The Tree-Dwellers Part 3

What kind of a cradle does your baby brother or sister have?

What kind of a cradle do you think Sharptooth's baby had?

What kind of a lullaby would Sharptooth sing?

What lullaby can you sing?

_The First Weaver_

Sharptooth had climbed most of the trees on the wooded hills.

She had slept in many of them.

But she liked the old oak near the trail the best of all.

Its strong spreading branches were covered with vines.

Here was a place to lay the baby.

While he slept among the vines, she gathered wild foods.

But she never went far away, and she never stayed away long.

There were panthers and wild cats on the hills.

Sharptooth knew that they could climb the trees.

Many a time they had nearly caught her.

She was afraid that they would get the baby.

So she always stayed near him while he slept.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_She made a safe place for the baby to sleep_"]

When she stayed in a tree that had no vines, there was no place to lay the baby.

So she wove the slender branches together.

She made a safe place for the baby to sleep.

She lulled him to sleep as he lay in her arms.

Then she gently laid him upon his bed.

She watched him a moment as he slept.

A moment more and she, too, was asleep.

THINGS TO DO

_Think of Sharptooth as she was laying the baby down among the vine-covered branches. Draw the picture._ _Find some vines or branches and make a cradle._

VII.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

There were a great many wild cattle when the Tree-dwellers lived.

They were not so gentle as our cattle.

They had wide-spreading horns.

The fierce flesh-eating animals were always lying in wait for them.

How could the wild cattle protect themselves from their enemies?

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_There were a great many wild cattle when the Tree-dwellers lived_"]

Where would they stay during the day?

Where would they go at night?

Why did they stay in herds?

Where could they find water?

What kind of banks does a river have at the drinking-places?

Do you think the cattle would make paths to the drinking-places? How?

_What Happened When the Wild Cattle Went to the River_

The sun was just setting.

Sharptooth was getting ready for the night.

She was in the old oak tree.

The baby had gone to sleep.

As she put him down upon his bed she heard the mooing of the wild cattle.

She looked out upon the hills.

The wild cattle were coming down to the river to drink.

She watched the long line winding down the trail.

Other creatures were watching, too.

Wild animals were coming out of their dens.

A big bear pa.s.sed close to Sharptooth's tree.

He had heard the mooing of the wild cattle.

Wolves were prowling about.

They, too, were watching the herd.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_They drank from the flowing stream_"]

The cattle reached the river.

They waded out.

They drank from the flowing stream.

They stood knee deep in the cool water.

At last the leader turned to go.

The others followed one by one.

But some of the weaker ones lingered behind.

They seemed tired.

A big wolf watched them from a thicket.

At length the cattle came out of the stream.

They walked slowly along the bank.

They pa.s.sed close to the thicket.

The wolf sprang out from his hiding-place.

He seized the smallest creature.

The others dashed off through the underbrush.

They were too frightened to keep the path.

They lost their way.

Wolves and bears were lying in wait.

They fell upon the frightened cattle.

The herd was too far away to help.

So the poor creatures lost their lives.