Friendly Fairies

  Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Widger and the Online DistributedProofreading Team

  FRIENDLY FAIRIES

  Written & Illustrated by

  JOHNNY GRUELLE

  1919

  To MY MOTHER

  CONTENTS:

  _Here are the Titles of the Stories in this Book:_

  1 The Three Little Gnomes

  2 The Happy Rattle

  3 Recipe for a Happy Day

  4 Grandfather Skeeterhawk

  5 Crow Talk

  6 The Fairy Ring

  7 Mr. and Mrs. Thumbkins

  8 The Old, Rough Stone and The Gnarled Tree

  9 Sally Migrundy

  10 How Johnny Cricket Saw Santa Claus

  11 The Twin Sisters

  12 Little Thumbkin's Good Deed

  13 The Wishbone

  14 Tim Tim Tamytam

  15 A Change of Coats

  THE THREE LITTLE GNOMES

  A silvery thread of smoke curled up over the trunk of the old tree andfloated away through the forest, and tiny voices came from beneath thetrunk of the old tree.

  Long, long ago, the tree had stood strong and upright and its topbranches reached far above any of the other trees in the forest, but thetree had grown so old it began to shiver when the storms howled throughthe branches. And as each storm came the old tree shook more and more,until finally in one of the fiercest storms it tumbled to the earth witha great crash.

  There it lay for centuries, and vines and bushes grew about in a tangledmass until it was almost hidden from view.

  Now down beneath the trunk of the fallen tree lived three little gnomes,and it was the smoke from their fire which curled up over the trunk ofthe old tree and floated away through the forest.

  They were preparing dinner and laughing and talking together when theyheard the sound of a horn.

  "What can it be?" one asked.

  "It sounds like the horn of a huntsman!" another cried.

  As the sound came nearer, the three little gnomes stamped upon theirfire and put it out so that no one would discover their home. Then theyclimbed upon the trunk of the tree and ran along it to where they couldsee across an open space in the forest without being seen themselves.And when the sound of the horn drew very close, they saw a little boyclimb through the thick bushes.

  As the little boy came out into the open space the three little gnomessaw that he was crying.

  "He must be lost!" said the first little gnome.

  "He looks very tired and hungry!" said the second little gnome.

  "Let us go and ask him!" said the third little gnome.

  So the three little gnomes scrambled down from the trunk of the fallentree and went up to where the little boy had thrown himself upon theground. They stood about him and watched him, for he had put his face inthe crook of his arm and was crying.

  Finally one of the little gnomes sat down in front of the little boy andspoke to him.

  "I am lost!" the little boy said. "My father went hunting yesterday withall his men and when they were out of sight I took my little horn andfollowed them, but I soon lost their track, and I have wandered aboutwith nothing to eat. Last night I climbed into a tree and slept!"

  The three little gnomes wiped the little boy's eyes and led him to theirhome under the fallen tree. There they finished preparing the dinner andsat about until the little boy had eaten and had fallen asleep.

  Then the three little gnomes carried him into their house, away back inthe trunk of the tree, and placed him upon one of their little beds.

  When the three little gnomes had finished their dinner they lit theirpipes and wondered how they might help the little boy find his way home.

  "Let us go to old Wizzy Owl and see if he can suggest anything!" saidone.

  "Yes, brothers," cried another, "Let us go to old Wizzy Owl."

  So the three little gnomes went to the home of Wizzy Owl and Wizzy Owlsaid he would fly high above the forest and try and see the little boy'shome.

  "I can not see his home!" cried Wizzy Owl. "Maybe Fuzzy Fox can tellyou!"

  So the three little gnomes went to the home of Fuzzy Fox and Fuzzy Foxsaid he would run through the forest and see if he could find the littleboy's home. So Fuzzy Fox ran through the forest, but could not find thelittle boy's home. "But," said Fuzzy Fox, "I came upon a wounded deerwho told me that a party of huntsmen had passed through the forestyesterday and had shot her with an arrow." So the three little gnomeswent to see the wounded deer and they washed the wound the arrow hadmade and bound it up for her.

