[“I’m only a little girl squirrel, and I wouldn’t hurt you for the world,” went on Slicko.]
“I said I was not a rat or a mouse—[I’m only a little girl squirrel, and I wouldn’t hurt you for the world,” went on Slicko.]
“Oh, I’m so glad!” cried the elephant, and he did not shiver and shake any more, and did not knock down any pine tree cones.
As first it might seem funny for a squirrel to say she would not hurt an elephant, because an elephant is so large. But I have told you that elephants are sometimes afraid of even such a little thing as a mouse.
“So you are not a rat, eh?” asked the elephant of Slicko.
“No, Tum Tum, and I’m not a mouse, either,” answered the little girl squirrel.
“Ha! How do you happen to know my name?” asked Tum Tum.