XV
HOW OLD MR. HERON LEARNED PATIENCE
Whenever in the spring or summer Peter Rabbit visited the Smiling Poolor the Laughing Brook, he was pretty sure to run across Longlegs theHeron. The first tune Peter saw him, he thought that never in all hislife had he seen such a homely fellow. Longlegs was standing with hisfeet in the water and his head drawn back on his shoulders so that hedidn't seem to have any neck at all. Peter sat and stared at him mostimpolitely. He knew that he was impolite, but for the life of him hecouldn't help staring.
"He's all legs," thought Peter. "Old Mother Nature must have been in ahurry when she made his great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather way backwhen the world was young and forgot to give him a neck. I wonder why hedoesn't move."
But Longlegs didn't move. Peter stared as long as his patience held out.Then he gave up and went on to see what else he could find. But in alittle while Peter was back again at the place where he had seenLonglegs. He didn't really expect to find him there, but he did. So faras Peter could see, Longlegs hadn't moved. "Must be asleep," thoughtPeter, and after watching for a few minutes, went away again. Half anhour later Peter was once more back. There stood Longlegs just asbefore. "Now I _know_ he is asleep," muttered Peter.
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something happened,something so sudden and surprising that Peter lost his balance andnearly fell over backward. The long bill which Peter had seen stickingforth from between those humped-up shoulders darted out and down intothe water like a flash. Behind that bill was the longest neck Peter everhad seen! It was so long that Peter blinked to be perfectly sure thathis eyes had not been playing him a trick. But they hadn't, for Longlegswas gulping down a little fish he had just caught, and when at last itwas down, he stretched his neck up very straight while he looked thisway and that way, and Peter just gasped.
"I thought he was all legs, but instead of that he's all neck," mutteredPeter.
Then Longlegs slowly drew his head down, and it seemed to Peter as if hemust somehow wind that long neck up inside his body to get it socompletely out of the way. In a minute Longlegs was standing just asbefore, with seemingly no neck at all. Peter watched until he grewtired, but Longlegs didn't move again. After that Peter went everychance he had to watch Longlegs, but he never had patience to watch longenough to see Longlegs catch another fish. He spoke of it one day toGrandfather Frog. At the mere mention of Longlegs, Grandfather Frog satup and took notice.
"Where did you see him?" asked Grandfather Frog, and Peter thought hisvoice sounded anxious.
"Down the Laughing Brook," replied Peter. "Why?"
"Oh, nothing," said Grandfather Frog, trying to make his voice sound asif he weren't interested. "I just wondered where the long-leggednuisance might be."
"He's the laziest fellow I ever saw," declared Peter. "He just standsdoing nothing all day."
"Huh!" exclaimed Grandfather Frog. "If your family had suffered from himas much as mine has, you would say that he was altogether too busy. Askthe Trout what they think, or the Minnow family."
"Oh," said Peter, "you mean that when he stands still that way he isfishing."
Grandfather Frog nodded.
"Well," said Peter, "all I can say is that he is the most patient fellowI ever saw. I didn't suppose there was such patience."
"He comes rightly by it," returned Grandfather Frog. "He gets it fromhis great-great-ever-so-great-grandfather, who lived when the world wasyoung. He learned it then."
"How?" demanded Peter, eager for a story.
Grandfather Frog's eyes took on a far-away look, as if he were seeinginto that long-ago past. "Chug-a-rum!" he began. "It always seemed toold Mr. Heron as if Old Mother Nature must have made him last of all thebirds and was in such a hurry that she didn't care how he looked. Hislegs were so long and his neck was so long that all his neighborslaughed at him and made fun of him. He was just as awkward as he looked.His long legs were in his way. He didn't know what to do with his longneck. When he tried to run, everybody shouted with laughter. When hetried to fly, he stretched his long neck out, and then he couldn't keephis balance and just flopped about, while all his neighbors laughedharder than ever. Poor Mr. Heron was ashamed of himself, actuallyashamed of himself. He quite overlooked the fact that Old Mother Naturehad given him a really beautiful coat of feathers. Some of those wholaughed at him would have given anything to have possessed such abeautiful coat. But Mr. Heron didn't know this. He couldn't bear to belaughed at, wherein he was very like most people.
"So he tried his best to keep out of sight as much as possible. Now inthose days, as at present, the rushes grew tall beside the Smiling Pool,and among them Mr. Heron found a hiding-place. Because his legs werelong, he could wade out in the water and keep quite out of sight ofthose who lived on the land. So he found a use for his long legs andwas glad that they were long. At first he used to go ashore to hunt forfood. One day as he was wading ashore, he surprised a school of littlefish and managed to catch one. It tasted so good that he wanted more,and every day he went fishing. Whenever he saw little fish swimmingwhere the water was shallow, he would rush in among them and do his bestto catch one. Sometimes he did, but more often he didn't. You see, hewas so clumsy and awkward that he made a great splashing, and the fishwould hear him coming and get away.
