Peter Discovers Two Old Friends 



soul knows of but Mrs. Yank- Yank and myself. 

 Now is there anything else you want to know ?" 



"Yes," retorted Peter promptly. "I want to 

 know how it is that you can walk head first down 

 the trunk of a tree without losing your balance 

 and tumbling off." 



Yank- Yank chuckled happily. "I discovered a 

 long time ago, Peter," said he, "that the people 

 who get on best in this world are those who make 

 the most of what they have and waste no time 

 wishing they could have what other people have. 

 I suppose you have noticed that all the Woodpecker 

 family have stiff tail feathers and use them to brace 

 themselves when they are climbing a tree. They 

 have become so dependent on them that they don't 

 dare move about on the trunk of a tree without 

 using them. If they want to come down a tree 

 they have to back down. 



"Now Old Mother Nature didn't give me stiff 

 tail feathers, but she gave me a very good pair of 

 feet with three toes in front and one behind and 

 when I was a very little fellow I learned to make 

 the most of those feet. Each toe has a sharp claw. 

 When I go up a tree the three front claws on 

 each foot hook into the bark. When I come down 

 a tree I simply twist one foot around so that I can 

 use the claws of this foot to keep me from falling. 

 It is just as easy for me to go down a tree as it is to 

 f 85] 



