Our story begins on a calm spring day in a misty forest.

Forest animals can be heard.

Faint gunshots break the tranquility as they steadily increase in volume and the sounds of barking dogs follow.

A vixen suddenly appears on a small crest. She is carrying a pup in her mouth, the last of her precious litter. She puts the pup down briefly as she looks around in fear. The barking continues, coming closer and closer to the young female.

She then picks up the pup and breaks into a mad dash through the forest. After running through the thick underbrush for a while with the dogs in hot pursuit, she breaks through the tree line and moves across grasslands and a farm.

An owl appears from a hole in the tree, wondering what all the commotion is about. She steps out onto a branch and gazes out. The vixen appears beside a wooden fence. She stops to look around for a bit. She places the pup down beside the fence, giving it some affection. The owl watches as the vixen gets scared by more barking. The vixen runs out into more open grassland, leaving the pup behind. The vixen disappears behind a hill, and a loud gunshot is heard.

A look of shock comes over the owl's face. A second shot is heard, and birds fly out of the grass. The owl shakes her head sadly then looks down at the fence.

She then spots the pup and takes in its sad and frightened appearance. She floats down to it and it tries to hide from her.

"You poor little fella. It's all right. Big Mama's here." She briefly looks out at the grasslands then turns back to the pup.

"You know? You're gonna need some caring for. Now. . . now let's see darlin'."

The pup carefully approaches her as she paces around, thinking.

"You need a. . ."

She looks down as she feels something soft and small pressing up against her leg. The pup has warmed up to her and is starting to cuddle her.

Big Mama jumps back slightly, amused. "Oh no. No no no. Not me. Not Big Mama now."

She looks up, thinking and reassures the pup. "Now I'm thinkin' though."

The sounds of a woodpecker can be heard. Both Big Mama and the pup look towards the sound's direction.

"Oh. Ah ha! Now don't. . . don't you move, honey. Big Mama's gonna be right back." SHe hides the pup safely in a clump of grass and flew off towards a woodpecker and a sparrow in a tree not too far away.

As she approaches, the woodpecker is drilling into the tree with his sharp, strong beak.

"Good work, Boomer. We'll get him this time," the sparrow says.

Together they both stare into the hole, searching for something.

"Shh. I think he's in there," the sparrow continues as Big Mamma alighted gently next to the pair.

"Whew! Am I glad I found you boys. There's no time to lose. I need your help. Now come on. Come on!"

Without waiting for their reply, Big Mama flew off again, eager to get back to the baby fox.

Dinky - the sparrow - sighs but obliges anyways, leaving his breakfast. "Let's go, Boomer. Come on."

Boomer was more reluctant. "Yeah. But but but. . . Aw shucks."

They both fly off.

A caterpillar appears at the hole and breathes a sigh of relief, happy he wasn't breakfast.

Back at the fence, the birds all perch on the fence and look down at the pup.

Boomer looks down sadly at the tiny scrap hiding in the grass. "Aw. Poor little guy."

"Don't you worry now. We're gonna find someone to look after you." Big Mamma sooths.

Dinky looks away in thought. "Hmm."

He hops around, thinking, then looks at the nearby farm house.

"Hey! I think I got an idea."

They huddle around and talk. The pup looks up at them curiously. Finally, they break.

Dinky quickly sets their plan in motion. "Okay, Boomer. Now you know what to do."

Boomer speaks rapidly as he flew away. "Yeah. Leave it to me. Leave it to me."

Flying up to the house, he perches on the doorknob and starts pecking at the door steadily.

The old widow - a kind old woman with graying wispy hair and large spectacles - hollard from inside. "Who is it?"

The door opens, smashing Boomer against a wall, and the old woman appears. She is obese, elderly, gray haired, and wears simple pink stockings with brown galloshes.

She looks around, puzzled as she takes in her empty yard. "Well. I was sure I heard someone knocking."

She gasps.

"Oh dear! My laundry!" she cries out in dismay.

Big Mama and Dinky have picked up a piece of laundry. Just as they had planned, the widow chases after them, hollering as she tries to catch her clothes.

"Oh! Here! Stop it! Oh you pesky birds! Will you come here?!"

They start carrying the laundry piece along as they fly.

"Oh! Stop!"

They drop the clothing right on the fox pup.

The widow catches up and huffs slightly in annoyance. "Well! I wonder what got into those birds?"

She reaches down and picks up her laundry. Upon spotting the fox, she gasps and drops the laundry back down. Hesitating for a moment, she reaches down and picks it up again, looking underneath.

The widow clutched her chest and smiled tenderly. "Well bless my soul! Why it's. . . it's a baby fox."

She looks at it adoringly.

"Oh. Hello little fella."

She looks up briefly. "I wonder where its mother is?"

She looks back down at the fox and tries to grab it, but the fox becomes scared.

"Come on now. I'm not gonna harm you."

The pup swipes at her hand but misses.

"Now now. Oh isn't that. . .?!" She picks him up. "Oh my my. You're a fiesty little rascal. Aren't you?"

She holds the pup close to her body.

"There there. Now calm down. No, I just can't leave you out here all alone."

She carries the pup back to the house, whispering, "Isn't he darling?"

Back inside, the widow is feeding the pup a bottle of milk as she rocks them back and fourth in her chair gently.

"Now not so fast. Now now. Not so fast," she said tenderly as the pup tried to gulp as much as he could down. "Oh my. You're such a little toddler. Say! That's what I'll call you. . . Tod. You know, Tod? I'm not going to be so lonesome anymore."

Outside, Big Mama, Dinky, and Boomer are watching the scene from outside. Suddenly, they hear a car backfire and look behind. A man driving an old car putters past in the farm next door.