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〃Very good； very good；〃 trumpeted the Elephant； 〃that suits me； we
will do it。〃
Little Brother Rabbit snickered to himself。 〃They won't rule me；〃 he
said。 He ran away and got a very long； very strong rope； and he got his big
drum； and hid the drum a long way off in the bushes。 Then he went along
the beach till he came to the Whale。
〃Oh； please； dear； strong Mr。 Whale；〃 he said； 〃will you have the great
kindness to do me a favor？ My cow is stuck in the mud； a quarter of a mile
from here。 And I can't pull her out。 But you are so strong and so obliging；
that I venture to trust you will help me out。〃
The Whale was so pleased with the compliment that he said； 〃Yes；〃 at
once。
〃Then；〃 said the Rabbit； 〃I will tie this end of my long rope to you； and
I will run away and tie the other end round my cow； and when I am ready I
will beat my big drum。 When you hear that； pull very； very hard； for the
cow is stuck very deep in the mud。〃
〃Huh！〃 grunted the Whale； 〃I'll pull her out； if she is stuck to the
horns。〃
Little Brother Rabbit tied the rope…end to the whale； and ran off；
lippety； lippety； till he came to the place where the Elephant was。
〃Oh； please； mighty and kindly Elephant；〃 he said； making a very low
bow 〃will you do me a favor？〃
〃What is it？〃 asked the Elephant。
〃My cow is stuck in the mud； about a quarter of a mile from here；〃
said little Brother Rabbit； 〃and I cannot pull her out。 Of course you could。
If you will be so very obliging as to help me〃
〃Certainly；〃 said the Elephant grandly； 〃certainly。〃
〃Then；〃 said little Brother Rabbit； 〃I will tie one end of this long rope
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to your trunk； and the other to my cow； and as soon as I have tied her
tightly I will beat my big drum。 When you hear that； pull； pull as hard as
you can； for my cow is very heavy。〃
〃Never fear；〃 said the Elephant； 〃I could pull twenty cows。〃
〃I am sure you could；〃 said the Rabbit； politely； 〃only be sure to begin
gently； and pull harder and harder till you get her。〃
Then he tied the end of the rope tightly round the Elephant's trunk； and
ran away into the bushes。 There he sat down and beat the big drum。
The Whale began to pull； and the Elephant began to pull； and in a jiffy
the rope tightened till it was stretched as hard as could be。
〃This is a remarkably heavy cow；〃 said the Elephant； 〃but I'll fetch
her！〃 And he braced his forefeet in the earth； and gave a tremendous pull。
〃Dear me！〃 said the Whale。 〃That cow must be stuck mighty tight；〃
and he drove his tail deep in the water； and gave a marvelous pull。
He pulled harder； the Elephant pulled harder。 Pretty soon the Whale
found himself sliding toward the land。 The reason was； of course； that the
Elephant had something solid to brace against； and； too； as fast as he
pulled the rope in a little； he took a turn with it round his trunk！
But when the Whale found himself sliding toward the land he was so
provoked with the cow that he dove head first； down to the bottom of the
sea。 That was a pull！ The Elephant was jerked off his feet； and came
slipping and sliding to the beach； and into the surf。 He was terribly angry。
He braced himself with all his might； and pulled his best。 At the jerk； up
came the Whale out of the water。
〃Who is pulling me？〃 spouted the Whale。
〃Who is pulling me？〃 trumpeted the Elephant。
And then each saw the rope in the other's hold。
〃I'll teach you to play cow！〃 roared the Elephant。
〃I'll show you how to fool me！〃 fumed the Whale。 And they began to
pull again。 But this time the rope broke； the Whale turned a somersault；
and the Elephant fell over backwards。
At that； they were both so ashamed that neither would speak to the
other。 So that broke up the bargain between them。
And little Brother Rabbit sat in the bushes and laughed； and laughed；
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and laughed。
THE LITTLE HALF…CHICK
There was once upon a time a Spanish Hen； who hatched out some
nice little chickens。 She was much pleased with their looks as they came
from the shell。 One； two； three； came out plump and fluffy； but when the
fourth shell broke； out came a little half…chick！ It had only one leg and one
wing and one eye！ It was just half a chicken。
The Hen…mother did not know what in the world to do with the queer
little Half… Chick。 She was afraid something would happen to it； and she
tried hard to protect it and keep it from harm。 But as soon as it could walk
the little Half…Chick showed a most headstrong spirit； worse than any of
its brothers。 It would not mind； and it would go wherever it wanted to； it
walked with a funny little hoppity…kick； hoppity… kick； and got along
pretty fast。
One day the little Half…Chick said； 〃Mother； I am off to Madrid； to see
the King！ Good…by。〃
The poor Hen…mother did everything she could think of； to keep him
from doing so foolish a thing； but the little Half…Chick laughed at her
naughtily。 〃I'm for seeing the King；〃 he said； 〃this life is too quiet for me。〃
And away he went； hoppity…kick； hoppity…kick； over the fields。
When he had gone some distance the little Half…Chick came to a little
brook that was caught in the weeds and in much trouble。
〃Little Half…Chick；〃 whispered the Water； 〃I am so choked with these
weeds that I cannot move； I am almost lost； for want of room； please push
the sticks and weeds away with your bill and help me。〃
〃The idea！〃 said the little Half…Chick。 〃I cannot be bothered with you；
I am off for Madrid； to see the King！〃 And in spite of the brook's begging
he went away； hoppity…kick； hoppity…kick。
A bit farther on； the Half…Chick came to a Fire； which was smothered
in damp sticks and in great distress。
〃Oh； little Half…Chick；〃 said the Fire； 〃you are just in time to save me。
I am almost dead for want of air。 Fan me a little with your wing； I beg。〃
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〃The idea！〃 said the little Half…Chick。 〃I cannot be bothered with you；
I am off to Madrid； to see the King！〃 And he went laughing off； hoppity…
kick； hoppity…kick。
When he had hoppity…kicked a good wa