He began to grow sleek and fat and handsomer than ever . The days were growing colder and the frosty air made him feel good . Just at dusk one evening he went down to his favorite drinking place at the Laughing Brook . As he put down his head to drink he saw something which so surprised him that he quite forgot he was thirsty . What do you think it was he saw ? It was a footprint in the soft mud . Yes , Sir , it was a footprint . For a long time Lightfoot stood staring at that footprint . In his great , soft eyes was a look of wonder and surprise . You see , that footprint was exactly like one of his own , only smaller . To Lightfoot it was a very wonderful footprint . He was quite sure that never had he seen such a dainty footprint . He forgot to drink . Instead , he began to search for other footprints , and presently he found them . Each was as dainty as that first one . Who could have made them ? That is what Lightfoot wanted to know and what he meant to find out . It was clear to him that there was a stranger in the Green Forest , and somehow he did n't resent it in the least . In fact , he was glad . He could n't have told why , but it was true .
XXXXX put his nose to the footprints and sniffed of them .
Brook Forest Lightfoot days dusk evening first footprint footprints something