arge eagle dropped, as if from the air, upon the otter's
carcass. Grasshopper drew his bow, and the arrow passed through under
both of his wings. The bird made a convulsive flight upward, with such
force that the cumbrous body was borne up several feet from the ground;
but with its claws deeply fixed, the heavy otter brought the eagle back
to the earth. Grasshopper possessed himself of a handful of the prime
feathers, crowned his head with the trophy, and set off in high spirits
on the look out for something new.

After walking awhile, he came to a body of water which flooded the trees
on its banks--it was a lake made by beavers. Taking his station on the
raised dam where the stream escaped, he watched to see whether any of
the beavers would show themselves. A head presently peeped out of the
water to see who it was that disturbed them.

"My friend," said Grasshopper, in his most persuasive manner, "could you
not oblige me by turning me into a beaver like yourself. Nothing would
please me so much as to make your acquaintance, I can assure you;" for
Grasshopper was curious to know how these watery creatures lived, and
what kind of notions they had.

"I do not know," replied the beaver, who was rather short-nosed and
surly. "I will go and ask the others. Meanwhile stay where you are, if
you please."

"To be sure," answered Grasshopper, stealing down the bank several paces
as soon as the beaver's back was turned.

Presently there was a great splashing of the water, and all the beavers
showed their heads, and looked warily to where he stood, to see if he
was armed; but he had knowingly left his bow and arrows in a hollow tree
at a short distance.

After a long conversation, which they conducted in a whisper so that
Grasshopper could not catch a word, strain his ears as he would, they
all advanced in a body toward the spot where he stood; the chief
approaching the nearest, and lifting his head highest out of the water.

"Can you not," said Grasshopper, noticing that they waited for him to
speak first, "turn me into a beaver? I wish to live among you."

"Yes," answered their chief; "lie down." And Grasshopper in a moment
found himself a beaver, and was gliding into the water, when a thought
seemed to strike him, and he paused at the edge of the lake. "I am very
small," he said, to the beaver, in a sorrowful tone. "You must make me
large," he said; for Grasshopper was terribly ambitious, and wanted
always to be the fi