reen Forest and over the Green Meadows and brag about what he had done
and what he could do.

Now people who brag and boast and who like to show off are almost sure
to come to grief. And when they do, very few people are sorry for them.
None of the little meadow and forest people liked Reddy Fox, anyway, and
they were getting so tired of his boasting that they just ached to see
him get into trouble. Yes, Sir, they just ached to see Reddy get into
trouble.

Peter Rabbit, happy-go-lucky Peter Rabbit, shook his head gravely when
he heard how Reddy had stolen that pet chicken of Farmer Brown's boy,
and was boasting about it to everyone.

"Reddy Fox is getting so puffed up that pretty soon he won't be able to
see his own feet," said Peter Rabbit.

"Well, what if he doesn't?" demanded Jimmy Skunk.

Peter looked at Jimmy in disgust:

"He comes to grief, however fleet, Who doesn't watch his flying feet.

"Jimmy Skunk, if you didn't have that little bag of scent that everybody
is afraid of, you would be a lot more careful where you step," replied
Peter. "If Reddy doesn't watch out, someday he'll step right into a
trap."

Jimmy Skunk chuckled. "I wish he would!" said he.

Now when Farmer Brown's boy heard about the boldness of Reddy Fox, he
shut his mouth tight in a way that was unpleasant to see and reached for
his gun. "I can't afford to raise chickens to feed foxes!" said he.
Then he whistled for Bowser the Hound, and together they started out. It
wasn't long before Bowser found Reddy's tracks.

"Bow, wow, wow, wow!" roared Bowser the Hound.

Reddy Fox, taking a nap on the edge of the Green Forest, heard Bowser's
big, deep voice. He pricked up his ears, then he grinned. "I feel just
like a good run today," said he, and trotted off along the Crooked
Little Path down the hill.

Now this was a beautiful summer day and Reddy knew that in summer men
and boys seldom hunt foxes. "It's only Bowser the Hound," thought Reddy,
"and when I've had a good run, I'll play a trick on him so that he will
lose my track." So Reddy didn't use his eyes as he should have done. You
see, he thought himself so smart that he had grown careless. Yes, Sir,
Reddy Fox had grown careless. He kept looking back to see where Bowser
the Hound was, but didn't look around to make sure that no other danger
was near.

Ol' Mistah Buzzard, sailing round and round, way up in the blue, blue
sky, could see everything going on down below. He could see Redd