Unhappinesswithoutacauseyounever,neverfind; Itmaybeinthestomach,oritmaybeinthemind. WhitefoottheWoodmouseshouldhavebeenhappy,buthewasn’t. WinterhadgoneandsweetMistressSpringhadbroughtjoytoalltheGreenForest. Everyonewashappy,Whitefootnolesssothanhisneighborsatfirst. UpfromtheSunnySouthcamethefeatheredfriendsandatoncebeganplanningnewhomes.Twitteringsandsongsfilledtheair.Joywaseverywhere. Foodbecameplentiful,andWhitefootbecamesleekandfat. Thatis,hebecameasfatasalivelyWoodmouseeverdoesbecome. Noneofhisenemieshaddiscoveredhisnewhome,andhehadlittletoworryabout. ButbyandbyWhitefootbegantofeellessjoyous. Daybydayhegrewmoreandmoreunhappy. Henolongertookpleasureinhisfinehome. Hebegantowanderaboutfornoparticularreason. Hewanderedmuchfartherfromhomethanhehadeverbeeninthehabitofdoing. Attimeshewouldsitandlisten,butwhathewaslisteningforhedidn’tknow. “Thereissomethingthematterwithme,andIdon’tknowwhatitis,”saidWhitefoottohimselfforlornly.“Itcan’tbeanythingIhaveeaten.Ihavenothingtoworryabout.Yetthereissomethingwrongwithme.I’mlosingmyappetite.Nothingtastesgoodanymore. Iwantsomething,butIdon’tknowwhatitisIwant.” Hetriedtotellhistroublestohisnearestneighbor,TimmytheFlyingSquirrel,butTimmywastoobusytolisten. WhenPeterRabbithappenedalong,Whitefoottriedtotellhim. ButPeterhimselfwastoohappyandtooeagertolearnallthenewsintheGreenForesttolisten. NoonehadanyinterestinWhitefoot’stroubles. Everyonewastoobusywithhisownaffairs. SodaybydayWhitefoottheWoodmousegrewmoreandmoreunhappy,andwhentheduskofearlyeveningcamecreepingthroughtheGreenForest,hesataboutandmopedinsteadofrunningaboutandplayingashehadbeeninthehabitofdoing. ThebeautifulsongofMelodytheWoodThrushsomehowfilledhimwithsadnessinsteadofwiththejoyhehadalwaysfeltbefore. Theveryhappinessofthoseabouthimseemedtomakehimmoreunhappy. Oncehealmostdecidedtogohuntforanotherhome,butsomehowhecouldn’tgetinterestedeveninthis. Hedidstartout,buthehadnotgonefarbeforehehadforgottenallaboutwhathehadstartedfor. Alwayshehadlovedtorunaboutandclimbandjumpforthepurepleasureofit,butnowhenolongerdidthesethings.Hewasunhappy,wasWhitefoot. Yes,sir,hewasunhappy;andfornocauseatallsofarashecouldsee. 
