"'"The mountains look such a little way off," said my cousin dismally; yet the brook still whirled on, seeming to laugh at our discomfiture.
"'"I believe we could skip from stone to stone," urged the gray mouse, who was determined not to turn back, if he could possibly help it.
"'So I tried the bits of stone for some distance; and then I found myself away out where the water was ever so deep, and I was seized with fright, not daring to move an inch either way, but clinging to the wet, slimy rock. Presently a beautiful trout came swimming towards me, its sides all clothed in variegated scales, and its handsome eyes sparkling with fun.
"'"What is the matter; are you sea-sick?" laughed the trout, splashing the foam from its tail in my face.
"'"Oh! don't, if you please, I am so giddy now," I cried, and then tumbled headlong into the water.
"'Ugh! what a cold bath that was: it makes me shiver only to think of it. The wicked fish took me on his back, and gave me such a sail as I hope I may never have again in this world. It went up and down, and up and down again, approaching the shore occasionally only to dart off for a fresh trip, until I fairly squealed with fright, clasping its slippery back the while. At last it flung me off, and I landed by my cousin, who did nothing but laugh at me. I was very cross by this time; so, after trying to dry myself upon some blades of grass, I determined to return home. Just then a fat old bull-frog paddled lazily towards the bank.
"'"Will you carry us across the brook?" inquired my cousin eagerly.
"'"How much do you weigh?" asked the bull-frog, winking slowly.
"Just take up this fellow, and see." He then lifted me upon the bull-frog's back, who carried me safely across before I could say a single word. Afterward he brought my cousin over also, and we were able to resume our journey.
"'Fortunately we overtook a field mouse soon after, who invited us to visit his family in the stump of a tree, which we were glad enough to do, as we were both hungry and tired. That night I was very ill with chills and fever,—probably owing to the cold bath I had taken; and the field mice had to give me a dose of some kind of bark that they always kept in the house, as they lived in a swampy region, which made me better. They none of them thought I could go on the next morning; and, as the gray mouse was so anxious to climb the mountains, I proposed his starting without me. This he consented to do, when one of the young field mice offered to be his guide; and if I felt well enough, I was to join them after a while. I had a very nice visit, indeed: the field mice were so hospitable and kind. I spent most of my time in the house with the ladies, and the eldest daughter was—who do you think? Why, your mother, of course; and a prettier young mouse I never saw.'