The Tale of Freddie Firefly

By Arthur Scott Bailey

Arthur Scott Bailey was one of the most prolific and popular authors of kids books in the early 20th century. He wrote several dozen books, many of which are still read today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Krill Press
• Release date: Feb 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781531201517

Book preview

THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY

..................

Arthur Scott Bailey

MILK PRESS

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Copyright © 2016 by Arthur Scott Bailey

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY: I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

X

XI

XII

XIII

XIV

XV

XVI

XVII

XVIII

XIX

XX

XXI

XXII

XXIII

The Tale of Freddie Firefly

By

Arthur Scott Bailey

The Tale of Freddie Firefly

Published by Milk Press

New York City, NY

First published circa 1949

Copyright © Milk Press, 2015

All rights reserved

Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

About Milk Press

Milk Press loves books, and we want the youngest generation to grow up and love them just as much. We publish classic children’s literature for young and old alike, including cherished fairy tales and the most famous novels and stories.

THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY: I

..................

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.

If that was so, then it was no wonder that Freddie kept flashing his light in the dark. And it was lucky that he had a light, because—like Benjamin Bat himself—he was a night-prowler.

Unlike Farmer Green, Freddie believed that the night air was very healthful. And together with all his family, he thought that a damp place was much to be preferred to a dry one.

He often remarked that the pollen upon which he frequently dined tasted best when the dew was upon it. And he never could understand why Buster Bumblebee’s sisters, the ill-tempered workers, always