Billy Mink Feels Uncomfortable

by Thornton W. Burgess

Billy Mink was feeling uncomfortable. Yes, Sir, way down deep inside, Billy Mink was feeling uncomfortable. He was beginning to wish that he had not boasted so much the night before. He had said the he could do anything that any of the other little people who wore fur and lived on the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest could do. Grandfather Frog had called him a boaster and had said that he knew someone who could do something that Billy Mink could not do, and that if Billy Mink would be at the Smiling Pool at sundown that night he would prove it. Billy Mink had had to say that he would be there, for you see Little Joe Otter and Jerry Muskrat were listening.

Now Billy Mink sat on the big rock in the Smiling Pool kicking his heels.

"I can run fast, swim fast, climb fast. I can dive deep, I can jump, I can dig. I can follow a track with my nose and I can see in the dark," thought Billy Mink, and the more he thought of all he could do the better he felt. One by one he thought of the little meadow and forest people whom he knew and what each could do. Think as hard as he would, he could think of no one who could do anything he couldn't do.

"There isn't anyone," said Billy Mink right out loud, just like that. "There isn't anyone!"

"Chugarum," said Grandfather Frog.

Billy Mink looked over to the big green lily-pad on which Grandfather Frog was sitting. Grandfather Frog was gazing up at jolly, round Mr. Sun. There wasn't the teeniest, weeniest smile about Grandfather Frog's big mouth, and yet Billy Mink felt that way down inside Grandfather Frog was laughing at him.

All at one Billy Mink felt more uncomfortable than ever, and he didn't feel a bit better when Grandfather Frog turned his back to him and began to sing in a deep voice that seemed to come from the very bottom of his stomach:

"Bragging tongues, so I've heard say
For discomfort pave the way."

"Now what do you mean by that?" snapped Billy Mink.

"Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing at all I was just talking to myself."

Billy Mink looked at him very hard but Grandfather Frog looked as solemn as ever.

"Huh!" said Billy Mink and slid down into the Smiling Pool. He swam over and started up the Laughing Brook, and as he went he heard Grandfather Frog singing once more. He stopped to listen and this is what he heard:

"Pride runs on before a fall,
And doesn't mind its feet;
The one who wins a race keep still
Till after he has beat."

"Huh!" said Billy Mink, but just the same he felt more uncomfortable than ever.