Wild Creatures in Winter 6

CHAPTER 23 

LIGHTFOOT the Deer had been living in the Big Jungle Thicket in the Black Forest. Lightfoot liked the Big Jungle Thicket because he could hide in it, and he could also find plenty to eat there. He did not care for grass to eat, so it made no difference to him if it was covered with Fleecy Snow. What Lightfoot liked to eat was Tender Buds and Savory Twigs and such things. And he could find all he wanted even though there was much Fleecy Snow.

Now Lightfoot the Deer had a Great Enemy. That was Sneak the Cougar. Sneak would sit on the limbs of trees during the Balmy Summer Days and wait for Lightfoot or his friends to walk under, and then he would pounce upon them.

For a long time Sneak had been wondering what had become of Lightfoot. You see, when the first Merry Little Snowflakes fell and covered the ground, Lightfoot had gone to the Big Jungle Thicket, and lived there. He did not care to wade through the Fleecy Snow and leave a Crooked Little Trail for Sneak to follow. No, sir, he just hid in the Big Jungle Thicket; and Sneak did not know where to find him.

One day Pesty the Magpie was flying through the Big Jungle Thicket and saw Lightfoot the Deer. Pesty was very hungry, and he was wondering where he could find something to eat.

"I know what I'll do," said Pesty; "I'll tell Sneak the Cougar where Lightfoot is; and then when Sneak pounces upon Lightfoot, I'll have a feast." And away went Pesty the Magpie to look for Sneak the Cougar.

Naturally, Sneak was glad to know where to find Lightfoot. That very night he went sneaking through the Blackberry Brambles and Twining Vines in search of him. But although Sneak was very careful not to make any noise, some friends told Lightfoot that Sneak was coming. They were the Playful Air Whiffs that came a-stealing through the Wildwood Lanes straight to Lightfoot's nose.

"Sniff, sniff," went Lightfoot; "I smell Sneak the Cougar. I guess he has found my Hiding Place at last. I'll just go over to the Little Jungle Thicket at the foot of High Cliff where Molly and Peter Cottontail live, and stay there."

Away ran Lightfoot through the Fleecy Snow with his funny stiff legged jumps, over Stubby Bushes and through Blackberry Brambles. Oh, how disappointed Sneak the Cougar was when he could not find Lightfoot in the Big Jungle Thicket

Sometimes the Wild Creatures fear one another so much that they almost forget to be afraid of Fearful the Man. They come to him for protection when their Wild Enemies seek their lives. They seem to know that he will care for them.

That was the way it was with Lightfoot the Deer. When he knew that Sneak the Cougar had found him, and that Sneak was waiting for a chance to pounce upon him, Lightfoot thought he would move nearer to the Old Homestead where Sneak would be afraid to come. That was why he went to the Little Jungle Thicket at the foot of High Cliff to live until Jolly Spring came and chased away the Fleecy Snow. Then Lightfoot would not leave a Crooked Little Trail that Sneak could follow.

One day Bud started to the Woodlot to look around. He liked to walk through the Fleecy Snow among the Leafless Trees and see how many Feathered Friends he could count. He thought he might see Chatterer the Red Squirrel and Worker the Gray Squirrel going to their Secret Storehouses after Favorite Food.

Just as Bud was passing the Little Jungle Thicket, he thought he saw a Crooked Little Trail going into it.

"Surely Old Bent Horn could not have escaped from the Big Corral by the Rambling Old Barn," thought Bud. And then he was near enough to see that the Crooked Little Trail was much smaller than Old Bent Horn would have made.

Suddenly there was the sound of running feet, and Bud spied Lightfoot the Deer jumping back into the Little Jungle Thicket.

"Well, well, if it isn't Lightfoot! " he exclaimed. "Now what do you suppose he is doing here? I wonder if he wouldn't like some Dried Clover Leaves to eat these Cold-Cold Days. I'll give him some right now."

Back to the Rambling Old Barn went Bud. He knew that in the haymow were many, many Dried Clover Leaves that had fallen off when Farmer Smith was throwing down hay to Old Sorrel. It did not take Bud long to fill a sack with them, and soon he was carrying it toward the Little Jungle Thicket.

