dear Old Briar-patch on the Green Meadows until he had seen everything
to be seen in the Old Pasture. So he couldn't make up his mind to go
back home, but stayed and stayed, hoping each day that the old gray
Rabbit would get tired of hunting for him, and would let him alone.

But the old gray Rabbit didn't do anything of the kind. He seemed to
take the greatest delight in waiting until Peter thought that he had
found a corner of the Old Pasture where he would be safe, and then in
stealing there when Peter was trying to take a nap, and driving him out.
Twice Peter had tried to fight, but the old gray Rabbit was too big for
him. He knocked all the wind out of poor Peter with a kick from his big
hind legs, and then with his sharp teeth he tore Peter's coat.

Poor Peter! His coat had already been badly torn by the cruel claws of
Hooty the Owl, and Old Mother Nature hadn't had time to mend it when he
fought with the old gray Rabbit. After the second time Peter didn't try
to fight again. He just tried to keep out of the way. And he did, too.
But in doing it he lost so much sleep and he had so little to eat that
he grew thin and thin and thinner, until, with his torn clothes, he
looked like a scarecrow.

And still he hated to give in
When there was still so much to see.
"Persistence, I was taught, will win,
And so I will persist," said he.

And he did persist day after day, until at last he felt that he really
must give it up. He had stretched out wearily on a tiny sunning-bank in
the farthest corner of the Old Pasture, and had just about made up his
mind that he would go back that very night to the dear Old Briar-patch