Magnificent Animals

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement
Magnificent Animals

We could hardly believe the little tigers born in our zoo only thirteen months ago could be so enormous. These playful youngsters delighted their audience gathered behind the thick glass that separated the tiger’s lovely area, complete with a pond, from zoo goers. They ran into the water and swam right in front of us. Their gorgeous orange coats with black stripes were beautiful. The glass allowed us to see them swim from below the water as well as above and showed off their powerful muscles and huge paws. The little children were eyeball to eyeball with the animals who looked as if they wanted to play with (or possibly snack on!) the children. Soon a hapless squirrel wandered onto the small tree in the tigers’ enclosure. Distracted, the tigers ran back under the tree and tensed to watch the potential prey. Each time the nervous creature adjusted his position on the limb above the tiger’s heads, the mighty animals assumed pouncing positions, and the audience shouted advice to the tiny creature who had stumbled into a highly dangerous place for a squirrel. Finally, it made an attempt to escape. The Tigers went on alert as he tenuously made his way lower on the branch. The hunters were up and ready. With a mighty leap the little fellow jumped to the ground and raced for the fence. Eight muscular legs ran like lightening behind him to the dismayed cries of the viewers. The people cheered when the little fellow squeezed through the bars just before the big paws tired to strike.