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Gran'pa Skeeterhawk replied, and then told them this story: "I've heard my Gran'pa tell that once the catfish had heads that were shaped like sunfish," Gran'pa Skeeterhawk said, "and they thought that they were not only the most beautiful fish but the fiercest fighters in the world, although they would always swim away as fast as they could whenever anything came near them.
"Just then a little bird flew over the water and his shadow so startled the boastful catfish, they buried themselves in the mud at the bottom of the stream. "After a while," Grand'pa Skeeterhawk continued, "They got up courage to peek out of the mud, and as they saw nothing to frighten them, they formed in a circle and told more tales of their fighting qualities.
"What kind of a fish is that, Gran'pa Skeeterhawk?" he asked. "That's a catfish!" Gran'pa replied. "Queer looking fish, the catfish are; they do most of their feeding at night since Omasko, the elk, flattened their heads." "Dear me! Are their heads flat?" Johnny Cricket asked. "Flat as a pancake!"
"It served them right for trying to harm someone who never harmed them!" Gran'pa Skeeterhawk replied, as he darted up in the air and flew over the tall cat-tails. "Caw, Caw, Caw," one old crow cried as he faced the other two crows. "Caw?" asked the second old crow as he plumed his feathers and screwed his head around to get a better view of the little boy lying under the tree.
The Bug Boys watched the fish until they grew tired, and they were just starting down the tall reed when a great big dragon fly flew upon the top of the reed and called to them. Of course all the Bug Boys knew old Gran'pa Skeeterhawk for it was he so the three returned to the reed and sat down again to pass the time of day with Gran'pa. Presently Willy Ladybug saw a strange fish in the water.
"He began jumping and pawing with his heavy hoofs, and smashed all the catfish down in the mud and when they finally came out again, which was not until two or three days later, their heads were as flat as they are now! "That is why all catfish have flat heads," Grandfather Skeeterhawk finished. "It served them right for being so boastful!" Johnny Cricket said.
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