Having had Mr. Crow's permission, the Muley Cow went on stretching her legs as much as she pleased. She jumped the pasture fence; and she jumped it back again. And when she seemed about to stop Billy Woodchuck whispered to her, "You may as well keep a-stretching them. Keep a-jumping! And when the time for the real contest with Nimble Deer comes your legs will be stretched so long that you'll beat Nimble without the slightest trouble."  
So the Muley Cow jumped over the fence and back, over the fence and back. And when at last she said she was ready for the contest Billy Woodchuck still urged her to stretch her legs a bit more.
 
By the time he was willing to let her stop the Muley Cow's sides were heaving.
 
Meanwhile Jimmy Rabbit and Billy Woodchuck, with Mr. Crow's help, had picked out a clump¹ of young hawthorns² for the first test. And now that everybody was ready for the contest Nimble Deer cleared the clump gracefully³, with a foot to spare.
 
Then came the Muley Cow's turn. She looked worried as she fell into a lumbering⁴ gallop⁵ and ran towards the prickly young trees. And with a mighty⁶ effort she tried to fling herself over them.
 
As she rose into the air she gave a bellow⁷ of dismay, to fall floundering the next instant into the thorny⁸ thicket⁹.
 
Jimmy Rabbit began to hop

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