Peter, and learn a lesson from the tale of the tail of Old King Bear,"
said he very seriously.

"You remember that once upon a time, long ago, when the world was
young, Old King Bear ruled in the Green Forest, and everybody brought
tribute to him."

Peter nodded and Grandfather Frog went on.

"Now Old King Bear was the great-great-ever-so-great grandfather of
Buster Bear, and he looked very much as Buster does, except that he
didn't have any tail at all, not the least sign of a tail. At first,
before he was made king of the Green Forest, he didn't mind this at
all. In fact, he was rather pleased that he didn't have a tail. You
see, he couldn't think of any earthly use he would have for a tail,
and so he was glad that he hadn't got one to bother with.

"This was just Old Mother Nature's view of the matter. She had done
her very best to give everybody everything that they really needed,
and not to give them things which they didn't need. She couldn't see
that Mr. Bear had the least need of a tail, and so she hadn't given
him one. Mr. Bear was perfectly happy without one, and was so busy
getting enough to eat that he didn't have time for silly thoughts or
vain wishes.

"Then he was made king over all the people of the Green Forest, and
his word was law. It was a very great honor, and for a while he felt
it so and did his best to rule wisely. He went about just as before,
hunting for his living, and had no more time than before for foolish
thoughts or vain wishes. But after a little, the little people over