#43 The Proud and Wayward Squirrel

Taking delight that he could spring

I took this photo with pure delight. The volunteer sunflower that grew out of the oak mulch is feeding the neighborhood squirrels. Before its removal, the oak had been sustaining squirrels for 40 years, attracting them to the front yard to harvest and bury acorns.

I enjoy watching them from the window, racing up a tree trunk vertically or back down head first. My squirrels are grey and acrobatic, leaping among the branches and between the trees in the yard, sometimes amusing themselves with their antics, other times chasing one another. They're clever and ingenious, as anyone who has tried to protect a bird feeder from their attack can attest— and many do with YouTube videos.

Rats with Fluffy Tails

When my neighbor offered condolences to me because the squirrels were eating my sunflower, I assured her that I was happy to have them enjoy the seeds.

I watched as her young children run over to measure themselves against the sunflower that towered above them. The sunflower has been growing on the curb of my parkway for about four months now. It’s a show-stopper and has reminded me how easy it is to enrich one another's lives with a front garden.

People have different reactions to squirrels. One friend detests them and calls them "rats with fluffy tails." Squirrels can be a real trial for a gardener with a flourishing vegetable garden. I have made my peace and only grow a few tomatoes, and I have learned to pick the apples and the figs a little before they ripen. Still, it is frustrating when you find the green one, partially chewed, discarded and left for the beetles.

A tale about a tail--

As child and adult, I enjoyed the art and words of the classic children's books telling tales about the animals children encounter daily in their lives. Beatrix Potter had her Squirrel Nutkin, a red squirrel who bobbed, danced up and down, laughing and shouting, like every other squirrel you might have seen on a daily walk. Her illustrations capture the wild joy they express in their constant motion.

In myths and legends the squirrel is a messenger or a symbol of change and making preparations for it. We still 'squirrel' away money or food.

Norwegian Red Squirrel-Wikipedia cc

Old Norse Messenger (and so much more)

One of my favorite squirrel archetypes is the red squirrel Ratatoskr, a messenger in Old Norse mythology. This ancient cosmology centers around Yggdrasil, an immense and sacred World tree that connects the Nine Realms. Atop the tree is an unnamed eagle said to have knowledge of many things, and below, gnawing the tree's roots, is the serpent dragon, Nidhogg.

The two creatures despise each other, but are separated by the immense height of the cosmic tree. The squirrel, Ratatoskr, constantly moving, scurries up and down the tree, carrying abusive, insulting messages back and forth between the enemies, a task that insures their continued enmity. Ratatoskr is described as driven by malice and a desire to keep the feud going, representing the destructive power of gossip and harmful speech. In Viking culture, reputation and honor were guarded and slander was not tolerated.¹

Ratatoskr is not a famous Norse figure, but he illustrates the power of words to create discord. He runs up and down the tree, stoking strife and perpetuating conflict. His actions contribute to the weakening of Yggdrasil itself, the antagonism he promotes aids the forces working to destroy the World Tree. His role, stoking constant disharmony contributes to the events that lead to Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods.

An Ecosystem of Ratatoskrs

Does this tale sound familiar, at least here in the United States? It feels like the internet age has created an ecosystem of Ratatoskrs that seem to genuinely enjoy the chaos they create. You see it everywhere: people who seem to live for “gotcha’ moments, reposting with added outrage, or rushing to different online spaces to report "look what THEY'RE saying about YOU." Ridicule and outrage are constant themes. Traditional media does it too--quoting the classic 'some people are saying' without any verification of ‘who’.

Some influencers have basically built entire careers around being professional Ratatoskrs, constantly stirring the pot and keeping various feuds and controversies alive because engagement (and drama) pays. The only goal seems to be to ensure that readers stay locked in an eternal animosity. It does weaken the body politic, the public life we share.

Another take on Ratatoskr is that he is the agent of change, stirring it all up. In Old Norse lore, the god Loki is just such a character. Many cultures have the trickster moving through their world creating chaos change with their cleverness, wit and skill. Humans seem to have an appreciation for the clever and the sly that get away with the joke or the trick. Certainly the exceptional squirrel is apt symbol for this role.

Photo by Embla Munk Rynkebjerg on Unsplash

Today I continue to enjoy the antics of the squirrels in my trees and step away from their legendary kin, from Ratatoskr and his progeny on the internet. I find the comfort in my earthly squirrels and their antics. In his poem “An Appointment” William Butler Yeats makes a similar choice . He too prefers the carefree and unconstrained life of a squirrel to the complexities and frustrations of human society.

BEING out of heart with government

I took a broken root to fling

Where the proud, wayward squirrel went,

Taking delight that he could spring;

And he, with that low whinnying sound

That is like laughter, sprang again

And so to the other tree at a bound.

Nor the tame will, nor timid brain,

Nor heavy knitting of the brow

Bred that fierce tooth and cleanly limb

And threw him up to laugh on the bough;

No government appointed him.

1. Bey, Anna, “The Myth of Ratatoskr in Norse Lore” April 24, 2025, Talesofvahalla.com

There is a new feature in today’s Newsletter “In the Garden” —so read on a little further to the end. If you enjoyed the post please click on the ❤️ and leave a comment. I love your comments and the conversations —you with me, you with each other. I see a deep connection between reading and listening, your response completes the loop.

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In the Garden

I have had a bird feeder for about a month now and enjoyed the company of so many more birds in the garden. Yesterday morning I went out to refill the feeder, there were no birds waiting for me. I saw a scattering of gray feathers on the ground and a ruby red drop of blood on the feeder glass.

Something happened, some hawks watch feeders, but I hadn’t noticed any around. I washed the feeder and refilled it with seed. It was hours before the birds came back, mostly the ever present house finches, but I saw a titmouse and some juncos. After an ‘event’ the community slowly picks up the routines of the day and carries on.

Thank you for reading on through, enjoy your day.