Mouse was out one afternoon
just being lazy. He wandered around the Valley just looking at the trees and
meadow and stream and being amazed that all this was a safe place to live. Safe
from Man, that is. Of course there were predators, and some invasive rats, but
mostly the boundaries that Little “A” had set up as a preserve protected them from
Man.
As he passed a fallen log, a black
and red shadow glided past and landed on the log. Mouse squeaked in alarm when
the big bird said “Don’t be afraid! I am only a Pileated Woodpecker looking for
a home. Can you help?”
Well of course the mouse
recognized the big bird as a woodpecker, but not a kind he ever had seem
before.
“I don’t know if I can help or not. What do you need? “
The woodpecker introduced
himself as “Redtop” and told Mouse that his home had been destroyed by Men, and
he had always admired the Valley when he flew over it. He asked if there was an
Elders Council for making important decisions, and if so could Mouse take him
to meet an Elder.
Mouse knew where Grandpa
Tortoise was sunning himself and took Redtop to see him.
When they finally got the the
clearing where the old tortoise had been napping, they found him awake.
“Who is your new Pileated friend,
Mouse” asked Grandpa.
“His name is Redtop, Grandpa Tortoise,
and he wants to talk to you.”
And so, Redtop told the old tortoise
of his plight and before he got very far, Grandpa interrupted and said “This is
a matter for the whole Council. Can you come back tomorrow morning to meet with
us? We meet on the big hill that overlooks the stream. In the mean time you and
your family are welcome to feed and roost in our forest,”
The next morning, all the Council
was present: Grandpa Tortoise, Old Man Badger, the Great Owl with his tufted
ears, and the very old and very large Old Oak Snake.
Redtop and his spouse Redtip
had never been that close to such a big Snake and asked politely if they were
safe. “Of course” replied Old Oak. “I only hunt invasive rats and other
creatures bent on destroying our homes and children. You are perfectly safe and
welcome. Now, tell us your problem.”
The woodpecker related how
Humans had invaded his home vale that was not far away, cut down the trees,
plowed up the ground and built big boxes for them to live in. “My spouse and I
were taking care of our eggs when the tree came crashing down and we had to fly
for our lives. Many other animals were killed by the machines and loud sticks
the Men carried. I came here to ask if my spouse and I, and our child from last
year, could settle here in your valley, if we could find a vacant tree.
With almost no deliberation,
the Council all shouted “OF COURSE! And plans were made to find an unoccupied
tree for the new family.
Later that day with the help
of the woodpeckers who lived in the Valley, Redtop, Redtip and young Woody
searched the trees and found a perfect place to drill a nesting hole.
Later that year, many other
animals found their way to the Valley from their destroyed home and all were
made welcome. The Elders were very insistent on bringing in new families
because, they taught, one of the strengths of the Valley was welcoming
strangers and learning new things from them. New ideas and points of view were
very important to the Elders. Why, look at Little “A” for example. Without his
Very Important Love for the Valley and folks who lived there, none of this
would have been possible.
The summer passed in peace,
and fall arrived on a cool breeze. All the families were well underway for
preparations for Winter.
Image: http://cdn2.arkive.org/media/F2/F2482F77-4DBD-4ECD-AFAF-5608C6B4730B/Presentation.Large/pileated-woodpecker-close-up.jpg
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