Once upon a time, on a beautiful island that stood in the center of a great big lake, there lived in the heart of a kindly old oak tree a dear little squirrel family. There were three in all; Father, Mother and Fluffy-tail, and they were just the happiest family one could imagine.

Father Squirrel worked hard all day long gathering nuts to store away so that they would all have enough food in the larder for winter, and when Mother Squirrel was not too busy doing her housework she too helped to gather nuts, which she would tuck away in all sorts of places so that no lazy squirrels could find them. She knew that there were some lazy little rascals who would play all summer long and that when the winter came their poor babies would ofttimes cry because they were so hungry.

Not that she would not help any one in need, for she was a good, kind mother, but she knew from experience that those little squirrels who would not work and gather nuts when they were plentiful, would help themselves to other folks’ supply if they had a chance to do so.

One day while Mrs. Squirrel was ironing some pretty petties for Fluffy-tail she heard a knock at the door. It was a messenger from Mrs. Squire Squirrel inviting Fluffy-tail to a surprise-party to be given to her little daughter Furrikins. When Fluffy-tail came bouncing in to dinner that day and saw something pink peeping out from under her plate, you can just imagine how delighted she was when she pulled it out and found it was an invitation to a party, for parties were few and far between on the Island.

They had to be just after the summer visitors left the place, as it would not be very safe while they were there. With summer visitors there was sure to be a boy with a gun who was always just so hungry for squirrel pot-pie. In the winter it was too cold, and in the spring there was seldom enough food left for regular meals, much less a party. So now the time was just right and Fluffy-tail thought she was never so happy in all her life.