Once upon a time, on a beautiful island that stood in the center of a
great big lake, there lived in the heart of a kindly old oak tree a
dear little squirrel family. There were three in all; Father, Mother
and Fluffy-tail, and they were just the happiest family one could
imagine.
Father Squirrel worked hard all day long gathering nuts to store away
so that they would all have enough food in the larder for winter, and
when Mother Squirrel was not too busy doing her housework she too
helped to gather nuts, which she would tuck away in all sorts of places
so that no lazy squirrels could find them. She knew that there were
some lazy little rascals who would play all summer long and that when
the winter came their poor babies would ofttimes cry because they were
so hungry.
Not that she would not help any one in need, for she was a good, kind
mother, but she knew from experience that those little squirrels who
would not work and gather nuts when they were plentiful, would help
themselves to other folks’ supply if they had a chance to do so.
One day while Mrs. Squirrel was ironing some pretty petties for
Fluffy-tail she heard a knock at the door. It was a messenger from Mrs.
Squire Squirrel inviting Fluffy-tail to a surprise-party to be given
to her little daughter Furrikins. When Fluffy-tail came bouncing in
to dinner that day and saw something pink peeping out from under her
plate, you can just imagine how delighted she was when she pulled it
out and found it was an invitation to a party, for parties were few and
far between on the Island.
They had to be just after the summer visitors left the place, as it
would not be very safe while they were there. With summer visitors
there was sure to be a boy with a gun who was always just so hungry
for squirrel pot-pie. In the winter it was too cold, and in the spring
there was seldom enough food left for regular meals, much less a party.
So now the time was just right and Fluffy-tail thought she was never so
happy in all her life.