Following Mr. Owl's warning of a harsh winter, the woodland animals prepare by storing food, with Mrs. Rabbit making particularly enticing preserves. Inquisitive Mr. Possum, curious about her canned corn, tries to peek into her pantry via a tree branch, but it breaks, dropping him into a barrel of whitewash Mrs. Rabbit had prepared. Covered in white, he frightens his own wife into locking him out and is later confronted by Mrs. Rabbit, who tracked the mess. Though he explains it was an accident, the conspicuous whitewash forces Mr. Possum to lay low for a long time, illustrating how curiosity can lead to embarrassing mishaps and consequences.