the heedless young who disobey

will for their folly have to pay.

             little joe otter.

farmer brown’s boy watched the family fishing party until it moved on to the next pool. then he remembered his own fishing and the fat trout he had promised to bring back for supper that night.

“now i understand why i haven’t had a bite,” he chuckled. “little joe otter and his family got started earlier than i did. they are welcome to all they have caught, for the fun of seeing those young otters get their first fishing lesson is worth more to me than any fish could be. but i can’t allow them to get all the fish. i could frighten them away, but i don’t want to do that. no, sir, i don’t want to make them afraid of me. i know what i’ll do; i’ll circle around through the woods and get ahead of them.”

so farmer brown’s boy tramped around through the green forest until he reached the laughing brook again at a point where he felt sure of being ahead of the otter fishing party. in a minute there was a sharp tug at his line and presently he pulled out a silvery, speckled trout. then farmer brown’s boy forgot all about everything but fishing.

now it just happened that that very morning old man coyote had taken it into his head to visit the laughing brook and see what was going on there. it may be that in the back of that shrewd head of his was an idea there might be some helpless young babies or headstrong and careless young children of one kind or another who would furnish him with a tender and easily gotten breakfast. anyway, he was going up the laughing brook and farmer brown’s boy was going down the laughing brook. of course they met. however, farmer brown’s boy didn’t know it. he didn’t know a thing about it. you see, he was so intent on fishing that he had no eyes for anything but the water and his fishing line. so he didn’t see old man coyote. but old man coyote saw him and lifted his lips from his long, strong teeth in a most unpleasant manner as he sneaked past through the brush.

“probably he has frightened everybody along the laughing brook,” grumbled old man coyote bitterly, as he went on his way.

but he had gone only a short distance after passing farmer brown’s boy when his sharp ears heard a faint splash in a little pool just ahead. instantly he dropped flat on his stomach and began to crawl forward an inch at a time, his eyes blazing with eagerness and his pointed ears cocked forward. presently he saw little joe otter and mrs. joe swimming, and a great disappointment swept over him. he knew that they were far too smart to be caught by him.

a moment later he saw the two young otters. all his disappointment was forgotten and the eager look returned to his eyes. he couldn’t imagine anything more to his liking than young otter. his mouth watered. he licked his lips hungrily. inch by inch he crept nearer. one of the young otters climbed up the bank almost in front of him. old man coyote wriggled nearer. he brought his hind feet under him, ready for a quick spring. then he waited. he wanted that young otter, but he was too crafty to risk a fight with little joe otter and mrs. joe unless he had to. so he waited.

presently little joe and mrs. joe called the two children and started down the laughing brook. the young otter in the water obeyed instantly, but the one on the bank didn’t. he was tired and he wanted to rest. the others could go if they wanted to, for they wouldn’t go far and he could soon catch up with them. he rather liked the idea of being left alone. it made him feel more independent. there was nothing to fear. so he sat still and watched the others disappear around a turn in the laughing brook. when they were out of sight he chuckled. he thought himself very smart.

a very tiny noise behind him, the rustle of a leaf, caused him to turn his head. he had just time to get a glimpse of fierce, yellow eyes and gleaming teeth. then the paws of old man coyote landed on him. he was caught!