a big bunch of
yellow gold. But as he came closer, he saw that the gold was moving about
and fluttering, though not going very far away.
"That is queer gold," thought the old gentleman rabbit. "I never saw
moving gold before. I wonder if it is a good kind."
Then he went a little closer and he heard a voice crying.
"Why, that is crying gold, too," he said. "This is very strange."
Then he heard some one calling:
"Oh, help! Will some one please help me?"
"Why, this is most strange of all!" the rabbit cried. "It is talking gold.
Perhaps there is a fairy about."
"Oh, I only wish there was one!" cried the yellow object in the tree. "If
I saw a fairy I'd ask her to set me free."
"What's that? Who are you?" asked the rabbit.
"Oh, I'm a poor little yellow bird," was the answer, "and I'm caught in a
string-trap that some boys set in this tree. There is a string around my
legs and I can't fly home to see my little ones. I got into the trap by
mistake. Oh! can't you help me? Climb up into the tree, Uncle Wiggily, and
help me!"
"How did you know my name was Uncle Wiggily?" asked the rabbit.
"I could tell it by your ears--your wiggling ears," was the answer. "But
please climb up and help me."
"Rabbits can't climb trees," said Uncle Wiggily. "But I will tell you what
I'll do. I'll gnaw the tree down with my sharp teeth, for they are sharp,
even if I am a little old. Then, when it falls, I can reach the string,
untie it, and you will be free."
So Uncle Wiggily did this, and soon the tree fell down, but the golden
yellow bird was on a top branch and didn't get hurt. Then the old
gentleman rabbit quickly untied the string and the bird was out of the
trap.
"I cannot thank you enough!" she said to the rabbit. "Is there anything I
can do for you to pay you?"
"Well, my valise is down a hole," said Uncle Wiggily, "but I don't see how
you can get it up. I need it, though."
"I can fly down, tie the string to the satchel and you can pull it up,"
said the birdie. And she did so, and the rabbit pulled up his valise as
nicely as a bucket of water is hoisted up from the well. Then some bad
boys and a man came along to see if there was anything in the hole-trap,
or the string-trap they had made; but when they saw the bird flying away
and the rabbit hopping away through the woods they were very angry. But
Uncle Wiggily and the yellow bird were safe from harm, I'm glad to say.
And the rabbit had another adventure s
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