`` Mr. Toad was very well pleased with himself until he thought how terribly untidy that ragged old suit looked lying on the ground . What should he do with it ? He could n't hide it in the garden , for old Mother Nature 's eyes are so sharp that she would be sure to see it . What should he do ? `` Then Mr. Toad had a happy thought . Every one made fun of his big mouth . But what was a big mouth for if not to use ? He would swallow his old suit ! In a flash Mr. Toad dived under the cabbage leaf and crammed his old suit into his mouth . `` When old Mother Nature came into the garden , Mr. Toad was waiting in the path to receive her . Very fine he looked in his new suit and you would have thought he had been waiting all day to receive old Mother Nature , but for one thing -- swallow as much and as hard as he would , he could n't get down quite all of his old suit , and a leg of his trousers hung out of a corner of his big mouth . `` Of course old Mother Nature saw it right away . And how she did laugh ! And of course Mr. Toad felt very much mortified . But Mother Nature was so pleased with Mr. Toad 's garden and with Mr. Toad 's industry that she quite overlooked the ragged trousers leg hanging from the corner of Mr. Toad 's mouth . '' ` Fine clothes arc not to be compared with fine work , ' said old Mother Nature . ' I herewith appoint you my chief gardener , Mr. Toad . And as a sign that all may know that this is so , hereafter you shall always swallow your old suit whenever you change your clothes ! ' `` And from that day to this the toads have been the very best of gardeners . And in memory of their great , great , great-grandfather a thousand times removed they have always swallowed their old suits .
`` Now you know what my cousin , old Mr. XXXXX , did with his old suit just before Peter Rabbit passed his house this morning , '' concluded Great-Grandfather Frog .
Mother Nature Toad course day ground laugh right sign toads