"I hope that Lightfoot finds these Dried Clover Leaves," said Bud, as he emptied the sack in a Little Open Space that was hidden in the Little Jungle Thicket.

Now it happened that Molly and Peter were very, very hungry. The Fleecy Snow had covered the ground a long time, and they could not find any Tender Grass Shoots to eat. They had nibbled the Spicy Bark from some Wild Cherry Trees, and had eaten Tender Buds when they could find some. Once Molly went to the Apple Orchard and chewed some Spicy Bark from one of Farmer Smith's Apple Trees.

That was not a nice thing to do, of course, but Molly was very hungry. And, besides, Molly did not know that she was doing wrong.

Molly and Peter came out of their Friendly Burrow and sat there wondering where to go to find something to eat.

"If we were down along Little River, we could find some Tart Grapevines," said Molly.

Peter wriggled his nose and sat up. "It seems to me that I can smell Dried Clover Leaves; though I don't know how they could get here," he said.

Molly hopped down a Sheltered Bunny Lane a way. "I do smell Dried Clover Leaves!" she said; "and, what is more, I see them. Bud Smith must have brought them over here just for us."

And then Molly and Peter had a feast, but there were plenty left for Lightfoot. And Bud brought some more to the Little Jungle Thicket.

SHADOW the Lynx was a small cousin of Sneak the Cougar's. He lived in the Black Forest, and sometimes he went to the High Mountains a-hunting. He liked to hunt in the Jungle Thickets along Little River, and the one he liked best was the Bitter Willow Bushes where Snowshoe the Hare lived most of the time.

The reason why Shadow the Lynx liked that place best was that he liked to hunt Snowshoe the Hare and his friends. There simply was not anything that Shadow liked better to eat than fresh rabbit meat.

In the Wintry Weather Shadow wore large, hairy pads on his feet, and they helped him to walk on the Fleecy Snow. He could walk on it about as well as Snowshoe the Hare could, with his large feet.

When Trapper Jim wanted to walk on the Fleecy Snow, he had to put on Webby Snowshoes that looked something like tennis rackets, but they were many times larger. Sometimes Trapper Jim wore a Ski on each foot that looked like a long, narrow toboggan.

Trapper Jim was one Great Enemy that Shadow feared. You see, sometimes Trapper Jim went through the Black Forest setting traps for Furbearers. Trapper Jim knew that Snowshoe the Hare liked to stay in the Bitter Willow Bushes where he could nibble their Spicy Bark. And Trapper Jim knew that Shadow the Lynx liked to stay where he could hunt Snowshoe the Hare. Therefore he knew that Shadow stayed in the Bitter Willow Bushes much of the time.

Now while Trapper Jim set traps for most of the Furbearers, he had a special way to catch Shadow's friends. That was with Snares. The Bible says that Satan sets Snares to catch us, but, of course, they are not the kind that Trapper Jim used. Satan's Snares are Little Temptations, which finally bind us with Bad Habits if we do not see them and avoid them.

The kind of Snares that Trapper Jim set for Shadow the Lynx were made of strong cord. They had large loops in them. Trapper Jim made Cubby Pens with doors in which he hung the loops. Then he put a Tempting Bait in the back of the pen to coax Shadow to put his head through the loop. If Shadow was not watching, the loop would tighten around his neck, and then he could not get away unless he broke the strong cord.

Satan places Little Temptations like Tempting Baits in our way so we will get caught by Habit Snares, and then the only way we can escape is to break the Habit Snares. Sometimes they are so strong that we need strength from Jesus to help us to break them. He will always help us when we ask Him.

One night Shadow the Lynx went a-hunting down along Little River. First he passed Paddletail the Beaver's Wildwood Pond, which was covered with Glassy Ice, and then he hunted in some of the Jungle Thickets along the banks of Little River. After a while he came to the edge of the Black Forest; but there were still more Jungle Thickets along Little River; and so Shadow went on.

At last Shadow came to the place where Little River went near to the Grand Old House, and he was afraid that Nero the Hound would smell him if he kept going.

