THEIR FOOD
On their way back Rago and Goni stopped to eat berries and roots for
their breakfast.
They were hungry, so they ate heartily.
“See! here are some acorns, Goni,” called Rago. “Would you like some of
these to eat?”
“Yes, yes,” answered Goni, and she ran to where Rago was standing.
The children cracked the acorns with their strong, sharp teeth, and
ate the kernels quickly.
“Let us carry some nuts back to mother,” said Goni.
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“She can not go far from baby sister.”
“Yes,” said Rago, “and here are some blueberries which mother will
like.”
“How shall we carry them?” asked Goni.
“If I had a rabbit’s skin we might carry the acorns in that,” said Rago.
“Rabbits’ skins make fine baskets.”
“You carry these branches with the berries on them, Goni, and I will
carry the nuts in my hands,” said Rago.
“If we should have to climb a tree suddenly, we can drop the nuts and
berries.”
“Now let us hurry back, or mother will wonder if we are safe,” said
Rago.
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As they neared the place where their mother was, they shouted, “Mother!
Mother!”
“Here I am,” answered their mother, who was sitting on a branch in a
tall tree.
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“Baby and I have been waiting for you.”
By this time baby sister was wide awake and her mother was singing to
her as she held her in her arms.
“Here, mother,” said the children, “here are some berries and acorns
for you.”
Rago had to climb the tree to hand the nuts and berries to his mother.
He had to climb with one hand, his other hand was full of nuts and he
carried the branches under his arm.
“Thank you, children,” said their mother, “I am glad to have the
berries and nuts, for I have had no breakfast.”
Baby sister smiled too, for she wanted breakfast also.
“Here are some nuts I cannot crack,” said their mother. “Will you crack
them for me?”
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“Yes,” said Rago and he tried to crack the nuts with his teeth.
“I shall have to try a stone,” said Rago, “for I cannot crack them with
my teeth.”
He climbed down the tree and soon found a stone. The rough edges hurt
his hands, so he wound one end with grass.
This made a fine hammer and the nuts were soon cracked.
“Here, mother, are the nuts,” called Rago. “Are you coming down?”
“Yes,” answered his mother as she sprang nimbly from the tree. “Thank
you, Rago, that is a fine way to crack nuts when our teeth cannot crack
them. Now I shall take baby sister to the river for a drink.”