.

One day Brother Fox said to Brother Rabbit: "What's the use of taking a
long walk every morning. Let us dig a well of our own."

"I shall no longer go to the spring," said Brother Rabbit. "From this
time on I shall drink the dew from the grass and the flowers. Why should
I work to dig a well?"

Brother Rabbit knew by the way Brother Fox talked that he was going to
dig the well anyway.

"Just as you please," said Brother Fox. "Then I will dig the well
myself. And I will drink the water all by myself."

The next morning Brother Fox began to dig a well by a big tree. He
worked, and worked, and worked. Brother Rabbit was hiding in a bush near
by and watching Brother Fox.

"Ha, ha, ha!" he said to himself. "How foolish Brother Fox is! I guess I
shall soon have all the water I want. Ha, ha, ha!"

That night, while Brother Fox was asleep, Brother Rabbit stole quietly
down to the well by the big tree, and drank and laughed, and drank and
laughed.

"I guess I can have all the water I want," said Brother Rabbit. "Brother
Fox was foolish to do all the work."

The next day, when Brother Fox went to get some water, he saw rabbit
tracks in the mud.

"Ah, ha! Brother Rabbit," said Brother Fox to himself, "so that's the
way you drink the dew from the grass and the flowers! Well, well, I
think I can catch you at your trick!"

Brother Fox ran home as fast as he could and made a great big doll of
wood, as big as a baby. He covered the wooden doll with black, sticky
tar. Then he put a little cap on its head. At sunset, he put the tar
baby out beside the well.

"I think I shall get Brother Rabbit this time," he said, as he went home
laughing to himself all the way.

Soon Brother Rabbit came hopping through the bushes. He looked first
this way, then that. The least noise frightened him. When he saw the tar
baby, he sat up straight and peeped at it through the leaves.

"Hullo, there! Who are you?" he said at last.

The tar baby said nothing.

"Who are you, I say?" he asked in a louder tone.

The tar baby said nothing.

Then Brother Rabbit went right up close to the tar baby.

"Why don't you answer me?" he shouted.

The tar baby said nothing.

"See here!" he shouted. "Have you no tongue? Speak, or I'll hit you!"

The tar baby said nothing.

Brother Rabbit raised his right hand and--biff! his hand stuck fast.

"Here! What's this?" he cried. "Let me go, or I'll hit you again."

The tar baby said nothing.

At