The Secret of the Ancient Oak

Secret ot the ancient

C168464

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\

the wicked black beaver. ''Well, this tree

and

all

the other trees in the

I'm Tarrux, the beaver, and you'd better run before

wi

I'll

Then he chased

I

I bite

the

have you

know

woods belong

do what your ears

I please.

soon

as

animals

He

groundhog down

couldn't sleep a wink.

Tarrux had

up

left,

10

And now

into his hole.

his

teeth

The next morning,

he rushed out to

in the tree.

to me.

off!"

Poor Ilgamoot was so angry and frightened chattered.

that

tell

as

the other

y

TT

^ "Listen,

shouted.

all

of you!" he

''Tarrux,

the

wicked black beaver from

across the

here

last

pond, was

night and he's

gnawing our

tree down!*'

9?

j^f'

But they only laughed.

"Go on," said the raccoons, ''Yes,"

''yc>u've

had

a

bad dream!"

snickered the orioles, 'you've been seeing

things."

"The very

idea!" laughed the

woodpecker. "What

would Tarrux want over here? He lives 'way across the pond and

besides, this tree

possibly ever

happen

is

so sturdy and strong nothing could

to

it."

The

bees were too high

up

in the tree to hear anything.

The owl was she was a ing.

The

asleep; besides

little

hard of hear-

squirrels weren't

yet.

Poor

Ilga-

moot shook ^'^

thing has to be

done," he 11

his

head. "Some-

k

"^

up

said.

"If

only they would

all

too busy.

come down a different

When

Maybe

listen to

me, but they

can get the squirrel to

I

here and look for himself.

I'll

try

way."

he saw the squirrel come out of

They are too hard for me

to crack but

I

house he

his

some hickory

shouted: ''Hi there, Mr. Squirrel! I've found nuts.

are

thought maybe

you'd like to have them." ''Hickory nuts? Hickory nuts?" chirped the squirrel.

"Why,

I'd

be delighted!"

And he came

right

down.

Ilgamoot told him what had happened during the night and then he showed

on

him where Tarrux had gnawed would never

the tree. "Dear me!" said the squirrel. "I

have believed seen /

It's

it

with

it if I

hadn't

my own

the beaver,

all

eyes!

right!"

"Yes," said the ground-

hog,"and do you know what he told me? Well, he said our tree belonged to him

and that he'd do with

it

as

he

pleased. He'll

chop

J

it

down,

watch and

see!"

c;-rw,.

'"^yU i.^-

1^

/

"Oh, pooh pooh!" laughed the

;

'

"Why,

squirrel. "

impossible,

that's

quite impossible. This tree

nothing could ever happen to don't like about what he said.

OURS! Anyway,

isn't, it's

should come again. Just

"Don't worry,"

Meantime here

are

It's

I'll

call

it.

But there not HIS

is

tree,

squirrel

the tree with

is

so big

one thing it

I

certainly

speak to him tonight

if

he

me!"

said the

groundhog.

"I'll call

you!

your hickory nuts." ^

The

/> i

f\

thanked him and ran up

them while Ilgamoot went

f^

r

down into his hole to catch up on his sleep. That night the beaver came

early

Ilgamoot whistled for the squirrel as

he

down to

started to as

talk

gnaw. The

squirrel

soon

came

he promised, but said he wanted to

the

with me,"

answered the groundhog. wish you luck, for he

With

^

beaver alone.

"It's all right

fellow."

as

and

is

'^m-

"I

a nasty

that he shufHed

down into his hole. The squirrel watched

Tar-

rux for a time before he spoke 13

_^i».

\

„.J^} V

^t^^

y

ys

;^

I see," said

the squirrel, "and of course a fellow

•- -s^

/^

-^

has a right to be busy, of course he has. There's just

to ask you.

It's

see, there are

one question about our

I

want

tree.

You

\

seven of us living here."

"Seven?" growled the beaver.

"Oh,

it's

many more

really

than that," said the squirrel. "Most of us have big families!*'

"Seven big families!" said the beaver, looking a

little bit

worried.

"That's quite a lot."

"Indeed true that tree,

it is,"

agreed the squirrel. "But,

you told the groundhog

tell

night that

last

me,

is it

this,

our

belonged to you and that you were going to gnaw

it

down.*^"

The beaver looked such a thing!" he

lied.

at

him

"And

"Why,

craftily.

as for

gnawing

could anybody even think that of me? hungry. In faa I'm

starv^ed,

and so

a little bark. Just a little teenie

weenie

I'm accused of chopping the whole to say such things about me.

and pretended to

cry.

15

never said

down, how

Why, I'm

came here

bit,

tree

Oh, I'm

Booo hooo, booo hooo!" And he

I

it

I

just

to eat

and right away

down.

