Beaver stayed close beside her until she was 
rid of her fear and was swimming quietly be¬ 
side Ilg and O-Go. Then Mother Beaver re¬ 
turned to the lodge, and Ela, who didn’t want 
to be left all alone, followed behind the others. 
The next time was easier, for though Ela was 
still reluctant, she knew that she must obey. 
The lesson had been a hard one for Ela, but 
she had learned it. Thereafter, she left and 
entered the lodge as fearlessly as did her two 
brothers. 
Mother Beaver was greatly pleased with all 
three of her little ones because of the quick¬ 
ness with which they had learned how to use 
the door of the lodge. In order that they 
might not forget that lesson, she made them 
practice it over and over again, until they were 
able to go straight to the door from any point 
within twenty feet of it. She knew that it 
was very important for them to be able to 
do this in time of danger, for a beaver must 
be able to dive quickly and to swim well un¬ 
der water, if he is to escape his enemies. 
This ability to escape from enemies is, of 
course, important to all the creatures of the 
wild, but few of the others are so dependent 
upon it as is the beaver. Those others, as a 
rule, are able to defend themselves at least a 
little, but the beaver can not do so at all, for 
he has no weapons, since his teeth are not made 
23 
