The story is set in the fictional town of Mossville, which is inhabited by civilized anthropomorphic animals, such as mice, rabbits, toads and so on.

As the book begins, Abel, a mouse, is enjoying a picnic with his wife Amanda, but they are interrupted by a fierce rainstorm and are forced to take shelter in a cave nearby.

The two are separated when Abel braves the storm to retrieve Amanda's scarf, blown away by a gust of wind.

Poor Abel has to live through the hardest times, including battling an owl and surviving through a harsh winter.

Julia Whedon, writing for The New York Times, called Steig's story "more than rough melodrama."

She praised the character's writing, admiring the Abel's ability to keep his "cool" while surviving with none of the things he was used to as a gentleman.