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THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTONTAIL

By Thornton W. Burgess

Author of "The Adventures of Reddy Fox"

"Old Mother West Wind," etc.

With Illustrations by Harrison Cady

Boston

Little, Brown, And Company

1917




THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTONTAIL




I. PETER RABBIT DECIDES TO CHANGE HIS NAME

|PETER RABBIT! Peter Rabbit! I don't see what Mother Nature ever gave
me such a common sounding name as that for. People laugh at me, but if I
had a fine sounding name they wouldn't laugh. Some folks say that a name
doesn't amount to anything, but it does. If I should do some wonderful
thing, nobody would think anything of it. No, Sir, nobody would think
anything of it at all just because--why just because it was done by
Peter Rabbit."

Peter was talking out loud, but he was talking to himself. He sat in the
dear Old Briar-patch with an ugly scowl on his usually happy face. The
sun was shining, the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were
dancing over the Green Meadows, the birds were singing, and happiness,
the glad, joyous happiness of springtime, was everywhere but in Peter
Rabbit's heart. There there seeded to be no room for anything but
discontent. And such foolish discontent--discontent with his name! And
yet, do you know, there are lots of people just as foolish as Peter
Rabbit.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

The voice made Peter Rabbit jump and turn around hastily. There was
Jimmy Skunk poking his head in at the opening of one of Peter's private
little paths. He was grinning, and Peter knew by that grin that Jimmy
had heard what he had said. Peter didn't know what to say. He hung his
head in a very shame-faced way.

"You've got something to learn," said Jimmy Skunk.

"What is it?" asked Peter.

"It's just this," replied Jimmy.

               "There's nothing in a name except

                   Just what we choose to make it.

               It lies with us and no one else

                   How other folks shall take it.

               It's what we do and what we say

               And how we live each passing day

               That makes it big or makes it small

               Or even worse than none at all.

               A name just stands for what we are;

                   It's what we choose to make it.

               And that's the way and only way

               That other folks will take it."

Peter Rabbit made a face at Jimmy Skunk. "I don't like being preached
to."

"I'm not preaching; I'm just telling you what you ought to know without
being told," replied Jimmy Skunk. "If you don't like your name, why
don't you change it?"

"What's that?" cried Peter sharply.

"If you don't like your name, why don't you change it?" repeated Jimmy.

Peter sat up and the disagreeable frown had left his face. "I--I--hadn't
thought of that," he said slowly. "Do you suppose I could, Jimmy Skunk?"

"Easiest thing in the world," replied Jimmy Skunk. "Just decide what
name you like and then ask all your friends to call you by it."

"I believe I will!" cried Peter Rabbit.

"Well, let me know what it is when you have decided," said Jimmy, as
he started for home. And all the way up the Crooked Little Path, Jimmy
chuckled to himself as he thought of foolish Peter Rabbit trying to
change his name.




II. PETER FINDS A NAME

|PETER RABBIT had quite lost his appetite. When Peter forgets to eat you
may make up your mind that Peter has something very important to
think about. At least he has something on his mind that he thinks is
important. The fact is, Peter had fully made up his mind to change his
name. He thought Peter Rabbit too common a name. But when he tried to
think of a better one, he found that no name that he could think of
really pleased him any more. So he thought and he thought and he thought
and he thought. And the more he thought the less appetite he had.

Now Jimmy Skunk was the only one to whom Peter had told how discontented
he was with his name, and it was Jimmy who had suggested to Peter that
he change it. Jimmy thought it a great joke, and he straightway passed
the word along among all the little meadow and forest people that Peter
Rabbit was going to change his name. Everybody laughed and chuckled over
the thought of Peter Rabbit's foolishness, and they planned to have
a great deal of fun with Peter as soon as he should tell them his new
name.

Peter was sitting on the edge of the Old Briar-patch one morning when
Ol' Mistah Buzzard passed, flying low. "Good mo'ning, Brer Cottontail,"
said Ol' Mistah Buzzard, with a twinkle in his eye.

At first Peter didn't understand that Ol' Mistah Buzzard was speaking
to him, and by the time he did it was too late to reply, for Ol' Mistah
Buzzard was way, way up in the blue, blue sky. "Cottontail, Cottontail."
said Peter over and over to himself and began to smile. Every time he
said it he liked it better.

