Raggylug 



away. Rag felt he knew what he was about; 

 he wasn't a baby; it was his duty to learn 

 what it was. He slowly raised his roly-poly 

 body on his short fluffy legs, lifted his little 

 round head above the covering of his nest and 

 peeped out into the woods. The sound had 

 ceased as soon as he moved. He saw nothing, 

 so took one step forward to a clear view, and 

 instantly found himself face to face with an 

 enormous Black Serpent. 



" Mammy," he screamed in mortal terror as 

 the monster darted at him. With all the strength 

 of his tiny limbs he tried to run. But in a 

 flash the Snake had him by one ear and whipped 

 around him with his coils to gloat over the 

 helpless little baby bunny he had secured for 

 dinner. 



" Mam-my — Mam-my," gasped poor little 

 Raggylug as the cruel monster began slowly 

 choking him to death. Very soon the little 

 one's cry would have ceased, but bounding 

 through the woods straight as an arrow came 

 Mammy. No longer a shy, helpless little Molly 

 Cottontail, ready to fly from a shadow: the 

 mother's love was strong in her. The cry of 



96 