It's

wicked

desperately hungry.

leaned against the tree

"Now, now, now," soothed the squirrel. all right.

-

You eat

^^ * * ^m

all

big

it

the bark you want.

won't hurt

has a right to eat that

he

left

it

'That's quite

Why,

a bit. After

when

this tree is so all,

a fellow

he's hungry!"

him and went

With

to see Ilgamoot.

t

The groundhog had been waiting

for him. In fact he

had kept the door wide open because he expected the squirrel to after

come a-running any moment with

him. But, instead of hurrying, Mr. Squirrel walked in

quite calmly with his nose high

everything

up in the air and said:

he's not

"Of course

not!" said the squirrel.

is

''Well,

right."

is all

"You mean beaver all,

the beaver

going to chop our

only hungry and hard up for a

a fellow has a right to eat

tree

"Why,

down?"

the poor

bit of bark. After

when he's hungry.

Now hasn't

he?"

"But he

said this tree

belonged to him."

"Go on," laughed the squirrel. "He has no such ideas at all. You just didn't understand him. He was very polite to me. Of course, you have to know how to handle such fellows. Yes indeed, it's all in knowing how." And he bade Ilgamoot good night and went home. "Well, the

I'll

groundhog

me somebody isn't

be switched!" growled

"Seems to

to himself. is

lying and

I

know

it

me!"

And then he went to bed and tried to sleep while the beaver kept

rasping and gnawing outside.

17

on

Late the next morning Ilgamoot went out to take a

look

what the beaver had done overnight. What he saw

at

made his hair stand on end! He immediately called the rel

and when he came down Ilgamoot took him by the arm

and

said angrily: ''See here, didn't

just

hungry and wanted to

then,

why

gnaws all.

squir-

it

doesn't he eat

off

and drops

Here, look

what he's doing!

with

my own

little bit

of our bark?

He's not hungry. Look!

HE'S

Well

He

just

And

that isn't

BEGINNING TO

GNAW

over the ground.

He's chopping

down

our

tree, that's

Now do you believe me?"

"Well," said the the ears. ''Well,

it?

it all

at this!

ON THE WOOD!

eat a

you tell me the beaver was

now!

I

squirrel, scratching himself

wouldn't believe

it if I

behind

didn't see

it

eyes!" \

"Yes," shouted the groundhog. "That's the trouble /

with

all

of you

up

one down here."

there!

But

now go quickly and call every/

^

\'

The

squirrel

them even orioles

went up but he had quite

to listen to him, they

were

all

a

time getting

so busy. Finally the

and the raccoon came, and when Ilgamoot showed

them the big hole Tarrux had made

in their tree, they just

stood there with their mouths wide open.

*'Now what do you know about coon. ''Who would ever have thought

And the orioles wailed: 'It's a done. Why, oh why, hasn't anybody

that?" said the racit

terrible

listen.

can't waste time talking. it is

too

to

him and

know

ask

him

to

that time the

the oriole

just

what

go

we

to do," chirped the oriole.

do

it.

I'll

talk

woodpecker and all the all said: "It's

a

squirrel family

good

idea! Let

Let her soften his wicked heart with a song.

the tree again to

And

go on with

WVj ^f|

y

away.'*

Surely he will listen to her!"

^ -i)

too busy. But

Something must be done before

had come down too and they

V

all

soften his wicked heart with a song and then

By

up

were

groundhog. "But

late!"

"I think I "I'll

You

thing he has

told us about it?"

"I did tell you!" shouted the little

none of you would

possible?"

then they

their chores.

all

scrambled

a

V

'J

^>^ \^ t0t

[ >^

% V

That night the wicked old ^

beaver came even earlier than before and the oriole,

/f

?

works,"

f

to himself.

s

21 .x^

N)

w\ >

i-r

aV^

.^

^

/

">'

V/^

"^^

/ all

went

^^ ^^^ woodpecker called his family and they

to gather bitter roots.

they carefully rubbed

X

^/

^-^

it

all

When

each had a beak

full

around where the beaver was

/ gnawing. Then they waited for Tarrux and, sure enough, he

came

again. It wasn't long before

he tasted the

bitter roots.

'Tooey!" he shouted, spitting and coughing and making a V

terrible face.

treachery!

.

i^y

up

'Tooey!

What a nasty thing to do to me! What

Oh, how mean and wicked

all

those animals are

in that tree. Pooey! Pooey! Pooey!"

to the

pond

to

wash out

The woodpecker

his black

And he ran away

mouth.

shouted, ''Hurray! He's gone! He's

gone!" All the animals were happy, but not for long. Tarrux

was back the very next night and, having

\

off the bitter roots,

he gnawed away more

carefully

wood

washed

than ever

before.

