see it clearly
Who's A Coward?
by Thornton W. Burgess
Unc' Billy Possum had made a lot of friends in the Green Forest and on the Green Meadows. It was getting so that most of his neighbors smiled whenever they saw the rough coated little old fellow coming their way. This was partly because he had learned politeness in his old home way down in "ol 'Virginny" and partly because he attended to his own affairs. He never interfered with other people. Sammy Jay, who is quite a dandy, used to make fun of Unc' Billy because he never brushed his hair or kept his coat smooth, and Reddy Fox always sneered at Unc' Billy if he had a chance. But Sammy Jay and Reddy Fox haven't any friends anyway, so this really didn't matter. Nobody paid any6 attention to him until one day Reddy Fox said that Unc' Billy was a coward. Jimmy Skunk heard him and walked right up in front of Reddy, for though Reddy is much bigger Jimmy isn't the least bit afraid of him.
"What do you know about it?" demanded Jimmy.
"I - I - well what does he hide so all day for?" asked Reddy weakly.
"Because he sleeps days and hunts nights," replied Jimmy. Then he shook his fist in Reddy's face. "He isn't half as much a coward as you are, Reddy Fox!"
"Pooh!" said Reddy, "It's easy enough for you to say that he isn't a coward but he's got to prove it before I'll believe it."
"He probably doesn't care whether you believe it or not," said a voice from a little way up the hill. Reddy looked up to see Peter Rabbit grinning at him. Now Reddy is quick tempered and he sprang at Peter, but Peter wasn't there. He had ducked into a hole between the roots of a tree and the entrance was too small for Reddy to get in.
"Reddy Fox is fine to see;
Bright his coat is as can be!
But his heart is black, I fear,
So watch out when Reddy's near!"
Peter certainly was saucy and it made Reddy all the angrier to have Jimmy Skunk laugh. But when he heard a cracked little "Tee-he-he," and looked up to see Unc' Billy Possum grinning down at him, Reddy was so mad that he fairly danced up and down.
"Come down here, you coward!" he shouted, shaking his fist at Unc' Billy.
"Who's a coward?" demanded Unc' Billy.
"You are!" shouted Reddy.
Just then there was a patter of feet up on the hill and all looked up to see Bowser the Hound coming from that direction. Unc' Billy grinned.
"Now, Sah, we'll see who's the coward. Yo' alls can run faster than Ah can, but Ah'm going to come down out of this tree right smart and we'll see who dares wait longest for Bowser the Hound!" And suiting the action to the word Unc' Billy dropped out of the tree right beside Reddy Fox.