Mr Possum and Mr Coon are good companions who enjoy travelling together through the countryside. Although they share their journeys and spend time in each other’s company, the two friends have very different ideas about dealing with danger. Mr Coon believes in standing his ground when confronted, while Mr Possum prefers to avoid trouble whenever possible. One evening, their peaceful journey takes an unexpected turn when Mr Dog suddenly attacks them in the woods. Mr Coon fights back, but Mr Possum falls to the ground and pretends to be dead. When the friends meet again, Mr Coon challenges his companion’s courage, leading to a humorous explanation of why Mr Possum would rather keep the peace.
Why Mr. Possum Loves Peace
One evening, Mr Possum decided to visit his friend, Mr Coon. The two animals had arranged to meet, and Mr Possum was keeping their agreement. They were familiar companions who had enjoyed many outings together, and neither considered it unusual to spend an evening in the other’s company.
When Mr Possum arrived, the friends settled down to enjoy some food. They ate a dish of fried greens and smoked a cigar before deciding to go out. Once they had finished, they set off together to see how things were going in the settlement.
Mr Coon was a steady traveller. He moved at a measured pace, taking his time as he made his way along the road. Mr Possum, on the other hand, preferred to move much faster. He travelled at a lively trot, and before long the two friends had covered a considerable distance.
Their journey was pleasant, and neither appeared to be in a hurry to return home. As they travelled, each found something to eat. Mr Possum came across persimmons and ate until he was satisfied. Mr Coon searched for frogs and tadpoles, gathering a good number as they continued along their way.
The two animals remained together, enjoying the journey and the company. There was nothing to suggest that their evening would end in an unpleasant encounter. They were simply travelling through the settlement, eating what they found and talking as friends often do.
However, their peaceful outing was interrupted when they heard Mr Dog talking to himself somewhere in the distant woods.
A Conversation About Danger
The sound of Mr Dog’s voice made Mr Coon think about what might happen if the animal came across them. He knew that an encounter with Mr Dog could quickly become dangerous, so he turned to his companion and raised the possibility.
He asked Mr Possum what he would do if Mr Dog suddenly appeared and ran towards them.
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Mr Possum did not seem particularly worried. Instead of expressing fear, he smiled slightly and assured Mr Coon that he would stand by him if trouble arose. His answer suggested that he was prepared to help his friend face whatever danger might come their way.
Having made this promise, Mr Possum turned the question around and asked Mr Coon what he would do if Mr Dog attacked.
Mr Coon answered confidently. He was not one to run away from a challenge, and he declared that if Mr Dog came after him, he would give the animal a good beating.
The two friends had now revealed their different attitudes towards danger. Mr Coon was ready to confront an attacker, while Mr Possum appeared content to rely on his companion’s strength. Nevertheless, Mr Possum’s assurance that he would stand by Mr Coon gave no indication of the behaviour he would soon display.
Their conversation ended, and they continued along the road. They had no time to prepare for what happened next.
Mr Dog Attacks the Friends
Mr Dog suddenly came rushing out of the woods. He approached the two travellers at speed and attacked without stopping to greet them or giving them an opportunity to prepare themselves.
The attack was so sudden that Mr Possum had little time to react. As soon as Mr Dog reached him, Mr Possum’s mouth stretched into a broad grin. Almost immediately, he fell to the ground and became completely motionless.
He lay there as though he were dead.
Mr Dog then turned his attention to Mr Coon. Unlike his companion, Mr Coon did not collapse or pretend to be helpless. He stood his ground and defended himself with all his strength.
Mr Coon proved to be a difficult opponent. He fought so fiercely that Mr Dog soon realised he was not going to have an easy victory. The struggle became too much for the attacker, and Mr Dog looked for an opportunity to escape.
As soon as he could get away, he ran through the woods as quickly as possible. He did not remain to continue the fight, and before long he had disappeared from sight.
Mr Coon had successfully defended himself. After the danger passed, he straightened his clothes and prepared to continue his journey.
Mr Possum, however, was still lying on the ground.
He had not moved throughout the confrontation. He remained in the same position, with his mouth stretched into the grin that had appeared when Mr Dog first attacked him.
Only after some time had passed did he begin to move. He raised himself carefully and looked around to make certain that the danger was over. Once he was satisfied that the way was clear, he quickly got up and hurried away.
The encounter had ended, but it would soon create a disagreement between the two friends.
Mr Coon Refuses to Greet His Friend
Some time later, Mr Possum met Mr Coon again. He approached his old companion expecting the usual friendly greeting. After all, they had travelled together many times and had shared several pleasant outings.
This time, however, Mr Coon refused to return his greeting.
Mr Possum was hurt by the sudden change in his friend’s behaviour. He could not understand why Mr Coon was holding his head so high and behaving as though he no longer wished to associate with him.
He asked what had happened and why his companion was treating him with such pride.
Mr Coon made his feelings clear. He explained that he no longer spent time with cowards. If he wanted Mr Possum’s company, he would send for him, but he had no intention of continuing their friendship as before.
Mr Possum became angry when he heard this. He demanded to know whom Mr Coon was calling a coward.
Mr Coon answered without hesitation. He said that Mr Possum was the coward he meant, and he reminded him of the incident with Mr Dog.
