TALES FROM THE SQUIRREL'S NEST Terrence P. McGarty Copyright 2010, all rights reserved 1 | Page 2 | Page PREFACE One cannot understand nature in its fullest until one tills the soil by hand. Then on a day by day basis one sees the plants grow, one observes each flower as it grows from a small bud until it blossoms. The thrill of a new hybrid, the excitement when the bloom exceeds in beauty all which have come before. And then there is the wise critic, the voice from behind, questioning and commenting, those grey furry tailed creatures, the squirrels. These stories reflect perhaps not the words actually spoken but indeed the ideas most likely transferred between me and my everyday companions who seem to be as thrilled as I am when something new comes out. And of one in particular, Antnee, the fat spicy tongued squirrel who adds dimensions to life that are always a delight. I started writing these tales in response to my furry friends and their antics. Yet after a while their very character took over my writing. In many ways these are truly Antnee’s words, his thoughts, his vision, and I became nothing more than his scribe. So to the readers of the tales herein, I wish that you can also get a glimpse of nature as only Antnee would have and also a glimpse of humanity and the nexus between man and all creatures. Enjoy Antnee as I have, his sharp wit, his manners, sometimes with that edge, but always with loves and insight. For it is from Antnee and his tales that we also learn of man and his mission. Terrence P. McGarty Florham Park, NJ January 2011 3 | Page DEDICATION To my wife Sara, who feeds Antnee and his progeny every day and who has enjoyed Antnee as much as I have. 4 | Page CONTENTS PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... 3 DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... 4 CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................... 5 1 THE CHIPMUNK AND THE MOUSE ............................................................................ 9 1.1 Mr. Red Bottom ..................................................................................................................... 9 1.2 Mr. Antnee Squirrel ............................................................................................................. 11 1.3 Mr. Mortimer Turkey .......................................................................................................... 14 1.4 Mr. Tomasso Turtle ............................................................................................................. 17 1.5 Mr. Sheldon Spider .............................................................................................................. 19 1.6 Souvez les Souris ................................................................................................................. 20 1.7 Snap in the Middle of the Night .......................................................................................... 22 2 SAINT FRANCIS AND THE SQUIRREL ........................................................................ 25 2.1 The Garden Edge ................................................................................................................. 25 2.2 Relatives .............................................................................................................................. 25 2.3 Saint Francis ........................................................................................................................ 26 2.4 Other Descendants from Assisi ........................................................................................... 29 2.5 The Crow ............................................................................................................................. 30 2.6 The Rock .............................................................................................................................. 31 2.7 Kazantzakis ......................................................................................................................... 33 2.8 Farewell ............................................................................................................................... 35 3 THE SQUIRREL'S CHRISTMAS .................................................................................. 36 3.1 Antnee and the Nest ........................................................................................................... 36 3.2 The First Christmas .............................................................................................................. 37 3.3 Christmas Morning .............................................................................................................. 41 3.4 The Night of Christmas ........................................................................................................ 42 4 TERENTIUS PUBLIUS SCIURUS AND HIS FRIEND MARCUS AURELIUS ....................... 44 4.1 Antnee and the Snow .......................................................................................................... 44 4.2 Terentius Publius Meets Marcus Aurelius ........................................................................... 45 4.3 The Battle with the Germani ............................................................................................... 47 4.4 The First of the Meditations ................................................................................................ 48 4.5 Discussions on Offspring ..................................................................................................... 51 4.6 Death of Marcus Aurelius ................................................................................................... 52 4.7 Return to the Forests ........................................................................................................... 53 5 HARRY BAILEY SQUIRREL AND HIS FRIEND GEOFFREY CHAUCER ........................... 55 5.1 The Storyteller Returns ........................................................................................................ 55 5.2 Harry the Squirrel ................................................................................................................ 56 5.3 Harry meets Chaucer ........................................................................................................... 57 5.4 Trip to Bath ......................................................................................................................... 60 5.5 The Summoner .................................................................................................................... 61 5.6 The Widow of Bath .............................................................................................................. 62 5.7 People and Places ............................................................................................................... 65 5 | Page 5.8 A Pilgrimage ........................................................................................................................ 67 5.9 On to Kent and Greenwich .................................................................................................. 68 5.10 To London ........................................................................................................................ 70 5.11 The Passing ...................................................................................................................... 73 6 LADY ISABELLA SQUIRREL AND THE BARD ............................................................. 75 6.1 The Potting Beds ................................................................................................................. 75 6.2 Lady Isabella ........................................................................................................................ 77 6.3 The Mission ......................................................................................................................... 77 6.4 Meeting the Bard ................................................................................................................ 79 6.5 The Great Prince Hal ........................................................................................................... 83 6.6 The Enigmatic Julius ............................................................................................................ 86 6.7 Hamlet the Prince ................................................................................................................ 88 6.8 As You Like It ....................................................................................................................... 92 6.9 The Duchess of Pinus ........................................................................................................... 93 6.10 The Death of the Queen ................................................................................................... 95 6.11 The Parting with the Bard ................................................................................................ 96 6.12 Back at Greenwich ........................................................................................................... 98 7 HERR PROFESSOR DOCTOR GUSTAVE M. SQUIRREL AND HIS STUDENT ALBERT ..... 99 7.1 Antnee and His Corn Cob ...................................................................................................