Page:Babyhood of Wild Beasts.djvu/251

Rh has to kneel to put his nose on the ground. Altogether, baby moose is a cunning little fellow, blest with a head full of sound sense.

He learns to mind his own business during the first year of his existence, and not to meddle with any one's while his sprouting horns are but knobs an inch long. If his antlers are injured at this tender age, they would never be normal and he would have to go handicapped through life.

A little moose looks like some beautiful toy. His mother takes good care of him and does not show him off to the forest folk. She knows that it is much wiser to keep him hidden as much as possible and does not tell any jealous neighbours about her treasure.

During his early infancy she hides him in a thicket, while she wanders the forest in search of food. The little fellow gets lonely waiting for her return. In his own baby way he thinks dim, formless thoughts, as the long hours roll by. Pretty soon he hears her soft hoofbeats and he jumps up and welcomes her with a little bleat. When he is older, she takes him with her when she travels. It is wonderful to walk beside her,