The Tale of Brownie Beaver
by Arthur Scott Bailey
In The Tale of Brownie Beaver, Brownie Beaver does everything he can (along with his forest friends) to protect his underwater home from humans, particularly Farmer Green.
Source: Bailey, A. S. (1916). The Tale of Brownie Beaver. New York: Grosset and Dunlap.
- Chapter 1: “A Queer Place to Live”
- The author introduces the readers to Brownie Beaver and explains why his home is underwater.
- Chapter 2: “How To Fell a Tree”
- The author describes how Brownie would fell, or chop down, a tree.
- Chapter 3: “Sticks and Mud”
- Brownie makes his home from sticks and mud. While other animals laugh at him for working so hard and so tirelessly, Brownie keeps going until his house is just right.
- Chapter 4: “The Freshet”
- Grandaddy Beaver warned everyone about a great storm—which no one believed. After a while, Brownie took him seriously and began to mend his house. Sure enough, homes were flooded.
- Chapter 5: “Brownie Saves the Dam”
- When everyone repaired their own homes, only Grandaddy Beaver and Brownie remained to work on the dam. Brownie single-handedly fixed the dam saving the entire town from flood.
- Chapter 6: “A Happy Thought”
- Brownie convinces Mr. Crow to be his weekly newspaper. Mr. Crow gives him a few conditions.
- Chapter 7: “A Newfangled Newspaper”
- Mr. Crow gives Brownie a run-down of the week’s events.
- Chapter 8: “Mr. Crow Is Upset”
- Brownie tells Mr. Crow that he is unhappy with the newspaper service. He wants it delivered on the doorstep instead of shouted down the chimney. Mr. Crow leaves in a huff and Brownie gets Jasper Jay to be his newspaper.
- Chapter 9: “The Sign on the Tree”
- Brownie asks Uncle Jerry Beaver about a sign. Jerry makes a mistake as to the meaning of the sign’s phrase. Tommy Fox sets him straight.
- Chapter 10: “A Holiday”
- The town rejoices in the fact that there is no hunting or fishing allowed. Brownie is elected to thank Farmer Green. Mr. Crow explains the true meaning of the sign. The town realizes their danger.
- Chapter 11: “Bad News”
- Tired Tim and Grandaddy Beaver warn Brownie about an impending cyclone.
- Chapter 12: “Grandaddy Beaver Thinks”
- Brownie becomes worried about the safety of his house from the cyclone. Grandaddy Beaver tells him to tie down his house. Brownie realizes he has nothing with which to tie down the house.
- Chapter 13: “A Lucky Find”
- Brownie goes into the woods and sees loggers cutting down trees and is angered. However, he finds some chain and, despite funny looks from his neighbors, secures his house. Tuesday comes and there has been no cyclone.
- Chapter 14: “Was it a Gun?”
- There was a report that man had been in their area and everyone took cover. Once everyone was safe and the man went away, Brownie decided to finish gnawing at a tree that he had started on. While he was there, he saw a blinding flash and heard a loud noise. He wondered if it was a gun.
- Chapter 15: “Jasper Jay’s Story”
- Brownie goes to Gradaddy Beaver and explains about the flash. He assures Brownie that it was no gun. Jasper Jay tells Brownie about hearing about Brownie’s picture in the paper.
- Chapter 16: “Looking Pleasant”
- Brownie goes back to the tree hoping to get his picture taken again. He mistakes the snap of the tree falling for a camera click and holds still for the picture. The tree pins him to the ground.
- Chapter 17: “Brownie Escapes”
- Brownie became pinned under the tree until he managed to gnaw his way out. When he got back to town he refused to tell anyone about his experience under the tree for fear of embarassment.
- Chapter 18: “Mr. Frog’s Question”
- Mr. Frog asks Brownie about his clothes and convinces him to go to his tailor shop for some new ones. After the fitting, he discovered he must wait for his new clothes and felt unhappy about his current appearance.
- Chapter 19: “The New Suit”
- Brownie goes to pick up his new suit and finds that his pants are too long. Mr. Frog tells him to tie stones to his feet to help his legs stretch. The next morning (after his pants had stopped shrinking) they were just the right size.