Latest / Three Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens / Tale of Betsy Butterfly (Version 2)-Arthur Scott Bailey

Transcript

Tale of Betsy Butterfly (Version 2)-Arthur Scott Bailey · Three Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Chapter one of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Red by Jen Broda, The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: Arthur Scott Bailey, Beauty and the Blossoms. Every one of
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: the field people in Pleasant Valley, and the forest folk
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: as well, was different from his neighbors. For instance, there
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: was Jasper Jay, he was the noisiest chap for miles around.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: And there was Peter Mink. Without doubt, he was the
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: rudest and most rascally fellow in the whole district. Then
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: there was Freddie Firefly, who was the brightest youngster on
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: the farm, at least after dark when his light flashed
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: across the meadow. So it went. One person was wiser
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: than any of his neighbors, another was stupider, and somebody
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: else was always hungrier. But there was one who was
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: the loveliest. Not only was she beautiful to look upon,
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: she was graceful in flight as well. When one saw
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: her flittering among the flowers, it was hard to say
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: which was the daintier the Blossoms or Betsy Butterfly, for
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: that was her name. Whoever gave it to her might
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: have chosen a prettier one. Betsy herself always said that
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: she would have preferred violet. In the first place, it
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: was the name of a flower, and in the second
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: her red, brown mottled wings had violet tips. However, a
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: person as charming as Betsy Butterfly did not need to
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: worry about her name. Had she been named after a
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: dozen flowers, she could have been no more attractive. People
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: often said that everybody was happier and better just for
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: having Betsy Butterfly in the neighborhood, and some claimed that
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: even the weather couldn't help being fine when Betsy went abroad.
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: Why the sun just has to smile on her, they
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: would exclaim. But they were really wrong about that. The
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: truth of the matter was that Betsy Butterfly couldn't abide
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: bad weather, not even a cloudy sky. She said she
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: didn't enjoy flying except in the sunshine, so no one
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: ever saw her except on pleasant days. To be sure,
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: a few of the field people turned up their noses
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: at Betsy. They were the jealous ones, and they generally
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: pretended that they did not consider Betsy beautiful at all.
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: She has too much color. Mehitable Moth remarked one day
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: to missus Ladybug, between you and me, I've an idea
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: that it isn't natural. I think she painted her wings.
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: I don't doubt it, said missus Ladybug. I should think
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: she'd be ashamed of herself. And little missus Ladybug pursed
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: her lips and looked very severe, and then she declared
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: that she didn't see how people could say Betsy was
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: even good looking if they had ever noticed her tongue. Honestly,
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: her tongues as long as she is, Missus Ladybug gossiped,
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: But she knows enough to carry it curled up like
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: a watch spring, so it isn't generally seen. You Just
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: gaze at her closely some day when she's sipping nectar
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: from a flower, and you'll see that I know what
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: I'm talking about.
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: Now.
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: Some of these spiteful remarks may have reached Betsy Butterfly's ears,
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: but she never paid the slightest attention to them. When
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: she met Mehitable Moth or Missus Ladybug, she always said,
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: how do you do? And isn't this a lovely day
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: in the sweetest tone you could imagine. And of course
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: there was nothing a body could do except to agree
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: with Betsy Butterfly, for it was bound to be a beautiful,
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: bright day, or she wouldn't have been out. So even
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: those that didn't like Betsy had to give up trying
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: to quarrel with her. End of chapter.
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: One, Chapter two of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: is a lipprivox recording. All Lipprivox recordings are in the
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: lipprifox dot org. The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: Scott Bailey Johnny Green's net. Johnny Green was never quite
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: happy unless he was collecting something. One year, he went
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: about with a hammer, chipping a piece off almost every
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: rock in Pleasant Valley, and of course he gathered birds eggs.
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: After he tired of that, he began collecting postage stamps. Next,
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: he turned his attention to tobacco tags, even hailing travelers
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: who passed the house to ask them whether they hadn't
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: a hard one, meaning by that a tag that was
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: hard to get. When he felt quite sure that he
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: had a sample of every kind of tobacco tag in
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: the whole world. Johnny Green had to think of something
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: else to collect, and since it was summer and a
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: good time to find them, he decided to start a
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: collection of butterflies. News spreads fast among the field people
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: and on. Almost as soon as Johnny Green had made
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: up his mind about his new collection, the whole butterfly
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: family knew of it. Old mister Crow was the one
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: that first learned of Johnny's plan, and he was not
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: pleased either butterflies. He scoffed, I should think Johnny Green
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: might better spend his time doing something worthwhile butterflies. Indeed,
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: now if he would only collect crows, there'd be some
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: sense in that. But that was before old mister Crow
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: and his neighbors understood exactly what a collection was. And
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: the butterflies felt quite proud because Johnny Green was going
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: to busy himself with them. Later, when the field people
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: discovered that collecting butterflies meant catching them and sticking pins
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: through their heads, the butterfly family became greatly excited and worried.
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: And as for old mister Crow, he was very glad
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: that Johnny had not decided to collect him and his relations. Well.
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: If you had been in Pleasant Valley that summer, on
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: almost any fine day, you might have seen Johnny Green
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: running about the fields or the flower garden with a
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: butterfly net in his hand. He had made the net
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: from a barrel hoop and a piece of mosquito netting,
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: to which he nailed an old broomstick for a handle.
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: And for the first few days when he started making
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: his new collection, he didn't visit the swimming all. Once,
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: when his father asked him to do a little work
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: for him, such as feeding the chickens or leading the
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: old horse Ebenezer to water, Johnny Green was not so
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: pleasant as he might have been. He complained that he
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: was too busy to bother with the farm chores just then,
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: But Farmer Green told him to run along and do
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: his work. You'll have plenty of time to play, said
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: Johnny's father. The butterfly family was sorry that Farmer Green
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: didn't keep his boy at work from dawn till dark.
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: They didn't like to have to watch out for fear
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: that horrid net might swoop down upon them and catch them.
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: They wanted to have a good time among the flowers
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: without being in constant terror of capture at the hands
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: of Johnny Green. But strange to say, Betsy Butterfly was
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: not in the least uneasy. She was so gentle herself
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: that she couldn't believe anybody would harm her. Little did
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: Betsy realize that she was really in great danger. Her
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: fatal beauty was sure to catch Johnny Green's eye, and
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: though Betsy Butterfly did not know it, only an accident
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: could prevent her being added to Johnny Green's collection and
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: of Chapter two Chapter three of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly.
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: This is a liprivox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: visit liprivox dot org. The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: Arthur Scott Bailey a mishap except for the work that
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: his father bade him. Now and then, there was only
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: one thing that bothered Johnny Green in making his collection
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: of butterflies. The weather was not so good as it
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: might have been. He soon found that there was no
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: use hunting for butterflies except in the sunshine. So when
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: a three days rain came, Johnny began to wish he
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: had started a different sort of collection. But the weather
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: cleared at last, and the sun came out so bright
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: that Johnny fairly pulled Old Ebenezer away from the watering
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: trough and hustled him back to his stall, for he
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: was in a hurry to get to the flower garden
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: with his butterfly net. As for the chickens, they had
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: very little food that day. Once in the garden, Johnny
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: Green found more butterflies than he had ever noticed before,
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: but as soon as he began chasing them, they flew
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: away to the meadow. That is all. But Betsy Butterfly,
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: she said she was sure Johnnie Green wouldn't annoy her,
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: and that was where she was wrong. The moment he
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: cut sight of her, with her mottled red and brown
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: wings with the violet tips, Johnny cried, there's a beauty.
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: But Betsy Butterfly was so used to such remarks that
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: she paid little heed to him. Even when he crept
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: nearer and nearer to her, with old dog Spot at
• 13:05
  Speaker 2: his heels, she did not take fright. With her tongue
• 13:12
  Speaker 2: deep in a fragrant blossom, she was enjoying its delicious sweetness.
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: When Johnny Green, bearing his net aloft spring at her.
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: When Johnny jumped, Betsy Butterfly started up in alarm. She
• 13:35
  Speaker 2: had really waited until it was too late, and if
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: something unexpected hadn't happened to Johnny Green, Betsy would surely
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: have had a place in his collection. But luckily for her,
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: Johnny met with a fall. He may have tripped on
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: a fine or his foot may have slipped on the
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: wet ground. Anyhow, he fell sprawling among the flowers, dropping
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: his precious net as he stretched out his hands to
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: save himself. Johnny's fall gave Betsy Butterfly her only chance.
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: Coiling her long tongue out of her way, she quickly
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: made her escape, so Johnny Green lost her, but she
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: was not all that he lost. A strange accident happened
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: just as he fell, for old dog Spot leaped forward
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: at the same time, and much to his surprise, Spot
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: found his head inside the butterfly net. The long broomstick
• 15:07
  Speaker 2: handle thumped him sharply on his back, and the silly
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: fellow took fright at once with yelps of terror. He
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: scurried out of the flower garden, and Johnny picked himself
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: up just in time to see Spot tearing across the
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: meadow toward the woods. Spot Spot come back. Johnny Green shouted,
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: but Old Spot paid no attention to his young master.
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: Perhaps he was too scared to hear him. Spot wanted
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: to get rid of that net that covered his head,
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: and he knew of no better place to go than
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: the woods, where he hoped to be able to free
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: himself from his odd muzzle by rubbing against a tree
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: or nosing among some bushes. Johnny ran a little way
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: after him, but when he saw Spot duck into the woods,
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: he turned back sadly towards the house. For all he knew,
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: Old Spot might run a mile further before he stopped.
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: Johnny would have to make a new net if he
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: wanted to catch any more butterflies for his collection, and
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: the trouble was he had no more mosquito netting. A
• 16:53
  Speaker 2: good many of the field people saw Old Spot as
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: he daghed rushed off with the butterfly net over his head,
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: and they enjoyed a hearty laugh at the strange sight.
• 17:11
  Speaker 2: As for Betsy Butterfly, she had learned to watch out
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: for Johnny Green, and she knew that another time he
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: would have to be twice as sprice he had shown
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: himself if he expected to capture her. Old Spot didn't
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: come home till afternoon. When he appeared at last, he
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: looked very sheepish. He hoped no one had noticed his fright,
• 17:50
  Speaker 2: and he wouldn't go near the flower garden again for
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: a whole week. End of chapter three Chapter four of
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey Busybodies Little
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: Missus Ladybug said that she wished Betsy Butterfly no ill luck,
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: but she thought that perhaps it would have been a
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: good thing for her if Johnny Green had caught her
• 18:59
  Speaker 2: and put her in his collection. On hearing that strange remark,
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: the Hita bel Moth turned quite pale. She never wanted
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: Johnny Green's name mentioned by anyone, because she lived in
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: constant terror for fear he might mistake her for one
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: of the butterfly family and capture her. What do you mean,
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: she asked Missus Ladybug, while Fat Jenny Junebug waddled nearer
• 19:41
  Speaker 2: them in order to hear everything they said. Though Jenny
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: was sleepy, having stayed out very late the night before,
• 19:54
  Speaker 2: the promise of a bit of gossip made her brighten
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: up at one. I mean, said missus Ladybug. I mean
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: that Johnny Green would certainly have brushed Betsy Butterfly before
• 20:12
  Speaker 2: adding her to his collection. And then, seeing a blank
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: look on the faces of her hearers, she cried, don't
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: tell me you haven't noticed how untidy Betsy Butterfly is.
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: Can it be possible that the airs she gives herself
• 20:36
  Speaker 2: and her fine manners have deceived you? What is it?
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: Asked Hitable Moth breathlessly. And as for Jenny jim Bug,
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: her breath was coming so fast that she couldn't say
• 20:54
  Speaker 2: a word. I'll tell you exactly what I mean, missus
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: Ladybug continued. I stopped and spoke to Betsy Butterfly this
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: very morning, and I stepped up close to her because
• 21:12
  Speaker 2: I wanted to see if she really does paint her
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: wings as my friend Miss Moth here suspects, missus Ladybug
• 21:25
  Speaker 2: explained to Jenny Junebug. And what do you think I
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: saw that Betsy Butterfly was completely covered with dust from
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: head to foot. My hitable Moth looked rather uncomfortable. She
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: was somewhat dusty herself, and she thought that missus Ladybug
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: might be giving her a sly dig. Perhaps Betsy had
• 22:02
  Speaker 2: been on a journey, she ventured. Ah, but there is
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: no dust today on account of the rain we had
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: last night. Missus Ladybug replied, I'm convinced that the dust
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: I saw on Betsy Butterfly was weeks old. The idea,
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: Jenny Kimbug exclaimed, I should think she'd be ashamed of herself.
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: Did you tell her how untidy she looked? Missus Ladybug
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: shook her head. No, she answered, but I've been thinking
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: the matter over, and I believe it's my duty to
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: speak to her about it. I don't see what she's
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: thinking of to go about looking like that. Miss Moth
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: looked more uneasy than ever, especially when missus Ladybug said,
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: wouldn't you like to come with me while I look
• 23:19
  Speaker 2: for Betsy. I must go home now, thank you, said mahirable,
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: and she hurried away without another word. But Jenny Junebug
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: spoke up at once and said she would be delighted
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: to accompany Missus Ladybug. Really, Jenny confided to her companion,
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: it is a good thing to have bags as hard
• 23:52
  Speaker 2: and slippery as yours and mine, for the dust can't
• 23:59
  Speaker 2: stick to us as it does to some. There's no
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: excuse for not keeping oneself neat, Missus Ladybug said severely,
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: And I shall give Betsy Butterfly a piece of my
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: mind and of chapter.
