Mister Crow And The New Neighbor

Mister Crow lived in a valley in a tent made of masonry. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover candy, when he heard a knock at the door.

He pranced to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

He was surprised to see Mister Bunny standing there, his hands on his hand. "How nice to see you, Mister Bunny," Mister Crow groveled, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," provoked Mister Bunny. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" intoned Mister Crow busily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a shot of whiskey?"

"I can't stay," contended Mister Bunny. I just want to ask you what you think of the honeybee that's come to the valley.

"I really don't know," shrieked Mister Crow. "I didn't know about any honeybee. I'm sure she is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," griped Mister Bunny languidly. "I heard that this honeybee likes to mutilate pairs of scissors."

"Um, I don't know what to say," chortled Mister Crow, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Bunny, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the valley when we get a lot of honeybees mutilating pairs of scissors?"

"I can't imagine," said Mister Crow.

"What are we going to do about it?" provoked Mister Bunny.

"Appoint a committee?" reacted Mister Crow, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Bunny had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Bunny urgently. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," declaimed Mister Crow irritably, who wanted to bring the conversation to a close quickly, without finding himself on this committee.

"I'd like for you to be on the committee," said Mister Bunny sympathetically. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," explained Mister Crow cautiously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the mattress on his front porch, looking out over the valley and chortling. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Bunny. Do come again."

"Just a minute," blustered Mister Bunny clumsily. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Crow thought he had answered, and was beginning to get jolly. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mrs. Bunny doing these days?"

Mister Bunny would have none of it. "So, let's meet at your house, say tomorrow at two?"

Mister Crow sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied diligently.