A chatty family of field mice lived in an old stone wall near a granary but the farmer had moved away so the the little mice, when winter was not far off, began to gather corn and nuts and wheat and straw.

They all worked, all except Frederick.

"Frederick why don't you work?" they asked. 

"I do work", said Frederick "I gather sun rays for the cold, dark winter days".

"I gather colours for winter is grey, I gather words for the winter days are long and many"

"Are you dreaming Frederick?" they said reproachfully.

But Frederick said "Oh no, I'm gathering words for the winter days are long and many".

The winter days came, the little field mice took to their hideout in the stones.

In the beginning, there was lots to eat.

They were happy.

But little by little they had nibbled everything.

It was cold in the wall.

"What about your supplies Frederick?" they asked.

"Close your eyes", said Frederick. "Now I send you the rays of the sun."

And as Frederick spoke of the sun, the four little mice began to feel warmer.

"And how about the colours Frederick?" 

"Close your eyes again".

And when he told them of the blue perriwinkles, the red poppies and the yellow wheat and the green leaves of the berry bush - they saw the colours as clearly as if they 'd been painted in their minds.

"And the words Frederick?"

Frederick said "Who scatters snowflakes? Who melts the ice? Who spoils the weather? Who makes it nice? Who grows the four-leaf clovers in June? Who dims the daylight? Who lights the sun? Four little mice who live in the sky, four little field mice like you and I. Spring is first with April showers, summer next with fragrant flowers. Then comes fall with nuts and wheat and winter last with chilly feet. Aren't we lucky the seasons are four? Think of a year with one less or one more" .