Once upon a time, deep in the heart of a lush green forest, a loving little bunny named Bailey was planning a surprise for her friends. It was a beautiful summer day, and Bailey was determined to bring her friends together to celebrate their precious friendship. “I will surprise them with a great feast, and we shall play and laugh the whole day,” thought she, her nose twitching with excitement.
Meanwhile, out in the dappled sunlight, Foxy the fox, a shifty creature with a cunning smile, was lounging in his favourite shady spot beneath a great oak tree. The news spreads quickly in the woods, and when Foxy heard from a little squirrel that Bailey meant to have a grand reunion of her friends, his sharp little ears stood up. “If there’s going to be a feast, I shall get my share, of course!” and with that determination, he slinked off towards Bailey’s cosy cottage.
Foxy had always meant to injure Bailey in some way if ever he had the chance, for he was an ill-natured little animal. Perhaps it was because all the creatures of the woods, big and small, were always on their guard against him, for he was so very sly. However that may be, he did mean mischief to Bailey, and today he determined to see what he could do with a message sent by his nimble little tail.
The moment he arrived near Bailey’s house, he began wagging his tail from side to side, and in less than no time to Bailey came all the roof-rats, the chickens, and others whom she knew could come on such sudden notice. By and by she peeped out of her house and quickly ran out. “That is a curious message to send by your tail, Foxy!” said she. “Well, what does it say to you?”
“Why,” said Foxy, “it said by my tail but it meant by my ear. Now look here—what do you think this is? Perhaps it is a message from an old friend of yours who would like to see you, Bailey!”
As he spoke, Foxy very cleverly pulled one ear of his as though he wished to shake some words out, and there, sure enough, hanging down out of Foxy’s ear, was something white that looked very much like a little pocket handkerchief. Bailey, who was very near-sighted, could not see what it was, and who do you think it was that fished it out of Foxy’s ear, but none other than that sly Bluebottle Fly?
“Oh! oh! oh! so that’s the trick you are playing me, is it?” said Bailey, and off she went directly to the wood’s edge to have a word with her old friend, Billy the badger, who was always very wide awake.
Foxy, thinking this would ruin Bailey’s feast, walked carelessly away, hoping to soon see the confusion that must ensue. But, as soon as Bailey had told Billy everything, off he hurried to Bailey’s house, where he got the dishes and everything ready so that when the friends came, all was prepared.
Then off crept Bailey to the wood’s edge, and there she was with all her friends, costumed with berry wreaths and silk dresses made of mushroom skins, and alright they would have bidden her welcome at once, but a dreadful noise was heard in the branches over their heads.
They looked up, and there was the old owl and her young brood of fifty, making a hideous noise and flapping their wings, just as if it would rain down rocks on all their heads. Bailey’s friends looked at her in great perplexity. “Up with you, Bumblebee,” said Billy; “buzz about there, and if you can stop her mouth with good rich honey, I think we can manage the rest ourselves.”
Away flew Bumblebee, and he flew round and round, and up and down, and soon saw that neither the young owls nor the mother would be able to cry out if they did so.
The next thing was to see what remedy could be applied to the ill-tempered fox, and Billy the badger said, “If you can send me the water of that pond yonder, I will give him a dose that’ll cure him of all such folly;” and indeed a handful or two of mud from the bank would help it.
All the friends flew and ran here and there to gather what was needed; and very soon Foxy was in a nice hot bath, and lying on a bed of very prickly thorns, courtesy of the young hedgehogs.
“Now,” said Billy, as the friends returned, “just stand there, all of you, a moment,” and in marched Bailey’s guests, headed by Bumblebee whizzy-and-buzzing. Oh what a sight was there! Several of Bailey’s unsuspecting little friends were killed with fright and with joy; and such a clapping of hands and shaking of paws, and all for nothing but to welcome positively the same little creatures they’d never even yet met!
Then Bailey’s house was opened, and in they went, and there was nothing but what all loved and understood, and just such a feast as friends would have at a friends’ meeting.