Now, the crow is very sensitive about his inability to sing. He used to
think that cawing was singing until the birds all laughed at him. After
that he kept by himself, and very rarely joined the other birds in the
woods or fields.

Bumper's calling him by that name very naturally angered him. It was a
slight, a slur upon his voice, and he resented it at once. It must be
remembered also that the crow had never seen a white rabbit before, and
Bumper's appearance floating on the plank had excited the bird's
curiosity. White rabbits don't run wild in the woods, and Bumper was
almost as much a mystery to the crow as the latter was to the former. All
the rabbits Mr. Crow knew were gray or brown, with a white belly and tail,
and none of them had pink eyes. So it was quite natural that the black
bird should be curious and surprised at the sight of a pure white rabbit,
with pink eyes, floating down the river on a raft.

"Caw! Caw!" screamed the crow, flapping his wings so that the wind made by
them ruffled Bumper's hair.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Caw. I understand," replied Bumper, getting excited by the
nearness of this big, black thing.

"How dare you make fun of me!" cried Mr. Crow, striking the tip of
Bumper's ears with his wings. "I'll teach you to laugh at my voice."

With that he struck out with both wings, and nearly upset Bumper from his
raft. Frightened by this exhibition of anger, Bumper's teeth chattered,
and his voice shook.