The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-03
GREAT BATTLE OF
TINY insects
THoREAU WATCHED MIGHTY
STRUGGLE BETWEEN BANDS OF
RED AND BLACK ANTS-WoULD
NOT HAVE BEEN SURPRISED
AT BANDS.

Henry David Thoreau, Walden:
One day when 1 went out to my
w~oodpile, or rather my pile of stumps,
l observed two large ants, the one
red, the other much larger, nearly
half an inch long and black, fiercely
c~ontending with one another. Having
once got hold they never let go, but
struggled and wrestled and rolled On
the chips necessarily. Looking far
Their, l a surprised to find that the
chips were covered with such com
batants, that it not was a duellum,
but a bellum, a war between two
races Of ants, the red always pitted
against the black, and frequently two
red ones to one black. The legions of
these myrmtdons covered all the hills
and wales in my woodward, and the
ground was already strewn with the
dead and dying, both red and black.
1t was the only battle which 1 have
ever witnessed, the one battle field /
ever trod while the battle was raging;
internecine war; the red republicans
on the one hand, and the black inn
p~erialists on the other. On every side
~ASS "SAS ShSSSSo AA uSdbAy &. b SOAu-
bat, yet without any noise that l
could hear, and human soldiers never
fought so resolutely.
/ watched a couple that were fast
locked in each others embraces. in
a little sunny valley amid the chips,
now at MONDAY prepared to fight till
the sun vent down, or life went out.
The smaller red champion had fast
ened himself like a vice to his adj
versary's front, and through all the
tumblings on that field never for an
instant ceased to gnaw at one Of his
feelers near the root, having already
caused other to go by the board;
while the stronger black one dashed
him from side to side, and I saw
on looking nearer, had already di-
vested him of several of his mem
bers. They fought with more per-
tinacity than bulldogs. Neither mani
tested the least disposition to retreat.
1t was evident that their battle cry
was Conquer or Die"
In the meanwhile there came along
a single red ant on the hill side of
this valley, evidently full of excite
ment, who either had dispatched his
foe, or had not vet taken part in the
battle; probably the latter. for he had
lost none Of his limbs; whose moth
err had charged him to return with his
shield or upon 1t. Or ~perchance he
was some Achilles, who had nourished
his wrath apart and had now come to
avenge or rescue his Pathoclus. He
saw this unequal combat from afar
for the blacks were nearly twice the
size of the reds-he drew near with
rapid pace till he stood on his guard
within half an inch of the COM
batants; then, watching his ~opportun-
ity, he sprang upon the black war
rior and commenced his operations
near the root of his right foreleg,
leaving the foe to select among his
own members, and SO there were three
united for life, as IL a new kind Of
attraction had been invented which
put all other locks and cements to
shame. / should not have wondered
by this time to find thatsthey had their
respective musical bands stationed on
some eminent chip and playing their
national airs the while, to excite the
slow and cheer the dying combatants.
/ was myself excited somewhat even
as If they had been men. The more
you think of it. the less the difference
And certainly there is not a fight re-
corded in Concord history. at J asst
in the history of America, that will
bear a moments comparison with this,
whether for the numbers engaged in it,
or for the patriotism and heroIsm dis
played.