Well, the farmer knew that ferrets were known to steal eggs, yet he wanted to keep this man as a friend and soon he had two ferrets. He put them in a cage and even put the fence down into the ground a foot to contain them he put a rotating cage in there that they ran around and around on. He and his buddy would watch them and laugh and enjoy the show. The ferrets could be trained to do some stunts, he said.

Well, soon the ferrets reproduced and there were babies. They began to outgrow the cage had provided, so he had to create a bigger one. The ferrets somehow got out of the cage, whether they dug a hole under the fence or squeezed through a weak place in the fence, to this day, he is not certain, but this much he does know, they began to wreck havoc on the farm. They stole the eggs from the chickens, breaking some, eating some. Feathers flew everywhere. The Ferrets also dug holes in the garden and destroyed his wife’s produce. They left an odor that his wife did not like. He fought with them and caught some and put them back in the cage and filled the hole and patched the fence, but they multiplied and continued to escape and continued to cause problems. His wife said that this was getting to be too much. She noticed her husband was getting fatigued trying to keep up with the Ferrets. Enough is enough, she said one day. You need to get rid of those. You just have to quit holding on to the idea that you can have them as pets. Why, they have taken over the yard, my garden and the farm! You are wearing yourself out.

But they are my friends, the farmer said. They are innocent. Innocent? She said, aghast! Look what they have done to you and the farm! Can’t you see it? Sadly, he could not. In fact, he was very defensive about his habit of taking time and energy to play with his feretts. Often, his friend who introduced him to the idea of owning ferrets, came over and they joked some more about the ferrets. His friend actually had had the same problems in his yard and garden, although he didn’t own chickens. They make a joke about it and his friend said, well, what is more important, your enjoyments of the ferrets or the garden and your farm and so what if your wife is on edge about it? She will get used to your hobby. Mine did. She just accepts it now. The farmer thought long and hard about it. He and his wife went for a walk and passing by his friend's house, he showed her what his friend’s ferrets looked like and she said, yes and see what they have done to his lawn and garden. There were holes everywhere and most of the vegetables were nibbled one that was meant to provide nourishment to the family. Now the ferrets were taking that nourishment away.

Still his friend insisted that he keep them, because he got a “high” watching them play. His wife also hated the odor that clung to his clothes when he came in, from playing with the ferrets. Now, one of the ferrets carried a deadly disease and his friend got it and became very weak. He had to have treatments.

The farmer knew now that he had to rid himself of this deadly habit, or he would be next. He caught some and shipped them out far away. He sold some to pet’s stores, and yes, unfortunately, he had to shoot some. Soon, he was down to just six of them roaming the property and his wife reminded him of how quickly they could multiply. But can't I just keep a few/ A few wont hurt anything and he was so used to having them there. He was used to taking breaks from his day to watch and play with them. They had a calming effect on him He wondered how he could live without them. His wife encouraged him, by buying him a parakeet that sang pretty songs to him as he came in the house. She said this would be his new way of relaxing. One day, his wife became ill and she passed away. The farmer was so sad and wondered how he could go on alone. He still had a few ferrets left and thought to himself, at least I have these. Yet he knew of the danger to his health and that deadly disease that they carry and how he might get it, so he decided in honor of his passed on loved one, that he would let them all go. He really didn’t need them anymore. He enjoyed listening to the songs of the bird his wife had given him on his birthday and he was actually feeling stronger and healthier and happier everyday. He no longer smelled of them and he was healthy and strong again and no longer needed them to relax.

His friend soon passed on and he went to the funeral and said how sorry he was to that mans wife.