ABANDONED. Critters trapped in a mud building of their own design

[Melissa]

I've been searching for this story for years, to no avail. It's a picture book read to me in the mid 90's when I was about 7 years old.

Some critter (I vaguely remember the illustrations depicting them as jelly bean like blobs) builds a square frame out of twigs, and wants to show it off to his friends. He ends up propping it up on a stand weighted with rocks to better show it off. Critters come to admire it and encourage him to build a mud wall around it. More critters arrive and begin to build more and more around it until there are tons of critters working to build a giant structure around this little window. It becomes a smokey, walled-in building shut away from light, as the window has since been filled in with mud. The original critter realizes how miserable and aimless everyone is, working toward some unknowable goal, and seeks his original window. He finds it, smashes it, and guides everyone back out.

Anyone know this story?

I would love any suggestions! I've been searching for this story for years, and would love to share it with my own children in the future.

Thanks!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Possibly Tenrec's Twigs?

Seized with doubts about the value of the small buildings he constructs out of twigs, Tenrec goes from one jungle animal to the next asking for opinions.

[Tab]

I think I've come across this book before. I'll do some thinking on this.

[Tab]

Since you mentioned jellybean shape blobs, I'll also suggest the Barbapapa series.
http://www.barbapapa.fr/

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Melissa, are you still looking for this?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

No response in 2+ years. Moving to Abandoned.