Mother West Wind 'Where' Stories
Thornton W. Burgess was a bird-watching, berry-picking student of nature, who took up writing children's stores including those collected in Old Mother West Wind "Where" Stories (1918). He writes about talking animals, but his characters remain true to their real-life counterparts. Each story explains how Old Mother Nature gives special attention to each creature's needs -- where Grandfather Frog got his big mouth, for example, and where Mr. Quack the duck got his webbed feet. Burgess sets his tales "when the world was young," back when Peter Rabbit's "great-great-ever-so-great grandfather" was a young hopper, and Old Mother Nature still had some work to do on basic designs. She sees that a duck needs webbed feet to swim, and a prairie dog needs a burrow designed to keep dry. Burgess's animals are proud of their unique features and abilities, but the real voice of enthusiasm is the author's own, sharing the delights he found in the woods of New England. Typical of the book's charm is the story of where "Dippy the loon got the name of being crazy." The bird is smarter than he looks -- and that's how Dippy always gets the last laugh.
Thornton W. Burgess was a bird-watching, berry-picking student of nature, who took up writing children's stores including those collected in Old Mother West Wind "Where" Stories (1918). He writes about talking animals, but his characters remain true to their real-life counterparts. Each story explains how Old Mother Nature gives special attention to each creature's needs -- where Grandfather Frog got his big mouth, for example, and where Mr. Quack the duck got his webbed feet. Burgess sets his tales "when the world was young," back when Peter Rabbit's "great-great-ever-so-great grandfather" was a young hopper, and Old Mother Nature still had some work to do on basic designs. She sees that a duck needs webbed feet to swim, and a prairie dog needs a burrow designed to keep dry. Burgess's animals are proud of their unique features and abilities, but the real voice of enthusiasm is the author's own, sharing the delights he found in the woods of New England. Typical of the book's charm is the story of where "Dippy the loon got the name of being crazy." The bird is smarter than he looks -- and that's how Dippy always gets the last laugh.
Where Grandfather Frog Got His Big Mouth
Where Miser the Trade Rat First Set up Shop
Where Yap-Yap the Prairie Dog Used His Wits
Where Yellow Wing Got His Liking for the Ground
Where Little Chief Learned to Make Hay
Where Glutton the Wolverine Got His Name
Where Old Mrs. Gator Made the First Incubator
Where Mr. Quack Got His Webbed Feet
Where Thunderfoot the Bison Got His Hump
Where Limberheels Got His Long Tail
Where Old Mr. Gobbler Got the Strutting Habit
Where Seek-Seek Got His Pretty Coat
Where Old Mr. Osprey Learned to Fish
Where Old Mr. Bob-cat Left His Honor
Where Dippy the Loon Got the Name of Being Crazy
