Storytime with Brian #3
The Adventures of Paddy Beaver — Chapters 7–9
Welcome back to Storytime with Brian.
In this episode, we continue reading The Adventures of Paddy Beaver by Thornton W. Burgess, originally published in 1917.
This installment includes Chapters 7–9.
Music & Attribution
Opening and closing music:
“Gentle Nightfall Vol. 6” – Pixabay Music
https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-gentle-nightfallvol6-405778/
Background ambience (this episode):
“Nature British Woods Ambient Noise” – Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/nature-british-woods-ambient-noise-24942/
Transcript
Hey, hello everyone. Welcome to Storytime with Brian. I'm Brian.
Alright, today we are picking back up with the children's book The Adventures of Paddy Beaver by Thornton W. Burgess. So sit back, relax, and let's get into it.
Chapter 7: Farmer Brown's Boy Gets Another Surprise
Across the Old Pasture, to the foot of the mountain back of the Green Forest, tramped Farmer Brown's boy. Ahead of him trotted Bowser the Hound, sniffing and snuffing for the tracks of Reddy or Granny Fox.
Of course he didn't find them, for Reddy and Granny hadn't been up in the Old Pasture for a long time. But he did find old Jed Thumper, a big gray rabbit who had made things so uncomfortable for Peter Rabbit once upon a time. He gave him such a fright that old Jed didn't look where he was going and almost ran headfirst into Farmer Brown's boy.
"Hi there, you old cottontail!" yelled Farmer Brown's boy.
And this frightened old Jed still more, so that he actually ran right past his own castle of bullbriers without seeing it. Farmer Brown's boy kept on his way, laughing at the fright of old Jed Thumper.
Presently he reached the springs from which came the water that made the very beginning of the Laughing Brook. He expected to find them dry, for way down on the Green Meadows the Smiling Pool was nearly dry, and the Laughing Brook was nearly dry. And he had supposed that of course the reason was that the springs where the Laughing Brook started were no longer bubbling.
But they were.
The clear cold water came bubbling up out of the ground just as it always had, and ran off down into the Green Forest in a little stream that would grow and grow as it ran and become the Laughing Brook.
Farmer Brown's boy took off his ragged old straw hat and scowled down at the bubbling water just as if he thought it had no business to be bubbling there.
"I don't know what it means," said he, talking out loud. "No sir, I don't know what it means at all. But I'm going to find out. There's a cause for everything in this world, and when a fellow doesn't know a thing, it is his business to find out all about it. I'm going to find out what has happened to the Laughing Brook if it takes me a year."
With that, he started to follow the little stream which ran gurgling down into the Green Forest. The farther it ran, the larger it grew until at last it became the Laughing Brook, tumbling over rocks and making deep pools where the trout loved to hide.
At last he came to a little open hollow in the very heart of the Green Forest. He pushed his way through a thicket of alders — and stopped short.
There before him was a pond.
He rubbed his eyes. He put his hand in the water.
It was real.
He tramped around the edge of it until presently he came to a dam — a splendid dam of logs and sticks and mud. Over the top of it the water was running, and down below he could hear the Laughing Brook just beginning to laugh once more.
Farmer Brown’s boy sat down with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands.
He was almost too much surprised to think.
Chapter 8
Peter Rabbit Gets a Ducking
Farmer Brown’s boy sat staring at the pond and the dam which had made it.
Who could have built it? Why hadn’t he heard them chopping?
He looked at the stump of a tree. It looked very much as if teeth — not an axe — had cut it down.
Farmer Brown’s boy stared with his mouth wide open.
Peter Rabbit, hiding under a brush pile close by, nearly laughed aloud.
But Peter didn’t laugh.
Sniff! Sniff!
That was right behind him. Every hair stood on end.
“Bow wow wow!”
Peter jumped without thinking — straight out into plain sight.
Bowser the Hound had found him.
In his fright, Peter leapt onto the dam. There was nothing to do but cross it. But it was only a tangle of sticks. Happy Jack Squirrel or Striped Chipmunk could have skipped across easily. Peter had no sharp claws. He slipped, scrambled, slipped again — and trying to make a long jump, tumbled heels over head into the water.
Poor Peter!
He could swim, but poorly, and he didn’t like water. He couldn’t dive like Jerry Muskrat or Billy Mink. All he could do was paddle.
Water went up his nose and down his throat. He choked and spluttered, sure that Bowser would plunge in after him.
But Farmer Brown’s boy called Bowser away.
“It wouldn’t be fair to try to catch Peter now,” said he. “We never want to do anything unfair.”
Bowser wagged his tail and obeyed.
At last Peter reached the shore and scrambled out, a very sorry-looking rabbit. Without wasting a moment, he started for home as fast as he could go.
“Liberty, liberty, liberty!” he cried.
Farmer Brown’s boy and Bowser only laughed.
“Well, I never!” exclaimed Sammy Jay from the top of a pine tree. “I guess Farmer Brown’s boy isn’t so bad after all.”
Chapter 9
Paddy Plans a House
Paddy the Beaver sat on his dam, his eyes shining with happiness as he looked over the pond he had made.
It was beautiful and still.
The rosy glow in the water came from jolly, round, red Mr. Sun going to bed behind the Purple Hills. Soon the little stars would come out. Paddy loved to watch for the first one.
He would have been perfectly happy but for one thing.
Farmer Brown’s boy had found the dam that afternoon.
But why worry over troubles that haven’t come yet?
“Time enough to worry when they do,” said Paddy, which shows that Paddy had a great deal of wisdom in his little brown head.
“The thing for me to do now is to get ready for winter. I must build a stout, warm house where I will be safe when the pond is frozen. And I must lay in a supply of food until gentle Sister South Wind prepares the way for lovely Mr. Spring.”
With that, Paddy slipped into the water and swam around his pond to choose the best place.
One must never be careless in choosing a home.
Jimmy Skunk, for instance, often digs his house where everyone can see it. But Paddy is never careless. He chooses the very best place.
He selected a deep spot.
“There mustn’t be the least chance that ice will close my doorway,” said he. “I must build strong walls, plaster well with mud, and make a snug, warm room above the water.”
“This is the place.”
And with that, Paddy swam off to begin his work.
Alright, I think we will wrap it up there for today. Another three chapters down.
Thanks for joining me for The Adventures of Paddy Beaver. Hope you enjoyed this.
You can learn more about my books and artwork at bdcrowell.com.
Until next time, keep drawing, keep imagining, and keep telling stories.
Bye-bye.
You can explore all episodes in the Storytime with Brian series .
Learn more about my books and artwork at bdcrowell.com.
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