According to Mr Coon, he had no respect for anyone who threw himself to the ground and pretended to be dead whenever a fight began. He considered such behaviour shameful, especially because Mr Possum had promised to stand by him only moments before the attack.
Mr Possum had claimed that he would help his friend, yet the moment Mr Dog appeared, he had collapsed. Meanwhile, Mr Coon had faced the danger alone and driven the attacker away.
Mr Possum was unwilling to accept this judgement. He did not want his friend to think that he had been frightened, and he began preparing an explanation.
Mr Possum Defends His Courage
Instead of admitting that he had been afraid, Mr Possum began to laugh. He found Mr Coon’s accusation amusing and insisted that his companion had misunderstood what had happened.
He asked whether Mr Coon genuinely believed that he had fallen to the ground because he was frightened of Mr Dog.
Mr Coon remained unconvinced.
Mr Possum then explained that he had never intended to run away from the fight. He claimed that he had deliberately remained on the ground because he knew Mr Coon was strong enough to deal with Mr Dog.
In his version of events, he had simply allowed his friend to handle the attacker first. He explained that he had been watching the struggle and waiting for the right moment to join in.
He even suggested that his decision had been a sensible one. Since Mr Coon was already fighting Mr Dog successfully, there was no reason for both of them to become involved at once. Mr Possum claimed that he had been prepared to help when the opportunity arose.
Mr Coon did not believe this explanation. He reminded Mr Possum that Mr Dog had barely touched him before he fell over. The possum had not waited to see how the fight would develop, nor had he made any attempt to assist his companion.
He had simply collapsed and remained motionless.
Mr Possum realised that his first explanation had not convinced Mr Coon, so he offered another reason for his strange behaviour.
The Ticklish Explanation
Mr Possum claimed that he was the most ticklish creature Mr Coon had ever encountered.
He explained that when Mr Dog approached him, the animal had placed its nose close to his ribs. The touch had made him laugh so uncontrollably that he had lost the use of his limbs.
According to Mr Possum, he had not fallen because he was afraid. He had been overcome by laughter and could no longer move his body.
He insisted that Mr Dog had been fortunate that he was so ticklish. If he had been able to control himself, he claimed, the encounter would have ended very differently. He suggested that he had been close to attacking Mr Dog and might even have eaten him.
Mr Coon had little reason to accept this remarkable explanation. His friend had first claimed that he was waiting for the right moment to join the fight and had now blamed his behaviour on being ticklish.
Nevertheless, Mr Possum continued to defend himself. He declared that he had no objection to fighting and was no more afraid of an opponent than Mr Coon was. His only problem, he insisted, was being tickled.
He concluded that if anyone could arrange a fight in which tickling was not allowed, he would gladly take part. In such a contest, he claimed, Mr Coon would discover that he was not a coward after all.
Mr Possum’s explanation turned the disagreement into a humorous excuse. Rather than admit that he had avoided the fight, he blamed his defeat on a weakness that nobody could easily disprove.
Why Mr Possum Loves Peace
Uncle Remus ended the tale by explaining that Mr Possum’s behaviour had continued even in later times.
According to the story, Mr Possum was still unable to withstand being touched in the short ribs. Whenever someone touched him there, he would surrender and begin laughing, even when he knew that he was about to be defeated.
The tale therefore presents Mr Possum as an animal that prefers to avoid direct confrontation. His supposed love of peace is not necessarily a sign of bravery or wisdom. Instead, it comes from his determination to escape an unpleasant encounter, even if he must invent an amusing excuse afterwards.
Mr Coon, meanwhile, represents the opposite attitude. He is willing to face danger and believes that a friend should stand by him when trouble comes. Their disagreement reveals how differently two companions can respond to the same frightening situation.
Through this humorous account, Uncle Remus explains why Mr Possum is known for surrendering when touched around the ribs. The story closes with the image of an animal that would rather laugh and give up than remain in a fight.
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Moral Lesson
The story reminds us that people respond differently when faced with danger. It also teaches that honesty is better than making excuses to protect one’s pride. Mr Possum promises to help his friend but avoids the fight when danger arrives. Instead of admitting that he is frightened, he invents explanations to defend his reputation. His behaviour shows that courage is demonstrated through actions rather than claims. The tale also uses humour to remind us that friendship requires loyalty, especially when difficulties arise.
Knowledge Check
1. What did Mr Possum and Mr Coon do before setting out on their journey?
They ate fried greens and smoked a cigar before going out to see how things were going in the settlement.
2. What did the two friends gather or eat during their journey?
Mr Possum ate persimmons, while Mr Coon gathered frogs and tadpoles.
3. What did Mr Possum promise to do if Mr Dog attacked them?
He promised to stand by Mr Coon and help him face the danger.
4. How did Mr Possum react when Mr Dog attacked?
He stretched his mouth into a grin, fell to the ground and pretended to be dead.
5. What explanation did Mr Possum give for falling to the ground?
He claimed that he was extremely ticklish and that Mr Dog’s nose near his ribs made him laugh until he lost the use of his limbs.
6. According to the story, why does Mr Possum surrender when touched in the short ribs?
The tale explains that he is so ticklish that he begins laughing and gives up, even when he knows he is about to be defeated.
Source
Source: Adapted from “Why Mr. Possum Loves Peace,” Chapter III of Joel Chandler Harris’s Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings, first published in 1881.
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