“True, brother,” answered the whale. “On the other hand, there is not a fish in the sea that compares to me in size. I swallow hundreds at one gulp, and when I lash the waters with my tail it is like a storm.”
“And that is true, too,” answered the elephant. “Brother, how would it be if we proclaimed ourselves kings of the earth and sea, and made all of the other fish and animals our subjects?”
“That would be a fine scheme,” the whale agreed, “and then we would make them pay us tribute.”
The elephant was pleased with that idea, too. “Good! good!” he trumpeted. “That is what we will do.”
So the two beasts talked together, each one praising himself and the other, and saying how great they were.
The rabbit listened until he could bear it no longer, and then he stole back to the ground hog, his whiskers trembling with rage.
“Well, what were they talking about?” asked the ground hog.
“All their talk was of how great and powerful they were,” answered the rabbit, “and they say they will declare themselves kings and make us pay tribute. But I will show them a thing or two before that.”
“What will you show them?” asked the other.