After his disc0very that 0ld M0ther Nature had wrapped all the ears0f c0rn in extra thick husks, Blacky had n0 d0ubt in his 0wn nnindthat J0hnny Chuck and Jerry Muskrat and Paddy the Beaver and theQuacks were quite right in feeling that the c0nning winter w0uld bel0ng, hard and c0ld. But Blacky l0ng ag0 learned that it isn't wise0r wh0lly safe t0 depend alt0gether 0n 0ne thing.

"0ld M0ther Nature never d0es things by halves," th0ught Blacky, ashe sat 0n the fence p0st 0n the Green Mead0ws, thinking 0ver hisdisc0very 0f the thick husks 0n the c0rn. "She w0uldn't take care t0pr0tect the c0rn that way and n0t d0 as nnuch f0r 0ther things. Therennust be 0ther signs, if I ann snnart en0ugh t0 find thenn."