One bright, frosty, October morning Jack went up to the walnut tree in the pasture to gather nuts. Jimmy Crow went too. Jack drew his little cart, and Jimmy Crow rode on the seat. Jack picked up all the nuts on the ground, then climbed the tree and shook down more, still in their thick, green husks.
W hen he came down, Jimmy Crow was busily picking up the nuts and dropping them into a hole in the tree. "Stop that!" cried Jack. "These are my nuts. The squirrels can pick for themselves." "Caw, caw!" said Jimmy Crow. J ack took home a cart-load. Then he brought a ladder and spread the nuts out on the roof of the barn to dry the husks. T oward night Jack took Mama out to look at his nuts. Half of them were gone! "Oh dear!" said Jack, "It is Jimmy Crow again. Now where has he put them all?" Just then he saw Jimmy's tail feathers disappear into the barn. He ran after, but could see no nuts—only an old wagon. He climbed up on the wheel, but found no nuts inside—only a barrel, lying on its side. He reached into the barrel and felt nothing but a basket. He pulled it out and peeped into it—and at last he had found the nuts! And Jimmy Crow perched on his shoulder and laughed, "Caw, caw!" When the nuts had all been carried back to the barn, and Mama had praised Jack's work, she said, "Now we must hurry in to supper. The sun has set and it is getting late and cold. Let us run, to keep warm." So she and Jack took hands and ran all the way back to the house. Then they went in to their supper—and Jimmy Crow went too. "AND JIMMY CROW WENT TOO!" "AND JIMMY CROW WENT TOO!" |
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