TWIGMAN AND THE SQUIRREL WITHOUT A TAIL

ONE MORNING WHEN THE WOOD CUTTER, TWIGMAN, WAS GOING TO THE FOREST TO CUT TREES, HE SAW A SQUIRREL LAYING ON THE GROUND. THE SQUIRREL DID NOT HAVE A TAIL. HE SAID TO THE SQUIRREL, "WHY ARE YOU LAYING THERE ON THE GROUND. THE SQUIRREL SAID, "I FELL FROM THAT ELECTRIC WIRE BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE A TAIL TO HELP ME KEEP MY BALANCE."

TWIGMAN ASKED THE SQUIRREL WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIS TAIL. THE SQUIRREL TOLD HIM A HUNGRY FOX HAD TRIED TO EAT HIM FOR BREAKFAST BUT HAD ONLY BITTEN OFF HIS TAIL BEFORE HE HAD RAN AWAY. THE SQUIRREL SAID, "I WISH HE HAD EATEN ME. I CAN NOT RUN ON THE ELECTIC WIRES BECAUSE I CAN NOT KEEP MY BALANCE.

I CAN NOT SIGNAL DANGER TO MY SQUIREL FRIENDS WITH MY TAIL AND I CAN NOT JUMP FROM TREE TO TREE WITHOUT MY TAIL TO USE FOR A RUDDER TO GUIDE ME FOR A SAFE LANDING. I WISH I WAS DEAD."

TWIGMAN SAID, "DO NOT BE SO SAD. I CAN FIX YOU A NEW TAIL WITH A TWIG. BUT WHEN TWIGMAN FASTENED THE NEW TAIL TO THE SQUIRREL, IT WAS TOO LONG.

TWIGMAN TRIED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE TAIL WAS TOO SHORT. THE SQUIRREL BEGAN TO CRY. TWIGMAN SAID, "WE CAN TRY AGAIN."

ON THE THIRD TRY THE TAIL WAS TOO BUSHY BUT TWIGMAN WOULD NEVER GIVE UP AND TRIED AGAIN.

THIS HIS TIME THE TAIL WAS JUST RIGHT AND THE SQUIRREL RAN UP THE POLE AND ACROSS THE WIRE AS HE SAID THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO TWIGMAN.