Title:  Whitefoot the Wood Mouse

Author:  Thornton W. Burgess

Release Date:  November, 2003 [EBook #4698] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 3, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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WHITEFOOT THE WOOD MOUSE

BY THORNTON W. BURGESS

Chapter I:  Whitefoot Spends A Happy Winter

In all his short life Whitefoot the Wood Mouse never had spent such a happy winter.  Whitefoot is one of those wise little people who never allow unpleasant things of the past to spoil their present happiness, and who never borrow trouble from the future.  Whitefoot believes in getting the most from the present.  The things which are past are past, and that is all there is to it.  There is no use in thinking about them.  As for the things of the future, it will be time enough to think about them when they happen.

If you and I had as many things to worry about as does Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, we probably never would be happy at all.  But Whitefoot is happy whenever he has a chance to be, and in this he is wiser than most human beings.  You see, there is not one of all the little people in the Green Forest who has so many enemies to watch out for as has Whitefoot.  There are ever so many who would like nothing better than to dine on plump little Whitefoot.  There are Buster Bear and Billy Mink and Shadow the Weasel and Unc’ Billy Possum and Hooty the Owl and all the members of the Hawk family, not to mention Blacky the Crow in times when other food is scarce.  Reddy and Granny Fox and Old Man Coyote are always looking for him.

So you see Whitefoot never knows at what instant he may have to run for his life.  That is why he is such a timid little fellow and is always running away at the least little unexpected sound.  In spite of all this he is a happy little chap.