19
VI A HEARTY EATER 24
VII TWO WORM-EATERS 29
VIII LOSING HIS BEARINGS 34
IX GOOD NEWS FROM BELOW 38
X MRS. ROBIN'S WISH 43
XI SURPRISING GRANDFATHER MOLE 47
XII MR. BLACKBIRD'S ADVICE 52
XIII TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF 56
XIV THE NEW SUNSHADE 61
XV TWO AND A TOADSTOOL 65
XVI GRANDFATHER MOLE'S VISITOR 70
XVII MR. CROW SCOLDS 76
XVIII A TALK WITH MR. MEADOW MOUSE 81
XIX MR. CROW'S APOLOGY 86
XX A SIGN OF RAIN 91
XXI MRS. WREN TRIES TO HELP 96
XXII TWO FAMOUS DIGGERS 102
XXIII SEEING A SAMPLE 107
XXIV FOLLOWING THE PLOUGH 112
XXV STUBBORN AS EVER 116

THE TALE OF GRANDFATHER MOLE

I

A QUEER OLD PERSON

THERE was a queer old person that lived in Farmer Green's garden. Nobody
knew exactly how long he had made his home there because his neighbors
seldom saw him. He might have been in the garden a whole summer before
anybody set eyes on him.

Those that were acquainted with him called him Grandfather Mole. And the
reason why his friends didn't meet him oftener was because he spent
most of his time underground. Grandfather Mole's house was in a mound at
one end of the garden. He had made the house himself, for he was a great
digger. And Mr. Meadow Mouse often remarked that it had more halls than
any other dwelling he had ever seen. He had visited it when Grandfather
Mole was away from home, so he knew what it was like.

Some of those halls that Mr. Meadow Mouse mentioned ran right out
beneath the surface of the garden. Grandfather Mole had dug them for a
certain purpose. Through them he made his way in the darkness, whenever
he was hungry (which was most of the time, for he had a huge appetite!).
And when he took an underground stroll he was almost sure to find a few
angleworms, which furnished most of his meals.

To be sure, he did not despise a grub--if he happened to meet one--nor a
cutworm nor a wire-worm.

The wonder of it was that Grandfather Mole ever found anything to eat,
for the old gentleman was all but blind. The only good Grandfather
Mole's eyes did him was to let him tell darkness from light. They were
so small that his neighbors claimed he hadn't any at all.

Another odd thing ab