The Tale of Grumpy Weasel

Sleepy-Time Tales

by Arthur Scott Bailey

"The Tale of Grumpy Weasel" by Arthur Scott Bailey is a charming children's book that tells the story of Grumpy Weasel, a rather cantankerous and disagreeable character living in the Green Forest. Grumpy Weasel is known throughout the forest for his surly demeanor and gruff personality. He doesn't seem to get along with anyone and is often involved in squabbles and disagreements with his fellow woodland creatures. As the story unfolds, readers learn about Grumpy Weasel's background and what has made him so grumpy. However, as the book progresses, Grumpy Weasel experiences a change of heart. He starts to realize that being so unpleasant and disagreeable isn't bringing him any happiness. Through a series of encounters with other animals in the forest, including friendly characters like Reddy Fox and Sammy Jay, Grumpy Weasel begins to see the value of friendship and kindness. Arthur Scott Bailey's storytelling is both entertaining and filled with valuable life lessons. The book emphasizes the importance of treating others with respect and kindness and highlights the idea that even the grumpiest individuals can change and find happiness through positive interactions and friendships. "The Tale of Grumpy Weasel" is a heartwarming and relatable story that resonates with young readers. It encourages them to consider the impact of their actions on others and the potential for personal growth and change. This classic children's tale remains a beloved addition to Arthur Scott Bailey's series of animal stories, captivating young audiences with its engaging narrative and timeless message.

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1920

About the author

Arthur Scott Bailey (1877 – 1949) was an American writer. He was the author of more than forty children's books. He was born on November 15, 1877, in St. Albans, Vermont, United States, the second child of Winfield Scott Bailey and Harriet Sarah Goodhue (a girl, Ellen was born in 1876). Winfield Bailey owned a dry goods shop that was stated to be "one of the most reputable of St. Albans mercantile concerns" and specialized in furs; namely ladies' fur coats, muffs and scarves. Bailey attended St. Albans Academy and graduated in 1896, in a class of only eleven other students. He then went on to the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont, where he became involved in a fraternal organization, Sigma Phi (with which he was very active through at least 1915; he joined the organization's Catalogue Committee in 1914 as a vice chairman, after the resignation of Dr. Alexander Duane).

However, he left UVM in 1901 and transferred to Harvard, where he earned his bachelor's degree. After graduating Harvard in 1902, Bailey traveled to Chicago and put his knowledge of growing up in his father's store to good use, becoming a wholesale grocery merchant. This lasted until 1904, when Bailey travelled to New York City and became an editor for various publishers. Which publishers these were is unknown, with the exception of the Macaulay Company, where he was working in early 1915. He was married around this time (on September 14, 1913) to Estella W. Goodspeed, a St. Albans woman; the wedding was held in his hometown. Estella Goodspeed, whose maiden name had been Crampton, had been married once before to an unknown Mr. Nelson Allen Goodspeed, and had a son, Allen Wright Goodspeed and daughter, Estella Joanne Goodspeed. Allen Goodspeed was born on August 5, 1906, and would have been nine when the first Sleepy-Time Tales were written (Estella was born in 1908.) As Bailey did not write prior to his marriage to Estella, it can be surmised that he first started crafting his stories for Allen and Estella, whom he treated as his own children. Estella Joanne later married a Mr. Lennox Stuart and moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio.

Bailey's writing has been thus described by the Newark Evening News: "Mr. Bailey centered all his plots in the animal, bird and insect worlds, weaving natural history into the stories in a way that won educator's approval without arousing the suspicions of his young readers. He made it a habit to never 'write down' to children and frequently used words beyond the average juvenile vocabulary, believing that youngsters respond to the stimulus of the unfamiliar."

His work also includes the comic strip Animal Whys, which was syndicated in 1937.

Bailey was also known for being an intellectual, and was a member of the Salamagundi Club of New York. When it came to religion, Bailey was a Unitarian (who have long had a presence in St. Albans) and politically, he was a Republican of the old school.

Bailey died on October 17, 1949, at 71 years of age.