Peter looked and saw a big black ant coming . Then he kept his eyes on Old Mr. Toad 's mouth . Suddenly there was a little flash of red from it , so tiny and so quick that Peter could n't be absolutely sure that he saw it . But when he looked for the ant , it was nowhere to be seen . Peter looked at Old Mr. Toad very hard . `` Do you mean to tell me , Mr. Toad , that you 've got a tongue long enough to reach way over to where that ant was ? '' he asked . Old Mr. Toad chuckled again . With every insect swallowed he felt better natured . `` You 've guessed it , Peter , '' said he . `` Handy tongue , is n't it ? '' `` I think it 's a very queer tongue , '' retorted Peter , `` and I do n't understand it at all . If it 's so long as all that , where do you keep it when it is n't in use ? I should think you 'd have to swallow it to get it out of the way , or else leave it hanging out of your mouth . '' `` Ha , ha , ha , ha , ha ! '' laughed Old Mr. Toad . `` My tongue never is in the way , and it 's the handiest tongue in the world . I 'll show it to you . '' XII OLD MR. TOAD SHOWS HIS TONGUE To show one 's tongue , as you well know , Is not considered nice to do ; But if it were like Mr. Toad 's I 'd want to show it -- would n't you ? I 'm quite sure you would .
You see , if it were XXXXX Old Mr. Toad 's , it would be such a wonderful tongue that I suspect you would want everybody to see it .
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