10

The Tooth Puller

Jimmy Rabbit was always changing his mind about what he was going to be when he grew up. First he thought he would be a gardener, so he would always have plenty of vegetables to eat. Next he decided he would be a preacher, because, so far as he could see, they never did anything except talk--and he was sure _that_ couldn't be very hard work. And one day he told his mother that he expected to become a tramp, so he wouldn't have to wash his face. But she soon put that idea out of his head. So Jimmy had to think of something else.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Jimmy Rabbit hurts Frisky Squirrel]

Now, he had heard that there were places where one could go to have a tooth pulled. And it seemed to him that it must be very pleasant to pull teeth. And he saw no reason why he need wait till he grew up, either. He saw no reason why he should not begin at once.

Jimmy knew of a hollow stump not far away which would make as fine an office as anyone could want. So he hopped into the woods. And outside the hollow stump he nailed a sign that said:

JAMES RABBIT TOOTH PULLER

He didn't have to wait any time at all before some one came along.

It was Frisky Squirrel. And the moment he read the sign he decided that one of his teeth was in need of pulling.

"Come right in!" Jimmy Rabbit said. He had on a white ap.r.o.n, which he had borrowed from his mother when she was not looking. And in his hand he held a big pair of pincers, which he had borrowed from his father while Mr. Rabbit was away from home.

"Do you really know how to pull a tooth?" Frisky asked.

"I've never yet had a complaint from anyone who let me pull a tooth for him," Jimmy Rabbit said. And that was perfectly true--for he had never pulled a tooth in his whole life.

It would have been a shame if Frisky Squirrel had lost one of his sharp, white teeth. But Frisky didn't know that. He thought it would be fun.

And he sat down and told Jimmy Rabbit he was ready.

So Jimmy Rabbit stepped up to him. But he hadn't any more than closed his pincers when Frisky Squirrel began to scream.

Jimmy Rabbit was so surprised that he let the pincers drop and jumped back.

"My goodness!" he said. "How you startled me! I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Yes, you did!" Frisky answered. And Jimmy could see that he was angry.

"You hurt my lip terribly."

"Well, you must have moved," said Jimmy. "Having a tooth pulled is a good deal like having your picture taken. You have to sit very still."

Now, sitting still was something that Frisky Squirrel never was able to do.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but I shall have to get along with my teeth just as they are."

"Better try once more!" Jimmy urged him. "Most everybody has at least _one_ tooth out. It's quite the fas.h.i.+on."

But Frisky would not let him try again.

"I haven't heard that it was the fas.h.i.+on to have your lip pulled off,"

he said. "But I'll stay here a while," he added. He wanted to _see_ a tooth pulled, even if it wasn't his own.

"Do!" said Jimmy Rabbit. "And after you've seen how easily the thing's done, I've no doubt you will want me to 'tend to your case." He was very cheerful.

But Frisky Squirrel did not appear very happy. His lip pained him terribly.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 11 A Slight Dispute]

11

A Slight Dispute

You may have heard somewhere of Uncle Jerry Chuck. He was an old woodchuck who lived in Farmer Green's pasture. And he was known far and wide as the stingiest person in Pleasant Valley. He never paid for anything if he could possibly help it.

Well, Uncle Jerry had the toothache. That was nothing new for him, either. He often had the toothache. And it was always the same tooth, too--because he had only one in his head. But he never would go and have his tooth pulled, because he simply _hated_ the thought of paying anyone to take it out. He had an idea that _he_ was the one who should be paid. But he never could find a dentist who looked at the matter in that light.

Uncle Jerry was strolling through the woods. He had a big red handkerchief tied about his face, because it was a cold day. And he was getting very tired of the toothache. He was just wis.h.i.+ng that he could get rid of it--for nothing. He even thought he would be willing to part with that tooth without asking any pay for it, when what should he see right in front of him but a big sign, which said:

JAMES RABBIT TOOTH PULLER

"h.e.l.lo!" said Uncle Jerry. "Here's something new! I've never noticed that sign before." And he stepped inside the hollow stump to which the sign was nailed.

And there he found Jimmy Rabbit, in a white ap.r.o.n, and with a pair of pincers in his hand. Frisky Squirrel was there, too, sitting in a corner and holding onto his head.

"What are your prices?" Uncle Jerry asked.

"An ear of corn for a tooth!" said Jimmy Rabbit promptly.

"That's reasonable enough," Uncle Jerry Chuck replied. And he sat down at once. "Go ahead!" he said.

Jimmy Rabbit was delighted.

"Which one is it?" he asked.

"All of them!" said Uncle Jerry.

That was even better than Jimmy had expected. But when he looked inside Uncle Jerry's mouth he was disappointed.

"Why, you've only one tooth in your head!" he exclaimed in his surprise.

"Hurry up!" Uncle Jerry snapped. "I came here to have a tooth pulled--not _to be talked to_." He was always ill tempered. And his toothache only made him crosser than ever.

So Jimmy Rabbit went to work. He tugged away with all his might and main. Now and then Uncle Jerry groaned. And whenever he groaned, Jimmy turned pale. For he was somewhat afraid of the old gentleman.

At last Jimmy tumbled backward, head over heels. That was when the tooth came out.