So having taken
the head of an eel-spear and fastened it to his nose to make a bill, he
climbed as well as he could--and bad was the best--up a tree, and tried
to get his harvest of rice. Truly he got none; only in this did he
succeed in resembling a Woodpecker, that he had a red poll; for his
pate was all torn and bleeding, bruised by the fishing-point. And the
pretty birds all looked and laughed, and wondered what the Rabbit was
about.
"Ah!" said his grandmother, "I suppose he is trying again to do
something which he has seen some one do. 'T is just like him."
"Oh, come down there!" cried Miss Woodpecker, as well as she could for
laughing. "Give me your dish!" And having got it she scampered up the
trunk, and soon brought down a dinner. But it was long ere Master
Rabbit heard the last of it from these gay tree-tappers.
_III. Of the Adventure with Mooin, the Bear; it being the Third and
Last Time that Master Rabbit made a Fool of himself._
Now, truly, one would think that after all that had befallen Master
_Mahtigwess_, the Rabbit, that he would have had enough of trying
other people's trades; but his nature was such that, having once set
his mighty mind to a thing, little short of sudden death would cure
him. And being one day with the Bear in his cave, he beheld with great
wonder how _Mooin_ fed his folk. For, having put a great pot on
the fire, he did but cut a little slice from his own foot and drop it
into the boiling water, when it spread and grew into a mess of meat
which served for all.
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