An episode appeared twice a month
in The Michigan Farmer magazine.
Flattail Is Made a Prisoner, Part 2
"What happened to Flattail, Uncle Joe?" Jerry asked eagerly
as we climbed into the tower house the next day.
Uncle Joe's eyes twinkled. "Why, a number of things. He put up
a pretty good fight, but the man just gathered the net together, picked
up the end of the pole and started away. There was Flattail in a net
dangling from the end of a pole and rapidly being taken away from Friendly
Creek."
"The man could have known but little about beavers for he had
used a strong cord net. As Flattail swung back and forth in the net
he got desperate. I suppose he could see Friendly Creek getting farther
and farther away. He twisted. He turned. The man turned to look back
at him and grinned."
"Didn't the man know you could see him?" Jerry asked.
"At least he didn't seem to care. He walked along paying no attention
to whom might be watching nor to Flattail. In not watching Flattail,
he made a serious mistake.
"Flattail had been lying still. Now quickly, his sharp teeth began
to work on the cords."
"Beavers cut down big trees, don't they Uncle Joe?" Jerry
interrupted.
"Yes," said Uncle Joe. "They cut down trees as much
as five or six inches in diameter. They use them for building their
lodge, for building their dam, or for food. Since Flattail was a beaver,
he didn't have sharp teeth for nothing. They weren't very large, but
they were sharp.
He gnawed through one cord. The second cord parted. Friendly Creek was
almost out of sight by now. Another cord and still another fell apart.
Flattail's nose went through the opening. The man was still walking
and the net was on the end of the pole about four feet from the ground.
"When Flattail jumped, of course the net became very light again.
The man was holding the end of the pole to bear Flattail's weight, and
when the little beaver jumped, the net went up into the air and landed
on the man's head.
"Flattail hit the ground with a grunt. The fall knocked the breath
out of him. The man threw up his arm to knock the net off his head and
then he turned to see what had become of Flattail. Flattail was gone."
"Can beavers run fast on land?" Jerry asked.
Uncle Joe shook his head. "Their feet aren't suited to running
on land. They are web-shaped much like a duck's foot, which makes the
beaver much more at home on the water," he replied, "but Flattail
lost no time in getting away.
"Flattail had dropped out of the net in part of Friendly Marsh
which is next to Friendly Creek and he found himself surrounded by marsh
grass. He scooted away. His nose told him the direction of Friendly
Creek. The waving of the grass as he moved told the man where Flattail
was.
"By this time the man must have been very angry. He didn't seem
to care if anyone saw him. He seemed to be yelling to frighten Flattail.
Flattail must have been frightened, for he ran faster, the waving grass
showing how he ran. And right behind him was an angry man with a badly
chewed net."
Click HERE to read "Uncle Joe
Takes a Hand"
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© 2004 Leo VanMeer
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