^=*^

^^j

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>-

The next morning

now

together and

\

But

this

the animals

all

"^s^ ^ came

they were getting frightened.

time the raccoons had an idea. "We'll

throw some rocks down on him, right on

his nose. That'll

stop him!"

''Good!" they

all

shouted. 'Tet the raccoons do

it!"

But Ilgamoot, the groundhog, looked more worried

me we

than ever. ''Seems to owl. She

knows more than any

up something even

better."

mean and

"She's

^' ^

should wake up the wise old of us.

Maybe

she can think

But nobody would

call her.

crotchety and hard of hearing!" said

the woodpecker.

v

"Yes, and the bees live right above her. They might

;y

sting us! Leave her alone!" they cried. "Let the raccoons

throw rocks

And we

him!" ^

everybody happily went his way. All but the

groundhog. think

at the beaver. Surely that will stop

He shook

his

head and

said to himself, "I

should have called the owl!"

still

| ?

?

Well, the raccoons dragged up a great big rock, so big that

And

that

it

took three of them to carry

evening

came they dropped

when Tarrux it

it

up

the tree.

r'->Aw

^^L^

*"

tf!^

on him. But

they missed his nose and

it fell

on

his foot instead.

23 .

was

a terrible

k

When morning

^

it

night.

^

/

came nobody went work. The squirrels forgot

\_

their nuts.

Oh,

~

The orioles were silent, and

all

to

about

the raccoons were so

upset they didn't even eat breakfast. ''Let's

go down and

see Ilgamoot!"

they finally said. ''He's been right from the

very beginning. laughed.

He warned

us,

and

we

^

only

We really haven't been nice to him.

know what to do!" Then they all went down to

Besides,

_

^

he might

groundhog and

told

him

.^

the

"

(V y^

*

they were sorry

\

they had laughed at him and that they wished

'^''•^

"^

they had listened to his warnings.

"Never mind crying over spilled milk!" "It isn't

too

late yet,

said Ilgamoot.

but the time has come to

call

the wise

old owl, and the bees too, and the only

way we can

^ /\

y

get to

them

through the

owl's house!"

"^

"Yes," they

' ,

nf^

is

S^ ^^^

r"^ i^i^

1

^^^^

said.

"But

who

will

^^^ ^^^^ ^^^'^ ^^^ ^^^

crabby and hard of hearing."

"O^i.^

^j'\ .^i

Cx/^ f^i

-A

O

^\4

/ '>o

I

"I don't dare call her," said the

/

woodpecker. \i

\

"Neither do

"She might peck

They stood

sj

I," said

little

not scared of her. She

/

me," added the raccoon.

at

woebegone

there looking quite

suddenly one of the

the oriole.

squirrels said: "I'll

lets

me

go

until

call her.

play around her house!"

I'm

And

i

OiJ-

she went to knock at the owl's door.

She had to knock pretty hard, but

after a

old owl came out, looking very sleepy-eyed. surprise she

She

just

squirrel girl

my

child? "It's

little

was not

surly

and crotchety

blinked at the

little

"What

is it,

and

said,

Why do

you wake me?"

about the

To

while the everyone's

at all.

(

tree!" said the

squirrel girl.

\^ \

"I did

my

not hear you,

child," answered' the owl. "I

don't hear very well." "It's

the tree!"

"What "Our

tree?"

black beaver

is

gnawing

"Dear me,"

And

away!"

"The wicked

tree!" said the little squirrel girl.

she

it

down!"

said the owl, "I

must have

came hobbling out

a look right

of her hollow-limb

house to see what was going on.

As soon

as she

was down on the ground Ilgamoot

bowed low before her and said, "Forgive us but

a terrible

beaver, has

our

tree

wanted

for

waking you,

thing has happened. Tarrux, the wicked black

come from

down. At

to eat a

first

little

across the

pond and

he's

chopping

he told us he was hungry and

bark.

But he didn't 28

eat

it

and he

just

started

gnaw deep into the wood! Then the oriole pleaded with him to leave our tree alone and he faithfully promised to go. But at night, when everybody was asleep, he came right to

back again and gnawed a cheat *'

and nobody can

even more, for he

trust

is

him.

right back

and the hole in our

getting bigger and bigger. Last night he shook his

us and shouted, tree falls into the

I'll

gnaw and gnaw and gnaw

pond and

all

the damage."

up,

my

dresser, right

them

And by

my

fist at

until "

your

"first I'll

little

have a look

squirrel girl

and

at

said,

me my specs. They're on And in a flash the squirrel

and get

the

bed."

got

for her.

