 Douglas-fir Seed Cone with Three-Forked Bracts |
Here's the story..... |
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Many years ago, deep in the redwood forest, when the forest was dark and quiet, little mice would run up Douglas-fir's bark, way to the top of his branches, and there they would sit and eat the seeds from his cones. The little mice found plenty of good seeds to eat because Douglas-fir had many, many seed cones. As time went by, the little mice became fat and happy from eating such rich and nutritious food, but Douglas-fir became sad. "They must be stopped!", he said to himself. "I will have no grandchildren if they continue to eat my seeds!" Douglas-fir decided it was time for action and thought up a way to keep the forest mice from eating his seeds. One night, he put his plan into action. As usual, the forest was quiet while he waited for the hungry little theives. Suddenly he became alert. He could feel the mice climb, cliMB, CLIMB his trunk, up to the top of his large branches. He could feel them scampering along his enormous limbs, hunting for the biggest seed cones. And then he could hear them "Crrraaccck, Crack...Munch, Munch, MUNCHCHCH" his seeds. "No you don't," he bellowed. "You won't steal my seeds anymore, little mice!" and at that, Douglas-fir squeezed his seed cones tight, trapping all of the tiny mice inside. The plan had been successful. The tiny theives were caught. Douglas-fir was never again bothered by the little forest mice, and as you can see by the many Douglas-fir trees in the forest, he had many, many grandchildren. What happened to the little mice? You can still see evidence of the tiny creatures that tried to steal Douglas-fir's seeds on that night a long time ago. Sticking out from under each scale of the seed cone is a mousie's tail and his two hind feet. Do you see them? Story told to visitors at Henry Cowell State Park; re-told by Tamara Myers, former docent. |
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