wonder why it is that Peter Rabbit has such long ears," said the
Merry Little Breeze.

"Chug-a-rum!" replied a great, deep voice right behind him.

All the Merry Little Breezes jumped up and ran through the rushes to
the very edge of the Smiling Pool. There on a great green lily pad sat
Great-Grandfather Frog, his hands folded across his white and yellow
waistcoat and his green coat shining spick and span.

"Chug-a-rum," said Grandfather Frog.

"Oh, Grandfather Frog," cried the Merry Little Breezes all together,
"do tell us why it is that Peter Rabbit has such long ears."

Grandfather Frog cleared his throat. He looked to the east and cleared
his throat again. Then he looked to the west, and cleared his throat.
He looked north and he looked south, and each time he cleared his
throat, but said nothing. Finally he folded his hands once more over
his white and yellow waistcoat, and looking straight up at jolly,
round, red Mr. Sun he remarked in his very deepest Voice and to no one
in particular:

"If I had four fat, foolish, green flies, it is just possible that I
might remember how it happens that Peter Rabbit has such long ears."

Then up jumped all the Merry Little Breezes and away they raced. Some
of them went east, some of them went west, some of them went north,
some of them went south, all looking for fat, foolish, green flies for
Grandfather Frog.

By and by they came skipping back, one by one, to the edge of the
Smiling Pool, each with a fat, foolish, green fly, and each stopping to
give Mrs. Redwing's cradle a gentle push.

When Grandfather Frog had swallowed all the fat, foolish, green flies
brought by the Merry Little Breezes, he settled himself comfortably on
his big lily pad once more and began:

"Once upon a time, very long ago, when the world was young, Mr.
Rabbit--not our Peter Rabbit, but his grandfather a thousand times
removed--had short ears like all the other meadow people, and also his
four legs were all of the same length, just exactly the same length.

"Now Mr. Rabbit had a great deal of curiosity, a very great deal,
indeed. He was forever pushing his prying little nose into other
people's affairs, which, you know, is a most unpleasant habit. In
fact, Mr. Rabbit had become a nuisance."

[Illustration: Mr. Rabbit had a great deal of curiosity, a very great
deal, indeed.]

"Whenever Billy Mink stopped to pass the time of day with Jerry Muskrat
they were sure to find Mr. Rabbit