"I believe I will go over to the Little Jungle Thicket and see if I can catch Molly Cottontail," said Shadow, for it was almost time for the Laughing Yellow Sun to wink good morning. "Yes, sir, I can look for Molly, and then I can hide there until the Weird Darkness comes again."

Shadow knew that he could not get back to the Black Forest before the Laughing Yellow Sun would catch him, and so he hurried to the Little Jungle Thicket where Molly and Peter Cottontail lived in their Friendly Burrow.

It was quite light when Shadow arrived at the Little Jungle Thicket, and he thought it was time to hunt a Hiding Place and go to sleep. So he started to sneak back into a clump of Low Cedar Trees near a Little Open Space, when right there before his eyes he saw Peter and Molly Cottontail eating the Dried Clover Leaves that Bud had brought!

"Now isn't that luck!" thought Shadow the Lynx. "I surely will have fresh rabbit meat for supper." And then he started to sneak just a little closer so he could easily pounce upon Molly.

Now it happened that there was a queer-looking visitor staying on the Old Homestead during the Wintry Weather. At least he had a queer-looking bill. Instead of meeting squarely, as one would think all well-arranged bills should meet, his upper and lower bills crossed at the end almost like the heavy nippers that Farmer Smith used when he trimmed his trees.

In case you have not guessed this Feathered Friend's name, I will tell you. It is Loxia the Crossbill.

Loxia the Crossbill seldom came to the Old Homestead. His home was in the Land of Cold Breezes, and he came to visit the Old Homestead only when Old Man Winter was too severe in his own land.

Most of the time when Loxia was visiting on the Old Homestead, he lived in the Black Forest. The reason for that was, he was very fond of Delicious Pine Cones. "Snip, snip," he would go, with his queer-looking crossed bill, and out would fall the Nut Meats from the inside just as if his bill were made for doing that very thing.

When Shadow the Lynx arrived at the Little Jungle Thicket, Loxia the Crossbill was just beginning to eat his breakfast. "Snip, snip," he went on a Delicious Pine Cone; "snip, snip-snip, snip.

Soon he had eaten all he wanted from that Delicious Pine Cone, and down it dropped almost of Molly's head.

Thumpety thumpety thump, went Molly and Peter, as they ran for their Friendly Burrow, leaving Shadow the Lynx just sitting there.

"Now who do you suppose threw that rock at us?" asked Molly, as they dived out of sight.

"OH, DEAR, I feel all cramped up," said Billy Coon. "I believe I will go for a walk." Billy Coon had been asleep in his Hollow Den Tree by the Bridge that crossed Little River. It was no wonder that he felt cramped, for he had been asleep almost a month.

You see, if the Wintry Weather was not too cold, Billy Coon did not sleep long at a time. He was not like Johnny Chuck. But sometimes when the Wintry Weather was very, very cold and there was much Fleecy Snow on the ground, Billy Coon would just curl up and go to sleep until it was warmer again.

When Billy Coon peeped out of his Hollow Den Tree, the Smiling Moon seemed to wink at him and say, "Come on out; it is going to be a grand night."

Billy stepped out on the Big Limb that was his front porch and looked around. It surely was a nice, warm night. Almost all the Fleecy Snow was gone, and the Glassy Ice along Little River had melted in places.

"I wonder if I could find some Dried Berries in the Jungle Thickets along Little River," thought Billy, as he slid down his Hollow Den Tree.

In a little while he was pushing through the Pussy Willows and Blackberry Brambles and Twining Vines. He found a few Dried Grapes hanging from a Tart Grapevine, which the Feathered Friends had not seen.

"I guess the Feathered Friends have eaten most of the Dried Berries," complained Billy Coon. "But I know what I will do. I will go to the Rustling Cornfield and eat some Tempting Kernels."

Now Billy Coon did not know that Farmer Smith had hauled away all the Rustling Corn Shocks. You see, while the Fleecy Snow was deep, he had needed them to feed to Old Bent Horn. And so he had hauled away every one on a Slidy Sled. He had even taken the one under which Tiny the Meadow Mouse had dug his Friendly Burrow and had made his Soft Little Nest.

