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 said the little pink pig (only he was not pink any more
because he was all covered with mud), "are you a big pig?"

The big red thing shook its head and said "Moo!" and tossed the little
pig up in the air. The little pig fell on the ground with a hard bump.
He lay still till the red thing went away. Then he got up and ran as
fast as he could.

He ran out in the road, and right into a black and white speckled thing
with two legs. The speckled thing puffed up and said "Squawk!"

The little pig ran as fast as he could because he thought the speckled
thing was chasing him. But it wasn't.

The little pig did not know where he was running, and he did not have
time to find out. The first thing he knew he almost ran into a lot of
two-legged things. They had big yellow mouths.

 [Illustration: "'HISS!' IT SAID, AND IT NIPPED THE LITTLE PIG'S LEG."]

One of them said "Hiss-ss!" and ran out and nipped the little pig's hind
leg. The little pig squealed and ran the other way.

"Oh, dear!" he thought, "if I ever get back to my mama, I will never try
to go down the big road again, till she teaches me what these queer
things are."

Just then he found himself in front of his own little house with the
white fence around it. He ran into the house and told his mama
everything that had happened to him. "Oh, mama," he said, "what was the
black and white thing?"

 [Illustration: "THE SPECKLED THING PUFFED UP AND SAID 'SQUAWK!'"]

"It was a dog," she said. "Dogs sometimes chase little pigs."

"Oh, mama," he said, "a man found me in his cornfield and put me in a
pen."

"You must keep out of cornfields," said mama. "People do not like pigs
in their cornfields."

"Oh, mama, what was the big red thing with sharp things on top of its
head?"

"It was a cow," said mama. "You should not go where cows are till you
are big enough to keep out of their way."

"Oh, mama, what was the speckled thing that puffed up and said
'Squawk?'"

"It was a hen," said mama. "She was not chasing you, she was only going
to the other side of the road."

"Oh, mama, what was the white thing that nipped me?" "It was a goose.
You should always keep away from them."

"Oh, mama, this is a big world, and there are lots of funny things in
it."

 [Illustration: THE LITTLE PINK PIG RUNS HOME TO HIS MOTHER.]

"Yes," said mama. "That is why it is best for little pigs not to go out
on the big road till they know more. You need not be afraid of anything
if you know what it is. You have learned a great deal today for such a
little pig, but if you are patient and wait till I teach you, you will
not have such a hard time. We shall walk out every day, and I will teach
you how a little pig can take care of himself all the time." Then she
put the little pig in the wash-tub, for he was all covered with mud, and
washed him nicely--and before long he was the little pink pig again.

JUGGERJOOK

BY L. FRANK BAUM

Author of "Queen Zixi of Ix," "The Wizard of Oz," etc.

"Oh, Mama!" cried Fuzzy Wuz, running into the burrow where her mother
lay dozing, "may I go walking with Chatter Chuk?"

Mrs. Wuz opened one eye sleepily and looked at Fuzzy.

"If you are careful," she said; "and don't go near Juggerjook's den; and
watch the sun so as to get home before the shadows fall."

"Yes, yes; of course," returned Fuzzy, eagerly.

"And don't let Chatter Chuk lead you into mischief," continued Mrs. Wuz,
rubbing one long ear with her paw lazily. "Those red squirrels are
reckless things and haven't much sense."

"Chatter's all right," protested Fuzzy Wuz. "He's the best friend I have
in the forest. Good-by, Mother."

"Is your face clean, Fuzzy?"

"I've just washed it, Mother."

"With both paws, right and left?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Then run along and be careful."

"Yes, Mother."

Fuzzy turned and darted from the burrow, and in the bright sunshine
outside sat Chatter Chuk on his hind legs, cracking an acorn.

"What'd she say, Fuz?" asked the red squirrel.

"All right, I can go, Chat. But I've got to be careful."

As the white rabbit hopped away through the bushes and he glided along
beside her, Chatter Chuk laughed.

"Your people are always careful, Fuz," said he. "That's why you see so
little of the world, and lose all the fun in life."

"I know," replied Fuzzy, a little ashamed. "Father is always singing
this song to me:

 "Little Bunny,
 Don't get funny;
 Run along and mind your eye;
 It's the habit
 Of a rabbit
 To be diffident and shy."

"We squirrels are different," said Chatter Chuk, proudly. "We are always
taught this song:

 "Squirrel red,
 Go ahead!
 See the world, so bright and gay.
 For a rover
 May discover
 All that happens day by day."

"Oh, if I could run up a tree, _I_ shouldn't be afraid, either,"
remarked Fuzzy Wuz. "Even Juggerjook couldn't frighten me then."

"Kernels and shucks! Juggerjook!" cried Chatter Chuk, scornfully. "Who
cares for him?"

"Don't you fear him?" asked Fuzzy Wuz, curiously.

"Of course not," said the squirrel. "My people often go to his den and
leave nuts there."

"Why, if you make presents to Juggerjook, of course he won't hurt you,"
returned the rabbit. "All the beasts carry presents to his den, so he
will protect them from their enemies. The bears kill wolves and carry
them to Juggerjook to eat; and the wolves kill foxes and carry them to
Juggerjook, and the foxes kill rabbits for him. But we rabbits do not
kill animals, so we cannot take Juggerjook anything to eat except roots
and clover; and he doesn't care much for those. So we are careful to
keep away from his den."

"Have you ever seen him or the place where he lives?" asked the
squirrel.

"No," replied Fuzzy Wuz.

"Suppose we go there now?"

"Oh, no! Mother said--"

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I've looked at the den often from the
trees near by," said Chatter Chuk. "I can lead you to the edge of the
bushes close to his den, and he'll never know we are near."

"Mother says Juggerjook knows everything that goes on in the forest,"
declared the rabbit, gravely.

"Your mother's a 'fraid-cat and trembles when a twig cracks," said
Chatter, with a careless laugh. "Why don't you have a little spirit of
your own, Fuzzy, and be independent?"

Fuzzy Wuz was quite young, and ashamed of being thought shy, so she
said:

"All right, Chat. Let's go take a peep at Juggerjook's den."

"We're near it, now," announced the squirrel. "Come this way; and go
softly, Fuzzy Wuz, because Juggerjook has sharp ears."

They crept along through the bushes some distance after that, but did
not speak except in whispers. Fuzzy knew it was a bold thing to do. They
had nothing to carry to the terrible Juggerjook, and it was known that
he always punished those who came to his den without making him
presents. But the rabbit relied upon Chatter Chuk's promise that the
tyrant of the forest would never know they had been near him. Juggerjook
was considered a great magician, to be sure, yet Chatter Chuk was not
afraid of him. So why should Fuzzy Wuz fear anything?

The red squirrel ran ahead, so caut

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