[Illustration: 0024]

"Cottontail, Peter Cottontail! How much better sounding that is than
Peter Rabbit! That sounds as if I really was somebody. Yes, Sir, that's
the very name I want. Now I must send word to all my friends that
hereafter I am no longer Peter Rabbit, but Peter Cottontail."

Peter kicked up his heels in just the funny way he always does when he
is pleased. Suddenly he remembered that such a fine, long, high-sounding
name as Peter Cottontail demanded dignity. So he stopped kicking up his
heels and began to practise putting on airs. But first he called to the
Merry Little Breezes and told them about his change of name and asked
them to tell all his friends that in the future he would not answer to
the name of Peter Rabbit, but only to the name of Peter Cottontail. He
was very grave and earnest and important as he explained it to the Merry
Little Breezes. The Merry Little Breezes kept their faces straight while
he was talking, but as soon, as they had left him to carry his message
they burst out laughing. It was such a joke!

And they giggled as they delivered this message to each of the little
forest and meadow people:

               "Peter Rabbit's changed his name.

                   In the future without fail

               You must call him, if you please,

                   Mr. Peter Cottontail."

While they were doing this, Peter was back in the Old Briar-patch
practising new airs and trying to look very high and mighty and
important, as became one with such a fine sounding name as Peter
Cottontail.




III. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE OLD NAME AFTER ALL

|BOBBY <DW53> and Jimmy Skunk had their heads together. Now when these
two put their heads together, you may make up your mind that they are
planning mischief. Yes, Sir, there is sure to be mischief afoot when
Bobby <DW53> and Jimmy Skunk put their heads together as they were doing
now. Had Peter Rabbit seen them, he might not have felt so easy in his
mind as he did. But Peter didn't see them. He was too much taken up with
trying to look as important as his new name sounded. He was putting on
airs and holding his head very high as he went down to the Smiling Pool
to call on Jeny Muskrat.

Whenever any one called him by his old name, Peter pretended not to
hear. He pretended that he had never heard that name and didn't know
that he was being spoken to. Bobby <DW53> and Jimmy Skunk thought it a
great joke and they made up their minds that they would have some fun
with Peter and perhaps make him see how very foolish he was. Yes, Sir,
they planned to teach Peter a lesson. Bobby <DW53> hurried away to find
Reddy Fox and tell him that Peter had gone down to the Smiling Pool, and
that if he hid beside the path, he might catch Peter on the way back.

Jimmy Skunk hunted up Blacky the Crow and Sammy Jay and told them of his
plan and what he wanted them to do to help. Of course they promised that
they would. Then he went to Ol' Mistah Buzzard and told him. Ol' Mistah
Buzzard grinned and promised that he would do his share. Then Bobby <DW53>
and Jimmy Skunk hid where they could see all that would happen.

Peter had reached the Smiling Pool and now sat on the bank admiring his
own reflection in the water and talking to Jerry Muskrat. He had just
told Jerry that when his old name was called out he didn't hear it any
more when along came Blacky the Crow.

"Hello, Peter Rabbit! You're just the fellow I am looking for; I've a
very important message for you," shouted Blacky.

Peter kept right on talking with Jerry Muskrat just as if he didn't
hear, although he was burning with curiosity to know what the message
was.

"I say, Peter Rabbit, are you deaf?" shouted Blacky the Crow.

Jerry Muskrat looked up at Blacky and winked. "Peter Rabbit isn't here,"
said he. "This is Peter Cottontail."

[Illustration: 0030]

"Oh!" said Blacky. "My message is for Peter Rabbit, and it's something
he really ought to know. I'm sorry he isn't here." And with that, away
flew Blacky the Crow, chuckling to himself.

Peter looked quite as uncomfortable as he felt, but of course he
couldn't say a word after boasting that he didn't hear people who called
him Peter Rabbit. Pretty soon along came Sammy Jay. Sammy seemed very
much excited.

"Oh, Peter Rabbit, I'm so glad I've found you!" he cried. "I've some
very important news for you."

Peter had all he could do to sit still and pretend not to hear, but he
did.

"This is Peter Cottontail," said Jerry Muskrat, winking at Sammy Jay.

"Oh," replied Sammy, "my news is for Peter Rabbit!" and off he flew,
chuckling to himself.

Peter looked and felt more uncomfortable than ever. He bade Jerry
Muskrat good-by and started for the dear Old Briar-patch to think things
over. When he was half way there, Ol' Mist