“Put him down on the floor and see if he will stay,” suggested the woman.
“I’m afraid he’ll run. Wait until I shut the door,” the boy said.
“And I’ll get him a carrot to eat,” returned his mother. “Maybe he won’t run when he sees that.”
She put a carrot down on the kitchen floor, and the boy placed Flop Ear in front of it. The carrot smelled very good to Flop Ear, for he was hungry, so he did not run away, though his heart was still beating fast.
Then the boy saw the little rabbit’s funny, drooping ear.
“Oh, Mother! See!” cried Jimmie. “What a funny rabbit! Isn’t he comical? He’s as comical as Squinty, the pig!”
“Yes, he does look odd,” said the woman. “I think Flop Ear would be a good name for him.”
And so, you see, without any trouble at all, Flop Ear got his own right name. It was natural to call him that.
“I like him better than I do Squinty,” said the boy. “I was over on Mr. Jones’ farm the other day, and I saw Squinty in the pen. Mr. Jones said some children were going to take him for a pet, but I would rather have Flop Ear, the funny rabbit.”