then of course he can't swallow. Then Grandfather Frog looks very
foolish and silly and undignified, and everybody calls him a greedy
fellow who is old enough to know better and who ought to be ashamed of
himself. Perhaps he is, but he never says so, and he is almost sure to
do the same thing over again the first chance he has.

Now it happened that one morning when Grandfather Frog had had a very
good breakfast of foolish green flies and really didn't need another
single thing to eat, who should come along but Little Joe Otter, who had
been down to the Big River fishing. He had eaten all he could hold, and
he was taking the rest of his catch to a secret hiding-place up the
Laughing Brook.

Now Grandfather Frog is very fond of fish for a change, and when he saw
those that Little Joe Otter had, his eyes glistened, and in spite of his
full stomach his mouth watered.

"Good morning, Grandfather Frog! Have you had your breakfast yet?"
called Little Joe Otter.

Grandfather Frog wanted to say no, but he always tells the truth.
"Ye-e-s," he replied. "I've had my breakfast, such as it was. Why do you
ask?"

"Oh, for no reason in particular. I just thought that if you hadn't, you
might like a fish. But as long as you have breakfasted, of course you
don't want one," said Little Joe, his bright eyes beginning to twinkle.
He held the fish out so that Grandfather Frog could see just how plump
and nice they were.