Whiffet Squirrel

In Short

This whimsical story follows a family of squirrels who move into an abandoned birdhouse and begin a life of petty theft. When the smallest squirrel, Whiffet, leads her brothers to raid a nearby farmhouse for doll clothes and accessories, the family enjoys a brief period of fashionable living. However, their pilfering eventually leads to a confrontation with the human owners of the items. It is a lighthearted, moralistic piece of juvenile fiction that captures the spirit of early twentieth-century children’s literature, emphasizing character growth and the importance of respecting property.

The Story

The Squirrel family—Father, Mother, and their three children, Whiffet, Skiffet, and Skud—live in an old chestnut tree, desperately seeking a safer home than their current pine stump. One spring morning, Mother Squirrel discovers a small, vacant birdhouse on a branch of the chestnut tree. Though intended for birds, she is enchanted by the structure and, after scaring away a pair of interested robins by falsely claiming a cat is approaching, she secures the house for her family. Father Squirrel paints a "NO TRESPASSING" sign to ensure their privacy, unaware that the house was actually built by a boy named Tom for his sister, Polly.

Life in the tree is peaceful until the mischievous Whiffet spots a window in the nearby farmhouse leading to Polly’s room. Seeing a collection of doll toys, she fixates on a small trunk filled with doll clothing and accessories. Despite the inherent risk, she bullies her brothers into helping her steal these items. Over several trips, the squirrels successfully haul the doll’s wardrobe up to their treehouse, leaving the trunk empty. The family is delighted with their new finery: Skiffet claims a red sweater, Skud takes blue overalls, and Whiffet becomes obsessed with a blue evening dress and a set of doll-sized grooming tools, including a mirror and powder puff.

The theft remains undiscovered until autumn, when the falling leaves reveal the birdhouse to Tom. He and Polly climb the tree, finding their belongings inside. They reclaim the essential grooming tools, leaving the clothing behind as it is now ruined, and depart before the squirrels return. When Whiffet discovers her prized vanity items are missing, she is furious, but the loss marks the end of their brief experiment with human luxury. The squirrels are forced to return to their natural state, leaving the reader to reflect on the foolishness of their vanity. The story concludes with the siblings having to navigate life without their stolen finery, while the humans wisely leave the squirrels to their woodland home, signaling a return to the proper order of things.

How It Unfolds

A new beginning Mother Squirrel discovers a birdhouse and immediately claims it, using a clever ruse to drive away competition. The family moves in, delighted by the structure, while unaware that they are occupying a space intended for children’s play.

The lure of luxury Whiffet catches a glimpse of a doll’s trunk inside the farmhouse and convinces her brothers to help her steal it. The daring heist requires careful coordination and multiple trips, highlighting the squirrels' capacity for mischief.

The cost of vanity The squirrels revel in their stolen clothes, with Whiffet, in particular, becoming vain and obsessed with her appearance. They lead a life of domestic pretense until their human victims inadvertently stumble upon the secret stash.

Consequences and closure Tom and Polly retrieve their treasures, leaving the squirrels empty-handed and irritable. The story ends with the family adjusting to their former simplicity, stripped of the items they never truly owned.

The People

Mother Squirrel is the practical, resourceful heart of the family. She is the one who secures the home and protects it with cunning, though she remains largely unaware of her children’s more ambitious thefts until after the fact. Father Squirrel acts as a loyal supporter, reinforcing the family’s boundaries with his "NO TRESPASSING" sign.

Whiffet is the undeniable protagonist of the mischief. As the smallest of the three children, she is remarkably bold, prone to bossing her brothers, and driven by a vanity that eventually becomes her downfall. She represents the impulsive nature of youth, valuing superficial beauty and status over the safety of her home. Her brothers, Skiffet and Skud, serve as her reluctant accomplices; they are easily swayed by her leadership and participate in the thefts, though they lack her intense, singular obsession with the doll’s mirror and powder puff.

Polly and Tom are the human counterparts who provide the structure of the world outside the tree. They are not villains but owners of the items stolen by the squirrels. Their discovery of the "theft" serves as the turning point for the story, forcing the squirrels to confront the reality that their actions have consequences. While the humans reclaim what is rightfully theirs, they do not pursue the squirrels, allowing the animals to return to their natural, if slightly less stylish, existence.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the moment Mother Squirrel spots the sign on the birdhouse:

When Mother Squirrel saw the sign "FOR RENT" she nearly fell backwards off the porch in her joy and excitement.

Reflecting on Whiffet’s decision to lead her brothers into the farmhouse:

Whiffet Squirrel the tiniest of the three could think of more mischief than her two big brothers Skiffet and Skud put together.

Describing Whiffet’s reaction to the disappearance of her stolen vanity items:

That night when Whiffet went to look for her mirror and powder puff she exclaimed angrily, stamping her little blue slippered foot, "the nerve of some people."

What It's Really About

At its core, this is a story about the boundaries between the natural world and the human world. It explores the folly of anthropomorphism—the squirrels try to live like people, and in doing so, they become "vain" and "mischievous" in ways that are specifically human-coded. The narrative suggests that there is a proper order to the world: when animals overstep by coveting human possessions, they lose their peace of mind. Themes of accountability and the fleeting nature of material status are central; the squirrels’ happiness is tied to stolen items, and they are inevitably miserable once the order is restored. It serves as a gentle critique of vanity, showing how pride can make one feel entitled to things they haven't earned.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy classic, gentle fables that possess a slightly mischievous edge will find this a quick and rewarding read. There is a distinct, rhythmic charm to the prose that evokes the cozy, moral-driven atmosphere of early twentieth-century children’s literature. The book feels like a relic of a time when stories for children were expected to teach a firm, if lighthearted, lesson about behavior.

Modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific tone. The squirrels are portrayed with a level of agency and human-like dialogue that creates a playful, theatrical effect, though it may strike some as simplistic by contemporary standards. The language is accessible and clear, making it a wonderful candidate for reading aloud. While the moral is straightforward, the image of a squirrel stamping a tiny, slippered foot in a fit of pique is a vivid, memorable highlight that lingers long after the final page. It is a brief, focused narrative that does not overstay its welcome, providing a perfect snapshot of a bygone style of storytelling. If you appreciate tales where the animals speak, the houses have porches, and the moral is delivered with a wink, this will be a delight.