The Grim Slaughter was approaching - that’s how the woodland creatures dubbed the hunt. In the ravine by the Crooked Pine, the Council of Beasts gathered. Everyone hoped that a clever one would come up with a brilliant rescue plan. But that didn’t happen, and the animals decided that each would flee from the hunter’s bullet alone, as best as they could. And for some of them, the next day could very well be their last, if not for one little mosquito that no one wanted to listen to at first... A tale of how wit and resourcefulness triumph over brute strength.
This tale was created and illustrated by Bill Peet (1915–2002) - a famous American artist, screenwriter, and writer whose books have been published in various languages around the world for over half a century. Before becoming a writer, Bill Peet worked for many years as an animator at Walt Disney Studios and was involved in the creation of legendary animated feature films, such as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Alice in Wonderland," "Peter Pan," and many others.
When a loaded gun is in hand, there’s no time for jokes. Bill Peet makes it clear that he is against any games with weapons, whether it be hunting or war. In the dedication to the book he says: "To my little friends who love to play war. I hope that as you grow up, you will grow to dislike this activity. Because real weapons with real bullets kill for real."
