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Literary
February 2, 1931
Imperial Valley Press
El Centro, Imperial County, California
What is this article about?
On Groundhog Day, Uncle Wiggily visits his bear and groundhog friends to ensure they don't see their shadows, hoping for an early spring. Along the way, he discovers bright red rose seed pods, which he collects as beads, while explaining the winter folklore to his wife.
Merged-components note: Images and caption illustrate the Uncle Wiggily literary story.
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Bed-Time Stories
By HOWARD E. GARRIS
Copyright, 1928, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate
UNCLE WIGGILY'S ROSE BEADS
"Where are you going, Uncle Wiggily?'' asked the rabbit gentleman's wife one morning on the second day of February, as she saw him open the front door of his hollow stump bungalow.
"I am going to see Mr. Stubtail, the bear gentleman," answered Mr. Longears. "After that I may call on Mr. Chuck, the groundhog.
"My! You certainly are going to be busy!'' exclaimed Mrs. Longears. "Are you going to call on the bear and groundhog and get them to go adventuring with you?"
"Not exactly," said Uncle Wiggily. "Those two gentlemen animal friends of mine are going to have some adventures of their own today."
"What sort of adventures?" asked the rabbit lady.
"Well, as you know," went on her husband, "this is Candlemas Day, or as some call it Groundhog day. Though, for the matter of that, it could be called Bear day."
"Oh, yes, now I know!" exclaimed Mrs. Longears. "This is the middle of winter. We may have six weeks more of cold, snowy weather or we may not. It all depends on the shadows of the bear or groundhog, doesn't it?"
"That's it," Uncle Wiggily answered. "It is a very old saying that if, on Candlemas day the bear comes out of his den and the sun shines enough so he can see his shadow, he becomes frightened and hurries back into his den where he stays for six weeks."
"But if the sun doesn't shine," went on Mrs. Longears, "and if the bear, or groundhog, doesn't see any shadow they will not be afraid and they will stay out of their dens, or perhaps not go very far in. And then spring will come in four weeks instead of six."
"Yes," agreed Uncle Wiggily. "That is the old story. How true it is I don't know. But many of my friends believe if the sun shines enough today so that a bear or groundhog can see a shadow there will be still six weeks more of winter. But if it is cloudy then we shall have but four weeks."
"Then I hope the sun doesn't shine," spoke Mrs. Longears, "though I love a bright day better than a cloudy one. But why are you going to call on Mr. Stubtail and Mr. Chuck?"
"I want to ask them to stay in their dens until the sun goes under a little cloud, that is if the sun shines at all," said the rabbit. "Then, when I see that they can't notice their shadows on the ground I'll tell them to come out and, seeing nothing of which to be afraid, they will stay out for the four weeks more we may have of winter. You see they must come out of their dens on Candlemas Day anyhow. But it is better if they come out when the sun doesn't shine."
"Yes, I suppose so," agreed the rabbit lady. "Well, hop along and visit your friends. And I hope you have luck making them stay in their dens until there is no chance of seeing any shadow."
"I hope so myself," said Uncle Wiggily, and through the woods until he was near the den of Mr. Stubtail, the bear gentleman. The den was under a hill, a cozy, warm den lined with leaves. Animals like the bear and groundhog, or woodchuck, always take a long sleep, or hibernate, during the winter. Food is hard to get for these animals in winter so they think if they take a long sleep of several months they will not feel hungry. You know you can't eat when you sleep.
"But this is the day for Stubby to come out," Uncle Wiggily thought as he neared the bear's sleeping den. "I only hope the sun will stay under the clouds," and he looked anxiously up.
The sun was shining brightly then, but when Mr. Stubtail and Mr. Chuck came out it might be hidden from sight.
All of a sudden Uncle Wiggily saw something gleaming bright red in the bushes ahead of him. At first he thought it might be the red tongue of the bear gentleman sticking out. But another look showed Uncle Wiggily that what he was looking at were many bright, red beads on a rose bush. Of course the rose bush wasn't in blossom, now, it was winter. But when the blossoms had fallen off at the end of summer in their places, on the sticker-y, bramble branches, were left these red pods of seeds.
"Oh, what jolly beads these red rose pods will make," said Uncle Wiggily. So he gathered a pocket full of the red rose beads, taking care not to prick himself. Then he was ready to hop on to see Mr. Stubtail and Mr. Chuck to ask them not to look at their shadows for that would make winter six weeks longer instead of four. But all of a sudden, something happened as Uncle Wiggily picked the red rose beads.
And if the baby carriage will try and grow up into a fine, strong milk wagon, I'll tell you next about Uncle Wiggily's present.
What jolly beads these make!
By HOWARD E. GARRIS
Copyright, 1928, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate
UNCLE WIGGILY'S ROSE BEADS
"Where are you going, Uncle Wiggily?'' asked the rabbit gentleman's wife one morning on the second day of February, as she saw him open the front door of his hollow stump bungalow.
