The Tree-Dwellers Part 4

But the wolves and bears had a feast.

THINGS TO DO

_Model the wooded hills where the cattle fed by day._ _Model the gra.s.sy uplands where they fed by night._ _Show the trail that the cattle made._ _Make the banks at the drinking-place._ _Make the thickets and show where the wolf hid._

VIII.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Why did the wild cattle feed on the gra.s.sy uplands at night instead of during the day?

Where did they spend the day?

When do the flesh-eating animals sleep?

When do they hunt?

Can they live without flesh to eat?

Do you know whether they kill more than they need to eat?

_How Sharptooth Spent the Night_

It was now almost dark.

The wild cattle had reached the gra.s.sy upland.

They were feeding on the fresh gra.s.s.

Sharptooth had watched them out of sight, and now she was getting sleepy.

She could see nothing but dim shadows, but she could hear all sorts of sounds.

Wild animals were coming out of their dens.

Most of them had slept during the day, but now they were wide awake.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The upper part of the river valley_]

Hippopotamuses were snorting and blowing.

They were splas.h.i.+ng in the water.

They were cras.h.i.+ng through the underbrush along the banks.

Straight-tusked elephants were trumpeting and bellowing.

Lions were roaring.

The hunted animals were seeking a place of refuge.

Sharptooth was used to these sights and sounds.

She felt safe in the old oak tree.

She tied herself to a strong branch and soon was fast asleep.

She slept all through the long night.

Many of the wild beasts, too, were soon asleep.

Some of the hunted creatures found places of refuge.

Some beasts of prey were soon satisfied.

Then they stole back to their dens and slept.

But all of the wild animals did not fare so well.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_Hippopotamuses were snorting and blowing_"]

Not all of the hunted creatures found places of refuge.

Not all of the beasts of prey found food.

Some beasts of prey hunted all through the night and were still hungry when morning came.

THINGS TO DO

_Cut a hippopotamus or a straight-tusked elephant from paper._ _Tell how little boys and girls that you know are taken care of at night._ _Tell how the Tree-dwellers took care of their children._

IX.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

At the drinking-place the river banks were low.

In many other places they were high and steep.

In some places there was a solid wall of rock.

In others the rocks were broken and worn.

In some places there were deep holes in the rocks.

We call these holes caves.

They were made long ago.

Can you think how they were made?

Can you think what the caves were used for?

_Sharptooth Goes to the River_

Before sunrise the next morning Sharptooth awoke.

She opened her eyes and looked out upon the hills.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_Hyenas were stealing down to their caves_"]

She heard animals moving about.

A large cave-bear was pa.s.sing by toward his cave.

Hyenas, too, were stealing down to their caves.

Many flesh-eating animals were slinking away to their dens.

They were tired with their night's work.

Most of them had eaten until they were satisfied, and now they were ready to sleep through the day.

The wild cattle were coming back to the hills.

The baby awoke.

Sharptooth played with him a moment.

Then she put him under her arm and slipped down the tree.

She started down toward the river, but she did not go by the trail.