The Later Cave-Men Part 16

_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._

XXV

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

If you have ever seen a cat hunt, tell how she does it. Can you think why cats do not hunt together?

Do dogs hunt alone, or with one another? How do wolves hunt?

In what ways can animals help one another in hunting? What animals do wolves hunt to-day? What animals did the wolves hunt in the time of the Cave-men?

_What Happened when Fleetfoot and Flaker Hunted the Bison_

When summer came, Fleetfoot and Flaker watched the bison from day to day. The wolves, too, watched the bison. One day the boys saw two wolves hunt a bison that had strayed from the herd.

The wolves walked boldly up toward the bison until they were only a few paces away. Then they went cautiously.

The bison paid no attention at first; but when the wolves came closer, he stamped his foot and shook his horns. Any animal could know that the bison meant, "It is dangerous here. Keep away!"

But the wolves had a plan and they carried it out. The smaller wolf kept the bison's attention by making believe attack from the front.

This gave the big wolf a chance; and he cut the large muscles of the bison's knees with his sharp teeth. The bison was thus crippled so badly that the wolves were more than a match for him.

"I wonder if we could get a bison," said Flaker as the boys watched the wolves at their feast.

"Let's try," said Fleetfoot.

"But how can we get close up," said Flaker, "without frightening the bison away?"

"Let's dress in wolf-skins," said Fleetfoot, "and make believe we are wolves."

And the boys dressed in wolf-skins and took their best hunting knives.

They watched the herd until they saw a large bison stray away. Then the boys approached the bison, and they looked so much like wolves that they got very close before the bison threatened with his horns.

Then the boys made the attack. Flaker took the part of the little wolf and attacked the bison's head. Fleetfoot took the part of the big wolf and tried to cripple the bison.

But the boys had not counted upon the bison's tough skin. They had not counted upon his muscles, which were as hard as boards. Flaker's dagger glanced off at one side and merely scratched the bison. But it made the creature so angry that he charged upon Flaker.

Meanwhile Fleetfoot was doing his best to cut the hard muscles of the bison's knee. He forgot about everything else until he had lamed one of the forelegs. It was then that the bison charged and that Flaker called for help. And then Fleetfoot tried to rescue Flaker by drawing the bison's attention away.

Fleetfoot did this just in time to save Flaker's life. He struck at the Bison's head, then dodged in time to escape his horns. He dodged again and again until he was almost exhausted. The bison limped, but he seemed as strong and as furious as ever. Once again the bison charged, and again Fleetfoot dodged. Then a spear whizzed past Fleetfoot's head and a voice called, "Climb a tree."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_They looked so much like wolves that they got very close before the bison threatened._"]

Fleetfoot never remembered running to the tree. He never remembered climbing it. But for many days he seemed to see himself in the tree and the bison just beneath. For many days he seemed to hear Greybeard's welcome voice.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _A Cave-man's carving of a "hamstrung" animal._]

Greybeard and Fleetfoot stayed in the trees until the bison started up the ravine. Then they climbed down from one of the trees and hurried to see what had happened to Flaker.

#THINGS TO DO#

_Tell something that you have learned from watching an animal._

_Mention as many things as you can that you think the Cave-men learned from animals._

_Straighten and bend your elbow or knee so as to find where the strong muscles are._

_Tell why the Cave-men tried to cut the strong muscles of the bison's knee. We say when we cut these large muscles that we have "hamstrung" the animal._

_Look at the picture of a Cave-man's carving of an animal which has been "hamstrung." Can you tell what animal it is?_

_Think of the two wolves coming up toward the bison. Model one of them in clay. See if the children can guess which one it is._