SQUIRREL GAMES
GAMES are used among wild animals for the training of the young. King of
the castle, tag, hide-and-seek, follow-my-leader, catch-as-catch-can,
wrestling, coasting, high-dive, and, in rare cases, even ball games are
enjoyed. Most of them were in some sort played by the young Squirrels.
But these are world-wide, they had one or two that were peculiarly their
own, and of these the most exciting was the dangerous game of "teasing
the Hawk."
[Illustration]
Three kinds of big Hawks there are in the Squirrel woods in summertime:
the Hen-hawk that commonly sails high in the air, screaming or
whistling, and that at other times swoops low and silent through the
woods, and always is known by his ample wings and bright red tail; the
gray Chicken-hawk that rarely soars, but that skims among the trees or
even runs on the ground, whose feathers are gray-brown, and whose voice
is a fierce _crek, crek, creek_; and the Song-hawk or Singer, who is the
size of the Chicken-hawk, but a harmless hunter of mice and frogs, and
known at all seasons by the stirring song that he pours out as he wheels
like a Skylark high in the blue.
[Illustration]
The inner guide had warned the boisterous Bannertail to beware of all of
them. Experience taught him that they will attack, and yet are easily
baffled, if one does but slip into a hole or thicket, or even around the
bole of a tree.
Many times that summer did Bannertail avoid the charge of Redtail or
Chicken-hawk by the simple expedient of going through a fork or a maze
of branches. There was no great danger in it, as long as he kept his
head; and it did not disturb him, or cause his heart a single extra
beat. It became a regular incident in his tree-top life, just as a stock
man is accustomed to the daily danger of a savage Bull, but easily
eludes any onset by slipping through a fence. It does not cause him a
tremor, he is used to it; and men there are who make a sport of it, who
love to tease the Bull, who enjoy his helpless rage as he vainly tries
to follow. His mighty strength is offset by their cunning and agility.
It is a pretty match, a very ancient game, and never quite loses zest,
because the Bull does sometimes win; and then there is one less
Bull-teaser on the stock-range.
This was the game that Bannertail evolved. Sure of himself, delighting
in his own wonderful agility, he would often go out to meet the foe, if
he saw the Hen-hawk or the Chicken-hawk approaching. He would flash his
silver tail, and shrill "_Grrrff, grrrff_," by way of challenge.
[Illustration]
The Hen-hawk always saw. "Keen-eyed as a hawk" is not without a reason.
And, sailing faster than a driving leaf, he would swish through the
hickory woods to swoop at the challenging Squirrel. But just as quick
was Bannertail, and round the rough trunk he would whisk, the Hawk,
rebounding in the air to save himself from dashing out his brains or
being impaled, would now be greeted on the other side by the head and
flashing tail of the Squirrel, and another with loud, defiant
"_Ggrrrffhh, grggrrrffhh_."
Down again would swoop the air bandit, quicker than a flash, huge black
claws advanced, and Bannertail would wait till the very final instant,
rejoicing in his every nerve at tension, and just as those deadly
grappling-irons of the Hawk were almost at his throat, he would duck,
the elusive, baffling tail would flash in the Hawk's very face, and the
place the Graycoat had occupied on the trunk was empty. The grapnels of
the Hawk clutched only bark; and an instant later, just above, the
teasing head and the flaunting tail of Bannertail would reappear, with
loudly voiced defiance.
The Hawk, like the Bull, is not of gentle humor. He is a fierce and
angry creature, out to destroy; his anger grows to fury after such
defeat, he is driven wild by the mockery of it, and oftentimes he begets
such a recklessness that he injures himself by accident, as he charges
against one of the many sharp snags that seem ever ready for the
Squirrel-kind's defense.
Yes, a good old game it is, with the zest of danger strong. But there is
another side to it all.
[Illustration]
_WHEN BANNERTAIL WAS SCARRED FOR LIFE_