The Boy and the Red Squirrel

The Boy and the Red Squirrel - Author : Aysel Banu YAVUZAL

On a bright Saturday morning, the boy pulled on his mustard yellow raincoat and red wellington boots. He was going to the woodland reserve with his nature club. His small canvas satchel held a notebook and a pencil. He hoped to see something special today. The path led through tall trees and the air smelled of damp leaves and moss. 1

The boy walked quietly along the trail, his dark brown eyes searching the branches. He had light brown skin and short wavy black hair that peeked out from under his hood. His round friendly face wore a patient smile. He knew that woodland animals liked peace and quiet. So he stepped softly and listened to the birds and the rustling leaves. 2

Suddenly, a flash of russet red caught his eye. A red squirrel leaped from one branch to another, its big fluffy tail streaming behind. The boy held his breath. The squirrel had tufted ears and large dark eyes that seemed to look right at him. It paused, twitched its nose, and then darted up the trunk of a tall oak tree. 3

The boy watched as the squirrel scampered along a branch and disappeared into a hole. A moment later, it popped out again, holding a small hazelnut in its tiny claws. It nibbled quickly, turning the nut around and around. The boy wrote in his notebook: Red squirrel eating. He drew a quick sketch of the fluffy tail and tufted ears. 4

The squirrel was not still for long. It leaped to a nearby tree and began to gather more nuts. The boy followed quietly, keeping his distance. He saw the squirrel dig a small hole in the soft earth and bury a nut. Then it covered the hole with leaves and patted it down. The boy wondered why it was hiding food. Maybe for later? 5

After a while, the squirrel climbed high into the branches and tucked itself into a fork. Its fluffy tail wrapped around its body like a blanket. The boy guessed it was taking a nap. He felt lucky to have seen so much. He tiptoed away, leaving the squirrel to its rest. On the way back, he thought about the woodland and its many secrets. 6

At the next nature club meeting, the boy told everyone about the red squirrel. He described how it leaped and gathered food. The nature club leader, a tall woman with grey-streaked curly hair in a bun, listened with a warm smile. She wore a forest green fleece and carried a clipboard and trowel. 'Red squirrels are special,' she said. 'They need the right trees to survive.' 7

The leader explained that red squirrels depend on certain trees for food and shelter. They need hazel and pine and oak. But many of these trees had been cut down long ago. 'The woodland is changing,' she said gently. 'We can help by planting new trees that red squirrels need.' The boy looked at the pictures she showed and felt a spark of hope. 8

The boy raised his hand. 'Can we plant trees here?' he asked. The leader nodded. 'Yes, we can. Our nature club can plant saplings in the woodland reserve. It will take time, but the trees will grow and provide homes for wildlife.' The boy thought of the squirrel's tufted ears and fluffy tail. He wanted to make sure it always had a home. 9

The next weekend, the nature club met at the woodland reserve. The leader gave out cloth gloves and trowels. The boy pulled on his red wellington boots and carried a small sapling. Other children joined too, their faces bright with excitement. They dug holes in a sunny clearing where the soil was soft and rich. The leader showed them how deep to plant each tree. 10

The boy patted the soil around his sapling. It was a hazel tree, one that would grow nuts for the squirrels. He imagined the squirrel leaping through its branches one day. 'Good job,' said the leader, checking her clipboard. 'These trees will make a big difference.' The boy smiled, feeling proud. He wrote a label with the tree's name and the date. 11

As they worked, the boy noticed a familiar flash of red in a nearby tree. The red squirrel was watching them! It perched on a branch, its big fluffy tail curled. The boy pointed, and the other children looked up. 'It's checking our work,' whispered the leader with a grin. The squirrel twitched its tufted ears and scampered away, as if to say thanks. 12

The boy felt happy. He knew that caring for the woodland helped protect the red squirrels and other native wildlife. The new trees would grow tall and strong, just like the ones around them. He thought about the squirrel gathering nuts and hiding them among the branches. One day, those branches would belong to the trees he had planted. It made him feel warm inside. 13

On the walk home, the boy talked about the squirrel with his friends. They laughed about how it had watched them plant. 'Maybe it will tell its friends,' said one girl. The boy nodded. He hoped so. He knew that the woodland was a home for many creatures, and every tree mattered. His mustard yellow raincoat was muddy, but he didn't mind at all.