see it clearly

Hooty The Owl's Castle

By Thornton W. Burgess

Jimmy Skunk picked his way through the Green Forest talking to himself, which is a way he has. He had met Peter Rabbit running and looking as if a ghost was at his heels. When he had asked Peter what the matter was Peter's teeth had chattered so with fright that he couldn't speak. He had just pointed in the direction from which he had come and then hurried on. Now Jimmy Skunk isn't afraid of much of anything, so as he didn't have anything better to do he took it into his head that he would go see what had frightened Peter Rabbit so.

"Mr. Fraidy runs away
From his shadow every day.
Shakes and shivers so with fright
He cannot even sleep at night."

"What's that you' am saying, Brer Skunk?"

Jimmy looked up at Unc' Billy Possum, who was looking down from his doorway in a big hollow tree.

"Com on, Unc' Billy, let's go see what has frightened Peter Rabbit so," replied Jimmy Skunk, and then told Unc' Billy all about his meeting with Peter. Now Unc' Billy Possum is more timid than Jimmy Skunk but he isn't afraid of, so he climbed down from the big hollow tree and joined Jimmy. Together they picked their way through the Green Forest to that dark lonesome corner of it from which Peter had come, and all the time they kept their sharp eyes wide open to see what had frightened Peter Rabbit.

By and by they reached the foot of the tall pine tree where Peter had seen the queer little balls of fur and feathers and bones. Unc' Billy saw them right away and he didn't have to look twice to know what they were. He had seen little balls like that before. He grabbed Jimmy Skunk by the tail and put one hand on his lips as a sign to keep still. Then he backed away and drew Jimmy after him.

"What's the matter?" whispered Jimmy Skunk.

Unc' Billy said nothing but led Jimmy to a pile of brush under which he crawled, Jimmy following him. Then peeping out from this safe retreat Unc' Billy pointed to the top of the tall pine tree. There sat Hooty the Owl and close to him was a bundle of sticks made into a rough sort of platform. Jimmy Skunk looked puzzled.

"That's the old home of Redtail the Hawk; he gave it up two years ago. What's Hooty doing there?" muttered Jimmy.

"It's his castle!" whispered Unc' Billy. "It's his home, the place where he lives. Don't yo' see those li'l balls of fur and feathers down there on the ground? After Hooty has made a meal he rolls the fur and feathers and bones up into little balls and spits them out because they are no good for food, yo' know." Unc' Billy suddenly grabbed Jimmy Skunk in great excitement. "What's that on that old bundle of sticks?" he whispered.

Jimmy peeped out carefully. Then his eyes opened wider than ever. "It's -- it's --," he paused as if he didn't know what to say.

"It's a Mrs. Hooty! Hooty the Owl has married." Unc' billy finished for him. "Ah spects this place isn't no way safe fo' honest folks any mo'. Ah must hurry home and warn mah fam'ly to keep away from this part of the Green Forest.