But Tiny did not care much, for he had made a Secret Storehouse in his Friendly Burrow and had filled it with Tempting Kernels before Farmer Smith took away the Rustling Corn Shock. Tiny the Meadow Mouse would have liked it better if Farmer Smith had left the Rustling Corn Shock so he would have had a better place to play, but Tiny would be moving to the Green Meadow when nice weather came, so it really did not matter.

There was one place that Billy Coon liked to visit almost as well as the Jungle Thicket along Little River, and that was the Woodlot. He had explored it many, many times, but every time he went there he found something new. Of course, Billy could not miss such a good chance to go there.

"I will just see what I can find in the Woodlot on my way to the Rustling Cornfield," said Billy. "I really haven't visited there for a long time."

One thing that attracted Billy Coon to the Woodlot was the Sweet Nuts that grew there. But between Bud Smith and Tawny Chipmunk and Chatterer the Red Squirrel and Worker the Gray Squirrel there were not many Sweet Nuts left for Billy Coon, although he could sometimes find a few that the others had missed. Then what a feast of Sweet Nuts Billy Coon had!

But Billy Coon was not always that fortunate. Usually he had to hunt and hunt, and especially toward the end of the Wintry Weather after every one had taken all the Sweet Nuts he could find.

So when Billy Coon arrived at the Woodlot, he found that the Sweet Nuts were very scarce. Yes, sir, he hunted and hunted, and he could not find a single one. There may have been some hiding under the patches of Fleecy Snow, but Billy Coon could not find them.

"I may just as well go on to the Rustling Cornfield and eat some Tempting Kernels," he said.

And then, just when Billy Coon was ready to leave, he made a discovery. Right by an Old Stump, and partly covered with decayed wood, was a pile of Sweet Nuts.

"Now who do you suppose hid those there?" said Billy Coon. "I will just eat a few before I go to the Rustling Cornfield."

Now it happened that one day when Chatterer the Red Squirrel was exploring in the Woodlot, he found one of Worker the Gray Squirrel's Secret Storehouses. It did not take Chatterer long to decide that he would steal some of Worker's Sweet Nuts. And so away he went with as many as he could carry, and he buried them by the Old Stump. Again and again he visited Worker's Secret Storehouse until he had taken the very last Sweet Nut from it.

Chatterer had been in such a hurry that he had not covered the Sweet Nuts very well, and Billy Coon had found them. And there was Billy Coon eating the Sweet Nuts that Chatterer had stolen from Worker. I think that was a good joke on Chatterer, don't you?

After a while Billy Coon went on to the Rustling Cornfield. He thought he would eat some Tempting Kernels to finish his meal. But when he arrived at the Rustling Cornfield, he saw that every Rustling Corn Shock was gone. And so by the time he had looked around for some Scattered Ears, it was almost time for the Laughing Yellow Sun to chase away the Weird Darkness.

"Oh, dear, I must find some place to sleep, for I cannot reach the Hollow Den Tree before it is light!" said Billy.

Billy saw a Hidden Den that was large enough for him to crawl into, and in he went. But he was glad to back right out again, for the Hidden Den belonged to Digger the Badger, and Digger was at home. Then Billy Coon had to crawl into the top of a Squatty Hay Stack and curl up for a snooze.

NOT far from the Hollow Den Tree where Chatterer the Red Squirrel lived in the Woodlot was the Friendly Burrow of Dodger the Gopher. Dodger's Friendly Burrow was in the edge of the Wide-Wide Pasture right by the Woodlot.

Dodger the Gopher was a queer fellow. During the Wintry Weather he sometimes slept as much as half a year without waking. During the fall days he ate and ate and grew fatter and fatter. Then when the Fleecy Snow came, he curled up in his Friendly Burrow like a furry ball and went to sleep. It was a wonder that he knew when it was time to awake.

Dodger the Gopher was a near relative of Chatterer the Red Squirrel's and Worker the Gray Squirrel's. Sometimes Dodger was called a "striped gopher," but he was really a ground squirrel.

Dodger liked to eat the same things that the other squirrels ate, but he was not like his cousins when it came to sleeping. Worker and Chatterer did not sleep all winter as Dodger did. Sometimes on real Cold-Cold Days Worker the Gray Squirrel stayed in his Big Stick Nest days at a time, but Chatterer the Red Squirrel never seemed to think it was too cold for him. Chatterer really enjoyed scurrying around in the snow.

