
Sleepy-Time Tales
ILLUSTRATIONS
THE TALE OF BILLYWOODCHUCK - I - THE HOUSE IN THE PASTURE
II. CALLING NAMES
III. MAGIC
IV. THE GREAT HORNED OWL
V. BILLY STANDS GUARD
VI. BILLY FORGETS TO WHISTLE
VII. GREEN PEAS
VIII. A NEW GAME
In a quiet farmyard blanketed by winter snow, a pair of woodchucks hibernate beneath a hidden burrow, dreaming of fresh grass and sunny days. When spring finally arrives they emerge, thin but hopeful, and soon welcome five new kits, including a plump, energetic youngster who quickly captures attention. Their neighbor, Johnnie Green, watches the little family with a mix of curiosity and affection as the forest awakens.
The bold youngster, Billy, soon outgrows his siblings, his gray fur and glossy whiskers making him look almost like a squirrel perched on hind legs. Proud of his bushy tail, he spends afternoons admiring himself, which draws friendly teasing from a sharp‑tongued hedgehog who suggests a circus career for the “big, funny” woodchuck. Billy’s gentle vanity sets the stage for lighthearted lessons about friendship, confidence, and the joys of country life.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (66K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Joe Longo, Suzan Flanagan, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2008-04-18
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1877–1949
Best remembered for lively animal stories for children, this American writer turned farmyards, fields, and woodlands into gentle adventures. He wrote more than forty books, many of them designed to entertain young readers while slipping in bits of natural history.
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by Arthur Scott Bailey

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