The Tree-Dwellers Part 12

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_He tossed one of the hyenas over the cliff_"]

He rolled down the steep cliff and was dashed upon the rocks.

The hyenas were no longer afraid.

They feasted upon the carca.s.s.

They dragged the bones to their caves.

They gnawed them until they left the marks of their teeth.

The bones stayed in the caves for many years.

Not long ago some one found them there.

He sent them to a museum, where they may be seen to-day.

Perhaps you will go to the museum some time.

If you do, be sure and look at these bones.

Perhaps you will be able to help your friends read the story they tell.

THINGS TO DO

_Think of the rhinoceros as he was rooting up the tree._ _Think of him as he was tearing the wood into strips._ _Draw one of the pictures._ _Think of the high cliff with the caves at its foot._ _Model the cliff and caves in your sand box._

XXII.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Can you think how a fire might have been started before people knew how to make it?

What did the Tree-dwellers think the fire was?

Why did they fear it?

What else did they fear?

_Frightened by Fire_

One day there was a great storm on the wooded hills.

The lightning struck a tree in the forest.

It set it on fire.

At once the flames spread to the neighboring trees.

The Tree-dwellers were driven to the ground.

They had never been so frightened before.

They were afraid of thunder and lightning.

They were afraid of beasts of prey.

Only when they were up in a tree did they feel that they were safe.

But now the trees were on fire.

They thought that the fire was a wild animal.

They thought that it was an animal that ate wood.

They had seen the rhinoceros and the mammoth eat parts of trees, but this creature devoured all the trees in its path.

Several years pa.s.sed by.

Once again a fire broke out on the wooded hills.

Once again the wild animals ran.

The Tree-dwellers ran, for they still were afraid.

Bodo ran; for he, too, was afraid.

But he soon stopped and looked at the fire.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_Bodo stood and watched it a moment_"]

He was almost full grown now.

He was learning every day.

He was curious about many things, and now he wanted to see what the red monster was doing.

So he stood and watched it a moment.

It seemed to be chasing him.

So he ran to find a hiding-place.

He ran around through the underbrush until at last he found a safe place.

The fire ran away from him now.

He stood and gazed at the red flames.

The wind blew.

The fire monster spread its great red wings and leaped from tree to tree.

The branches groaned, and cracked, and fell.

Bodo was filled with terror.

He did not know what to do.

After a little it began to rain.

The fire monster became smaller and smaller.

In a few moments it was gone.

Bodo wondered where it went.

THINGS TO DO

_Think of the Tree-dwellers and the animals running away from the forest fire._ _Draw the picture._ _Show how Bodo tried to find out more about the fire._ _Draw a picture of him as he was watching the fire._

XXIII.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Why would the Tree-dwellers want to use fire?

How would they learn to take care of it?

Why could they live in a better way after they had fire?

_How People Got Their First Homes_

The Tree-dwellers still thought that the fire was alive.