Hare was hosting a big pot luck dinner for everyone in the forest. He’d come back from helping with the carrot, onion, and potato harvest at the farm with a big sack of vegetables, and he’d been busy all day cooking different things with them. Otter had donated some fish, and Dog had brought a box of very crunchy things she said were were her favorite. When anybody asked (and everybody did, of course) why they were called “milk bones” without having anything to do with milk or bones, Dog said she had no idea. Raccoon said they were okay, but not her favorite, and Fox liked them pretty well, but nobody else wanted any. Dog said that was fine with her, because then she could have more.
Squirrel had been just as busy as Hare, and had brought acorn cookies, acorn pancakes, acorn tarts, and something he called acorn parmesan. Hardly anybody else liked acorns, but the cookies were pretty popular anyway.
Ma and Pa Mouse brought a cheese plate they’d put together with help from Masie and Hortense the cows, and Jake and Oliver, the horses who lived on the farm, trotted in pulling an enormous wagon full of hay. Jake said there was a pile of oats on the wagon too, but when he looked he couldn’t find it. Oliver hemmed and hawed, and finally admitted he’d eaten the oats already. “Please forgive me,” said Oliver to Jake. “You were probably saving the oats for breakfast, but they were so delicious…”
“Doesn’t bother me,” said Jake, “but have you said exactly that to me before? Or maybe it was someone else? Anyway, it sounded strangely familiar.”
“I have that feeling sometimes too,” said Hedgehog. “I don’t know if I’ve really heard something before or if it’s just a weird feeling. It’s hard to know, but I figure that if you can keep your head when everyone about you is blaming you for eating the oats…”
“I’m not blaming anybody,” said Jake, “but I’m having that same feeling all over again.”
“I’ve had that feeling too,” said Otter, “but not for a really long time. The last time, I think, was many and many a year ago in a kingdom by the sea.”
“Now just a minute,” said Jake. “Is everyone playing a prank on me or something?”
“I don’t think so,” said Hare. “Why?”
“Because every time anybody says anything, I feel like I’ve heard it before,” said Jake.
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” said Mole. “Some things just sound the same. Like bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells…”
“There you go again!” whinnied Jake. “I’m SURE I’ve heard…”
“I think it’s probably just in your head,” giggled Otter. “I figure you laugh, and the world laughs with you, y’know?”
“This is getting ridiculous,” grumbled Jake to himself.
Just then along ambled Bear. “Hello, Bear!” called Jake. “How are you today?”
“Oh, not so good,” said Bear. ““I have the measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry; I’m going blind in my right eye.”
“Oh my,” said Jake, “Bear, that sounds…hey wait a minute…Bear, are you just kidding?”
“I am,” grinned Bear. “Actually I’m fine. Nice to see you, Jake! Hey, look at all the great treats to eat! How do I love these? I’d count the ways, but that would take time away from trying them,” Bear ambled off toward the food.
“I’m sure this is some sort of prank,” muttered Jake. “I just can’t quite figure out what’s going on.”
Magpie was perched on a branch near Jake and overheard him. “Don’t let it get you down, Jake,” she said. “When you’re up against a trouble, meet it squarely, face to face; lift your chin and set your shoulders; plant your feet and take a brace. “
“You’re doing it too!” yelled Jake. Then he turned to everyone and yelled “if you all don’t quit it right now, I’m leaving!” He spun around and looked at the two paths leading back into the forest. He looked down one as far as he could, to where it bent in the undergrowth. It seemed like a good way to go, but the other path seemed at least as good. It was grassy, as if it hadn’t been worn down by use.
“Now JUST a MINUTE!” said Jake. “Now I’m doing it to MYSELF and that’s JUST NOT FAIR.”
“Who are you talking to, Jake?” asked Beaver.
“Them,” said Jake, waving his tail dismissively around.
Beaver looked. There didn’t seem to be anybody anywhere near where Jake had motioned.
“Um, Jake,” said Beaver carefully, “why don’t we go over to the hay wagon and have a nice snack?”
“Okay, that sounds good,” said Jake. “It’s just so weird, Beaver; every time anybody says anything today it seems like I’ve heard it before.”
“That’s probably just a symptom of being hungry,” said Beaver airily. “Nothing to worry about, Jake. A belly full of hay and you’ll be fine.”
“I guess so,” said Jake, and started munching.
“Is Jake feeling better?” whispered Owl to Beaver.
“I think so,” said Beaver. “I think a nice meal will fix him right up.”
“That was very nice of you,” said Owl.
“If I can stop one mind from breaking, I shall not live in vain,” said Beaver.
“Wait, what did you just say?” said Owl. Then everyone turned to the food and ate.
Hints
Look for Browning, Dickenson, Frost, Guest, Kipling, Malloch, Poe, Silverstein, and Wilcox hiding in the forest.
