# The Hunting Season Ends explained — Green Forest Stories

> Chapter companion for Green Forest Stories by Thornton W. Burgess.

## What happens

The hunting season for Lightfoot the Deer ends, but there is no rejoicing among the forest creatures because Lightfoot has disappeared. Despite extensive searches by Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow, Paddy the Beaver, Billy Mink, Jumper the Hare, and Old Man Coyote, no trace of Lightfoot is found. The animals fear he has been killed by hounds or hunters, and they mourn the loss of the beautiful deer who never harmed anyone.

## Themes in this chapter

### Fear and Survival

The chapter highlights the constant threat hunters pose to Lightfoot and the anxiety of the forest creatures about his fate.

### Friendship and Cooperation

Multiple animals cooperate in searching for Lightfoot, showing their concern and unity.

## Character check-ins

### Lightfoot the Deer

Missing and feared dead after being chased by hounds and hunters.

### Sammy Jay

Searched everywhere through the Green Forest for Lightfoot and expresses sorrow at his disappearance.

### Blacky the Crow

Joined the search for Lightfoot with his sharp eyes.

### Paddy the Beaver

Noted that Lightfoot had not visited his pond for three days.

### Bobby Coon

Agrees with Sammy Jay that the Green Forest will never be the same without Lightfoot.

## Key lines

> The very worst things come to an end at last. No matter how bad a thing is, it cannot last forever.

Even the most terrible situations eventually end; nothing lasts indefinitely.

_Opening reflection on the end of the hunting season._

> I tell you what it is, something has happened to Lightfoot. Either those hounds caught him and killed him, or he was shot by one of those hunters.

Sammy Jay concludes that Lightfoot must have been killed by the hounds or a hunter.

_Sammy Jay expresses the grim conclusion reached by the animals._

> Without Lightfoot, the Green Forest will never be the same. He never harmed anybody. Why those hunters should have been so anxious to kill one so beautiful is something I can't understand.

Bobby Coon laments that Lightfoot's absence will change the forest forever, and he cannot comprehend why hunters would want to kill such a harmless and beautiful creature.

_Bobby Coon's sorrow and confusion about the hunters' motives._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/green_forest_stories_se/chapters/xxviii-the-hunting-season-ends
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/green_forest_stories_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/green_forest_stories_se/chapters