nife but I've gained a basket," said he. "I'll get a new tail
or something else just as good."

Mr. Rabbit hopped along through the deep forest for a long time until
at last he came to a clearing. Here there was an old woman busily
engaged in picking lettuce. When she had gathered it she put it into
her apron. She looked up and spied Mr. Rabbit hopping along with his
basket.

"O, please, Mr. Rabbit," said she, "will you not be so kind as to let
me borrow that nice basket you are carrying?"

Mr. Rabbit let her take the basket. She began to put her lettuce into
it when out fell the bottom of the basket.

"O, dear! O, dear!" cried Mr. Rabbit. "What shall I do! What shall I
do! You have broken the bottom out of my nice new basket."

The old woman said that she was very sorry and that she did not mean
to do it.

Then said Mr. Rabbit, "I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let you keep
that broken basket if you will give me some of your lettuce."

The old woman gave Mr. Rabbit some lettuce and he hopped along with
it, saying, "I lost my tail but I gained a knife. I lost my knife but
I gained a basket. I lost my basket but I gained some lettuce."

The rabbit was getting very hungry and how nice the lettuce smelled!
He took a bite. It was just the very best thing he had ever tasted in
all his life. "I don't care if I did lose my tail," said he, "I've
found something I like very much better."

From that day to this no rabbit has ever had a tail. Neither has there
ever been a rabbit who cared because he had no tail. From that time to
this there has never been a rabbit who did not like lettuce to eat and
who was not perfectly happy and contented if there was plenty of it.

III

How the Toad Got His Bruises

Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, the toad had a smooth skin. In
those days he was a great gad about. He never could be found in his
own house. If any one had a party he was sure to go, no matter how far
away from home it was held, or how long it took to get there.

One day the toad received an invitation to attend a party in the sky.
"You never can get to this party," said his friend, the armadillo.
"You know how slowly you travel here upon earth."

"Wait and see whether or not I go to the party," said the toad.

Not far from the toad's house there lived a big black buzzard. No one
liked the buzzard. He was very unpopular with all the birds and
beasts. The toad hopped over to the buzzard's house. The bu