The Squirrel's Harvest
The Squirrel's Harvest is a short story written by Grant Allen in the late 19th century. It tells the tale of a squirrel who, after gathering nuts for winter, finds that his stash has been taken by another animal. The story follows the squirrel as he tries to reclaim his harvest and ultimately learns an important lesson about sharing with others.
By Grant Allen · First published 1892 · Genre: Nature Writing, Essay, Animal Behavior · 1,354 words
First lines
NOW is the squirrel's harvest. Beech-mast and acorns are now in season. I was sitting this morning close to the smooth grey-mottled trunk of an immemorial beech at Waggoner's Wells when-pat-a-pat, pat-a noise hard by, as of hurrying and scurrying feet, attracted my attention. So loud it was, one might have almost said a troop of skirmishers from Aldershot at double-quick through the woodland, save that it came from overhead; and overhead skirmishing, from "the nations' airy navies, grappling in the central blue," is happily as yet a thing of the poet's prophetic imagination. I looked up into the tree, and there, to my surprise and delight, lo! half a dozen merry squirrels, all foraging together after the rich beech-mast, which forms the larger part of their winters provender. Even as I watched, one of the pretty harvesters descended the trunk nimbly with his sharp small claws, and approached unawares within a few feet of the spot where I was sitting.
What this Textopian page supports
The Squirrel's Harvest is listed on Textopian as a short story by Grant Allen, dated 1892 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Grant Allen
- Date: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Nature Writing, Essay, Animal Behavior, Natural History, Philosophical
- Length: 1,354 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Squirrel's Harvest by Grant Allen
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Nature Writing — The text focuses on the behavior and characteristics of squirrels, providing detailed observations of their habits and interactions with the environment.
- Essay — The narrative is structured as a reflective and descriptive essay, offering insights and personal observations about squirrels and their natural setting.
- Animal Behavior — The work explores the behavioral traits of squirrels, including their foraging, mating, and survival strategies.
- Natural History — The text provides information on the natural history of squirrels, including their adaptation to seasonal changes and their ecological role.
Tags
nature · squirrels · harvest · animals · wildlife · environment · ecosystem · foraging · food · survival · seasons · habitat