The mitten

The mitten ADAPTED AND ILLUSTRATED BY JAN BRETT   Once there was a boy named Nicki who wanted his new mittens made from wool as white as snow.   At first, his grandmother, Baba, did not want to knit white mittens. "If you drop one in the snow," she warned, "you'll never find it."   But nicki wanted snow-white mittens, and finally Baba made them. After she finished she said, "When you come home, first I will look to see if you are safe and sound, but then I will look to see if you still have your snow-white mittens."   So off Nicki went. And it wasn't long until one of his new mittens dropped in the snow and was left behind.   A mole, tired from tunneling along, discovered the mitten and burrowed inside. It was cozy and warm and just the right size, so he decided to stay.   A snowshoe rabbit came hopping by. He stopped for a moment to admire his winter coat. It was then that he saw the mitten, and he wiggled in, feet first. The mole did't think there was room for both of them, but when he saw the rabbit's big kickers he moved over.   Next a hedgehog came snuffling along. Having spent the day looking under wet leaves for things to eat, he decided to move into the mitten and warm himself. The mole and the rabbit were bumped and jostled, but not being ones to argue with someone covered with prickles, they made room.   As soon as the hedgegog disappeared into the mitten, a big owl, attracted by the commotion, swooped down, When he decided to move in also, the mole, the rabbit, and the hedgehog grumbled. But when they saw the owl's glinty talons, they quickly let him in.   Up through the snow appeared a badger. He eyed the mitten and began to climb in. The mole, the rabbit, the hedgehog and the owl were not pleased. There was no room left, but when they saw his diggers, they gave him the thumb.   It started snowing, but the animals were snug in the mitten. A waft of warm steam rose in the air, and a fox trotting by stopped to investigate. Just the sight of the cozy mitten made him feel drowsy. The fox poked his muzzle in. When the mole, the rabbit, the hedgehog, the owl, and the badger saw his shiny teeth, they gave the fox lots of room.   A great bear lumbered by. He spied the mitten all plumped up. Not being one to bo left out in the cold, he began to nose his way in. The animals were packed in as tightly as could be. But what animal would argue with a bear?   The mitten swelled and stretched. It was pulled and bulged to many times its size. But baba's good knitting held fast.     Along came a meadow mouse, no bigger than an acorn.She wriggled into the one space left, and made herself comfortable on top of the great bear's nose.   The bear, tickled by the mouse's whiskers, gave an enormous sneeze. Aaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa-ca-chew! The force of the wneeze shot the mitten up into the sky, and scattered the animals in all directions.   On his way home, Nicki saw a white shape in the distance. It was the lost mitten silhouetted against the blue sky.   As he ran to catch his snow-white mitten, he saw Baba's face in the window. First she looked to see if he was safe and sound, and then she saw that he still had his new mittens.     <STYLE>P{margin-top:2px;margin-bottom:2px;}</STYLE>