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: Four Chapter five of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. Read by Jen Brooda, The Tale of
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey no Joker. Much to
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: Missus Ladybug's surprise, she did not find Betsy Butterfly in
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: the flower garden. It's too bad she's not here, Missus
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: Ladybug remarked to her friend, Jenny Junebug, who accompanied her.
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: We'll have to look in the meadow, and it may
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: take a long time to find Betsy there. Jenny Junebug yawned,
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: right in Missus Ladybug's face. Then I can't come with you.
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: She said, I'm getting terribly sleepy again, and since I
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: expect to be up all night, I'm going to take
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: a nap. Missus Ladybug looked at Jenny with great disapproval
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: as that fat young person crept under a leaf and
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: went to sleep. Things have come to a pretty pass
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: when lady stay out all night. She muttered. It was
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: not that way when I was a girl, but times
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: have changed for the worse. The longer missus Ladybug stared
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: at her sleeping friend, the more she thought that she
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: ought to wake her up. If I rouse her, she'll
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: be so drowsy to night that she'll simply have to
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: go to bed. Missus Ladybug thought, so she poked Jenny
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: Junebug several times, but Jenny Junebug only stirred slightly and
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: murmured something in her sleep, and, seeing that it was
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: useless to try to awaken her, Missus Ladybug set out
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: for the meadow alone. The sun hung low in the
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: west when missus Ladybug found Betsy Butterfly among a clump
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: of milkweed blossoms, but missus Ladybug did not care what
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: time it was. She was satisfied when she saw that
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: Betsy was just as dusty as ever. For, to tell
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: the truth, little miss Ladybug was so jealous of the
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: beautiful Betsy that she wanted to say something disagreeable to her.
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: Hasn't this been a lovely day, Betsy Butterfly cried happily
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: as soon as she noticed Missus Ladybug, I've enjoyed every
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: moment of it ever since I saw you in the
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: flower garden this morning. I've been here in the meadow,
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: flitting from one blossom to another. You might better have
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: spent a little of your time in a different way,
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: Missus Ladybug, remarked with a frown. Betsy Butterfly looked up
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: in surprise, withdrawing her long tongue from the blossom in
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: which she had just buried it. Ah, A shudder shook
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: prim missus ladybug. Please coil your tongue, she begged. I
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: can't bear the sight of it. But I must say
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: that I ought not to expect good manners and a
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: person who goes about looking as untidy as you do.
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: Betsy Butterfly laughed gaily. I didn't know you were such
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: a joker, she exclaimed. Oh, I'm not joking. Missus Ladybug said,
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: I mean every word I say. Then I wouldn't talk
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: so much if I were you, Betsy advised her with
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: a merry twinkle in her eye, And before missus Ladybug
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: could say another word, Betsy Butterfly flew away and left
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: her sputtering and choking. She insulted me, Missus Ladybug screamed.
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: As soon as she was able to speak. She insulted me,
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: and then she hurried off because she didn't dare stay.
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: But missus Ladybug was mistaken about one thing. Betsy Butterfly
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: knew that she had just time to reach home before sunset,
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: so that was why she left so suddenly, for she
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: never was willing to travel when the sun was not shining.
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: I'll see Betsy in the morning, missus Ladybug promised herself savagely.
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: I'll make it my business to follow her everywhere she
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: goes until I've given her a good talking too. End
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: of chapter five.
• 28:36
  Speaker 3: Chapter six of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is
• 28:40
  Speaker 3: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: Read by Nan Dodge. The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by
• 28:54
  Speaker 3: Arthur Scott Bailey Missus Ladybug's advice. Little did Betsy Butterfly
• 29:02
  Speaker 3: guess what Missus Ladybug intended to say to her, And
• 29:06
  Speaker 3: if she had known what it was, she would have
• 29:08
  Speaker 3: been merely amused, For Betsy was entirely too sweet tempered
• 29:12
  Speaker 3: to take offense at anybody's fault, finding least of all
• 29:16
  Speaker 3: that of missus Ladybug, who was really a good hearted
• 29:19
  Speaker 3: soul when she wasn't jealous. And when Betsy went to
• 29:23
  Speaker 3: the flower garden early the next morning, she felt kindly
• 29:27
  Speaker 3: towards the whole world, not even excepting Johnny Green, though
• 29:31
  Speaker 3: he had tried to capture her well. Missus Ladybug was
• 29:35
  Speaker 3: waiting for Betsy Butterfly among the flowers. She had been
• 29:39
  Speaker 3: in such haste to reach the garden early that she
• 29:42
  Speaker 3: had not stopped to have her breakfast, and like many
• 29:45
  Speaker 3: people who have not drunk their morning cup of coffee,
• 29:49
  Speaker 3: she was in a very peevish mood. Now, miss Pert,
• 29:53
  Speaker 3: I want you to listen to me. That was Missus
• 29:56
  Speaker 3: Ladybug's greeting to Betsy Butterfly on one of the most
• 29:59
  Speaker 3: delight full days of the whole summer. It's my unpleasant duty,
• 30:03
  Speaker 3: said missus Ladybug, who by that time was enjoying herself thoroughly.
• 30:08
  Speaker 3: It's my unpleasant duty to tell you that people are
• 30:11
  Speaker 3: talking about you. They say that you're going about covered
• 30:15
  Speaker 3: with dust. And as a friend, I advise you to
• 30:19
  Speaker 3: give yourself a thorough brushing each morning, and as often
• 30:23
  Speaker 3: thereafter as may be necessary. Betsy Butterfly had listened in
• 30:28
  Speaker 3: amazement to Missus Ladybug's words, and she had hard work
• 30:32
  Speaker 3: not to laugh too, because she thought Missus Ladybug's advice
• 30:35
  Speaker 3: decidedly funny. Thank you very much, Betsy said, most politely,
• 30:40
  Speaker 3: I'll remember what you've told me Somehow. Missus Ladybug thought
• 30:45
  Speaker 3: that Betsy meant she would follow her advice, and she
• 30:48
  Speaker 3: looked quite pleased. I shall expect a great improvement in
• 30:52
  Speaker 3: your appearance the next time I see you, she announced,
• 30:56
  Speaker 3: and with the manner of a person who has just
• 30:58
  Speaker 3: done somebody a good turn, she hurried away to get
• 31:01
  Speaker 3: the breakfast that was waiting for her somewhere. Then Betsy
• 31:05
  Speaker 3: Butterfly enjoyed a good laugh. How ridiculous, she said to herself,
• 31:10
  Speaker 3: But I won't tell Missus Ladybug of her mistake, because
• 31:14
  Speaker 3: she might feel upset if I did. And you can
• 31:16
  Speaker 3: see just by that how kind hearted Betsy was. She
• 31:21
  Speaker 3: did not even tell her own family about the joke,
• 31:24
  Speaker 3: for fear of hurting Missus Ladybug's feelings. But jealous little
• 31:28
  Speaker 3: Missus Ladybug had no such misgivings. She went out of
• 31:32
  Speaker 3: her way to explain to people that if they noticed
• 31:35
  Speaker 3: a change in Betsy Butterfly's appearance, they might thank her
• 31:39
  Speaker 3: for it. I told Betsy that she ought to brush
• 31:42
  Speaker 3: the dust off herself, she informed her friends. Naturally, she
• 31:47
  Speaker 3: was displeased when she met Betsy that very afternoon and
• 31:51
  Speaker 3: saw that the dust still lay thick on her wings.
• 31:55
  Speaker 3: I believe you actually want to be untidy, missus Ladybug, cried,
• 31:59
  Speaker 3: And if you are aren't going to brush that dust off,
• 32:01
  Speaker 3: I shall do it myself. And, grasping a small Indian
• 32:06
  Speaker 3: paint brush, the weight of which she could scarcely stagger under,
• 32:10
  Speaker 3: Missus Ladybug advanced upon Betsy Butterfly with a determined look
• 32:15
  Speaker 3: in her eye. Oh don't do that, cried Betsy. It's
• 32:19
  Speaker 3: my painful duty to give you a thorough dusting, Missus
• 32:22
  Speaker 3: Ladybug declared end of chapter six chapter seven of the
• 32:35
  Speaker 3: Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is a LibriVox recording. All
• 32:39
  Speaker 3: LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
• 32:44
  Speaker 3: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by
• 32:48
  Speaker 3: Nan Dodge, The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott
• 32:53
  Speaker 3: Bailey Butterfly Bill. Now a crowd had gathered quick around
• 33:00
  Speaker 3: Betsy Butterfly and missus Ladybug for the field. People are
• 33:04
  Speaker 3: quick to notice anything unusual, and a sprightly young cousin
• 33:09
  Speaker 3: of Betsy's, known as Butterfly Bill, said to missus Ladybug
• 33:13
  Speaker 3: with a wink at everybody else. I suppose you'll dust
• 33:16
  Speaker 3: the rest of us too, only those that need it,
• 33:19
  Speaker 3: replied missus Ladybug. Then you'll have your hands full. Butterfly
• 33:23
  Speaker 3: Bill told her. Maybe you haven't noticed that every member
• 33:27
  Speaker 3: of the butterfly family in Pleasant Valley is covered with dust,
• 33:31
  Speaker 3: just as Betsy is. Missus Ladybug looked surprised. Is that so,
• 33:36
  Speaker 3: she said? Faintly, It certainly is, Bill cried. Maybe you
• 33:41
  Speaker 3: never knew that the dust is what gives us our ahem,
• 33:45
  Speaker 3: our beautiful colors, he added proudly, and I warn you
• 33:49
  Speaker 3: that if you so much as touch my lovely cousin
• 33:51
  Speaker 3: with that brush, you'll have every one of us fellows
• 33:55
  Speaker 3: in your hair. Of course, poor missus Ladybug was quite bald,
• 34:00
  Speaker 3: but she knew what butterfly Bill meant, and she was
• 34:03
  Speaker 3: so upset that she promptly let the paint brush fall
• 34:06
  Speaker 3: to the ground. Then Betsy's cousin nodded approvingly. Now you'd
• 34:11
  Speaker 3: better hurry home, he told missus Ladybug. There's a rumor
• 34:15
  Speaker 3: around the meadow that your house is on fire, and
• 34:18
  Speaker 3: they say your children are in great danger. Little missus
• 34:21
  Speaker 3: Ladybug at once fell to weeping. It's that horrid Freddy firefly,
• 34:26
  Speaker 3: she shrieked. I've told him to keep away from my home.
• 34:30
  Speaker 3: I've told him that he would set it to blazing
• 34:32
  Speaker 3: with that light of his, but he's forever sneaking around
• 34:35
  Speaker 3: my house as soon as my back is turned there there,
• 34:40
  Speaker 3: don't be frightened, Betsy Butterfly said to her soothingly, It's
• 34:44
  Speaker 3: only a rumor, you know. That's so, missus Ladybug admitted,
• 34:49
  Speaker 3: drying her eyes. I hear it almost every day too,
• 34:53
  Speaker 3: but I never can get used to it. I suppose
• 34:56
  Speaker 3: this is only a false alarm, after all, I wouldn't
• 35:00
  Speaker 3: be so sure about that, Butterfly Bill said wickedly, with
• 35:04
  Speaker 3: a shake of his head. And if I were you,
• 35:06
  Speaker 3: I'd look after my own family a little more carefully
• 35:10
  Speaker 3: instead of troubling myself with other people's affairs. Several of
• 35:14
  Speaker 3: Bill's friends applauded his speech, but Betsy Butterfly whispered to
• 35:19
  Speaker 3: him to hush. Don't you see that missus Ladybug is
• 35:22
  Speaker 3: not quite herself, she asked him. But Butterfly Bill was
• 35:26
  Speaker 3: not a person to be easily silenced like that. She's
• 35:30
  Speaker 3: a meddling, busybody, he declared, and it's my opinion that
• 35:35
  Speaker 3: she ought to be put where she'll have to mind
• 35:37
  Speaker 3: her own business. Who me called a wheezing voice right
• 35:42
  Speaker 3: in his ear. Turning, Butterfly Bill saw that it was
• 35:46
  Speaker 3: Jenny Junebug who had spoken to him. She had noticed
• 35:50
  Speaker 3: the crowd from a distance, and she had just arrived,
• 35:53
  Speaker 3: quite out of breath. Before Betsy Butterfly's cousin, Bill could answer,
• 35:58
  Speaker 3: Jenny Junebug acturely threatened him, if you were talking about me,
• 36:03
  Speaker 3: I shall have to knock you down, she declared. He
• 36:07
  Speaker 3: had heard that Jenny delighted in flying bang into anybody,
• 36:11
  Speaker 3: but he did not know that she indulged in that
• 36:13
  Speaker 3: unladylike trick only after dark. Of course, I didn't mean you,
• 36:18
  Speaker 3: he said hastily. And I hope you didn't mean my
• 36:22
  Speaker 3: friend missus Ladybug either, Jenny Junebug added, for if you did.
