Moss Swamp beyond the hill yonder.
There's an old Spring Lizard over there that might want to shake hands
with you with his tail. Besides it's not healthy around there; it is
too damp."

"Oh, we are not going anywhere until we start home," Sweetest Susan
remarked.

"How large is the Spring Lizard?" inquired Buster John.

"He's a heap too big for you to manage," replied Mrs. Meadows. "I
don't know that he'd hurt you, but he's slept in the mud over there
until he's so fat he can't wallow scarcely. He might roll over on you
and hurt you some."

"Are there any lions over there?" inquired Sweetest Susan.

"No, honey, not a living one," said Mrs. Meadows.

By this time Mr. Rabbit had come out on the piazza, bringing his
walking-cane and his pipe. He presently seated himself on the steps,
and leaned his head comfortably against one of the posts.

"Well, well, well," he exclaimed. "It has been years and years since
I've heard the name of Brother Lion. Is he still living and doing
well?" Mr. Rabbit turned an inquiring eye on Sweetest Susan.

"She doesn't know anything about lions," said Buster John.

"Why, I do!" cried Sweetest Susan. "I saw one once in a cage."

"In a cage? Brother Lion in a cage?" Mr. Rabbit raised his hands and
rolled his eyes in astonishment. "What is the world coming to? Well,
I've said many and many a time that Brother Lion was not right up
here." Mr. Rabbit tapped his forehead significantly. "In a cage! Now,
that pesters me. Why, he used to go roaring and romping about the
country, scaring them that didn't know him mighty nigh to death. And
so Brother Lion is in a cage? But I might have known it. I wonder how
the rest of the family are getting on? Not that they are any kin to
me, for they are not. I called him Brother Lion just to be neighborly.
Oh, no! He and his family are no kin to me. They are too heavy in both
head and feet for that."

Mr. Rabbit closed his eyes as if reflecting, and patted the ground
softly with his foot.

"Well, well! I remember just as well as if it were yesterday the day
I told Brother Lion that if he wasn't careful, Mr. Man would catch him
and put him in a cage for his children to look at. But he just hooted
at it--and now, sure enough, there he is! I mind the first time he
began his pursuit of Mr. Man. That was the time he got his hand caught
in the split of the log."

"I done hear my daddy tell dat tale," remarked Drusilla.

"Yes," said Mr. Rabbit, "it soon