Mole ran past the rabbit.
The old rabbit fell over.
The other rabbits came out of their holes.
They grumbled at the old rabbit.
"You should have yelled louder!" a gray rabbit said.
"You should have been bold!" said a small one.
"You should have told him the rules," said a rabbit with a red ribbon.
But Mole didn't care.
"What a fine day for running!" said Mole.
Suddenly he stopped.
"What's this?" asked Mole.
He saw something new. A river!
He sat on the riverbank.
"The water is so blue!" said Mole.
"How the waves sparkle!"
Mole looked across the water.
There was a hole in the other riverbank.
"What a cozy place to live!" Mole said.
A small face popped out of the hole.
It was the Water Rat.
"Hello, Mole!" said Water Rat, waving his hand.
"Hello, Rat!" said Mole.
"Would you like to come over?" asked Rat.
"Of course," said Mole happily.
Rat stepped into a little boat by his hole.
He rowed over to Mole.
"Step in!" said Rat.
"This is my first time in a boat!" cried Mole.
Rat was surprised.
"What? Well! Nothing is as great as being in a boat!"