Mr. Possum

MR. 'POSSUM Mr. 'Possum lived in a tree in the woods where Mr. Bear lived, and one morning just before spring Mr. 'Possum woke up very hungry. He ran around to Mr. Squirrel's house and tried to get an invitation to breakfast, but Mr. Squirrel had only enough food for himself. He knew that Mr. 'Possum always borrowed from his neighbors when he could, so he said: "Of course you have already had breakfast early this morning, Mr. 'Possum, so I will not offer you any." Mr. 'Possum of course said he had eaten and was just stopping by to say hi as he was on his way to Mr. Rabbit's house. But Mr Possum had no luck at Mr. Rabbit's house either for Mr Rabbit only poked his nose out of the door, and when he saw Mr Possum, he said: "I am busy getting ready for my spring planting. Would you like to come in and help sort seeds?" Now Mr. Rabbit knew the easiest way to get rid of Mr. 'Possum was to ask him to work. Mr Possum was rather lazy. "I would love to help you," replied Mr. 'Possum, "but I am in a big hurry this morning. I have important business with Mr. Bear and I only stopped by to say hi. "Mr. Bear, is not seeing anyone today," said Mr. Rabbit. "It is rather early in the season for him to be up. isn't he still hibernating?" "I thought since the sun was nice and warm Mr Bear might venture out, and I thought it would nice for me to be there to welcome him," said Mr. 'Possum. "Besides I need to talk to him about some business." Now, Mr. 'Possum knew that Mr. Bear would not be awake yet, he wanted to find Mr Bear soundly sleeping. He went to the door of Mr Bear’s house and knocked softly, then Mr Possum waited, and when he did not hear any movement inside, he went and looked in the living room window. He could see Mr. Bear's chair and book just as he left them when he went to bed in the fall many months ago. Then Mr Possum looked in the bedroom window and he could see the bed covered in a big heap of blankets, and he could just see the tiniest tip of Mr. Bear's nose. Mr. 'Possum listened, and he trembled a little, for he could hear Mr. Bear breathing very loud, and to be honest he was a bit afraid. "Oh, Mr Bear is sound asleep for at least another week!" said Mr. 'Possum. "There is nothing to be afraid of" He walked around the house until he came to the pantry window; there he stopped and carefully opened the window. He climbed in and sat on the windowsill and listened. All was quiet, so he slid to the floor and stood up and looked around Mr. Bear's well-stocked pantry. Mr Possum was so hungry he did not know where to begin. Mr Possum started to eat and became so greedy that he completely forgot that he was in Mr Bear’s pantry. He stayed in there and continued to eat and eat and eat until Mr Possum fell asleep. When he woke up there was a pair of shining eyes in a big head with a mouth full of long white teeth peering into the pantry. Mr. 'Possum knew he was in trouble, so he just closed his eyes and pretended he was still asleep, but he opened his eyes just a tiny bit so he could see what was happening. The big head was followed by a body, and when it was sitting on the windowsill Mr. 'Possum saw that it was Mr. Fox, and the next thing he knew Mr. Fox fell off the windowsill with a loud bang and bumped into a pan of beans and knocked over a jar of jam. The noise was enough to awaken all the bears for miles around, and Mr. 'Possum was frightened nearly to death, for he heard Mr. Bear growling in the next room. While Mr. Fox was lying on the floor and trying to get up back up on his feet, Mr. 'Possum jumped up and was out of the window like a flash. Mr. Fox saw something, but he was not sure who or what he saw, and before he could make his escape the door of the pantry opened and there stood Mr. Bear with a flashlight in his paw, looking in. "Oh, oh!" he growled, "so you are trying to rob me while I am sleeping," and Mr Bear moved towards Mr. Fox. "Wait, wait," said Mr. Fox. "Let me explain Mr. Bear. You are wrong! I was trying to protect your home. I saw your window open and knew you were asleep, and when I got in the window the thief attacked me and nearly killed me and now you are blaming me. You are most ungrateful. I will not help you out if it happens again. Mr. Bear looked at Mr Fox and saw that his mouth did not show any signs of him eating any food, so Mr. Fox opened his mouth wide and told Mr Bear to look in his mouth. "I wonder who it could have been?" Mr Bear said after he was satisfied that Mr. Fox was not the thief. Hmmmm "It may have been that 'possum fellow. I'll go over to his house in the morning." The next morning Mr. Bear went to Mr. 'Possum’s house. Mr Bear found him sound asleep, and when Mr Possum finally opened the door he was rubbing his eyes as if he was only half awake. Hello, how are you? Mr Possum said when he saw Mr. Bear standing on his doorstep. "I thought you were still hibernating and not awake yet." Really? asked Mr. Bear, and then he stared at Mr. 'Possum's coat. "What is the matter with your coat?" Mr Bear asked. "You have white hairs sticking out all over you, and the rest of your coat is almost white, too." Now Mr. 'Possum always had a beautiful black coat that he was very proud of, so he ran to the mirror and looked It was true; he was almost white. Now Mr Possum knew what had happened. He had been so scared when he was in Mr. Bear's pantry when Mr. Fox came in, and then when he heard Mr. Bear growl, he had turned nearly white with fright. "I have been really sick," he told Mr. Bear, It was a terrible sickness; I guess that is what has caused my fur to turn white" Mr. Bear left Mr Possum’s house shaking his head. "That Mr Possum is a clever critter," he said. "I am sure he is the thief, but yet he really does look sick." Now you know why all possums are a dull white color, with long, white hairs scattered here and there all over their fur. That was the punishment for stealing Mr Bear’s food all those years ago. THE END!