“Very nice!” said the Chipmunk; “that is, for a person who has no tail to speak of. But, of course, you cannot help that.”
The Rabbit looked into the looking-glass pond and saw his little white blob of a tail. “Don’t you want to lend me yours, just this once?” he asked. “I would take great care of it!”
“No, I cannot do that,” said the Chipmunk, “but I can lend you the tail of my late uncle. It is such a fine one that we have kept it to brush out the nest with.”
“The very thing!” said the Rabbit.
So the Chipmunk brought the tail of his late uncle and tied it on to the Rabbit’s stub.
“How does that look?” asked the Rabbit.
[29]
“Fine!” said the Chipmunk. “Now tell me how I look!”
“Well enough!” said the Rabbit. “Of course, you would look better if you had long ears.”
“Dear me!” said the Chipmunk; and he, too, looked into the looking-glass pond. “Haven’t you a spare pair that you could lend me?”
“Why, yes,” said the Rabbit. “There is a pair that belonged to my grandfather, hanging on the wall at home. I will get those.”
So the Rabbit got the ears and tied them on to the Chipmunk’s head.
“How do I look now?” asked the Chipmunk.
“Splendid!” said the Rabbit. “Now let us go[30] and make our New Year’s calls. Where shall we go first?”
“I wish to call on Miss Woodchuck!” said the Chipmunk.
“So do I,” said the Rabbit. “We will go there first.” And off they we............