Mr. Rabbit Kills a Wolf
One day all the beasts of the forest came to one place. All the big beasts came, and all the little beasts came. There were horses and cows and rabbits and foxes and ducks and mice and birds, and all the other living things. They were very afraid. For a great big wolf had come to the forest; and the great big wolf had said, "I shall kill you all if you do not give me food three times every day.""What shall we do?" said Mrs. Duck: "what shall we do?""Whatever shall we do?" said Mr. Fox.
"What shall we do?" said all the beasts.
" I know what we must do," said Mr. Rabbit, looking very big; 'we must kill this Mr. Wolf. ---And I shall do it." Then he walked away along the road to Mr. Wolf's house. All the beasts looked at him.
" What is he going to do?" said Mrs. Duck. "What is he going to do?"As Mr. Rabbit went along the road he saw a big hole in a field. The hole was full of water.
Then Mr. Rabbit went on and came to a river. He jumped into the water; then he walked through some dust; then he jumped into the water; then he walked in the dust. So he looked a very poor, ugly little rabbit, covered with water and dust.
At last Mr. Rabbit came to Mr. Wolf's house. "Who are you? "said Mr. Wolf.
"Please, I am your food for today."" You! You ugly little beast! Tell them to send me a big fat cow, or a horse, or a hundred fat ducks.""Please," said Mr. Rabbit, "the other wolf wants all the good food. So we have sent him all the cows and the horses and ducks. We must give them to him, because he is bigger and braver than you are.""Oh, is he?" cried Mr. Wolf. "We shall soon see if he is! Come with me and show me where he lives."Then Mr. Rabbit led Mr. Wolf to the hole in the field. "He is down there," said Mr. Rabbit. "Do not go near him or he will kill you." Mr. Wolf went to the side of the hole and looked down; he saw his own angry face in the water. He thought that it was the face of another wolf looking up at him. He jumped down into the hole, to kill the other wolf. When he had jumped down into the hole, he fell into the water; and he could not get out.
Mr. Rabbit went back to the other beasts. "It is not hard to kill a wolf, he said, "if you know how to do it." |