Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel: Her Many Adventures

In Short

First published in 1915, this charming children's story follows Slicko, a young woodland squirrel whose parents teach her to leap across high branches to escape hunters. When she strays from home, she wanders through the forest, meets runaway circus animals, and falls into a boy's trap. Taken into a human household, she learns tricks, rides a wire wheel, and startles a night intruder before escaping back into the woods. It has endured as an accessible, lighthearted animal fable that celebrates bravery, curiosity, and the comforts of home for young readers.

The Story

The tale opens in a cozy tree nest lined with milkweed cotton and dry leaves, where Slicko lives with her father, mother, sister Chatter, and brothers Nutto and Fluffy. Recognizing that a hunter with a dog and gun wanders the forest, her parents insist that the young squirrels master the art of jumping between high branches to keep out of harm's way. Slicko practices with enthusiasm, quickly becoming the best jumper of the brood.

When the hunter approaches their nest tree, the family scatters to escape. Slicko is dispatched to the home of her Aunt Whitey, but she arrives to find the nest abandoned. Wandering through the woods alone, she encounters other animal travelers, including Squinty, a run-away comical pig whom she feeds with soft acorns. Soon after, she encounters Mappo, a runaway monkey who introduces her to the sights and sounds of a traveling circus, and Tum Tum, a giant elephant who panics at the sight of her until she assures him she is merely a girl squirrel and not a mouse.

While gathering winter nuts for herself near her aunt's empty nest, Slicko steps into an iron trap set by a boy named Bob. Unable to pull free, she is discovered by Bob and his barking dog, Rover. Bob carefully carries her home in his coat pocket, where his sisters pity the captive creature. Settled into a spacious wire cage fitted with a spinning exercise wheel, Slicko grows fond of her new surroundings. Bob patiently trains her to perform tricks: she runs on the wheel, retrieves nuts and sugar from his pockets, sits on his shoulder, and leaps through paper-covered hoops. When Bob's sisters attempt to dress her in dolls' clothing and ride her in a carriage, however, Slicko rebels and retreats to her dark sleeping box.

Though well-fed and entertained, Slicko eventually longs for the freedom of the forest. Finding her cage door unlatched and a nearby window open, she leaps outside into a neighboring tree. She stays close to the house while Bob sets out nuts to lure her back. That night, Slicko creeps back inside through the open window to search for food. Exploring the dark kitchen, she hears a figure stuffing silver into his coat. Thinking it is Bob's father carrying treats, she scrambles up his leg and onto his shoulder, pressing her cold nose to his neck. The intruder—actually a burglar—panics at the touch of what he believes is a giant rat, screams, drops his loot, and leaps out the window. The commotion wakes the household, but Slicko slips away back into the night. Following familiar woodland paths, she discovers her family safe in their original tree, where her parents and siblings welcome her home to share her grand adventures.

How It Unfolds

Leaping for safety Slicko and her siblings receive intensive jumping lessons from their parents high in the tree branches. The training is essential, as a hunter and his dog have been spotted roaming the surrounding forest.

A scattered family When the hunter arrives near their home, the squirrel family splits up to evade danger. Slicko travels alone to her Aunt Whitey's tree nest, only to discover that her aunt has moved away.

Friendly forest encounters While foraging alone, Slicko meets Squinty the pig, Mappo the runaway monkey, and Tum Tum the giant elephant. She learns about circus life and reassures the gigantic elephant that she is not a mouse.

Snared in the woods While gathering chestnuts and acorns for the coming winter, Slicko's leg becomes caught in an iron trap. A local boy named Bob finds her and carries her home inside his coat pocket.

Life in the cage Bob places Slicko in a large wire cage featuring a spinning wheel. She quickly learns to run on the wheel and performs tricks, including diving into Bob's pockets for sugar and jumping through paper hoops.

The midnight intruder After slipping out an open window to explore, Slicko sneaks back into the kitchen late at night. She climbs up a thief stealing silverware, scaring him out the window when he mistakes her for a rat.

Reunion in the trees Slicko journeys back into the deep woods and discovers her parents and siblings back in their original nest. She settles down happily with her family, promising to keep her jumping to the treetops.

The People

• Slicko wants to explore the forest, gather food, and master jumping. Held back by her small size and the dangers of hunters, she gains confidence through her agility and learns to perform tricks in a human home before returning to her family.
• Bob wants a clever wild pet that he can train to do tricks. Hindered by Slicko's initial fear and her eventual escape, he treats her with patience and gentleness, providing a clean cage, nuts, and sugar.
• Mollie and Sallie want to cuddle Slicko and treat her like a living doll. Stopped by Slicko's instinctual resistance to being dressed up and pushed in a carriage, they adjust their expectations and enjoy watching her perform Bob's tricks instead.
• Squinty, Mappo, and Tum Tum want freedom, safety, and food as they wander through the woods. Though separated from their usual homes or circus routines, each interacts briefly with Slicko, offering her companionship and sharing news of the broader world.
• Slicko's Parents want to protect their four young squirrels from hunters, owls, and winter weather. Prevented from staying in one place by immediate danger, they successfully teach their offspring self-reliance so the family can eventually reunite.

In Its Own Voice

“You are going to have some jumping lessons,” went on Mr. Squirrel. “After you learn to jump, I will tell you why.”

Slicko’s father explains the necessity of mastering long leaps before revealing the danger lurking on the forest floor.

“I said I was not a rat or a mouse--I’m only a little girl squirrel, and I wouldn’t hurt you for the world,” went on Slicko.

Slicko calls up to Tum Tum after the giant elephant shakes with terror at the sight of a tiny creature.

“Oh, how cruel, to catch a poor little squirrel in a trap!” exclaimed the first little girl.

Bob's sister reacts with sympathy when her brother brings his new captive home from the woods.

What It's Really About

Beneath its gentle episodic narrative, the story explores the balance between wild independence and domestic comfort. For a young animal, the natural forest offers freedom and family ties, but it also carries constant hazards—owls, hunters, traps, and harsh winter weather. Conversely, human captivity offers warmth, safety, and an endless supply of food, yet it demands a loss of autonomy and subjects the animal to artificial amusements like wire wheels and doll clothes. Slicko's journey demonstrates that while human kindness can make captivity pleasant, a wild creature's ultimate fulfillment lies in self-reliance, physical capability, and returning to her natural home among her own kind.

Why Read It Today

This book will appeal to young children, early readers, and nostalgic lovers of classic animal fables who enjoy gentle, episodic adventures. Reading it feels like stepping into an earlier era of children's literature, characterized by an earnest, conversational narrator, straightforward dialogue, and simple moral clarity. The prose flows at an easy, rhythmic pace designed for bedtime reading, offering a warm and reassuring atmosphere even during moments of mild peril.

Modern readers should keep in mind that the book reflects the rural traditions of 1915, including the casual setting of steel animal traps by young boys and references to hunting. However, these elements are handled without cruelty or graphic detail; Bob immediately cares for his captive, and his sisters voice explicit sympathy for the trapped animal. What stays with the reader is Slicko's cheerful resilience and quick wit—whether navigating the high branches of the forest, learning to enjoy her exercise wheel, or accidentally thwarting a nighttime burglary with a touch of her cold nose.