What animals would the Cave-men see just before winter? Which of
these live in herds? How are the leaders of the herds chosen?
What kind of a voice does the reindeer have when it is
good-natured?
What kind of a voice does it have when it is angry?
_Fleetfoot and Flaker see a Combat_
One day just before winter, Fleetfoot and Flaker went out on the
hills. The reindeer were coming back and the boys wanted to see them.
They had gone only a little way, when they saw two handsome stags.
Each wanted to be leader of the reindeer herd, and so they were trying
their strength.
The stags stood head to head, their red eyes blazing like fire. Their
hair stood on end. They stamped their hoofs on the hard ground. They
hissed fierce blasts to and fro.
Slowly and carefully they changed their position, still keeping head
to head. Each reindeer knew that the lances of the other could strike
deadly blows. Each reindeer had fought too many battles to expose
himself to such blows.
And so the stags eyed each other, getting more angry all the while.
Louder and fiercer sounded their blasts. Then their antlers crashed in
a swift charge.
They pulled and pushed with all their might in a life and death
struggle. Not until their strength was exhausted did they stop a
moment to rest.
Then they tried to draw apart, but they found they could not do it.
Each stag was held a prisoner by the antlers of the other. In vain the
handsome creatures pulled and pushed. Each was held fast. And the
boys, seeing their chance, secured both of the reindeer.
Perhaps it was well for the reindeer that the boys were there. At
least, the boys saved them from a more horrible death. Reindeer caught
in this way have suffered from hunger and thirst many days before
death came.
The boys admired the beautiful reindeer as they lay stretched out on
the ground. They felt of their polished antlers that had dealt many
powerful blows. And they wished they had such weapons as these to use
all of the time.
#THINGS TO DO#
_Show how the reindeer stood in the combat and how they changed
their positions. Draw the picture._
_Take a flat surface of clay and see if you can model a reindeer so
that it will stand out a little from the surface._
_Tell a story of what you think happened at the cave after the boys
killed the reindeer._