• 36:28
  Speaker 3: But Butterfly Bill waited to hear no more. Thoroughly frightened,
• 36:32
  Speaker 3: he sought safety in flight, and as he flew away,
• 36:35
  Speaker 3: Missus Ladybug couldn't help noticing the dust on his wings.
• 36:40
  Speaker 3: There's certainly a peculiar lot that butterfly family, she muttered,
• 36:47
  Speaker 3: end of chapter seven, Chapter eight of the Tale of
• 36:56
  Speaker 3: Betsy Butterfly. This is a LibriVox recording. All Librivoq's recordings
• 37:01
  Speaker 3: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 37:05
  Speaker 3: please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Nan Dodge The
• 37:11
  Speaker 3: Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey. Do you
• 37:16
  Speaker 3: like butter After Missus Ladybug failed in her attempt to
• 37:21
  Speaker 3: brush the dust off Betsy Butterfly, she grew more jealous
• 37:25
  Speaker 3: of Betsy than ever it was really a shame that
• 37:29
  Speaker 3: missus Ladybug should feel like that. Usually she was quite harmless,
• 37:34
  Speaker 3: even if she was a busybody and a gossip. But
• 37:37
  Speaker 3: she simply couldn't forgive Betsy Butterfly for being so beautiful.
• 37:41
  Speaker 3: And now missus Ladybug began to neglect her children more
• 37:45
  Speaker 3: than ever in order to spy upon Betsy in the
• 37:49
  Speaker 3: hope of discovering some new fault in her. Betsy Butterfly
• 37:54
  Speaker 3: soon noticed that wherever she went, she was sure to
• 37:57
  Speaker 3: see missus Ladybug, who had a way of bobbing up
• 38:00
  Speaker 3: in a most startling fashion. But Betsy was always quite
• 38:04
  Speaker 3: polite to the jealous little creature, and she never failed
• 38:08
  Speaker 3: to inquire for her health and that of her children
• 38:11
  Speaker 3: as well, even if she met Missus Ladybug a dozen
• 38:14
  Speaker 3: times a day. For some reason, missus Ladybug seemed quite
• 38:18
  Speaker 3: touchy where her family was concerned. You don't need to
• 38:22
  Speaker 3: ask about my children, she told Betsy at last, in
• 38:26
  Speaker 3: a somewhat sharp tone. They are in the best of health,
• 38:29
  Speaker 3: and I'll let you know in case they fall ill.
• 38:32
  Speaker 3: It's strange, she continued, how everybody in this neighborhood is
• 38:36
  Speaker 3: always prying into my household affairs. Betsy Butterfly smiled to herself.
• 38:43
  Speaker 3: She did not care to quarrel with missus Ladybug, nor
• 38:46
  Speaker 3: with any one else for that matter, so she abruptly
• 38:49
  Speaker 3: changed the subject. Do you like butter she asked? Why no,
• 38:54
  Speaker 3: said missus Ladybug. I don't care anything about it, at
• 38:58
  Speaker 3: least I never ate. Then, I don't see how you
• 39:02
  Speaker 3: know whether you like it or not, Betsy observed, unless
• 39:06
  Speaker 3: you've looked into a buttercup to find out. Missus Ladybug
• 39:09
  Speaker 3: was interested, in spite of herself. Can a person tell
• 39:13
  Speaker 3: by doing that?
• 39:14
  Speaker 2: She wanted to know?
• 39:16
  Speaker 3: It's a sure way, said Betsy Butterfly. I was just
• 39:19
  Speaker 3: looking into this buttercup that I'm sitting on when you
• 39:23
  Speaker 3: flew up and spoke to me. Do you like butter
• 39:26
  Speaker 3: missus Ladybug inquired, I'm afraid not. Betsy told her. I'd
• 39:31
  Speaker 3: like to try myself. Missus Ladybug exclaimed eagerly, but I
• 39:35
  Speaker 3: don't know how. It's simple enough, Betsy Butterfly replied, You
• 39:40
  Speaker 3: just look into a buttercup blossom, and if it makes
• 39:44
  Speaker 3: your face yellow, then you're fond of butter, whether you
• 39:47
  Speaker 3: ever had any or not, so Missus Ladybug perched herself
• 39:52
  Speaker 3: on a big blossom and peered earnestly into its cup.
• 39:56
  Speaker 3: Is my face yellow? She asked, Betsy, I do believe
• 39:59
  Speaker 3: it is Betsy Butterfly cried, and Missus Ladybug looked much pleased.
• 40:05
  Speaker 3: I've always known I had refined tastes, she remarked, with
• 40:08
  Speaker 3: a lofty air. And now I'd like to sample a
• 40:11
  Speaker 3: bit of butter. But I don't know where to find
• 40:14
  Speaker 3: any butter. They make it at the farmhouse, Betsy informed her.
• 40:20
  Speaker 3: Then perhaps Farmer Green's wife will let me have a
• 40:23
  Speaker 3: little Missus Ladybug said hopefully, I'll go over to the
• 40:27
  Speaker 3: farmhouse at once. It's too bad you don't like butter too,
• 40:30
  Speaker 3: she added, but secretly she was delighted that Betsy Butterfly
• 40:35
  Speaker 3: had looked into a buttercup in vain. End of chapter eight.
• 40:49
  Speaker 4: Chapter nine of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is
• 40:52
  Speaker 4: a LibriVox recording. A LibriVox recordings are in the public doing.
• 40:57
  Speaker 4: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 41:00
  Speaker 4: The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey. Chapter nine,
• 41:04
  Speaker 4: Unexpected News, Little Missus Ladybug had a disappointment. Whence she
• 41:08
  Speaker 4: reached the farmhouse, she found, to her dismay that she
• 41:10
  Speaker 4: couldn't get inside it, for wire screens blocked her way
• 41:13
  Speaker 4: through both doors and windows, and nobody paid the slightest
• 41:15
  Speaker 4: attention to her when she stopped at the buttery window
• 41:18
  Speaker 4: and asked if she couldn't please have a bit of butter.
• 41:20
  Speaker 4: There was plenty of golden butter right there in plain sight,
• 41:23
  Speaker 4: since it happened to be churning day, and Farmer Green's wife,
• 41:26
  Speaker 4: with her sleeves rolled above her elbows, was working busily
• 41:29
  Speaker 4: on the other side of the window screen. I should
• 41:31
  Speaker 4: think she might easily spare me a small sample, Missus
• 41:33
  Speaker 4: Ladybug cried at last, I'm afraid miss Farmer Green's wife
• 41:36
  Speaker 4: is stingy. Missus Ladybug hoped that Johnny Green's mother would
• 41:40
  Speaker 4: hear her remark, but she didn't, and in the end
• 41:43
  Speaker 4: Missus Ladybug had to fly away with her longing for
• 41:45
  Speaker 4: butter still unsatisfied. Meanwhile, Betsy Butterfly had been amusing herself
• 41:49
  Speaker 4: in the meadow to her heart's content. To tell the truth,
• 41:52
  Speaker 4: it was rather a relief to be rid of Missus
• 41:54
  Speaker 4: Ladybug's society for so long a time, and Betsy hoped
• 41:57
  Speaker 4: that Missus Ladybug's errand to the farm house would keep
• 41:59
  Speaker 4: that busy buddy engaged for the rest of the day. Now,
• 42:02
  Speaker 4: after she left the farmhouse, Missus Ladybugs set out to
• 42:04
  Speaker 4: find Betsy Butterfly again, but meeting Daddy long Legs near
• 42:08
  Speaker 4: the stone wall, she stopped to gossip with him, telling
• 42:10
  Speaker 4: him how she had learned that she liked butter, and
• 42:12
  Speaker 4: explaining that she had not yet tasted in anyway. So
• 42:16
  Speaker 4: you looked into a buttercup to find that out day,
• 42:19
  Speaker 4: said Daddy long Leggs. I'll have to do without myself.
• 42:21
  Speaker 4: Maybe I've always liked butterdeo without knowing that I do.
• 42:24
  Speaker 4: You can't tell till you try, Missus Ladybug remarked, But
• 42:27
  Speaker 4: you mustn't be too sure. You may be disappointed. There's
• 42:30
  Speaker 4: Betsy Butterfly. She doesn't care for butter at all. Are
• 42:33
  Speaker 4: you sure about that, Daddy Longlegs inquired, Really, I think
• 42:36
  Speaker 4: you must be mistaken, for I saw her with her
• 42:38
  Speaker 4: face just buried in butter this very day. At first,
• 42:41
  Speaker 4: Missus Ladybug looked at him in amazement, and then she
• 42:44
  Speaker 4: grew very angry. Betsy Butterfly deceived me, she cried in
• 42:47
  Speaker 4: a shrill voice. She was afraid that if I knew
• 42:49
  Speaker 4: she ate butter, she would have to share with me.
• 42:51
  Speaker 4: I'd like to know if she gets her butter, missus
• 42:53
  Speaker 4: Ladybug mused, she was standing on some of former greens
• 42:56
  Speaker 4: when I saw her. Daddy long Legs explained, did she
• 42:59
  Speaker 4: ask him for it? Missus Ladybug demanded, I don't believe
• 43:02
  Speaker 4: she did, he admitted, I think she just took it.
• 43:05
  Speaker 4: A wicked gleam came into missus Ladybug's eyes when she
• 43:08
  Speaker 4: learned then, and she threw up her hands, exclaiming she steals.
• 43:11
  Speaker 4: Betsy Butterfly steals butter. When the field people hear the news,
• 43:14
  Speaker 4: they won't think she's so fine. And then missus Ladybug
• 43:17
  Speaker 4: turned to Deddy Longlegs once more and demanded whether he
• 43:20
  Speaker 4: knew any of anything else that Betsy Butterfly was in
• 43:22
  Speaker 4: the habit of taking from farmer green eggs. He replied, promptly, eggs.
• 43:27
  Speaker 4: Missus Ladybug repeated after him, Betsy Butterfly steals butter and eggs,
• 43:31
  Speaker 4: And before Deddy Lunglegs could stop her she had hurried
• 43:33
  Speaker 4: away to spread the news far and wide. End of
• 43:36
  Speaker 4: chapter nine, Chapter ten of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly.
• 43:45
  Speaker 4: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 43:48
  Speaker 4: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 43:52
  Speaker 4: visit LibriVox dot org. The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by
• 43:56
  Speaker 4: Arthur Scott Bailey. Chapter ten, the night watch, Little missus
• 44:04
  Speaker 4: Ladybug stopped everybody she met in the meadow and related
• 44:07
  Speaker 4: how Betsy Butterfly was taking Farmer Green's butter and his
• 44:09
  Speaker 4: eggs too, without asking his permission. She's going to get
• 44:13
  Speaker 4: some of us into trouble, Missus Ladybug informed her neighbors.
• 44:16
  Speaker 4: Just as likely as not, Farmer Green and his wife
• 44:18
  Speaker 4: will think others are stealing from them. Why I went
• 44:20
  Speaker 4: into the farmhouse today and asked for a bit of butter,
• 44:23
  Speaker 4: and what do you think? Missus Green pretended not to
• 44:25
  Speaker 4: hear me. I thought it was queer at the time,
• 44:27
  Speaker 4: but now I know she's angry with me. She must
• 44:29
  Speaker 4: have missed some of her butter, and she thinks I'm
• 44:31
  Speaker 4: the guilty party. Missus Ladybug shook her finger at her
• 44:34
  Speaker 4: neighbor's We'll have to do something to put us stop
• 44:36
  Speaker 4: to Betsy Butterfly's steeving, she declared. Jealous. Missus Ladybug's story
• 44:40
  Speaker 4: amazed all the field people. They could scarcely believe that
• 44:45
  Speaker 4: anyone so beautiful and dainty as Betsy Butterfly would bemean
• 44:48
  Speaker 4: herself by robbing Farmer Green or anybody else. But Missus
• 44:52
  Speaker 4: Ladybug said the Daddy Longlegs had seen Betsy with her
• 44:55
  Speaker 4: face buried in Farmer Green's butter, and no one could
• 44:57
  Speaker 4: doubt the word of so respectable a person of Daddy
• 44:59
  Speaker 4: longle Uggs. What steps do you think we ought to
• 45:02
  Speaker 4: take to prevent Betsy from eating more any more butter
• 45:04
  Speaker 4: and eggs that don't belong to her, asked the queen
• 45:06
  Speaker 4: of the Mumbleby family. I think we ought to set
• 45:09
  Speaker 4: a careful watch on her, said missus Ladybug. I'm sure
• 45:11
  Speaker 4: I don't see where she gets her stolen goods, because
• 45:13
  Speaker 4: I've watched her very closely myself for some time, and
• 45:16
  Speaker 4: I've seen her dye on nothing but flowers. Perhaps she
• 45:19
  Speaker 4: goes to the farmhouse at night, Jenny Junebug suggested, that's
• 45:22
  Speaker 4: a happy thought, said missus Ladybug approvingly, we'll have to
• 45:25
  Speaker 4: get Freddy Firefly to follow her about after dark. So
• 45:28
  Speaker 4: Missus Ladybug and her neighbors made arrangements with Freddy Firefly
• 45:31
  Speaker 4: to have Betsy Butterfly spied upon that very night. I'll
• 45:34
  Speaker 4: watch her till sunset, Missus Ladybug agreed. And then you
• 45:37
  Speaker 4: must believe me, she told Freddy. Don't you'll let her
• 45:39
  Speaker 4: out of your sight until sunrise, she warned him. Freddy
• 45:43
  Speaker 4: Firefly promised that he would be faithful to his trust,
• 45:45
  Speaker 4: and later that afternoon, when the sun began to drop
• 45:48
  Speaker 4: behind the mountains, here releeve Missus Ladybug, who had been
• 45:50
  Speaker 4: spying upon Betsy ever since their talk earlier than the day.
