Tarka the otter : his joyful water-life and death in the country of the two…
“Tarka the Otter: His Joyful Water-Life and Death in the Country of the Two Rivers” by Henry Williamson is a novel written in the early 20th century. The book centers on the life of Tarka, an otter, following his adventures and struggles in the rivers, meadows, and woodlands of rural England. The story is told from the animal’s perspective, offering detailed observations of otter behavior and the natural world, while also depicting
the challenges faced by wildlife in a landscape shaped by both nature and humans. Readers can expect a vivid and immersive account of animal life, full of beauty and peril, without a sentimental or anthropomorphic approach. The opening of “Tarka the Otter” introduces the reader to the richly described river landscape, where otters and other animals live among the changing rhythms of water, weather, and hunting. The story begins with Tarka’s mother, recently hunted by hounds, as she finds refuge and gives birth to her first litter, including Tarka. Through lyrical and precise prose, Williamson follows the early months of Tarka's life—from his first moments as a blind cub, learning to explore the world, to his tentative steps into water and encounters with other wildlife. The narrative details both the joys of play and the persistent dangers—such as predatory birds, hunting dogs, and human-set traps—that threaten otter life. This beginning section paints a vivid and unsentimental picture of the natural world, alive with its cycles of survival, predation, and discovery. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Williamson, Henry, 1895-1977 |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Fortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir, 1859-1933 |
| LoC No. | 28004104 |
| Title | Tarka the otter : his joyful water-life and death in the country of the two rivers |
| Original Publication | United States: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1928. |
| Note | Reading ease score: 84.9 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Note | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarka_the_Otter |
| Credits | Emmanuel Ackerman, Hendrik Kaiber and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | Devon (England) -- Fiction |
| Subject | Nature -- Fiction |
| Subject | Otters -- Fiction |
| Subject | Stream animals -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 75899 |
| Release Date | Apr 18, 2025 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 1190 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
