Reading book response 3: Where The Red Fern Grows

In the last book response I posted, I left off where Billy's dogs Old Dan and Little Ann had treed a coon in the biggest tree on Billy's farm. Billy had been chopping at the tree for over a day because he promised his dogs "if they treed a coon he would do the rest. " He finally chopped it down after about a day and a half to two days. That hunt alone strengthened the bond between the three of them. Soon after, they started getting coon after coon. The fame of Billy and his dogs spread all throughout the Ozarks. But during the winter things almost took a turn for the worst. Billy and his dogs were hot on the trail of a coon, but the coon crossed a frozen river. When Little Ann ran across the river, the ice gave away. Billy tried to go out to her but he was too heavy for the ice. Little Ann was just barely hold on to the ice with her paws, and Billy couldn't do anything about it. Billy started to sob a bit but then just dropped to his knees and prayed to God for a miracle to help save his dog. Right then came the answer he was looking for. He used the handle from his lantern, and his shoe lace to tie the wire handle in the shape of a hook onto a cane pole. He then waded out in the freezing water and hooked his dog around the collar and pulled her out of the hole. Billy quickly started a fire to warm up Little Ann and get her blood flowing again. He had saved her. I really liked this part of the book, because it got me thinking. What would I have done if I were in that situation? I feel like I too would have turned to God for help. Thankfully though, I have never faced a situation like that. I hope no one will ever have to again.

(This picture almost matches the image of the river I had pictured in my head. Just imagine your dog or cat out in the middle of that. What would you do?)