"One day after he had tried and tried without catching even one, hestopped just at the edge of the rushes to rest. His long neck ached, andto rest it he laid it back on his shoulders. For a long time he stoodthere, resting. The water around his feet was cool and comforting. Hewas very comfortable but for one thing,--he was hungry. He was justmaking up his mind to go on and hunt for something to eat when he saw aschool of little fish swimming straight towards him. 'Perhaps,' thoughthe, 'if I keep perfectly still, they will come near enough for me tocatch one.' So he kept perfectly still. He didn't dare even stretch hislong neck up. Sure enough, the little fish swam almost to his very feet.They didn't see him at all. When they were near enough, he darted hislong neck forward and caught one without any trouble at all. Mr. Heronwas almost as surprised as the fish he had caught. You see, hediscovered that with his neck laid back on his shoulders that way, hecould dart his head forward ever so much quicker than when he washolding it up straight. It really was a great discovery for Mr. Heron.
"Of course all the other fish darted away in great fright, but Mr. Herondidn't mind. He settled himself in great contentment, for now he wasless hungry. By and by some foolish tadpoles came wriggling along. 'I'lljust try catching one of them for practice. Maybe they are good to eat,'thought Mr. Heron, and just as before darted his head and great billdownward and caught a tadpole.
"'Um-m, they are good!' exclaimed Mr. Heron, and once more settledhimself to watch and wait.
"That was a sad day for the Frog family, but a great day for Mr. Heronwhen he discovered that tadpoles were good to eat." Grandfather Frogsighed mournfully. "Yes," he continued, "that was a great day for Mr.Heron. He had discovered that he could gain more by patient waitingthan by frantic hunting, and he had found that his long neck really wasa blessing. After that, whenever he was hungry, he would stand perfectlystill beside some little pool where foolish young fish or carelesstadpoles were at play and wait patiently until they came within reach.
"One day he was startled into an attempt to fly by hearing the stealthyfootsteps of Mr. Fox behind him. His head was drawn back on hisshoulders at the time, and he was so excited that he forgot tostraighten it out. Just imagine how surprised he was, and how surprisedMr. Fox was, when he sailed away in beautiful flight, his long legstrailing behind him. With his neck carried that way, he could fly aswell as any one. From that day on, no one laughed at Mr. Heron becauseof his long legs and long neck. Mr. Heron himself became proud of them.You see, he had learned how to use what he had been given. Also he hadlearned the value of patience. So he was happy and envied no one. But hestill liked best to keep by himself and became known as the lonefisher
man, just as Longlegs is to-day. Chug-a-rum! Isn't that Longlegscoming this way this very minute? This is no place for me!"
With a great splash Grandfather Frog dived into the Smiling Pool.
"His legs were so long, and his neck was so long that allhis neighbors laughed at him." _Page_ 210.]
XVI
HOW TUFTY THE LYNX HAPPENS TO HAVE A STUMP OF A TAIL
XVI
HOW TUFTY THE LYNX HAPPENS TO HAVE A STUMP OF A TAIL
In all his life Peter Rabbit had seen Tufty the Lynx but once, but thatonce was enough. Tufty, you know, lives in the Great Woods. But once,when the winter was very cold, he had ventured down into the GreenForest, hoping that it would be easier to get a living there. It wasthen that Peter had seen him. In fact, Peter had had the narrowest ofescapes, and the very memory of it made him shiver. He never wouldforget that great, gray, skulking form that slipped like a shadowthrough the trees, that fierce, bearded face, those cruel, paleyellow-green eyes, or that switching stump of a tail.
That tail fascinated Peter. It was just an apology for a tail. ForTufty's size it was hardly as much of a tail as Peter himself has. Itmade Peter feel a lot better. Also it made him very curious. The firstchance he got, he asked his cousin, Jumper the Hare, about it. You knowJumper used to live in the Great Woods where Tufty lives, and Peter feltsure that he must know the reason why Tufty has such a ridiculous stubof a tail. Jumper did know, and this is the story he told Peter:
"Way back in the beginning of things lived old Mr. Lynx."
"I know," interrupted Peter. "He was thegreat-great-ever-so-great-grandfather of Tufty, and he wasn't old then."
"Who's telling this story?" demanded Jumper crossly. "If you know itwhy did you ask me?"
"I beg your pardon. Indeed I do. I won't say another word," repliedPeter hastily.
"All right, see that you don't. Interruptions always spoil a story,"said Jumper. "You are quite right about old Mr. Lynx. He wasn't oldthen. No one was old, because it was in the beginning of things. At thattime Mr. Lynx boasted a long tail, quite as fine a tail as his cousin,Mr. Panther. He was very proud of it. You know there is a saying thatpride goes before a fall. It was so with Mr. Lynx. He boasted about histail. He said that it was the finest tail in the world. He said so muchthat his neighbors got tired of hearing about it. He made a perfectnuisance of himself. He switched and waved his long tail aboutcontinually. It seemed as if that tail were never still. He made fun ofthose whose tails were shorter or of different shape or less handsome.He quite forgot that that tail had been given him by Old Mother Nature,but talked and acted as if he had grown that tail himself.
