Kragf, the Kootenay Ram 



families ; for such is the highest ambition of 

 every good Mountain Ram. 



It was not choice that left Krag unmated, but 

 a combination of events against which he vainly 

 chafed, and he was still left with his bachelor 

 crew. It was really better so. It seemed hard 

 at the time, but it proved his making, for he 

 was thus enabled to develop to the full his won- 

 derful powers before being hampered and weak- 

 ened by the responsibilities and mingled joys of 

 a family. Each year the bachelor Rams grew 

 handsomer. Even sulky Krinklehorn became 

 a tall and strong, if not a fine-looking, Ram. 

 He had never gotten over his old dislike of 

 Krag. Once or twice he put forth his strength 

 to worst him, and even tried to put him over a 

 cliff ; but he got so severely punished for it that 

 thenceforth he kept away from his foster-bro- 

 ther. But Krag was a joy to behold. As he 

 bounded up the jagged cliffs, barely touching 

 each successive point with his clawed and 

 padded hoofs, floating up like a bird, deriding 

 all foes that thought of following afoot, and the 

 sunbeams changing and flashing from his back 

 as the supple muscles working changed the sur- 



59 



