wrong and
begging forgiveness, all of which was very flattering to Thunderfoot.

"Little by little, without knowing it, he yielded to the flattery of
Mr. Coyote and Mr. Fox. He liked to hear the pleasant things they said.
Little by little it became easier to find them in the right than in the
wrong when they were accused of wronging their neighbors. Of course they
flattered him still more. They hinted to him that it was beneath the
dignity of one so big and strong and handsome to take notice of the very
small and humble people like Mr. Meadow Mouse and Mr. Toad and Mr.
Meadow Lark and others of his subjects.

"Gradually the little people of the Wide Prairies began to notice a
change in Thunderfoot. He became proud and vain. He openly boasted of
his strength and fine appearance. When he met them he passed them
haughtily, not seeing them at all, or at least appearing not to. No
longer did he regard the rights of others. No longer did he watch out
not to crush the nest of Mrs. Meadow Lark or to step on the babies of
Danny Meadow Mouse. It came about that when the thunder of his feet was
heard, those with homes on the ground shivered with fright and hoped
that my Lord of the Prairies would not come their way.

"One day, as he raced over the Wide Prairies for no reason but that he
felt like running, Mr. Meadow Lark flew to meet him. Mr. Meadow Lark was
in great distress. 'Turn aside, my Lord!' he begged. 'Turn aside, my
Lord of the Prairies, for before you lies my nest with four precious
eggs, and I fear you will step on them!'

"Thunderfoot the Bison, Lord of the Wide Prairies, tossed his head. 'If
you will build your nest where it can be trodden on, you can't expect me
to look out for it,' said he. 'If anything so unfortunate happens to it,
it is your own fault, and you mustn't blame me.' And he neither looked
down to see where he was putting his feet nor turned aside so much as an
inch. On he galloped, and presently with a cry of fright out from
beneath his feet flew Mrs. Meadow Lark, and at the very next step he
trod on the little nest in the grass and crushed the four eggs.

"Mr. Coyote, who was racing beside him on one side and saw what had
happened, grinned. Mr. Fox, who was racing beside him on the other side
and saw what had happened, grinned. Seeing them grin, Thunderfoot
himself grinned. Thus grinning heartlessly, they continued to run until
they came to a place where Mother Nature walked among the flowers of