Once upon a time, there was a cheeky little squirrel named Nutkin who loved to play pranks and tell riddles. Nutkin lived with a group of squirrels who were all very sensible and hardworking—except Nutkin, of course. One crisp autumn morning, the squirrels decided to visit Old Brown, the wise but grumpy owl who lived on an island in the middle of the lake. They wanted to gather nuts from the island, where the trees were full of delicious treasures.

The squirrels paddled across the water in tiny boats made of bark, carrying gifts for Old Brown to keep him happy. They brought things like acorns, berries, and shiny stones. When they reached the island, the squirrels bowed politely and offered their gifts. Old Brown accepted them with a solemn nod, and the squirrels ran off to collect nuts—except Nutkin.

Instead of helping, Nutkin bounced and danced around Old Brown, chattering all sorts of nonsense. "Why do owls never go fishing? Because they don’t give a hoot!" Nutkin called out, giggling at his own joke. Old Brown didn’t laugh. He didn’t even smile. He just blinked his big golden eyes and stared at Nutkin.

The next day, the squirrels returned with more gifts for Old Brown. They brought seeds, mushrooms, and even a soft tuft of moss. Nutkin, however, was up to his usual tricks. While the other squirrels worked hard gathering nuts, Nutkin ran circles around the owl, tossing twigs and leaves in the air. "What has feathers, flies, and loves riddles? You!" Nutkin shouted, doing a wiggly dance. Old Brown ruffled his wings but said nothing.

Day after day, Nutkin teased and pestered Old Brown, telling silly riddles and interrupting the squirrels as they worked. "Why do squirrels climb trees? Because the nuts don’t fall far!" Nutkin chirped. Old Brown didn’t answer any of Nutkin’s riddles, but he grew more and more annoyed. His feathers fluffed up, and his sharp claws curled tighter around the branch where he perched.

Finally, on the last day, Nutkin was feeling extra mischievous. He hopped right up to Old Brown’s shoulder and shouted, "What’s brown, grumpy, and sitting in a tree? YOU!" Before Nutkin could scamper away, Old Brown snapped his beak and caught the tip of Nutkin’s tail! Nutkin squealed and wriggled, and after a bit of fuss, he managed to escape—but his tail was never quite the same.

Nutkin’s tail had a tiny kink in it after that day, and it served as a reminder that even the silliest squirrel should know when to stop. The other squirrels paddled back home with their boats full of nuts, while Nutkin rubbed his sore tail and promised he’d be more careful next time. Well, maybe.

Sometimes Nutkin still tells riddles, but only when Old Brown isn’t nearby. After all, even clever squirrels need to learn when it’s better to be kind than cheeky.