so bumper became king of all the rabbits in the woods, and all his people vowed they would stand loyally by him, and the big leaders—white tail, pink nose, crooked ears, brindley the lame and rolly polly—promised to obey him, and teach their children and their children’s children to love and follow him.
“a king who is merciful to those who hurt him is a good and wise king,” said white tail, as he came forward to pay homage.
“wisdom is greater than courage,” said brindley, “but greater than either is mercy.”
“i believed pink noses were the signs of royalty in rabbits,” remarked pink nose, when his turn came next, “but pink eyes are more to be desired, and i shall teach my children the truth of this.”
“surely,” said rolly polly, his eyes twinkling, “this is a great day for the rabbits of the north woods, and anything i can say will never be remembered. but i hope my next dinner will disagree 93with me if i ever speak an ill word of our king.”
brindley was smiling and chuckling too, when he walked up. the sudden happy turn of affairs was much to his liking. “o bumper, our white king!” he exclaimed. “the winter’s snow is not whiter than your coat, and your soul is whiter than either. may neither ever fade or grow tarnished in the use.”
crooked ears, who had come to the assembly with a grouch, which he intended to vent upon bumper, stood hesitating a moment before he bowed and took the king’s paw. then he looked up and smiled. “ears, o bumper, are given to hear, and whether they are crooked or straight they should gather in the truth and not the lies. mine have heard the truth to-day, and may they grow more crooked if they ever listen to the untruth again.”
now, when the leaders had finished swearing their allegiance to bumper, the others crowded forward, and for half an hour poor bumper had a hard time of it. they wanted to shake his paw and feel of his soft fur, and gaze into his pink eyes, until it seemed as if their curiosity would never be satisfied. and bumper was in more danger of being spoilt by flattery than ever before in his life! from a secret corner 94fuzzy wuzz watched him through her mild brown eyes, and at times she frowned. if her eyes could have spoken they would have said something like this: “can he stand all that flattery and admiration? i’m afraid for him.”
but bumper did stand it, for when the visitors began to leave, one by one, and the burrow became emptied once more, he drew a heavy sigh of relief. he turned to fuzzy wuzz, who was still watching him, and said:
“it’s been an exciting day, fuzzy wuzz, hasn’t it? and i for one am glad it’s over, but gladder because all’s ended well. there’ll be no more trouble in the woods among our own people.”
not a word about the remarkable tribute to his looks and wisdom, or anything about the high position they had placed him in. he was still plain bumper when with his own family.
“o bumper,” exclaimed fuzzy wuzz, “i was so afraid—afraid—”
“afraid! afraid of what, fuzzy wuzz?” he asked in surprise when she stopped.
instead of answering directly, she laughed, and said:
“oh, nothing! i meant i’m so happy!”
“then i am too. whatever makes you happy i like.”
95but while he smiled into her meek brown eyes, he happened to catch a glimpse of spotted tail crouching in a corner, looking so miserable and forlorn that his heart smote him.
he left fuzzy wuzz, and hopped directly over to him. “spotted tail,” he said, “will you be my friend?”
a look of surprise and wonder came into the sad eyes of the other, and for a moment he could not understand just what bumper was asking.
“i don’t understand,” he stammered in confusion. “oh, you mean will i promise never to betray you again? yes, yes, i promise that, bumper—promise never to speak ill of you again.”
“i didn’t mean that,” replied bumper. “i asked if you would be my friend. you know what friendship means?—trust, faith, loyalty, and all that?”
“yes, i trust you,” stammered spotted tail. “how could it be otherwise after what you’ve done for me? and faith, yes, i have faith in you. i believe you’re a just and upright leader. as for loyalty, bumper, you can ask for my life, and i’ll give it to you.”
bumper smiled happily at these declarations of friendship, but still spotted tail hadn’t quite understood his meaning. how to make him believe 96that he forgave everything, and wanted to be his friend, troubled him.
“come with me, spotted tail,” he said finally, extending a paw. “i want every one to see that we have forgiven and forgotten, and that we’re friends now.”
then, to spotted tail’s surprise, bumper led him up to fuzzy wuzz, and said: “spotted tail and i have made up all of our differences, and are going to be fast friends hereafter. congratulate both of us, fuzzy wuzz.”
fuzzy wuzz was as wise and quick as she was good. she understood immediately, and, extending a paw, grasped one of spotted tail’s. “let the past be as if it never were, spotted tail,” she said sweetly. “bumper’s friends are my friends, and that makes us friends, doesn’t it?”
spotted tail nodded in embarrassment. he was so stupefied with surprise that he hardly knew what to say. then to goggle eyes and the others, bumper took him in turn, and gave them to understand that anything they said against spotted tail they would be saying against him.
the old blind rabbit was the last one they came to. bumper repeated his words, but remained a little uncertain just how the stern old leader would accept the change. old blind rabbit 97had a stern sense of justice, and this sudden forgiveness of spotted tail might not suit him. but finally a kindly smile spread over his face, and he laid a paw on the breast of each.
“i have lived to see justice interpreted, o bumper,” he said. “there will be joy in all the north woods now that we have a king who is as merciful as he is wise and just. may spotted tail learn wisdom from you. the past is forgotten. we live now only for the future.”
and when they had retired to a corner from the rest, spotted tail found his voice. it was low and husky.
“o bumper, you have heaped coals of fire on my head!” he exclaimed. “you have made me ashamed of myself. i wronged you because i was envious and jealous of your power. i told shrike to spread the news that you were a king come to make all the rabbits in the north woods your slaves. now they’re all your friends. but you have one slave. i, bumper, am your slave. ask anything of me, and i will do it.”
“then i ask one thing, spotted tail,” was the reply, “and you’ve promised to grant it.”
“yes, i have promised, not knowing what it is.”
“it is very simple, spotted tail. never let me hear you call yourself my slave again. instead, 98speak of me as your friend, and if you wish to gain my favors call yourself my friend. is that too much to promise?”
“it’s not enough, o bumper. but as you say. i’m your friend—now and forevermore. you believe me?”
“yes, i know you speak the truth.”
