Pink Nose’s eyes turned a dark green, and the Shrike flew away, knowing that he had planted the seeds of discord in the mind of a perfectly good-natured rabbit.
Crooked Ears was a big surly rabbit, whose disposition had been spoilt when very young by an accident which had twisted his ears so they looked more like pretzels than anything else. The Shrike was quick to detect Crooked Ears’ weak point. He was forever trying to hide his crooked ears, and he lay stretched out in the sun with his paws drawn up over them as if ashamed to have any one see them.
The Shrike told him the news, but Crooked Ears said peevishly: “Oh, go away! Don’t disturb me now. I’m very sleepy.”
The Shrike whistled and fluttered his tail feathers in disdain. “All right, Crooked Ears,” he added. “I thought you’d like to know of the revolt, and of Bumper’s threat.”
“What was his threat?” asked Crooked Ears, sleepily.
“That he’d bite and twist the ears of every rabbit that opposed him until they all looked like yours.”
“He said that!” growled Crooked Ears, rising. “He made fun of my ears!”
“Made fun of them! Oh! Ho! What a joke! Listen, Crooked Ears, and I’ll tell you what he said about them.”
Crooked Ears seemed to be all ears now, for his anger was aroused. “He said,” continued the Shrike, “that all rabbits with crooked ears should be run from the woods. They were not fit to live with rabbits that had good, straight ears. Does that interest you?”
“I don’t believe you!” snapped Crooked Ears, but the Shrike only laughed shrilly, and flew away to find another burrow. He knew that he had angered Crooked Ears and poisoned his mind against Bumper.