HEDGEHOG:  Here I am.

HARE:  I can’t understand this.

HEDGEHOG:  It is very clear to me.

HARE:  Well, we’ll try again.  Are you ready?

HEDGEHOG:  I’m always ready.

  HARE:  One for the money,
  Two for the show,
  Three to make ready,
  And here we go!

(Again the wife puts up her head and the hare is bewildered.)

[Illustration:  The hare racing as the hedhog looks on]

WIFE:  You see I am here.

HARE:  I just can’t believe it.

WIFE:  A perfectly simple thing.

HARE:  We’ll try once more.  You can’t beat me another time.

WIFE:  Don’t boast.  You had better save your breath for the race; you will need it.

  HARE:  One for the money,
  Two for the show,
  Three to make ready,
  And here we go!

(When the hare reaches the other end of the field, the hedgehog puts up his head.)

HARE:  This is very strange.

HEDGEHOG:  Shall we run again?  You seem a little tired, but I am perfectly fresh.

HARE (panting):  No, no!  The race is yours.

HEDGEHOG:  Will you call my wife and children names any more?

HARE:  No, no!  I’ll never do that again.

HEDGEHOG:  Very well.  And if you wish a race at any time, friend hare, just call by for me.

HARE (walking off shaking his head):  It’s very strange.  I hope none of the other hares will hear of this race.

WIFE (as she meets the hedgehog):  I thought I should hurt myself laughing.  As my grandmother used to say,

  “Short legs, long wit,
  Long legs, not a bit.”

—­GRIMM.

EPAMINONDAS

Epaminondas had a good kind granny, who cooked at “the big house.”  Epaminondas liked to go to see her, for she always gave him something to take home with him.

One day when Epaminondas went to see granny, she was baking a cake, and she gave Epaminondas a piece to eat.  As he was leaving, granny said, “Epaminondas, you may take a slice home to your mammy.”

Epaminondas took it in his little hands and squeezing it just as tight as he could, ran all the way home.  When his mammy saw him, she said, “What’s that, Epaminondas?”

“Cake, mammy.  Granny sent it to you.”

“Cake!” cried his mammy.  “Epaminondas, don’t you know that’s no way to carry cake?  When your granny gives you cake, put it in your hat; then put your hat on your head and come home.  You hear me, Epaminondas?”

“Yes, mammy.”

The next time Epaminondas went to see his granny, she was churning, and she gave him a pat of fresh butter to carry to his mammy.

Epaminondas said to himself, “What was it mammy said?  Oh, yes!  I know.  She said, ’Put it in your hat and put the hat on your head and come home.’  I’ll do just what she told me.”