<h2><SPAN name="LITTLE_MESSENGER_BOY_BUNNY" id="LITTLE_MESSENGER_BOY_BUNNY"></SPAN>LITTLE MESSENGER BOY BUNNY</h2>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">The Gentle South Wind in the trees<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Is turning buds to tender leaves,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And down the crystal Bubbling Brook<br/></span>
<span class="i0">The Pussy Willows nod and look<br/></span>
<span class="i0">To see if o'er the meadow green<br/></span>
<span class="i0">The Dandelions can be seen.<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Soon all the flowers will be here<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And Chilly Winter disappear.<br/></span></div>
</div>
<p>Little Jack Rabbit hopped up to the big hollow tree where Peter Possum
and Mrs. Possum had slept all winter with their little baby possums.
"Come out, come out! Spring is here!"</p>
<p>"What's that?" asked Peter Possum, sleepily. "Who's calling?"</p>
<p>"It's me!" laughed Little Jack Rabbit. "Mr. Merry Sun is bright and
warm, and the Pussy Willows are playing with the Cattails by the
Bubbling Brook." And away he hopped, for he couldn't wait another
minute, he was so anxious to spread the good news.</p>
<p>Pretty soon he reached Woody Chuck's front door, and called through the
keyhole, "Spring is here! wake up, wake up!" Woody Chuck yawned and
stretched his legs, and pretty soon he opened the door, but the little
rabbit wasn't there. No siree. He was far away waking up Billy Badger.
And after that he hopped over to stir up Chippy Chipmunk and Billy Coon.
Dear me. That little rabbit was busy, let me tell you. He just couldn't
let anybody find out the good news for himself. He wanted to be the
spring's little messenger boy.</p>
<p>All the while the Little Balmy Breezes had been dancing here and there,
ringing the blue bells, blowing on the little horn-shaped flowers and
whispering to the grasses and ferns.</p>
<p>And Mr. Merry Sun! How he did smile up in his big blue sky.</p>
<p>Mr. North Wind, on his whistling snow horses, had gone up to the North
Pole to tell Santa Claus that everybody had forgotten all about Xmas
Trees, and that Bobbie Redvest was building a nest in the old apple tree
behind the Big Red Barn.</p>
<p>And, goodness me! I almost forgot to mention that the Weathercock had a
new suit of gold paint. Yes, sir! The Kind Farmer had climbed up on a
ladder with a little bottle of gold paint and a brush to make the
Weathercock as bright as a new gold dollar.</p>
<p>Down at the Old Bramble Patch Mrs. Rabbit was housecleaning. The Old Red
Rooster had taken down the storm door and stored it away in the barn. He
had unwound the straw wrappers from the rose bushes and cleared away the
dry leaves from the cellar door. Yes, sir. He was as busy as could be,
for Mrs. Rabbit kept one eye on him all the time and he never even had a
chance to crow except at two o'clock in the morning.</p>
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