Canadian Fairy Tales — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Canadian Fairy Tales
John Stuart Mill · en
Then he met Bee on the forest path and he said, "How do you make a
living, you wandering bee? You do nothing but gad about all day long,
going from flower to flower dressed in your good clothes of yellow and
black and always singing your tuneless song?" And Bee said, "I make
honey and wax and sell them. I have a great store for sale now. Why
don't you do as I do? I am always happy. I always sing at my work, and
what's more, my song is not tuneless. And just for your impudence,
take that." And so saying he stung Rabbit on the nose and went on his
way, singing his droning song. Rabbit rubbed his nose in the earth to
ease his pain and he swore vengeance on Bee, for he knew that Bee too
was only laughing at him. But he could think of no way to make an easy
living, for he had nothing to sell but his coat, and he could not very
well barter that, for winter would soon be coming on. He was very
angry and troubled and he envied Duck and Bee their good fortune
because of their eggs and honey and wax.
At last he thought of the Indians he had watched buying and selling
skins. "I have it," he cried, "I have it. I will become a great
merchant. I will be a great trader. I will live on a farm where they
grow corn and vegetables, and I will steal them and sell them to the
other animals and thereby make a great store of money. I shall be very
rich in a short time." So, very happy, he went to a field near which
was a vegetable garden. And in it were growing Indian corn and all
kinds of grain which he knew the other birds and animals would gladly
buy. So he made a sign and put it up in front of his house, and it
said, "Buy Rabbit's corn, the best in all the land; it will grow
without rain; there is only a small quantity left. Orders taken here."
Then he sat in his house and waited.
Soon many buyers began to arrive. They were curious, and they wanted
to see what kind of a merchant Rabbit would make. Rabbit explained to
them that he was only an agent, that they must pay him their money,
and he would take it to the farmer, and deliver their grain at his
house one week from that day. The buyers paid him the money and went
away, for they were afraid the farmer would kill them if they went
themselves for the corn. They left a great store of money with Rabbit.
That night when the moon rose over the hills Rabbit went to the field
of corn near-by. But the farmer had spied him thieving that afternoon,
and he had placed around his corn a fence of strong netting which poor
Rabbit could not get through. And he had also placed around the field
many watch-dogs which growled and snarled and frightened thieves away.
Night after night Rabbit tried to slip into the field, but without
success, and the week passed and still he had no corn for the
customers who, he knew, would soon be arriving for their goods. And
meanwhile he had spent all their money and he knew they would all fall
upon him and kill him if he failed to keep his word and deliver their
purchases.