As they get closer to the river, Karim starts to walk
on tiptoe. He sees that there are even more branches
and logs in the water. He looks around and thinks that
there is no one there at all. He is about to call out to his
brother, when he suddenly sees two lovely animals
floating on the water. He hides. Not having spotted
Karim, the animals continue to work. Soon his brother,
whose name is Imran, comes and whispers to Karim in
astonishment: “So it was the beavers who cut down the
trees and carried them into the water.” Karim is so happy
to see live beavers, which he has seen in books but has
not known much about. They watch these two hard-
working, interesting animals all day.
Karim’s brother tells him that the beavers are trying
to dam the water so as to build a home. The behaviour of
beavers is astonishing. They place the branches they are
carrying in their mouths in front of the largest log which
they had previously dragged into the water. Then they
come up on to the bank and head towards a nearby tree.
One of the beavers first feeds on the leaves of the tree,
then starts to gnaw the tree bark with its teeth. It gnaws
12
Karim meets
the mysterious
strangers. . .
