Birdcatte - Sav Berkleigh

I tell the story of a group of prehistoric nomads that do little things as they pass along a regular route – fell a tree to let the berry bushes get more light, pull out a few kinds of shrubs and burn all those seeds so there’s less competition, dig a shallow trench from the beaver pond to the low meadow. Uproot the trees that only bear a little fruit and leave the over achievers to propagate. Little things as they pass each year, until their route becomes a luscious garden in an orchard of plenty; which, btw, is what colonizers describe finding in parts of the Americas, and in other places around the world.

They take similar care of with the herd they follow. They know the members of the herd very well. The herd has a bull these last few years that is especially caring and protective, keeps the calves safe and doesn’t cause disturbances among the cows, so they will be hunting mostly young bulls that want to challenge him for a few seasons, let such a great old bull father as many calves as possible. In past seasons they hunted cows that that have ignored their calves to ruinous results or started trouble among the herd. In the spring and summer they almost do not hunt at all among the beasts they follow, letting the herd have its calves and raise them. Anyway, that is a time when there is much available for humans to eat. When they pass through the wolves’ territory, they sacrifice two or three large adults and leave them, so the calves are not preyed on, saving maybe ten young lives. Old Ursa on the hill can have whatever she takes, who wants to stop her? She usually only takes one or two in any case, and she’s fresh out of hibernation with cubs to feed. Her father was a menace and in the old days they would sacrifice one and leave it just to keep him from coming too near. In the winter, there is less food for humans and less food for the herd. Hunting among the herd at this time helps ensure those that remain have plenty to eat during the scarcity of the coldest months. And after all, many more calves have reached adulthood under the care of the people than would have otherwise, the herd can spare some now. No one comes close to starvation this way, humans and herd beasts alike come through the winter in good health.

Photo of Mario uploaded to the official Twitter account for Nintendo of America alongside the caption “Dabbing is E for everyone!” in 2017.