They left Jimmy to come over and
dance in a circle around Peter, for Peter is a great favorite with
them. And as they danced they sang:
"Who is it hops and skips and jumps?
Who is it sometimes loudly thumps?
Who is it dearly loves to play,
But when there's danger runs away?
Peter Rabbit! Peter Rabbit!"
Peter grinned good-naturedly. He is quite used to being laughed at for
always running away, and he doesn't mind it in the least.
"When danger's near, who runs away will live to run another day,"
retorted Peter promptly. Then he began the maddest kind of a frolic
with the Merry Little Breezes until they and he were quite tired out
and ready for a good rest.
"I wish," said Peter, as he stretched himself out in the middle of the
patch of sweet clover, "that you would tell me why it is that Jimmy
Skunk never hurries."
"And we wish that you would tell us the same thing," cried one of the
Merry Little Breezes.
"But I can't," protested Peter. "Everybody else seems to hurry, at
times anyway, but Jimmy never does. He says it is a waste of energy,
whatever that means."
"I tell you what--let's go over to the Smiling Pool and ask
Grandfather Frog about it now. He'll be sure to know," spoke up one of
the Merry Little Breezes.
"All right," replied Peter, hopping to his feet. "But you'll have to
ask him. I've asked him for so many stories that I don't dare ask for
another right away, for fear that he will say that I am a nuisance.
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