Whitefoot the Wood Mouse
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.
It was early in the winter that Whitefoot found a little hole in a corner of Farmer Brown's sugar-house and crept inside to see what it was like in there. It didn't take him long to decide that it was the most delightful place he ever had found. He promptly decided to move in and spend the winter. In one end of the sugar-house was a pile of wood. Down under this Whitefoot made himself a warm, comfortable nest. It was a regular castle to Whitefoot. He moved over to it the store of seeds he had laid up for winter use.
Thornton W. Burgess
WHITEFOOT THE WOOD MOUSE
CHAPTER I: Whitefoot Spends A Happy Winter
CHAPTER II: Whitefoot Sees Queer Things
CHAPTER III: Farmer Brown's Boy Becomes Acquainted
CHAPTER IV: Whitefoot Grows Anxious
CHAPTER V: The End Of Whitefoot's Worries
CHAPTER VI: A Very Careless Jump
CHAPTER VII: Whitefoot Gives Up Hope
CHAPTER VIII: The Rescue
CHAPTER IX: Two Timid Persons Meet
CHAPTER X: The White Watchers
CHAPTER XI: Jumper Is In Doubt
CHAPTER XII: Whitey The Owl Saves Jumper
CHAPTER XIII: Whitefoot Decides Quickly
CHAPTER XIV: Shadows Return
CHAPTER XV: Whitefoots Dreadful Journey
CHAPTER XVI: Whitefoot Climbs A Tree
CHAPTER XVII: Whitefoot Finds A Hole Just In Time
CHAPTER XVIII: An Unpleasant Surprise
CHAPTER XIX: Whitefoot Finds A Home At Last
CHAPTER XX: Whitefoot Makes Himself At Home
CHAPTER XXI: Whitefoot Envies Timmy
CHAPTER XXII: Timmy Proves To Be A True Neighbor
CHAPTER XXIII: Whitefoot Spends A Dreadful Night
CHAPTER XXIV: Whitefoot The Wood Mouse Is Unhappy
CHAPTER XXV: Whitefoot Finds Out What The Matter Was
CHAPTER XXVI: Love Fills The Heart Of Whitefoot
CHAPTER XXVII: Mr. And Mrs. Whitefoot
CHAPTER XVIII: Mrs. Whitefoot Decides On A Home
CHAPTER XXIX: Making Over An Old House
CHAPTER XXX: The Whitefoots Enjoy Their New Home
CHAPTER XXXI: Whitefoot Is Hurt
CHAPTER XXXII: The Surprise