ur scattered about the foot of the dead
stump. Mr. Owl stood first on one foot and then on the other. He
tried to look old Mother Nature in the face, but he couldn't. You see,
Mr. Owl had a guilty conscience and a guilty conscience never looks
anyone straight in the face. He did wish that Mother Nature would say
something, did Mr. Owl. But she didn't. She just looked and looked
and looked and looked straight at Mr. Owl. The longer she looked the
uneasier he got and the faster he shifted from one foot to the other.
Finally he shifted so fast that he seemed to be dancing on top of the
old stump.

"Gradually, a few at a time, the little meadow people crept out from
their hiding places and formed a great circle around the old dead
stump. With old Mother Nature there they felt sure that no harm could
come to them. Then they began to laugh at the funny sight of fierce
old Mr. Owl hopping from one foot to the other on top of the old dead
stump. It was the first laugh on the Green Meadows for a long, long,
long time.

"Of course Mr. Owl saw them laughing at him, but he could think of
nothing but the sharp eyes of old Mother Nature boring straight through
him, and he danced faster than ever. The faster he danced the funnier
he looked, and the funnier he looked the harder the little meadow
people laughed.

"Finally old Mother Nature slowly raised a hand and pointed a long
forefinger at Mr. Owl. All the little meadow people stopped laughing
to hear what she would say.

"'Mr. Owl,' she began, 'I know and you know why none of my little
meadow people were here to give me greeting. And this shall be your
punishment: From now on your eyes shall become so tender that they
cannot stand the light of day, so that hereafter you shall fly about
only after round, red Mr. Sun has gone to bed behind the Purple Hills.
No more shall my little people who play on the Green Meadows all the
day long have cause to fear you, for no more shall you see to do them
harm.'

"When she ceased speaking all the little meadow people gave a great
shout, for they knew that it would be even as Mother Nature had said.
Then began such a frolic as the Green Meadows had not known for many a
long day.

"But Mr. Owl flew slowly and with difficulty over to the darkest part
of the deep wood, for the light hurt his eyes dreadfully and he could
hardly see. And as he flew the little birds flew around him in a great
cloud and plucked out his feathers and