Come along, you lazy fellow," cried the little Dormouse, knocking with
his ivory-headed cane at the door of a mole-hill.

"Ay, ay, cousin," shouted the Mole, "I'll be there in a minute."

So the Dormouse stood impatiently tapping his boots till the Mole should
be ready. The Dormouse was dressed in the height of fashion, and
thought himself a rather handsome fellow. Some people said that he was
conceited, and indeed a Spider that was near at hand plainly told him
so; but, whether this was true or not, there is no doubt that he was a
very kind little fellow, because he came to lead his poor blind cousin
to the feast.

"What a time you have been, old boy," he said, as the Mole appeared,
dusting the earth off his coat and white hat.

The Mole answered that he had been very busy all morning making a new
tunnel between his bed-room and drawing-room. He then took his friend's
arm, and away they went over the green meadows, where the cowslips and
buttercups grew, making the grass look as if it were dotted all over
with gold. Sometimes the two friends stopped by the way to rest under a
buttercup, and sip a little morning dew; but seeing every one hastening
past them, while they wasted their time, the Dormouse jumped up again,
and cast a sly look at his blind friend as he asked him what he thought
of the fine view.

"Don't make jokes about my being blind," said the Mole, pretending to be
angry.

Just at that moment they both ran into a Spider's web.

"Oh! how stupid of me," cried the Dormouse; "I wasn't looking before me
at the time."

"You might as well be without eyes, if you don't use them," said the
Mole, as they cleared away the threads of the net, and, making a low bow
to the Spider, went on their way.

Now, all this time the Snail had been slowly creeping over the stones
and winding round the blades of grass and flowers that strewed her path
to the place of meeting. But she was so long of getting there that the
guests began to be impatient, and said that perhaps she was not coming
at all. She lived under the next tree, and had only about four feet to
walk, but she was so very slow that she took a long, long time to it;
and at last the Grasshopper whispered to the Butterfly that she should
go and meet her. Away went the Butterfly on her gaudy wings, and,
alighting by the Snail's side, began to urge her to make haste. During
the Butterfly's absence, the Wasp, who was always making spiteful
remarks, said th