  Then the three little gnomes sat upon Fuzzy Fox's back and he ran onthrough the forest with them until they came to a wild boar.

  The wild boar had been crippled by the huntsmen, he told the threelittle gnomes, but had managed to hide himself in the thick bushes andescape. "It must have been the little boy's father and his men," saidthe wild boar. "I am sorry that I am wounded for I would like to helphim!"

  Then Fuzzy Fox ran with the three little gnomes through the forest andthey met a wounded bear, and a wounded squirrel, and five or six woundedbunny rabbits, and they all told the three little gnomes that thehuntsmen had shot them with arrows and that they just managed to escape.

  The three little gnomes felt very sorry for their wounded friends andhelped them all they could by washing their wounds and tying them up."We are sorry that we can not go with you and help find the little boy'shome," they all said, "For his mother will miss him and cry for him. Andwe know how much a Mamma or a Daddy can miss a little boy or girl, forwe have all grieved for our own little ones that the huntsmen who roamthis forest have killed. That is why we feel sorry that we can not helpyou bring him back to his mother."

  So Fuzzy Fox ran until he came to the edge of the forest and then thethree little gnomes saw a large castle away in the distance with brightred roofs on the tall towers.

  "That must be the little boy's home!" said one little gnome.

  "Let us return at once to our home under the fallen tree and ask thelittle boy!" said another. So Fuzzy Fox ran with them back to their homeand the little boy told them it was his home.

  Then the kind Fuzzy Fox took the three little gnomes and the little boyupon his back and ran to the edge of the forest and on the way theystopped to see the wounded animals, and they were all glad that thelittle boy's Mamma and Daddy would soon see him. "Oh, if we could onlysee the children who have been taken away from us by the huntsmen!" theysaid as they bade the little boy goodbye.

  So Fuzzy Fox carried the three little gnomes and the little boy almostto the castle gate and shook hands with him.

  "I will remember the way to your home," the boy told the three littlegnomes, "and I will be back to see you soon!"

  The next day when the three little gnomes were preparing dinner theyagain heard the little boy's horn, and ran along the trunk of the treeuntil they came to where they could see across the open space.

  Soon there came a great many people, and riding upon a fine horse infront of his Daddy was the little boy, but this day he wore fine silkand satin clothes and they were not torn by the brambles and bushes.Near him rode a beautiful lady. She was the little boy's Mamma.

  So the three little gnomes went out to meet them, and the little boyslid from the horse and ran to them and threw his arms around them."This is my Daddy, and this is my Mamma!" he told them.

  The little boy's Mamma and the little boy's Daddy dismounted and came tothe three little gnomes and thanked them for returning the little boy tothem. "We will give you anything you wish for!" said the little boy'sMamma and Daddy.

  "We wish for nothing!" said the three little gnomes, "We live happilyhere in the forest and our wants are simple, but if you could sendus some clean white cloths to bind up the wound
s you give our forestfriends we would be very grateful!"

  "I told Daddy of the wounded creatures!" said the little boy. "Yes," hisDaddy said, "and I have given orders that no one in my country shallhunt through this forest, and from now on your forest friends will beunmolested and can always live here in peace and happiness." For thegreat king was sorry that he or his men had ever caused any of theforest creatures any sorrow. And after that the creatures of the forestwere never harmed and they grew up so tame they would wander right up tothe castle, where the king's men would feed them.

  The tiny thread of smoke still curls up over the trunk of the fallentree, and the voices of the little boy and his Daddy mingle with thetiny voices of the three little gnomes as they prepare their dinner; forthe great King and the little Prince come often to visit their friends,the three little gnomes.

  THE HAPPY RATTLE

  Willie Woodchuck sat at the entrance of his burrow home whittling upon atiny dried gourd.

  "What are you making?" asked Timothy Toad, as he hopped through thegrass and sat in front of Willie.

  "Oh, I am just whittling because I have nothing else to do!" repliedWillie Woodchuck.

  So Timothy Toad hopped on down the path until he met Eddie Elf.

  "Willie Woodchuck is whittling because he has nothing else to do!" saidTimothy Toad.

