pretty sure that he wouldn't go far away from the old fence
post, in the hollow of which he was snug and safe.

Old Granny Fox is very smart. "Danny Meadow Mouse won't put his
nose out of that old fence post for a day or two. Then he'll get
tired of staying inside all the time, and he'll peep out of one
of his little round doorways to see if the way is clear. If he
doesn't see any danger, he'll come out and run around on top of
the snow to get some of the seeds in the tops of the tall grasses
that stick out through the snow. If nothing frightens him, he'll
keep going a little farther and a little farther from that old
fence post. I must see to it that Danny Meadow Mouse isn't
frightened for a few days." So said old Granny Fox to herself, as
she lay under a hemlock tree, studying how she could best get the
next meal.

Then she called Reddy Fox to her and forbade him to go down on
the meadows until she should tell him he might. Reddy grumbled
and mumbled and didn't see why he shouldn't go where he pleased,
but he didn't dare disobey. You see, he had a sore foot. He had
hurt it on a wire barb when he was plunging through the snow
after Danny Meadow Mouse, and now he had to run on three legs.
That meant that he must depend upon Granny Fox to help him get
enough to eat. So Reddy didn't dare to disobey.

It all came out just as Granny Fox had thought it would. Danny
Meadow Mouse did get tired of staying in the old fence post. He
did peep out first, and then he did run a little way on the
snow, and then a little farther and a little farther. But all the
time he took great care not to get more than a jump or two from
one of his little round doorways leading down to his tunnels
under the snow.

Hidden on the edge of the Green Forest, Granny Fox watched him.
She looked up at the sky, and she knew that it was going to snow
again. "That's good," said she. "Tomorrow morning I'll have fat
Meadow Mouse for breakfast," and she smiled a hungry smile.

The next morning, before jolly, round, red Mr. Sun was out of
bed, old Granny Fox trotted down onto the meadows and straight
over to where, down under the snow, lay the old fence post. It
had snowed again, and all the little doorways of Danny Meadow
Mouse were covered up with soft, fleecy snow. Behind Granny Fox
limped Reddy Fox, grumbling to himself.

When they reached the place where the old fence post lay buried
under the snow, old Granny Fox stretched out as flat as she
could