At first, whenever he felt a hurt Nimble only fought the harder. When Dodger's horns gouged him and his hoofs cut him Nimble butted and thrust and struck all the faster. But for every buffet he repaid Dodger, Dodger gave him another that was heavier than ever.
It was no wonder that in time Nimble began to feel tired. But he didn't let Dodger the Deer know that.
"This was easy to start," Nimble thought, "but it seems hard to stop. I wish Dodger would run away."
In the meantime Mr. Crow and Jasper Jay agreed that the battle was growing tamer every moment.
"Hustle it up!" Mr. Crow called to Nimble and Dodger, while Jasper Jay jeered at them both and told them they were mollycoddles.
"I shouldn't call this a mock battle now," Mr. Crow told them. "It's more like a game of tag."
"If only Dodger would run away!" Nimble said under his breath. "I'll stop a minute and see if he won't." So he stood still, with his nose all but touching the ground.
Dodger the Deer did not run. But he paused and stood exactly as Nimble was standing.
So they eyed each other for a while. And neither of them said a word.
"Come!" cried old Mr. Crow. "This will never do. Give us more action!"