“I have some pride, but thought to ride,
     In the merry-go-round, above the ground.”

Then the Seventeen Little Bears all turned somersaults at once, and Susan cried, “Stop them, stop them, or they will break their little bones.”

Then the most surprising thing happened!

The Seventeen Little Bears made a low bow and said,

     “In the merry-go-round we’ll go,
     Laughing gayly, ha, ha, ho, ho!”

They ran out the back door and Bunny and Susan went after them.  There stood a neat little merry-go-round, as fine as you please.

“Where?” and “How?” and “Why?” and “Please tell us about it,” said Bunny and Susan.

The Seventeen Little Bears replied,

     “Get inside, and have a ride,
     Bunny and Susan, side by side.”

They all jumped into the merry-go-round and rode in seats side by side.  Round and round and round they went.

Bunny waved his hat and Susan waved her red sunbonnet!  The Seventeen Little Bears shouted, “Hurrah, hurrah!”

They went faster and faster.  Bunny said, “I am afraid the wind will blow off my fur and whiskers.”

Susan said, “The wind will blow off my spectacles.”

Faster, faster, faster they went!  Would they never stop?

The Seventeen Little Bears said,

     “This is a very funny business,
     It gives us all a little dizziness.”

Faster, faster, faster they went!  It began to rain.  First the rain fell with a few drops, then it came down in sheets.  My! how wet they were!

Faster, faster, faster went the merry-go-round.

Suddenly Bushy-Tail ran and jumped right into the merry-go-round and said, “What will you give me if I stop the merry-go-round?”

Bunny said, “I will give you a warm seat by the fire, sir.”

Susan said, “I will give you a basket of cookies.”

The Seventeen Little Bears said, “We will give you seventeen pieces of peppermint candy.”

“Help, help, help!” they all cried, “Do stop the merry-go-round!”

Bushy-Tail looked as saucy as you please.

“I can ride faster than this,” he said, “I was brought up in a merry-go-round.  I want Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes to come and pay me a visit.”

Bushy-Tail said no more, and Bunny saw there was no use to mince matters, and the rain was coming down harder and harder.

Bunny said, “If Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes want to pay you a visit I have no objection.”

Then the merry-go-round went slower and slower, and slower, and finally stopped.

Bushy-Tail said, “Go get Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes for me or I will eat you all up!”

They all went into the house.  They pretended to look for Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes, though they knew they had gone away.  They looked in every nook and corner, but knew well enough that Snubby Nose and Tippy Toes had gone sailing away with Grandpa Grumbles.