ultation, cheerfulness,
fear, astonishment, and hunger. Not a bad beginning in the way of
language.

TALE 66

Why the Squirrel Wears a Bushy Tail

"Oh, Mother, look at that Gray Squirrel!" shouted Billie. "What a
beautiful bushy tail he has!" Then, after a pause he added, "Mother,
what is its tail for? Why is it so big and fluffy? I know a 'Possum has
a tail to hang on a limb with, and a Fish can swim with his tail, but
why is a Gray Squirrel's tail so bushy and soft?"

Alas! Mother didn't know, and couldn't tell where to find out. It was
long after, that little Billie got the answer to his childish, but
really important question. The Alligator may use his tail as a club, the
Horse, his tail as a fly-flapper, the Porcupine his tail as a spiked
war-club, the 'Possum his as a hooked hanger, the Fox his as a muffler,
the Fish his as a paddle; but the Gray Squirrel's tail is a parachute, a
landeasy. I have seen a Gray Squirrel fall fifty feet to the ground, but
his tail was in good condition; he spread it to the utmost and it landed
him safely right side up.

I remember also a story of a Squirrel that lost his tail by an accident.
It didn't seem to matter much for a while. The stump healed up, and the
Squirrel was pert as ever; but one day he missed his hold in jumping,
and fell to the ground. Ordinarily, that would have been a small matter;
but without his tail he was jarred so severely that a dog, who saw him
fall, ran up and killed him before he could recover and climb a tree.

TALE 67

Why a Dog Wags His Tail

There is an old story that the Dog said to the Cat: "Cat, you are a
fool; you growl when you are pleased and wag your tail when you are
angry." Which happens to be true; and makes us ask: Why does a Dog wag
his tail to mean friendship?

The fact is, it is part of a wig-wag code, which is doubly interesting
now that all our boys are learning wig-wagging with a white flag. We
think that our army people invented this method; but Woodcraft men know
better.

First, notice that any Dog that has any white on his body has at least a
little white on the end of his tail. This is well known; and the reason
is that the wild ancestor had a white brush on the end of his tail; a
white flag, indeed; and this was the flag of his signal code.

Suppose, then, that a wild Dog, prowling through the woods, sights some
other animal. Instantly he crouches; for it is good woodcraft to avoid
being seen and then watch fro