"But there is something the matter," insisted Jerry Muskrat, and then he told what he had discovered. "I don't believe it," said Grandfather Frog. "I never heard of such a thing in the springtime." Grandfather Frog sat among the bulrushes on the edge of the Smiling Pool. Over his head Mr. Redwing was singing as if his heart would burst with the very joy of springtime. "Tra-la-la-lee, see me!

So there are times when Peter wishes he could sing. He was wishing this very thing now, as he sat on the bank of the Smiling Pool, listening to the great spring chorus. "Tra-la-la-lee! Oka-chee! Oka-chee! There's joy in the spring for you and for me." sang Redwing the Blackbird from the bulrushes.

Toad might have hidden, but not a trace of him did they find. "Tra-la-la-lee! Oka-chee! Oka-chee! Happy am I as I can be!" sang Mr. Redwing, as he swayed to and fro among the bulrushes. "Say, Mr. Redwing, have you seen Old Mr. Toad?" called Peter Rabbit. "No," replied Mr. Redwing. "Is that whom you fellows are looking for? I wondered if you had lost something. What do you want with Old Mr. Toad?"