out him; the bees were all gone, so he crawled out of
the mud, and after an angry shake or two, for his coat was quite wet, he
resumed his journey.

Bruin now travelled on till noon; and what with hunger and his long
walk, you may believe his temper was not improved. A rustling noise on
the left, accompanied every now and then with a short, contented kind of
grunt, attracted his attention, and looking through some brambles, he
descried in an open space a very large boar, with two most formidable
tusks protruding from his jaws, busily engaged in rooting up the ground,
from which he had extracted a curious variety of roots and other
edibles, the sight of which made Bruin's mouth water. For the first time
in his life he felt the necessity of civility; for though he had never
made any personal acquaintance with the tribe to which the animal
before him belonged, there were many tales current in his family of
their ferocity when provoked; and the few reasoning powers he possessed
were sufficient to assure him, that not even his rough paws or burly
strength would secure him from those glistening tusks if directed
angrily against him. So Bruin resolved to try and be civil; and with
this determination walked into the stranger's domain, and accosted him
in as polite a way as his rude nature would permit him to assume.

The animal, who was known in his neighbourhood as Wylde Boare, Esquire,
on account of the extent of his property, received Bruin's advances with
great caution, for he was naturally of a suspicious temper, his bright
reddish eyes twinkling in a very unpleasant manner; perceiving, however,
that his unexpected visitor was but a mere youngster, and that he looked
very hungry and tired, he grunted out a surly sort of welcome, and,
jerking his snout in the direction of the heap of provisions, bade him
squat down and make a meal. Bruin did not wait for a second invitation,
but, stretching out his huge legs, picked up the fresh vegetables, which
he thrust into his capacious jaws with every appearance of relish.

When his repast came to an end--and this did not happen till there was
an end of the food--he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm, and
looked at the boar; and the boar, who had said nothing during the
disappearance of the fruits of his morning's work, but had contented
himself with uttering a grunt or two, looked at Bruin. At length he
observed,----

"Hurgh, you have a famous appetite!"

"Ah," answered th