"Billy Breeze, Billy Breeze! Come and help me, if you please. If you'll only shake the tree, There'll be lots of nuts for me." This is what Chippy Chipmunk sang one morning when he found there were no more nuts on the ground. Of course, he had a lot already stored away, but he didn't want to use them now. No, indeed; not until the cold weather came. Pretty soon he commenced to sing again: "Billy Breeze, Billy Breeze! Come and help me, if you please. Shake the nuts from off the tree; Do this favor, please, for me." Now everybody in the Shady Forest liked Chippy Chipmunk. In the first place, he was such a good little worker. Then, too, he minded his own business and was never cross. So as soon as Billy Breeze heard him call, he blew in from the Sunny Meadow and shook the tree. Down came the nuts, pitter, patter, all over the ground, and one hit the little chipmunk right on the head. "Ouch!" he cried. "Whew! Did it hurt?" whistled Billy Breeze. "Well, I should say so," answered Chippy Chipmunk. "Wait till I hide before you shake again." Then Billy Breeze gave the big tree another shake. Pitter, patter, pitter, patter! went the nuts on the dry leaves. "I guess that's enough," said Billy Breeze. "I must go now!" "What for?" asked the little chipmunk. "To turn the Weathercock." And off went Billy Breeze across the Sunny Meadow, to the Old Farm Yard. The Weathercock on the Big Red Barn saw him coming and whirled around on his gilded toe. And Henny Penny at once set to work to prune and oil her feathers. She rubbed her bill over the little oil sack hidden among the feathers on her back and said to Cocky Doodle: "It's going to rain, for Mr. Weathercock is pointing to the East." |