<div><h1 id='ch25'>CHAPTER XXV<br/> <span class='sub-head'>THE YOUNG OTTERS ARE WARNED</span></h1></div>
<div class='poetry-container' style=''>
<div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' -->
<div class='stanza-outer'>
<p class='line0'>The young who heed an elder’s warning</p>
<p class='line0'>Show evidence of wisdom’s dawning.</p>
<p class='line0'>                  <span class='it'>Little Joe Otter.</span></p>
</div>
</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend -->
<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>“Do</span> you remember the terrible
two-legged creature who chased
us on our way from the Laughing
Brook to this brook?” Little
Joe Otter asked the two young
Otters.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Both nodded their heads. “I
guess I do!” exclaimed one. “He
gave me a dreadful fright.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Have you seen anything of him
since we have been staying over
here?” Mrs. Joe asked.</p>
<p class='pindent'>This time both the young Otters
shook their heads. “No,” said
the one who had spoken before.
“The truth is, I had forgotten all
about him. I guess he doesn’t
know we are over here.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“I guess he does,” said Little
Joe Otter. “I <span class='it'>know</span> he does.
He has set traps for us.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“What are traps?” asked one
of the young Otters.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They are terrible things with
awful jaws which are hidden where
they are not likely to be seen and
are always ready to jump up and
seize an Otter by the leg. Then
they will never let go, and there
is no way of making them let
go,” explained Little Joe.</p>
<p class='pindent'>The eyes of the young Otters
grew round with wonder and fear.
“But what have they to do with
that terrible creature who chased
us?” asked one of them.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Those traps belong to him,”
replied Little Joe. “He is the
one who has hidden those traps,
hoping to catch us. If one of
you should be caught in one of
those traps, that terrible two-legged
creature would come and kill you.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But how do you know that he
has hidden any of those dreadful
traps around here?” inquired the
smallest Otter.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Your father has just found
one,” replied Mrs. Joe. “It was
set over on that old log where
your father has been in the habit
of eating his fish. Probably there
are more traps, and so it is not
going to be safe for any of us to go
to the places we have been in the
habit of going. That means that
you must not use the slippery slide
again, not even once. You must
keep away from the bank at the
place where we have been in the
habit of climbing it to reach the
top of the slippery slide. Each of
you must promise not to once use
that little path we have made
across the point to reach that other
bend in the brook.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“But can’t we slide any more?”
asked one young Otter, looking
very much disappointed. “There
won’t be any fun if we can’t go
sliding.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It is better to go without fun
than to lose your life,” said Little
Joe Otter gravely. “However, we
will make a new slippery slide.
There is one thing more: If one
of you should find a dead fish,
keep away from it.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Why?” demanded one of the
young Otters.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Because the only safe fish for
an Otter is a live fish. No matter
how hungry you are or how hard
it is to catch a fish, don’t be tempted
by a dead fish. There is likely to
be a trap hidden close by. If the
fishing were not so good here, we
would move on at once. Now
remember to keep away from every
place you have been in the habit
of going to, and don’t touch a dead
fish.”</p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.