Once they were safely back inside his house, Young Mr. Bunny declared that it was time for a celebration. Breaking out his best bottle of Fra Lobosco Carrot (1972, a very good year), they drank a toast to Mrs. Badger and Mr. Beaver, and to the magic that had restored Miss Mousey's tail.
"We have to go to Mrs. Badger now," said the little mouse. "I told her I would come back and see her again, and I want her to see that her magic herbs worked. Let's go right now!" Ol' Miz Badger, as she liked to call herself, which you should remember from Chapter 4, welcomed our two little friends at her door. "Come on in and set rat down," she said most hospitably. Once safely inside, the rabbit put down his flute while the little mouse made the introductions. "Miz Badger, I'd like you to meet my dearest friend, Young Mr. Bunny. Without his help, I would never have made it!" The two shook paws, and the old badger responded, "Most pleased to make your acquaintance, young feller!" "Made it?" she asked Miss Mousey. "What do y'all mean by 'made it'?" Ol Miz Badger sprinkled the herbs all over Miss Mousey, from her head all the way down to the floor. Every bit of her tail was covered in the herbs, every bit of her body. "Play the flute!" she commanded, and as Young Mr. Bunny began to play his flute, the herbalist grabbed the end of the little mouse's tail, and gave it one hard tug. That did the trick! Miss Mousey spun like a top, her tail unwrapping before their very eyes. She finally came to a halt, her tail waving over her head. But it wasn't the same tail. How could this be? This tail was wondrous! It was amazing! It was spectacular! It had all the colors of the rainbow, and a long tassel at the end. And it all sparkled and glittered! "Land sakes alive!!! I never seen anything like that in mah lawf! Nevah!" exclaimed Mrs. Badger. The old badger and the young rabbit collapsed onto the ancient settee, staring in shock at their young friend.
Young Mr. Bunny, under the eye of two herons who came every morning to hear him play, spotted Miss Mousey running out of the opening of the beaver lodge. "What's this?" he asked himself, "Is that her tail? Did it really grow back?" But he could tell by the look of happiness on her face that it was real. A miracle had happened! The magic had done its work! He was so excited that he ran to meet her, holding the flute in one hand as he ran. The two young friends were so delighted! They laughed, and hugged, and jumped up and down, and tears of happiness ran down Miss Mousey's cheeks. Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a large shadow overhead, ready to sweep down on them. Realizing that it was Mr. Eagle and that Mr. Mousey was no longer playing the flute, she began screaming, "The flute! Play the flute! Hurry!" Just as the huge talons were about to make contact, the little bunny began to play again. The Eagle had missed his mark, and was now flying away from the music, back to his perch. In their excitement, the two friends had forgotten the danger. They would not make that mistake again, they vowed, as they headed back to Mr. Bunny's tunnel.
As the young rabbit was still feeling euphoric, he quickly agreed. "Don't forget the flute," warned Miss Mousey. "Have no fear, I have it with me," he assured her. So the two walked out his front door, ran through the long tunnel, and went to see Mrs. Badger, who wasn't at all surprised when she saw the pair, as she could hear them coming anyhow.
"My tail!" cried the little mouse gleefully. "It grew back! My tail is back! My beautiful, beautiful, tail!"
"Turn around chile, and let ol Miz Badger see!" So Miss Mousey turned around and around and around. And as she turned, it was just as if she were back in the beaver lodge, wearing the blue tutu and the pink toe shoes, dancing to the music of Mr. Beaver's cello. She turned faster and faster, and as she turned, something very strange happened. Young Mr. Bunny's jaw dropped in awe as he watched. The little mouse's beautiful new tail had wrapped itself around her body, and now she was trapped inside. All that could be seen was her head. Even her arms were wrapped by the tail! "Help me! Help me!" she cried. Tears appeared in her eyes which very quickly had soaked the fur on her face. The rabbit went over to Miss Mousey and gave the end of her tail a tug, thinking that would release her. But it didn't. He tugged and tugged, but he couldn't budge it. The poor mouse's face was now drenched in tears. Was she to live the rest of her life like this? Even the old badger couldn't do anything, though she tried as hard as she could, bless her soul. Miz Belinda and the bunny even laid her on the floor and rolled her around as if they were unrolling a carpet, but that didn't work either. Suddenly the old herbalist had an idea. "I know!" she said. "The magic herbs! They will get her out of this!" She hobbled over to the shelf above the fireplace and took down her very last jar of magic herbs. "Come help me stand her up again," she said to Mr. Bunny.
So they stood her up, never expecting to see what happened next.
And that is how Miss Mousey came to have her wondrously amazing spectacular tail.
