Not based on true events

He was an old, old snake of ancient lineage, but he still had his rattle, but he had lost his sting. Yes, he had lost his sting, for there was not a single tooth remaining in his leathery mouth. And his name, accordingly, was Old Toothless, and he was a Prairie Rattlesnake who lived near the great sand dunes of southern Saskatchewan. These desert places he considered his bed, and lay upon the most sheltered of them to soak in the sun.  Should someone or something venture near him, he had but to shake his rattle as if to a song, and that intruder would rush pell-mell away, with Old Toothless laughing and watching them. Yes, that rattle did the trick, and its song could be heard far  and wide  during the day, and it became famous far and near. But as time wore on, it sounded less and less, for, the truth be told, the rattler was becoming blind with age, and did not notice nearby threats so easily. But he could notice a fly at the end of his nose, and did. Unfortunately, though, it was not a fly, but a nervous Yellow Jacket taking a meal on a goldenrod flower which was bowed down before the snake. Old Toothless was unaware that it was indeed a flower and a wasp that he was beholding, and believed it was some overly-bold being come to sniff nose to nose and that was exceedingly vexing. Therefore, because of the close proximity of the thing, he shook his tail more furiously than he was usually wont. He awaited a reaction, but none came, and the yellow creature only bobbed its head, and wiggled its nose, which was actually the feeding wasp. Maybe the the thing is deaf, thought Old Toothless, halting his rattle momentarily. But the thought only exasperated him more, and he rattled like one insane. Still, his opponent took no notice, but bobbed merrily in the wind, and even had the audacity to brush his face with its soft fur. That was the last straw for Old Toothless, and forgetting  about the origins of his name, he struck and got a mouthful of goldenrod - and wasp. But not for long, for, after a moment of confusion, he spat out wasp and blossom with a yelp and a yell. He then rushed almost blindly across the sand, through the grass, and to his hole, narrowly missing a cacti on the way. Poor thing. He remained there long afterwards, nursing his sore mouth, but, trust me, in a month or two he will return, and his rattle will be heard once more.

Prairie Rattlesnake
Crotalus viridis

This rattlesnake, our only venomous snake, can grow up to a meter and a half long. Its fangs, like those of other rattlesnakes, can be folded back when the mouth closes. It feeds on mammals like ground squirrels and other rodents, as well as birds, and sometimes other reptiles and amphibians. The Prairie Rattlesnake is usually found on the ground, but occasionally is found in trees.

Yellow Jacket
Vespula spp.

Yellow Jackets are large, brightly marked hornets which live in papery nests in trees and cavities, as well as in the ground. The sting of these insects can be repeated, unlike those of bees, and most Yellow Jackets you see are female workers. They are masterful predators, killing many other insects, and once in a while being attracted by sweet liquids like nectar. Anna Botsford Comstock, in the Handbook of Nature Study, explains the ill-temper of wasps very well: “ - although they are very nervous themselves, they detest that quality in others.” That sounds very much like us humans at times.

Lastly, a quick corrective note on the crows of one of my past articles “ A Lesson.” The nest of Mrs. Crow has indeed been successful, and there are now about three youngsters within it.