MouseDeerandTi

ger

I
’
m qui
ckandsmar
tasIcanbe.
Tryandt
ry,
buty
oucan’
tcat
chme!

MouseDeersanghissongashewal
kedt
hrought
hef
orest
.Hewasl
ooki
ngf
ort
ast
yfr
uit
sand
r
ootsandshoots.

Thoughhewassmal
l,
hewasnotaf
rai
d.Heknewt
hatmanybi
gani
mal
swant
edt
oeathi
m.But
fi
rstt
heyhadt
ocat
chhim!

Thenhehear
dsomet
hing.Rowr
!

Ther
ewasTi
ger
!

“
Hel
l
o,MouseDeer
.Iwasj
ustget
ti
nghungr
y.Nowy
oucanbemyl
unch.
”

MouseDeerdi
dn’
twantt
obel
unch.Hel
ookedar
oundandt
houghtf
ast
.Hesawamudpuddl
e.

“
I’
m sor
ry,
Tiger
.Ican’
tbey
ourl
unch.TheKi
nghasor
der
edmet
oguar
dhi
spuddi
ng.
”

“
Hispuddi
ng?
”sai
dTi
ger
.

"Yes.Ther
ei ti
s.”MouseDeerpoi
ntedtothemudpuddl
e.“
Ithast
hebestt
ast
eint
hewor
ld.The
Kingdoesn’twantanyoneel
setoeatit
.”

Ti
gerl
ookedl
ongi
ngl
yatt
hepuddl
e.“
Iwoul
dli
ket
otast
etheKi
ng’
spuddi
ng.
”

“
Oh,
no,
Tiger
!TheKi
ngwoul
dbev
eryangr
y.”

“
Justonel
i
ttl
etast
e,MouseDeer
!TheKi
ngwi
l
lnev
erknow.
”

“
Wel
l
,al
lri
ght
,Ti
ger
.Butf
ir
stl
etmer
unf
araway
,sonoonewi
l
lbl
ameme.
”

“
All
right
,MouseDeer
,youcangonow.
”

MouseDeerr
anqui
ckl
youtofsi
ght
.

“
Imagi
ne!
”sai
dTi
ger
.“TheKi
ng’
spuddi
ng!
”Het
ookabi
gmout
hful
.

Phooey
!Hespi
titout
.

“
Yuck!Ugh!Bl
eck!That
’snopuddi
ng.
That
’smud!
”

Ti
gerr
ant
hrought
hef
orest
.Rowr
!Hecaughtupwi
thMouseDeer
.

“
MouseDeer
,yout
ri
ckedmeonce.Butnowy
ouwi
l
lbemyl
unch!
”

MouseDeerl
ookedar
oundandt
houghtf
ast
.Hesawawaspnesti
nat
ree.

“
I’
m sor
ry,
Tiger
.Ican’
tbey
ourl
unch.TheKi
nghasor
der
edmet
oguar
dhi
sdr
um.
”
“
Hisdr
um?
”sai
dTi
ger
.

“Yes.Ther
eiti
s.”MouseDeerpoi
ntedtot
hewaspnest
.“I
thast
hebestsoundi
nthewor
ld.The
Kingdoesn’
twantanyoneel
setohiti
t.
”

Ti
gersai
d,“
Iwoul
dli
ket
ohi
ttheKi
ng’
sdr
um.
”

“
Oh,
no,
Tiger
!TheKi
ngwoul
dbev
eryangr
y.”

“
Justonel
i
ttl
ehi
t,MouseDeer
!TheKi
ngwi
l
lnev
erknow.
”

“
Wel
l
,al
lri
ght
,Ti
ger
.Butf
ir
stl
etmer
unf
araway
,sonoonewi
l
lbl
ameme.
”

“
All
right
,MouseDeer
,youcangonow.
”

MouseDeerr
anqui
ckl
youtofsi
ght
.

“
Imagi
ne!
”sai
dTi
ger
.“TheKi
ng’
sdr
um!
”Her
eachedupandhi
tit
.Pow.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz.Thewaspsal
lfl
ewout
.Theyst
art
edt
ost
ingTi
ger
.

“
Ouch!Ooch!Eech!That
’snodr
um.That
’sawaspnest
!”

Ti
gerr
anaway
.Butt
hewaspsonl
yfol
l
owedhi
m!Bz
zzzzzzzzzzzz.

“
Ouch!Ooch!Eech!
”

Ti
gercamet
oastream.Hejumpedi
n—spl
ash!
—andst
ayedunder
wat
erasl
ongashecoul
d.At
l
astt
hewaspswentaway.

ThenTi
gerj
umpedout
.Rowr
!Her
ant
hrought
hef
orestt
il
lhef
oundMouseDeer
.

“
MouseDeer
,yout
ri
ckedmeonce.Yout
ri
ckedmet
wice.Butnowy
ouwi
l
lbemyl
unch!
”

MouseDeerlookedar
oundandt
houghtf
ast
.Hesawacobr
a!Thegi
antsnakewascoi
l
ed
asl
eepontheground.

“
I’
m sor
ry,
Tiger
.Ican’
tbey
ourl
unch.TheKi
nghasor
der
edmet
oguar
dhi
sbel
t.
”

“
Hisbel
t?”sai
dTi
ger
.

“Yes.Ther
eitis.
”MouseDeerpoi
ntedt
othecobr
a.“
It
’st
hebestbel
tint
hewor
ld.TheKi
ng
doesn’twantanyoneel
set
owearit.
”

Ti
gersai
d,“
Iwoul
dli
ket
oweart
heKi
ng’
sbel
t.
”

“
Oh,
noTi
ger
!TheKi
ngwoul
dbev
eryangr
y.”

“
Justf
oronemoment
,MouseDeer
!TheKi
ngwi
l
lnev
erknow.
”
“
Wel
l
,al
lri
ght
,Ti
ger
.Butf
ir
stl
etmer
unf
araway
,sonoonewi
l
lbl
ameme.
”

“
All
right
,MouseDeer
,youcangonow.
”

MouseDeerr
anqui
ckl
youtofsi
ght
.

“
Imagi
ne!
”sai
dTi
ger
.“TheKi
ng’
sbel
t!
”Hest
art
edt
owr
api
tar
oundhi
msel
f.

Thecobrawokeup.Ssssssssssssss.I
tdi
dn’
twai
tforTi
gert
ofi
nishwr
appi
ng.I
twr
appedi
tsel
f
aroundTi
ger
.Thenitsqueezedhim andbi
thi
m.Sstt!

“
Ooh!Ow!Yow!That
’snobel
t.That
’sacobr
a!Hel
p!MouseDeer
!Hel
p!”

ButMouseDeerwasf
araway
.Andashewent
,hesanghi
ssong.

I
’
m qui
ckandsmar
tasIcanbe.

Tr
yandt
ry,
buty
oucan’
tcat
chme!