Wild Creatures in Winter 6B

CHAPTER 27 

Downy the Woodpecker Starts a Race

OVER in the Black Forest all the Wild Creatures were happy. The Laughing Yellow Sun had melted all the Fleecy Snow, and he had even warmed the Playful Air Whiffs enough so that they could steal into the Shadows and melt the Fleecy Snow there. And there was not a piece of Glassy Ice left.

It looked as if Jolly Spring was about ready to arrive and drive Old Man Winter back to his home in the Land of Ice.

Of course, as soon as the Laughing Yellow Sun sank from sight behind the Black Forest and the Weird Darkness chased away the Long Shadows, Jack Frost would steal along the Wildwood Pond and freeze a rim of Glassy Ice, and make all kinds of fancywork on the Dead Grass and Tumbled Bulrushes.

Oh, how glad Paddletail the Beaver and Danny Muskrat were! It had been such a long time since they could play Dive and Spin and Water Tag together. But even yet, Jack Frost would freeze Sharp Little Icicles on their Glossy Fur if they stayed out of the water too long at a time.

Besides Paddletail the Beaver and Danny Muskrat, there were two others in the Black Forest who were glad to see the Fleecy Snow leave. They were Downy the Woodpecker and Whitebreast the Nuthatch. There were others also besides Downy and Whitebreast, but Downy and Whitebreast were especially glad.

You see, it was sometimes hard to find Tree Borers and Plump Grubs while the trees were covered with Fleecy Snow. Once Whitebreast had actually slid off a tree trunk that was covered with Glassy Ice. But when the Playful Air Whiffs grew warmer, there were more Crawly Bark Lice and such things to find. Downy the Woodpecker and Whitebreast the Nuthatch had been very thankful for the many Goodies that Bud Smith had kept for them at the Feeding Place in the Apple Orchard. But it was more fun to hunt for Favorite Food in the Black Forest.

Now it happened that one day Whitebreast the Nuthatch was hunting Tree Borers in the Black Forest.

"Rip-rip, rip-rip-rip," he went with his sharp bill, and made the Tiny Bark Chips fly. Soon he reached in and pulled out a Plump Grub.

"Tap-tap-tap-tap," went some one near by. It was Downy drilling in the rough bark. In a moment Downy reached in with his needlelike tongue and speared a Tree Borer.

"Rip-rip, rip-rip-rip," went Whitebreast again, and out came another Plump Grub.

"You seem to be very busy this morning," said Downy to Whitebreast. "How would you like to run a race?"

Whitebreast hung with his head downward while he tore off some more Tiny Bark Chips. He could work just as well with his head down as up, for he never braced himself with his tail as Downy did when he was hanging on the side of a tree.

"Yes, I am always busy," said Whitebreast, "but I think it would be fun to have a race."

"Oh, let me race too," said Browny the Creeper. "I am sure I can win."

And so Downy the Woodpecker and Whitebreast the Nuthatch and Browny the Creeper started out to see who could catch the most Tree Borers and Plump Grubs and Crawly Bark Lice.

Now, although Downy and Whitebreast and Browny all liked to hunt among the trees, yet they were not related, as one might suppose. You see, Downy was related to Redhead the Woodpecker and Judge Flicker and others of the Woodpecker family. It really was quite a large family.

One of them lived in the Far-Far North and had only three toes on each foot. He was Mr. Arctic Three-Toed Woodpecker, and he wore two of his toes in front and one behind on each foot so he could cling to the sides of trees.

Another of Downy's cousins was Mr. California Woodpecker. He had a queer habit of drilling holes in trees and buildings and other places just large enough to hold a Sweet Nut or Sweet Acorn, and then he would hide one in each hole. He must have been playing the game of Pretend, and was pretending that he was a squirrel.

Sometimes Mr. Arctic Three-Toed Woodpecker came to the Old Homestead on a visit, but Mr. California Woodpecker never came. Downy was the smallest of the Woodpecker family.

Whitebreast the Nuthatch was Danny the Chickadee's cousin, and belonged to a different family than the Woodpeckers, while Browny the Creeper belonged to a still different family called "Tree Creepers."

You may be sure that when Downy and Whitebreast and Browny started on their race, it was time for the Tree Borers and Plump Grubs and Crawly Bark Lice to keep out of sight. And a hard time they had with Downy and Whitebreast and Browny each hunting in a different way.

There was Downy flying from tree to tree and spearing into little holes with his sharp tongue, while he braced himself with his tail. And there was Whitebreast running headfirst down the trees and looking for Tree Borers from above.

Browny the Creeper started at the bottom of the trees and ran up and round and round, while he watched for Crawly Bark Lice. Browny liked to hunt for Crawly Bark Lice, because his bill was hardly strong enough to rip open the bark after Plump Grubs.

Now, it would be hard to say which one would have won the race if nothing had happened. But here came Redhead the Woodpecker and Judge Flicker and Dandy the Chickadee all hunting for Tree Borers and Plump Grubs and Crawly Bark Lice, and in a little while they were all so busy that they completely forgot to watch what the others were doing.