• 45:54
  Speaker 4: She's behaved herself very well so far, missus Ladybug, whispered
• 45:57
  Speaker 4: to Freddy, as she prepared to fly home to her children.
• 45:59
  Speaker 4: But there's no knowing when she may start for the farmhouse,
• 46:01
  Speaker 4: so you mustn't take her eyes off her all night long.
• 46:04
  Speaker 4: You can trust me, Freddy is short, and then Missus
• 46:07
  Speaker 4: Ladybug said, good evening. Freddy Firefly always claimed that it
• 46:10
  Speaker 4: was the longest night he ever spent, and he said
• 46:12
  Speaker 4: that if he had realized that he would have to
• 46:14
  Speaker 4: stay in one place from sunset to dawn. He never
• 46:16
  Speaker 4: would have agreed to watch Betsy Butterfly. For Betsy Butterfly
• 46:19
  Speaker 4: went to sleep the moment the sun went down. Freddy
• 46:22
  Speaker 4: had to remain for hours and hours where he could
• 46:24
  Speaker 4: flash his light upon her, and all the while he
• 46:27
  Speaker 4: knew that his whole family was having a delightful time
• 46:29
  Speaker 4: dancing in the hollow over towards the swamp. It was
• 46:32
  Speaker 4: especially hard for Freddy because he could see the gay
• 46:34
  Speaker 4: lights of the fireflies twinkling through the dark. But Betsy
• 46:38
  Speaker 4: Butterfly knew nothing of his long vigil. She slept and
• 46:41
  Speaker 4: slept the whole night long, and Freddy Firefly had to
• 46:43
  Speaker 4: admit to himself as he watched her that she didn't
• 46:45
  Speaker 4: act like a robber. In the least end of chapter ten.
• 46:55
  Speaker 5: Chapter eleven of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly, missus a
• 46:58
  Speaker 5: Lipyrocks recording. All Libery Rox's recordings are in the public domain.
• 47:02
  Speaker 5: For more information or to volunteer, please visit liberyvrox dot org.
• 47:07
  Speaker 5: The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey a
• 47:11
  Speaker 5: sly one. When Freddy Firefly reported to Missus Ladybug and
• 47:16
  Speaker 5: her neighbors that Betsy Butterfly had taken neither butter nor
• 47:19
  Speaker 5: eggs from Farmer Green during the night. The field people
• 47:22
  Speaker 5: were much puzzled. She's certainly a sly one, Missus Ladybug exclaimed.
• 47:28
  Speaker 5: What do you think we ought to do now? She asked,
• 47:30
  Speaker 5: Saddy Longlegs, who is supposed to be very old and
• 47:32
  Speaker 5: therefore very wise. I think you ought to warn her,
• 47:37
  Speaker 5: he replied. After some thought, you ought to tell Betsy
• 47:40
  Speaker 5: Butterfly that she must stop pilfering. No doubt your advice
• 47:44
  Speaker 5: is good, Missus Ladybug observed, and I'll speak to Betsy
• 47:48
  Speaker 5: this very morning. You must come with me, she told Daddy.
• 47:51
  Speaker 5: I naturally want to have a witness. Oh oh, come,
• 47:55
  Speaker 5: he cried in his thin, quavering voice, though what she
• 47:58
  Speaker 5: meant by a witness was more than he knew. So
• 48:01
  Speaker 5: Missus Ladybug and Daddy Longlegs set forth to find Betsy Butterfly,
• 48:06
  Speaker 5: and behind them followed a crowd of their neighbors. Even
• 48:09
  Speaker 5: lazy Buster Bumblebee joined the procession. Though he was a
• 48:12
  Speaker 5: drone and never worked, he was always ready to exert
• 48:14
  Speaker 5: himself for the sake of any new excitement. The strange
• 48:18
  Speaker 5: company wandered back and forth across the meadow for some
• 48:21
  Speaker 5: time without finding Betsy Butterfly. But at last Missus Ladybug
• 48:25
  Speaker 5: spied her, and soon Betsy found herself surrounded by the
• 48:28
  Speaker 5: mob goodness, she cried, looking about her in surprise. How
• 48:33
  Speaker 5: nice of you all to call on me. I'm so
• 48:35
  Speaker 5: glad to see you. Betsy Butterfly was so cordial that
• 48:39
  Speaker 5: Missus Ladybug couldn't help looking somewhat uncomfortable. She couldn't avoid
• 48:43
  Speaker 5: a strange feeling of guilt, And yet she told herself
• 48:46
  Speaker 5: that Betsy Butterfly was really the guilty one. She's a
• 48:49
  Speaker 5: bold piece. Missus Ladybug exclaimed under her breath. Perhaps you
• 48:54
  Speaker 5: won't be so happy to see us when you hear
• 48:56
  Speaker 5: what we have to say to you. Missus Ladybug began.
• 49:00
  Speaker 5: There hasn't been an accident, I hope, Betsy cried. Your
• 49:03
  Speaker 5: house hasn't burned, No, replied Missus Ladybug, and again she
• 49:08
  Speaker 5: said no, in a very decided manner. We've come to
• 49:11
  Speaker 5: warn you that we've found out about your trickery, she announced.
• 49:15
  Speaker 5: We know that you like butter and that you're in
• 49:17
  Speaker 5: the habit of taking it from Farmer Green. Yes, and
• 49:20
  Speaker 5: eggs too. Why I don't know what you're talking about,
• 49:24
  Speaker 5: Betsy Butterfly faltered. She was really greatly surprised. It won't
• 49:30
  Speaker 5: help you to be untruthful, missus Ladybug told her severely.
• 49:33
  Speaker 5: It's no wonder. She added, it's no wonder Missus Green
• 49:36
  Speaker 5: wouldn't give me a bit of butter when I went
• 49:38
  Speaker 5: to the farmhouse yesterday. She thought I was the one
• 49:41
  Speaker 5: that's been stealing it from her right along. And then
• 49:45
  Speaker 5: Missus Ladybug was amazed by what followed, for Betsy Butterfly
• 49:49
  Speaker 5: actually smiled at her. You're mistaken, she said, I never
• 49:53
  Speaker 5: eat butter. I don't like it. And as for eggs,
• 49:56
  Speaker 5: how could I ever break through an egg shell? I
• 50:00
  Speaker 5: don't know anything about that, said missus Ladybug. And besides,
• 50:03
  Speaker 5: I didn't come here to be questioned, she added tightly.
• 50:06
  Speaker 5: If you have any questions to ask, just ask him
• 50:08
  Speaker 5: of him, for he's seen you with your face buried
• 50:10
  Speaker 5: in butter. And she pointed at Daddy Long Legs, and
• 50:15
  Speaker 5: now it was his turn to look uncomfortable, for he
• 50:18
  Speaker 5: considered Betsy Butterfly to be very beautiful, indeed end of
• 50:24
  Speaker 5: chapter eleven read by Julian Prattley. Chapter twelve of the
• 50:33
  Speaker 5: Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is a liberyvox recording. All
• 50:37
  Speaker 5: liberyvox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
• 50:40
  Speaker 5: ought to volunteer, please visit liberyvox dot org. The Tale
• 50:44
  Speaker 5: of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey a terrible blunder.
• 50:49
  Speaker 5: When the beautiful Betsy Butterfly turned her gaze on him.
• 50:52
  Speaker 5: Daddy long Legs couldn't help wishing that he had worn
• 50:54
  Speaker 5: his new coat that day. However, he straightened his neck
• 50:58
  Speaker 5: tie carefully and tried to look as well as he could.
• 51:01
  Speaker 5: So you've seen me eating butter have you, Betsy Butterfly
• 51:04
  Speaker 5: asked him, Not eating it, he corrected her. I've seen
• 51:09
  Speaker 5: you standing on it, and your face was hidden in
• 51:11
  Speaker 5: it too, missus. Ladybug shot a triumphant glance at the crowd,
• 51:16
  Speaker 5: of which she and Betsy Butterfly and Daddy Longlegs were
• 51:18
  Speaker 5: the center. What have you to say now, my fine lady,
• 51:22
  Speaker 5: she demanded Betsy with a sneer, and still Betsy Butterfly
• 51:27
  Speaker 5: was quite unruffled. Where did you see me doing that?
• 51:31
  Speaker 5: She asked Daddy long Legs pleasantly enough, I object, missus
• 51:35
  Speaker 5: Ladybug interrupted hastily. You needn't answer her questions, she advised
• 51:39
  Speaker 5: Daddy long Legs, I know her tricks. She'll keep us
• 51:41
  Speaker 5: talking here until we forget what our errand was. But
• 51:45
  Speaker 5: Daddy Longlegs paid no attention to missus Ladybug's advice. I
• 51:49
  Speaker 5: saw you in this meadow, he explained, and missus Ladybug
• 51:53
  Speaker 5: began to look somewhat worried. Come, she cried, let's all
• 51:57
  Speaker 5: go home. Now we've warned her, and we'll leave her
• 51:59
  Speaker 5: to think over what she's done. I hope, missus Ladybug added,
• 52:02
  Speaker 5: turning to Betsy Butterfly, I hope you'll decide to turn
• 52:05
  Speaker 5: over a new leaf. Why, that's exactly what she did
• 52:09
  Speaker 5: that time when I saw her, Daddy long Legs shouted.
• 52:13
  Speaker 5: While I was watching her, I saw her turn over
• 52:15
  Speaker 5: a leaf, So what's the use of her turning over another?
• 52:19
  Speaker 5: And now it was missus Ladybug's turn to look amazed
• 52:22
  Speaker 5: and bewildered. I don't know what you're talking about, she snapped,
• 52:26
  Speaker 5: glaring at Daddy long Legs. And I don't believe you
• 52:28
  Speaker 5: know yourself. Oh yes, I do, he retorted. Truly, butter
• 52:33
  Speaker 5: has no leaves, said missus Ladybug with a knowing air.
• 52:37
  Speaker 5: I saw heaps and heaps of it in Farmer Green's
• 52:39
  Speaker 5: buttery yesterday, and there wasn't a leaf on it. How
• 52:43
  Speaker 5: about eggs? Then shouted somebody in the crowd. It was stupid,
• 52:47
  Speaker 5: busted bumblebee. And of course nobody paid any heed to
• 52:50
  Speaker 5: his silly question. As he stared at Missus Ladybug, Dolly
• 52:54
  Speaker 5: Daddy Longlegs let his mouth fall wide open. Why what
• 52:59
  Speaker 5: do you mean, he demanded At last, You and I
• 53:02
  Speaker 5: aren't talking about the same sort of butter at all.
• 53:05
  Speaker 5: You're describing the kind of butter that Missus Green makes
• 53:07
  Speaker 5: at the farmhouse. And what, pray tell, have you been
• 53:11
  Speaker 5: talking about all this time? Missus Ladybug gasped the butter
• 53:16
  Speaker 5: and eggs in the meadow. Duddy Longleggs informed her, I
• 53:19
  Speaker 5: suppose you know the plant, don't you. I've heard of it,
• 53:23
  Speaker 5: Missus Ladybug replied, but I doubt if there is such
• 53:26
  Speaker 5: a thing, And I say there is, Buster Bumblebee clamored.
• 53:31
  Speaker 5: We bumblebees are very fond of butter and eggs, and
• 53:34
  Speaker 5: We're about the only field people that know how to
• 53:36
  Speaker 5: open a blossom and reach its nectar. Little missus Ladybug
• 53:40
  Speaker 5: waited to hear no more. You've made a terrible blunder,
• 53:43
  Speaker 5: she told Daddy Longlegs hurriedly, and before he could answer her,
• 53:46
  Speaker 5: she had hastened away like many another jealous body. Missus
• 53:51
  Speaker 5: Ladybug had behaved very foolishly, and it was no wonder
• 53:54
  Speaker 5: that she wanted to get away from the crowd. She
• 53:57
  Speaker 5: didn't even beg Betsy Butterfly's pardon for calling her a thief.
• 54:00
  Speaker 5: But all the rest of the field people realized at
• 54:02
  Speaker 5: last that Betsy was no thief. The butter and egg's plant,
• 54:06
  Speaker 5: they were well aware, was as free as the clover,
• 54:09
  Speaker 5: or the milkweed blossoms, or any other of the wild flowers.
