TherewasgreatrejoicinginthelittlevillageinthepondwhenBrownieBeaverreturnedwiththegoodnewsthattherewouldbenomorehuntingandfishing. AndwhenoldGrandaddyBeaversaidthateverybodyoughttotakeaholidaytocelebratetheoccasion,allthevillagerssaiditwasafineidea. Sotheystoppedworking,foronce,andbegantoplanthecelebration. Theythoughtthatthereoughttobeswimmingracesandtree-fellingcontests. AndBrownieBeaversaidthataftertheholidaywasoverhewouldsuggestthatsomeonebechosentogodownandthankFarmerGreenforputtingthenoticeonthetree. ThewholevillageagreedtoBrownie’sproposalandtheyvotedtoseewhoshouldbesent. BrownieBeaverhimselfpassedhishataroundtotakeupthevotes. AnditwasquicklyfoundthateveryvotewasforBrownieBeaver.Hehadevenvotedforhimself.Butnooneseemedtocareaboutthat. Thentheswimmingracesbegan.Therewasaraceunderwater,aracewithheadsoutofwater—andanotherinwhicheachpersonwhotookparthadtostaybeneaththesurfaceaslongashecould. Thatlastracecausedsometrouble.AyoungscampcalledSlipperySamwonit. Andmanypeoplethoughtthathehadswumupinsidehishouse,wherehecouldgetair,withoutbeingseen. Butnoonecouldproveit;sohewontherace,justthesame. Nextcamethetree-fellingcontest.Thereweresix,includingBrownieBeaver,thattookpartinit. GrandaddyBeaverhadpickedoutsixtreesofexactlythesamesize. Eachpersoninthecontesthadtotrytobringhistreetothegroundfirst. Andthatcausedsometrouble,too,becausesomeclaimedthattheirtreeswereofharderwoodthanothers—andmoredifficulttognaw—whileotherscomplainedthatthebarkoftheirtreestastedverybitter,andofcoursethatmadetheirtaskunpleasant. Thosesixtrees,fallingoneafteranother,madesucharacketthatoldMr.Crowheardthenoisemilesawayandflewovertoseewhatwashappening. Aftereverybodycreptoutofhishiding-placesometimeafterward(everyonehadtohideforawhile,youknow),therewasMr.Crowsittingupononeofthefallentrees. “What’sgoingon?”heinquired.“You’renotgoingtocutdownthewholeforest,Ihope.” Thentheytoldhimaboutthecelebration.AndMr.Crowbegantolaugh. “Whatareyougoingtodonext?”heasked. “We’rea-goingtosendBrownieBeaverovertoPleasantValleytothankFarmerGreenforhiskindnessinputtinganendtohuntingandfishing,”saidoldGrandaddyBeaver.“Andhe’sa-goingtostartrightaway.” Mr.Crowlookedaround.AndtherewasBrownieBeaver,withalunch-basketinhishand,allreadytobeginhislongjourney. “Saygood-bytohimthen,”saidMr.Crow,“foryou’llneverseehimagain.” “Whatdoyoumean?”GrandaddyBeaverasked.AndasforBrownie—hewassofrightenedthathedroppedhisbasketrightinthewater. “Imean—”saidMr.Crow—“Imeanthatit’saverydangerouserrand. Youdon’tseemtohaveunderstoodthatsign. Inthefirstplace,itwasnotFarmerGreen,buthissonJohnnie,whonailedittothetree.” “Ah!”BrownieBeavercried.“Thatiswhyoneofthewordswasmisspelled!” “Nodoubt!”Mr.Crowremarked. Asamatteroffact,notbeingabletoreadhehadn’tknownaboutthewordthatwasspelledwrong. “Inthesecondplace,”hecontinued,“thesigndoesn’tmeanthathuntingandfishingaretobestopped. ItmeansthatnoonebutJohnnieGreenisgoingtohuntandfishinthisneighborhood. Hewantsallthehuntingandfishingforhimself.That’swhyheputupthatsign. Andinsteadofhuntingandfishingbeingstopped,Ishouldsaythattheyweregoingtobegintobemoredangerousthanever....Theytellme,”headded,“thatJohnnieGreenhadanewgunonthisbirthday.” BrownieBeaversaidatoncethathewasnotgoingontheerrandofthanks. “Iresign,”hesaid,“andanyonethatwantstogoinmyplaceiswelcometodoso.” Butnobodycaredtogo.Andthewholevillageseemedgreatlydisappointed,untilGrandaddyBeavermadeashortspeech. “We’veallhadagoodholiday,anyhow,”hesaid.“AndIshouldsaythatwassomethingtobethankfulfor.” 
