Rodents With Purpose

Tonight, the gerbils, in Ian's room, were looking particularly frisky, standing in their tank on their tippy-toes with their little front paws held out attentively in front of them.  I pointed out that they looked like prairie dogs.  Both boys were amused by this observation, but especially Daniel.  And then he had a flash of etymological insight:

"I think I know why they're called prayerie dogs:  because they look like they're praying."

Ian quickly contradicted this excellent conjecture with a highly questionable counter-hypothesis:  something about how "they're from a place called a prairie." I can't hide my overwhelming bias in favor of Daniel's more creative, almost poetic speculation.

(August 29, 2013)