"When at last his neighbors could stand it no longer, they decided toteach him a lesson. One day while he was off hunting, they held ameeting, and it was decided that the very next time that Mr. Lynxboasted of his tail old King Bear should slip up behind him and step onit as close to his body as he could, and then each of the others shouldpull a little tuft of hair from it, so that it would be a long timebefore Mr. Lynx would be able to boast of its beauty again.
"The chance came that very evening. Mr. Lynx had had a very successfulday, and he was feeling very fine. He began to boast of what a greathunter he was, and of how very clever and very smart he was, and then,as usual, he got to boasting about his tail. He was so intent on hisboasting that he didn't notice old King Bear slipping around behind him.Old King Bear waited until that long tail was still for just an instant,and then he stepped on it as close to the roots of it as he could. Thenall the other little people shouted with glee and began to pull littletufts of hair from it, until it was the most disreputable-looking tailever seen.
"Old Mr. Lynx let out a yowl and a screech that was enough to make yourblood run cold. But he couldn't do a thing, though he tore the ground upwith his great claws and pulled with all his might. You see, old KingBear was very big and very heavy, and Mr. Lynx couldn't budge his taila bit. And he couldn't turn to fight old King Bear, though it seemed asif he would turn himself inside out trying to.
"At last, when old King Bear thought he had been punished enough, hegave the word to the others, and they all scattered to safehiding-places, for they were of no mind to be within reach of thosegreat claws of Mr. Lynx. Then old King Bear let him go.
"'By the looks of it, I hardly think that you will boast of that tailfor a long time to come, Mr. Lynx,' said he in his deep, rumbly-grumblyvoice.
"Mr. Lynx turned and screamed in old King Bear's face, but that was allhe dared do, for you know old King Bear was very big and strong. Then heturned and slunk away in the shadows by himself. Now Mr. Lynx had aterrible temper, and when he saw how ragged and disreputable his oncebeautiful tail looked, he flew into a terrible rage, and he swore thatno one should laugh at his tail. What do you think he did?"
"What?" asked Peter eagerly.
"He bit it off," replied Jumper slowly. "Yes, Sir, he bit it off rightat the place where old King Bear had stepped on it. Of course he wassorry the minute he had done it, but it was done, and that was all therewas to it. After that he kept out of sight of all his neighbors. Heprowled around mostly at night and was very stealthy and soft-footed,always keeping in the shadows. His temper grew worse and worse frombrooding over his lost tail. When any one chanced to surprise him, hewould switch his stub of a tail just as he used to switch his long tail.You see he would forget. Then when he was laughed at by those biggerthan he, he would scream angrily and slink away like a great, grayshadow.
"Once he besought Old Mother Nature to give him a new tail, but in vain.She gave him a lecture which he never forgot. She told him that it wasno one's fault but his own that he had lost the beautiful tail that hedid have and had nothing but a stub left. Mr. Lynx crawled on hisstomach to the feet of Old Mother Nature and begged with tears in hiseyes. Old Mother Nature looked him straight in the eyes, but he couldn'tlook straight back. He tried, but he couldn't do it. He would shift hiseyes from side to side.
"'Look me straight in the face, Mr. Lynx, and tell me that if I give youa handsome new tail, you will never boast about it or take undue pridein it,' said she.
"Mr. Lynx looked her straight in the face and said 'I--' Then his eyesshifted. He brought them back to Old Mother Nature's face with a jerkand began again. 'I promise--' Once more his eyes shifted. Then he gaveup and sneaked away into the darkest shadows he could find. You see, hecouldn't look Old Mother Nature in the face and tell a lie, and that wasjust what he had been trying to do. The only reason he wanted a new tailwas so that he could be proud of it and boast of it as he had of the oldone. He hadn't a single real use for it, as he had found out since hehad had only that stub.
"Old Mother Nature knew this perfectly well, for you can't fool her, andit's of no use to try. So Mr. Lynx never did get a new tail. Hecontinued to live very much by himself in the darkest parts of the GreenForest, never showing himself to others if he could help it. To thelittle people, he was like a fearsome shadow to be watched out for atall times. His children were just like him, and his children's children.Tufty is the same way. No one likes him. All who are smaller than hefear him. And if he knows why he has only a stub of a tail, he nevermentions it. But you will notice that he switches it just as if it werea real tail. I think he likes to imagine that it is a real one."
"I've noticed," replied Peter. He was silent for a few minutes. Then headded: "Isn't it curious how often we want things we don't need at all,and how those are the things that make us the most trouble in thisworld?"
THE END
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