At the gypsies' camp Jimmy Rabbit had seen something that was very interesting. He had watched the gypsies telling fortunes. And he saw no reason why he should not become a fortune-teller himself. It looked easy enough. All you had to do was to hold the hand of the person whose fortune you were telling and say anything that came into your head. And you were paid for it, too! That was the best part of it all.
As soon as he had eaten the lunch that his mother gave him, Jimmy skipped away to ask everyone he met if he wanted his[p. 86] fortune told. And there wasn't a single person who didn't say "Yes!" at once.
"All right!" Jimmy told everybody. "It will cost you one cabbage.... And you can find me under the big willow near the brook."
"I'll come along with you now," said Fatty Coon. "You can tell my fortune. And afterward I'll go down to Farmer Green's and get a cabbage for you."
"That won't do!" said Jimmy. "You'll have to give me the cabbage first."
So Fatty hurried down the hill. Never before had he seen so many of his neighbors in Farmer Green's garden. And they were all looking for cabbages. It was quite clear that Jimmy Rabbit was going to be very busy.
Those who could run the fastest had their fortunes told first, for they were the ones that reached the big willow the[p. 87] soonest. And Mr. Fox was the quickest of all.
Jimmy Rabbit looked at Mr. Fox's paw. He wouldn't hold it, as he had seen the gypsies hold the hands of the people who visited them, for he never liked to get too near Mr. Fox. But Mr. Fox didn't know the difference.
"First I'll tell your past," Jimmy said.
But Mr. Fox thought there was no sense in doing that. "I know all about my past," he said.