But he didn't
complain; he just kept right on working, and only stopped to rest when
his legs ached so that he had to.
"He was working just as usual one day when Old Mother Nature came
along to see how he was getting on. She saw the new dam and the new
pond, and she asked Mr. Beaver who had made them. He told her that he
had and explained why. Old Mother Nature was greatly pleased, but she
didn't say so. She just passed the time of day with him and then sat
down to watch him cut a tree. She saw him try to brace himself with
his useless tail, and she saw him stop to rest his tired legs.
"'That looks to me like pretty hard work,' said Old Mother Nature.
"'So it is,' replied Mr. Beaver, stretching first one leg and then
another. 'But things worth having are worth working for,' and with
that he began cutting again.
"'You ought to have something to sit on,' said Old Mother Nature, her
eyes twinkling.
"Mr. Beaver grinned. 'It would be very nice,' he confessed, 'but I
never waste time wishing for things I haven't got and can't get,' and
went right on cutting.
"The next morning when he awoke, he had the greatest surprise of his
life. He had a new tail! It was broad and thick and flat. It wasn't
like any tail he had ever seen or heard of. At first he didn't know
how to manage it, but when he tried to swim, he found that it was even
better than his old tail for swimming. He hurried over to begin his
day's work, and there he made another discovery; his new tail was just
the most splendid brace! It was almost like a stool to sit on, and he
could work all day long without tiring his legs.
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