• 54:13
  Speaker 5: Everybody knew that Farmer Green laid no claim to them,
• 54:16
  Speaker 5: though they did grow in his meadow. And when Betsy
• 54:19
  Speaker 5: Butterfly thanked Danny Longlegs for his explanation, he wished more
• 54:22
  Speaker 5: than ever that he had worn his new coat that day,
• 54:25
  Speaker 5: and his new hat too. End of Chapter twelve read
• 54:31
  Speaker 5: by Julian Prattley. Chapter thirteen of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly.
• 54:40
  Speaker 5: This is a LibriVox recording. All libriyvox recordings are in
• 54:43
  Speaker 5: the public domain. For more information, ought to volunteer pleases
• 54:46
  Speaker 5: at liberyvox dot org. The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by
• 54:50
  Speaker 5: Arthur Scott Bailey, The Friendly Stranger. Of course, any one
• 54:56
  Speaker 5: so beautiful as Betsy Butterfly was bound to attract attention.
• 55:00
  Speaker 5: Wherever she went. People turned their heads if they could
• 55:02
  Speaker 5: to look at her, and those whose heads were so
• 55:05
  Speaker 5: fastened to their bodies that they simply couldn't crane their
• 55:07
  Speaker 5: necks at anybody. Even those unlucky creatures wheeled themselves about
• 55:10
  Speaker 5: in order to gaze at Betsy. If they happened to
• 55:13
  Speaker 5: be ladies, they stared at her because they wanted to
• 55:15
  Speaker 5: see what was the latest style in gowns or maybe hats.
• 55:19
  Speaker 5: And if they happened to be gentlemen, they looked at
• 55:20
  Speaker 5: her because they just couldn't help it. It was no
• 55:24
  Speaker 5: wonder then that Betsy Butterfly had many admirers. In fact,
• 55:27
  Speaker 5: she was so accustomed to their glittering after her that
• 55:30
  Speaker 5: usually she paid little heed to them. But now and
• 55:33
  Speaker 5: then one of them made himself so agreeable that Betsy
• 55:35
  Speaker 5: favored him slightly more than the others. Such was a
• 55:39
  Speaker 5: stranger dressed in yellowish brown, whom she chanced to meet
• 55:42
  Speaker 5: among the flowers one day. He was flying from flower
• 55:45
  Speaker 5: to flower with a loud buzzing, and he reminded Betsy
• 55:48
  Speaker 5: Butterfly of somebody. But she couldn't just think who it was. Ah,
• 55:52
  Speaker 5: said the stranger as soon as he caught Betsy's eye.
• 55:55
  Speaker 5: The blossoms are fine and fresh after last night's shower,
• 55:58
  Speaker 5: aren't they. Betsy had to admit that what the stranger
• 56:01
  Speaker 5: said was true. And when he came right over to
• 56:04
  Speaker 5: the flower where she was breakfasting and began buzzing around
• 56:06
  Speaker 5: her and eating pollen, Betsy thought that for a stranger,
• 56:10
  Speaker 5: he seemed very friendly. She looked at him for a
• 56:13
  Speaker 5: time out of the corner of her eye while she
• 56:15
  Speaker 5: tried to recall whom the newcomber resembled, But he looked
• 56:19
  Speaker 5: like no one she had ever seen. And then all
• 56:21
  Speaker 5: at once Betsy knew what was so familiar about him.
• 56:24
  Speaker 5: It was his voice. You remind me of a friend
• 56:27
  Speaker 5: of mine, she remarked. He lives in the meadow not
• 56:30
  Speaker 5: far from here. It's your buzzing, She explained, if I
• 56:34
  Speaker 5: didn't see you, I should think you were bust to Bumblebee.
• 56:37
  Speaker 5: Betsy's remark seemed to please the stranger, and he smiled
• 56:40
  Speaker 5: smugly while he buzzed louder than ever. It's not surprising
• 56:44
  Speaker 5: that I make you think of him, he observed. Indeed,
• 56:47
  Speaker 5: it would be odd if I didn't, for I'm a
• 56:48
  Speaker 5: sort of cousin of Busters, so to speak. Perhaps she
• 56:51
  Speaker 5: didn't know that my name is Bumble, Joseph Bumble. Naturally,
• 56:55
  Speaker 5: Betsy and Joseph became good friends on the spot, and
• 56:59
  Speaker 5: after that people off and saw them rambling together among
• 57:01
  Speaker 5: the flowers. Now, Joseph Bumble proved to be a great talker,
• 57:06
  Speaker 5: and since Betsy Butterfly was an excellent listener, they spent
• 57:09
  Speaker 5: many agreeable hours together. At least, Joseph enjoyed every minute
• 57:13
  Speaker 5: that he spent in Betsy Butterfly's company, and if at
• 57:16
  Speaker 5: times she found his prattle a bit tiresome, she was
• 57:18
  Speaker 5: too well mannered to say so. If the truth were known,
• 57:22
  Speaker 5: Joseph Bumble proved to be somewhat of a braggart. He
• 57:25
  Speaker 5: was forever boasting of his connection with the Bumblebee family
• 57:28
  Speaker 5: and Betsy couldn't say anything to him without his remarking
• 57:31
  Speaker 5: that his cousin, Busted Bumblebee's mother, the well known Queen,
• 57:34
  Speaker 5: thought this or that, and being of royal blood, the
• 57:37
  Speaker 5: queen ought to know what's what? He frequently said, I suppose,
• 57:42
  Speaker 5: Betsy said to him at last, I suppose you are
• 57:45
  Speaker 5: of royal blood yourself, mister bumble Oh very, he replied
• 57:49
  Speaker 5: with a smoke. Were all of us very royal? Indeed?
• 57:53
  Speaker 5: And Betsy Butterfly thought how pleasant it was to be
• 57:55
  Speaker 5: friends with anyone who came from such a fine family
• 57:57
  Speaker 5: as Joseph Bumble's end of chapter thirteen read by Julian Prattley.
• 58:09
  Speaker 6: Chapter fourteen of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is
• 58:13
  Speaker 6: of LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 58:18
  Speaker 6: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 58:23
  Speaker 6: Read by B. K. L. The Tale of Betsy Butterfly
• 58:26
  Speaker 6: by Arthur Scott Bailey a deep plot. As time passed,
• 58:32
  Speaker 6: Betsy continued to see a great deal of Joseph Bumble
• 58:36
  Speaker 6: and she noticed one peculiar thing. Although he talked continually
• 58:40
  Speaker 6: of his cousin, Buster Bumblebee, the Queen's son. No one
• 58:44
  Speaker 6: had ever seen the two together. How does it happen?
• 58:47
  Speaker 6: She asked Joseph at last, that I never find you
• 58:50
  Speaker 6: with your cousin. Aren't you friends? We're certainly not enemies,
• 58:55
  Speaker 6: said Joseph Bumble, though I must admit that we're not
• 58:59
  Speaker 6: quite so intimate as we might be. You see, Buster
• 59:03
  Speaker 6: and I have different tastes, and now that the red
• 59:05
  Speaker 6: clover is in blossom, he spends all his time in
• 59:08
  Speaker 6: the clover field. But as you know, like you, I
• 59:12
  Speaker 6: am very fond of flowers, and I'd far rather be
• 59:15
  Speaker 6: here in the meadow or the flower garden with you
• 59:19
  Speaker 6: than in the clover patch with Buster Bumblebee. Naturally, such
• 59:24
  Speaker 6: an answer was bound to please Betsy Butterfly, and after
• 59:27
  Speaker 6: that she bothered her head no more about the friendship
• 59:30
  Speaker 6: between the two cousins. Certainly, Joseph Bumble's explanation sounded reasonable,
• 59:36
  Speaker 6: and she had no cause to doubt his statement. Meanwhile,
• 59:40
  Speaker 6: there were others among Betsy Butterfly's admirers who became very
• 59:44
  Speaker 6: peevish on observing how much time Betsy and the newcomer
• 59:47
  Speaker 6: in the neighborhood, Joseph Bumble, were spending in each other's society,
• 59:52
  Speaker 6: and they agreed among themselves that something ought to be
• 59:55
  Speaker 6: done to put an end to the upstart bumbles boasting.
• 59:59
  Speaker 6: Bet See Butterfly thinks the fellow is a cousin of
• 1:00:02
  Speaker 6: Buster bumble Bees, said Chirpy Cricket. But I've noticed that
• 1:00:06
  Speaker 6: he and Buster are never together. Let's ask Buster to
• 1:00:10
  Speaker 6: come over to the meadow so that he may meet
• 1:00:13
  Speaker 6: this cousin of his, and then perhaps we'll learn something
• 1:00:16
  Speaker 6: more about Joseph bumble than we know now. Everybody said
• 1:00:20
  Speaker 6: that that was a good plan, and Betsy's admirers chose
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 6: Daddy Longlegs to call on Buster Bumblebee and invite him
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 6: to a party to be given in the meadow the
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 6: following day. Daddy Longlegs agreed to do the errand in
• 1:00:34
  Speaker 6: spite of the fact that for him it was half
• 1:00:37
  Speaker 6: a day's journey to the Bumblebees home from the stone
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 6: wall where he lived. But he thought that by hurrying
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 6: he ought to be able to get back in time
• 1:00:44
  Speaker 6: to put on his best coat and go to the party,
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 6: though he might arrive somewhat late. Don't forget to ask
• 1:00:51
  Speaker 6: Betsy Butterfly to the party, Daddy called, as he started
• 1:00:55
  Speaker 6: off on his long trip. Don't worry, I'll attend to
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 6: that myself, Chirpy Cricket promised, And don't forget to invite
• 1:01:03
  Speaker 6: Joseph bumble Daddy cautioned him. Oh, we don't need to
• 1:01:07
  Speaker 6: ask him, said Chirpy Cricket. He'll come without being invited
• 1:01:13
  Speaker 6: unless I'm greatly mistaken. Luckily, for Daddy Longlegs, there was
• 1:01:18
  Speaker 6: not a breath of wind either that day or the
• 1:01:21
  Speaker 6: following one, so he made excellent time to the Bumblebee home,
• 1:01:25
  Speaker 6: where he found Buster Bumblebee and gave him his invitation.
• 1:01:29
  Speaker 6: Then Daddy turned around and started back towards his stone wall.
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 6: Buster Bumblebee had promised to come to the party and
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 6: Daddy wanted to be present when the two cousins, Buster
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 6: Bumblebee and Joseph bumble met, with a Betsy Butterfly right
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 6: there to watch them. End of chapter fourteen.
• 1:01:56
  Speaker 7: Chapter fifteen of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is
• 1:02:00
  Speaker 7: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:02:05
  Speaker 7: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 7: Read by Marie Christian The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by
• 1:02:14
  Speaker 7: Arthur Scott Bailey Joseph Bumble's complaint. It happened just as
• 1:02:22
  Speaker 7: Chirpy Cricket had expected. Betsy Butterfly arrived at the party
• 1:02:27
  Speaker 7: with her admirer Joseph Bumble buzzing close behind her. Although
• 1:02:32
  Speaker 7: he had not been invited, he did not feel the
• 1:02:35
  Speaker 7: least bit shy about coming, being of a royal family.
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 7: I never wait to be asked to a place, he
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 7: had explained loftily to Betsy. And you'll see that everybody
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 7: will be glad to see me at the party. People
• 1:02:49
  Speaker 7: always consider it an honor to have me at their entertainments.
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 7: Joseph's words proved partly true. Anyhow, any one could see
• 1:02:57
  Speaker 7: that Joseph Bumble was more than welcome. Chirpy Cricket and
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 7: Daddy Longlegs as well. Good many others rushed up to
• 1:03:06
  Speaker 7: him and told him how pleased they were to see him.
• 1:03:09
  Speaker 7: And Joseph Bumble was having a very agreeable time, talking
• 1:03:12
  Speaker 7: in a loud voice about himself and his family, when
• 1:03:15
  Speaker 7: he suddenly stopped short. A look of displeasure crossed his face,
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 7: and Daddy Longleggs asked him if he had eaten something
• 1:03:23
  Speaker 7: that disagreed with him. No, replied Joseph Bumble. I've been interrupted,
• 1:03:29
  Speaker 7: and it's hardly the sort of treatment a person of
• 1:03:32
  Speaker 7: royal blood like myself expects to receive at a party.
• 1:03:36
  Speaker 7: Who interrupted you, Chirpie Cricket inquired, I don't know, Joseph
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 7: Bumble answered, but some one was talking in a loud voice.
• 1:03:45
  Speaker 7: Are you sure it wasn't yourself that you heard? Daddy
• 1:03:49
  Speaker 7: Longlegs wanted to know, certainly not, cried Joseph, don't be silly.
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 7: Don't you suppose I know my own voice when I
• 1:03:57
  Speaker 7: hear it. Perhaps it was your echo that you heard.
