The Tale of Peter Mink

MP3 Audio CD. The Tale of Peter Mink

HOW PETER WAS DIFFERENT


There were two ways in which Peter Mink was different from any other
person in Pleasant Valley, or on Blue Mountain, either. In the first
place, he had no home; and in the second, he had a very long neck.

The reason why Peter had no home was because he didn't want one. And the
reason why he had such a long neck was because he couldn't help it.

When he grew sleepy he would crawl into any snug place he happened to
find--sometimes in a hollow stump, or in a pile of rocks, or a
haystack. And often he even drove a muskrat out of his house, so he
could sleep there.

Most of the time Peter Mink went about in rags and tatters. Whenever he
did have a new suit (which wasn't often) it never looked well for long.
Naturally, sleeping in all sorts of places did not improve it. But what
specially wore out his clothes was the way he was always squeezing
through small holes and cracks. Wherever Peter saw a narrow place he
never could resist trying to get through it.

He was a long, slim fellow, with a small, snake-like head. And he always
knew that if he could squeeze his head through a crack he could get his
body through it, too.

It is not at all strange that Mrs. Rabbit and Mrs. Squirrel and Mrs.
Woodchuck--as well as a good many other people--did not care to have
their sons in Peter Mink's company. They said that any one who went
about looking as untidy as he did, and without a home, was not likely to
set a good example to the young.