Howard Roger Garis - Uncle Wiggily and the Pirates

1. Once upon a time Curly and Floppy Twistytail, the two piggie boys, thought they would play the game of Pirate. They whittled out some wooden swords and made a wooden raft. On the raft they set sail across the duck pond ocean. Well sail over to Uncle Wiggilys bungalow and capture him, grunted Curly. What do we do after we capture him? asked Floppy. Hold him for a ransom, said Curly.

2. Uncle Wiggily, standing on shore, was surprised when the two piggie boys leaped off their raft and captured him. Whats all this, boys? he asked, twinkling his pink nose. We are Pirates and we have captured you, grunted Floppy. And you cant get away until you pay us a ransom of ten lollypops! squealed Curly. So they tied Uncle Wiggily to the mast. The bunny gentleman laughed at the fun.

3. The Fox and Wolf, hidden on shore, watched Curly and Floppy playing at being Pirates and capturing Uncle Wiggily. We could do that, growled the Wolf. Do what? asked the Fox. Dress up and pretend to be Pirates, answered the Wolf. Those pigs will soon tire of the game. We can take their raft, sneak up and get Uncle Wiggily. Hell think it is all in fun and, before he knows it, well have him!

4. The Wolf was right. In a little while Curly and Floppy let Uncle Wiggily go, for the piggie boys became tired of playing the Pirate game. Uncle Wiggily gave them lollypops for a ransom. Then, while the piggie boys went to play ball, and while Uncle Wiggily was asleep on the shore, the Fox and Wolf, dressed like Pirates, and pretending to be friendly animal boys, sneaked up to capture the bunny.

5. Before Uncle Wiggily was quite awake, the Fox and Wolf had caught him and dragged him on the piggie boys raft which the bad animals took. Ha! Ha! laughed Uncle Wiggily, when he saw what had happened. This is a good joke! You look just like real pirates, Curly and Floppy. But why have you put on false faces? You didnt do that at first. Come, weve had enough fun! Lets go ashore!

6. After a while Curly and Floppy grew tired of playing ball. They went down to the shore of the duck pond ocean to get their raft once more, but it was gone. Oh, look! squealed Floppy. The Fox and Wolf have taken our raft. They dressed up as Pirates, like us, and have captured Uncle Wiggily! What shall we do? Curly looked at the boat on shore. To the rescue! We must sink the enemy craft!

7. No sooner said than done! Into the boat jumped Curly and Floppy. Well make believe this piece of stove pipe is a cannon, said Floppy. And well use cabbages, turnips and carrots for cannon balls! His brother said that was a good idea, and off they started after the raft, which the Fox and Wolf were sailing away, taking Uncle Wiggily with them. By this time the bunny knew he was in danger.

8. Straight toward the pirate raft went the boat. Surrender! cried Floppy. Give us back Uncle Wiggily or well sink you! The Fox and Wolf rushed wildly about. We ought to have guns! howled the Fox. Well, we havent any! snarled the Wolf. Floppy blew talcum powder through the stove pipe cannon and threw cabbages, turnips and carrots until the Fox and Wolf were ready to jump overboard.

9. One big cabbage hit the mast of the raft and broke it. A lot of turnips knocked apart the craft of the Pirate Fox and Wolf. Into the water leaped the bad chaps, hit all over with sharp carrots. Well save you, Uncle Wiggily! Well save you! called Floppy and Curly. They took the rabbit gentleman into the boat with them and rowed him safely to shore, while the Fox and Wolf clung to the broken raft.

And if the grasshopper doesnt tickle the fountain pen under the chin and make it spill ink on the cocoanut cake, the next pictures and story will tell how

ITS LOTS OF FUN TO GATHER
NUTS AND ROAST THEM AT A FIRE. BUT
WHEN THEY CALL UPON YOUR HEAD ITS TIME THEN TO RETIRE.

1. One day Johnnie and Billie Bushytail, the squirrel boys, ran over to Uncle Wiggilys hollow stump bungalow. Please come nutting with us, Uncle Wiggily! chattered the squirrels. The nuts ate late this year. Well find the trees loaded. So while Uncle Wiggily held his tall silk hat beneath a chestnut tree, the squirrel boys knocked nuts into-it. Well have a nut party! laughed the bunny gentleman.

2. We ought to have more than one kind of nuts at a party! cried Johnnie, when the bunnys hat was nearly full. I know where theres a hazel bush! said Billie. Lets go there! proposed Uncle Wiggily. And when the three friends reached the hazel nut bush, the wind was blowing so hard that it blew the nuts off the bush and into the bunnys hat, and the caps of the squirrel chaps. It was jolly fun!

3. Havent we enough nuts now for a little party? asked Johnnie. I think so, answered Uncle Wiggily. Well make a little camp fire on a big rock in the woods, and roast the chestnuts. The hazel nuts do not need roasting. Soon a jolly party was gathered around the camp fire. Just then along came the sneaky Bob Cat. Oh ho! said the Bob Cat to himself, I guess Ill have some ears to nibble now!

4. All of a sudden, while Uncle Wiggily and the squirrels were roasting the nuts, up sprang the Bob Cat. Before the bunny could do anything he was caught and tied in a wild grape vine, and so were the squirrel boys. Ill take you off to my den, said the bad Bob Cat, and Ill nibble your ears when I get you there! Uncle Wiggily begged and pleaded, but the Bob Cat would not let him loose. Oh, dear!