Page:Babyhood of Wild Beasts.djvu/253

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
BABY MOOSE
205

the wood folk to get up, for the sun is rising and will soon be in sight. "Moosie" shakes himself to get the sleep out of his eyes and follows his mother to the lake for their morning bath. In they plunge. The baby is a good swimmer for a little tot, and takes kindly to the water. Mother starts for the opposite shore, but as they round the bend the man smell is blown sharply into her nostrils. She wheels softly and guides her offspring back and away to safety. He learns at a tender age that the man and the bear smell are to be strictly avoided.

Old Bear is one of the Moose's worst enemies. He watches his chance to catch the little fellow when his mother isn't looking. She would fight to the death for her baby and he knows it. Blows from her sharp hooves are apt to be fatal. So Old Bear avoids contact with her. He'd break the little fellow's back if he got a chance. He rolls his little red-rimmed eyes and his mouth waters as he watches the pretty brown baby playing in the sunshine.

During the second year our moose is a great