she carried all her children, the Merry Little Breezes, whom she
was taking down to the Green Meadows to play and frolic all day.

"Good morning, Mother West Wind," said Jimmy Skunk, politely.
"Did you see any beetles as you came down the hill?"

Old Mother West Wind said, no, she hadn't seen any beetles as she
came down the hill.

"Thank you," said Jimmy Skunk politely. "I guess I'll have to go
look myself, for I'm very, very hungry."

So Jimmy Skunk brushed his handsome black and white coat, and
washed his face and hands, and started out to try to find some
beetles for his breakfast. First he went down to the Green
Meadows and stopped at Johnny Chuck's house. But Johnny Chuck was
still in bed and fast asleep. Then Jimmy Skunk went over to see
if Reddy Fox would go with him to help find some beetles for his
breakfast. But Reddy Fox had been out very, very late the night
before and was still in bed fast asleep, too.

So Jimmy Skunk set out all alone along the Crooked Little Path up
the hill to find some beetles for his breakfast. He walked very
slowly, for Jimmy Skunk never hurries. He stopped and peeped
under every old log to see if there were any beetles. By and by
he came to a big piece of bark beside the Crooked Little Path.
Jimmy Skunk took hold of the piece of bark with his two little
black paws and pulled and pulled. All of a sudden, the big piece
of bark turned over so quickly that Jimmy Skunk fell flat on his
back.