frightened croak, and
kicked violently in his efforts to get away, while over the quiet pond,
splash! splash! went the startled little Frogs into deep water.

The Crane almost had him, when something cold and slimy wound itself
about one of his legs. He drew back for a second, and the Frog got
safely away! But the Crane did not lose his dinner after all, for about
his leg was curled a large black water snake, and that made a fair
meal.

Now he rested awhile on one leg, and listened. The first Frog was
silent, but from the opposite bank the second Frog croaked boastfully:

"Kerrump! kerrump! I'm chief of this pond!"

The Crane began to be hungry again. He went round the pond without
making any noise, and pounced upon the second Frog, who was sitting up
in plain sight, swelling his chest with pride, for he really thought now
that he was the sole chief of the pond.

The Crane's head and most of his long neck disappeared under the water,
and all over the pond the little Frogs went splash! splash! into the
deepest holes to be out of the way.

Just as he had the Frog by one hind leg, the Crane saw something that
made him let go, flap his broad wings and fly awkwardly away to the
furthest shore. It was a mink, with his slender brown body and wicked
eyes, and he had crept very close to the Crane, hoping to seize him at
his meal! So the second Frog got away too; but he was so dreadfully
frightened that he never spoke again.

After a long time the Crane got over his fright and he became very
hungry once more. The pond had been still so long that many of the Frogs
were singing their pleasant chorus, and above them all there boomed the
deep voice of the third and last Bullfrog, saying:

"Kerrump! kerrump! I'm chief of this pond!"

The Crane stood not far from the boaster, and he determined to silence
him once for all. The next time he began to speak, he had barely said
"Kerrump!" when the Crane had him by the leg. He croaked and struggled
in vain, and in another moment he would have gone down the Crane's long
throat.

[Illustration]

But just then a Fox crept up behind the Crane and seized _him_! The
Crane let go the Frog and was carried off screaming into the woods for
the Fox's supper. So the third Frog got away; but he was badly lamed by
the Crane's strong bill, and he never dared to open his mouth again.

_It is not a wise thing to boast too loudly._

THIRD EVENING

THE EAGLE AND THE BEAVER

THI