Dodger liked to live where the grass was not too high in the Wide-Wide Pasture. He liked short grass so that when he sat up on his hind feet he could see if an Enemy was near. Usually he cut the grass around his Friendly Burrow and carried it inside for a Snug Bed. Sometimes he put it in his Secret Storehouse to eat. For even though Dodger the Gopher slept during Wintry Weather, still he gathered a supply of Tempting Kernels and Grass and Sweet Nuts as Worker the Gray Squirrel did.

Perhaps Dodger could sleep better if he knew that he had a good breakfast waiting for him when he awoke. At least he liked to have some Favorite Food handy for Stormy Spring Days. And so he had made a Secret Storehouse in his Friendly Burrow. Sometimes he used two or more rooms in which to store his food.

Yes, sir, it was a wonder that Dodger the Gopher knew when to wake up after sleeping so long. But one day something told him it was time to leave his Snug Bed. Perhaps it was the Bright Little Sunbeams, for when Dodger peeped out of his Friendly Burrow, they had melted all the Fleecy Snow. The Merry Little Snowflakes would probably fall again sometimes before Jolly Spring came back to stay; but when Dodger first awoke after sleeping so long, it looked as if Old Man Winter was ready to leave.

In a few days Dodger noticed that all the Favorite Food in his Secret Storehouse was gone. He had eaten every bit of it, and he wondered where he could find some more.

Suddenly Dodger remembered the Rustling Cornfield. He had been there the fall before and had brought back some sacks of Tempting Kernels.

Did you know that Dodger has sacks in which to carry his supplies? Well, he has. On each side of his face he has a large pouch, and he uses these pouches for sacks in which to carry things.

Dodger liked Tempting Kernels to eat better than almost anything, and they were handy to carry in his sacks. But there were none near his Friendly Burrow. The nearest Tempting Kernels were in the Rustling Cornfield, and that was clear across the Wide-Wide Pasture.

Dodger did not know whether to risk going that far or not. He was afraid that an Enemy might see him. He had a great many Enemies who would be glad to pounce upon him if they had a chance. Even Forktongue the Snake watched for Dodger on Balmy Summer Days. And so Dodger seldom went far from his Friendly Burrow.

But Dodger wanted some Tempting Kernels very much. "I believe I will go and fill my Cheek Sacks with Tempting Kernels and bring them back to my Friendly Burrow to eat," he said.

When Dodger reached the Rustling Cornfield, he had a hard time to find a Scattered Ear. But at last he found one and stuffed his Cheek Sacks as full as they could be. Suddenly Dodger looked up, and there, not more than two rabbit jumps away, was Digger the Badger coming after him.

Of course, it was more than two jumps for Digger the Badger with his short legs and wide, fat back. And it was many jumps for Dodger. How Dodger did run! He ran as fast as he could with his Cheek Sacks sticking out full of corn. He dodged into the first Friendly Burrow he came to, and not a bit too soon, for right after him he heard Digger's Long Toenails tearing up the ground.

Dodger had not been in that Friendly Burrow before. It was an old one, and it was partly filled with trash. It kept Dodger busy cleaning the Secret Little Tunnel as he went. And there was Digger making the dirt fly right behind him. Once Dodger ran into a side Secret Little Tunnel that came to an end, and Digger almost caught him before he could run back and find the right one.

At last Dodger found a Secret Little Tunnel leading upward, and almost before he knew it he was again above ground. That was a lucky find for Dodger.

So while Digger the Badger burrowed into the Soft Earth expecting every minute to catch Dodger the Gopher, there was Dodger hurrying home to his own Friendly Burrow as fast as he could go, with his Cheek Sacks still full of Tempting Kernels. But then, that was good exercise for Digger, for he had been asleep during the Cold-Cold Days.

If Digger the Badger did not make so many holes in the Wide-Wide Pasture for Old Sorrel and Old Bent Horn to step into, he would not be a bad citizen; but he does like to dig

Dynamic Drive.