"goodness me! i'm dreadfully worried," cried mrs. rabbit, "i just saw the kind farmer's black cat cross the path from right to left, and that means bad luck, you know."
"i guess he's hunting for little timmy meadowmouse," answered little jack rabbit. "it will be bad luck for timmy to be caught."
"why don't you run over and tell him," said mrs. rabbit. "black cat may be hiding near his house. you'd better hurry."
so away hopped the little rabbit to find timmy meadowmouse, who lived in a little round house made of twisted grass on the sunny meadow. pretty soon he saw the little meadowmouse peeking out of his front door.
"oh, it's you, is it, little jack rabbit," he said with a sigh of relief, "i thought i heard some one creeping around my house. but if it was you, it's all right."
"maybe it isn't all right," answered the little rabbit, and he told how his mother had seen black cat cross the path from right to left. "and that means bad luck, you know."
"if he crosses your path from left to right, what does that mean?" asked the little meadowmouse.
"good luck," answered little jack rabbit.
"i don't know," said timmy meadowmouse with a shiver, "if he saw me first, it would be bad luck no matter which way he crossed the path."
just then little jack rabbit saw something move in the tall grass. "look out," he shouted.
into his house popped timmy meadowmouse, and none too soon, for black cat landed on the very spot where he had stood talking to the little rabbit.
"so it was you who warned timmy meadowmouse, was it?" he hissed, humping up his back and waving his long tail back and forth. oh my, but he looked ugly.
"yes, it was i," answered little jack rabbit bravely, and then he did what his mother had taught him to do when in a tight place. he suddenly turned his back on black cat and struck out with his strong hind legs. thump! they went against black cat's ribs, knocking him over. then away hopped the little rabbit back to the old bramble patch.
if you do what mother says
you'll grow tall and strong.
on your lips a happy smile,
in your heart a song—
if you do what mother says
you will not go wrong.