It was an interesting race, indeed, and we think that Whitebreast won because he could do more tricks on the sides of trees.

TAWNY CHIPMUNK had been sleeping all winter in his Hidden Den under a big rock not far from where Johnny Chuck had been sleeping. Their Hidden Dens were on the side of High Cliff not far from the Little Jungle Thicket where Molly and Peter lived in their Friendly Burrow.

Tawny Chipmunk had slept at least five months. I should think that he would have been rested after sleeping so long, wouldn't you? But when Tawny Chipmunk awoke, what do you suppose he did the very first thing? Well, sir, he just climbed up a Leafless Tree, stretched out on a Springy Limb where the Bright Little Sunbeams could warm his back, and went to sleep. At least he blinked his eyes and nodded.

It may have been that the Bright Little Sunbeams hurt Tawny's eyes after he had slept so long in the dark, and he was just waiting for them to become accustomed to the light. And then again, maybe he was just waiting for the Warm Sunshine to limber his legs after they had been still so long. Tawny Chipmunk surely did like Warm Sunshine!

Sometimes when the Gray Cloud Ships hid the Laughing Yellow Sun, Tawny just stayed in his Hidden Den all day. He didn't care much about coming out unless there were Bright Little Sunbeams to warm his back.

At last he stretched himself and sat up on the Springy Limb. Tawny could sit on a limb just as well as Worker the Gray Squirrel could, and it was no wonder, because he was a distant relative. Tawny was also related to Dodger the Gopher, and he looked much more like Dodger than he looked like Worker. Tawny had many, many relatives. Some of them slept during the Wintry Weather and some did not.

"I wonder if there are any Pussy Willow Buds down along Little River," thought Tawny Chipmunk. "I do like Silky Little Buds."

Now, Tawny Chipmunk had plenty of Tiny Little Seeds and Tempting Kernels and other Favorite Food in his Secret Storehouse, but he was hungry for something else. Before Old Man Winter came, Tawny had gathered many Cheek Sacks full of Favorite Food and had put it in his Secret Storehouse, a separate room in his Hidden Den. But Tawny liked to keep his supply of Favorite Food for stormy and cloudy days when he did not care to come out and look for more.

And so Tawny decided that he would go down to Little River and see if there were any Pussy Willow Buds. It may have been that one reason why Tawny wanted some Silky Little Buds to eat was to start his lazy stomach to work after it had been resting all winter. And then again it may have been that Tawny just wanted to stretch his legs after being idle so long.

Tawny had to be very careful whenever he went anywhere, because he had so many Enemies. He had even more Enemies than Snowshoe the Hare. There were Reddy Fox and Ranger the Coyote and Shadow the Lynx and Hunting Cat and Killer the Marten and Digger the Badger and Forktongue the Snake and Snoop the Weasel and dozens of Flying Enemies. Now I ask you if that wasn't enough to make anyone nervous! And so Tawny Chipmunk had to be very watchful most of the time.

Of course, there was one nice thing about going to Little River after Pussy Willow Buds. You see, Reddy Fox and Ranger the Coyote and other of the Furry Enemies were not very bold while the Laughing Yellow Sun was shining. Forktongue the Snake was still asleep and waiting for warmer weather, and many of the Flying Enemies were still in the Sunny Southland.

But there was Snoop the Weasel. Snoop was the very worst Enemy of all. He hunted during the day as well as at night, and, what is more, if he found Tawny's Hidden Den, he would go right into it after Tawny. And so Tawny had to make many Secret Tunnels with doorways so that he could run out if Snoop came into his Hidden Den.

Tawny Chipmunk started down the side of High Cliff toward Little Jungle Thicket where Molly and Peter lived. First he skipped along among the Tumbled Rock Piles until he was near enough to run to the shelter of Little Jungle Thicket.

Tawny had been along there many times, for he went to the Little Jungle Thicket quite often to look for Tiny Little Seeds and Tempting Berries and other Goodies. He knew every Tumbled Rock Pile and Friendly Burrow and Hiding Place along the way.

Tawny Chipmunk hopped up on a large rock in Little Jungle Thicket and looked around. Before he went on, he wanted to be very sure that no Enemy was near.

Suddenly he saw a little streak of brownish-white fur scooting along on the ground. At first he thought it was Molly until he saw Molly sitting by a Stubby Little Bush. You see, Snoop was beginning to shed his white winter coat and grow a brown one so he would have it when the Balmy Summer Days came. That was why he was neither white nor brown when Tawny saw him.

Tawny wondered what he should do. There was Snoop the Weasel sneaking up to catch Molly; and Molly would not see him until it would be too late to run away. And Tawny knew that if he warned Molly, then Snoop would come and catch ham. Of course, it would not help any if Tawny climbed a tree, for Snoop could climb right up there himself. And if Tawny ran, then Snoop would follow his Scratchy Little Tracks with his keen nose.

Then Tawny Chipmunk thought of a plan; and what do you suppose it was? Down from the rock he dropped and sneaked away until he was at a safe distance.

"Chip-chip-chip-chip," he barked as loud as he could; "I see Snoop the Weasel." And then how he did run toward the Grand Old House!

