Heartened by this speech, Crumb Snatcher put his tail into the water
and worked it as a steering oar. On and on they went, and Crumb
Snatcher gained heart for the adventure. What a wonderful tale he would
have to tell to the clans of the mice!

But suddenly, out of the depths of the pond, a water snake raised his
horrid head. Fearsome did that head seem to both mouse and frog. And
forgetful of the guest that he carried upon his back, Puff jaw dived
down into the water. He reached the bottom of the pond and lay on the
mud in safety.

But far from safety was Crumb Snatcher the mouse. He sank and rose, and
sank again. His wet fur weighed him down. But before he sank for the
last time he lifted up his voice and cried out and his cry was heard at
the brink of the pond:

"Ah, Puff Jaw, treacherous frog! An evil thing you have done, leaving
me to drown in the middle of the pond. Had you faced me on the land I
should have shown you which of us two was the better warrior. Now I
must lose my life in the water. But I tell you my death shall not go
unavenged--the cowardly frogs will be punished for the ill they have
done to me who am the son of the king of the mice."

Then Crumb Snatcher sank for the last time. But Lick Platter, who was
at the brink of the pond, had heard his words. Straightway this mouse
rushed to the hole of Bread Nibbler and told him of the death of his
princely son.

Bread Nibbler called out the clans of the mice. The warrior mice armed
themselves, and this was the grand way of their arming:

First, the mice put on greaves that covered their forelegs. These they
made out of bean shells broken in two. For shield, each had a lamp's
centerpiece. For spears they had the long bronze needles that they had
carried out of the houses of men. So armed and so accoutered they were
ready to war upon the frogs. And Bread Nibbler, their king, shouted to
them: "Fall upon the cowardly frogs, and leave not one alive upon the
bank of the pond. Henceforth that bank is ours, and ours only. Forward!"

And, on the other side, Puff jaw was urging the frogs to battle. "Let
us take our places on the edge of the pond," he said, "and when the
mice come amongst us, let each catch hold of one and throw him into the
pond. Thus we will get rid of these dry bobs, the mice."

The frogs applauded the speech of their king, and straightway they went
to their armor and their weapons. Their legs they covered with the
leaves of mallow. For