I know what you’re thinking. There has been so much good dam beaver news lately you’re thinking the battle’s almost over. The summit is in three weeks and there’s nothing much to fight over because people already know how good beavers are and how they help other species and creeks.

I would just direct your attention to this praised young adult fiction.

Who reduced the river to a trickle? The animals in the jungle decide to find out

Jack, the jackal, yawned and stretched. The sun was up. “Ugh! Summer again. Hot days and hot nights…”

“Come along, Gogol. Let’s go to the river for a dip and a swim. Look lively now.”

Gogol smiled. He loved Jack’s energy. He ambled along behind him. Suddenly, Gogol heard a scream and rushed forward, his hooves slipping and sliding towards the banks

“Look at this!” said Jack, pointing to the river. “Just take a look at this.”

Gogol looked at the river and was surprised to find that it had shrunk to half its size … overnight! Monkey, also a regular morning visitor, swung by. “Oh my goodness! Whatever has happened to our river?” she exclaimed.

Uh oh. I’m thinking this children’s book isn’t about to complain that a trapper killed  the beavers and knocked out the dam making the pond where they used to swim. Gee I wonder what they’re going to say happened. Don’t you?

“You are not going to believe this. I went upstream to investigate. I was so sure that the humans had done something. Imagine my surprise when I saw a family of rat-like creatures…but with big heads, and sharp incisors, damming up our river.”

“Rat-like?” sniggered Wolfie. “Darling, are you sure your eyes are fine?”

Monkey ignored him and continued. “They were strange creatures. Their front feet are like hands and their back feet are webbed. When I confronted them and asked what they thought they were doing, they said this was necessary for their survival.”

“What about our survival, darling?” drawled Wolfie.

Agggh. The stupid. It Burns US!  To see our beloved engineers described as “The rat like creatures just selfishly thinking of their own needs. Without a thought to anyone else.” Nasty water savers!

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Nasty beavers always stealing the water for themselves.

“Er…um…” said Gogol. “Monkey, I think you are talking about beavers. Yes, they do build dams with branches of trees, vegetation, rocks and mud. They live in shelters called lodges, to be safe from predators…”

“We need to talk to them,” said Jack.

So a deputation went to meet the beavers. There was a whole colony awaiting their arrival. Initially, the beavers were hostile and came at them with branches that they could hardly carry. But the Jungle deputation managed to disarm them and get them talking.

Learn to share

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHThis is sooooooooooooo provoking and wrong. I cannot stand it!!!

Gogol looked at the lovely pool the beavers had made for themselves. He saw several young beavers eagerly swimming laps, shouting and playing catch. “I know you cannot live without water. But, neither can we. All of us need it, and this is our only source. We must learn to share…” he said.

On hearing this, the beavers huddled together and growled and moaned. Finally, the biggest one came forward and said, “We will dismantle our dam. But we have one condition: that you allow us to shift our lodges downstream. Looks like you guys have a good set-up there.”

So not only does this book teach young people that beavers steal water from other animals it also teaches them that they LIVE IN THE DAM which is wrong in soo soo many ways. I can’t imagine any more ways it could be wrong. But I bet the author can.

Then they heard the noise. It seemed to be coming closer. There were distinctive barks, growls and grunts. The noise grew louder and louder. Amazed, the animals watched. As the moonlight gleamed on the water surface, the river seemed to come to life. It danced and jumped, shivered and shuddered.

As it drew closer, Monkey shouted, “Oh goodness, the beavers are coming! The beavers are coming!”

“How many?” asked Jack.

“I counted 50 and then lost track…Looks like a big colony,” said Gogol.

Sure. Why not a hundred. If you’re going to be wrong you might as well go all in. Everyone’s worst fears, come to life.

The animals went home, wondering if they had got the bad end of the bargain after all. The next morning, they woke up to yet another surprise. The banks of the river were overflowing. The eager beavers had been busy all night. They had built their dam and flooded the plain.

Jack had had enough. He decided to give the beavers a talking to. “Listen, Beavers, all of us in this forest need the river. Water is an important part of our life…just like it is for you. We need to learn to share our resources.”

“But it’s not all bad, guys,” said Gogol. “These beaver dams prevent erosion and raise the water table, so the water does get purified…”

Oh puleezeeeeeee too little too late. Don’t try to add a sentence NOW to say beavers are useful. You have already set the entire cannon back five centuries. The weird thing is I think the hindi author has something to do with the beaver trust in England. I forget how I know that but I believe she does.

WHYYYYY OHHH WHYYY WASN’T SHE STOPPED?