"Once upon a time, there was a Tajar. Do you know what a Tajar is? Well, he's something like a tiger, and something like a jaguar, and something like a badger; and if you should see him once, you would forget what he looked like, but if you should see him twice, you would forget to forget what he looked like, and that would be quite fatal."
--Tajar Tales
The
Tajar Tales are a collection of short stories by
Jane Shaw Ward, first published in
1925, about a
mischievous little creature with an
insatiable curiosity who is "exceedingly filled with folly" and lives in an
Old Tree, near the
Camp. Indeed, the stories of Tajar are largely relegated to camps, where their distribution originated, and where, in these surroundings that people (usually
children), are first introduced to the world of Tajar.
As for the Tajar himself, he is rarely seen, and usually hides away during the
daytime when Camp is in session. He does love to
dance in the moonlight, however, and if he becomes too filled with
mischief, he undoubtedly gets a stern-but-friendly talking to, by the
Range Ranger (who ranges the ranges of that region).
Indeed, the Range Ranger is one of a very small number of other major characters in these stories, the only other being
Madame Witch, another resident of the
forest, at whose expense Tajar tends to have much fun -- and usually suffers the
consequences of his actions.
The
Tajar Tales are vivid enough to capture the attention of listeners young and old, while giving just enough detail as to
invoke the
imaginations of children for hours. When I was a camper, they used to read us the adventures of Tajar, and I had just as much fun
reciprocating this, when I had the chance to be a
camp counselor. If you are a fan of the outdoors, have
young children, or simply enjoy collections of amusing
short stories, they're a highly recommended addition to your collection.