` And you , Mr. Meadow Mouse , in order that you may remember always to avoid bad company , and that while it is a splendid thing to be loyal to your friends and not to tell tales , it is also a very , very wrong thing to shield those who have done wrong when by so doing you simply help them to keep on doing wrong -- you shall no longer have the splendid long tail of which you are so proud , but it shall be short and stubby . ' `` Even while old Mother Nature was speaking , Mr. Meadow Mouse felt his tail grow shorter and shorter , and when she had finished he had just a little mean stub of a tail . `` Of course he felt terribly . And while Striped Chipmunk hurried to tell him how sorry he felt , and while all the other little meadow people also hurried to tell him how sorry they felt , he could not be comforted . So he slipped away as quickly as he could , and because he was so ashamed he crept along underneath the long grass that no one should see his short tail . And ever since that long ago time when the world was young , '' concluded Grandfather Frog , `` the Meadow Mice have had short tails and have always scurried along under cover of the long grass where no one will see them . And the Wharf Rats have never again lived in the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest , but have lived on filth and garbage around the homes of men , with every man 's hand against them . '' `` Thank you , Grandfather Frog , '' said Danny Meadow Mouse , very soberly . `` Now I understand why my tail is short and I shall not forget . '' `` But it is n't your fault at all , Danny Meadow Mouse , '' cried the Merry Little Breezes , who had been listening , `` and we love you just as much as if your tail was long ! '' Then they played tag with him all the way up the Lone Little Path to his house , till Danny Meadow Mouse quite forgot that he had wished that his tail was long . II WHY REDDY FOX HAS NO FRIENDS The Green Meadows lay peaceful and still . Mother Moon , sailing high overhead , looked down upon them and smiled and smiled , flooding them with her silvery light . All day long the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind had romped there among the asters and goldenrod . They had played tag through the cat rushes around the Smiling Pool . For very mischief they had rubbed the fur of the Field Mice babies the wrong way and had blown a fat green fly right out of Grandfather Frog 's mouth just as his lips came together with a smack . Now they were safely tucked in bed behind the Purple Hills , and so they missed the midnight feast at the foot of the Lone Pine . But Reddy Fox was there . You can always count on Reddy Fox to be about when mischief or good times are afoot , especially after Mr. Sun has pulled his nightcap on . Jimmy Skunk was there .
If there is any mischief Reddy XXXXX does not think of Jimmy Skunk will be sure to discover it .
Chipmunk Forest Fox Frog Hills Mice Mouse Pine midnight nightcap