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 7: Daddy ventured at that, Joseph Bumble rudely turned his back
• 1:04:06
  Speaker 7: on him and began whispering to Chirpy Cricket. He was
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 7: actually suggesting that Daddy long Legs should be thrown out
• 1:04:13
  Speaker 7: of the party. And then mister Bumble again paused abruptly
• 1:04:17
  Speaker 7: and listened there, he said to Chirpy Cricket, don't you
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 7: hear that buzzing? That's the person that interrupted me, and
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 7: I'd like to have him put out of the party too,
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 7: along with this queer old chap who insulted me a
• 1:04:30
  Speaker 7: moment ago. Chirpy Cricket looked around until his eye rested
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 7: on Buster Bumblebee, who had just arrived and who was
• 1:04:38
  Speaker 7: at that moment talking with Betsy Butterfly. There's the young man,
• 1:04:43
  Speaker 7: you hear, Chirpy told Joseph Bumble. Don't you know him? No,
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 7: replied Joseph, as his eyes followed Chirpy Crickets, and I
• 1:04:52
  Speaker 7: don't want to know him either. He looks to me
• 1:04:55
  Speaker 7: to be a very ordinary person, and anybody can see
• 1:04:58
  Speaker 7: that he's annoying Betsy Butterfly. I tell you I want
• 1:05:02
  Speaker 7: him chased away from here at once, for I'm of
• 1:05:05
  Speaker 7: rural blood and I'm not accustomed to go to parties
• 1:05:08
  Speaker 7: with ragtags and bobtails. I'm a cousin of Buster Bumblebee,
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 7: the Queen's son. Well, Chirpy Cricket tried hard not to
• 1:05:16
  Speaker 7: laugh right in Joseph Bumble's face. I'll see what I
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 7: can do, Chirpy promised him. And I will admit that
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 7: somebody ought to be barred out of this party. Good,
• 1:05:29
  Speaker 7: exclaimed Joseph Bumble. I'm glad to know that you're so sensible.
• 1:05:34
  Speaker 7: Perhaps he would have spoken in a different fashion had
• 1:05:36
  Speaker 7: he known exactly what Chirpy Cricket had in mind, but
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 7: now he said nothing more, though he continued to stare
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 7: angrily at Buster Bumblebee, who was glad to see Betsy
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 7: Butterfly and was telling her as much too. End of
• 1:05:52
  Speaker 7: chapter fifteen. Chapter sixteen of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly.
• 1:06:03
  Speaker 7: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 1:06:07
  Speaker 7: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 1:06:12
  Speaker 7: visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Marie Christian The Tale
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 7: of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey Nothing but a fraud.
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 7: At last, Joseph Bumble's displeasure passed all control. He began
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 7: to buzz as loud as he could, hoping to drown
• 1:06:32
  Speaker 7: Buster Bumblebee's buzzing so that Buster could no longer talk
• 1:06:36
  Speaker 7: to Betsy Butterfly. Naturally, Buster soon had to raise his
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 7: own voice in order to make himself heard, and soon
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 7: the two made such a roar that everybody else had
• 1:06:47
  Speaker 7: to stop up his ears. Noticing a look of distress
• 1:06:50
  Speaker 7: on Betsy Butterfly's face, Buster asked her what the trouble was?
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 7: You and your cousin Joseph are making a terrible racket.
• 1:06:59
  Speaker 7: She told him my cousin, Joseph cried Buster Bumblebe, And
• 1:07:04
  Speaker 7: who is he I should like to know? Point him
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 7: out to me, please, for I didn't know I had
• 1:07:09
  Speaker 7: a cousin at this party. There he is, said Betsy Butterfly,
• 1:07:13
  Speaker 7: nodding her head towards the glowering Joseph. What that unshaven
• 1:07:18
  Speaker 7: stranger in the yellowish brown suit, cried Buster Bumblebe. I
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 7: assure you he's no relation of mine. You must be mistaken,
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 7: Betsy persisted. He says he's your cousin and of real
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 7: blood himself. Nonsense, cried Buster Bumblebe. Just let me talk
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 7: to him a moment, and I'll soon prove that your
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 7: friend is nothing but a fraud. Accordingly, Buster left her
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 7: and straightway perched himself upon a daisy, directly in front
• 1:07:47
  Speaker 7: of Joseph bumble How'd he do, said Buster, I hear
• 1:07:52
  Speaker 7: you've been talking about me now. Joseph Bumble's only thought
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 7: was that the noisy chap in the yellow and black
• 1:07:59
  Speaker 7: vel must have overheard what he had said to Chirpy
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 7: Cricket about throwing him out of the party. I don't
• 1:08:06
  Speaker 7: care to talk with you, Joseph announced in his grandest manner.
• 1:08:11
  Speaker 7: I am from such a fine family that I have
• 1:08:14
  Speaker 7: to be very particular about whom I'm seen with?
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 3: Is that so?
• 1:08:19
  Speaker 7: Said Buster? I suppose if Buster Bumblebee were at this party,
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 7: you'd be glad to talk with him, I should say
• 1:08:26
  Speaker 7: I would, was the other's answer. He's my cousin. What's
• 1:08:31
  Speaker 7: your name anyhow, Buster inquired Joseph Bumble. What's the rest
• 1:08:38
  Speaker 7: of it, Buster Bumblebee demanded, while the whole company surged
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 7: around him so that they might hear. I refuse to answer,
• 1:08:46
  Speaker 7: said Joseph Bumble, and afterward Daddy Longlegs declared that at
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 7: that moment he saw the fellow's knees trembling. Come, said
• 1:08:56
  Speaker 7: Joseph Bumble, turning suddenly to Betsy Butterfly. I see that
• 1:09:00
  Speaker 7: we've accidentally fallen in with some rough people, and we'd
• 1:09:03
  Speaker 7: better be moving on. But Betsy Butterfly didn't even look
• 1:09:07
  Speaker 7: at Joseph. What is his full name, she asked Buster.
• 1:09:12
  Speaker 7: He's a bumble flower beetle, Buster said, and as for
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 7: his being related to me, that's all humbug. This stranger
• 1:09:21
  Speaker 7: is no kin either to the Bumblebee or any other
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 7: Bee family. But his voice is so much like ours
• 1:09:27
  Speaker 7: that he's taken part of our name, though our family
• 1:09:30
  Speaker 7: has always claimed that he has no right to it.
• 1:09:34
  Speaker 7: Who are you, Joseph Bumble demanded of Buster quite fiercely.
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 7: He was determined to put his enemy to rout if
• 1:09:41
  Speaker 7: he could. I'm Buster Bumblebee was the reply, don't you
• 1:09:47
  Speaker 7: know your cousin? When he heard that, Joseph Bumble knew
• 1:09:51
  Speaker 7: at once that the game was up. His trickery was
• 1:09:54
  Speaker 7: discovered beyond a doubt. So with one last lingering look
• 1:09:58
  Speaker 7: at the beautiful Betsy, he took to his wings, and
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 7: no one ever saw him in those parts again. As
• 1:10:05
  Speaker 7: for Betsy Butterfly, she never could bear after that to
• 1:10:10
  Speaker 7: hear the name of Joseph Bumble so much. As mentioned
• 1:10:15
  Speaker 7: end of chapter sixteen.
• 1:10:23
  Speaker 8: Chapter seventeen of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is
• 1:10:26
  Speaker 8: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:10:31
  Speaker 8: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 1:10:35
  Speaker 8: The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by author Scott Bailey, Section
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 8: seventeen Dusty's difficulty. It was to be expected that as
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 8: time went on, Betsy Butterfly's fame would spread far and wide,
• 1:10:48
  Speaker 8: and long before the summer was over. Half the creatures
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 8: that lived in Pleasant Valley knew her. They were the
• 1:10:53
  Speaker 8: ones that went about by daylight and rested at night.
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 8: As for the other half, the night prowlers, many of
• 1:10:59
  Speaker 8: them heard about the beautiful Betsy, though of course they
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 8: had never seen her. That is, none of them had
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 8: set eyes on her, except Freddie Firefly, who had flashed
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 8: his light upon Betsy all one night because missus Ladybug
• 1:11:11
  Speaker 8: had a strange notion that she was stealing butter from
• 1:11:13
  Speaker 8: the farmhouse. In fact, after that happened, Freddie Firefly had
• 1:11:18
  Speaker 8: gone about telling all his friends how beautiful Betsy Butterfly was,
• 1:11:22
  Speaker 8: and saying what a pity it was that she didn't
• 1:11:24
  Speaker 8: like moonlight as well as sunshine. He talked so much
• 1:11:27
  Speaker 8: about her that at last a good many of the
• 1:11:30
  Speaker 8: night prowling people said they wished they might see Betsy
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 8: Butterfly just once, for they could scarcely believe that anybody
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 8: could be as dainty and bewitching as Freddy Firefly would
• 1:11:38
  Speaker 8: have them believe her. And there was one dashing young
• 1:11:42
  Speaker 8: chap of the moth family who became especially eager to
• 1:11:45
  Speaker 8: make Betsy's acquaintance. Indeed, he began to complain that he
• 1:11:48
  Speaker 8: was losing his appetite through thinking about Betsy Butterfly, so
• 1:11:52
  Speaker 8: he besought Freddie Firefly to help him out of his difficulty. Now,
• 1:11:56
  Speaker 8: while he was talking with Freddie Firefly, this young moth,
• 1:11:59
  Speaker 8: who was known as Dusty, never once stopped eating. Freddy
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 8: Firefly noticed how his fat side stuck out, and he
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 8: wondered what the fellow's appetite could have been like before
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 8: he lost some of it. You don't act like one
• 1:12:12
  Speaker 8: in delicate health, Freddie Firefly observed as he watched the
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 8: greedy Dusty consume more food. Oh but I am, Dusty Moth,
• 1:12:19
  Speaker 8: protested feebly. I am so weak now that I can
• 1:12:23
  Speaker 8: hardly raise myself with my wings. Freddy was sure that
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 8: Dusty's trouble was merely due to his being too fat,
• 1:12:29
  Speaker 8: but he saw no reason for quarreling with him. Can't
• 1:12:32
  Speaker 8: you think of some plan by which I could meet
• 1:12:34
  Speaker 8: Betsy Butterfly, Dusty Moth persisted. Perhaps if I could see
• 1:12:39
  Speaker 8: her just once, I'd be able to get my mind
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 8: off her and on my meals again. I don't know
• 1:12:44
  Speaker 8: how I can help you, Freddy Firefly confessed, You see,
• 1:12:48
  Speaker 8: Betsy goes home exactly at sunset and at present. She
• 1:12:51
  Speaker 8: never seems to make her home in the same place
• 1:12:53
  Speaker 8: for even two nights, so one can never be sure
• 1:12:56
  Speaker 8: where she will be. Of course, when the sun is shine,
• 1:13:00
  Speaker 8: and you can always find her among the flowers. But
• 1:13:02
  Speaker 8: that won't help you any because you're such a sleepy
• 1:13:04
  Speaker 8: head in the daytime that you couldn't see anything even
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 8: if it was stuck right into your eyes. Can't you
• 1:13:10
  Speaker 8: explain my sad case to Betsy Butterfly, Dusty Moth asked, hopefully.
• 1:13:15
  Speaker 8: I've heard that she's very kind hearted, and if she
• 1:13:18
  Speaker 8: knew how I'm suffering on her account, I'm sure she'd
• 1:13:20
  Speaker 8: be happy to meet me some pleasant dark night. He
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 8: begged so piteously that in the end Freddie Firefly agreed
• 1:13:27
  Speaker 8: to do what he could. But I warn you, he said,
• 1:13:30
  Speaker 8: I warn you that I can't give you much hope.
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 8: End of Chapter seventeen, Read by Jennifer Jane.
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 4: Chapter eighteen of The Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is
• 1:13:46
  Speaker 4: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:13:51
  Speaker 4: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot Org.
• 1:13:55
  Speaker 4: The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by other Scott Bailey, Chapter
• 1:13:58
  Speaker 4: eighteen Solomon Owl's I Freddy Firefly actually did send a
• 1:14:02
  Speaker 4: message to Betsy Butterfly, telling her that Dusty Moth wanted
• 1:14:05
  Speaker 4: to see her, and saying that unless she would agree
• 1:14:07
  Speaker 4: to meet him in the meadow some night soon, Dusty
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 4: was afraid he would lose his appetite entirely. But Betsy
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 4: thought the whole affair was only a joke, so she
• 1:14:14
  Speaker 4: merely laughed and sent Freddy no answer at all, for
• 1:14:17
  Speaker 4: she hardly believed that she needed to explain to him.
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 4: That nothing could induce her to stir out after sunset.
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 4: Freddy Firefly was much upset because he received no answer
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 4: to his message. Perhaps he would not care so much
• 1:14:27
  Speaker 4: had Dusty Moth not made his life miserable each night
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 4: from dust to dawn, But that persistent fellow kept asking
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 4: Freddy every few minutes if he had heard from her yet,
• 1:14:36
  Speaker 4: and naturally anyone would go tired if he had to
• 1:14:38
  Speaker 4: keep saying no, no, no, all night long. At the
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 4: same time, Dusty Moth kept insisting in a most annoying
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 4: way that if he lost much more of his appetite,
• 1:14:46
  Speaker 4: he would be ill, and it would be Freddy Firefly's fault.
