Summary

One of John’s cousins is getting christened and it falls to John’s mother to fix food for everyone, all twenty of them. John’s mother has no idea what to fix. John pipes up and says it should be cookies. His mother likes the idea but her husband can’t get the pot she needs from her aunt because he was busy with the farm. So she sends John, instead. John is hesitant because he has heard of bears on Hemlock Mountain. John’s mother dismisses his fear and says it is nonsense. John heads out and takes treats for his forest friends.

Analysis

John has a large family and John seems to be one of the older cousins close in age to Uncle James. John’s mother seems to always be the one called on to cook and she is called...