Little Greta of Denmark

By Bernadine Bailey

"Little Greta of Denmark" by Bernadine Bailey. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Good Press
• Release date: Apr 26, 2021
• ISBN: 4064066140458

Book preview

Bernadine Bailey

Little Greta of Denmark

Published by Good Press, 2022

[e-mail]

EAN 4064066140458

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I A SEARCH BEGINS

CHAPTER II THE SEARCH CONTINUES

CHAPTER III A RIDE DOWN THE RIVER

CHAPTER IV EXCITEMENT IN THE FOREST

CHAPTER V THE STORKS

CHAPTER VI DINNER AT VOSBORG CASTLE

CHAPTER VII A DAY AT THE SHORE

CHAPTER VIII A SECOND VISIT TO VOSBORG

CHAPTER IX CHOUSE SEEKS THE SPOTLIGHT

CHAPTER X A DAY OF HAPPY SURPRISES

CHAPTER XI THE BEST SURPRISE OF ALL

CHAPTER XII CHOUSE IS HOMESICK

CHAPTER XIII GOODBYE

LITTLE GRETA OF DENMARK

LITTLE GRETA OF DENMARK

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I

A SEARCH BEGINS

Table of Contents

Greta opened very sleepy eyes and stretched a long, long stretch. Every single morning, before she got out of bed, she put her arms above her head and stretched as far as she could reach. Greta wanted to grow tall, and she thought that maybe if she pulled her arms 'way up and her feet 'way down, she would grow tall more quickly. Greta had been named after the most famous queen of Denmark, and so she wanted to be tall and graceful, just as that queen had been.

In about two minutes she jumped out of bed and started to dress. If she dressed very fast, she would have time to run out to the barn and see the kittens before breakfast. The kittens were only a week old, and Greta loved them every bit as much as their own mother did. Greta lived on a very large farm, and on the farm was a very large barn. In fact, the barn was about three times as large as the house Greta lived in. The barn was built of red brick and it formed three sides of a square. The house itself made the other side of the square. It was also built of brick, but it was painted white.

The horses were kept in one part of the barn, the cows in another part, and the pigs in still another part. Then there was one large section where the hay was kept. When the kittens were born, Greta made a nice soft bed of straw for them in the farthest corner of the barn, where the pigs and cows and horses could not possibly reach them. Every morning she ran out to see the kittens to be sure that they were all right. She picked up each of the four soft, furry little animals and gave it a special hug before she went off to school. And when she came home from school she played with the kittens until it was time for dinner.

Of course Chouse didn't like this one little bit. Chouse was the wire-haired terrier, and he had always been Greta's special pet. In the summer he played with her every minute of the day. But things were very different now, since the kittens had come. Greta didn't pay much attention to Chouse. The kittens took every minute of her time. Just the same, Chouse was waiting for her this morning outside her bedroom door. Breakfast would be ready in five minutes, so Greta ran quickly, with Chouse barking at her heels. All out of breath, she reached the farthest corner of the barn, where the kittens had their bed of straw.

Then Greta stopped very still. She rubbed her eyes. Surely this was just a bad dream. The soft bed of straw was empty. No one would have taken her kittens, and none of the horses or cows or pigs could reach them. Where in the world could they be? She began to look all over that end of the barn, poking about the straw that covered the floor. There wasn't a sign of the soft balls of fur. Two large tears rolled down Greta's face. Just then she heard her brother Hans calling.

Greta, where are you? Breakfast is all ready and we are waiting for you.

There was such a big lump in the little girl's throat that she could hardly answer. Finally she said, Here I am, Hans, but my kittens are gone.

Gone? What do you mean? Hans had found her by now and he put his arm around her shoulder. Don't cry, Greta. We'll find them all right. Come on to breakfast now.

GRETA'S HOME

GRETA'S HOME

I don't think I can eat anything, Hans. I wish I didn't have to go to school today. I want to look for my kittens.

I'll help you look for them as soon as we get home from school. Come on, now. Mother and Father are waiting.

So Greta wiped the tears from her face and went into the house with Hans. She sat down at the table, but the lump just wouldn't go out of her throat, and she could hardly swallow.

Remember, Greta, there are only two more days of school, and then you will have all summer to play with the kittens. Hans tried his best to cheer up his little sister. Hans was fifteen years old, so of course he couldn't possibly be upset over a little thing like the loss of four small kittens.

Maybe Chouse has hidden your kittens, Greta, suggested her father. Day before yesterday I saw him chasing the baby pigs. I punished him for that, but he didn't seem to learn, for yesterday he was chasing the baby chickens and he killed two of them. Now you know we can't have that sort of thing going on. I think we had better send Chouse away to some other farm.

Greta could hardly believe her ears. "You don't really mean that you would send Chouse away?"

Yes, I mean just that, Greta. We can't have a dog that is destructive. And if he has hurt your kittens, I don't think you would want to keep him, either.

Greta didn't say a word, but a choking feeling came into her throat.

Finish your breakfast, Greta, or you will be late for school, reminded her mother.

Greta went