"Thank you, went

she called the

child,

tree

of you will drown!'

"Well, now," said the owl,

"Run

and

a liar

Now we have all done what we could to make him

go away but he comes is

off

my

to see the terrible

gnawed out

child," said the

wedge

owl and then she

the wicked black beaver had

of the old oak tree.

J

"It late.

looks very, very bad!" she

Now

me

tell

one thing.

"But

said.

Why

didn't

Then

the

it

you

isn't

too

call

me

sooner.*^"

Everyone was spoke up and

mean and

silent at

said,

"Oh,

crabby, but

I

first.

it's

little

because they

know you

**Hush!" said her mother.

all

squirrel girl

think you're

aren't."

"Why, how can you

say

such a thing about us?"

But the wise old owl answered them and be fussy about really needed.

\

little

1

things but I'm always ready

Remember

"Yes," said

all

that

now on!" "and now pray tell us what

almost too

for a long,

late. If

long time and then she

only you had called

Already Tarrux has gnawed away so it

x\

when I'm

from

the animals,

we do?" The owl thought

may

should

said, "It is

I,

said, "I

may

repair

die even it

or the

if

he doesn't come back.

worms

But that will come

much

will get into

later, for right

it

and

me sooner.

of our tree that

We it

will

wiU

have to

rot away.

now there is but one thing

to do.

We will have to fight for our tree, all of us together.

All for one and one for else

go

until

ever had.

We

all,

and

we have won, must stand

or

we'll have to let everything

we

together!

31

we THE SECRET

will lose everything

THATS

"Stand together?" asked the animals and they

n

looked sooner? as

at

each other and

said,

we think of that And now we shall fight

''Why

You are right, wise old owl!

all

didn't

never before!" ''And

I shall

said the owl. Squirrel,

"But

go and

without them

we

fight first

tell

with you!" of

you,

the bees, for

can never win."

"I'm afraid they won't

me,"

all

listen to

said the squirrel. "Besides, they

might get mad and sting me!"

f

IH

\

-A^

r

\

W

•)

^t^/-

'"^

^.^''^^T^'/^

'P

1

^^

*'Don't you worry," said the

fit'^

them

owl,

''just

They

will listen all right!"

tell

I

sent you.

And the bees did listen. Soon the whole hive hummed and buzzed with excitement and some of them came down to be told

what

to do.

''Good!" said the wise old owl.

"Now

let

us lay our

plans.

"You, Oriole,

fly

up

to the highest branch

and blow

your bugle when you see the beaver coming across the pond.

And And

you, Ilgamoot, you build a trap for you, squirrels,

the raccoons,

let

fill it

them

full

33

many

to fall into.

As

for

rocks as they can

up

of thorns and

carry as

into the tree."

him

thistles.

^

^

^

1

y

/^

-

'".

^^

i=- ==^

And

they

*'Now all

*all

did as they were told.

listen to

me

hide as soon as the oriole

when will

owl

carefully!" the tells

us Tarrux

is

said. *'We'll

coming. Then,

he's fallen into Ilgamoot's thorny trap, the raccoons

throw

three times

their rocks

and that

down. And then

on him. Right then

shall

we'll all

I shall

screech

be the sign for the bees to come

jump on him

together and bite

him and

sting

him

screams and howls and runs for home!

Now

then, are

him and peck him and

all

beat

until

he

you

ready?"

"We

are!" they

shouted and everybody went to his

place.

34

'^.

And

then they waited and waited

for Tarrux, the evil one, to last

they

^v^

come. At

the oriole blew her bugle. Quickly all

hid as the black beaver came

nearer and nearer and nearer, until crash,

he stumbled headlong right into moot's

Ilga-

" '"(

^168464 Oh, how he screamed

trap.

and

howled when he

fell

thorns and

But before he

could even

thistles! sit

up

the

on those

raccoons

quickly threw seven big rocks

on

Now

the

how he moment had

him. Oh,

yelled!

big

come. The owl

screeched three times and in a flash

they

all

jumped down on him and

)

'c'.l^'^«#

'

'.'

S

,

9

lid J

J

.vX*.

bit all

him and pecked him and nipped him and their might.

sound

in the air

The and

And

his ears.

his claws, until

jumped

and

And

that

Zoom, zoom, zoom!

finally

In twos

by the hundreds, every

they stung

him on

his

V\

last

r

nose and his

They stung him everywhere, even between

n

he howled with pain and crawled away and

straight into the

And

^

suddenly there was a deep buzzing

bees were coming!

fours, in dozens

and

him with

above them.

one of them came. tail

beat

pond!

was the end of the wicked black beaver,

for v..

nobody ever saw him

again.

)

>