"I'll take them all, for the Fairy Cats will need bows for Easter." Then the little girl bought flour and sugar and a pair of little red shoes, and a dainty sunbonnet with a yellow butterfly on it. And then she was ready to go home. But the two little rabbits were still looking around trying to find something which they could buy for Mrs. Daisy Duck. Pretty soon a Yellow Bird in a wicker cage began to sing: "Buy a fairy dewdrop pin Your purple tie to fasten in." "Good," said Uncle John Hare, "that's what I want." "Buy a silver tick-tock watch To tell the time of day. You'll find it very useful When riding miles away," sang the little bird. "That's the very thing," exclaimed Little Jack Rabbit. And as soon as they had paid the Fairy Cat, they all jumped into the Bunnymobile and started back for the little girl's house where in the garden grew the Magic Ribbon Tree I told you about in the last story. But, oh dear me. Just as they drew up at the front gate, they saw the Ragged Rabbit Giant behind the house. "Oh, dear," said the little girl. "He will pick off all the lovely ribbons. What shall I do?" Well, just then, all of a sudden, a big tremendous long snake crawled out from behind a tree. And in the next story, you shall hear what happened after that. THE BIG BLACK SNAKE "I'm as strong as an iron rope I can bind a giant fast; If I coil like a belt around his waist, I can make him breathe his last," sang the Big Black Snake just as I finished the last story. "Then help us," said Little Jack Rabbit, "for the Ragged Rabbit Giant is picking all the lovely ribbons from the little girl's magic tree." "Keep quiet," said the snake, "and I will glide around into the garden and see what I can do." So Uncle John Hare, Little Jack Rabbit and the little girl hid behind a lilac bush. And pretty soon, not so very long, they heard a dreadful noise. Oh, dear me, yes. And in another minute the Ragged Rabbit Giant ran out of the garden with the big snake coiled about his waist. Now the Ragged Rabbit Giant was tremendously strong, and the snake found it hard work to squeeze the breath out of him. But, just the same, Ragged Rabbit Giant was mighty uncomfortable, let me tell you. And pretty soon he said in a whisper: "If you will tell this dreadful snake To bother me no more, I'll never pass this way again Nor knock upon your door." "Shall I let him go?" asked the snake, winking his left eye at Uncle John Hare. "First make him give us a promise," answered the wise old gentleman rabbit. So the big bunny giant made a solemn vow never to bother them again. "You are a very kind snake," said the little girl, "I will give you some ribbons for your children's Easter bonnets." And she ran into the garden and with her silver scissors clipped off some pretty ribbons and gave them to the snake, who then glided away to his home.