[The rabbit saw that the easiest way to get the sweet carrot was to jump through the hoop.]
“Fine! That’s the way to do it!” cried Jimmie, much pleased. “You have learned a trick, Flop Ear.”
“I don’t call that much of a trick,” thought the rabbit. “But still it may be.”
Three or four times Jimmie made the rabbit jump through the hoop and each time Flop Ear was given a bit of carrot. Then he learned to do it without anything to eat, and after a bit Flop Ear grew to like to do the trick, for it seemed to please the boy, who patted the bunny’s soft fur.
“Now we have one trick, we’ll try another,” said Jimmie, a few days later. “I wonder if you can stand up on your hind legs, and hold a bit of carrot on your nose?”
Well, it was easy enough, of course, for Flop Ear to stand up on his hind legs. He had done that in the woods often enough. And it was not hard for him to hold a bit of carrot on his nose. But as soon as Jimmie put it there Flop Ear let the carrot fall to the ground and ate it. He thought that was what it was for.
“No, no! You must not do it that way,” said Jimmie. “I want you to stand up on your hind legs, and hold the carrot on your nose until I tell you to eat it, and clap my hands. Then you may take it. Now we’ll try again.”