder what they are going to do with it."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Once Bunny Rabbit saw a Christmas tree.]

"Tweet, tweet!" sang a little sparrow. "I can tell you. I saw one last year.

"I peeped in at the window after the tree had been set up in the warm room.

"I saw many pretty things hanging on the branches.

"I saw the candles lighted, and Santa Claus came in to give away the toys to the happy children.

"Oh, it was pretty! But I like to see the tree in the woods better."

Then the little sparrow flew away, and the two squirrels ate another nut.

"I think this is a good Christmas tree," said Bobby.

"Yes," said Sammy. "A tree with a hole full of nuts is better than one covered with candles and toys."

"It is better for squirrels," said Bobby. And then he took another nut.

BOBTAIL'S KITE

I

North Wind was playing a game.

He was blowing the dry leaves over the ground.

He piled them up under the oak tree at the edge of the woods.

"Bend your head and bow to me, big oak tree," said North Wind.

The oak tree bowed and bowed its head.

North Wind blew on and on.

As he blew through the woods, every tree bowed, and bowed its head.

Bobtail and Billy and Bunny heard North Wind as he blew past their house.

"Oh, how the wind blows!" said Bunny.

"I shall stay in the house to-day," said Billy. "I do not like the wind."

But Bobtail did not like to stay in the house all day and sleep.

"Let's go out and have a game of tag," he said to his two brothers.

"I will reach the big oak tree first."

Now Bunny and Billy always liked to have a game of tag with Bobtail.

So they both hopped out of their warm house.

"Look out for me!" called North Wind. "I can catch you all."

Hippity-hop went Bobtail down the path that led to the big oak tree.

And hippity-hop went Billy and Bunny after him.

Just as they came to the oak tree Bobtail saw the pile of leaves.

"Who put all those leaves under this tree?" he said.

"I did, I did," called North Wind. "And here are some more to make the pile larger."

Then North Wind puffed out his cheeks and blew more leaves under the oak tree.

"Oh, what fun!" said Bunny. "I should like to do that."

Bunny puffed out his cheeks and blew and blew, as hard as he could blow.

But the leaves did not move, until North Wind came to help him.

"This is just the day to fly a kite," said Bobtail.

"Yes," said Billy. "The children always fly kites when the wind blows."

"I wish we had a kite," said Bunny. "I should like to see it sail up in the air and over the trees."

"I can make a kite," said Bobtail.

"How, how?" asked both the other little rabbits together.

"See this big oak leaf," said Bobtail. "This would make a good kite, if we had a long string."

"I know where there is a string," said Bunny. "One of the boys dropped it out of his pocket the other day.

"It is on the ground, under the pine tree. I will get it for you."

So Bunny hopped off, and in a minute he was back with the long string.

Bobtail tied the string to the short stem of the oak leaf.

"Let me fly the kite," begged Bunny.