A Bunny's Tail     /p1

One fine morning when his mother sent him out for his morning walk, Bunny Bobtail hopped all the way to the edge of Neighbor Brown's woods.

Being quite tired, he sat down to rest a bit. Along came Mr. Sly Fox and saluted him with a wave of his very beautiful bushy tail.

"Good-morning, Mr. Bunny Bobtail," said Mr. Sly Fox. "Aren't you afraid to stray so far from home?" "No, Mr. Sly Fox; my mother sent me out for a stroll for my health," replied Bunny, "and the longer the stroll, the better my health!"

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Bunny," teased Mr. Sly Fox, "why don't you have a really tail like mine?"

"My mother says that my tail is a pom-pom," said Bunny, "and it is made just right! It is never in the way and is a nice cushion to sit on when I am tired."

"My tail isn't in the way either, and I will show you what it can do." And with that Mr. Sly Fox switched his tail across Bunny Bobtail's eye and almost knocked him over backwards.

"Take that for your impudence!" called his tormentor as he ran into the deep woods.

When Bunny Bobtail came to his senses he saw Mr. Brown's big sorrel horse grazing in the meadow and switching the flies from his back with his long tail. "Is a long tail very necessary to you, Mr. Horse?" timidly inquired Bunny Bobtail.

"Oh, yes," replied the horse between mouthfuls of grass. "Very necessary indeed, especially in the summertime when I need it to brush the flies away."

"Do you think I should have a long tail, too?" asked Bunny.

"Oh, no; flies can't bother you because you have such a nice thick fur. Why, your tail is just right for you!"

Then Mr. Bunny Bobtail joined Mr. Sorrel Horse in a dinner of sweet juicy clover. He felt quite satisfied with himself until Mr. Bushy Squirrel, who was passing that way, jumped upon a stump and cast a cool, discerning eye down upon Bunny.

"My, but you have a short tail!" he remarked. "Just look at mine, almost as long as my whole body," and he waved it back and forth, enjoying its beauty.