"The snow and the cold have made them sleepy," said Toots.
"Perhaps that is so," answered the sparrow—Toots was translating their talk for the Princess—"but it is stupid of them, and impolite, and I won't have it."
With these words the sparrow flew at the eyes of the oldest bear, pecking away with all his might, and chirping:
"Come, now, will you wake up? You have company for breakfast. Shame upon you!"
But the old bear simply put his great paws over his eyes and was presently snoring louder than ever. It was the same with the younger bears. They had eaten their breakfast, and were determined to sleep.
Pwit-Pwit fluttered out of the bears' den, and fixing his sparkling eyes on Toots' face, said:
"I know what we'll do. We'll call on the racoons. They're horrible little chatterboxes, but they are inclined to be sociable. Besides, I have been neglecting them of late."
So they went a little farther up the hill to the Racoon House, with its door looking toward the sun, which is always closed at night. No sound came from within.
