English
OnoneofBrownieBeaver’slongexcursionsdownthestreamhecameuponatreetowhichasignwasnailed.Now,Browniehadneverlearnedtoread.
ButhehadheardthatUncleJerryChuckcouldtellwhatasignsaid.
SoBrownieaskedapleasantyoungfellownamedFriskySquirrelifhewouldmindaskingUncleJerrytocomeovertoSwiftRiveronamatterofimportantbusiness.
WhenUncleJerryChuckappeared,BrownieBeaversaidhewasgladtoseehimandthatUncleJerrywaslookingverywell.
“I’vesentforyou,”saidBrownie,“becauseIwantedyoutoseethissign.
Icantellbythetracksunderthetreethatthesignwasputuponlytoday.
AndIthoughtyououghttoknowaboutitatonce,UncleJerry.”
Assoonasheheardthat,UncleJerryChucksteppedclosetothetreeandbegantoreadthesign.
Now,therewassomethingaboutUncleJerry’sreadingthatBrownieBeaverhadheard.
PeoplehadtoldhimthatUncleJerryChuckcouldn’ttellwhatasignsaidunlesshereaditaloud.
ThatwaswhyBrownieBeaverhadsentforhim,forBrownieknewUncleJerrywellenoughtoguessthatifanybodyaskedUncleJerrytoreadthesign,UncleJerrywouldinsistonbeingpaidforhistrouble.
ButnowUncleJerrywasgoingtoreadthesignforhimself.AndBrownieBeavermovedupbesidehim,tohearwhathesaid.
Thesignlookedlikethis:
NOHUNTING
ORFISHING
ALOUD
UncleJerryrepeatedthewordsinasing-songtone.
“Idon’tthinkmuchofthat,”hesaid.“It’sbadenoughtobehuntedbypeoplewhomakeanoise,thoughyouhavesomechanceofgettingawaythen.
Butiftheycan’tmakeanoiseitwillbemuchmoredangerousforallofusforest-people.”
IfTommyFoxhadn’thappenedtocomealongjustthenUncleJerrywouldn’thavefoundouthismistake.ButTommyFoxsoonsethimright.AssoonashehadtalkedabitwithUncleJerryhesaid:
“Whatthesignreallymeansisthatnohuntingorfishingwillbepermitted.Thatlastwordshouldbe‘allowed,’insteadof‘aloud.’It’sspelledwrong,”heexplained.
“That’sbetter!”UncleJerrycried.“Nowthere’llbenomorehuntingintheneighborhoodandwe’llallbequitesafe....FarmerGreeniskinderthanIsupposed.”
WhenBrownieBeaverheardthat,hesaidgood-byandstartedhomeatoncetotellthegoodnewstoallhisfriends.
Hehadleapedintotheriverandwasswimmingup-streamrapidlywhenUncleJerrycalledtohimtostop.
“There’ssomethingIwanttosay,”UncleJerryshouted.“Ithinkyououghttopaymeforreadingthesign.”
ButBrownieBeavershookhishead.
“Ididn’taskyoutoreadthesignforme,”hedeclared.“Youreaditforyourself,UncleJerry.
Andbesides,youdidn’tknowwhatitmeantuntilTommyFoxcamealongandtoldyou....IfyouwanttoknowwhatIthink,I’lltellyou.
IthinkyououghttopayTommyFoxsomething.”
UncleJerryatoncebegantolookworried.Hesaidnothingmore,butplungedoutofsightintosomebushes,asifhewereafraidTommyFoxmightcomebackandfindhim.
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