`` Old Mother Nature made Mr. Rabbit sit up on an old log where all could see him . Then in turn she asked each present who was the cause of all the trouble on the Green Meadows . And each in turn answered ` Mr. Rabbit . ' '' ` Mr. Rabbit , ' said old Mother Nature , ` you are lazy , for your cabbage patch has all gone to weeds . You are shiftless , for your house leaks . You are a sneak , for you creep up where you are not wanted and listen to things which do not concern you . You are a thief , for you steal the secrets of others . You are a prevaricator , for you tell things which are not so . Mr. Rabbit , you are all these -- a lazy , shiftless sneak , thief and prevaricator . ' `` It was dreadful . Mother Nature paused , and Mr. Rabbit felt oh so ashamed . He did not look up , but he felt , he just felt , all the eyes of all the little meadow people and forest folk burning right into him . So he hung his head and two great tears fell splash , right at his feet . You see Mr. Rabbit was n't altogether bad . It was just this dreadful curiosity . `` Old Mother Nature knew this and down in her heart she loved Mr. Rabbit and was oh so sorry for him . '' ` Mr. Rabbit , ' continued old Mother Nature , ` because your curiosity is so great , your ears shall be made long , that every one who sees you may know that it is not safe to talk when you are near . Because you are a sneak and steal up to people unseen , your-hind legs shall be made long , so that whenever you sit up straight you will be tall and every one can see you , and whenever you run , you will go with great jumps , and every one will know who it is running away . And because you are shiftless and your house leaks , you will hereafter live in a hole in the ground . ' `` Then old Mother Nature took Mr. Rabbit by his two ears and big , strong Mr. North Wind took Peter Rabbit by his hind legs , and they both pulled .
And when they put him down Peter XXXXX 's ears and his hind legs were long , many times longer than they used to be .
Meadows Mother Nature Rabbit head jumps log one prevaricator right