put out because
he had been treated by Old Mr. Toad just as Peter Rabbit had. Striped
Chipmunk told the same story. So did Unc' Billy Possum. It was the same
with all of Old Mr. Toad's old friends and neighbors, excepting Bobby Coon,
who, you know, is Buster Bear's little cousin. To him Old Mr. Toad was very
polite and talked a great deal about Buster Bear, and thought that Bobby
must be very proud to be related to Buster.

At first everybody thought it a great joke to see Old Mr. Toad so puffed up
with, pride, but after a little they grew tired of being snubbed by their
old friend and neighbor, and began to say unpleasant things about him. Then
they decided that what Old Mr. Toad needed was a lesson, so they put their
heads together and planned how they would teach Old Mr. Toad how foolish it
is for any one to be puffed up with pride.

XXI

OLD MR. TOAD RECEIVES ANOTHER INVITATION

The friends and neighbors of Old Mr. Toad decided that he needed to be
taught a lesson. At first, you know, every one had laughed at him, because
he had grown too proud to speak to them, but after a little they grew tired
of being treated so, and some of them put their heads together to think of
some plan to teach Old Mr. Toad a lesson and what a very, very foolish
thing false pride is. The very next day Jimmy Skunk went into the Green
Forest to look for Buster Bear. You know Jimmy isn't afraid of Buster. He
didn't have to look long, and when he had found him, the very first thing
he did was to ask Buster if he had seen any fat beetles that morning. You
know Jimmy is very fond of fat beetles, and the first thing he asks any one
he may happen to meet is if they have seen any.

Buster Bear grinned and said he thought he knew where there might be a few,
and he would be pleased to have Jimmy go with him to see. Sure enough,
under an old log he found five fat beetles, and these Jimmy gobbled up
without even asking Buster if he would have one. Jimmy is usually very
polite, but this time he quite forgot politeness. I am afraid he is rather
apt to when fat beetles are concerned. But Buster didn't seem to mind. When
the last beetle had disappeared Jimmy smacked his lips, and then he told
Buster Bear what he had come for. Of course, at first Buster had thought it
was for the fat beetles. But it wasn't. No, Sir, it wasn't for the fat
beetles at all. It was to get Buster Bear's help in a plan to teach Old Mr.
Toad a lesson.

First Jimmy to