ellow coat with stripes like the tiger's," said the big
grey rat, looking over his shoulder at his gaunt grey sides as if he
were already admiring his new coat.

"I'd like a beautiful, bright coloured new coat, too," said the little
brown beetle.

The big grey rat laughed long and loud until his gaunt grey sides were
shaking. "Why, you talk just as if you thought you had a chance to win
the race," he said, when he could speak.

The bright green and gold parrot set the royal palm tree at the top of
the cliff as the goal of the race. He gave the signal to start and
then he flew away to the royal palm tree to watch for the end of the
race.

The big grey rat ran as fast as he could. Then he thought how very
tired he was getting. "What's the use of hurrying?" he said to
himself. "The little brown beetle can not possibly win. If I were
racing with somebody who could really run it would be very different."
Then he started to run more slowly but every time his heart beat it
said, "Hurry up! Hurry up!" The big grey rat decided that it was best
to obey the little voice in his heart so he hurried just as fast as he
could.

When he reached the royal palm tree at the top of the cliff he could
hardly believe his eyes. He thought he must be having a bad dream.
There was the little brown beetle sitting quietly beside the bright
green and gold parrot. The big grey rat had never been so surprised in
all his life. "How did you ever manage to run fast enough to get here
so soon?" he asked the little brown beetle as soon as he could catch
his breath.

The little brown beetle drew out the tiny wings from her sides.
"Nobody said anything about having to run to win the race," she
replied, "so I flew instead."

"I did not know that you could fly," said the big grey rat in a
subdued little voice.

"After this," said the bright green and gold parrot, "never judge any
one by his looks alone. You never can tell how often or where you may
find concealed wings. You have lost the prize."

Until this day, even in Brazil where the flowers and birds and beasts
and insects have such gorgeous colouring, the rat wears a plain dull
grey coat.

Then the parrot turned to the little brown beetle who was waiting
quietly at his side. "What colour do you want your new coat to be?" he
asked.

The little brown beetle looked up at the bright green and gold parrot,
at the green and gold palm trees above their heads, at the green
mangoes with golden fl