are going home to dinner with us."

Thus assured, the old man began:

"I will tell you to-day about how it is that the rabbits are white in
winter.

"Long ago they were always brown, just like those that are lying there
with the ducks. It is true that they increase very fast, but then it is
very true that they have many enemies. They have not many ways to defend
themselves against their foes, who are of so many kinds. Almost all the
animals that live on flesh are always hunting for rabbits, and so are the
foxes of all kinds, the wild cats, wolves, and wolverines, and even the
little weasels and ermine. Then there are fierce birds--the eagle, the
hawks of all kinds and the owls--that are always on the lookout for
rabbits, young or old.

"The result was that with this war continually being waged against them the
poor rabbits had a hard time of it, and especially in winter; for they
found it very difficult to hide themselves when the leaves were off the
trees and the ground covered with snow. In those days in the long ago the
animals used to have a great council. There the great fathers or heads of
each kind of animal and bird used to meet together and talk about their
welfare and the welfare of each other. Then there was peace and friendship
among them while at the council.

"They appointed a king, and he presided as a great head chief. All the
animals that had troubles or grievances had a right to come and speak about
them and, if possible, have them remedied.

"Some queer things were said sometimes. At one council the bear found great
fault with the fox, who had deceived him, and had caused him to lose his
beautiful tail by telling him to go and catch fish in a big crack in the
ice. He sat there so long that the crack froze up solidly and to save his
life he had to break off his tail.

"But all the things they talked about were not so funny as that. They had
their troubles and dangers, and they discussed various plans for improving
their condition and considered how they could best defeat the skill and
cleverness of the human hunters.

"When the rabbit's turn came to be heard he had indeed a sorrowful tale to
tell. He said that his people were nearly all destroyed. The rest of the
world seemed combined against his race, and they were killing them by day
and night, in summer and winter, and they had but little power to fight
against their many enemies. They were almost discouraged, but had come to
the council t