  "I will stop by and see him!" said Eddie Elf. So Timothy Toad hoppedalong the path until he met Gerty Gartersnake.

  "Willie Woodchuck is whittling because he has nothing better to do!"said Timothy Toad.

  "I will go down that way and see him!" said Gerty Gartersnake, and shestarted down the path.

  So Timothy Toad hopped down the path until he met Wallie Woodpecker."Willie Woodchuck is whittling because he has nothing better to do!"said Timothy Toad.

  "I will fly down and see him!" said Wallie Woodpecker, and away he flew.Timothy Toad hopped on down the road until he met Billie Bumblebee.

  "Willie Woodchuck is whittling because he has nothing else to do!" saidTimothy Toad.

  "I will buzz down that way and see him!" said Billie Bumblebee, as hebuzzed away.

  When Timothy Toad arrived at his home his wife, Tilly Toad, was sweepingoff the front steps. "What do you think, Tilly?" Timothy Toad cried,"Willie Woodchuck is, whittling because he has nothing else to do!"

  "Dear me! You don't say so!" cried Tilly Toad, as she stood her broom inthe corner and started down the path. "I will hop down and see him!" shesaid.

  "I will hop back with you, Tilly!" said Timothy Toad.

  They had not hopped far before they met Eddie Elf, who was singinghappily to himself as he walked along. "Willie Woodchuck is whittling ona rattle!" he said, when the two Toads stopped him.

  "We are hopping back to see him," said Tilly and Timothy Toad. "I willgo back with you!" said Eddie Elf.

  They had not gone far until they met Gerty Gartersnake, singing awayvery happily. "Willie Woodchuck is whittling on a beautiful red andblack rattle!" said Gerty Gartersnake.

  "We are going back to see him!" said Tilly and Timothy Toad and EddieElf.

  "Then I will go back with you!" said Gerty Gartersnake.

  They had not gone far until they met Wallie Woodpecker, who also wassinging happily. "Willie Woodchuck is whittling on a rattle and it isblue, red and black and rattles beautifully."

  "We are going back to see him!" said Tilly and Timothy Toad and EddieElf and Gerty Gartersnake.

  "Then I will go back with you!" said Wallie Woodpecker.

  They had not gone far before they met Billie Bumblebee. "WillieWoodchuck is whittling on a beautiful yellow and blue and red and blackrattle and it rattles beautifully."

  "We are going back to see him!" said Tilly and Timothy Toad and EddieElf and Gerty Gartersnake and Wallie Woodpecker.

  "Then I will go back with you!" said Billie Bumblebee, so away they allwent until they came to Willie Woodchuck's home.

  "Where is Willie Woodchuck?" they asked of Winnie Woodchuck, his wife.

  "He has taken his beautiful new yellow and red and blue and black andwhite rattle, which rattles so beautifully, over to show to GrumpyGrundy, the Owl!" said Winnie Woodchuck.

  "Then we will go there!" said the others.

  "Then I will go with you!" said Winnie Woodchuck.

  Grumpy Grundy, the Owl, was a very cross old creature, and if everythingdid not go to suit her all the time, she hooted and howled; in fact shehad cried so much she had made large red rings around her eyes.

  When Tilly and Timothy Toad and Eddie Elf and Gerty Gartersnake andWallie Woodpecker and Billie Bumblebee and Winnie Woodchuck arrivedat Grumpy Grundy's place they heard merry laughter and whenever thelaughter ceased, they heard the buzz and rattle and hum of WillieWoodchuck's rattle.

  So they went inside.

  And there was Willie Woodchuck with the beautiful yellow and red andblue and black and white rattle, and when he rattled it Grumpy Grundyrolled on the floor and laughed until the tears ran from her eyes.

  So they all lifted Grumpy Grundy on a chair and wiped her eyes and whatdo you think! the red rings around them were wiped away and she lookedyoung and pretty again.

  "Oh dear!" said Grumpy Grundy, the Owl. "I have never enjoyed myself somuch before, and I will never be grumpy and be called a Grundy again! Nosir! never!" and her eyes twinkled with merriment.

  And all were greatly pleased at the great change in Grumpy Grundy.

