"He's stronger than I thought," said the boy, "and rather obstinate, too."
"Why don't you make him some ears?" asked Jack. "Then you can tell him what
to do."
"That's a splendid idea!" said Tip. "How did you happen to think of it?"
"Why, I didn't think of it," answered the Pumpkinhead; "I didn't need to,
for it's the simplest and easiest thing to do."
50
So Tip got out his knife and fashioned some ears out of the bark of a small
tree.
"I mustn't make them too big," he said, as he whittled, "or our horse would
become a donkey."
"How is that?" inquired Jack, from the roadside.
"Why, a horse has bigger ears than a man; and a donkey has bigger ears than
a horse," explained Tip.
"Then, if my ears were longer, would I be a horse?" asked Jack.
"My friend," said Tip, gravely, "you'll never be anything but a Pumpkinhead,
no matter how big your ears are."
"Oh," returned Jack, nodding; "I think I understand."
"If you do, you're a wonder," remarked the boy "but there's no harm in
thinking you understand. I guess these ears are ready now. Will you hold the
horse while I stick them on?"
"Certainly, if you'll help me up," said Jack.
So Tip raised him to his feet, and the Pumpkinhead went to the horse and
held its head while the boy bored two holes in it with his knife-blade and
inserted the ears.
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