Reddy Fox and Shadow the Weasel inside the hollow log,
every one could guess just how little shivers were running up and down
the backbones of the two little scamps held prisoners there.

Prickly Porky told how in the cold, cold winter the snow piled up and
piled up in his far northern home, until nearly all the forest folk
who lived there had to make a long journey into the South, or else
went into warm, snug hollows in the trees or caves in the rocks and
slept the long winter through, just as Johnny Chuck does. He told how
the Indians came through the great forest on big webbed shoes, that
kept them from sinking into the snow, and hunted for Lightfoot the
Deer, and how they never bothered Prickly Porky, but always treated
him with the greatest respect. He told so many, many interesting
things about the great North Woods, that all the little meadow people
and forest folk gathered close around to listen, but every few
minutes, while he was talking, he would shake his thousand little
spears, and then every one would smile.

Inside the hollow log Reddy Fox was getting stiff and sore, because,
you know, he didn't have room enough to even turn over. Worse still,
he was so hungry that he could cry. You see, he had crept in there
very early in the morning without any breakfast, because he had
planned that when Sammy Jay should break up Peter Rabbit's party, he
would steal all the good things he wanted. Now, he could smell them,
and hear the others talking about the feast they were going to have,
and he knew that not so much as a tiny, tiny crumb would be left for
him, when Prickly Porky should choose to let him out.

Shadow the Weasel felt just as uncomfortable as Reddy Fox, and Shadow
is very short-tempered. Every time Reddy moved and squeezed Shadow,
Shadow would snap at him. Now, of course, they could hear everything
that was said outside, and the things that were said were not pleasant
to listen to. Bobby Coon and Billy Mink and Johnny Chuck and Little
Joe Otter and Jimmy Skunk told about all the mean things and all the
sharp tricks that Reddy Fox and Shadow had done. It made the two
little prisoners so angry that they ground their teeth, but every time
they made the least little movement, Prickly Porky would shake his
thousand little spears and settle himself still more firmly against
the opening in the hollow log. He certainly was enjoying himself. It
tickled him almost to pieces to think how easily he had trapped sma