XXIII THE SCHOOL IN THE OLD ORCHARD Little Foxes , little Chucks , Little Squirrels , Mice and Mink , Just like little boys and girls , Go to school to learn to think . You did n't know that , did you ? Well , it 's a fact . Yes , Sir , it 's a fact . All the babies born in the Green Forest or on the Green Meadows or around the Smiling Pool have to go to school just as soon as they are big enough to leave their own doorsteps . They go to the greatest school in the world , and it is called the School of Experience . Old Mother Nature has charge of it , but the teachers usually are father and mother for the first few weeks , anyway . After that Old Mother Nature herself gives them a few lessons , and a very stern teacher she is . They just HAVE to learn her lessons . If they do n't , something dreadful is almost sure to happen . Of course Sammy Jay knew all this , because he had had to go to school when he was a little fellow . So Sammy was not much surprised when , from his snug hiding-place in one of the old apple-trees , he discovered that there was a school in Farmer Brown 's old orchard . Johnny Chuck was the teacher and his three baby Chucks were the pupils . Sammy Jay was so interested in that funny little school in the old orchard that he quite forgot to think about mischief . The very first lesson that the three little Chucks had to learn was obedience . Johnny Chuck was very particular about that . You see he knew that unless they learned this first of all , none of the other lessons would do them much good . They must first learn to mind instantly , without asking questions . Dear me , dear me , Johnny Chuck certainly did have his hands full , teaching those three little Chucks to mind ! They were such lively little chaps , and there was so much that was new and wonderful to see , that it was dreadfully hard work to sit perfectly still , just because Johnny Chuck told them to .
But if they did n't mind instantly , they were sure to have their ears soundly boxed , and sometimes were sent back to the house XXXXX a taste of the sweet , tender , young clover of which they were so fond .
After If about for from in like of that without