to drown. You know that is the way with you to-day, Peter
Rabbit."

Peter nodded. He knew that he could swim if he had to, but only for a
very little way, and he hated the thought of it.

"Now there were a few animals, of whom old Mr. Muskrat, the
grandfather a thousand times removed of Jerry Muskrat, was one, who
learned to walk and run on dry land, but who still loved the water,"
continued Grandfather Frog. "One day Old Mother Nature found Mr.
Muskrat sitting on a rock, looking very mournful.

"'What's the matter, Mr. Muskrat?' she asked.

"Mr. Muskrat looked very much ashamed as he finally owned up that he
was envious of his cousins and some of the other animals, because they
had such fine houses on the land.

"'Then why don't you build you a fine house on the land?' asked Old
Mother Nature.

"Mr. Muskrat hesitated. 'I--I--love the water too well to want to stay
on land all the time,' said he, 'and--and--well, I was put in the
water in the first place, and I ought to be contented with what I have
got and make the best of it.'

"Old Mother Nature was so pleased with Mr. Muskrat's reply that right
away she made up her mind that he should have a finer house than any
of the others, so she took him over to a quiet little pool, where the
water was not too deep and she showed him how to build a wonderful
house of mud and rushes and twigs, with a nice warm bedroom lined
with grass above the water, and an entrance down under the water, so
that no one except those who still lived most of the time in the water
could possibly get into it. None of his friends on land had such a
big, fine house, and Mr. Muskrat was very proud of it. But with all
his pride he never forgot that it was a reward for trying to be
content with his surroundings and making the best of them.

"So from that day to this, the Muskrats have built their houses in the
water, and have been among the most industrious, contented, and happy
of all the animals. And that is why Jerry Muskrat has built that fine
house in the Smiling Pool and has so few enemies," concluded
Grandfather Frog.

Peter Rabbit drew a long breath, which was almost a sigh. "I almost
wish my grandfather a thousand times removed had been content to stay
in the water, too," he said.

"Chug-a-rum!" retorted Grandfather Frog. "If he had, you wouldn't have
the dear Old Briar-patch. Be content with what you've got,"

"I think I will," said Peter.

VIII

WHY OLD MAN COYOTE HAS M