In the sunny park, all the animals were gathered for Friendship Day, each waiting with excitement for their turn to speak. This year, Benny the Bear had much to tell. He opened his speech with, “So many friends have done so many things for me this year, that it seems very hard to make a single speech to all of them.”
“It need not be difficult at all,” said the wise old Owl in her usual calm way: “Simply say what you want to say.”
“Yes,” replied Benny; “but what shall I say?”
“Say what you think about your specially good friend,” answered the Owl. “This will help you.”
Benny thought for a moment. “Ah! I shall speak about Suzie Squirrel. Therefore I will sit down.” And he sat down.
Then Jimmy Robin hopped out on the platform: “Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.”
Here he paused to see if any animal would take up his poem and repeat the next line. But as no one did so, he had to sit down very much disappointed.
The Duck hopped out. “I cannot do better than repeat to you the old nursery rhyme:
‘Oh, do not speak harshly to ducklings or pigs,
When they ask some small favour or perchance play some pranks;
Although they may come in a little untidy
They’ll grow up comely, and your views all carry out.’”
“Ah! those words remind me of my own life from babyhood up,” quacked Mrs. Duck, placing one web foot on top of the other.
But Mrs. Duck’s speech seemed to be connected with her early training, and so the Robins and Sparrows and Chaffinches hopped off in a flock, crying, “Now we must help each other.”
Then out came the Woodpecker, with a hatchet stuck in the top of his head, as usual. “Hay! ah! Pure goods! Be careful! Be careful of the pure goods,” from the horrible old tinker who tries to sell furniture when he does not know how to mend it seemed to be very suitable to the occasion.
But at last a well-formatted note was found, stating that they could all hope to obtain the two gold medals, but one marble medal could go to one person only.
The first who had been successful in dividing a cherry with his friend had the right to the throat medal; and as it seemed a little unfair that this prick should go to a parrot, the Woodpecker withdrew his claim.
The white Pebble,” said old Mrs. Toad, “will go very well in the next dress suit. For me, a household god! ah! in my by-gone days I should indeed have prized them like a daughter!”
“But for day dress and evening dress I shall do wonders with it,” cried Suzie and Benny at the same moment.
In the quiet of her home just at sunset Benny’s mother thought to herself: “That letter of the by-gone days which a hand maul cannot destroy surely ages and centuries cannot have vitiated. Go where it may and rest when it may, I shall so love that true maid.
“But for day use and evening use it will do wonders.” Suzie’s letter breathed just the same spirit.
Do you understand me, dear little children? Both letters contained the same words.