he exclaimed , `` what beautiful eyes you have , Mr. Toad ! '' `` So I 've been told before , '' replied Old Mr. Toad . `` My family always has had beautiful eyes . There is an old saying that every Toad has jewels in his head , but of course he has n't , not real jewels . It is just the beautiful eyes . Excuse me , Peter , but I 'm needed in that chorus . '' Old Mr. Toad once more swelled out his throat and began to sing . Peter watched him a while longer , then hopped away to the dear Old Briarpatch , and he was very thoughtful . `` Never again will I call anybody homely and ugly until I know all about him , '' said Peter , which was a very wise decision . Do n't you think so ? VII A SHADOW PASSES OVER THE SMILING POOL Here 's what Mr. Toad says ; Heed it well , my dear : `` Time to watch for clouds is When the sky is clear . '' He says that that is the reason that he lives to a good old age , does Old Mr. Toad . I suppose he means that when the sky is cloudy , everybody is looking for rain and is prepared for it , but when the sun is shining , most people forget that there is such a thing as a storm , so when it comes suddenly very few are prepared for it . It is the same way with danger and trouble . So Old Mr. Toad very wisely watches out when there seems to be the least need of it , and he finds it always pays . It was a beautiful spring evening . Over back of the Purple Hills to which Old Mother West Wind had taken her children , the Merry Little Breezes , and behind which jolly , round , red Mr. Sun had gone to bed , there was still a faint , clear light . But over the Green Meadows and the Smiling Pool the shadows had drawn a curtain of soft dusk which in the Green Forest became black . The little stars looked down from the sky and twinkled just to see their reflections twinkle back at them from the Smiling Pool . And there and all around it was perfect peace .
Jerry Muskrat swam back and forth , making little silver lines on the surface XXXXX the Smiling Pool and squeaking contentedly , for it was the hour which he loves best .
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