THE WAY OF DESTRUCTION
THE little mother did not understand; she only had a growing sense of
distrust, of repulsion, and an innate hatred of that strange complexity
of smells. The children did not understand, but something there was
about their father these times that made them much afraid.
They knew only the sorrow of it. They had no knowledge of how it came or
how to prevent its coming. But big and everywhere is the All-Mother,
Mother Carey, the wise one who seeks to have her strong ones build the
race. Twice had she warned him. Now he should have one more chance.
[Illustration]
The Thunder-moon, July, was dominating Jersey woods, when the lusty life
force of the father Graycoat inevitably sent him roving to the woods of
the madcaps. Plenty they were now, and many had been stored by the
Redsquirrels for winter use, for this is the riddle of their being, that
the Redsquirrels long ago have learned. On the bank, when they are
rooted in the earth, their juices from the underworld are full of
diabolic subtlety, are tempting in the mouth as they are deadly in the
blood and sure destruction at the last. They must be uprooted, carried
far from the ground and the underground, and high hung in the blessed
purifying pine tops, where Father Sun can burn away their evil. There,
after long months of sun and wind and rain purgation, their earth-born
bodies are redeemed, are wholesome Squirrel food. This was the lesson
Mother Carey had taught the Redheads, for their country is the country
of the fool-trap toadstools. But the Graycoats know it not. And
Bannertail came again.
_MOTHER CAREY'S LASH_