“That’s what you shouldn’t do,” cautioned Bumper. “If you get panicky you’d lose your head, and run right into his jaws.”
“What would you do if he chased you?” she asked.
“I’ll tell you what I did do when Mr. Fox nearly caught me,” he replied. Then he related to her the story of how he had induced the fox to look at the sun until he was temporarily blinded. Fuzzy Wuzz laughed at this until the tears ran down her cheeks. Then she added:
“It was very bright of you. I’m sure I’d never think of such a trick.”
“I’m not so sure of that,” replied Bumper. “You’re bright enough, but if you lost your wits you might forget what to do.”
It was shortly after this conversation that Fuzzy Wuzz got in trouble, and Bumper came to her rescue and saved her by his wits. They had been feeding on the luscious stalks of wild celery near the marsh when they gradually got separated. Fuzzy Wuzz was nibbling away at the leaves all unconscious of danger when she was startled by a loud hiss in front of her.
She looked up in surprise, and saw facing her not a foot away a tremendous blacksnake. He was the king blacksnake of the woods, with a body almost as big around as her head, and a tail that stretched way off in the distance. The rabbits called him Killer the Snake because he had destroyed so many birds and young bunnies. He was so big and ferocious that he could swallow a small rabbit whole.
When Fuzzy Wuzz saw Killer the Snake so close to her she became paralyzed with fear. Instead of using her wits as Bumper had cautioned when in danger she simply crouched down, and made a pitiful little noise of terror. Killer, conscious of his magnetic power, swayed his head back and forth, his small, beady eyes on her, and began approaching in slow, rhythmic motions. Fuzzy Wuzz for the life of her couldn’t move, but she kept up her pitiful little moaning.
It was this noise that attracted Bumper, and he called out: “What’s the matter, Fuzzy Wuzz?”
There was no answer but the moaning continued. Bumper stopped chewing the delicious leaf he had in his mouth, and hopped in her direction. His coming must have disturbed Killer, for he shook his head angrily, and half turned to face this unknown thing hopping through the bushes.