The Tale of Peter Mink Sleepy-Time Tales

Peter Mink wanders Pleasant Valley and the slopes of Blue Mountain without a home, his neck impossibly long and his thin frame slipping through any crack he finds. Though ragged and often scowling, he’s a remarkable swimmer who can dive beneath ice and pull trout and eels from the water with ease, a skill that draws the admiration of Jimmy Rabbit, Frisky Squirrel, and Billy Woodchuck. The forest youths love his daring spirit, even as the older residents whisper that his uncouth habits set a poor example.

When Peter shows up at Mrs. Rabbit’s door, hungry and boisterous, she offers him a meal on the condition that he work it off, a suggestion he accepts out of habit rather than gratitude. His manners are blunt—he eats with both hands, never says “please,” and avoids any labor whenever possible—making the polite rabbit families uneasy. Yet his boldness and uncanny ability to navigate narrow places keep the children intrigued and hint at the adventures that lie ahead.