his mouth, ran off into the woods with it.

Soon after this the rabbit came back, and when it saw Timtom lying
asleep it awakened him and asked:

"Where is my new tail?"

"Oh, I have brought you a fine one," replied Timtom, with a smile. "It
is in this little red box." But when he searched for the box he
discovered it had been stolen.

So great was his distress at the loss that the gray rabbit was sorry
for him.

"I shall never be able to get home again," he moaned, weeping tears of
despair, "for all the gifts Maetta gave me are now lost forever!"

"Never mind," said the rabbit, "I shall allow you to go under the wall
without giving me the tail, for I know you tried to keep your promise.
I suppose I can make this stubby tail do a while longer, since it is
the only one I ever possessed. But beware when you come to the bird and
the spider, for they will not be so kind to you as I am. The bird has
no heart at all, and the spider's heart is hard as a stone. Still I
advise you to keep up your courage, for if you are brave and fearless
you may succeed in getting home, after all. If you can not cross the
gulf and the River of Needles, you are welcome to come back and live
with me."

Hearing this, Timtom dried his eyes and thanked the kind rabbit, after
which he crawled under the wall and resumed his journey. He became more