reen Meadows. Every one began to grumble. Mr.
Bear grumbled. Mr. Fox grumbled. Mr. Rabbit grumbled. Mr. Jay
grumbled. Mr. Squirrel grumbled. Even Mr. Chuck grumbled. And one and
all they began to blame Old Mother Nature. Then they began to quarrel
among themselves and to steal from each other. Some even left their
homes and went out into the Great World to try to find a better place
to live, only to find that the Great World was a harder place to live
in than the Green Forest and the Green Meadows.

"But Mr. Coon didn't grumble, and he didn't go away. No, Sir, Mr. Coon
just stuck to his home and did the best he could to find enough to
eat. He kept himself as neat as ever and was always cheerful. Whenever
he met one of his grumbling neighbors, he would say:

"'Better times coming! Better times coming! Old Mother Nature is doing
the best she can. Better times coming!'

"The others would laugh at him for his faith in Old Mother Nature, and
say ugly things about her, and urge Mr. Coon to go with them out into
the Great World. But he kept right on minding his own business and
keeping neat and cheerful, until at last Old Mother Nature, all
worried and troubled, came to see what she could do to straighten
matters out. It didn't take her long to find out how all the little
meadow and forest people, except Mr. Coon, had grumbled and been
discontented and said ugly things about her, for you can't fool Old
Mother Nature, and it's of no use to try. Some she punished one way,
and some she punished another way, for of course she hadn't been to
blame for the hard times, but had been working night and day to put an
end to them.

"Mr. Coon was the last to be called before her, and instead of being
frowning and cross, as she had been to the others, she was all smiles.
She said a lot of nice things to him, and when at last she sent him
away, what do you think she had given him?"

"More rings," cried Peter Rabbit.

"Yes," replied Grandfather Frog, "Mr. Coon's tail was ringed way to
the tip. There was one for cheerfulness, and one for faith, and one
for persistence in making the best of a bad matter and staying at
home. And ever since that long-ago day when the world was young, the
Coons have been very proud of their beautiful tails and have kept up
the good habits of old Mr. Coon. Now you know, Peter Rabbit, why
Bobby Coon wears rings on his tail," concluded Grandfather Frog.

Peter gave a long sigh. "I think it's perfectly beautif