And just as soon as each of the little meadow and forest folks heard it , he hurried out to listen for himself and make sure that it was true . And each , when he heard that sweet voice of Winsome Bluebird , had kicked up his heels and shouted `` Hurrah ! '' You see they all knew that Winsome Bluebird never is very far ahead of gentle Sister South Wind , and that when she arrives , blustering , rough Brother North Wind is already on his way back to the cold , cold land where the ice never melts . Of course Winsome Bluebird does n't really whistle off the snow , but after he comes , the snow disappears so fast that it seems as if he did . It is surprising what a difference a little good news makes . Of course nothing had really changed that first day when Winsome Bluebird 's whistle was heard on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest , but it seemed as if everything had changed . And it was all because that sweet whistle was a promise , a promise that every one knew would come true . And so there was joy in all the hearts on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest . Even grim old Granny Fox felt it , and as for Reddy Fox , why , Reddy even shouted good-naturedly to Peter Rabbit and hoped he was feeling well . And then gentle Sister South Wind arrived . She came in the night , and in the morning there she was , hard at work making the Green Meadows and the Green Forest ready for Mistress Spring . She broke the icy bands that had bound the Smiling Pool and the Laughing Brook so long ; and the Smiling Pool began to smile once more , and the Laughing Brook to gurgle and then to laugh and finally to sing merrily . She touched the little banks of snow that remained , and straightway they melted and disappeared . She kissed the eight babies of Unc ' Billy Possum , and they kicked off the bedclothes under which old Mrs. Possum had tucked them and scrambled out of the big hollow tree to play . She peeped in at the door of Johnny Chuck and called softly , and Johnny Chuck awoke from his long sleep and yawned and began to think about getting up . She knocked at the door of Digger the Badger , and Digger awoke . She tickled the nose of Striped Chipmunk , who was about half awake , and Striped Chipmunk sneezed and then he hopped out of bed and hurried up to his doorway to shout good morning after her , as she hurried over to see if Bobby Coon was still sleeping . Peter Rabbit followed her about . He could n't understand it at all . Peter had smiled to himself when he heard how softly she had called at the doorway of Johnny Chuck 's house , for many and many a time during the long winter Peter had stopped at Johnny Chuck 's house and shouted down the long hall at the top of his voice without once waking Johnny Chuck .
Now Peter nearly tumbled over with surprise , as he heard Johnny XXXXX yawn at the first low call of gentle Sister South Wind .
Badger Brook Brother Chipmunk Chuck Coon Forest Fox Possum bedclothes