I
_The Reindeer Start for their Summer Home_
Every winter the reindeer came to the wooded hills where the Cave-men
lived. No matter how deep the snow, they always found food. Sometimes
they stretched their slender necks and ate moss from the trees. Again
they scraped up the snow with their forefeet and found dry grass.
The reindeer liked cold weather. They liked the north wind that
brought the snow. As soon as the snow began to melt, they started
toward the mountains. In the high valleys among the mountains, there
was snow all the year round.
One morning the Cave-men awoke and found the south wind blowing. All
the people were glad; for they knew it would drive the winter away.
The reindeer sniffed the warm wind and knew it was time to go. Each
leader signaled to his herd. And soon the wooded hills were dotted
with small herds moving toward the ford.
Straightshaft saw what the reindeer were doing and he signaled the
news to the men. Then the Cave-men gathered around Scarface, who was
to lead them in the hunt.
The children had listened to all that was said about the great herd.
They could scarcely wait to see it. Fleetfoot pulled his grandmother's
hand and started up the cliff. Chew-chew wanted to see the herds meet
at the reindeer ford. All the women wanted to see the great herd
before it went away. So they all climbed the cliff where they could
get a good view.
When the children saw a herd near the river, they clapped their hands
and shouted. Then Chew-chew pointed out many herds and they all danced
for joy.
The scattered herds were coming slowly down the little valleys. Each
followed a handsome leader headed toward the ford.
[Illustration: _A reindeer._]
"Look!" said Chew-chew as the leader of a herd plunged into the river.
The herd plunged too, for reindeer know it is best to follow their
leader. The reindeer swam through the deep water and waded out to the
opposite bank. Then the frightened creatures hurried on toward the
well-known ford.
[Illustration: "_The reindeer swam through the deep water and waded
out to the opposite bank._"]
"Why did the reindeer jump into the river?" asked Fleetfoot of
Chew-chew. Before she could answer Eagle-eye pointed to a big
cave-bear. The cave-bear was going into a thicket when Fleetfoot
heard his mother say, "Cave-bears and hyenas hide in the thickets.
They lie in wait for the herds."
Scarface seemed to be lying in wait on some rocks by an evergreen
tree. He had stopped on his way to the reindeer pass to see what had
frightened the herd.
While the men were going to the pass, the reindeer were gathering at
the ford. Several herds of two or three hundred each were already
there. Other herds were coming. The flat sandy banks on one side of
the river were already covered with reindeer. Soon the ford was
filled, and the reindeer began to press up the narrow river valley.
When at last all the herds from the wooded hills were gathered at the
ford, the handsomest leader of all stepped forth to lead the way.
After looking around to see if an enemy was near, he started up the
well-trodden trail through the narrow river valley.
Slowly the great herd began to move. To those watching from the cliff,
it looked like a moving forest. Those in advance were soon out of
sight, and were going toward the pass.
Meanwhile the men had reached the pass where the bravest ones hid at
the farther end. There they waited to spear the reindeer, while others
hid behind rocks near the entrance to drive the reindeer on.
While the women and children watched from the cliff a signal came from
the men. It was a call for the women to come and carry the reindeer to
the cave. The younger women went, but Chew-chew stayed and watched
with the children.
At length the Cave-men returned. The men brought trophies and the
women brought heavy loads of meat. They found Chew-chew and the
children still watching from the cliff. There they all watched for a
long, long time; for not until the sun was low down in the sky had the
last of the reindeer left the ford.
#THINGS TO DO#
_Model a large river valley with many little valleys in it. Show
where the small herds were. Model the cliffs along the river and
show the flat sandy banks on one side, and the narrow valley with
steep sides on the other._
_Find rocks and make the reindeer pass. Make the trail from the ford
through the narrow valley to the pass._
_Play the story this lesson tells._
_Draw one of these pictures_:--
_The reindeer stretched their slender necks and ate moss from the
trees._
_The reindeer sniffed the warm wind and knew it was time to go._
_Fleetfoot pulled his grandmother's hand and started up the cliff._
_The cave-bears and hyenas hide in the thickets._
_Hunting at the reindeer pass._
_Show how Eagle-eye loaded a reindeer upon her back. Model Eagle-eye
in clay so as to show how she carried the reindeer._