• 1:14:49
  Speaker 4: So Freddy Firefly began to worry. He came finally to
• 1:14:52
  Speaker 4: detest Dusty Moth, and Freddy's family noticed that he was
• 1:14:55
  Speaker 4: growing quite thin because Dusty Moth left him little time
• 1:14:58
  Speaker 4: between questions in which to eat his meat else comfortably.
• 1:15:01
  Speaker 4: I declare i'd wish Betsy Butterfly would move away from
• 1:15:04
  Speaker 4: Pleasant Valley, Freddy Firefly exclaimed, at last, quite out of
• 1:15:07
  Speaker 4: patience with everybody and everything, I'm in a pretty fix
• 1:15:10
  Speaker 4: I am, And since I don't know how to get
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 4: rid of this annoying Dusty Moth, I'm going to ask
• 1:15:14
  Speaker 4: Solomon Owl what i'd better do. That at least was
• 1:15:16
  Speaker 4: a comforting thought, So the following morning, just before dawn,
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 4: he made what might be termed a flying call on
• 1:15:22
  Speaker 4: Solomon Owl, who lived in the Hemlock woods beyond the swamp,
• 1:15:25
  Speaker 4: and luckily, wise old Solomon thought of a good plan
• 1:15:27
  Speaker 4: at once. As soon as he had heard Freddy Firefly's story,
• 1:15:30
  Speaker 4: he said to him, if Betsy Butterfly refuses to meet
• 1:15:33
  Speaker 4: your friend, why don't you ask her for her picture?
• 1:15:35
  Speaker 4: That's a splendid idea. Freddy cried, how in the world
• 1:15:38
  Speaker 4: did you ever happen to think of it, mister Owl?
• 1:15:40
  Speaker 4: Solomon Owl hooted at that question. That's my secret, he said.
• 1:15:44
  Speaker 4: If I told all I know, everybody else would be
• 1:15:46
  Speaker 4: just as wise as I am. And after giving another
• 1:15:49
  Speaker 4: long string of hoots, which he followed with a burst
• 1:15:51
  Speaker 4: of loud laughter, Solomon Owl popped into his house. Anyhow,
• 1:15:55
  Speaker 4: Freddy Firefly couldn't complain, for he now had a remedy
• 1:15:57
  Speaker 4: for his trouble, and he felt so carefully and had
• 1:16:00
  Speaker 4: again that. On his way across the meadow, he stopped
• 1:16:02
  Speaker 4: to talk with Jimmy Rabbit, who was taking a stroll
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 4: in the direction of Farmer Green's cabbage patch. Freddy Firefly
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 4: quickly told Jimmy all about his affair with Dusty Moth.
• 1:16:10
  Speaker 4: He even explained how he had gone to ask Solomon
• 1:16:12
  Speaker 4: Owl's help, and related what that wise bird had advised.
• 1:16:16
  Speaker 4: There's only one thing that worries me now, said Freddy Firefly, anxiously.
• 1:16:19
  Speaker 4: I'm wondering whether Betsy Butterfly has ever had a picture
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 4: made of herself. End of Section eighteen. Section nineteen of
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 4: the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 1:16:34
  Speaker 4: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:16:37
  Speaker 4: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
• 1:16:40
  Speaker 4: Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey, Chapter nineteen,
• 1:16:46
  Speaker 4: A bit of luck, Jimmy Rabbit promptly set Freddy Firefly's
• 1:16:50
  Speaker 4: fears at rest. I happen to know, said he, that
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 4: Betsy Butterfly has a picture of herself. Are you sure,
• 1:16:56
  Speaker 4: Freddy asked immagerly. I ought to be, replied Jimmy Rabbit,
• 1:16:59
  Speaker 4: because I painted it by myself the very next day,
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 4: after I finished a portrait of old mister Krook. It
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 4: ought to be a good one if you made it,
• 1:17:05
  Speaker 4: said Freddy. But wasn't it some time ago that you
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 4: were an artist. It was earlier in the summer, Jimmy
• 1:17:10
  Speaker 4: Rabbit admitted. Of course, Betsy Butterfly has changed somewhat since then.
• 1:17:14
  Speaker 4: But this picture was a fine likeness of her at
• 1:17:16
  Speaker 4: the time I painted it, I suppose, he added, I
• 1:17:19
  Speaker 4: was the first one in the whole valley to perceive
• 1:17:20
  Speaker 4: that she was going to be a beauty when she
• 1:17:22
  Speaker 4: got her full growth. Do you suppose she'll send me
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 4: the picture if I ask her, so I can show
• 1:17:27
  Speaker 4: it to Dusty Moth. Freddy asked, Jimmy Rabbit looked a
• 1:17:29
  Speaker 4: bit doubtful. He pondered for a few moments, and then
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 4: he said, I'll tell you what I'll do. Tomorrow morning.
• 1:17:34
  Speaker 4: I'll see Betsy, and I've no doubt that she'll know
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 4: me the picture. If I promised to return it to her,
• 1:17:38
  Speaker 4: That'll be great, cried Freddy. You make me near the
• 1:17:40
  Speaker 4: duck pond as soon as it's dark tomorrow night, and
• 1:17:43
  Speaker 4: be sure to bring Betsy's picture with you. Then Freddy
• 1:17:46
  Speaker 4: Firefly hurried off to find Dusty Moth, who happened likewise
• 1:17:49
  Speaker 4: to be looking for him because he had a question
• 1:17:51
  Speaker 4: to ask. They met shortly, and Dusty Moth immediately cried,
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 4: have you heard from her? Meaning Betsy Butterfly? Of course,
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 4: Now see here, Freddy Firefly said, it's plain enough that
• 1:18:00
  Speaker 4: Betsy doesn't care to meet you, But I have a
• 1:18:02
  Speaker 4: plan that ought to suit you well enough. If you
• 1:18:04
  Speaker 4: could look at her picture once, you'd be satisfied, wouldn't you,
• 1:18:07
  Speaker 4: I would, replied Dusty Moth if I got my appetite
• 1:18:09
  Speaker 4: back afterward, Well, will you promise to stop pestering me
• 1:18:12
  Speaker 4: about Betsy Butterfly if I let you see this picture
• 1:18:14
  Speaker 4: of her? Yes, yes, Dusty promised impatiently. Where is it?
• 1:18:18
  Speaker 2: Quick?
• 1:18:18
  Speaker 4: Let me see it. Oh you'll have to wait until
• 1:18:20
  Speaker 4: tomorrow night, Freddy explained. I shall not be able to
• 1:18:23
  Speaker 4: eat a single mouthful till then. Musty Moth groaned, Well
• 1:18:27
  Speaker 4: you can suit yourself about that, Freddy told him impatiently.
• 1:18:29
  Speaker 4: And please don't speak to me again tonight. I've been
• 1:18:32
  Speaker 4: troubled enough on your account without being bothered by you
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 4: any more. One moment, cried Dusty as Freddy Firefly started
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 4: to leave him. Well what do you want now, Freddy growled,
• 1:18:41
  Speaker 4: flashing his light impatiently in Dusty Moth's eyes. Are you
• 1:18:44
  Speaker 4: sure she will let you take the picture? Dusty asked him. Yes, yes,
• 1:18:46
  Speaker 4: of course she will. Why shouldn't she? I should like
• 1:18:48
  Speaker 4: to know. You certainly do ask the silliest questions. And
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 4: yet Freddy Firefly had put the same query himself to
• 1:18:54
  Speaker 4: Jimmy Rabbit only a short time before. But now he
• 1:18:57
  Speaker 4: was quite certain that his worries were almost at an end.
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 4: Betsy Byterfly has caused me a powerful lot of trouble,
• 1:19:02
  Speaker 4: Freddie grumbled as he hurried over the hollow to join
• 1:19:04
  Speaker 4: in the dance of the Firefly family.
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 9: End of chapter nineteen, Chapter twenty of the Tale of
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 9: Betsy Butterfly. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 9: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:19:25
  Speaker 9: please visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Joanna Shrek. The
• 1:19:31
  Speaker 9: Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey. Something seems wrong.
• 1:19:38
  Speaker 9: When Jimmy Rabbit went to see Betsy Butterfly the next morning,
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 9: he found her quite willing to let him take her
• 1:19:44
  Speaker 9: picture away with him. But I must say, Betsy remarked,
• 1:19:49
  Speaker 9: I must say that I don't understand why anybody should
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 9: want to borrow this old portrait. Everyone tells me I
• 1:19:56
  Speaker 9: have changed a great deal since you made it. That's true, true,
• 1:20:00
  Speaker 9: Jimmy Rabbit agreed. But the person to whom I'm going
• 1:20:03
  Speaker 9: to show it won't know the difference. I don't believe
• 1:20:07
  Speaker 9: he knows me. Then she remarked, no, and probably he
• 1:20:10
  Speaker 9: never will, said Jimmy Rabbit. But don't you worry about that.
• 1:20:15
  Speaker 9: From what I hear of him, he's a good deal
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 9: of a bore. Don't bother to bring back that picture.
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 9: She called to Jimmy Rabbit as he hopped away. I'm
• 1:20:24
  Speaker 9: afraid Betsy Butterfly is growing vain, he murmured to himself.
• 1:20:29
  Speaker 9: To be sure she has changed. But I shall always
• 1:20:33
  Speaker 9: like this portrait of her because I painted it myself. Later,
• 1:20:37
  Speaker 9: when he was in Farmer Green's garden, he wrapped the
• 1:20:40
  Speaker 9: picture carefully in a rhubarbleef and hid it beneath a
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 9: pile of brush, and he didn't come back for it
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 9: until after dark. Just as the moon peeped above the
• 1:20:50
  Speaker 9: rim of the hills. At the duck Pond, Jimmy Rabbit
• 1:20:54
  Speaker 9: found Freddy Firefly waiting for him, hopping up and down
• 1:20:58
  Speaker 9: and flashing his light through the misty gloom. Did you
• 1:21:02
  Speaker 9: get it, Freddy demanded. It's safe in my pocket, Jimmy
• 1:21:06
  Speaker 9: assured him. Let me have it, said Freddy. Dusty Moth
• 1:21:10
  Speaker 9: is waiting for me at the fence corner near the orchard,
• 1:21:13
  Speaker 9: and I want to give him a good look at
• 1:21:15
  Speaker 9: Betsy Butterfly's picture before the moon gets too high, for
• 1:21:18
  Speaker 9: he can't see well if there's too much light. Jimmy
• 1:21:22
  Speaker 9: Rabbit drew the picture carefully from his pocket, and Freddy
• 1:21:25
  Speaker 9: Firefly took it and slung it across his back. He
• 1:21:29
  Speaker 9: fairly staggered under the weight. Aren't you going to look
• 1:21:32
  Speaker 9: at Betsy's picture yourself, Jimmy Rabbit asked him. It's a
• 1:21:36
  Speaker 9: good bit of work if I do say so. Oh,
• 1:21:40
  Speaker 9: I don't care about seeing it. It's nothing to me,
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 9: you know, said Freddy carelessly. But I hope Dusty Moth
• 1:21:46
  Speaker 9: will be satisfied with it. Well, I won't go with
• 1:21:49
  Speaker 9: you to see if he is, Jimmy Rabbit told him.
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 9: I usually have a light lunch at this hour, so
• 1:21:56
  Speaker 9: I'll meet you here at the duck pond after I
• 1:21:58
  Speaker 9: come back from the cabbage patch. They parted then, and
• 1:22:01
  Speaker 9: shortly afterward, Freddy Firefly dropped down beside Dusty Moth, who
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 9: made no attempt to conceal his pleasure. At last, he cried,
• 1:22:10
  Speaker 9: At last, I am to behold the beautiful Betsy Butterfly's picture.
• 1:22:15
  Speaker 9: I do hope it's a good likeness, he added, as
• 1:22:18
  Speaker 9: he began with trembling hands to unwrap the rhubarb covering
• 1:22:22
  Speaker 9: from the portrait. It certainly is, Freddy Firefly assured him.
• 1:22:27
  Speaker 9: It was made by a friend of mine who once
• 1:22:30
  Speaker 9: painted a famous picture of old mister Crow. When Freddy
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 9: danced along the top of the fence, Dusty Moth carried
• 1:22:37
  Speaker 9: the picture into the shade of an apple tree, out
• 1:22:40
  Speaker 9: of the moonlight, so that he might see it more clearly.
• 1:22:44
  Speaker 9: A few moments later, Freddy Firefly was both surprised and
• 1:22:48
  Speaker 9: alarmed to hear a cry of anguish from the direction
• 1:22:51
  Speaker 9: of the apple tree. What's the matter, he called, There's
• 1:22:55
  Speaker 9: nothing wrong, I hope, but Dusty Moth made no reply.
• 1:23:01
  Speaker 9: End of chapter twenty Joanna Shrek, Indianapolis, January sixth, twenty
• 1:23:06
  Speaker 9: twenty two, Chapter twenty one of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly.
