At last he was safe and sat trembling on the lowest branch of a beech-tree. The forest was a new world to him and he asked many questions of a fat, old Gray Squirrel. The Gray Squirrel was one of those people who know a great deal and think that they know a great, great deal, and want others to think so too. He was so very knowing and important that, although he answered all of Mr. Red Squirrel's questions, he really did not tell him any of the things which he most wanted to know, and this is the way in which they talked: "What is the name of this place?" asked Mr. Red Squirrel. "This? Why this is the forest, of course," answered the Gray Squirrel. "We have no other name for it. It is possible that there are other forests in the world, but they cannot be so fine as this, so we call ours 'the forest.'" "Are there pleasant neighbors here?" asked Mr. Red Squirrel. "Very good, very good. My wife and I do not call on many of them, but still they are good enough people, I think." "Then why don't you call?" "Why? Why? Because they are not in our set. It would never do." And the Gray Squirrel sat up very straight indeed. "Who is that gliding fellow on the ground below?" asked the newcomer. "Is he one of your friends?" "That? That is the Rattlesnake. We never speak to each other. There has always been trouble between our families." "Who lives in that hollow tree yonder?" "Sh, sh! That is where the Great Horned Owl has his home. He is asleep now and must not be awakened, for Squirrels and Owls cannot be friendly." "Why not?" "Because. It has always been so." "And who is that bird just laying an egg in her nest above us?" "Speak softly, please. That is the Cowbird, and it is not her nest. You will get into trouble if you talk such things aloud. She can't help it. She has to lay her eggs in other birds' nests, but they don't like it." Mr. Red Squirrel tried very hard to find out the reason for this, but there are always some things for which no reason can be given; and there are many questions which can never be answered, even if one were to ask, "Why? why? why?" all day long. So Mr. Red Squirrel, being a wise little fellow, stopped asking, and thought by using his eyes and ears he would in time learn all that he needed to know. He had good eyes and keen ears, and he learned very fast without making many mistakes. He had a very happy life among the forest people, and perhaps that was one reason. He learned not to say things which made his friends feel badly, and he did not ask needless questions. And after all, you know, it would have been very foolish to ask questions which nobody could answer, and worse than foolish to ask about matters which he could find out for himself. It is in the forest as in the world outside. We can know that many things are, but we never know why they are. [Illustration] WHY MR GREAT HORNED OWL HATCHED THE EGGS