ANIMAL STORIES 175 The old Crane's vanity and conceit were sat¬ isfied by this time, and he stretched out his neck until it reached the bank on the other side of the river. Then the two Weasel girls scampered over the bridge—and away into safety! The Weasel girls had no sooner reached the other bank, then the Badger dashed down to the shore in pursuit. "Ho! Take me across the river, and hurry about it!" he commanded the Crane. Now the Crane had been so pleased and had been made so proud by the soft words of the Weasels that he was in no mind to be spoken to rudely. "I will take you across," he said to the Bad¬ ger," "if you will bear witness to my beauty. Are not my legs straight?" "Yes," said the Badger, "they are straight and beautifully painted." Now the Crane did not like the colour of his legs, so he was not very much pleased with the Badger's remark. "And are not my feathers very smooth and fine?" he next demanded. "Yes, smooth and fine—What a pity though they are so mildewed and dusty! "And what about my straight neck?" "Yes, your neck is wonderfully straight, as straight as this!" said the Badger; and pick-