Then she fed it and found that it did not hurt her. [Illustration: "_They lived by fire at the foot of the tree_"] She liked the warmth that it gave. She enjoyed the pleasant firelight. She saw that it was their friend. After that Sharptooth and Bodo did not sleep in trees. They lived by the fire at the foot of a tree. Sometimes their home was by the old oak. Sometimes it was in other places. But it was always where they carried the fire. THINGS TO DO _Tell how to make a fire._ _What does a fire need in order to burn?_ _Put a tumbler over a lighted candle and watch to see what happens._ _Why does the light go out?_ _Light the candle again and see if you can find out what it is that burns._ XXIV. THINGS TO THINK ABOUT What do you think the other Tree-dwellers did when they heard of the fire Sharptooth and Bodo had? Does fire ever do any harm nowadays? Why do we need to be careful in using fire? _How the Tree-dwellers Formed a Clan_ The next night One-Ear stayed with Sharptooth and Bodo at the foot of the old oak. Then other Tree-dwellers came. At first they were afraid just as Sharptooth had been. But they, too, soon learned that the fire was their friend. So they sat around the fire each evening. They talked about the wild animals they had seen. As long as they sat by the fire, they felt safe. So they came to the fireplace each night. They began to live together. They formed a clan. Their clan was the fire clan. The women with babies stayed near the fire. All the others went farther away. Each one hunted for his own food. Each ate what he found on the spot. But all came back to the fireplace at night. [Illustration: "_They talked about the wild animals they had seen_"] All were tired and needed to rest. Since they had no chairs they squatted on the ground. They talked and they played in the firelight. When they got drowsy they fell asleep. But Sharptooth kept watch of the fire. Her sisters helped, but she was the clan mother. It was she who took charge of the fire. She knew how the fire became their friend. She knew that it needed care. She knew that it gave them their first home. So she taught the people to worship the fire. THINGS TO DO _Play that you are Tree-dwellers just beginning to form a clan._ _Plan how you will divide your work._ _Choose sides and let those on one side tell a story of the Tree-dwellers before they had fire. Let those on the other side tell a story of the Tree-dwellers after they had fire._ _Look at the picture on page 100 and tell such a story about it as you think the tree-dwellers would tell after they had seen such a fight._ XXV. THINGS TO THINK ABOUT