The gentle gardener enhanced the peace and beauty of the garden by planting a bird table festooned with containers of nuts and seeds. The birds enjoyed this and sang for their suppers!
Sadly, the garden was invaded by rats!
The gentle gardener was concerned, but the rats had four legs rather than two and so a, benevolent, blind eye was turned to creatures small. However, the rats went forth and multiplied as rats do! They, and their brood, not only stole food meant for the birds but also attacked them and dragged them off into the bushes. This was hard for the gentle gardener.
THOGG looked on!
Killing rats, at least the 4 legged variety, was not something he had considered. To preserve the peace and beauty of the garden he was prepared to act. It is difficult to hit a rat with a blow from a pitchfork! Traps ensnared as many birds as rats. The Lord of the Manor would not approve!
THOGG considered further!
He had seen the rats climb up the bird table and down the containers of nuts and seeds to steal the food. If they were disturbed they dropped to the ground and scuttled away into the bushes.
He half filled large containers with water. There was sufficient water in the container that a rat, even a big rat, would have to swim to keep its nose above the water. There was not sufficient water in the container to enable a rat to scramble up the smooth sides and escape!
With a heavy heart THOGG arranged the containers underneath the seeds and nuts. As the rats appeared he looked on. When the rats were in a feeding frenzy he opened the window and clapped his hands together, two hands clapping. The rats fell into the containers.
The rats, who deserved respect, were consigned to the great wheel. The containers were emptied in the hedgerows.