He knew that Snoop the Weasel would be afraid to follow him there, for Nero the Hound would catch him. And Bud never let Nero bother Tawny Chipmunk.

IT WAS an exciting night for Miner the Mole when he went exploring in the Green Meadow. The Green Meadow was not yet green, for the weather had not been warm enough to awaken the Tender Grass Shoots. But it would not be long until they would start to peep through the ground. Then what a feast Molly and Peter would have!

But Miner the Mole did not care whether the Green Meadow was green or not. He did not eat Tender Grass Shoots. What Miner liked to eat was Wiggly Earthworms and Plump Grubs and such things as that. He liked to eat the same things that Barney the Shrew ate.

Miner the Mole looked something like Satchelface the Pocket Gopher, but they were not related. While Miner ate Wiggly Earthworms and Plump Grubs, Satchelface the Pocket Gopher ate Tender Grass Shoots and Tempting Kernels and other vegetable food.

It had been a long time since Miner the Mole had gone exploring in the Green Meadow. You see, the ground had been frozen so hard that Miner could not dig new Secret Little Tunnels along the top of it in search of Wiggly Earthworms. When Old Man Winter came, the Wiggly Earthworms had curled up in bunches and gone to sleep deep under the ground.

After the Fleecy Snow left, it was not long until the ground began to get soft again. Warmer and warmer grew the days until one night Miner the Mole discovered the ground was no longer frozen around his Secret Tunnels. And that was when he decided to go exploring.

Now, although the days were growing warmer, still the nights were cold. Sometimes before the Laughing Yellow Sun came out to warm the earth, the top of the ground would be frozen again. And so Miner thought if he wanted to go exploring, he had better start early. It would never do to wait until the ground started to freeze.

It was strange why Miner preferred to work at night, but he did. Perhaps it was because in the daytime the light hurt his eyes if he came too near to the surface. Miner had worked under the ground in the darkness so much that his eyes were almost useless. About all they were good for was to tell him the difference between day and night.

That is the way it is with us. If we do not exercise our bodies, we become weak. If we do not use our minds, we forget what we have already learned. And if we do not use our Christian experience toward helping others to be better, we soon grow indifferent ourselves.

If Miner the Mole ever had good eyes that could see, he certainly did not use them enough to keep them good. No, sir, they were just little specks under the skin.

But Miner was a great worker even though he wanted to work in his own way. He worked almost all the time. That was why he decided to go exploring as soon as he found that the ground was soft enough.

Miner had to keep at work or he would have had nothing to eat. He could not see to catch anything above ground; and he could not expect to find anything underground unless he worked for it. Yes, Miner worked for all he got.

Perhaps another reason why Miner liked to work at night was that then the Wiggly Earthworms were near the surface. Miner would go scooting along just under the ground and pushing up a Crooked Little Ridge everywhere he went.

Now it happened that about the time Miner the Mole started out to make some new Crooked Little Ridges, Spot the Skunk decided he would go for a stroll.

"What a nice warm night this is! " he said, as he left his home under the Granary near the Rambling Old Barn. "I wonder if I would find Miner the Mole at work in the Green Meadow to-night." And away he went with his funny little gallop before Nero the Hound could see him.

Spot the Skunk had been living under the Granary during the Cold-Cold Days, where he could hunt for Whiskers the Mouse. But Spot had been thinking that when Jolly Spring came, he would move into a Friendly Burrow somewhere.

Of course, you know that Spot the Skunk was a small cousin of Mephitis the Skunk's. Some people called him Spot the Civet, but he was not a civet at all, for Mr. Civet Cat lived in the Old World. Spot was a cousin of Snoop the Weasel's, but he was a gentleman when compared with Snoop. Both Spot and Snoop could climb trees, but Mephitis was rather clumsy.

The most dangerous thing about Spot and Mephitis was the Strong Odor that they sprayed upon anyone who dared to trouble them. Even Nero the Hound knew better than to get too near. You could tell that Spot was always ready to defend himself, because he carried his tail partly up. Then if anyone came close, up it would go over his back as a warning.

Down through the Green Meadow went Spot, stopping now and then to sniff in a Friendly Burrow or to scratch in the soft ground. Spot was not at all particular what he ate, and during the Cold Cold Days he had not been able to do much hunting for Plump Grubs and such things. But, oh, he did make life miserable for Whiskers the Mouse and his friends! Spot the Skunk could catch more mice than Hunting Cat could.

Suddenly, as Spot was hopping along in the Green Meadow, he noticed a Crooked Little Ridge rising out of the ground. It looked fresh to Spot.

"Sniff, sniff," he went, along the Crooked Little Ridge; "Miner the Mole must be working around here somewhere."

Now Spot the Skunk would almost surely have caught Miner the Mole if something else had not happened just then. Out of the Tangled Grasses came Mephitis the Skunk sniffing along at that Crooked Little Ridge. It would never have done for Spot and Mephitis to spray each other with their Strong Odor, for one could have done that just as well as the other. So they turned away and went in opposite directions to hunt some other place.

Dynamic Drive.