Everyone else thinks that you are the thief who caused so much trouble on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest . But I know who the real thief is and he is stealing away as fast as he can go down the Lone Little Path this very minute . ' `` All of the little meadow people and forest folks turned to look down the Lone Little Path , but it was so dark none could see , none but Hooty the Owl , whose eyes are made to see in the dark . '' ' I see him ! ' cried Hooty the Owl . ` It 's Mr. Wharf Rat ! ' '' ` Yes , ' said old Mother Nature , ` it 's Mr. Wharf Rat -- he is the thief . And this shall be his punishment : Always hereafter he will be driven out wherever he is found . He shall no longer live in the Green Meadows or the Green Forest . Everyone will turn their backs upon him . He will live on what others throw away . He will live in filth and there will be no one to say a good word for him . He will become an outcast instead of a fine gentleman . ' '' ` 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 XXXXX , very soberly .
Chipmunk Forest Hooty Meadows Mice Mouse Nature Rat minute stealing