Mathilda Mongoose decided that it was time for her sons to go out into the world and make their own fortunes. After all, Mathilda was now a widow. Her husband, Maurice Mongoose, had only recently met with a most unfortunate accident. It had seemed so easy to get the young chickens from inside the cage. What Maurice did not know is that it was a trap set to catch him. Poor Maurice! That had been the end of him. Now, Mathilda was having a difficult time finding enough food for herself and her three children. With the high price of food, the human people were not leaving many scraps so the rat colony had moved away in search of better hunting grounds. Since rats are the main food of mongooses, Mathilda knew that she too, would have to find a new home where there might be more food. Mathilda Mongoose called a family council of her two sons and one daughter. When everyone was settled, Mathilda Mongoose told her children that hard times were upon them because there was not enough food in the neighborhood. "My sons, the two of you must now go out into the world and find new hunting grounds for yourselves. Magnolia will remain with me until she can find a suitable husband who can provide for her."