  Eddie Elf laughed, Tilly and Timothy Toad chuckled, Gerty Gartersnakegiggled, Wallie Woodpecker beat a tattoo on wood, Billie Bumblebeebuzzed and Winnie Woodchuck sang a woodchuck song.

  And after that no one could say that Willie Woodchuck had nothing elseto do, for he spent his time making beautiful "happy rattles" which hegave away to all the creatures, and everyone laughed and made merrywhenever they heard the beautiful yellow and red and blue and black andwhite rattles which rattled so beautifully and drove away the grumpies.

  RECIPE FOR A HAPPY DAY

  One morning Marjorie's Mamma called to her several times before Marjorieanswered, for her pretty brown eyes were very sleepy and would hardlystay open.

  "Come, dear! Please hurry, for I want you to run to the grocery beforebreakfast!" Mamma called from the foot of the stairs.

  "Oh dear!" exclaimed Marjorie, "I don't want to get up!" and keeping herhead on the pillow just as long as she could Marjorie crawled out of bedbackwards.

  Her clothes were scattered about the room and her stockings were turnedinside out. Her dress would not fasten and she cried, so that Mamma hadto come upstairs and dress her.

  So you see Marjorie's day began all wrong, for everything startedtopsy-turvy.

  "Now hurry, dear!" Mamma said as she handed Marjorie the basket.

  Marjorie slammed the door as she went out and she was so cross shedid not notice the beautiful sunshine nor hear the pretty songs whichgreeted her from the tree tops.

  "It's so far to the old store!" Marjorie grumbled to herself, as shepouted her pretty lips and shuffled her feet along the path.

  "Hello, Marjorie!" laughed a merry voice.

  Marjorie saw a queer little elf sitting upon a stone at the side of theroad. His little green suit was so near the color of the leaves Marjoriecould scarcely distinguish him from the foliage. He wore a funny littlepointed cap of a brilliant red, and sticking in it was a long yellowfeather.

  Two long hairs grew from his eyebrows and curled over his cap. He washardly as large as Marjorie's doll, Jane.

  "Who are you, and where did you come from?" Marjorie cried, for shethought him the most comical little creature she had ever seen.

  "Why, I'm Merry Chuckle from Make-Believe Land!" replied the elf. "Andaren't you very cross this lovely day?"

  "I did not want to get up!" cried Marjorie, "and I just hate to go tothe store! It's too far!" She dropped her basket on the ground and satdown beside the elf on the large stone.

  "Isn't it funny?" laughed Merry Chuckle. "There are hundreds of childrenjust like you who make ha
rd work of getting up when they are called inthe morning and who remain cross and ugly all day long!"

  "I really do not mean to be cross, but I just can't help it sometimes!"Marjorie said.

  "Oh, but indeed you can help it, Marjorie!" the elf solemnly said ashe shook his tiny finger at her nose. "And I am going to tell you how.First of all, when you awaken in the morning you must say to yourself,'Oh what a lovely, happy day this is going to be!' then raise your armsabove your head and take three long, deep breaths. Jump out of bedquickly, always remembering to put your toes on the floor first.

  "For," continued Merry Chuckle, "Old Witchy Crosspatch is always waitingfor children to get out of bed backwards. And when they do, she catchesthem by the heels and turns everything topsy-turvy all day long; butwhen you get out of bed toes first, I'll be there to start you on apleasant day and Witchy Crosspatch will have to return to Make-BelieveLand and hide her head!" "Sure enough, I did crawl out of bed backwardsthis morning!" Marjorie said.

  "I know you did, my dear!" Merry Chuckle giggled. "And every time you doold Witchy Crosspatch makes everything seem disagreeable!"

  "But I hate to run errands, Mister Chuckle!" cried Marjorie. "The oldroad is so dreadfully long and tiresome!"

  "But the longer the road the more happiness you can find along theway, my dear!" Merry Chuckle replied, quick as a wink, his little eyestwinkling brightly. "If you look up at the blue sky and the beautifulsunshine and sing with the birds as you run along you'll find the roadseems too short and you'll be back before you notice it. Just try it andsee."