The Concerned Squirrel

By Deborah Garnett

There was once a red squirrel who lived deep in a wood. It was autumn and she was busy gathering acorns and hazelnuts.

For weeks as she busily ran up and down branches, red squirrel had noticed the leaves change colour to radiant orange and gold and eventually fall off and flutter to the ground.

The other animals could not understand why red squirrel was so lively. They were happy to sit around and admire the beautiful trees.

Red squirrel became concerned that her friends were not preparing for the cold, spare, empty time to come. She wanted to tell them what all squirrels know and that is to store up food for the winter, but she was unsure they would pay her any attention.

So, in preparation for the woodland meeting, red squirrel approached great stag and asked if he would use his authority to impress on the others the importance of preparing for winter.

At the woodland meeting, as all the creatures were gathered chatting, great stag raised himself up to his full height. With his chest puffed out and antlers raised high, he barked out orders for all the animals to wake at dawn the next day and work until nightfall to bring in the harvest. They were stunned into silence as the great stag roared out his message and some fell over into a terrified faint.

The next day, only red squirrel rose at dawn to continue the search for food.

Red squirrel became more concerned that her friends were not preparing for the cold, spare, empty time to come. She wanted to tell them what all squirrels know and that is to store up food for the winter, but she was unsure they would pay her any attention.

So, in preparation for the next woodland meeting, red squirrel approached fox and asked if she would use her cleverness to impress on the others the importance of preparing for winter.

At the meeting, as all the creatures were gathered chatting, fox appeared wearing her professor’s gown and spectacles. She pointed with her twig to charts and graphs, showing all sorts of facts and figures about why the animals should wake at dawn the next day and work until nightfall to bring in the harvest. They were stunned into silence by the end of the presentation and some fell over from sheer boredom.

The next day, only red squirrel rose at dawn to continue the search for food.

Red squirrel became increasingly concerned and so approached wise owl for advice. Wise owl told red squirrel that the message should come directly from red squirrel herself. Red squirrel said that she wasn’t sure what to say or whether the others would pay her any attention. Wise owl replied; “When the time comes, you will know exactly what to say and how to say it and they will understand and appreciate your message.”

At the next meeting, as all the creatures were gathered chatting together under a mighty oak, red squirrel began by saying; “My dear friends, as you are sitting here, you will be wondering what I, red squirrel can have to say to you.” With tears in her eyes, red squirrel reminded them of how they had gone hungry the previous winter and that she was concerned the same would happen again. She entreated them to work together to bring in the harvest and that if they did so, all would be well.

When she had finished and having dried her eyes, the other animals came up to red squirrel and thanked and hugged her and shook her paw.

The next day, red squirrel and all the forest animals rose at dawn to search for food.

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