"I am going to see Mr. Stubtail, the bear gentleman," answered Mr. Longears. "After that I may call on Mr. Chuck, the groundhog.
"My! You certainly are going to be busy!'' exclaimed Mrs. Longears. "Are you going to call on the bear and groundhog and get them to go adventuring with you?"
"Not exactly," said Uncle Wiggily. "Those two gentlemen animal friends of mine are going to have some adventures of their own today."
"What sort of adventures?" asked the rabbit lady.
"Well, as you know," went on her husband, "this is Candlemas Day, or as some call it Groundhog day. Though, for the matter of that, it could be called Bear day."
"Oh, yes, now I know!" exclaimed Mrs. Longears. "This is the middle of winter. We may have six weeks more of cold, snowy weather or we may not. It all depends on the shadows of the bear or groundhog, doesn't it?"
"That's it," Uncle Wiggily answered. "It is a very old saying that if, on Candlemas day the bear comes out of his den and the sun shines enough so he can see his shadow, he becomes frightened and hurries back into his den where he stays for six weeks."
"But if the sun doesn't shine," went on Mrs. Longears, "and if the bear, or groundhog, doesn't see any shadow they will not be afraid and they will stay out of their dens, or perhaps not go very far in. And then spring will come in four weeks instead of six."
"Yes," agreed Uncle Wiggily. "That is the old story. How true it is I don't know. But many of my friends believe if the sun shines enough today so that a bear or groundhog can see a shadow there will be still six weeks more of winter. But if it is cloudy then we shall have but four weeks."
"Then I hope the sun doesn't shine," spoke Mrs. Longears, "though I love a bright day better than a cloudy one. But why are you going to call on Mr. Stubtail and Mr. Chuck?"
"I want to ask them to stay in their dens until the sun goes under a little cloud, that is if the sun shines at all," said the rabbit. "Then, when I see that they can't notice their shadows on the ground I'll tell them to come out and, seeing nothing of which to be afraid, they will stay out for the four weeks more we may have of winter. You see they must come out of their dens on Candlemas Day anyhow. But it is better if they come out when the sun doesn't shine."
"Yes, I suppose so," agreed the rabbit lady. "Well, hop along and visit your friends. And I hope you have luck making them stay in their dens until there is no chance of seeing any shadow."
"I hope so myself," said Uncle Wiggily, and through the woods until he was near the den of Mr. Stubtail, the bear gentleman. The den was under a hill, a cozy, warm den lined with leaves. Animals like the bear and groundhog, or woodchuck, always take a long sleep, or hibernate, during the winter. Food is hard to get for these animals in winter so they think if they take a long sleep of several months they will not feel hungry. You know you can't eat when you sleep.
"But this is the day for Stubby to come out," Uncle Wiggily thought as he neared the bear's sleeping den. "I only hope the sun will stay under the clouds," and he looked anxiously up.
The sun was shining brightly then, but when Mr. Stubtail and Mr. Chuck came out it might be hidden from sight.
All of a sudden Uncle Wiggily saw something gleaming bright red in the bushes ahead of him. At first he thought it might be the red tongue of the bear gentleman sticking out. But another look showed Uncle Wiggily that what he was looking at were many bright, red beads on a rose bush. Of course the rose bush wasn't in blossom, now, it was winter. But when the blossoms had fallen off at the end of summer in their places, on the sticker-y, bramble branches, were left these red pods of seeds.
"Oh, what jolly beads these red rose pods will make," said Uncle Wiggily. So he gathered a pocket full of the red rose beads, taking care not to prick himself. Then he was ready to hop on to see Mr. Stubtail and Mr. Chuck to ask them not to look at their shadows for that would make winter six weeks longer instead of four. But all of a sudden, something happened as Uncle Wiggily picked the red rose beads.
And if the baby carriage will try and grow up into a fine, strong milk wagon, I'll tell you next about Uncle Wiggily's present.
What jolly beads these make!
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
What themes does it cover?
Seasonal Cycle
Nature
What keywords are associated?
Uncle Wiggily
Groundhog Day
Rose Beads
Winter Folklore
Animal Adventure
Candlemas Day
What entities or persons were involved?
By Howard E. Garris
Literary Details
Title
Uncle Wiggily's Rose Beads
Author
By Howard E. Garris
Subject
Groundhog Day Adventure
Key Lines
"It Is A Very Old Saying That If, On Candlemas Day The Bear Comes Out Of His Den And The Sun Shines Enough So He Can See His Shadow, He Becomes Frightened And Hurries Back Into His Den Where He Stays For Six Weeks."
"Oh, What Jolly Beads These Red Rose Pods Will Make," Said Uncle Wiggily.
And If The Baby Carriage Will Try And Grow Up Into A Fine, Strong Milk Wagon, I'll Tell You Next About Uncle Wiggily's Present.