"This is a fairy tale about
Cold Country.
About Trowel Ku the Beaver who builds Dams. About Kanecri the Loon who sings on the Lakes. About Hoota the Owl who is not so wise as he looks. About Weeska the Fox who is just as sharp as his own nose, and that is saying a great deal.
"Ever so many days ago," said Fuz-buz, "and ever so far away up among the great lakes it was always summer. There the trees were always green and the flowers never ceased to bloom nor the birds to sing.
"The beaver built dams and no winter came to freeze them. The owl hooted solemnly and the squirrels raced and played and ate nuts all the year, and the foxes joked with the big bears, and the loons sang to the stars all the nights long, and the stars winked at the lakes, and no one ate any one else, for every one was merry and happy, because it was summer all the year.
"But at last everything and everybody grew tired of being so happy.
"'Ah me!' said the bear, 'I get so fat it would be as easy to roll as to walk.'
"'Just so,' sighed the trees, 'what a bore to have to make leaves all the time.'
"Only the owl said, 'I'm comfortable,' and gave his feathers a lazy shake and went to sleep again.