• 1:23:16
  Speaker 9: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 1:23:20
  Speaker 9: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 9: visit LibriVox dot org. Read by Joanna Shrek, The Tale
• 1:23:29
  Speaker 9: of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott Bailey. A strange change.
• 1:23:34
  Speaker 9: Receiving no answer to his question, Freddie Firefly skipped down
• 1:23:38
  Speaker 9: from the fence and sought the shade of the apple tree,
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 9: where he found Dusty Moth staring fixedly at Betsy Butterfly's picture.
• 1:23:47
  Speaker 9: Dusty's face wore a most curious look he seemed at
• 1:23:51
  Speaker 9: once angry, sorrowful, and amazed, and not till Freddie Firefly
• 1:23:57
  Speaker 9: asked again, what was the trouble? Did Dusty Man say
• 1:24:00
  Speaker 9: a word? Then he pointed scornfully toward the portrait that
• 1:24:05
  Speaker 9: Jimmy Rabbit had made earlier in the summer. So that's
• 1:24:09
  Speaker 9: the charming Betsy Butterfly, eh, he roared, that's the beauty
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 9: I've heard so much about. I can tell you right
• 1:24:16
  Speaker 9: now that if I had any idea she looked like this,
• 1:24:20
  Speaker 9: I never would have lost my appetite over her. You
• 1:24:23
  Speaker 9: astonish me, Freddie Firefly exclaimed. Have you forgotten how anxious
• 1:24:28
  Speaker 9: you were to meet the lady? Meet her? Dusty Moth howled,
• 1:24:34
  Speaker 9: I promise you I'd never go out of my way
• 1:24:36
  Speaker 9: to meet anybody that looked as she does, though I
• 1:24:39
  Speaker 9: might go a long distance to avoid her. Freddie Firefly
• 1:24:43
  Speaker 9: glanced toward the picture, but it had fallen face downward
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 9: upon the ground, and he did not take the trouble
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 9: to raise it. Well you think Betsy Butterfly is beautiful,
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 9: don't you, he asked? Indeed, I don't. I think she's hideous.
• 1:24:58
  Speaker 9: Dusty Moth shouted, never in all my life have I
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 9: been so deceived in a person? I don't understand how
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 9: you can say that, Freddy Firefly told him. But I
• 1:25:09
  Speaker 9: suppose your idea of beauty may be different from mine,
• 1:25:12
  Speaker 9: and from many other people's too. Anyhow, I hope you'll
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 9: get your appetite back again. I don't know about that,
• 1:25:20
  Speaker 9: said Dusty Moth. Just now, I don't feel as if
• 1:25:23
  Speaker 9: I ever want to taste food again. A shudder passed
• 1:25:27
  Speaker 9: over him, and he covered his eyes as if to
• 1:25:29
  Speaker 9: shut some terrible image from his memory. I must leave
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 9: you now, said Freddy Firefly. And please don't forget what
• 1:25:37
  Speaker 9: you promised me. You remember that you said that if
• 1:25:40
  Speaker 9: I showed you a picture of Betsy Butterfly, you would
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 9: stop pestering me about her. Don't worry about that, Dusty
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 9: Moth assured him bitterly. I shall never mention Betsy Butterfly's
• 1:25:51
  Speaker 9: name again. I don't want to think of her. But
• 1:25:54
  Speaker 9: I'm afraid I can never never get her face out
• 1:25:57
  Speaker 9: of my mind. I know, he added, I know I
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 9: shall see it in my dreams, and just think how
• 1:26:03
  Speaker 9: terrible it will be to wake at midday out of
• 1:26:06
  Speaker 9: a sound sleep with her dreadful face and form haunting me.
• 1:26:11
  Speaker 9: Freddie Firefly couldn't help feeling sorry for the poor chap,
• 1:26:15
  Speaker 9: but he could think of nothing to do except to
• 1:26:18
  Speaker 9: show him Betsy's portrait once more. So he started to
• 1:26:21
  Speaker 9: raise the picture from the ground where it still lay
• 1:26:24
  Speaker 9: face downward, and the moment Dusty Moth saw what he
• 1:26:28
  Speaker 9: was about, he gave a frightful scream and flew off
• 1:26:32
  Speaker 9: into the night. He's a queer one, Freddie Firefly mused, Now,
• 1:26:37
  Speaker 9: I've always thought Betsy was a fine looking Just then
• 1:26:40
  Speaker 9: his eyes fell upon the picture for the first time,
• 1:26:44
  Speaker 9: and Freddie Firefly's mouth fell open in astonishment. So amazed
• 1:26:49
  Speaker 9: was he by what he saw that he tumbled right
• 1:26:52
  Speaker 9: over backwards, and then, scrambling to his feet, he wrapped
• 1:26:56
  Speaker 9: the rhubarb beleef hastily around the picture and sliptung it
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 9: across his back again. Jimmy Rabbit has made a terrible mistake,
• 1:27:05
  Speaker 9: he groaned, as he started for the duck pond. Back
• 1:27:08
  Speaker 9: at the meeting place once more, Freddie Firefly rushed up
• 1:27:12
  Speaker 9: to Jimmy Rabbit in great excitement.
• 1:27:15
  Speaker 2: Do you know what you did?
• 1:27:16
  Speaker 9: He cried, You brought me the wrong picture, and Dusty
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 9: Moth has gone shrieking off into the darkness. He was
• 1:27:23
  Speaker 9: so disappointed. This is not Betsy Butterfly's picture. It's some
• 1:27:28
  Speaker 9: dreadful looking caterpillar. And when I glanced at it just
• 1:27:31
  Speaker 9: now over in the orchard, it sent a chill all
• 1:27:34
  Speaker 9: through me. For the time being, Jimmy Rabbit said nothing.
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 9: At first, he had seemed quite upset, But before Freddy
• 1:27:42
  Speaker 9: had finished speaking, he had begun to smile. And then
• 1:27:46
  Speaker 9: he unwrapped the picture once more and leaned it against
• 1:27:49
  Speaker 9: a stone where the moon's rays fell squarely upon it.
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 9: You're mistaken, he informed Freddy. Then this is a picture
• 1:27:58
  Speaker 9: of Betsy Butterfly. I painted it myself, and I ought
• 1:28:01
  Speaker 9: to know. As I explained last night, I made it
• 1:28:05
  Speaker 9: earlier in the summer, and as I said, she has
• 1:28:08
  Speaker 9: changed somewhat in the meantime, but it's a very good
• 1:28:12
  Speaker 9: likeness of her as she was once. You mean, gasped Freddie.
• 1:28:17
  Speaker 8: Firefly.
• 1:28:18
  Speaker 9: You mean that Betsy Butterfly was once an ugly caterpillar, why, certainly,
• 1:28:24
  Speaker 9: said Jimmy Rabbit. And so was Dusty Moth for that matter. Yes,
• 1:28:29
  Speaker 9: he was a caterpillar himself once, and a much uglier
• 1:28:32
  Speaker 9: one than Betsy. If only he knew it. In fact,
• 1:28:36
  Speaker 9: said Jimmy, looking at the picture with his head on
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 9: one side. As caterpillars go, Betsy Butterfly was a great beauty,
• 1:28:44
  Speaker 9: even at so early an age. End of Chapter twenty one.
• 1:28:50
  Speaker 9: Joanna Shrek, Indianapolis, January sixth, twenty twenty two, twenty two
• 1:29:01
  Speaker 9: of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 1:29:06
  Speaker 9: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:29:09
  Speaker 9: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Read
• 1:29:14
  Speaker 9: by Joanna Shrek. The Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur
• 1:29:19
  Speaker 9: Scott Bailey The Skipper. In Farmer Green's Meadow there lived
• 1:29:25
  Speaker 9: a very nervous person called the Skipper. He was a
• 1:29:28
  Speaker 9: distant cousin of Betsy Butterflies, and since the two were
• 1:29:32
  Speaker 9: almost exactly the same age, they quite naturally spent a
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 9: good deal of time together. The Skipper was of a dark,
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 9: somber brown shade, and it always seemed to the gaily
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 9: colored Betsy that he tried to make up for his
• 1:29:46
  Speaker 9: dull appearance by being extremely lively in his movements. He
• 1:29:52
  Speaker 9: was forever skipping suddenly from one place to another, a
• 1:29:55
  Speaker 9: trick which had caused people to call him by so
• 1:29:58
  Speaker 9: odd a name. Much as she liked this queer cousin,
• 1:30:02
  Speaker 9: Betsy often found his uncertain habit somewhat annoying. It was
• 1:30:07
  Speaker 9: not very pleasant when talking to him to discover that
• 1:30:11
  Speaker 9: he had unexpectedly left her when she supposed he was
• 1:30:14
  Speaker 9: right beside her or behind her if she had anything
• 1:30:18
  Speaker 9: important to tell him. She frequently had to hurry after him,
• 1:30:23
  Speaker 9: and the worst of it was, once she had overtaken
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 9: him she never knew when he would dart away again.
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 9: As the summer lengthened, it seemed to Betsy Butterfly that
• 1:30:32
  Speaker 9: the skipper grew more flighty than ever. Once she had
• 1:30:37
  Speaker 9: been able to say a few words to him before
• 1:30:39
  Speaker 9: he went swooping off, But now now she could not
• 1:30:43
  Speaker 9: even tell him that it was a nice day without
• 1:30:46
  Speaker 9: following her cousin at least half an hour in order
• 1:30:48
  Speaker 9: to finish her remark, you're becoming terribly fidgety, Betsy told
• 1:30:54
  Speaker 9: him at last. If you don't look out, you'll have
• 1:30:56
  Speaker 9: nervous prostration, or I shall. If you don't stop jump
• 1:31:00
  Speaker 9: about like a jack in the box, I advise you,
• 1:31:03
  Speaker 9: she said, to see a doctor before you get any worse.
• 1:31:07
  Speaker 9: Of course, it must not be supposed that Betsy Butterfly
• 1:31:11
  Speaker 9: could say all that to her cousin without going to
• 1:31:14
  Speaker 9: a good deal of trouble. As a matter of fact,
• 1:31:17
  Speaker 9: she had to follow him about the fields for two
• 1:31:19
  Speaker 9: whole days and travel several miles before she succeeded in
• 1:31:23
  Speaker 9: finishing what she wanted to say to him. Why I
• 1:31:26
  Speaker 9: feel fine, the skipper cried, I don't need a doctor.
• 1:31:29
  Speaker 9: I He started to skip away from the wild morning
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 9: glory blossom on which he had perched himself, but Betsy
• 1:31:37
  Speaker 9: caught him just in time and held him. Now you
• 1:31:40
  Speaker 9: listen to me, she commanded. You're in a dangerous condition.
• 1:31:45
  Speaker 9: Some day someone will come to you with an important message,
• 1:31:48
  Speaker 9: and if you go sailing off the way you do,
• 1:31:51
  Speaker 9: How's he ever going to tell the whole message until
• 1:31:53
  Speaker 9: it's too late. Perhaps if it was good news, it
• 1:31:57
  Speaker 9: wouldn't hurt it to keep it Awhile, the skipper asserted cheerfully,
• 1:32:01
  Speaker 9: and he gave a quick spring with the hope of
• 1:32:04
  Speaker 9: escaping from Betsy's grasp, but she held him firmly by
• 1:32:07
  Speaker 9: the coat tails. Suppose I wanted to warn you not
• 1:32:11
  Speaker 9: to go near the flower garden because Johnnie Green was
• 1:32:14
  Speaker 9: waiting there for you with his net to capture you
• 1:32:17
  Speaker 9: and put you in his collection. You might be sorry
• 1:32:20
  Speaker 9: afterwards if you didn't sit still an listen o me.
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 9: That's so, said the skipper. I hadn't thought of that.
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 9: I'd see a doctor at once, but I don't know any.
• 1:32:31
  Speaker 9: Go to Aunt Polly Woodchuck under the hill. Betsy Butterfly
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 9: advised him. She's the best doctor for miles around. So
• 1:32:40
  Speaker 9: they went together to call on Aunt Polly. The old
• 1:32:44
  Speaker 9: lady looked at the Skipper and shook her head. I
• 1:32:47
  Speaker 9: can't help him, she said. Betsy asked anxiously, is his
• 1:32:52
  Speaker 9: trouble catching? No, indeed, said Aunt Polly. He can't stay
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 9: in one place long enough to give it to anybody.
• 1:33:00
  Speaker 9: Well after that, Betsy saw very little of her cousin
• 1:33:03
  Speaker 9: the Skipper, but she did not mind that, especially since
• 1:33:07
  Speaker 9: she soon made the acquaintance of a very agreeable young
• 1:33:10
  Speaker 9: gentleman who dressed in the height of fashion. He wore
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 9: a swallow tail coat every day, and the neighbors all
• 1:33:16
  Speaker 9: said that his manners were delightful. He never went skipping
• 1:33:20
  Speaker 9: off while Betsy Butterfly was talking to him. End of
• 1:33:24
  Speaker 9: Chapter twenty two, Joanna Shrek, Indianapolis, January sixth, twenty twenty two.
• 1:33:32
  Speaker 9: End of the Tale of Betsy Butterfly by Arthur Scott
• 1:33:35
  Speaker 9: Bailey