The Tale of Freddie Firefly

MP3 Audio CD. The Tale of Freddie Firefly

I

A MERRY DANCER


Nobody in Pleasant Valley ever paid any attention to Freddie Firefly in
the daytime. But on warm, and especially on dark summer nights he always
appeared at his best. Then he went gaily flitting through the meadows.
And sometimes he even danced right in Farmer Green's dooryard, together
with a hundred or two of his nearest relations.

No one could help noticing those sprightly revelers, flashing their
greenish-white lights through the gloom. And many of the field people,
as well as the folk that lived in the farmhouse, thought that the
dancers made a pretty sight.

But there were others who said that the Firefly family might better be
spending their time in some more serious way.

Benjamin Bat, who lived in Cedar Swamp, was one of those who found fault
with the merry dancers. He grumbled a good deal about them--and
especially about Freddie Firefly.

"He's so proud of that light he carries!" Benjamin often exclaimed,
"Now, if he could hang by his feet from the limb of a tree--and SLEEP at
the same time--he'd have something to boast of!"

No doubt Benjamin Bat was jealous. Anyhow, Solomon Owl declared that
there was still another reason why Benjamin did not like Freddie
Firefly. Solomon claimed that Benjamin would have liked to EAT Freddie.
But he didn't quite dare to grab him for fear of getting burned by
Freddie's light.