He was perfectly happy and satisfied there,
and what is there in life better than to be happy and satisfied?"
"Nothing," replied Striped Chipmunk, at whom Grandfather Frog happened
to be looking when he asked the question.
"Right!" replied Grandfather Frog. "And now you know why Miner the
Mole lives under ground--because he is perfectly happy and satisfied
there."
Just then up came Peter Rabbit, all out of breath.
"Has Grandfather Frog been telling a story?" he panted.
"Yes," replied Striped Chipmunk, winking at Grandfather Frog, "and now
we are going back home perfectly happy and satisfied."
And to this day Peter Rabbit wonders what the story was that he
missed.
X
WHY MR. SNAKE CANNOT WINK
Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck were playing tag on the Green Meadows.
Of course Peter can run so much faster than Johnny Chuck that he would
never have been "it" if he had tried his best to keep out of the way.
But he didn't. No, Sir, Peter Rabbit didn't do anything of the kind.
He pretended that one of his long hind-legs was lame so that he had to
run on three legs, while Johnny Chuck could use all four. It was great
fun. They raced and dodged and twisted and turned. Sometimes Peter was
so excited that he would forget and use all four legs. Then Johnny
Chuck would shout "No fair!" Peter would say that he didn't mean to,
and to make up for it would be "it" and try to catch Johnny.
Now it happened that curled up on a little grassy tussock, taking an
early morning sun-bath, lay little Mr.
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