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by Rick Walton
It was only fall, but when Little Big Mouth left for school he wore his heavy winter coat, because it was very cold out.
He had almost arrived at school when a tree reached down a branch and grabbed him.
"Little Big Mouth," said the tree, "I'm so cold. Won't you lend me your coat?"
Little Big Mouth saw the tree's leaves shivering. And he saw how close the school was. He decided he could last in the cold that far. So he took off his coat and wrapped it around the tree's trunk. "You can wear it until school is over. Then I must have it back."
"Oh thank you," said the tree, "thank you very much."
All day the tree was warm in Little Big Mouth's coat. And Little Big Mouth was warm because he stayed indoors all day.
But after school was over, Little Big Mouth ran to the tree. "School is over, tree," said Little Big Mouth. "I need my coat back."
"No," said the tree. "It's my coat now. It's a nice, warm coat, and you gave it to me."
Little Big Mouth began to shiver in the cold. "Give me back my coat," he said.
"No," said the tree.
Little Big Mouth closed his eyes, took a deep breath, opened his mouth just a little wider, and said, "Give me back my coat."
The leaves on the tree began to shake, just a little. The tree thought the wind must be waking up.
"No," said the tree. "I think I'll keep this coat until spring."
Little Big Mouth took a deeper breath, opened his mouth a little bit more, and said, "GIVE ME BACK MY COAT."
Some of the leaves blew off their branches. Looks like we're in for a storm, thought the tree.
"Nope," said the tree. "You can't have it."
Little Big Mouth took a very deep breath, opened his mouth a great deal more, and said, "GIVE ME BACK MY COAT!"
Whoa! thought the tree as the rest of its leaves fell to the ground, along with many of its branches. Maybe a hurricane's coming.
"Go home Little Big Mouth and leave me alone," said the tree.
Little Big Mouth was now very angry. He closed his eyes. Then he took a tremendously deep breath. His chest puffed out like a giant pumpkin. He opened his mouth as wide as possible, which was very wide, and he yelled, "G I V E M E B A C K M Y C O A T!
RRRRIIIPPPP! the tree heard as it felt its roots being pulled from the ground. Then WHOOSH! away flew the tree, over the houses, and over the city. That's some wind, thought the tree as it flew out of sight.
Then Little Big Mouth picked up his coat, which had slipped off the tree's trunk, put it on, and went home.
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