Indeed, all the animals of the forest must have been present, there were so many.
It was wonderful how quickly they had learned of Father Thrift’s coming to their home.
Now the Great Gray Owl was waving a stick in the air, motioning for silence.
When everything was quiet, he perched himself on a tall stump, where every one could see him, and made a speech.
“Father Thrift,” he said, “we welcome you to the forest. We are glad that you have come to live with us.
“Many years ago we birds and animals had a king. But he died and since then things have not gone well with us.
“We have not lived wisely. I fear many of us have wasted when we had plenty, and suffered when what we had was gone.