"Never fear," said the whale, "I could pull a dozen cows out of the mud."
"I am sure you could," said the rabbit politely. "Only be sure to begin gently. Then pull harder and harder till you get her out."
The rabbit ran away into the bushes where he had hidden the drum and began to beat it. Then the whale began to pull and the elephant began to pull. In a minute the rope tightened till it was stretched as hard as a bar of iron.
"This is a very heavy cow," said the elephant, "but I'll pull her out." Bracing his fore feet in the earth, he gave a tremendous pull.
But the whale had no way to brace himself.
"Dear me," he said. "That cow must surely be stuck tight." Lashing his tail in the water, he gave a marvelous pull.
He pulled harder; the elephant pulled harder. Soon the whale found himself sliding toward the land. He was so provoked with the cow that he went head first, down to the bottom of the sea.
That was a pull! The elephant was jerked off his feet, and came slipping and sliding toward the sea. He was very angry.
"That cow must be very strong to drag me in this way," he said. "I will brace myself."
Kneeling down on the ground, he twisted the rope around his trunk. Then he began to pull his very best, and soon the whale came up out of the water.