"Oh, please tell us the story," pleaded Sweetest Susan, anxious to make friends with Mr. Rabbit. He shook his head. "Mrs. Meadows can tell it better than I can." "Dinner!" cried Mr. Thimblefinger. "What about dinner?" "Dinner'll be ready directly," replied Mrs. Meadows. "But the story?" Sweetest Susan said. THE STRONGEST--WHO? OR WHICH? "Well," replied Mrs. Meadows, "it was like this: One time in the country where we came from--the country where you live now--there chanced to be a big frost, and the mill-pond froze over. Mr. Rabbit ran along that way and found that the pond had this bridge across it." "Was it this Mr. Rabbit here?" asked Buster John. Mrs. Meadows folded her hands in her lap and looked at them. "Well," she said, "I never talk about folks behind their backs. You must do your own guessing. Anyway, Mr. Rabbit found the ice bridge over the pond, and as he was in something of a hurry he skipped across it. I mean he skipped a part of the way. The Ice was so slippery that when he got about halfway, his feet slipped from under him and he fell kerthump! He got up and rubbed himself as well as he could, and then he thought that the Ice must be very strong to hit him so hard a lick. He said to the Ice, 'You are very strong.' "'I am so,' replied the Ice. "'Well, if you are so strong, how can the Sun melt you?' "The Ice said nothing, and so Mr. Rabbit asked the Sun, 'Are you very strong?' "'So they tell me,' replied the Sun. "'Then how can the Clouds hide you?' "The Sun was somewhat ashamed and had nothing to say. So Mr. Rabbit looked at the Clouds. "'Are you very strong?' "'We have heard so,' replied the Clouds. "'How can the Wind blow you?' "The Clouds sailed away, and Mr. Rabbit asked the Wind, 'Are you very strong?' "'I believe you,' said the Wind. "'Then how can the Mountain stand against you?' "The Wind blew itself away, and then Mr. Rabbit asked the Mountain, 'Are you very strong?' "'So it seems,' replied the Mountain. "'How can the Mouse make a nest in you?' "The Mountain was mum. So Mr. Rabbit asked the Mouse, 'Are you very strong?' "'I believe so,' replied the Mouse. "'How can the Cat catch you?' "The Mouse hid in the grass. Mr. Rabbit asked the Cat, 'Are you very strong?' "'Yes, indeed,' replied the Cat. "'How can the Dog chase you?' "The Cat began to wash her face. Then Mr. Rabbit said to the Dog, 'Are you very strong?' "'I certainly am,' replied the Dog. "'Then why does the Stick scare you?' "The Dog began to scratch the fleas off his neck, and Mr. Rabbit said to the Stick, 'Are you very strong?' "'Everybody says so.' "'Then how can the Fire burn you?' "The Stick was dumb, and Mr. Rabbit asked the Fire, 'Are you very strong?' "'Anybody will tell you so,' the Fire answered. "'How can the Water quench you?' "The Fire hid behind the smoke. Then Mr. Rabbit asked the Water, 'Are you very strong?' "'Strong is no name for it,' said the Water. "'How can the Ice cover you?'